Extension Of Stay Based On Married To Thai Woman

[somo]

Visa and passport are 2 different things...go and transfer the visa from the old to the new at immigration once you got the new one.

Visa and extension of stay are two different things. The visa will not get transferred to the new passport. The extension stamp will get transferred, probably with the addition of a handwritten note making reference to the visa on the basis of which the first extension was originally approved.

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Maestro

Right,Maestro.The extension is for a year,if your PP expires after six months,your Imm.Office will transfer the extension to your new PP.Happened to me last year!

Hi. Thanks for everyones help.

I take it then that I will get a one year extension even though my passport will expire before the year is up.

Then I just get a new passport and have the extension transfered.

Right?

[Billion]

No photos were asked for, although I took some along, due to all the talk on this forum. Anyways all went really well.

Maybe the new rule with new photos is a new requirement from Immigration in BKK only!

[Billion]

Hello all,

Married couple must have an income of 40.000 Baht per month.

Income together with your wife not less than 40.000 Baht per month is okay.

Income from your wife not less than 40.000 Baht per month is okay too.

The grandfather clause is only for the lucky married couple already in the system.

They got an extension of stay BEFORE October 1, 2006, that it...

Correction:

In order to be grandfathered on the 400K Baht rule, you must have entered Thailand before October 1, 2006.

Thanks for your correction BlissfullyIgnorant!

[gavstah]

Maybe the new rule with new photos is a new requirement from Immigration in BKK only!

Pattaya immigration requested those as well - I brought a stack, they picked out two and requested we make copies. One of the front of the house (curbside view), one with myself, wife, and baby in front of the house.

On a related note, an immigration official just popped into the house today for the surprise inspection (first time application for one year extension) - all appeared to go well.

[Lite Beer]

Maybe the new rule with new photos is a new requirement from Immigration in BKK only!

Pattaya immigration requested those as well - I brought a stack, they picked out two and requested we make copies. One of the front of the house (curbside view), one with myself, wife, and baby in front of the house.

On a related note, an immigration official just popped into the house today for the surprise inspection (first time application for one year extension) - all appeared to go well.

I hope you gave him a cup of tea.

[TerryLH]

"...the requirements of having 65,000 Baht/MO income. This sum is about $1,800/MO for an American and about $600 to $800 more a month, than the average working person will get on social security. To me this means that this rule basically says, that Americans are not welcome or allowed here. They are priced out by unreasonable expectations of retirement benefits, or basically discriminated against, or both."

I don't think it's Americans they don't want, it's anyone without the money the government has decided the person needs to have.

For years the Thai gov't has talked about quality over quantity for the tourist industry. It looks like maybe that leaked over to the retirement area as well.

Ask a Thai how easy it would be for them to get a visa for a visit to the USA or the UK. It's not easy. Much more difficult than it is for citizens of those countries to visit Thailand.

Edited October 11, 2007 by TerryLH

[gavstah]

I hope you gave him a cup of tea.

Glass of freshly squeezed nahm sohm, actually - he seemed to enjoy it.

[CosmicSurfer]

Hi. Thanks for everyones help.

I take it then that I will get a one year extension even though my passport will expire before the year is up.

Then I just get a new passport and have the extension transfered.

Right?

To Get a New VISA or VISA EXTENSION, You need 6 Months of Validity left on your passport.

If you don't you should get a new Passport before applying.

CS

[tutsiwarrior]

Maybe the new rule with new photos is a new requirement from Immigration in BKK only!

Pattaya immigration requested those as well - I brought a stack, they picked out two and requested we make copies. One of the front of the house (curbside view), one with myself, wife, and baby in front of the house.

On a related note, an immigration official just popped into the house today for the surprise inspection (first time application for one year extension) - all appeared to go well.

what's the story with these surprise home inspections? If the falang applicant happens to not be at home (or out of the country) when the inspector comes is he then disqualified?

[mellow1]

"...the requirements of having 65,000 Baht/MO income. This sum is about $1,800/MO for an American and about $600 to $800 more a month, than the average working person will get on social security. To me this means that this rule basically says, that Americans are not welcome or allowed here. They are priced out by unreasonable expectations of retirement benefits, or basically discriminated against, or both."

I don't think it's Americans they don't want, it's anyone without the money the government has decided the person needs to have.

For years the Thai gov't has talked about quality over quantity for the tourist industry. It looks like maybe that leaked over to the retirement area as well.

Ask a Thai how easy it would be for them to get a visa for a visit to the USA or the UK. It's not easy. Much more difficult than it is for citizens of those countries to visit Thailand.

I agree with both of your statements. America also doesn't need anymore poor people also, and it also should cater to the rich and affluent. The ones who fall below a certain standard are likewise not needed. The reason, it is hard for Thais to enter the states is that they get lost in the crowd, and do not want to return to Thailand. Once apprehended, it falls upon the American tax payers to send them back to LOS. Furthermore, there is no way of knowing what kind of individual is coming into the country, when everything can be changed for the right amount of Baht. Police records, income, whatever. I'm sure there are people working for the US government here in the LOS that can read newspapers and experience Thai lifestyle and culture first hand. I'm sure they can form some interesting conclusions. Thats what they have been trained to do. It is especially sad should someone fall in Love, and be unable to be with that person. I believe these things should be made clear to all,right from the start, and it would save everyone a lot of trouble and grief.

[gavstah]

what's the story with these surprise home inspections? If the falang applicant happens to not be at home (or out of the country) when the inspector comes is he then disqualified?

We were told when we submitted the paperwork that they would be popping in sometime in the next week or two. Since I'm home most days anyway, it wasn't a huge deal.

Also of interest - the immigration guy who showed up had us canvass the neighbors to find one witness who was willing to hand over a copy of their ID card and fill out some paperwork testifying to the fact that we did indeed live here.

