Advice on visas

[Wongkitlo]

Hi. I am an Australian married to a Thai. I have a tourism based/high season income  business in Thailand which I intend transferring from my wife's name to a company in my name  and applying for a work permit. I plan arriving in Thailand on the 15th June on a visa exempt 30 day  entry. On 15th July would extend 30 days. On 15th August would apply for 60 days to visit my Thai wife. In October I would set up the company (I have a Thai accountant who will do this for me) and apply for a long term visa and start paying myself from the company to fulfill the funds required for the visa. (I think 40,000b per month following previous advice from Ubonjoe). I was just hoping if anyone had any thoughts on whether this is a reasonable plan  and any problems with immigration I might encounter. The accountant has looked after my friend and his business for years and is reliable. 

[ubonjoe]

 

You need a non-o visa based upon marriage or non-b visa to apply for the one year extension of stay based upon marriage or working (non-b) for a company. 

You can get a work permit with a non-o visa and a extension based upon marriage. The 40k baht income is for a extension based upon marriage.

You can apply for either visa at immigration with the correct supporting documents. 

It will not easy to apply for a work permit with visa exempt entry.

[DrJack54]

OP, seems you have a clear plan.

Maybe I'm missing something...did you consider extensions based on marriage to Thai.

You can still obtain work permit with marriage extension. 

[Wongkitlo]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

 

You need a non-o visa based upon marriage or non-b visa to apply for the one year extension of stay based upon marriage or working (non-b) for a company. 

You can get a work permit with a non-o visa and a extension based upon marriage. The 40k baht income is for a extension based upon marriage.

You can apply for either visa at immigration with the correct supporting documents. 

It will not easy to apply for a work permit with visa exempt entry.

Thanks Joe. I just do not have the funds to fulfill the financial requirements and will not get any income till October when the season starts but I want to enter Thailand in mid June. I think I will just have to risk it and do the visa exempt entry because I can not see much alternative. If I apply for the non o in Australia I will not have the company set up to guarantee the income in time to provide the income statement.

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, seems you have a clear plan.

Maybe I'm missing something...did you consider extensions based on marriage to Thai.

You can still obtain work permit with marriage extension. 

I was going to Ho Chi Minh and getting non o entry before. I am not really up with what I have to do in the situation. The accountant said she could take care of the visa for me with the work permit. 

[ubonjoe]

31 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

If I apply for the non o in Australia I will not have the company set up to guarantee the income in time to provide the income statement.

You do not need proof of income to apply for a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai. You only need to show proof of having 20k baht or the equivalent of it in a bank account.

See: https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

Ignore 3.5 that is only for a family member of person working in Thailand.

[BritTim]

I hope your reliance on a healthy high season to resolve your money problems does not end up being disappointed. Easiest would probably be to revert to the multiple entry Non O visa method you used in the past. I know you trust the accountant, but there are costs and other complications involved in having the business in your name. If you really want a work permit (correct, I know, for legal purposes) this can be done without changing the paper ownership of the business. My overall impression is that your plans are complicated, and there is too much that can go wrong.

[Wongkitlo]

55 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I hope your reliance on a healthy high season to resolve your money problems does not end up being disappointed. Easiest would probably be to revert to the multiple entry Non O visa method you used in the past. I know you trust the accountant, but there are costs and other complications involved in having the business in your name. If you really want a work permit (correct, I know, for legal purposes) this can be done without changing the paper ownership of the business. My overall impression is that your plans are complicated, and there is too much that can go wrong.

Thanks Tim. I am more interested in long term planning. The next high season may not be as successful as past ones but we would hope the  economic troubles affecting tourism will not last forever. In  theory I am paying myself so can afford to re-invest my income back into the business even though it might involve paying extra tax. I am mainly trying to find a way to stay in Thailand for the four months before I apply for the work permit. Everything has been closed for 2 years so there is no real ownership structure at present but I am keen to be in control of everything myself and am willing to pay for it. I do have another business with a partner who has been dealing with the accountant long term, so believe she is a safe option. Do really appreciate everyone's input. 

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

I am mainly trying to find a way to stay in Thailand for the four months before I apply for the work permit.

A entry from a single entry non-o visa would allow a 90 day stay that can be extended for 60 days to visit your wife.

The embassy and the official consulate in Sydney still issues a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai.

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A entry from a single entry non-o visa would allow a 90 day stay that can be extended for 60 days to visit your wife.

The embassy and the official consulate in Sydney still issues a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai.

Thanks Joe for your time. I think that would be the easiest solution. I did not realize you could extend the original 90 day entry with the extra 60 days to visit your wife  without the  bank statements.  Cheers

[PumpkinEater]

Hello Kids,

I just made the sad discovery that the US DC embassy no longer issues a NON O (90 day) for retirement with this new E VISA system in place (no TH family).

