Visa/working Options

[lethe]

I'm Australian and I've recently married my Thai wife (in Australia). We are both currently living in Australia. We are looking to move to Thailand very shortly and I would like to clear up what my visa options are.

What I would like to do when i move to Thailand is:

1. Holiday 1st month.
   
2. Spend 3 months working on my personal projects ready for launch. No wage during that time. I have plenty of cash and its been a personal goal of mine to do this for a very long time and a great opportunity for me.
   
3. During this time my wife will be working and/or starting her own business.
   
4. Then after this time I want to start working freelance in Thailand and overseas but also start earning money from my projects in Australia. If my project goes well eventually I won't even need to earn money from Thailand at all!
   

What are my best options (if any) to be able to achieve this? Will a Non Immigration "O" marriage visa be enough and will it allow me to take the time off I need? Can I work freelance without working for another company? Can I live in Thailand even if my income is coming from overseas and from my own business in Australia? Can I setup my own business or should I do it all under my wife's name?

Looking for creative solutions here people!

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

A non-o visa will allow you to do what you want to do.

Most important requirement is the ability to prove an income of 40,000 baht the rest is fairly easy. You will start out with getting a non-o from a conulate in Austalia and that will give you 90 days to get things sorted out before you apply for a one year extension and that is when you need to prove income which can be a document from your consulate.

To work here in any way requires a work permit. You can get a work permit on a non-o visa. To get it you either have to work for a company or start your own. Being married to a Thai helps because it changes things as far as income of company and number of Thai employes. What it does is cut both in half. IE:you only need 2 Thais verses 4 working for the company.

This is just a basic rundown.

Hope this helps.

[Maestro]

Lethe, You can apply for a single-entry or a multiple-entry non-O visa. The single-entry visa will give you permission to stay for 90 days. The multiply-entry visa will let you enter Thailand as often as you wish for one year and on each entry you will receive permission to stay for 90 days.

During the last 30 days of any 90-day permission to stay you can apply for an annual extension of stay with proof of a minimum family income of 40,000 Baht per month. This can be your wife’s income, your income, or a combination of both, earned in Thailand or from your company in Australia.

Best wishes for your move to Thailand.

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Maestro