Renewal Thai Wife Visa Witrh Chil & Over 50 Yrs

[johninbkk]

Can any person advise me on EXACTLY what documentation is required to re-new my Thai supporting wife /family visa. This will be my first renewal. It was granted in Bkk but now we have moved to Chon Buri. I understaND i am not required to have Baht 800,000 cash in an account for 3 months or more and we have 60K + deposited into our joint account monthly. Local income

Regards, John

[Lite Beer]

Can any person advise me on EXACTLY what documentation is required to re-new my Thai supporting wife /family visa. This will be my first renewal. It was granted in Bkk but now we have moved to Chon Buri. I understaND i am not required to have Baht 800,000 cash in an account for 3 months or more and we have 60K + deposited into our joint account monthly. Local income

Regards, John

You need a family income of 40,000 Baht a month.

Receipts of income tax paid will be needed as proof of income.

The requirements you posted are for retirement. Nothing to do with marriage

[Mario2008]

You will need to show the tax papers of the income too. Better contact immigration to get a list of all the requirements. Every office has its own.

[Maestro]

For a start, please see paragraph 7.17, clauses (2), (3) and (6) of the Royal Thai Police Order 606/2549 about the extension of stay to live with Thai wife.

The basic requirement – clause (6) – is a monthly family income of minimum 40,000 Baht. This can be your income, your wife’s income, or a combination of both. If the income is earned abroad you need a letter from your embassy to confirm it. Proof of deposits to your Thai bank account is not sufficient and is not necessary.

For the other requirements, not all immigration offices ask the same but it usually is signed copies of your wife’s ID card and house registration, your marriage certificate, photos of you and your wife together in your residence and outside with the house number showing. Your wife has to accompany you for the application.

--

Maestro

[richm7]

Better to get a visa based upon being over 50 with a Thai child. No need to show any income or money in the Bank. No need to show much at all, in fact, but it is probably advisable to take the wife/child to the immigration office when you apply.

I have just done it in BKK (Suan Phlu) but I have heard stories that regional offices choose to interpret the rule differently (in fact, wrongly) and require proof of income. The fact that they are wrong is of course cold comfort because, TIT, and they do as they please and bugger the law. So, unless you are going to Suan Phlu, best to check with the local office first. I have a friend in the KK area who is going to do it in BKK because it is more reliable (more being a relative term, of course!).

[ubonjoe]

I have a friend in the KK area who is going to do it in BKK because it is more reliable (more being a relative term, of course!).

Your friend may make a long trip for nothing. Bangkok is turning people away unless they live in Bangkok and are telling them to go to their local office.

[johninbkk]

A sincere thank you to all replies.

I was confused and annoyed when my wife contacted Pattaya branch aND was informed of hte bank proof together with the usual run around. Correct, in Bkk you do not need income details. But Bkk will reject you if you do not live in Bkk. So you must attend your local office. I will test the officer out by submitting all doc's, passports, photo's, etc, BUT NO IMCOME, and I'll post the outcome.

Once again, Thanks to all who took the time to advise me...

[Lite Beer]

A sincere thank you to all replies.

I was confused and annoyed when my wife contacted Pattaya branch aND was informed of hte bank proof together with the usual run around. Correct, in Bkk you do not need income details. But Bkk will reject you if you do not live in Bkk. So you must attend your local office. I will test the officer out by submitting all doc's, passports, photo's, etc, BUT NO IMCOME, and I'll post the outcome.

Once again, Thanks to all who took the time to advise me...

John. Are you applying for the extension based on your marriage or retirement.

If marriage you will need to show income.

If retirement you need to show bank balance or income or a combination of the two.

[johninbkk]

A sincere thank you to all replies.

I was confused and annoyed when my wife contacted Pattaya branch aND was informed of hte bank proof together with the usual run around. Correct, in Bkk you do not need income details. But Bkk will reject you if you do not live in Bkk. So you must attend your local office. I will test the officer out by submitting all doc's, passports, photo's, etc, BUT NO IMCOME, and I'll post the outcome.

Once again, Thanks to all who took the time to advise me...

