Visa Questions -thai Wife And Us Citizen

[siamamerican]

I will be moving to Thailand from the USA with my Thai wife later this year and wanted to verify that I understand the visa regulations. I'm 41 and the wife is 36. I will obtain a non-o multi entry visa at the US Thai consulate.

Below are my questions:

*Will she be able to purchase a 1 way ticket.?

My wife has a Thai and US passport. I assume she can check in using her Thai passport and go through Thai immigration also using her Thai passport.

* Can I purchase a 1 way ticket?

The non-O application for US citizens doesn't require a round trip ticket.

* Can I use investment income to meet the minimum 40k bt income requirement?

I can't imagine showing less the 40k in dividend and interest income and would get the US embasy to certify my income.

I've perused many of the posts and gleaned that I shouldn't have too many problems, but was hoping to get some further confirmation.

Thanks,

Siamamerican

[dingdongrb]

I will be moving to Thailand from the USA with my Thai wife later this year and wanted to verify that I understand the visa regulations. I'm 41 and the wife is 36. I will obtain a non-o multi entry visa at the US Thai consulate.

Below are my questions:

*Will she be able to purchase a 1 way ticket.?

My wife has a Thai and US passport. I assume she can check in using her Thai passport and go through Thai immigration also using her Thai passport.

* Can I purchase a 1 way ticket?

The non-O application for US citizens doesn't require a round trip ticket.

* Can I use investment income to meet the minimum 40k bt income requirement?

I can't imagine showing less the 40k in dividend and interest income and would get the US embasy to certify my income.

I've perused many of the posts and gleaned that I shouldn't have too many problems, but was hoping to get some further confirmation.

Thanks,

Siamamerican

Yes, you can use investment income for the 40k baht requirement. Do make sure you get an affidavit at the US Embassy showing this.

Why would you want to purchase 'one-way' tickets? I am sure that they might even be more expensive than a 'round trip'. And even if you use a round trip ticket you can (for most airlines) make a return date in the future, but cancel later keeping it open for up to a year.

[lopburi3]

One way ticket is fine. Wife needs to use US passport for exit of USA (required by US law). Entry into Thailand should be with Thai passport. Always use passport of country (US into/out of US) and Thai into and out of Thailand.

[siamamerican]

One way ticket is fine. Wife needs to use US passport for exit of USA (required by US law). Entry into Thailand should be with Thai passport. Always use passport of country (US into/out of US) and Thai into and out of Thailand.

I was unaware of the US passport requirement. Thanks, for the info.

[siamamerican]

Yes, you can use investment income for the 40k baht requirement. Do make sure you get an affidavit at the US Embassy showing this.

Why would you want to purchase 'one-way' tickets? I am sure that they might even be more expensive than a 'round trip'. And even if you use a round trip ticket you can (for most airlines) make a return date in the future, but cancel later keeping it open for up to a year.

The open ended tickets are harder to find than prevoius years. The tickets I've looked at are around $400 less for one way tickets. The one way tickets aren't that bad - $750.

Nice to hear that the investment income won't be an issue.

[mgjackson69]

It seems like the passport your wife would use to exit USA would depend upon which she used to enter...

For the sake of argument, let's assume that she entered USA on her Thai passport. Now, if she exits USA on the USA passport, then enters Thailand on her Thai visa, her Thai visa will show her in USA (entry stamp with no exit) and Thailand (entry stamp)...Hmmmmmmm

[siamamerican]

It seems like the passport your wife would use to exit USA would depend upon which she used to enter...

For the sake of argument, let's assume that she entered USA on her Thai passport. Now, if she exits USA on the USA passport, then enters Thailand on her Thai visa, her Thai visa will show her in USA (entry stamp with no exit) and Thailand (entry stamp)...Hmmmmmmm

She entered the US, using her Thai passport. Not sure if Thai immigration will have an issue with the missing USA exit stamp.

[NotNew2You]

Seems to me the common sense thing to do would be to exit a country using the passport one entered with. That way, you complete the circle so to speak. If you have dual citizenship, when you next enter another country, you can decide which passport to use depending on the circumstances. If they question where you just came from, you can show the exit stamp with the completed in/out in the other passport.

[lopburi3]

The law is you must use US passport for entry/exit (of US) if you have one.

[siamamerican]

Seems to me the common sense thing to do would be to exit a country using the passport one entered with. That way, you complete the circle so to speak. If you have dual citizenship, when you next enter another country, you can decide which passport to use depending on the circumstances. If they question where you just came from, you can show the exit stamp with the completed in/out in the other passport.

But my wife entered with her Thai passport. She just got her US passport.

If she leaves with the same passport ( Thai ), common sense tells me that US immigration would be curious how she left the country and has no exit stamp. This is all a little confusing, but I think leaving with US passport and her dealling with Thai immigration is preferrable to breaking a US law.

