savannakhet now require bank statement (400k) for 1 year multi visa (non-O marriage or Thai family)

[PJ71]

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Yes, but you missed that I was answering @MangoKorat who asked what would the offshore worker do if this visa was no longer available regionally. This is possible with the shift to eVisa systems.

 

If it is still available, they get it in Savanakhet.

The conversation is about the new addition of financials @ Savanakhet, not the availability of said visa.

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, travelerjim said:

The one year multiple entry Non O Visa as Married to Thai NEVER was on the website

It's been listed and issued for at least the previous 10 years.
https://savannakhet.thaiembassy.org/th/page/visa-fee?menu=5d84a44c15e39c26b4004542

 

[PJ71]

2 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

People often post that they've been coming in for years on 30 day exempts with no problems - well good for them but such statements are not a lot of good to the guy stood at the booth being denied.

In my experience ( and others i know ), you'd get a telling off but still allowed entry, then it would be time for correct visa concerns to be addressed.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, travelerjim said:

An average of 80 persons each day at BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang airport are DENIED entry into Thailand.

 

I can believe that this might be true. I am aware that Indians are often denied entry. However, I would be interested in knowing where this statistic comes from. It is the first time I have seen it.

[Celsius]

Do people seriously not have 400k to show?

 

Haven't you guys whinged and whined about petty Chinese and cheap backpackers for years now?

 

Too funny 

 

 

 

 

[bigt3116]

12 hours ago, sandyf said:

TMs 86 & 87 don't get you a visa, only a change in visa status.

Of course you are free to think what you want.

A TM87 is used when you enter visa exempt, and it enables immigration to issue you with a Non-Imm visa, (it does not "change your visa status" as you did not have any visa).

 

Have a look at the top left of the photo, there is a VISA that immigration has issued!

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

A TM87 is used when you enter visa exempt, and it enables immigration to issue you with a Non-Imm visa, (it does not "change your visa status" as you did not have any visa).

If you enter the country visa exempt, your visa status is "exempt"

How many people have entered the country with a visa issued by immigration? I will give you a clue, you cannot enter the building if you are already inside.

I entered the country on 4th Oct using an e-visa, that visa is no longer valid and I was attributed from the original visa the visa status of Non O/marriage for 90 days, in a few weeks I will extend that visa status for a further 12  months.

It is your current visa status that dictates what you can do.   The most obvious example is if you change your visa status from Non O/marriage to Non O/retirement you can no longer work.

Visas are the responsibility of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration Dept are tasked with policing the use of said visas. Immigration have the authority to change visa status in a limited number of categories.

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

They get you a non-immigrant visa AND a non-immigrant visa entry. You cannot get the latter without having the former, so I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. 

It is a paperwork exercise to provide visual evidence of the conversion from one status to another.

Neither the visa stamp or the entry stamp are documented outside Immigration, unlike visas issued by the MoFA(via embassies) or the entry stamps applied at border posts.

It should be fairly obvious that you cannot have 2 valid entry stamps without an exit stamp in between.

[Wongkitlo]

It is an unfortunate change but I have heard agents in Savannakhet are selling ME Non-O's for 13000b. Is more than the previous 5000b but still quite good value for a 15 month visa.

[transam]

11 hours ago, PJ71 said:

The conversation is about the new addition of financials @ Savanakhet, not the availability of said visa.

You posted 2 off-topic replies, so don't be too eager to attack others......🥴

[transam]

10 hours ago, Celsius said:

Do people seriously not have 400k to show?

 

Haven't you guys whinged and whined about petty Chinese and cheap backpackers for years now?

 

Too funny 

 

 

 

 

"I'm alright Jack" spouts, what extremely splendid fellow he is, stuck inside his weeee box .........

[NanLaew]

13 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Don't forget though, that a great many people used MENO's as per their intended purpose, I was one of them. Why would I want to formalise my long term immigration status? I wasn't long term,  I was simply visiting my wife every 8 weeks.

