Visa Whats The Most Appropiate

[tmd5855]

Hello.

Realise this topic/request will have been brought up more times than a seasick passagers breakfast?

Living in Pattaya past 3 years, coming and going on a tourist 30 day visa for all that time since I work offshore doing 4weeks on/4weeks off. Never in Thailand for more than 26 days then out of the Kingdom for 30days.

I am 52 and in a stable, long term relationship(???)with a Thai.

What is the best Visa I should go for.

1) Company provide flights back to the UK if I need/want to go there (Thai consulate Hull ??)

2) Will be in receipt of a Merchant Navy officers pension at the earliest in 5 years, current projections show well in excess of the required 65,000baht a month.

3) Do not have a Thai bank account.

4) Monthly Salary is the normal ex pat amount for a senior engineer.

Thanks for any advise I receive to those that send.

Best regards

Tom

[lopburi3]

Trip to UK is a viable option or if you can show what would amount to 400k baht in a bank account anywhere Singapore has been willing to provide a multi entry non immigrant O visa.

[Crossy]

I'd have a go for a retirement extension using your offshore salary (which if my consultant engineer rate is anything to go by will walk it by an order of magnitude) as the required income. With luck you'll even be able to sort it in one day without trekking all the way back to the UK.

I think it should go something like this:-

Convert your 30 day stamp to a non-o

Extend the non-o on the grounds of retirement

Get a multiple re-entry permit

QED

AFAIK there is nothing to say the income has to be a pension, I intend following this route when the big five-oh comes up next year (unless someone comes up with a tasty job in BKK)

[Sophon]

...or if you can show what would amount to 400k baht in a bank account anywhere Singapore has been willing to provide a multi entry non immigrant O visa.

I was under the impression that required a marriage certificate. I learn something new every day, this was today's lesson..

Sophon

[tmd5855]

I'd have a go for a retirement extension using your offshore salary (which if my consultant engineer rate is anything to go by will walk it by an order of magnitude) as the required income. With luck you'll even be able to sort it in one day without trekking all the way back to the UK.

I think it should go something like this:-

Convert your 30 day stamp to a non-o

Extend the non-o on the grounds of retirement

Get a multiple re-entry permit

QED

AFAIK there is nothing to say the income has to be a pension, I intend following this route when the big five-oh comes up next year (unless someone comes up with a tasty job in BKK)

Crossy,

Thank you very much for the advice, a few more question if I may?

Can I do all that is required in/at Pattaya immigration?

Is it advisable to take your girlfriend with you to help with any languge interpretation?

What documents do I need to take, read on some posts about photos, embassy stamped documents etc.

Even though lived Thailand for 3 years have never really mixed with ex-pats, so not aware of the intricacies regarding immagration rules. Spend most of my leave with the girlfriend and her family up Sia Khao.

Thanks and regards

Tom

[Lite Beer]

I'd have a go for a retirement extension using your offshore salary (which if my consultant engineer rate is anything to go by will walk it by an order of magnitude) as the required income. With luck you'll even be able to sort it in one day without trekking all the way back to the UK.

I think it should go something like this:-

Convert your 30 day stamp to a non-o

Extend the non-o on the grounds of retirement

Get a multiple re-entry permit

QED

AFAIK there is nothing to say the income has to be a pension, I intend following this route when the big five-oh comes up next year (unless someone comes up with a tasty job in BKK)

Crossy,

Thank you very much for the advice, a few more question if I may?

Can I do all that is required in/at Pattaya immigration?

Is it advisable to take your girlfriend with you to help with any languge interpretation?

What documents do I need to take, read on some posts about photos, embassy stamped documents etc.

Even though lived Thailand for 3 years have never really mixed with ex-pats, so not aware of the intricacies regarding immagration rules. Spend most of my leave with the girlfriend and her family up Sia Khao.

Thanks and regards

Tom

Yes can do in Pattaya. Do not need photos for retirement. You will need a letter from your embassy proving your income. Maybe

a letter from a Thai bank showing money being transfered in from abroad.

Never a bad idea to take a Thai speaker with you.

As Crossy said, dont forget to get a multi re entry permit. Very important for you.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Lite Beer

[tmd5855]

I'd have a go for a retirement extension using your offshore salary (which if my consultant engineer rate is anything to go by will walk it by an order of magnitude) as the required income. With luck you'll even be able to sort it in one day without trekking all the way back to the UK.

I think it should go something like this:-

Convert your 30 day stamp to a non-o

Extend the non-o on the grounds of retirement

Get a multiple re-entry permit

QED

AFAIK there is nothing to say the income has to be a pension, I intend following this route when the big five-oh comes up next year (unless someone comes up with a tasty job in BKK)

Crossy,

Thank you very much for the advice, a few more question if I may?

Can I do all that is required in/at Pattaya immigration?

Is it advisable to take your girlfriend with you to help with any languge interpretation?

