Requirement For Buying A Car.

[geordiel]

Iam spending more and more time in Thailand but still working abroad and using tourist visa and visa runs when required. I rent a property here with gf and both our names are on the lease. Can I buy a car in my name or do I have to have a more substantial visa ... marriage, retirement etc

[willyumiii]

I do not know the answer to your car question. It sounds like we are in simular situations and I wonder if you have any advice for me.

I have been married to a Thai woman for about 9 years, she has been in USA with me for about 6 years now..and we have a 3 year old daughter.

Recently, my wife has become ill and I have taken her and my daughter to stay with her family in our village near Khon Buri. We have property there and had a small house built there last spring.

I plan to rejoin my wife and daughter in Thailand in a few weeks.

I have looked into obtaining a non O visa, but found that I need to move at least 400000bht into an account that is only in my name, then wait two monts to apply for the non O visa.

Is there any other visa I can obtain before that to avoid the monthly runs to the border?

Can I apply for visas from Thailand or am I required to aaply from an embassy in the US?

I would be thankful for any advice you could give me.

Thanks,

William

[ajahnlau]

All u need is the cash. Might try search engine as well.

[beechguy]

I do not know the answer to your car question. It sounds like we are in simular situations and I wonder if you have any advice for me.

I have been married to a Thai woman for about 9 years, she has been in USA with me for about 6 years now..and we have a 3 year old daughter.

Recently, my wife has become ill and I have taken her and my daughter to stay with her family in our village near Khon Buri. We have property there and had a small house built there last spring.

I plan to rejoin my wife and daughter in Thailand in a few weeks.

I have looked into obtaining a non O visa, but found that I need to move at least 400000bht into an account that is only in my name, then wait two monts to apply for the non O visa.

Is there any other visa I can obtain before that to avoid the monthly runs to the border?

Can I apply for visas from Thailand or am I required to aaply from an embassy in the US?

I would be thankful for any advice you could give me.

Thanks,

William

You do not need 400K to apply for a Non-Immigrant "O" Visa. The 400K or 40K per month income is for one year "Extensions of Stay". You can apply for a visa at Honorary Consulates, Oregon and Houston have good reputations for being helpful. If you do not have the money to apply for the extensions and they will not isssue a one year multi-entry visa, obtain a single entry and come to Thailand, that would allow a stay of 90 days. You can obtain a multi-entry in Savankhet, Laos or KL, Malaysia. With a multi-entry you would just need o exit he country every 90 days.

Edited January 3, 2012 by beechguy

[craigt3365]

I think this is better over in the Thailand Motoring forum.

willyumiii: If you have visa questions, best to open a new thread in the Thai Visa forum. Just copy and paste and you are all set. Or PM me if you want me to do it.

Topic Moved.

[travelmann]

I do not know the answer to your car question. It sounds like we are in simular situations and I wonder if you have any advice for me.

I have been married to a Thai woman for about 9 years, she has been in USA with me for about 6 years now..and we have a 3 year old daughter.

Recently, my wife has become ill and I have taken her and my daughter to stay with her family in our village near Khon Buri. We have property there and had a small house built there last spring.

I plan to rejoin my wife and daughter in Thailand in a few weeks.

I have looked into obtaining a non O visa, but found that I need to move at least 400000bht into an account that is only in my name, then wait two monts to apply for the non O visa.

Is there any other visa I can obtain before that to avoid the monthly runs to the border?

Can I apply for visas from Thailand or am I required to aaply from an embassy in the US?

I would be thankful for any advice you could give me.

Thanks,

William

Fly back to the States and get a visa there on the grounds of visiting your wife/friends, need copy marriage certificate. After one year stick 400k in the bank to get extension of stay

[arthurwait]

http://www.thaivisa.com/own_car_thailand.0.html

[chiang mai]

You need a letter from Immigration stating that you have an appropriate visa before the DVLA will let you register/transfer the vehicle, you can buy it (used) without the letter but you wouldn't be able to register it.

