What Thai Visa Laws Would You Like To Change?

[mike123ca]

I would like a visa where if you have Adult Thai children, they could sponsor you to live in this country.

What types of visa would you like to have or what would you like to change?

[wayned]

Talk about opening a can of worms? You just did it!

[Lite Beer]

I would like a visa where if you have Adult Thai children, they could sponsor you to live in this country.

2.18 In the case of a family

member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child

of his/her spouse):

Permission will be

granted for a period of

not more than 1 year at a time.

(5) In the case of a parent, one of parents must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit of not less than 400,000 baht for expenses within a year.

Get the Adult Thai Child to deposit 400,000 Baht in your bank.

[lopburi3]

Off-topic post removed.

[Felt 35]

I would like Thailand to introduce stricter visa rules. i.e. Similar to the rules in EU and US.

[CMSteve]

I would like a visa issues just because I'm a nice guy! No money, no job, no education, don't speak the language, criminal record, drunkard, but nice guy......Visa Approved!

Edited December 25, 2011 by CMSteve

[maccaroni man]

i would like to see an O type visa good for 3 to 5 yrs with an yearly fee and 1x a yr max personal check in.

[IMA_FARANG]

If I had my way:

1. Once a retirement extension is approved....change the current 90 day reporting requirement to at least 180 days. Yearly reporting would be better.

2. Make a new class of Tourist visas for Long Term Tourists (including those under 50 years of age). Those that apply for this visa might have to certify a minimum amount of funds in a Thai bank (as over 50 retirees can). Again make any reporting requirement once that visa is approved at least 180 days...not every 90 days.

3. And my personal favorite...a Long Term Non-resident Valued Overseas Worker visa. This visa would be issued to those foriegners who maintained a residence in Thailand (rented or otherwise) but are forced by their job to leave Thailand to two or three times a year to earn a living. An example of such a person is an offshore oil rig worker...who normally might spend 3 months working on an offshore oil rig....and then get at least a month off, before returning to his rig for his next shift. If he was allowed to get such a visa, it would avoid the hassle of Tourist Visas every time he came back to Thailand to stay in his rented house, condominium, or with his Thai family.

But personally, I don't believe any of these changes will ever happen....but I can hope they might.

P.S. Oh,and while I'm still dreaming...make it a rule that a fixed term higher interest acount such as Thai banks do offer is acceptable for the bank account required for retirement extensions using the 800K rule for those retirees. And then let ALL the immigration offices country-wide know that a higher rate Fixed term account is approved for that bank account.. Right now I am on a retirement extension, maintaing a balance of over 800K Thai baht, reporting every 90 days as required...and the interest rate I recieve on that bank balance is less than 1% every year.

If I didn't love Thailand. and my Thai family....I'd be long gone to Malaysia or Cambodia now.

And I support 6 Thais in my Thai family on my pension.

Edited December 25, 2011 by IMA_FARANG

[Jingthing]

Dump the 90 day reports. At least allow them to be done online.

Lower the retirement extension financial qualification for those who own condos, as does Mexico.

[NancyL]

I'd like to see the Thai gov't require that people have health insurance that is valid in Thailand in order to get an O-A visa or a 12-month retirement extension due to retirement for an O visa. I've seen too many expat retirees who think they are going to live forever and then suddenly die in their sleep end up in the hospital with a 500,000 baht bill. Somehow Plan "A" didn't work for them and plan B has some problems.

Edited December 25, 2011 by NancyL

[Jingthing]

I'd like to see the Thai gov't require that people have health insurance that is valid in Thailand in order to get an O-A visa or a 12-month retirement extension due to retirement for an O visa. I've seen too many expat retirees who think they are going to live forever and then suddenly die in their sleep end up in the hospital with a 500,000 baht bill. Somehow Plan "A" didn't work for them and plan B has some problems.

Silly idea because people with preexisting conditions can't get covered for those conditions, and most older people have preexisting conditions. A better idea, have the Thai government offer an insurance plan expat retirees can BUY into, again as a number of other countries do.

[hehehoho]

Visa Rules:

No back to back Tourist Visas in neighbouring countries.

2nd Tourist Visa in a 2 year period requires a police back ground check.

No more than 4 Tourist Visas within a 3 year period.

All non-immigrant visas require police background check. Renewal or extension after first year requires a Thai police report.

No maximum overstay fine. Overstay fine increased to 1000b per day.

Non-immigrant visas based on something other than working or studying require proof of Alien aiding Thai society through work for a government based Charity, unless able to present proof of a medical condition which inhibits such.

Edited December 25, 2011 by hehehoho

[BlueEasySleep]

10 year free of charge multi-entry tourist visas.

