Drifting Back

[Coota]

I am an Australian, retired, mid 60's, legally married to my Thai wife, we were married in the Government Office in Thailand and I have the certificates. We were married around 2010 and our first child was born in 2006 after we met in 2004.  We have 3 children together who are dual Thai/Aussie citizens and they were all born in Thailand. I lived in Thailand, in my wife's village, for 5 years, after I retired, from around 2014 to 2019 and I had a retirement visa extension. We all moved to Australia in late 2019 and have lived there up to now. 

 

I have decided that I would like to sell up and move back to Thailand with the family. I have done the sums and sorted all the pros and cons in my head and the only thing holding me back is the visa problem.

 

Can anyone advise me on what Visa to apply for that would enable a smooth return to Thailand and, once there, I would deal with the local immigration office to extend whatever Visa I have, be it marriage or retirement. I have experience dealing with local Thai Immigration and thought I was up to date with all the rules etc but have lost touch in the time I have been in Oz.  My wife and children are still with me in Oz

 

Bearing all of this in mind, any help or advice regarding a Visa would be greatly appreciated. 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2021 by Coota
spelling

[ubonjoe]

You can easily get a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai at the embassy or the official consulate in Sydney.

The you can apply for a one year extension based upon marriage during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry the non-o visa allows. To apply you will need 400k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months or proof of 40k baht income proven by transfers from abroad.

[Coota]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can easily get a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai at the embassy or the official consulate in Sydney.

The you can apply for a one year extension based upon marriage during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry the non-o visa allows. To apply you will need 400k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months or proof of 40k baht income proven by transfers from abroad.

Thanks Joe, I was hoping you'd reply. 

[The Deerhunter]

14 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can easily get a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai at the embassy or the official consulate in Sydney.

The you can apply for a one year extension based upon marriage during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry the non-o visa allows. To apply you will need 400k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months or proof of 40k baht income proven by transfers from abroad.

With the very greatest respect, please consider all the points including the the Covid 19 situation, your access to long term, health care costs/insurance and the unstable geo-political situation in East Asia before moving back to Thailand.  Specifically as regards selling up in Australia.  With the property prices as crazy as they are, if your circumstances changed and you had to move back home you might find yo cannot buy back into the property market.  I moved to Thailand 7.5 years ago and kept my house in Auckland.  After 5 .5 years I decided our circumstances required moving back to NZ and as house prices had doubled I had somewhere to go back to as I rented out my house for the 5 years and went back to a much better life than I left. If I had not kept the house, I would be in a terrible situation now.   I do not know your financial circumstances and I understand everyone's situation is personal to them, but be careful and recognise that selling up in Aus before moving to LOS could well prevent you from returning home.  I was 65 when we moved to LOS and 71 when we moved home to N.Z.  I am so glad I did not sell up but kept my options open which enabled us both to move home.   My Thai wife is very grateful to be back here again too for many reasons.   There a lot of piople trapped in LOS by making the wrong decision to sell up everything, back home.

[DrJack54]

OP, how old are your kids.

BTW, surprised regarding you emphasis on question about visa. That is the most simple part to the whole move it's strange your unaware of such a simple process, having lived in Thailand for some years.

Edited October 11, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

43 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

With the very greatest respect, please consider all the points including the the Covid 19 situation, your access to long term, health care costs/insurance and the unstable geo-political situation in East Asia before moving back to Thailand.

How is that related to what I wrote. I was giving him advice on a visa and extensions of stay that is what this forum is for.

This is not the correct forum for most of what wrote about.

[Thingamabob]

Get a non-O visa based on marriage. Welcome back. Life is still good in Thailand.

[Tropposurfer]

4 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

With the very greatest respect, please consider all the points including the the Covid 19 situation, your access to long term, health care costs/insurance and the unstable geo-political situation in East Asia before moving back to Thailand.  Specifically as regards selling up in Australia.  With the property prices as crazy as they are, if your circumstances changed and you had to move back home you might find yo cannot buy back into the property market.  I moved to Thailand 7.5 years ago and kept my house in Auckland.  After 5 .5 years I decided our circumstances required moving back to NZ and as house prices had doubled I had somewhere to go back to as I rented out my house for the 5 years and went back to a much better life than I left. If I had not kept the house, I would be in a terrible situation now.   I do not know your financial circumstances and I understand everyone's situation is personal to them, but be careful and recognise that selling up in Aus before moving to LOS could well prevent you from returning home.  I was 65 when we moved to LOS and 71 when we moved home to N.Z.  I am so glad I did not sell up but kept my options open which enabled us both to move home.   My Thai wife is very grateful to be back here again too for many reasons.   There a lot of piople trapped in LOS by making the wrong decision to sell up everything, back home.