Edited January 4, 2012 by chiang mai

[katabeachbum]

You need a letter from Immigration stating that you have an appropriate visa before the DVLA will let you register/transfer the vehicle, you can buy it (used) without the letter but you wouldn't be able to register it.

not correct

Immigration issues certificate of residence to every foreigner legally in TH, entrystamp, tourist, or longer permit to stay, ad a copy of your passport and new or used vehicle will be registered in your name at DLT (Department of Transportation).

Done it +30 times during past 9 years, 3 units in december on touristvisa extension, one of them on finance

[chiang mai]

You need a letter from Immigration stating that you have an appropriate visa before the DVLA will let you register/transfer the vehicle, you can buy it (used) without the letter but you wouldn't be able to register it.

not correct

Immigration issues certificate of residence to every foreigner legally in TH, entrystamp, tourist, or longer permit to stay, ad a copy of your passport and new or used vehicle will be registered in your name at DLT (Department of Transportation).

Done it +30 times during past 9 years, 3 units in december on touristvisa extension, one of them on finance

You may get away with getting that letter on a tourist visa in Phuket but you will not do so in many other parts of the country, I tried that in Chiang Mai in 2004 and was refused on the basis of not having a long term visa.

[katabeachbum]

You need a letter from Immigration stating that you have an appropriate visa before the DVLA will let you register/transfer the vehicle, you can buy it (used) without the letter but you wouldn't be able to register it.

not correct

Immigration issues certificate of residence to every foreigner legally in TH, entrystamp, tourist, or longer permit to stay, ad a copy of your passport and new or used vehicle will be registered in your name at DLT (Department of Transportation).

Done it +30 times during past 9 years, 3 units in december on touristvisa extension, one of them on finance

You may get away with getting that letter on a tourist visa in Phuket but you will not do so in many other parts of the country, I tried that in Chiang Mai in 2004 and was refused on the basis of not having a long term visa.

Things have changed in 8 years, even in CM, and 2004 is a long time ago. In addition embassys issue them.

and a touristvisa is not needed, 14 days entrystamp sufficient, just go and ask for one

[chiang mai]

You need a letter from Immigration stating that you have an appropriate visa before the DVLA will let you register/transfer the vehicle, you can buy it (used) without the letter but you wouldn't be able to register it.

not correct

Immigration issues certificate of residence to every foreigner legally in TH, entrystamp, tourist, or longer permit to stay, ad a copy of your passport and new or used vehicle will be registered in your name at DLT (Department of Transportation).

Done it +30 times during past 9 years, 3 units in december on touristvisa extension, one of them on finance

You may get away with getting that letter on a tourist visa in Phuket but you will not do so in many other parts of the country, I tried that in Chiang Mai in 2004 and was refused on the basis of not having a long term visa.

Things have changed in 8 years, even in CM, and 2004 is a long time ago. In addition embassys issue them.

and a touristvisa is not needed, 14 days entrystamp sufficient, just go and ask for one

I don't need to apply for anything, I've had an O_A visa for years!

Also, I will be keenly interested to hear from anyone, apart from you, who has successfully purchased a new or used auto, in their own name and managed to get it registered anywhere in Thailand, on a tourist visa. Also, if that person has done those things, were they able to use a letter from their embassy? Frankly, I doubt that DVLA would understand what an embassy letter is but that's another story.

[NanLaew]

And, at the risk of opening a can of worms, if you are lucky to live in the jurisdiction of an Amphur that is happy to dispense an aliens tibian bahn or 'Yellow Book', most car dealers will be happy to accept that as the all important proof of residence when getting a car in your name. The main vehicle finance companies such as Thanachart are also happier with that document.

Since the OP is renting the property, he would need the cooperation of the landlord or actual home-owner to get a yellow book as it is a government issued document that links a person with the property. There's a Pinned topic on Yellow Books elsewhere on this forum that should indicate if your local Amphur is OK or ignorant.