Renewable every year at 7-11.

[steve187]

multi entry 'o' to be 'activated' every 90 days within Thailand, instead of a border run. the money involved could go to Thailand instead of surrounding countries.

[hehehoho]

multi entry 'o' to be 'activated' every 90 days within Thailand, instead of a border run. the money involved could go to Thailand instead of surrounding countries.

I'm sure plenty of the money goes back to Thailand.

With current visa procedures how many foreigners pay $30+ to enter Laos and $20+ to enter Cambodia on daily basis due to their Thai visa status, either living here on Tourist Visas or Non-Imm multi-entries?

Say an average visa fee of $25 for 500 people = $12,500 a day, $90,000 a week, $4.5million p/a to the neighbouring countries.

I cannot believe that part of this does not make its back to the echelons of authority here in order to have such a system in place.

Quite simply it's a multi-milllion dollar system and changing it would be saying goodbye to millions in lost revenue to all the countries involved. I don't think for a second that it was a system created by accident, but was strategically designed as a multi-million dollar enterprise that would benefit neighbouring governments, for what I'm sure is a healthy envelope back to the Thais in charge of implementing it.

Edited December 25, 2011 by hehehoho

[steve187]

multi entry 'o' to be 'activated' every 90 days within Thailand, instead of a border run. the money involved could go to Thailand instead of surrounding countries.

I'm sure plenty of the money goes back to Thailand.

With current visa procedures how many foreigners pay $30+ to enter Laos and $20+ to enter Cambodia on daily basis due to their Thai visa status, either living here on Tourist Visas or Non-Imm multi-entries?

Say an average visa fee of $25 for 500 people = $12,500 a day, $90,000 a week, $4.5million p/a to the neighbouring countries.

I cannot believe that part of this does not make its back to the echelons of authority here in order to have such a system in place.

Quite simply it's a multi-milllion dollar system and changing it would be saying goodbye to millions in lost revenue to all the countries involved. I don't think for a second that it was a system created by accident.

If it was a money making system, Why does it not take place in all surrounding countries, no fees payable for UK passport holders in Malaysia, also different periods of entry apply to different nationalities.

[hehehoho]

I was discussing Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, which have stronger ties historically, ethnically and politically with Thailand.

I also wasn't discussing the fees charged by neighbouring countries, but that Thai visa regulations force so many who choose to live here through such a money making exercise as making them travel to and buy a visa (Laos/Cambodian/Malay) from one of their neighbours every 60/90 days.

If you think that none of the millions upon millions of us$'s that such governments earn simply due to the Thai regulations doesn't make its way back in order to keep such regulations in place, I cannot believe you've been in Asia very long.

Edited December 25, 2011 by hehehoho

[MJCM]

Hasn't there been a thread on this a while back with a lot of these questions being asked already ?

New Thai Immigration Commissioner From October 1, 2011DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

Edited December 25, 2011 by MJCM

[paulchiangmai]

I'd like to see the Thai gov't require that people have health insurance that is valid in Thailand in order to get an O-A visa or a 12-month retirement extension due to retirement for an O visa. I've seen too many expat retirees who think they are going to live forever and then suddenly die in their sleep end up in the hospital with a 500,000 baht bill. Somehow Plan "A" didn't work for them and plan B has some problems.

Presumably Nancy L you are of an age where you can get health insurance for you and yours.

[tombkk]

Dump the 90 day reports. At least allow them to be done online.

Lower the retirement extension financial qualification for those who own condos, as does Mexico.

I agree with this.

In addition, do away with the re-entry permit: If we are allowed to stay in the country for a year, why do we have to apply for re-entry?

Simplify the PR process. It is easier for Thai people to get PR in the EU or US than for EU/US citizens to get PR here.

Furthermore, PR status should automatically include permission to work, like the Green Card in the US.

[gosompoi]

I would like to see if you have strong family ties in Thailand, like thai children, thai grandchildren and or thai wives. For Thailand to give a resident visa good for more than one year with yearly reporting to prove the ties still exist. Online updating of any address changes. I would pay 30,000 baht for 10 year visa like this.

Edited December 25, 2011 by gosompoi

[mike123ca]

I would like a visa where if you have Adult Thai children, they could sponsor you to live in this country.

2.18 In the case of a family

member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child

of his/her spouse):

Permission will be

granted for a period of

not more than 1 year at a time.

(5) In the case of a parent, one of parents must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit of not less than 400,000 baht for expenses within a year.

Get the Adult Thai Child to deposit 400,000 Baht in your bank.

I would like a visa where if you have Adult Thai children, they could sponsor you to live in this country.