Always good to keep your eggs in a few different baskets ... ????

[khunPer]

21 hours ago, Coota said:

Can anyone advise me on what Visa to apply for that would enable a smooth return to Thailand and, once there, I would deal with the local immigration office to extend whatever Visa I have, be it marriage or retirement. I have experience dealing with local Thai Immigration and thought I was up to date with all the rules etc but have lost touch in the time I have been in Oz.

As Ubon Joe says, get a non-immigrant O-visa.

 

You might feel it's little less complicated to apply for annual extension based on retirement, than based on marriage - you can choose whatever you wish with a non-immigrant O-visa - but extension based on retirement requires a higher financial base, either 800,000 baht in bank deposit or not less than 65,000 baht in monthly foreign transfer.

 

I use the "retirement method" and a 12-month fixed bank deposit of 800,000 baht, and I'm sleeping without worrying about remembering top top up deposit account to mature, or if currency exchange rate brings my monthly foreign transfers under the minimum limit. I withdraw the interest once a year, keeping a clean 800k baht cut in the deposit, easy for the immigration officer to count.

 

You can also use a fixed deposit for the 400,000 baht marriage extension, it's not a requirement to keep the funds more than the two month maturing period, and until you extension of stay is granted, but it might make you sleep better, if you can afford a fixed deposit...????

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

As Ubon Joe says, get a non-immigrant O-visa.

 

You might feel it's little less complicated to apply for annual extension based on retirement, than based on marriage - you can choose whatever you wish with a non-immigrant O-visa - but extension based on retirement requires a higher financial base, either 800,000 baht in bank deposit or not less than 65,000 baht in monthly foreign transfer.

 

I use the "retirement method" and a 12-month fixed bank deposit of 800,000 baht, and I'm sleeping without worrying about remembering top top up deposit account to mature, or if currency exchange rate brings my monthly foreign transfers under the minimum limit. I withdraw the interest once a year, keeping a clean 800k baht cut in the deposit, easy for the immigration officer to count.

 

You can also use a fixed deposit for the 400,000 baht marriage extension, it's not a requirement to keep the funds more than the two month maturing period, and until you extension of stay is granted, but it might make you sleep better, if you can afford a fixed deposit...????

Use an agent and save yourself what could be lots of immigration hassles depending upon which office you use.

[KannikaP]

17 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Then you simply send a bit more so that it DOES bring your monthly transfer up to the minimum requirement.

Sorry Possum, I was replying to Khun Per.

Edited October 11, 2021 by KannikaP

[NoshowJones]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Sorry Possum, I was replying to Khun Per.

No problem.

[Robin]

I would advise the O/P to keep as many options open as possible.  Consider renting out your house in Oz, unless you need the capital from selling.  I can only speak from UK experience, but I keep an apartment there, rented out on an annual basis, using  a rental agent.  Offers somewhere to escape to if Thailand becomes impossible, plus an income and some capital appreciation.  Do not burn all your bridges until you are certain about life in Thailand.  

We have a farng in ou village who sold all his UK property to move to Thailand some years ago.  Now his marriage has broken up and he has nowhere to go.

His children do not want him as he has no money , and nowhere to go back in his home country.

keep as many options open as possible.

[DefaultName]

ubonjoe is the expert of course.

 

What I did was;

Get a 60 day tourist visa at home.

Once here, put ฿800,000 in a Thai bank immediately - make sure the bank knows it's for visa purposes as not all accounts are acceptable.

When the 60 days are nearly up, get a 30 day extension at immigration.

As soon as your money has been in the bank for 2 months, apply for an extension based on retirement at immigration.

That should be that, just leave the money in the bank alone, comply with all the reporting you have to do throughout the year; 90 day, when you move home, etc, etc. and all will be simple next year.

