Immigration Will Not Extend My B Visa

[midas]

Yes, I can go away for 2 years (with tourist visa visits) and come back when I'm 50. But that means that I will never be able to go for PR (or extremely unlikely). Besides, I think it unlikely that I would even want to live in a country which has effectively 'thrown me out'!

Simon - still smiling - life is never meant to be easy!

JR Texas to Simon: Don't want to get off track, but I think many expats would probably tell you to avoid Laos and move to either Vietnam or Cambodia (if those are your choices).

Malaysia is a Muslim country and the govt. is trying hard to increase the size of their population by millions of people (crazy policy that will ruin the economy and cause massive social chaos in the future....already thousands of unemployed and underemployed college graduates there....never read about this on the forum).

Vietnam is a rising star........booming economy........they want you and your money.

Cambodia is trying to get its act together. Expats (that have had enough of the BS in Thailand) are moving there from Thailand....taking their money and businesses with them. In five years places like Sihanoukville might just be comfortable........not much there now, but the potential for development is there.

China is not a bad place to hang out for a year or two.........I really liked it and you can enjoy mountains, cool weather, great food (much better than in Thailand) and change of seasons. The people in China (outside of the big cities of Hong Kong and Shanghai) are really nice, for the most part.

GOOD LUCK!

JR Texas is right ! How can anyone say Laos has a bright future from either

an investment point of view or even comfortable living ?? Anywhere would be

better than Laos !

[LivinLOS]

Well it was something Simon specified he was trying to work towards.. Remember PR is the step on the roadmap to citizenship, where all that good stuff like owning land, holding a Thai passport, being fully able to stay forever no matter what, sits.

Personally I am not so bothered by PR either.. I am never going to work here so realize that I wont get on that ladder, sure if there was a logical route like in western countries that after a few years you were able to then I would do it for the added stability and rights, but I dont lose any sleep over it either.

But my needs and wants are not Simons needs and wants. Perhaps being the father of a Thai child, and business owner here he wants more 'roots' than I need.. Maybe after being with one Thai woman whose mental health has not been the best he is not looking to do that again. Perhaps many things that are essentially his business. All in all it is kind of odd that a farang can be wealthy enough to bring in even 1 million baht a month, yet not actually have a visa class available to them at all to stay except on silly short term tourist visa's or scamming a visa thats not really intended.

What riles me most tho was how so many posters seem to indicate that anyone having more than a beer Chang budget is lieing and boasting and it clearly isnt possible.. A comment above stating it HAS to be 50k per month (well that covers the car payments what about the rest) just shows how low some peoples bar lies. I was chatting with someone the other day, he recently sold his villa on west coast Phuket for 120 million baht, he has a 3 million USD power yacht with permanent crew and captain etc. And he was saying that he had some visa grief from too much time flying into and out of the country. The guy is minted yet Thailand makes life more complex for him to be here ?? Does that make any sense at all ??

only if you believe him

And once again.. The first reaction is one of disbelief.. I have known the guy for years, his trophy home was just north of you in Surin, seen his mega yacht toy etc etc.. Fararri in Europe etc..

As your in Kamala who do you think lives in those 12 bedroom clifftop homes that are out on your southern coast road to Jom Chang ?? I went to a shindig at one of them and the house is built with tunnels underground so the servants can slip about the place without being seen !!! They can just pop up with drinks at the sala and then vanish again !! Those kind of homes come in at many millions of USD and posters here think 500k a month has to be lies !!!

Not everyone who chooses Thailand does so because its cheap !!!

[jdinasia]

lots of people have $$ ... but not many with $$ have visa issues ,,, so again .... 'if you believe him'

<referring to your rich guy!>

[LivinLOS]

Well maybe as someone with what other people class as a 'high net worth' AND someone who also doesnt have a nice clean system for visa's myself.. I am more likely to understand !!

[ThaiGoon]

LivinLOS is full of it as well. Anyone who's from the US knows that earning 500k+ Baht a month (yes Baht) can easily put you in the upper middle class bracket there.

"Sure its good money in the 3rd world....."

[ThaiGoon]

lots of people have $$ ... but not many with $$ have visa issues ,,, so again .... 'if you believe him'

<referring to your rich guy!>

Word!

[simon43]

Thanks for your supportive comments LivinLOS

I certainly am not moaning about the visa system, nor do I feel that Thailand owes me anything. I'm 'man' enough to accept that! But I certainly do feel that this country is shooting itself in the foot when it comes to providing a longterm visa solution to high net worth individuals who want to invest in the country and who wish to remain here on a longterm basis.

Without trying to be rude, I'm talking about the entrepreneurs and innovators, not about the 'monkeys' who are actually employed to do the work! For them, with a WP etc, extension of visas seems reasonably clearcut.

But if you are an investor in Thailand, what visa do you get? A B visa. And, after 5 years of such visas, this is the first time that I have been told that an investor is not allowed to extend such a visa, simply on the grounds that he is the employer, not the employee. That seems ludicrous. And BTW, I have paid a lot in taxes. The hotel business that I financed has to pay all relevant taxes.

In my particular case, the unfortunate medical situation with my Thai wife means that extension based on support of Thai wife etc is also removed. (That was an unforseen situation).

I have now registered at Chulalongkorn University for the MA in Thai Studies. This will at least allow me to get a non-imm ED visa from the Thai embassy in KL.

