I Want To Stay Forever!

[samuel1]

Hello! I am completely lost with all the websites on the different visas I can get to live in Thailand. I lived there from 2002 to 2006 on regular 30 day tourist visas (Ranong visa runs) no worries but I understand this is no longer possible? I recently went back for 3 weeks and married my long term girlfriend and would like to set up a small shop or restaurant somewhere quiet such as Koh Lak, Lanta etc. A non-imm "O" seems to be my only option (the shop would be my wifes) but does this mean I can only stay for 1 year then have to return to the UK or can I get an extension/repeat visa without leaving Thailand? Things used to be so simple...! Any help would be massively appeciated England sucks so badly after 4 years in the sun!

[Lite Beer]

Hello! I am completely lost with all the websites on the different visas I can get to live in Thailand. I lived there from 2002 to 2006 on regular 30 day tourist visas (Ranong visa runs) no worries but I understand this is no longer possible? I recently went back for 3 weeks and married my long term girlfriend and would like to set up a small shop or restaurant somewhere quiet such as Koh Lak, Lanta etc. A non-imm "O" seems to be my only option (the shop would be my wifes) but does this mean I can only stay for 1 year then have to return to the UK or can I get an extension/repeat visa without leaving Thailand? Things used to be so simple...! Any help would be massively appeciated England sucks so badly after 4 years in the sun!

Assuming your Wife is Thai. If she can show an income of 40,000 Baht a month you can extend your O Visa every year for 12 months. No need for border runs.

Edited December 24, 2007 by Lite Beer

[jstumbo]

as Lite beer says.

Edited December 24, 2007 by jstumbo

[samuel1]

Cool cool. Do i have to have a wedge in the bank as well? I read stuff about 400k and 800k...

[lopburi3]

For extensions of stay only the 40k family income is required.

[ballbreaker]

Unless I missed it you never mention your age. That also can play a part in type of visa.

[samuel1]

Ok I'm 31, my missis is 27. I want to live somewhere quiet with no hassles and have a little cafe/clothes shop. Did it before minus the paperwork though my wifes name but that was on Koh Tao where the usual rules didnt apply. Any extra advice on how I can live indefinately somewhere like Koh Lak, Lanta, Trang or even Phuket (not my first choice for "quiet" obviously) would be cool...!

[torrenova]

Because you're under 50 you basically have 3 options. I am in the same boat so I've done some work on this.

1. As stated above, pay tax on 40k income per month and get the receipt from the amphur and take that with your marriage certificate and other paperwork (maybe photos as well) to immigration and they will give you a one year extension based upon marriage.

2. Go legal and pay taxes. This would require a work permit and thus Thai employees, more if a company and the associated costs. Unless you are actually doing a job and need the WP, this is a non starter financially.

3. Keep going back to your own country or another visa friendly country every 15 months and get another non imm "O" and do border runs every 90 days.

Apparetnly, you may be able to go to the amphur and pay back taxes for the last 12 months in order to get the extension at immigration. Costs for this may be about 30k per year, perhaps less, we don't have any substanciated evidence as yet.

Of sourse there is a further option of visa runs and tourist visas but as that is more costly I have already discounted it.

[samuel1]

Thanks for the info everyone got some serious saving to do first but this time next year I'll be a happy man again! Sick of the grey skies!

[RAZZELL]

2. Go legal and pay taxes. This would require a work permit and thus Thai employees, more if a company and the associated costs. Unless you are actually doing a job and need the WP, this is a non starter financially.

But is this worth doing purely for the "legal" side of thing's? Possible future PR application etc etc

RAZZ

[vin1965]

Ok I'm 31, my missis is 27. I want to live somewhere quiet with no hassles and have a little cafe/clothes shop. Did it before minus the paperwork though my wifes name but that was on Koh Tao where the usual rules didnt apply. Any extra advice on how I can live indefinately somewhere like Koh Lak, Lanta, Trang or even Phuket (not my first choice for "quiet" obviously) would be cool...!

Have you ever thought of rayong as it's quiet here but it is still enough people to have a cafe/cloths shop.

[nidge]

Because you're under 50 you basically have 3 options. I am in the same boat so I've done some work on this.

1. As stated above, pay tax on 40k income per month and get the receipt from the amphur and take that with your marriage certificate and other paperwork (maybe photos as well) to immigration and they will give you a one year extension based upon marriage.

2. Go legal and pay taxes. This would require a work permit and thus Thai employees, more if a company and the associated costs. Unless you are actually doing a job and need the WP, this is a non starter financially.

3. Keep going back to your own country or another visa friendly country every 15 months and get another non imm "O" and do border runs every 90 days.

Apparetnly, you may be able to go to the amphur and pay back taxes for the last 12 months in order to get the extension at immigration. Costs for this may be about 30k per year, perhaps less, we don't have any substanciated evidence as yet.

Of sourse there is a further option of visa runs and tourist visas but as that is more costly I have already discounted it.

