Marriage Visa Or Ed?

[KhwaamLap]

Hi,

I'm British, married to a Thai for ten years now. We have two girls. My wife an the girls are both dual British/Thai nationals and hold both passports. I am mid thirties and she is just thirty (she'll hate me for posting that ).

We have been planning to move to LoS for many years now. I am a computer contractor, and I have just completed a long term contract. Therefore, this is an ideal time to take the plunge - why the kids are still young.

The problem arises that I will have a good lump sum of cash (over 100-150k sterling), but no income per say. With the 400k Baht requirement gone and only the 40k/month average remaining, this makes life difficult. I believe the 3m Baht investment category has also gone. This, I think, leaves me two outs:

1 - I was thinking of taking the Walen course anyway, so I could come over on an ED Non-O (please no comments on Walen etc, I have my own mind on this)

2 - I could set up an account outside of LoS with an automatic international transfer for say 50k Baht/month to simulate an income.

No problem with [1] other than the extra cost of the 90 day 1.9k immigration charges.

With [2] the problem may be, will this mechanism work? - I have heard I need a letter from the Embassy in the UK showing the foreign income - does this need an employer etc. I can probably get someone to state they are my employer and are paying me 50k/month, but I would prefer to keep it clean. Just what constitutes an income - £100k would not give me 40kBht in interest a month so I could not claim investment income.

I am inclined to go with option [1] and see if I can get a work permit down the road (probably setting up a company in LoS) and instead of taking up a second year's ED VISA (which means a trip abroad anyway), do a new application under Marriage.

How does this sound? Advice please...

cheers

Khwaam Lap

[gunnyd]

One thing with the Non-ED visa is that you can not work. If you are planning on working then get the Non-O. From the other posts I have seen if you go to the Hull consulate there won't be much of a problem getting a Non-O.

Otherwise the Non-ED is fine and will save you the 8-10 hour long visa runs every 90 days.

GunnyD

[Crossy]

IMHO This is a no brainer, at least to start with.

Get a multi entry non-o from Hull, grounds, visit Thai spouse, no income requirement for your initial visa but 90 day border runs required. If like me you're in and out a lot on business you may never need to actually do a border run. This visa will see you good for up to 15 months in Thailand

Big plus is you can get a work permit should you need one.

You only need to demonstrate income when you get an extension of stay. Your savings are not sufficient to retire just yet so I assume you'll be looking for some form of income sooner or later, so, as long as it's better than 40k, you can use that when it comes to extending (income can be offshore).

[lopburi3]

You have total capital of 100-150k UKP and two school age daughters to educate? Believe you are making a serious mistake (unless you have serious other reserves - but that is not your question).

1. You are married to a Thai and have children - any Thai Consulate in the world will issue you a non immigrant O visa (which allows work) and most will provide this in a multi entry version (only a cheap border run every 90 days - same price as extension of stay from Bangkok) for up to 15 month stay before you need a new visa.

2. Your income must be certified by your Embassy (so up to what they would accept). It would probably be easier to put the wife to work as only tax payment proof is then required.

[KhwaamLap]

Hi all and thanks for the replies.

Lop, the 150k GBP is just my lump sum, I have other means of earning money I don't expect to live out my life on it . Infact I don't want to spend this at all past setteling money.

The Mrs will be working (she was a teacher before she left Thailand, but wants to go into hotel mangement now that her English is fairly fluent - she is quite smart and has the right sort of aptitude). I will be earning from overseas sales, but this is hard to show as no wage slips and it is pretty well hidden for tax purposes (legally, but cleverly). I also own some web services that have earning potential. This was the reason I was asking, but I thought was all too confusing to add to the OP.

As an aside, if I do IT work for overseas companies/clients from a terminal (there's an old word for you) in my home in LoS, does constitute work - even if the earnings were paid overseas too? And in particular respect to my web services, if they are hosted overseas and earn overseas, can I work on them from my bedroom in Bangkok?

KhwaamLap

[lopburi3]

All work does require a work permit but there is no provision for that (yet) so it is don't ask, don't tell.

Terminal old? ASR terminal is old(er).

[KhwaamLap]

Ok cheers - - Lop's the word then mum (or something like that )

[Big A]

I.... have a good lump sum of cash (over 100-150k sterling), but no income per say. With the 400k Baht requirement gone and only the 40k/month average remaining, this makes life difficult. I believe the 3m Baht investment category has also gone.

We are exactly in the same boat. I have been here coming up to 11 years now. Get an Non Immigrant 'O 'from Hull, get a good bank with a decent interest rate (although difficult now) and you're laughing. I'm living off the interest alone. The 90 day border runs, I sometimes turn them into a long weekend away somewhere near (Penang, Phnom Penh, KL etc).

Anyway, good luck.

[kriswillems]

With 150K sterling you might not be able to live here for the rest of your life, but you can live here very, very long.

There are many kinds of foreigners living in Thailand, going from super rich expats to people that live with 10K baht per month in the North-East. I think happiness is not very strongly related to income.

I am also in a similar situation as you. Everything is pretty cheap here, if you live like Thai people do. I eat only Thai food and sometimes cook myself, I don't have a car, I don't go out to bars, bowling, Islands, hotels, or all the other things tourists do ... I have one son, who was born in Thailand, 1 month ago. He will go to a normal Thai school (not an international school). My wife owns a house here (gift from her parents).

Things that cost money are:

- hospital (our baby was born here and needs vaccinations)

- education (I am studying Thai)

All the rest is cheap.

If your interest on your savings are 30K baht/month you probably can't live from your interest, but I think you don't need to get much more. If your wife and/or you get any job, you'll have enough.

The biggest disadvantage of having no high income is not the simple lifestyle, but it's the problems you'll get to get a visa.

In your case I would get a multiple O visa and do 90 day visa runs. That's the cheapest way to stay here. I would advice you to study Thai, but just select a school based on its reputation and price, not based on the fact if they can provide a visa or not.

After 15 months you'll know how to get a 1 year extension, believe me. You'll have time enough to think.

[KhwaamLap]

Thanks everybody.I have been in contact with Hull and no problems re the VISA and they say, if I then find a job in LoS and I should be able to get a WP, then no worries (subject to 40k).

So it looks like the Marriage VISA has it

Cheers again