Edited January 4, 2012 by NanLaew

[chiang mai]

And, at the risk of opening a can of worms, if you are lucky to live in the jurisdiction of an Amphur that is happy to dispense an aliens tibian bahn or 'Yellow Book', most car dealers will be happy to accept that as the all important proof of residence when getting a car in your name. The main vehicle finance companies such as Thanachart are also happier with that document.

Since the OP is renting the property, he would need the cooperation of the landlord or actual home-owner to get a yellow book as it is a government issued document that links a person with the property. There's a Pinned topic on Yellow Books elsewhere on this forum that should indicate if your local Amphur is OK or ignorant.

I don't think that's a can of worms since that would require a long stay visa.

[NanLaew]

Things have changed in 8 years, even in CM, and 2004 is a long time ago. In addition embassys issue them.

and a touristvisa is not needed, 14 days entrystamp sufficient, just go and ask for one

I don't need to apply for anything, I've had an O_A visa for years!

Also, I will be keenly interested to hear from anyone, apart from you, who has successfully purchased a new or used auto, in their own name and managed to get it registered anywhere in Thailand, on a tourist visa. Also, if that person has done those things, were they able to use a letter from their embassy? Frankly, I doubt that DVLA would understand what an embassy letter is but that's another story.

A workmate of mine on a TR visa bought a car and transferred to his own name from another mate of mine who was also on a TR visa but the car was in his Thai wife's name in Bangkok.

Why so testy about other people doing now what you were unable to do ages ago in another part of the country?

[NanLaew]

And, at the risk of opening a can of worms, if you are lucky to live in the jurisdiction of an Amphur that is happy to dispense an aliens tibian bahn or 'Yellow Book', most car dealers will be happy to accept that as the all important proof of residence when getting a car in your name. The main vehicle finance companies such as Thanachart are also happier with that document.

Since the OP is renting the property, he would need the cooperation of the landlord or actual home-owner to get a yellow book as it is a government issued document that links a person with the property. There's a Pinned topic on Yellow Books elsewhere on this forum that should indicate if your local Amphur is OK or ignorant.

I don't think that's a can of worms since that would require a long stay visa.

I meant a can of worms in that there's a fair few TV'ers with noses considerably out of joint when they were unable to get a yellow book and then pontificate on how worthless the (free) document is.

You are correct, the OP would need to get a Non-O multi to get on that roundabout! But for getting another government issued 'letter of residence', the OP can try with his TR visa... maybe get a multi TR? As katabeachbum says, times have changed and this country has millions of stories where a farang managed to get something from the authorities, banking, police, etc.. in one Province that was 'impossible' for a similarly qualified farang in another.

[chiang mai]

And, at the risk of opening a can of worms, if you are lucky to live in the jurisdiction of an Amphur that is happy to dispense an aliens tibian bahn or 'Yellow Book', most car dealers will be happy to accept that as the all important proof of residence when getting a car in your name. The main vehicle finance companies such as Thanachart are also happier with that document.

Since the OP is renting the property, he would need the cooperation of the landlord or actual home-owner to get a yellow book as it is a government issued document that links a person with the property. There's a Pinned topic on Yellow Books elsewhere on this forum that should indicate if your local Amphur is OK or ignorant.

I don't think that's a can of worms since that would require a long stay visa.

I meant a can of worms in that there's a fair few TV'ers with noses considerably out of joint when they were unable to get a yellow book and then pontificate on how worthless the (free) document is.

You are correct, the OP would need to get a Non-O multi to get on that roundabout! But for getting another government issued 'letter of residence', the OP can try with his TR visa... maybe get a multi TR? As katabeachbum says, times have changed and this country has millions of stories where a farang managed to get something from the authorities, banking, police, etc.. in one Province that was 'impossible' for a similarly qualified farang in another.