 

You wouldn't and in your previous circumstances, why would you?

 

It's the Immigration department that thinks that married people should live together rather than have one or the other popping in and out of the country. I believe it is that mindset that has driven the gradual disappearance of any 1-year, multi-entry visa in lieu of a single entry visa allowing you enough time to get an extension internally. It's one of those things they can't get their head around like digital nomads. It has taken the best part of 10 years for Thailand to realize they exist but they still can't agree on a viable visa for them.

 

BTW, I prefer the 1-year MENO because I still work overseas so it allows family visits and work tours without wasting my time with the pedants at the local immigration office with extensions, variable interpretations of seasoning of funds, banking paper trails and 90-day reports.

 

Previously, I did have a marriage and retirement extensions and, because I was working and leaving 4 or 5 times a year, I never had to bother with 90-day reports. After the Covid-induced work hiatus, I had to do the whole extension, funding, seeding thing + 90-days which was a ball ache. As soon as the 1-year MENO became available again, I was on it.

 

If the embassies or consulates want to see the equivalent of THB400,000 only once a year, that's still a lot easier than the immigration extension mill.

[NanLaew]

11 hours ago, PJ71 said:

15 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Yes, but you missed that I was answering @MangoKorat who asked what would the offshore worker do if this visa was no longer available regionally. This is possible with the shift to eVisa systems.

 

If it is still available, they get it in Savanakhet.

The conversation is about the new addition of financials @ Savanakhet, not the availability of said visa.

 

Christ on a bike! I was responding to @MangoKorat who DID bring up the question of visa availability.

 

I thought pedant day was Tuesday?

[transam]

6 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Christ on a bike! I was responding to @MangoKorat who DID bring up the question of visa availability.

 

I thought pedant day was Tuesday?

He's a tool..........🥴

[Liquorice]

4 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

A TM87 is used when you enter visa exempt, and it enables immigration to issue you with a Non-Imm visa, (it does not "change your visa status" as you did not have any visa).

It changes your Immigration status.
A person entering VE or TV is classed as a tourist and is limited to either a 30/60 day extensions.
You must have Non Immigrant status to apply for 1 year extensions of stay.
You apply for the Non Imm to effectively change your status from that of entry as a tourist, in order to apply for a 1-year extension.

 

4 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

Have a look at the top left of the photo, there is a VISA that immigration has issued!

 

It is not a visa per se, although Immigration and agents often refer to any stamp as a 'visa'.

It doesn't permit any entries and is used the moment it's issued. Its only effect is to change your original tourist status, to that of Non Imm, in order to meet the requirements for 1 year extensions.

The subsequent stamps make clear you've been issued a 'permit of stay', not a visa.

[bigt3116]

3 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

It is not a visa per se, although Immigration and agents often refer to any stamp as a 'visa'.

Can you see at the top left of the photo where it clearly states "NON-IMMIGRANT VISA", so yes, it is a f'in visa!

 

[Liquorice]

2 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

Can you see at the top left of the photo where it clearly states "NON-IMMIGRANT VISA", so yes, it is a f'in visa!

 

Which was immediately stamped as 'used' and the subsequent stamps make clear you have been issued a 'permit' of stay.

It's simply an in-house Thai Immigration procedure to change one's original status from entering as a tourist.
It negates the need to exit and apply for a Non Imm visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate and re-enter with Non Immigrant status.

 

Extensions are permits, not visas, but of course you just sign forms without reading them.
 

[JeffersLos]

I suspect the agents that offer the 12 month marriage extensions and provide the 400,000 funds are going to double their prices now? 

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and an abusive post and the replies to them.

[BritTim]

Bickering posts that degenerated into insults have been removed.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

It is a paperwork exercise to provide visual evidence of the conversion from one status to another.

Neither the visa stamp or the entry stamp are documented outside Immigration, unlike visas issued by the MoFA(via embassies) or the entry stamps applied at border posts.

It should be fairly obvious that you cannot have 2 valid entry stamps without an exit stamp in between.

