What Are My Options?

[ryanb741]

Well I am new to this forum so a big hello to all. I have been married to my wife (Chinese-Thai) for 5 years - we married in the UK and have been living in the UK for the last 7 years (she has a British passport as well as a Thai one and I am a British national). I really love Thailand and we recently purchased a house in Bangkok. We are planning to move to Thailand permanently within 2 years.

The thing is, I really am confused as to what my options are. As I am married to a Thai national, is it easy for me to gain residency?

The other major concern is the employment situation. At the moment I work as a Business development Manager for a large recruitment/HR organisation and my salary works out at about £3000 per month (THB 210000). Now obviously I am not expecting that kind of remuneration in Thailand but I really don't know what types of job would be open to me. I have a degree from a leading British university and obviously have a good sales background but I would be quite happy to do any job if it meant I could live comfortably in Thailand.

So what types of work to expats in Thailand typically do and how easy is it to find such employment. I have regularly been inundated with offers to do teaching work for about THB 40000 per month - I will do this if absolutely necessary but I just wanted to find out a little more from the people currently living in Thailand.

Any feedback would be gratefully received, and I apologise in advice if similar topics have been posted in the past (I didn't have the time to trawl through all historical threads).

Ryan Bridgman

[lopburi3]

You did not provide your age which might be important for some answers. Residency requires living here for three full years in a legal extension of stay status prior to application. From most reports tax payments, Thai language and provan commitment to Thailand are very important aspects so it is not a rubber stamp procedure. Being married does not open any doors in itself.

Most foreigners seem to be teachers or hotel industry managers if employed and others are business owners with varying degrees of success.

We know you are busy but if you are about to take this plunge would highly advise reading up - there is no fifty word answer.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There's plenty of HR companies around Thailand. Why not try them and see if they have something to offer.

[ryanb741]

Sorry, I should have said - I am 27 years old.

I guess teaching may well be my best option - I'll just have to live more frugally

[h5kaf]

Lopburi's reply is good advice but hides a number of fairly important side issues.

Residency. As Lopburi rightly says there are hurdles such as Taxes, Thai language and a visa track record. But there is also the money side of things. If and when you are eligible to apply for residency there is a hefty application fee of about 9000 baht (non refundable). If you were to be offered residency then there is a further fee of about 200,000 baht if your wife is a Thai national. Then there are regulations after you get your residency booklet which are tedious and costly. Most foreigners who live and work here in Thailand apply for a variety of 1 year visa extensions which currently cost 1,900 baht for the year. As you can see you would be 127 years old before you spent as much as your residency permit would cost. Married to a Thai you are entitled to apply for a visa extension on those very grounds. You need a non immigrant O visa to start with and this you can get in the UK. I would suggest you apply to the consulate office in either HULL or CARDIFF as both these consuls are very helpful and not obstructive. You will need to show a copy of your marriage certificate and your wifes ID card (perhaps) and you should then have no problem getting your initial non immigrant visa. The rest you do here when you arrive.

Working. You will need to familiarise yourself with the work permit regulations once you are here. There are many job opportunities in Bangkok and your wife may be very helpful to you in this regard, especially if she is in any way connected. You may take up teaching (as a last resort perhaps). But bring loads of money and take your time settling in. Remember it is possible to make a small fortune in Thailand - you arrive with a large one.

Hope some of this hepls.

[bluebear]

We are planning to move to Thailand permanently within 2 years.

(I didn't have the time to trawl through all historical threads).

Lets get this straight. You are planning a major life changing decision and you cant find the time to do your own research??

[ryanb741]

No it's not that I can't do any research its just that I am confused with the different types of advice have received from various Thai officials in the past and just wanted to hear from foreigners living and working in Bangkok 'from the horse's mouse' so to speak.

The decision to move to Bangkok is definite - we have already purchased a house and my wife's mother is a high ranking government official which undoubtedly will be handy (I was able to avoid the usual Thai regulations against foreigners purchasing property with her assistance) but it seems like when it comes to immigration the rules change all the time and reports vary from bureaucrat to bureaucrat.

[ProThaiExpat]

Newbies often use incorrect terms in describing what they want to know. From the sound of your second post, you may want to know what your visa and extention options are, not "residency", which is an entirely different than comming to

Thailand to live with a Thai national wife and working here.

Since "residency" permit requires a three year continuous stay before you can even apply, I think you need to focus on "long stay", ie. a year at a time, until you have the three years in.

That being the case, at your age, married and supporting a Thai wife sounds to me like the way for you to go, as you are only required to have 400K in the bank in Thailand.

If the foregoing sounds like it is closer to what you want to do, let us know and members with experience in that area will be happy to respond to your pointed question regarding "various visas and extention options for a 27 year old alien married to a Thai who wants to work in Thailand".

[ryanb741]

Thanks for the reply - yes I agree I was a bit vague with my questions so what I will do is outline my exact circumstances and what I want to do and then if I could receive feedback that would be invaluable. I am just a little confused at the moment, so I am most grateful for your replies.

My circumstances;

27 years old

Degree from leading UK university

Have house in Bangkok (off Sutthisarn rd)

Wife plans to establish jewellery business

Wife's mother is gov't official

I have a British passport

I speak intermediate level Thai (I cannot read or write Thai though)

What I want to do is just find the most hassle-free way for me to be allowed to live and work in Thailand, and what I need to do to achieve this. I am not concerned about what type of visa I require, I just want to know what I need to do to be allowed to live and work in Thailand and I intend to settle in Bangkok permanently.

[thaihome]

What I want to do is just find the most hassle-free way for me to be allowed to live and work in Thailand, and what I need to do to achieve this. I am not concerned about what type of visa I require, I just want to know what I need to do to be allowed to live and work in Thailand.

Your one of your biggest concerns if you want to live and work in Thailand will be what type of visa.

In order to live and work in Thailand you need an extendable visa and a work permit.

The only way to live and work hassle free in Thailand is to work for a company that will handle your visa and work permit for you.

TH