 

An extension based on marriage needs only ฿400,000 in the bank, but seems to be a real pain to get and renew.  I'm legally married to a Thai, but stick with retirement as it's simple to maintain.  On retirement, you can use some of the money during the year, but then you have to top it up again for next year.  IMO, get 2 accounts, one for visa, one for living, then ignore the visa one.

 

Open to correction if I'm wrong about anything, I've gone through this for precisely one person, me!  ????

 

[murraynz]

11 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

With the very greatest respect, please consider all the points including the the Covid 19 situation, your access to long term, health care costs/insurance and the unstable geo-political situation in East Asia before moving back to Thailand.  Specifically as regards selling up in Australia.  With the property prices as crazy as they are, if your circumstances changed and you had to move back home you might find yo cannot buy back into the property market.  I moved to Thailand 7.5 years ago and kept my house in Auckland.  After 5 .5 years I decided our circumstances required moving back to NZ and as house prices had doubled I had somewhere to go back to as I rented out my house for the 5 years and went back to a much better life than I left. If I had not kept the house, I would be in a terrible situation now.   I do not know your financial circumstances and I understand everyone's situation is personal to them, but be careful and recognise that selling up in Aus before moving to LOS could well prevent you from returning home.  I was 65 when we moved to LOS and 71 when we moved home to N.Z.  I am so glad I did not sell up but kept my options open which enabled us both to move home.   My Thai wife is very grateful to be back here again too for many reasons.   There a lot of piople trapped in LOS by making the wrong decision to sell up everything, back home.

Very sound advise. I think it goes for many other countries.. Holding property there is far far better than selling everything.. 

Cap gains in Thailand are very rare.. I still have properties in Auckland, get my full pension transferred to Thailand... Plus I have other passive income, if I need it... 

I have nice condo in Pattaya, but the money spent on that, is peanuts compared to what it costs to buy home in Australia or Nz... 

I can return to Nz at anytime.. 

[DrJack54]

44 minutes ago, DefaultName said:

When the 60 days are nearly up, get a 30 day extension at immigration.

During the first 60 days you would obtain a non O based on retirement. That would give you a 90 day permission of stay. No need for 30 day extension.

To obtain the non O the 800k only needs to be in the account on the day you apply and also needs to be shown coming from o/s.

In last 30 days of 90 day permit obtain a 12 month extension.

Of course he could also do the same based on marriage. Different with less onerous financials. 

Edited October 11, 2021 by DrJack54

[Hanuman2547]

Good reasons to never sell up totally and move to Thailand.  Always leave something you can go back to in your home country or elsewhere in case things go totally crazy in Thailand.  A lot of things are unpredictable such as healthcare, visa, or money requirements.  Any combination of those three could certainly affect the ability to reside in the Kingdom. 

I never intend to fully retire in Thailand but that's just me.  I'll probably live 4-8 months out of the year in Thailand and the rest between my home country and traveling to other lands.  Could I live in Thailand full-time?  Sure, and did so for many years.  Not something I want to do anymore.  

[Coota]

21 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, how old are your kids.

BTW, surprised regarding you emphasis on question about visa. That is the most simple part to the whole move it's strange your unaware of such a simple process, having lived in Thailand for some years.

I'm surprised at your comment as it's pretty simple to answer. Visas were a simple process for me up to 2 years ago when I moved from Thailand back here, however, once I moved back here, I did not follow all the latest news and updates about Visas for Thailand and was only briefly reading forums and comments about the process. From what I picked up there were a lot of new processes and conditions being placed on getting one due to Covid.  Rather than trawl through pages of updates I simply asked. I just needed someone to tell me that it was still a "simple process".  

 

By the way Visa Extensions at the Immigration Office I used to use were never a simple process, they were a nightmare. Every year there were different hurdles placed in your way like having to supply copies of your wife's ID card for a retirement extension, what colour ink to use on your forms, how many copies of forms you need, home visits with you expected to pay for gasoline, basically anything to try to trip you up. 

 

I have now decided to scuttle my plans for a return and am staying put here after considering all options and reading some of the comments here. If I was single I would move back but I need to think of my kids futures and they are more promising here.

[sirineou]

10 hours ago, DefaultName said:

ubonjoe is the expert of course.

 

What I did was;

Get a 60 day tourist visa at home.