 

A visa issued at Immigration does contain a visa placed in your passport (stamped "used") as well as the fresh initial 90-day permission to stay granted from "entry" with the new visa.

 

It is true that Immigration is only authorised to issue visas in limited situations, and only via Division headquarters, but the visas Immigration issue most certainly are documented in your passport.

 

A change in the reason for your current permission to stay (kind of a change in "visa status", though that is a misleading term) is achieved through applying for an extension, stating the new reason for being granted temporary permission to stay in Thailand.

[MangoKorat]

8 hours ago, NanLaew said:

If the embassies or consulates want to see the equivalent of THB400,000 only once a year, that's still a lot easier than the immigration extension mill.

To be honest, even though its really abuse, was I to marry again when I finally move to Thailand, I would also still go for a MENO. As you know, with an extension you can get 150 days - I'm pretty sure I'll be leaving the country at least twice a year and if I can avoid all that seasoning money and photos on the bed rubbish, I will.

 

I never found any disavantages with a MENO either. I was told I wouldn't be able to open a bank account, register a car in my name, get a Thai driving licence or a confirmation of address - I had no problem with any of those.  I think one of the reasons is that most Thai's don't know the difference between an extension of stay and a MENO - it says 12 months, that's good enough for them.

[MangoKorat]

19 hours ago, PJ71 said:

In my experience ( and others i know ), you'd get a telling off but still allowed entry, then it would be time for correct visa concerns to be addressed.

I can't comment on people getting a telling off when entering on exempts generally - although both myself and a mate experienced that when entering exempt after previously having a MENO. We were told we that visiting a Thai wife is not considered as tourism, get a visa next time.

 

Pre-covid though, although not a lot, we did get posts on here from people that had been denied - one I remember, was posting and asking for help whilst he was still locked up.

[MangoKorat]

22 hours ago, travelerjim said:

An average of 80 persons each day at BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang airport are DENIED entry into Thailand.

Thanks for that - out of interest, how do you know and does the information include details as to why?

[BritTim]

An insulting post, and replies to it have been removed.

[lemonjelly]

Is it possible to use an agent to get a 1 year extension based on retirement on a 3 month single entry “marriage visa” from Savannakhet?

[sandyf]

On 10/26/2023 at 10:21 AM, bigt3116 said:

Can you see at the top left of the photo where it clearly states "NON-IMMIGRANT VISA", so yes, it is a f'in visa!

 

Nothing more than an indication of your status.

Been over 10 years since Thailand stopped using rubber stamps for visas, the sticker was updated in 2017 and has been replaced by e-visa in some countries

.

[sandyf]

On 10/26/2023 at 1:38 PM, BritTim said:

A visa issued at Immigration does contain a visa placed in your passport (stamped "used") as well as the fresh initial 90-day permission to stay granted from "entry" with the new visa.

You  shouldn't be making such misleading statements.

Visas are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and they have an office on the fourth floor for such activity as well as embassies and consulates around the world.

Immigration is responsible for controlling the visa status of foreigners within the country.

There was no fresh "entry" with a new visa, nothing more than a change in status. They have to put something in the passport to indicate the change and stamps are as good as anything bearing in mind they have to deal with many nationalities. Nothing should be taken literally, particularly when they keep referring to extensions as a visa.

It is wrong for people to be making comparisons between an office of the MFA, the subject of this thread, and an Immigration office.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Is it possible to use an agent to get a 1 year extension based on retirement on a 3 month single entry “marriage visa” from Savannakhet?

 

That's a maybe. The Police Order simply indicates that you must have started with a Non Immigrant visa. In practice, Immigration almost always insist that a first extension be based on the same reason you received the Non O visa. It is fine to change the reason for your extended permission to stay on subsequent extensions.

[Superkatsu]

Did somebody know how the bank statement has to look like? I have more then 400k in the bank but only since about 1 month, I was in holiday and was a couple of days below 400k if they require 60 days...