I accept fully that there's great variation in the way that laws are applied across the country, not long ago I heard of someone getting a Thai drivers license on the back of a tourist visa also. Most agreed however that such a thing was a one off, an exception rather than the rule. Whilst I haven't bought and sold as many vehicles as Arthur Daley I have transacted a few times in various parts of the country over the years and whilst I'm always ready to update my understanding based on new facts, I question whether the experience quoted earlier is the law, an exception that's a one off or something else entirely. I therefore remain keen to understand whether the law has been officially changed in the past six months since I last sold/bought a vehicle or ....! If indeed it's an exception, that may prove of little value to the OP unless he can also get the same thing.

Edited January 4, 2012 by chiang mai

[katabeachbum]

And, at the risk of opening a can of worms, if you are lucky to live in the jurisdiction of an Amphur that is happy to dispense an aliens tibian bahn or 'Yellow Book', most car dealers will be happy to accept that as the all important proof of residence when getting a car in your name. The main vehicle finance companies such as Thanachart are also happier with that document.

Since the OP is renting the property, he would need the cooperation of the landlord or actual home-owner to get a yellow book as it is a government issued document that links a person with the property. There's a Pinned topic on Yellow Books elsewhere on this forum that should indicate if your local Amphur is OK or ignorant.

I don't think that's a can of worms since that would require a long stay visa.

I meant a can of worms in that there's a fair few TV'ers with noses considerably out of joint when they were unable to get a yellow book and then pontificate on how worthless the (free) document is.

You are correct, the OP would need to get a Non-O multi to get on that roundabout! But for getting another government issued 'letter of residence', the OP can try with his TR visa... maybe get a multi TR? As katabeachbum says, times have changed and this country has millions of stories where a farang managed to get something from the authorities, banking, police, etc.. in one Province that was 'impossible' for a similarly qualified farang in another.

I accept fully that there's great variation in the way that laws are applied across the country, not long ago I heard of someone getting a Thai drivers license on the back of a tourist visa also. Most agreed however that such a thing was a one off, an exception rather than the rule. Whilst I haven't bought and sold as many vehicles as Arthur Daley I have transacted a few times in various parts of the country over the years and whilst I'm always ready to update my understanding based on new facts, I question whether the experience quoted earlier is the law, an exception that's a one off or something else entirely. I therefore remain keen to understand whether the law has been officially changed in the past six months since I last sold/bought a vehicle or ....! If indeed it's an exception, that may prove of little value to the OP unless he can also get the same thing.

at Pattay DLT there is a poster on the door saying entrystamp and toursitvisa only gets you one year TH DL. Is it the law? No there is no law limiting DL or ownership to certain Visa holders. There used to be one a decade ago

and I just renewed my car and bike DLs, on a touristvisa extension

[ludditeman]

To register a vehicle in your own name you need a 'certificate of residence' from either your embassy or Thai immigration.

VISA is irrelevant to registering a vehicle, the registration dept don't care about your Visa, they do care about you having a CofR.

Thai immigration 'might' not agree to giving you a CofR if you only have an entry stamp in your passport.

This depends entirely on the immigration officer you ask for a CofR, I find 500bht often turns NO into YES.

You will need some sort of evidence of address for your CofR, ID card of GF with photo copy of her house book or rental agreement, your hotel rental agreement, letter from hotel/guesthouse stating you live there, etc. All will be accepted by immigration.

@chiangmai

CM driving licence centre hand out slips of paper in English, with requirements for a foreigner to get a Thai DL. It clearly states tourist Visa as OK.

Edited January 4, 2012 by ludditeman

[chiang mai]

To register a vehicle in your own name you need a 'certificate of residence' from either your embassy or Thai immigration.

VISA is irrelevant to registering a vehicle, the registration dept don't care about your Visa, they do care about you having a CofR.

Thai immigration 'might' not agree to giving you a CofR if you only have an entry stamp in your passport.

This depends entirely on the immigration officer you ask for a CofR, I find 500bht often turns NO into YES.

You will need some sort of evidence of address for your CofR, ID card of GF with photo copy of her house book or rental agreement, your hotel rental agreement, letter from hotel/guesthouse stating you live there, etc. All will be accepted by immigration.