John. Are you applying for the extension based on your marriage or retirement.

If marriage you will need to show income.

If retirement you need to show bank balance or income or a combination of the two.

applying for extension on wife/family visa. I can show an income, coz we need to live on something, but it's just so frustrating, AND ANNOYING, when the same department, but diffirent locations require different evidence. When i produced tax and income statements in Bkk they handed them back to me and said, not required. Reason was, I was over 50 yrs and had a child to my Thai wife.

[Lite Beer]

It looks like they gave you the extension based on living with your Thai Child. No income needed.

Others are finding this almost impossible to get. They don't make it easy do they.

[JustinCredible]

Better to get a visa based upon being over 50 with a Thai child. No need to show any income or money in the Bank. No need to show much at all, in fact, but it is probably advisable to take the wife/child to the immigration office when you apply.

I have just done it in BKK (Suan Phlu) but I have heard stories that regional offices choose to interpret the rule differently (in fact, wrongly) and require proof of income. The fact that they are wrong is of course cold comfort because, TIT, and they do as they please and bugger the law. So, unless you are going to Suan Phlu, best to check with the local office first. I have a friend in the KK area who is going to do it in BKK because it is more reliable (more being a relative term, of course!).

I told a friend about this option and he was successful in getting it. He has an income from the UK of around 18,000 baht per month, NOTHING deposited in Thailand, and there was a big question mark about him being the blood father of the child. After 3 visits to his chosen Immigration office it was agreed that he could have the Visa IF he parted with "Tea Money" (In excess of his monthly income). As he had no alternative, he had to part with the money.

Two months later I applied (at the same office) and had my wife and son with me (this IS a requirement) and I was told that it was "too much work" several times, asked 3 times who had sent me there and told me about it, and then REFUSED when they saw that my Income letter from the British Embassy exceeded the reuirement for a Retirement Visa. I came away with a Retirement Visa and after giving the matter considerable thought, I was pleased that I did.

Had I got the "Child Support Visa" it would only be valid until the child reaches 21 OR gets married. At that time I would need to change back to Retirement. Easy, you would think, but what will the financial requirements be in 20 years time? Maybe 2 million or more on deposit? Having stayed on a Retirement Visa, at least I will be "grandfathered" when changes are made (I hope).

I think that I probably got a lucky break.

[Lite Beer]

As you report Justin. It is not an easy extension to get although some have been successful.

After many debates on here. It would seem that the thinking behind it is to enable a Thai to take care of his elderly father as is the Thai custom. Immigration officials do not seem too happy with it.

[johninbkk]

Hi All. All comments very interesting and the experiences even more interesting.... I waited ALL day in Bkk for the initial family visa, we were to be interviewed, separately, but when the officer seen the documents of our genuine relationship and our daughter being 3 years of age, she basically stamped my passport straight away, returned all banking and tax dos'c, said not required.

She did comment on us applying in Bkk when we now reside in Jomtien, I explained I had a work permit and B visa for the past 12 yrs in my Bkk office but now have retired and decided to change to family/wife visa. We did not take our child to bkk, just the 2 of us. I paid only the standard fee, but I suspect regional branch may want some additional fees!!!!!!!!!! I was told to apply in the area where I reside next time. Hmm maybe I should have a Bkk address. Rgds john

[Lite Beer]

Hi All. All comments very interesting and the experiences even more interesting.... I waited ALL day in Bkk for the initial family visa, we were to be interviewed, separately, but when the officer seen the documents of our genuine relationship and our daughter being 3 years of age, she basically stamped my passport straight away, returned all banking and tax dos'c, said not required.

She did comment on us applying in Bkk when we now reside in Jomtien, I explained I had a work permit and B visa for the past 12 yrs in my Bkk office but now have retired and decided to change to family/wife visa. We did not take our child to bkk, just the 2 of us. I paid only the standard fee, but I suspect regional branch may want some additional fees!!!!!!!!!! I was told to apply in the area where I reside next time. Hmm maybe I should have a Bkk address. Rgds john

This is the problem. You might not find it so easy next time outside Bangkok.