I have just received an "O" visa after showing my income for a month. Nothing was mentioned about paying tax on it. I don't earn the money in Thailand and my wife does not work. Now i think too mutt. Should i be paying taxes as well?

[Crossy]

I have just received an "O" visa after showing my income for a month. Nothing was mentioned about paying tax on it. I don't earn the money in Thailand and my wife does not work. Now i think too mutt. Should i be paying taxes as well?

Did you get a VISA from an embassy/consulate or an in-country EXTENSION from immigration?

A visa doesn't require a demonstration of income, although some local embassies are asking for some financial documentation.

For the extension you can either show an in-country income on which tax must be paid (which will apply to our OPs wifeys business venture) or an offshore income (like you did) which does not attract tax.

[lopburi3]

You did not show your marriage certificate or copy of your wife ID card? That is the normal requirement for those married. Income or bank deposit can sometimes make the difference in obtaining a one year multi entry however.

As long as you do not remit income into Thailand in the year earned you should not have to worry about Thai tax payments. I assume what you bring into Thailand now is from savings earned in a previous year.

[nidge]

I got my visa at Bangkok immigration. All the documents were shown, marriage certificate, blue book, id card etc.

The money i bring in is earnings from my current job either as a cheque or cash and paid direct into my bank.

[lopburi3]

What exactly did you obtain from Immigration? Was it a single entry non immigrant O visa that you will extend later? Or was it a one year extension of stay? Or was it a one time 60 day extension of stay? And have you obtained a re-entry permit to keep it alive on your travel outside Thailand?

If you are bringing in monthly income you should be declaring that as income and paying tax on it. That is why most people live here using savings.

[Maestro]

I got my visa at Bangkok immigration.

Visa, or extension of stay?

--

Maestro

[nidge]

I have a non imm "o" spouse with a multi entry stamp. I bring the money in at irregular intervals. I don't understand why tax was not mentioned when i was applying/receiving the visa.

What % is Thai tax? Looks like i might have a rather large lump to pay

[Lite Beer]

I have a non imm "o" spouse with a multi entry stamp. I bring the money in at irregular intervals. I don't understand why tax was not mentioned when i was applying/receiving the visa.

What % is Thai tax? Looks like i might have a rather large lump to pay

I very much doubt that you have a Non Imm O Visa. Are you sure it is not an extension?

[Maestro]

I have a non imm "o" spouse with a multi entry stamp. I bring the money in at irregular intervals. I don't understand why tax was not mentioned when i was applying/receiving the visa.

There has never been any mention on this forum that a Thai consulate has required proof of tax payments for an application for a non-O visa for the purpose of visiting the spouse in Thailand.

--

Maestro

[nidge]

I have a non imm "o" spouse with a multi entry stamp. I bring the money in at irregular intervals. I don't understand why tax was not mentioned when i was applying/receiving the visa.

What % is Thai tax? Looks like i might have a rather large lump to pay

I very much doubt that you have a Non Imm O Visa. Are you sure it is not an extension?

I am 95% sure. I'll let you be the judge. what reason do you have to doubt?

[Lite Beer]

I have a non imm "o" spouse with a multi entry stamp. I bring the money in at irregular intervals. I don't understand why tax was not mentioned when i was applying/receiving the visa.

What % is Thai tax? Looks like i might have a rather large lump to pay

I very much doubt that you have a Non Imm O Visa. Are you sure it is not an extension?

I am 95% sure. I'll let you be the judge. what reason do you have to doubt?

The reason for the doubt is that Visas are obtained from Consulates and Embassies, not immigration offices.

To me that stamp looks like a Re Entry Permit. As I have never needed one I have never seen one, so cannot really coment.

Thanks for the pic. Someone will come along soon who will know what it is.

[nidge]

Well yes it does say re-entry. But it also says Non-Imm, multiple and is valid until 31 oct 2008. I guess i should have included this stamp also. (my passport is totally full and it takes me ages to find anything!).

[lopburi3]

You have shown us two of your three stamps. On 3 August you changed your entry (from visa exempt or tourist visa) to a non immigrant O single entry to allow extension of stay, at a cost of 2,000 baht. You then (no scan) applied for and received a 1 year extension of stay from immigration (until Oct 31, 2008) at a cost of 1,900 baht. You also obtained a multi re-entry permit, on 9 November 2007, which allows you to enter/exit until your extension of stay date (31 Oct 2008) at a cost of 3,800 baht.

So you did receive a change of status (non immigrant visa) from immigration for the purpose of extension of stay. This is not available for normal travel reasons so your proof was special to that. It is not a normal requirement for a visa at a Consulate for visits to family.

[nidge]

Lopburi3,

I knew there was another stamp somewhere, there are just so many i couldn't find it.

During my application i got no indication that it was out of the norm or special. Maybe i was just lucky. I hope the luck stays with me for next october.

[lopburi3]

Most people already have the non immigrant visa so do not have to go through that 2000 baht first step you made. When they apply for the visa at a Consulate it is the marriage certificate and copy of wife ID card that are normally the important items.

[nidge]

ok, that's clearer. I've never visited a consulate only immigration office.