Non-imm Visa With Extensions Based On Investment

[Maestro]

I was all set on a non-O visa with annual extensions for support of Thai wife and subsequent residence permit.

After investigating and pondering the matter for several months I am now beginning to look at alternatives and I have some questions, to some of which I believe to know the answers from reading this forum.

One alternative I am considering is the purchase of a condominium for not less than 3 million Baht. For this, I believe, I would need to do the following:

– arrange condo purchase

– transfer money into Thai bank account in my name

– enter Thailand with a visa (non-O, visit family and friends) and complete the purchase

– apply for one-year extension based on investment

Is that it?

Would there be any problem if I bought my condo off my Thai wife, of course with money transferred to Thailand from abroad? (She has two condos in her name at the moment)

I believe that if ever I should not return to Thailand on a re-entry permit in time to apply for my next one-year extension I would have to start again with a non-O entry and start the annual extension process anew. In such case, could I again use the documents relating to my original condo purchase, or would I have to buy a new condo again?

Will this type of annual extensions allow me to apply for a work permit?

Is there a change of visa status involved at some stage, from non-O to non-IM?

[Firefan]

Buying from your Thai wife should not be a problem according to the rules I have seen - but no personal experience. (clever idea though!).

Yes - if you do not return to apply for next 1-year extension you have to re-apply, but the docs/condo you already hold can be used again (as long as you hold ownership of course).

Work permit can be applied for yes.

Cheers!

[Sunbelt Asia]

– enter Thailand with a visa (non-O, visit family and friends) and complete the purchase

– apply for one-year extension based on investment

You would need to change the visa here in Thailand to a "IM" visa then apply for the extension of stay based on investment.

If you buy from a developer, than even a 30 day transit will work on changing this to a IM visa in Thailand

Would there be any problem if I bought my condo off my Thai wife, of course with money transferred to Thailand from abroad? (She has two condos in her name at the moment)

If the marrige is NOT registered, than you could. If it is registered, no matter if she has taken your last name, than you could not transfer the condo for extension of stay based on investment.

believe that if ever I should not return to Thailand on a re-entry permit in time to apply for my next one-year extension I would have to start again with a non-O entry and start the annual extension process anew. In such case, could I again use the documents relating to my original condo purchase, or would I have to buy a new condo again?

You would use the documents relating to your original condo purchase.

Will this type of annual extensions allow me to apply for a work permit?

yes

Is there a change of visa status involved at some stage, from non-O to non-IM?

yes

www.lawyer.th.com

[Maestro]

Thanks, Firefan. Now it’s all clear to me.

[Firefan]

Thank Sunbelt more - he gave some extra/more precise info on the marriage purchase (as well as IM visa change) you need to evaluate. Cheers!

Edited November 28, 2005 by Firefan

[Maestro]

If the marrige is NOT registered, than you could. If it is registered, no matter if she has taken your last name, than you could not transfer the condo for extension of stay based on investment.

Oh dear (or should that be “bugger all!”?)! My marriage is registered, so down the drain goes that option.

I was looking for an alternative to non-O support Thai wife so that I wouldn’t have to drag my wife to Suan Plu when I am 107 and my wife a few years less. Now I am left with the investment visa (another thread on that), if I want to keep the option of a work permit open.

I might do the “support Thai wife” for a while and later change to investment visa or retirement (after 90). See how things develop in the meantime.

Anyway, thank you very much, Sunbelt!

The problem with “support Thai wife” is that my wife and I are not always simultaneously in Thailand, yet for the annual extension we have to be and that annual extension process takes some 40 days. Well, December-March is not such a bad time to be in Bangkok (planning the initial non-O entry for early December 2006, then re-entries in early November). Christmas, international New Year, Chinese New Year – I think I’ll skip Songkran – in Thailand, end of March to Europe for spring and summer.