Not Good News From Penang - Non O Marriage

[mcfester]

Well, not good news for me...

Arrived Thurday 13th Dec with:

Copy of Thai bank account showing about 45k of transactions in last month but only 9k balance.

Three months copies of UK bank statements with mathing ATM slips

Three months copies of US bank statements with matching ATM slips (US and UK statements amounted to over 100k withdrawn from Thai banks per month)

The usual marriage papers and id's of wife and house etc.

First thing he asked for was the original Thai bank book which I showed him, he showed another guy then told me it wasnt enough. I said I also had the UK and US accounts which he showed the other guy, he just removed all the attached ATM slips and gave them me back, looked at the statements for about one second and gave them back also.

He then said I could only get a single entry, I replyed that for the last 3 years I had used my foriegn accounts without a problem, he just carried on sorting the papers then asked for 200 or so ringit, I said again I wanted a multi and he said ok 550 but if they dont approve a multi I'd get a single.

Next morning I went around a few tourist agents offering visa service, one guy said you need a Thai bank book with about 100k, or maybe 80k, or even maybe 30k, lol, not a very good answer. Another guy said he knew it was now required to have 800k in a Thai bank, I laughed to myself and asked if he was getting mixed up with a retirement visa which he replyed no this is for a non o if married multi entry.

So feeling disheartend I went for the visa at 3.30pm knowing it would be less busy and maybe they could answer some questions, they gave me the visa and explained it was a single entry, asking why they called an older guy who explained to me they now required a Thai bank account, how much I asked, 800k or 80k per month was the reply.

I asked why they wanted 800k when if applying for a one year extension all you need is to pay tax for one year at a cost of 3k per year for earning 40k per month, he couldnt answer but asked to see my tax papers, I replyed that i didnt pay tax but my wife does and he said it needed to be me paying tax, I then stated that for an extension it can be both or either who pays tax, his reply, next time bring your tax papers, I thanked him and walked away not so happy.

Ok now for the critics:

1. Why havent I got a one year extension in the past? Because of various projects I've never had the 480k in the bank.

2. Why not just pay the tax now and get the one year extension? Going through a divorce and even though the wife was willing to help apply for the extension by the time we found out about this new rule (from thaivisa ) we didnt have sufficient time to apply, and with the wife going to UK for 6 months another multi was the best option until the divorce is complete and I remarry.

All in all its not so bad because of the new tax rule with the extension, I can just get another single entry and then an extension, I'm just peed that no info on this is ever given out by the immigration as I could easily have drove up to Laos for a single at less then half the cost of travelling to Penang.

So, hope this info helps out and if anyone was granted a multi non o for marriage this week please post details as after all I might just of been the unlucky bugger on the day.

[Crossy]

D@mn.

I wish Penang would make up their minds about what is required, one minute no problem - next minute no visa. Grrrrrr!

I'm in a similar situation, never got an extension 'coz I can't guarantee being in Thailand at renewal time, just get a new multi-o from the nearest consulate to where I'm working.

Edited December 15, 2007 by Crossy

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Well, not good news for me...

Arrived Thurday 13th Dec with:

Copy of Thai bank account showing about 45k of transactions in last month but only 9k balance.

Three months copies of UK bank statements with mathing ATM slips

Three months copies of US bank statements with matching ATM slips (US and UK statements amounted to over 100k withdrawn from Thai banks per month)

The usual marriage papers and id's of wife and house etc.

First thing he asked for was the original Thai bank book which I showed him, he showed another guy then told me it wasnt enough. I said I also had the UK and US accounts which he showed the other guy, he just removed all the attached ATM slips and gave them me back, looked at the statements for about one second and gave them back also.

He then said I could only get a single entry, I replyed that for the last 3 years I had used my foriegn accounts without a problem, he just carried on sorting the papers then asked for 200 or so ringit, I said again I wanted a multi and he said ok 550 but if they dont approve a multi I'd get a single.

Next morning I went around a few tourist agents offering visa service, one guy said you need a Thai bank book with about 100k, or maybe 80k, or even maybe 30k, lol, not a very good answer. Another guy said he knew it was now required to have 800k in a Thai bank, I laughed to myself and asked if he was getting mixed up with a retirement visa which he replyed no this is for a non o if married multi entry.

So feeling disheartend I went for the visa at 3.30pm knowing it would be less busy and maybe they could answer some questions, they gave me the visa and explained it was a single entry, asking why they called an older guy who explained to me they now required a Thai bank account, how much I asked, 800k or 80k per month was the reply.