[Billion]

what's the story with these surprise home inspections? If the falang applicant happens to not be at home (or out of the country) when the inspector comes is he then disqualified?

We were told when we submitted the paperwork that they would be popping in sometime in the next week or two. Since I'm home most days anyway, it wasn't a huge deal.

Also of interest - the immigration guy who showed up had us canvass the neighbors to find one witness who was willing to hand over a copy of their ID card and fill out some paperwork testifying to the fact that we did indeed live here.

We had a visit from a guy from Immigration in BBK back in 2003 and they only checked our house, our ID, passports and stamped something on their docs.

I believe that stamp was a big OKAY for a real marriage between Thai and farang...

[croftrobin]

1. The 400K renewal scheme is grandfathered for people who entered Thailand on a single-entry non-immigrant O (supporting spouse) visa before October 1st, 2006.

True as my neighbour used this when he applied

2. - the multiple entry variant is not valid for the one year extension scheme however, so the extension rules do not apply.

Utter rubbish - I used this myself (issued at GLA Consulate in 2002) to stay here for nearly 15 months (I had to do border crossings at least every 90 days) for the first 14 months before applying for my first extension based on money in bank ( was 200K now 400K in bank) and am grandfathered to the old system.

The 200K/400K renewal scheme is grandfathered for people who entered Thailand on ANY non-immigrant O (supporting spouse) visa before October 1st, 2006

The new system still allows you to extend a multiple non 0 - but you can not extend it based upon money in the bank anymore. You MUST be able to show the 40K income - either :

1, Yourself earning it in Thailand (and have paid tax for at least 3 months - longer is better!)

2, Your wife earning it in Thailand (and have paid tax for at least 3 months - longer is better!)

3, You and your wife earning it in Thailand (and have paid tax for at least 3 months - longer is better!)

4, You earning it abroad and have good proof - not just a sworn statement from your embassy.

5, Your wife earning it abroad and have very very good proof!!

[torrenova]

The new system still allows you to extend a multiple non 0 - but you can not extend it based upon money in the bank anymore. You MUST be able to show the 40K income - either :

1, Yourself earning it in Thailand (and have paid tax for at least 3 months - longer is better!)

2, Your wife earning it in Thailand (and have paid tax for at least 3 months - longer is better!)

3, You and your wife earning it in Thailand (and have paid tax for at least 3 months - longer is better!)

4, You earning it abroad and have good proof - not just a sworn statement from your embassy.

5, Your wife earning it abroad and have very very good proof!!

So what happens if you need to apply and have not been paying tax on it for a minimum of 3 months ?

[thaigene2]

Today I renewed my Thai wife visa at Kaep Chong (think that's spelled right). The lady here was very friendly as usual. I didn't have 2 sets of copies of the bank letter and bankbook, so I had to go out and get that done. Keep a balance of 400K but last month went under, due to an automatic deduction for life and health insurance for family members. She didn't say nothing about it, anyways this month it was toped off again. She asked about proof of income, I said I had none because I didn't think I needed it. I had originally submitted such proof in 2002. She said that was OK, she just wondered if I had. No photos were asked for, although I took some along, due to all the talk on this forum. Anyways all went really well. I was really expecting all kinds of problems, and my wife and son had to put up with me being in a bad mood about this false expectation. I hope other Farangs get the same good and polite treatment as I did today.

I did ask about people on retirement visa, because of the requirements of having 65,000 Baht/MO income. This sum is about $1,800/MO for an American and about $600 to $800 more a month, than the average working person will get on social security. To me this means that this rule basically says, that Americans are not welcome or allowed here. They are priced out by unreasonable expectations of retirement benefits, or basically discriminated against, or both. Either way I hope the American government is aware of this and takes action in making it as difficult and expensive for Thais to go and stay in the USA. If you are retired and this is all causing you problems, fill out a report and complaint, when you are at the US Embassy, getting whatever paperwork you have been told to chase after. If you are too lazy to help yourself, and help bring change about don't complain. Nothing gets done without paperwork, and if you don't care no one else will.

Good luck to all getting your extensions, and I hope the officials are nice to you as they were to me.

Do you realy think American government need to make it expensive for a Thai to go and live there??

I never been in America, i know it would be quite cheap for a european to go and live there, but the general thai have 7-10k / mounth. Baht. Thats 200-300 $ us.

I think it would be fair to say its already quite expensive for a Thai to go to America!

Why should they be treated better than they treat us? If a non-Thai doesn't meet some of these high financial requirements, Thais couldn't care less about him, his wife and children, they would deny him access to his family,and make him leave the country, even though he is probably still supporting them all. Yet you seem to think that a Thai with assets or income of 7-10K with an extremely limited education in most cases, should have access to a country such as the US, to be welcomed with open arms. Who will more then likely have an extremely hard time surviving there. Who will most likely turn to some sort of illegal activity to insure their survival. I think Europe is a better destination for them, due to free medical care, and other desirable welfare benefits. Also European moral and ethical standards( as well as everything else) are so much higher than they perceive of the USA. and therefore I think they should lead by example and throw open the flood gates. I as an American believe due unto others, as they do unto you. You can clearly see the downfall of this philosophy, and I'm sure all these people, you will agree will be better off in your country. Of course should they have a lot of money, skills to offer, and would be willing to support a few Americans, they would be more than welcome.

Oh spare me the 'bring me your ragged, retched, masses'....the sooner you both Thai-American (and all of us) understand that NOBODY gives a shit about you - rich or poor- the better off you/we will all be! You don't want rich Thais in America SAY SO. You don't want non-rich-Farangs in Thailand SAY SO. Let's get this all over with ok? But personally, and frankly, you don't need to say anything, because I already know the answers.