"Investor " B To "Business" B? Different Visa?

[TigerWan]

I have investor B visa, ( procured in 2006 ) renewed yearly extensions expiring in Sept. ( I have not worked but do have a receipt for an unrelated freelance writer's permit applied for a few weeks ago.

I wish to remove the funds from requisite Fixed Deposit and use them to start a business.

Do I need a new B visa or just change the basis, ie start a company? If so, where must I do this?

Must I travel outside to Consulate or can this be done at Phuket or Bangkok

( Orig visa done in Bangkok, but paperwork, bank forms , letters, etc. on file in Phuket )

If at Consulate , is Penang suitable ?

Finally , I can find little info on "retirement visa" searching using that term . What is the minimum age for retirement?

And is there a link to the actual MFA site with rules written in English?

Thanks

TW

[Mario2008]

Retirement requires you to be at least 50 years old. For extensions of stay you would need to show an income of 65,000 a month (for at least 2 months for the first time and 3 months every next extenson) OR 800,000 in a bankaccount in Thailand OR a combination of yearly income and money in the bank in Thailand totaling 800,000.

Note that on retirement, you will not be issued a work permit.

If you need a new NON-B visa depends on your situation. If you continue to invest the required amount , no new visa is necesarry. If you will invest less, it will depend on your situation. I gather you will be setting up a new company. To get an extension of stay, you would need to provide tax documents oevr the last 2 years of the company. A new company would not be able to do that, so you would not get an extension of stay for the first two years but have to leave the country every 90 days.

[TigerWan]

Thanks for that Mario

I would be investing less than the B Investor Visa prior requirement. Or would I ? Interesting question because it may work out, in the end to the same.

But initially just showing the 2 mil for work permit which is less than the 3 mil initial.

So I would need a new visa. ?

And please anyone have recent experience in where do I go to get it that isn't too painful? Penang is OK ?

I am confused about if one is expected has to leave every 90 days when running a company? Even if if I am to be manager/ director and possessing a work permit ?

Thanx

TX

Retirement requires you to be at least 50 years old. For extensions of stay you would need to show an income of 65,000 a month (for at least 2 months for the first time and 3 months every next extenson) OR 800,000 in a bankaccount in Thailand OR a combination of yearly income and money in the bank in Thailand totaling 800,000.

Note that on retirement, you will not be issued a work permit.

If you need a new NON-B visa depends on your situation. If you continue to invest the required amount , no new visa is necesarry. If you will invest less, it will depend on your situation. I gather you will be setting up a new company. To get an extension of stay, you would need to provide tax documents oevr the last 2 years of the company. A new company would not be able to do that, so you would not get an extension of stay for the first two years but have to leave the country every 90 days.

[TigerWan]

Just as an aside , please.

Is a retirement visa also a Non Immigrant "O" visa ?

And extensions are essentially the original visa being extended?

All non immigrant. So, what is an immigrant visa?

[lopburi3]

Unless you qualify and obtain extension of stay visa does not allow more than a 90 day stay and it is not likely to be for more than one entry to start (WP with eight months or more remaining seems to be normal requirement for multi entry visa). As I believe mentioned a new company would not allow you extensions of stay for more than a year as financial tax documents are required.

[TigerWan]

Unless you qualify and obtain extension of stay visa does not allow more than a 90 day stay and it is not likely to be for more than one entry to start (WP with eight months or more remaining seems to be normal requirement for multi entry visa). As I believe mentioned a new company would not allow you extensions of stay for more than a year as financial tax documents are required.

One year is OK . That's what I get now

"Qualify" extension of stay What and how for extension ? If I start a compnay legitimate working company ) I may only get 90 days, or 8 months and then that 's it ? One Ne entry ? I can only leave the country once ?

My question really is , still

Ihave a B visa

I am starting a company.

do I need to to get a new visa ?

If yes, another question is start the company or apply for new visa first?

I have a lawyer and he is reputable but best check other opinions

[Mario2008]

Since you seem to be using a new to form company, you would not qualify for an extension of stay. So yes, you would need a new non-B visa.

You already seem to have a work permit. If the work permit is valid for more than 8 months, you would get a multiple non-B visa. You would need to leave the country every 90 days, till the company can show tax papers for the last 2 years. Than you might get a 1 year extension of stay and wouldn't have to leave the country any more.

You start the company first, as the company needs to help you with papers to get a work permit.

[lopburi3]

You read it the way you want to read it - sorry for not making clearer. You can not extend for one year until you have tax records for a year so during that time (which can be almost two years if timing is wrong) only 90 day stays would be available.

You do not have a valid visa if on extensions of stay since 2006 so the day the investment (your reason for extension) ends that permission to stay ends. As you will not qualify for extension of stay from Immigration a new visa will be required in my view (no experience but best guess).

[TigerWan]

Ok Thank you Mario I agree a new visa is needed

Lopburi Thank you I have a better understanding now extensions are a separate issue, but based on a visa, but not visa

Actually I do not have a WP but do have an application receipt . Nonetheless, if granted tomorrow would only be good for the Sept expiry of present B extension. So is useless to me and was an exercise in futility even applying. I D I O T

What if I visited a Consulate and explained the 5 years already, one year extensions. long time love TH Baht galore here Any chance of getting the yearly extension?

Best Consulate place to go for this?

I just can't believe they make business managers leave the country every 90 days. Isn't that as about as unproductive, well I guess it finances the border system work.

Not a real hardship. Not SME start up friendly though. T i T i T i T

Here's another aspect to the situation

If one were exporting an agricultural product, would he still l need a permit and B visa ?

Thanks Again

Since you seem to be using a new to form company, you would not qualify for an extension of stay. So yes, you would need a new non-B visa.

You already seem to have a work permit. If the work permit is valid for more than 8 months, you would get a multiple non-B visa. You would need to leave the country every 90 days, till the company can show tax papers for the last 2 years. Than you might get a 1 year extension of stay and wouldn't have to leave the country any more.

You start the company first, as the company needs to help you with papers to get a work permit.

[Mario2008]

Consulates can not give you an extension. They can only give you a visa.

You can certianly try to get a mutiple from them, but I suggest you email them first. My bet is that you will need to set up the compnay, apply for the work permit and get the WP3 receipt. You will than get a single non-B. Once you have the work permit and the 90 day entry is almost finished you go to Penang or Kulala Lumpur for a multiple non-B. But can't harm to try.

[SolarOhm]

Consulates can give you a multiple entry visa if yu already hold a work permit.

If you do not have a work permit they will only issue you a single entry 90 day visa

[Mario2008]

Consulates can give you a multiple entry visa if yu already hold a work permit.

If you do not have a work permit they will only issue you a single entry 90 day visa

It depends on where you apply and how many months you have left on the WP if you will get a multiple entry or not.

In the area it is difficult to get a single non-B if you don't have a WP or WP3 form.