Once here, put ฿800,000 in a Thai bank immediately - make sure the bank knows it's for visa purposes as not all accounts are acceptable.

When the 60 days are nearly up, get a 30 day extension at immigration.

As soon as your money has been in the bank for 2 months, apply for an extension based on retirement at immigration.

That should be that, just leave the money in the bank alone, comply with all the reporting you have to do throughout the year; 90 day, when you move home, etc, etc. and all will be simple next year.

 

An extension based on marriage needs only ฿400,000 in the bank, but seems to be a real pain to get and renew.  I'm legally married to a Thai, but stick with retirement as it's simple to maintain.  On retirement, you can use some of the money during the year, but then you have to top it up again for next year.  IMO, get 2 accounts, one for visa, one for living, then ignore the visa one.

 

Open to correction if I'm wrong about anything, I've gone through this for precisely one person, me!  ????

 

Though an extension based on retirement is certainly easier. I just did my extension based on marriage and it was not difficult at all. It does require a couple of additional document tp prove your marriage, and a visit to your home by immigration . But if you are not working and have the time, it should be no problem.

The home visit from Immigration was a pleasant affair .

And as said a Non Im  O based on Marriage before you come here is easy enough. 

 Make sure your passport has more than a Year plus the time you will spend in Thailand on your Nom Im O visa, I did not realise that, and my passport expires in less than a year, so my extension based on marriage is for less than a year. 

PS:Of the banks I looked into,  I found Kasikorn bank to be the easiest one for a foreigner to open an account.  foreigner to open an account

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by sirineou

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, khunPer said:

As Ubon Joe says, get a non-immigrant O-visa.

 

You might feel it's little less complicated to apply for annual extension based on retirement, than based on marriage - you can choose whatever you wish with a non-immigrant O-visa - but extension based on retirement requires a higher financial base, either 800,000 baht in bank deposit or not less than 65,000 baht in monthly foreign transfer.

 

I use the "retirement method" and a 12-month fixed bank deposit of 800,000 baht, and I'm sleeping without worrying about remembering top top up deposit account to mature, or if currency exchange rate brings my monthly foreign transfers under the minimum limit. I withdraw the interest once a year, keeping a clean 800k baht cut in the deposit, easy for the immigration officer to count.

 

You can also use a fixed deposit for the 400,000 baht marriage extension, it's not a requirement to keep the funds more than the two month maturing period, and until you extension of stay is granted, but it might make you sleep better, if you can afford a fixed deposit...????

I agree. So long as I could satisfy the financial requirements for a retirement extension, I'd never submit myself to the hell more onerous requirements of a marriage extension.

I got a non O based on marriage to enter, but always extended based on retirement.

[sirineou]

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I agree. So long as I could satisfy the financial requirements for a retirement extension, I'd never submit myself to the hell more onerous requirements of a marriage extension.

I got a non O based on marriage to enter, but always extended based on retirement.

Perhaps it was the jurestision I did my extension based on marriage and other places are more difficult,

But I did not find it difficult at all,

an additional marriage certificate was required, some pictures and a visit to your house from Immigration. All very easy. 

In addition, with an extension based on Marriage , if you so desired, you could work if you got a work permit, With an extension based on Retirement you can not. 

Edited October 11, 2021 by sirineou

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I agree. So long as I could satisfy the financial requirements for a retirement extension, I'd never submit myself to the hell more onerous requirements of a marriage extension.

Have you ever applied for a extension based upon marriage?

I have applied for 14 of them and have not found it not to be all that difficult. 

Same paperwork and etc every year. I think most people that say they needed more paperwork than before forgot something they had submitted before.

There is a lot of false info about getting that goes around and it is many times it is spread by somebody that has never done one. Just hearsay and 2nd hand info.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Have you ever applied for a extension based upon marriage?

I have applied for 14 of them and have not found it not to be all that difficult. 

Same paperwork and etc every year. I think most people that say they needed more paperwork than before forgot something they had submitted before.

There is a lot of false info about getting that goes around and it is many times it is spread by somebody that has never done one. Just hearsay and 2nd hand info.

I do believe this is generally correct. However, there are rogue offices where, for reasons best not discussed, they make the application process for marriage extensions a miserable process.

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I do believe this is generally correct. However, there are rogue offices where, for reasons best not discussed, they make the application process for marriage extensions a miserable process.