2.18 In the case of a family

member of a Thai(applicable only to parents, spouse, child, adopted child or child

of his/her spouse):

Permission will be

granted for a period of

not more than 1 year at a time.

(5) In the case of a parent, one of parents must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit of not less than 400,000 baht for expenses within a year.

Get the Adult Thai Child to deposit 400,000 Baht in your bank.

I guess I could have written this a bit better the first time.

Let's say you are 48 years old and your children ( have Thai citizenship) are over 20 years old. Now your Thai wife divorces you or passes away. You can't get a retirement visa because your too young and your no longer eligible for the marriage visa.

I would even propose 2 types of retirement visa's, one based on having family ties and the other without family ties.

I will admit that I like making the kids pay for the bank deposit.

[backsoon]

I would like Thailand to introduce stricter visa rules. i.e. Similar to the rules in EU and US.

I second this. And along with it I would like to see Thai farang-phobia gone.

Many retirees live here for years, have property, family, yet still have to see Immigration every 90 days.

There should be a limit to ridicule even in case of TIT.

[samran]

- automatic long term visa's and work rights for spouses and parents of Thai citizens, plus a predictable (though not necessarily rubber stamp) path to PR and eventually citizenship.

- Compulsory first class health insurance for all long term visa holders who are outside the Thai social security safety net.

- 2 or 3 year work permits.

- scrapping 90 day reporting, replaced with temp ID cards for all long term visa holders

- For all others, I'd want Thai immigration too harden the f*** up, no visa runs, no letting people take the piss out of tourist and education visa's, max 90 days in 180 stays.

- Criminal background questions on immigration forms, and like the US and most other western country's, automatic turn around at the airport if you've got anything resembling a criminal conviction without a pre-approved visa issued by a Thai embassy.

Edited December 25, 2011 by samran

[Felt 35]

10 year free of charge multi-entry tourist visas.

Renewable every year at 7-11.

[tombkk]

- automatic long term visa's and work rights for spouses and parents of Thai citizens, plus a predictable (though not necessarily rubber stamp) path to PR and eventually citizenship.

- Compulsory first class health insurance for all long term visa holders who are outside the Thai social security safety net.

- 2 or 3 year work permits.

- scrapping 90 day reporting, replaced with temp ID cards for all long term visa holders

- For all others, I'd want Thai immigration too harden the f*** up, no visa runs, no letting people take the piss out of tourist and education visa's, max 90 days in 180 stays.

- Criminal background questions on immigration forms, and like the US and most other western country's, automatic turn around at the airport if you've got anything resembling a criminal conviction without a pre-approved visa issued by a Thai embassy.

I agree with everything but the last point. Visa-exemption for a 30-day stay should stay the same. But the max of 90 days stay within a 180-day period makes sense (didn't they just re-introduce it?)

[4evermaat]

I would like to be able to obtain multiple entry non-imm ED or other visa in country with straight-forward paperwork.

Would be nice if land border crossings got foreigners at least 30 days. Malaysia gives out 90 days.

[flying]

Visa's probably just something longer term for stays based on marriage with longer times between check in's

Immigration wise.....

Would like to see an adjustment of status based on marriage & ability to obtain citizenship after 3 years max.

first two years temporary residence granted upon approval/checks....

after 3rd year permanent residence granted ..again after approval/checks with the ability to obtain citizenship in

an expedient fashion after that. Same as my Thai wife was granted in the US

But I also sympathize/understand why it is not a reality in Thailand.

[notmyself]

Ditch the age requirement for retirement visa. I hve lost count of the number of friends who are under 50, have retired but left Thailand because getting a visa is a nightmare. Most have gone to Cambodia and tell me to do the same but I love Thailand. If back to back restrictions were imposed then I know of 20+ people who would simply leave and take their money elsewhere. These people pump a shed load more money into the economy that a 70 yo rocking chair Issan expat.

If the investment side was brought back down to 2 million again then they may go that route but they didn't get the money they have by investing 10 million into something the chances are they will never get back. 2 million is having a punt, 10 million is bad business practice. Not only would these changes result big spending people not leaving, but many would come back.

I've always thought of Thailand as being akin to N Korea. We need help but we don't want anyone to know attitude. Thing is, people do know and therefore it starts to create a negative image. Yingluk can say all she wants to the internation community that Thailand is a good place to invest but it is starting to fall on deaf ears. If Thailand wants to send away the USS GW when BKK is under water then that is their right. Thailand can say 'You not Thai so you no understand' all it wants but people who are thinking of investing here are going to use their own knowledge. Saving face will result in the end with having egg on said face.