I asked why they wanted 800k when if applying for a one year extension all you need is to pay tax for one year at a cost of 3k per year for earning 40k per month, he couldnt answer but asked to see my tax papers, I replyed that i didnt pay tax but my wife does and he said it needed to be me paying tax, I then stated that for an extension it can be both or either who pays tax, his reply, next time bring your tax papers, I thanked him and walked away not so happy.

Ok now for the critics:

1. Why havent I got a one year extension in the past? Because of various projects I've never had the 480k in the bank.

2. Why not just pay the tax now and get the one year extension? Going through a divorce and even though the wife was willing to help apply for the extension by the time we found out about this new rule (from thaivisa ) we didnt have sufficient time to apply, and with the wife going to UK for 6 months another multi was the best option until the divorce is complete and I remarry.

All in all its not so bad because of the new tax rule with the extension, I can just get another single entry and then an extension, I'm just peed that no info on this is ever given out by the immigration as I could easily have drove up to Laos for a single at less then half the cost of travelling to Penang.

So, hope this info helps out and if anyone was granted a multi non o for marriage this week please post details as after all I might just of been the unlucky bugger on the day.

The requirement is an income of 40,000 baht a month for an extension of any new 'marriage' support visa.

[mcfester]

The requirement is an income of 40,000 baht a month for an extension of any new 'marriage' support visa.

Yeah I know that, but whats that got to do with applying for a multi non o at Penang?

[Maestro]

... I'm just peed that no info on this is ever given out by the immigration as I could easily have drove up to Laos for a single at less then half the cost of travelling to Penang...

Don’t look to immigration for requirements at a consulate.

--

Maestro

[lannarebirth]

Thai consulate in Xiamen will give triple entry tourist visa. Pretty cheap flight from BKK.

[LivinLOS]

More pressure it seems..

Also note that they say it has to be your tax payments, but kinda hard when work permits are so hard to get, not like we can just pay tax on some 'income' as a self employed person (can we) ??

I always wondered what Thailand doesnt offer a 'domicle' program.. Essentially pay income tax as your in Thailand a lot of your tax year.. Offshore boys etc would fit this and would generate revenue for 'Thailand PLC' with almost no outlay.

[astral]

1. Did you apply at the consulate in person?

2. If you are getting divorced you no longer qualify for a Non Imm O based on marriage,

and could be in serious trouble if rumbled.

[soihok]

I,m sorry to cause any offence here but,,,9K in a bank account is a very small amount of money to show any Immigration official.

I cannot see why you are suprised .

[Fred Sanford]

If I were the OP, I'd be happy with the single

[rgs2001uk]

is the op married or not?

if over 50 why not apply for a retirement visa?

me thinks there is more to this.

[torrenova]

If the OP can show 100k+ per month coming in (withdrawl from foreign accounts), then where is this money ? Why is there only 9k in the account. He was lucky to get anything as you might need 10k or 20k to get back into Thailand !

Wants to marry another lady and divorcing the current one ? more here I think.

If his wife was willing to help then why not just get her to pay the tax on 480k and get it all done at immigration ?

Now I don't want to be too cynical but what about Penang tightening the rules because they have guys like the OP turning up with no money, some meaningless ATM slips and wanting a 12 month visa to Thailand ? Sorry but it cannot help can it ?

[stevemiddie]

Sounds very much like you went to the consulate half-cocked and with little preparation to be honest. I mean....9k in an account??

[mcfester]

If the OP can show 100k+ per month coming in (withdrawl from foreign accounts), then where is this money ? Why is there only 9k in the account. He was lucky to get anything as you might need 10k or 20k to get back into Thailand !

Wants to marry another lady and divorcing the current one ? more here I think.

If his wife was willing to help then why not just get her to pay the tax on 480k and get it all done at immigration ?

Now I don't want to be too cynical but what about Penang tightening the rules because they have guys like the OP turning up with no money, some meaningless ATM slips and wanting a 12 month visa to Thailand ? Sorry but it cannot help can it ?

If you read the OP I have used foreign accounts with matching ATM slips for the past 3 years without having to show a Thai bank account, as have many other members on this forum, what I'm saying is that they no longer accept this, they now want to see a Thai bank with 800k or 80k per month.

I also stated that we couldnt do the extension because there wasnt enough time by the time I learnt about the new tax rule, my visa only had about two weeks left, and with us getting divorced it didnt seem like the best option. As for applying for a visa I cant see a problem, we are still legally married, we havent filed the divorce petition yet because one of us needs to be in the UK, which will be her next month.

Whats up with remarrying? We've been separated for 18 months, she has a new guy and I have a new lady, whats your problem?

[JonnieB]

Thai consulate in Xiamen will give triple entry tourist visa. Pretty cheap flight from BKK.

Can anyone else confirm this? For Chinese nationals only or for anyone who shows up from anywhere?

[MrSquigle]

can you look chinese at least ?