Visa confusion to say the least!

[Steph]

Hi everyone,

I have just started to look into what type of visas my husband and I should get when moving to Thailand later on this year! I am confused!!!!!

We are moving and do not intend to work in the first instance for the 1st 3 to 6 months! After that, my husband may want to try to find some work....  

Can we get a non immigrant visa even though we are going to live there but not work?

Or do we have to get a tourist visa?

Thank you so much in advance for your clarifications! This question has probably been asked hundreds of time so sorry!

Steph

[lopburi3]

I have just started to look into what type of visas my husband and I should get when moving to Thailand later on this year! I am confused!!!!!

And now you have me confused. ???  Are you or your husband Thai?  If not don't quite understand how/why you plan to move here.

[Steph]

You are confused... now you have confused me?????

No we are not Thai, but that does not mean that we can not go and live in Thailand, does it?

We want to get a non-immigrant visa as I believe that you need one to buy a car for a start.... But what is required to get a non-immigrant visa? Do you need to be married to a Thai or intend to work there?

Thank you

[DaveYo]

Stef, this is DaveYo.  Just returned from Bangkok.  As for me I have a 1 year Non-immigrant B visa.  There has been some recent events concerning visas and the fees and the hikes that went up the sky.  I can suggest to you get the 1 year multi entry visa if possible (NOW not after August 26th), B visa if your husband intends to find some work in thailand, but keep in mind the work is limited and restricted to only certain occupations.  Don't get the retirement Visa and avoid it by all means or you will pay up the nose so to speak.  Please keep two things in mind.  If you do live in Thailand, you will also have to show income coming in from the outside sources, and meet the Bank requirements besides living there.  The other is every 90 days, (not 3 months) you have to make a journey to leave thailand and return for the first year and this means 4 trips in and out from what i understand.  After that you have to get your 1 year extension and make sure it is still multi entry.  At this point you better have a work permit if you have a B visa, or you will then have to change your visa status to O visa, and if this happens getting a work permit will be twice as much harder.  I am new in this part, so I do suggest read up the earlier forum remarks concerning this subject and study it well, and check out the visa sections on various visas and its requirements.  As of August 26th, everything is changing especially what you will be needing as income to show yearly as a combo ( income from outside and savings) to match up say for example 400,000 baht for the year. 200,000 income, 200,000 savings Baht wise.  This is only the beginning and more is yet to come.  Good luck  :blues:

[lopburi3]

Do you need to be married to a Thai or intend to work there?

Those would be two of a very restricted number of reasons.  Moving here is not like between EU or USA states.

[Steph]

Thanks all for your comments.... all very useful!