Looking to marry my Thai girlfriend from Udon Thani and live in Thailand.

Have finished career after 20 years here in UK luckily retired now at 39 years of age so unable for retirement visa.

I will have funds totalling 15 mill baht from savings to purchase a condo and have cash deposit in Thailand.I have an existing account with HSBC in Bangkok but information states should put these funds into a new account with Thai Bank - correct?

Unsure of option whether initially go on tourist visa,marry then reapply back in UK for non imm O visa continue 3 years then apply residency or is residency available through my investment - investment visa?

I receive income through dividends from a family business here in UK which would be sent by monthly payment to Thailand for income.The pension from my work starts when I am 65!

Because the non imm O visa requies work permits,documenation of tax id,should I look at option of working for my friends company based in Bangkok and obtain non imm B visa then switch to O after one year? Trouble is I have had enough of working!

Nigel

Hi Nigel and welcome to Thailand Expat Forum.

Start with a Non-Immigrant "O" visa, showing the consulte/embassy a copy of your savings in any Thai bank.

Tell them that you are planning to invest in Thailand and need a Non-Immigrant in order to survey around a bit.

You are no eligible to get a marriage visa until married, huh! And you don't qualify for retirement visa becuase you are too young, you must be 50.

If your condo purchase is 10 mil THB up, you qualify for residency directly (direct investment). Forget that for now.

Evidence of condo purchase combined with marrried to Thai citizen qualifies you for a yearly extension of your NON-O visa.

Go for a NON-O  initially, and if you get a paid job, swithch to a NON-B, or if you don't plan to work, extend it on the gruonds of married to a Thai citizen.

Thanks for your reply,I presume it is better for me to go to a consular than try to explain my situation over an email or telephone.

I hear Hull has a good reputation for understanding situations but if anyone knows better I would glad to hear from them.

ANY UK Consulate is OK but avoid the Embassy in Londin

The Royal Thai Consul-Hull.UK

Mr Alan Taylor..

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/MAIN.htm

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/meet%20the%20consul.htm

::

Hi Nigel

Ref Your "I have an existing account with HSBC in Bangkok but information states should put these funds into a new account with Thai Bank - correct?"

I have always understood "Thai Bank" to mean a Bank in Thailand - my deposit with a Foriegn Bank in Bangkok

raised no problems.

Roger

Many thanks Roger wording on sites implies Thai Bank ie not non Thai Bank or their favourite word 'alien' Bank.

Nigel,

I suggest you ask your Branch of HSBC

about the Letter you will require from them

for Immigration.

If they produce a form for you to sign

- or obviously are aware of the proceedure

then it will give you some confidence that

Deposits with HSBC are acceptable.

As this Forum proves - it IS difficult to

KNOW what ANY given regulation really is.

However I do consider that at times, this can be an

advantage as it seems to provide Officials with a certain degree of discretion which they can use to favour

Polite & Respectful applicants whilst being able to be

more "officious" with Rude Pushy types.

I honestly beleive that this does explain certain

discrepancies in different peoples experiences.

I would appreciate hearing other member's opinions on this.

Roger