But not every office. People spreading false info often say it is at every office.

I think though some people cause the problems themselves.

[BritManToo]

On 10/10/2021 at 4:15 PM, Coota said:

Can anyone advise me on what Visa to apply for that would enable a smooth return to Thailand and, once there, I would deal with the local immigration office to extend whatever Visa I have, be it marriage or retirement. I have experience dealing with local Thai Immigration and thought I was up to date with all the rules etc but have lost touch in the time I have been in Oz.  My wife and children are still with me in Oz

Family/marriage extensions are easier now than at any time in the past.

Nearly all the foreigner families are gone, no queues at CM, yep they're still incredibly picky at the paperwork, but as you'll be the only one using that counter it's just a case of walking to and from the photocopy room. Took me less than 2 hours last week, that included 3 trips back to the photocopy room and a 'surprise' 90 day report they insisted doing at the same time. Wandered in at 9am, walked out before 11am, only 2 customers that morning, in past years (pre-COVID) it took queuing all night and most of the day.

[FritsSikkink]

On 10/11/2021 at 4:39 PM, possum1931 said:

Use an agent and save yourself what could be lots of immigration hassles depending upon which office you use.

If you have the right paperwork, money and a bit of common sense, you don't have any hassle.

[NoshowJones]

20 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

If you have the right paperwork, money and a bit of common sense, you don't have any hassle.

You are only speaking for yourself, there are many posters here that would say different. You can have all the common sense no problem, but that does not apply to many immigration offices who all have different rules, and interpretation of rules.

The is no such thing as the "right paperwork" it all depends on the office you are dealing with, no matter how much money you have.

[bamboozled]

Well, since we're on the topic could I politely insert a question here? Last year, I did my first extension based on marriage. That will expire in December. Can I do a 90 day report just before the expiration to get another 90 days? And to get a new extension, are the requirements the same....money in the bank, home visit, photographs of home, etc...?

Lastly, I am planning on a trip back to the US shortly with a return most likely before my extension expires. On the off chance that I remain outside Thailand until after my permission to stay expires, could I then enter as a tourist and subsequently apply for the non-O? Or should I apply for the non-O in the US (if even possible)? Thank you!

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, bamboozled said:

Well, since we're on the topic could I politely insert a question here? Last year, I did my first extension based on marriage. That will expire in December. Can I do a 90 day report just before the expiration to get another 90 days? And to get a new extension, are the requirements the same....money in the bank, home visit, photographs of home, etc...?

Lastly, I am planning on a trip back to the US shortly with a return most likely before my extension expires. On the off chance that I remain outside Thailand until after my permission to stay expires, could I then enter as a tourist and subsequently apply for the non-O? Or should I apply for the non-O in the US (if even possible)? Thank you!

You can do your 90 report has nothing to do with extension.

The requirements for your extension will be same this year.

If you are outside of Thailand when your extension expires you could enter Thailand visa exempt and obtain a non O inside Thailand and then 12 month extension. You would need to have the financial requirements in place prior to returning to Thailand as visa exempt is only 30 days.

Note you can obtain 30 extension to visa exempt if time is an issue.

You can obtain new non O in USA.

Edited October 14, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

50 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

Well, since we're on the topic could I politely insert a question here? Last year, I did my first extension based on marriage. That will expire in December. Can I do a 90 day report just before the expiration to get another 90 days?

A 90 day report does not extend your stay in the country. It is only a report of staying longer than 90 days in the country.

 

51 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

And to get a new extension, are the requirements the same....money in the bank, home visit, photographs of home, etc...?

All the same but for the home visit. Normally at most office a home visit is only done for the 1st extension.

 

52 minutes ago, bamboozled said:

Lastly, I am planning on a trip back to the US shortly with a return most likely before my extension expires. On the off chance that I remain outside Thailand until after my permission to stay expires, could I then enter as a tourist and subsequently apply for the non-O? Or should I apply for the non-O in the US (if even possible)? Thank you!

If your extension expires while out of the country it would be be best to a apply for new non-o visa the Thai embassy or on of the official consulate in the US. You would do the application online and they will then send a email with your stickerless visa that are doing now.

You could apply for a new non-o visa at immigration if you enter with a tourist visa or visa exempt but that requires 2 trips to immigration and then the extension of stay.