Since I travel back to the USA May and return in Oct, I was hoping to grab the 90 day NON O in the US and extend it when back in Thailand, since my current NON O expires June 23 2022.

Questions:

1. With my Visa expiring when back in the USA…I guess the cheapest alternative is to return on a TR Tourist Visa (60 day)?

2. Can I get a new NON O when back in TH off of the TR with funds in the bank? Do the funds need seasoning (2 mo?)

3. Can an agent convert from Tourist Visa to NON O? Can I convert myself at IO?
 

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

Cheers!

No I do not want to go NON OA from USA.

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, PumpkinEater said:

Hello Kids,

I just made the sad discovery that the US DC embassy no longer issues a NON O (90 day) for retirement with this new E VISA system in place (no TH family).

Since I travel back to the USA May and return in Oct, I was hoping to grab the 90 day NON O in the US and extend it when back in Thailand, since my current NON O expires June 23 2022.

Questions:

1. With my Visa expiring when back in the USA…I guess the cheapest alternative is to return on a TR Tourist Visa (60 day)?

2. Can I get a new NON O when back in TH off of the TR with funds in the bank? Do the funds need seasoning (2 mo?)

3. Can an agent convert from Tourist Visa to NON O? Can I convert myself at IO?
 

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

Cheers!

No I do not want to go NON OA from USA.

 

 

 

You can obtain a non O retirement from a TV or visa exempt entry.

You only need the 800k in your Thai bank on the day you apply.

You do not need an agent.

Your non O will give you a 90 day stamp.

In the last 30 days will the money in bank for 2 months you apply for 12 month extension. 

 

Since you have a Thai bank account already then you can just enter visa exempt and apply for non O retirement after arrival or as you mentioned tourist visa option..

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, PumpkinEater said:

I just made the sad discovery that the US DC embassy no longer issues a NON O (90 day) for retirement with this new E VISA system in place (no TH family).

Are you sure about that? It is still shown their website. https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/17/nonoretirement/

It is also shown on the  evisa site.

But if you click it takes to the page for visiting family.

I suggest you try doing the application since others have gotten them.

[PumpkinEater]

Yea Ubon….

I clicked on your link which goes to the header page that I need, but then a further click always takes me back to the NON O (family)…with no avenue for the “old” NON O based retirement.

 

Also while checking insurance costs on the 90 day NON O,  AXA quoted that I would have to pay the “newly designated LONG STAY VISA price for one year (2400 USD), then after 90 days I could get pro rated money refunded (65%). Still way more than I used to pay. While they made it easier for tourist, a traveler retiree’s life just got more costly!

The last couple years I used AXA/TUNE Insurance, and the 270 day price was 600 USD.

I smell rats at work…
 

So mayb entering TR is the way to go with the “new” long term insurance schemes.

The TR insurance 1500thb…

Thanks

 

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, PumpkinEater said:

So mayb entering TR is the way to go with the “new” long term insurance schemes.

The TR insurance 1500thb…

You could enter visa exempt and apply for the non-o visa at immigration.

You would need a onward ticket within 30 days for arrival to show the airline. It can be a one way ticket to anywhere or you can get a temporary onward ticket for about $12 (search for onward ticket and you will see severals sites offering it).

[PumpkinEater]

Jack and Ubon,

 

Thanks!

[Wongkitlo]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:21 PM, ubonjoe said:

You do not need proof of income to apply for a non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai. You only need to show proof of having 20k baht or the equivalent of it in a bank account.

See: https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

Ignore 3.5 that is only for a family member of person working in Thailand.

Hi Joe. Thanks again. Am just checking about documents. I do not have hard copies of the documents - marriage certificate etc- and was going to get my wife to photograph them and send the photos. I was then going to print them and mail them to the Canberra Embassy for a non-o visa. Is this sufficient documentation. I have emailed the Embassy to ask but do not expect a quick reply. Sorry if a basic question. Cheers.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

Hi Joe. Thanks again. Am just checking about documents. I do not have hard copies of the documents - marriage certificate etc- and was going to get my wife to photograph them and send the photos. I was then going to print them and mail them to the Canberra Embassy for a non-o visa. Is this sufficient documentation. I have emailed the Embassy to ask but do not expect a quick reply. Sorry if a basic question. Cheers.

You do not need to send the originals.

Your wife should sign the copies of her ID card and house book registration sending them to you. You can sign the marriage certificate after you get it. It would be best if she could scan them instead of a photo.

[Wongkitlo]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You do not need to send the originals.

Your wife should sign the copies of her ID card and house book registration sending them to you. You can sign the marriage certificate after you get it. It would be best if she could scan them instead of a photo.

Thanks Joe