What documents do I need to take, read on some posts about photos, embassy stamped documents etc.

Even though lived Thailand for 3 years have never really mixed with ex-pats, so not aware of the intricacies regarding immagration rules. Spend most of my leave with the girlfriend and her family up Sia Khao.

Thanks and regards

Tom

Yes can do in Pattaya. Do not need photos for retirement. You will need a letter from your embassy proving your income. Maybe

a letter from a Thai bank showing money being transfered in from abroad.

Never a bad idea to take a Thai speaker with you.

As Crossy said, dont forget to get a multi re entry permit. Very important for you.

Thai bank?

Will that be a problem, using my UK bank, ATM cards. Do not have a Thai bank a/c since when attempting to open one told I needed my name on a lease. Share a house with my Back to Back who has his name on the lease??

Salary slips are e-mailed to me. Do I need to have these stamped/verified by the British Embassy in Bangkok?

To all you old hands, these questions may appear silly? If so please accept my apologies for being a bit green.

Best regards

Tom

[lopburi3]

...or if you can show what would amount to 400k baht in a bank account anywhere Singapore has been willing to provide a multi entry non immigrant O visa.

I was under the impression that required a marriage certificate. I learn something new every day, this was today's lesson..

Sophon

You are correct - it would require 800k as his category would be retirement if he does not decide to marry. Thanks.

[Lite Beer]

I'd have a go for a retirement extension using your offshore salary (which if my consultant engineer rate is anything to go by will walk it by an order of magnitude) as the required income. With luck you'll even be able to sort it in one day without trekking all the way back to the UK.

I think it should go something like this:-

Convert your 30 day stamp to a non-o

Extend the non-o on the grounds of retirement

Get a multiple re-entry permit

QED

AFAIK there is nothing to say the income has to be a pension, I intend following this route when the big five-oh comes up next year (unless someone comes up with a tasty job in BKK)

Crossy,

Thank you very much for the advice, a few more question if I may?

Can I do all that is required in/at Pattaya immigration?

Is it advisable to take your girlfriend with you to help with any languge interpretation?

What documents do I need to take, read on some posts about photos, embassy stamped documents etc.

Even though lived Thailand for 3 years have never really mixed with ex-pats, so not aware of the intricacies regarding immagration rules. Spend most of my leave with the girlfriend and her family up Sia Khao.

Thanks and regards

Tom

Yes can do in Pattaya. Do not need photos for retirement. You will need a letter from your embassy proving your income. Maybe

a letter from a Thai bank showing money being transfered in from abroad.

Never a bad idea to take a Thai speaker with you.

As Crossy said, dont forget to get a multi re entry permit. Very important for you.

Thai bank?

Will that be a problem, using my UK bank, ATM cards. Do not have a Thai bank a/c since when attempting to open one told I needed my name on a lease. Share a house with my Back to Back who has his name on the lease??

Salary slips are e-mailed to me. Do I need to have these stamped/verified by the British Embassy in Bangkok?

To all you old hands, these questions may appear silly? If so please accept my apologies for being a bit green.

Best regards

Tom

You can get a bank account. Just have to do a bit of leg work and keep trying different banks and branches. Try SCB or Kasikorn Bank.

[Crossy]

Tom.

Try a different bank, the rules vary from bank to bank, from branch to branch and even from teller to teller

You need an income letter from the embassy, take your salary documents and your contract if you have one to the embassy, they'll sell you the necessary letter (a snip [not] at about 25 Quid).

Some immigration offices (more variable rules) want to see the income arriving in Thailand so a bank account is a smart move, it also opens up the other avenue of using the alternative to the 65,000 income ie having 800,000 in a Thai bank (for 3 months before extending the retirement visa).

Don't worry about being green (or any other colour you choose), we were all there once and with the rules in the usual state of flux most of us are still there

[tmd5855]

Tom.

Try a different bank, the rules vary from bank to bank, from branch to branch and even from teller to teller

You need an income letter from the embassy, take your salary documents and your contract if you have one to the embassy, they'll sell you the necessary letter (a snip [not] at about 25 Quid).

Some immigration offices (more variable rules) want to see the income arriving in Thailand so a bank account is a smart move, it also opens up the other avenue of using the alternative to the 65,000 income ie having 800,000 in a Thai bank (for 3 months before extending the retirement visa).

Don't worry about being green (or any other colour you choose), we were all there once and with the rules in the usual state of flux most of us are still there

Hi Crossy and all the others.

Thanks for the advise, seems that most ex-pats circumstances are slightly different to others. That is why I get confused when I speak to some ex-pats? They can only advise me on their own circumstances which do not apply to me.

Will do the leg work for a bank since making my move out here permanent now my divorce has been agreed?

Yes, Thailand made me realise that blokes have feelings and need to feel wanted/appreciated.

Thanks again for all the replies, please keep them coming.

Regards

Tom