I've read that it is legal for a Thai to hold 2 passports (the US doesn't care iether way). Does anyone have any info they could share?

[Maestro]

As I understand it, your wife last left Thailand on her Thai passport and got the Thai departure stamp. Then she entered the USA on her Thai passport and received the US arrival stamp. On her next arrival in Thailand with her Thai passport the immigration officer will not care whether she has a US departure stamp in that passport (in fact, the USA never gave me any departure stamp in my Swiss passport). The Thai officer will simply give her an arrival stamp, without any limitation on her permission to stay. An arrival stamp like this:

--

Maestro

[siamamerican]

As I understand it, your wife last left Thailand on her Thai passport and got the Thai departure stamp. Then she entered the USA on her Thai passport and received the US arrival stamp. On her next arrival in Thailand with her Thai passport the immigration officer will not care whether she has a US departure stamp in that passport (in fact, the USA never gave me any departure stamp in my Swiss passport). The Thai officer will simply give her an arrival stamp, without any limitation on her permission to stay. An arrival stamp like this:

--

Maestro

Thanks! I was hoping this was the case.

Siamamerican

[Pib]

I will be moving to Thailand from the USA with my Thai wife later this year and wanted to verify that I understand the visa regulations. I'm 41 and the wife is 36. I will obtain a non-o multi entry visa at the US Thai consulate.

Below are my questions:

*Will she be able to purchase a 1 way ticket.?

My wife has a Thai and US passport. I assume she can check in using her Thai passport and go through Thai immigration also using her Thai passport.

Answer: When exiting the U.S. use the US passport, and use the US passport when going through any transit layovers along the way to Thailand. Enter Thailand on the Thai passport. When leaving Thailand, show the US passport when checking in with the airlines, then when checking through immigration, use the Thai passport...then on any transit layovers on the way back to the U.S. use the U.S. passport, and when going through U.S. immigration use the U.S. passport. My wife has done this numerous times...and its all perfectly legal as a dual citizen. And yes, she will be able to buy a one way ticket although the airline may ask for a reason for their records...once again, this is based on our real world experience.

* Can I purchase a 1 way ticket?

The non-O application for US citizens doesn't require a round trip ticket.

Answer: Yes you can, although the airlines may ask for a reason just for their records.

[siamamerican]

Below are my questions:

*Will she be able to purchase a 1 way ticket.?

My wife has a Thai and US passport. I assume she can check in using her Thai passport and go through Thai immigration also using her Thai passport.

Answer: When exiting the U.S. use the US passport, and use the US passport when going through any transit layovers along the way to Thailand. Enter Thailand on the Thai passport. When leaving Thailand, show the US passport when checking in with the airlines, then when checking through immigration, use the Thai passport...then on any transit layovers on the way back to the U.S. use the U.S. passport, and when going through U.S. immigration use the U.S. passport. My wife has done this numerous times...and its all perfectly legal as a dual citizen. And yes, she will be able to buy a one way ticket although the airline may ask for a reason for their records...once again, this is based on our real world experience.

* Can I purchase a 1 way ticket?

The non-O application for US citizens doesn't require a round trip ticket.

Answer: Yes you can, although the airlines may ask for a reason just for their records.

Thanks, all my questions have been answered.

My wife read this thread and it put her more at ease. A friend from school had told her she would have to get a tourist visa because she is a US citizen.

Thanks again for all the replies.

Siamamerican

[TerryLH]

When your wife leaves the US have her show them both passports. That way she can get her entry on the Thai passport cleared so there is never a question about it.

After that, follow the good advice above.

[keg]

siamamerican,

A note regarding the income letter from the US embassy. They do not require any supporting documents to verify your income. At the US Citizens Service area you fill out the form stating your income per month, go pay for the notarization, then swear before the notary that what you have written is true and then they notorize the form for you. Depending on what Thai Immigration Office you go to, the Thais might request more documentation. I extended my Non O for marriage in July in Nong Khai and they seem to be the strictest on the money issue. If you are going to be dealing with Nong Khai for your extension, PM me and I will detail some of their particular issues to you, otherwise should be no problem. I retired from the US Air Force but am still under 50 years old as well so dealing with the marriage extension. I spent the first year on my original Non O going to Laos every 90 days as I live in Udon/Nong Khai. After the year was up I extended and now only have to do the 90 day report to Immigration. It's up to you how soon you extend your visa once you arrive in Thailand, some like me wait for the whole year and some do it straight away so they don't have to leave the country every 90 days. My wife and I and our son are going the oppisite direction and are trying to go visit my parents in the US in October and she has her appointment for a US tourist visa on the 20th of this month at the embassy. If I can help you any let me know.

Keg