Finally, my comments about PR. I want to be in a position to apply for PR because I want to 'belong' in Thailand. For me, having PR will give me a sense of security, without having to worry about visa issues in later life. For many people on this board, PR is not for them and I respect that completely. But for me, getting PR is a very important target, but one which seems to be eluding me

Simon

[Digger]

Thanks for your supportive comments LivinLOS

I certainly am not moaning about the visa system, nor do I feel that Thailand owes me anything. I'm 'man' enough to accept that! But I certainly do feel that this country is shooting itself in the foot when it comes to providing a longterm visa solution to high net worth individuals who want to invest in the country and who wish to remain here on a longterm basis.

Without trying to be rude, I'm talking about the entrepreneurs and innovators, not about the 'monkeys' who are actually employed to do the work! For them, with a WP etc, extension of visas seems reasonably clearcut.

But if you are an investor in Thailand, what visa do you get? A B visa. And, after 5 years of such visas, this is the first time that I have been told that an investor is not allowed to extend such a visa, simply on the grounds that he is the employer, not the employee. That seems ludicrous. And BTW, I have paid a lot in taxes. The hotel business that I financed has to pay all relevant taxes.

In my particular case, the unfortunate medical situation with my Thai wife means that extension based on support of Thai wife etc is also removed. (That was an unforseen situation).

I have now registered at Chulalongkorn University for the MA in Thai Studies. This will at least allow me to get a non-imm ED visa from the Thai embassy in KL.

Finally, my comments about PR. I want to be in a position to apply for PR because I want to 'belong' in Thailand. For me, having PR will give me a sense of security, without having to worry about visa issues in later life. For many people on this board, PR is not for them and I respect that completely. But for me, getting PR is a very important target, but one which seems to be eluding me

Simon

Solution seems simple to me at least.

1. Form a legal company with you as a shareholder and MD

2. Include as many things as you can think you might want to do under its business interests

3. Physically buy into the hotel business you operate using that company

4. Register for VAT

5. Get a work permit

6. Pay income tax on the notional salary of circa 50-60k month

7. Structure the deal that you as a director loan the company money, which gets shown in the annual accounts

8. Company repays the loan to you as it can afford, which is basically tax free as its repayment of a loan.

AFter 3 years of the above, you can apply for PR.

Not exactly difficult is it??

[p_brownstone]

Without trying to be rude, I'm talking about the entrepreneurs and innovators, not about the 'monkeys' who are actually employed to do the work! For them, with a WP etc, extension of visas seems reasonably clearcut.

Now, Simon, you are talking nonsense!

I am both an Entrepreneur and – to use your delightful term – a Monkey, as I am sure are many other Farang here in Thailand.

I set up my own Company years ago, I employ staff, yes, but I also work as the M.D.. I have a Work Permit and PR.

Why the elitist attitude? By not deigning to actually work in the Company you founded and financed you are simply cutting off your nose to spite your face as they say.

Frankly your attitude makes no sense – why complain about the Visa system here when, in your case, a simple solution is in your own hands?

Patrick

[Jimjim]

Are you talking about extending the visa in Thailand with Thai immigration? And they're giving you trouble? Well, if that's what you're talking about, it seems simple. Go and get a new non-immigrant B from Hull like you did before. Costs money, but doesn't seem like you're hurting. Why not do that?

[LivinLOS]

Are you talking about extending the visa in Thailand with Thai immigration? And they're giving you trouble? Well, if that's what you're talking about, it seems simple. Go and get a new non-immigrant B from Hull like you did before. Costs money, but doesn't seem like you're hurting. Why not do that?

Because it does nothing to help his cause to go towards PR.. Yes it easy but your still on a temporary situation, with nothing in the way of security.. Say next year Hull doesnt give non imm O's out easily.. You constantly wondering what the shifting sands of visa regs will bring.

[qualtrough]

LOS, I never said nor implied that I doubted that Simon had the income he states.

Question for Simon: Why are you wasting your time soliciting opinions here when you should be seeking expert legal advice. Use some of that money of yours to hire the best and brightest to find a solution for your problem!

[LivinLOS]

LivinLOS is full of it as well. Anyone who's from the US knows that earning 500k+ Baht a month (yes Baht) can easily put you in the upper middle class bracket there.

"Sure its good money in the 3rd world....."

I agree with you.. its an upper middle class income.. But an upper middle class income is all it is (and I find the USA is cheaper than much of Europe.. Try living high on the hog in Norway or London on that amount before taxes !!)..

An upper middle class income isnt really so special that so many posters need to jump all over it as obviously false. An upper middle class income doesnt exactly get you retiring at a young age to the tropics.. If all I could make was an upper middle class income then I wouldn't have even considered retiring and stopping work while in my 20's..

Theres lots of people out there that do make and have 'real money' and they get the same visa issues as the ones people class as poverty packers.. Tho they usually fly out for a weekend in Sing instead of a bus to Ranong.

[stevemiddie]

I,m sorry Simon but none of this adds up.

You say you have a company in Thailand? Business? Why have you not got a company WP?

B Visa for years? No wonder the Thais say you cannot have another. The B Visa is supposed to enable you to seek work, business etc? Investments? Sure...............but you are investing and do not own a company? Or a part of a company?

You OWN a hotel? Pay no taxes? Sorry.............you get what you deserve.

[lopburi3]

We now have reached the point of diminishing returns here I suspect and believe it is time to call it a day. We have no way to solve OP problems and he has started a new thread where anyone who has constructive advise can do so. This thread is closed.