Retirement/marriage Visa

[ianf]

I am a British national married to a Thai national and currently living in the UK. I have a 9-year old son (half thai) who lives with me. My wife is his stepmother. We are planning on moving within three months to Thailand and we have a house in Chiang Mai. My son will go to an international school. That's the background. One reason to go back to Thailand is that my wife wishes to finish her masters degree at Chiang Mai University.

Looking at the onerous rules for obtaining a retirement visa in the UK I am somewhat apprehensive:

1. Clearance from Scotland Yard that I don't have a criminal record? Is that really possible to obtain?

2. Letter from the doctor to say I have no contagious diseases. Easy

3. Money in a Thai Bank. My wife has a Thai bank account but so far I have found it impossible to open one as I do not have a work permit, they tell me. HBOS has a branch, as do HSBC, in Chiang Mai - do these overseas banks count? The amount of money is not a problem as we are lucky enough to have more than most. Extremely luck in fact *(no not a lottery win!!!!!) So we've got the cash but can't prove income (there is none since the credit crunch).

4. Loads of forms and stuff.

Is it easier to have a visa due to my wife's Thai nationality? What about the kid (though I understand if he is in school, that's meant to be easy)?

Do I go in on a 90 (60?) day visa and then apply for non-immigrant either wife or retirement?

Is it best to use Siam legal or someone to handle the whole thing for me?

Any help here would be gratefully received.

[Mario2008]

You are talking about a retirement visa, long stay. Yes, you can get a police clearence for that. Easier might be to apply for a regular non-O visa based on your marriage to a Thai. Yoy will need a copy of your marriage certificate and wife's ID card and a not from your wife asking for a visa for you won't hurt.

This will give you 90 day of stay in Thailand. In Thailand itself you can then ask for an extension of stay for a year and evry year after if you deposit 800,000 in a Thai bankaccount. The first time you apply for an extension it has to be there for 2 months, every next extension 3 months. The consulate in Hull is always very helpful and accepts applications by mail.

Yes, it is sometimes difficult to open a bankaccount in Thailand. just keep trying.

Your kid is Thai if his mother was Thai at time of his birth. You best apply for a Thai passport for him at the embassy in London. Have a look at their website for the procedure. It will take about 2 weeks.

Note that as a Thai returning to live in Thailand your wife can import secondhand household items duty free. (Second hand is older then 6 months). So ship everything in her name.

More information: http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/House...nuNme=HouseHold

Don't waist your money on a lawyer. You don't need one.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Mario2008

[Lite Beer]

If you are going to apply for a Non A-O Visa in london you do not need the money to be in a Thai bank.

As Mario said it would be easier if in Thailand. You can even get annual extensions based on being married to a Thai national with 400,000 Baht in the bank.

Stay away from lawyers.

[Maestro]

Applying at a Thai consulate in the UK you may need only a copy of the marriage certificate, at some honorary consulates not even that, when you apply for a non-O visa to visit family and friends. Call the consulate where you plan to apply for their requirements.

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Maestro