@chiangmai

CM driving licence centre hand out slips of paper in English, with requirements for a foreigner to get a Thai DL. It clearly states tourist Visa as OK.

Cool, consider my understanding updated. I don't want to appear pedantic but there's still a nagging question in my mind whether the actual requirement to obtain a CofR, based on the current laws/rule sets, is a long stay visa or indeed any visa (or just the ability to pay 300/500 baht), the answer to that question may however be semantics but neverthless interesting to understand - agreed tho' that DVLA only cares about the CofR and not the actual visa.

Edited January 4, 2012 by chiang mai

[Mr Red]

I do not know the answer to your car question. It sounds like we are in simular situations and I wonder if you have any advice for me.

I have been married to a Thai woman for about 9 years, she has been in USA with me for about 6 years now..and we have a 3 year old daughter.

Recently, my wife has become ill and I have taken her and my daughter to stay with her family in our village near Khon Buri. We have property there and had a small house built there last spring.

I plan to rejoin my wife and daughter in Thailand in a few weeks.

I have looked into obtaining a non O visa, but found that I need to move at least 400000bht into an account that is only in my name, then wait two monts to apply for the non O visa.

Is there any other visa I can obtain before that to avoid the monthly runs to the border?

Can I apply for visas from Thailand or am I required to aaply from an embassy in the US?

I would be thankful for any advice you could give me.

Thanks,

William

I just got a non-O-A visa (retirement) from the Thai Embassy in Turkey (I am US citizen --was there on work assignment with my company). I simply showed them 3 months of bank statements from US bank with far more than the amount required, and there was no problem. Brought paperwork in morning to embassy, picked up visa in afternoon.

[katabeachbum]

I do not know the answer to your car question. It sounds like we are in simular situations and I wonder if you have any advice for me.

I have been married to a Thai woman for about 9 years, she has been in USA with me for about 6 years now..and we have a 3 year old daughter.

Recently, my wife has become ill and I have taken her and my daughter to stay with her family in our village near Khon Buri. We have property there and had a small house built there last spring.

I plan to rejoin my wife and daughter in Thailand in a few weeks.

I have looked into obtaining a non O visa, but found that I need to move at least 400000bht into an account that is only in my name, then wait two monts to apply for the non O visa.

Is there any other visa I can obtain before that to avoid the monthly runs to the border?

Can I apply for visas from Thailand or am I required to aaply from an embassy in the US?

I would be thankful for any advice you could give me.

Thanks,

William

I just got a non-O-A visa (retirement) from the Thai Embassy in Turkey (I am US citizen --was there on work assignment with my company). I simply showed them 3 months of bank statements from US bank with far more than the amount required, and there was no problem. Brought paperwork in morning to embassy, picked up visa in afternoon.

and when you need to extend your permit to stay in TH, you need to show minimum 3 months of 800k baht in TH account in your name. but we r off topic, and not all of us are old enough to be considered retired

[PMK]

You need a letter from Immigration stating that you have an appropriate visa before the DVLA will let you register/transfer the vehicle, you can buy it (used) without the letter but you wouldn't be able to register it.

not correct

Immigration issues certificate of residence to every foreigner legally in TH, entrystamp, tourist, or longer permit to stay, ad a copy of your passport and new or used vehicle will be registered in your name at DLT (Department of Transportation).

Done it +30 times during past 9 years, 3 units in december on touristvisa extension, one of them on finance

I am will be buying a new car shortly. Do I need the certifcate when I pick it up with red plates or sometime further along in the registration process?

Thank you.

[MJo]

There is indeed lot of confusion on this. My experience and experience of my friends is similar to Chiang Mai's. Non-immigrant visa being required on registration. I've had to produce one even when selling a bike. And no it was not a decade ago.

Law being changed quoted here very often but there has been no news etc of it. I'd assume change in these laws would result it being reported here or in other forums.

Maybe one of the legal companies sponsoring thaivisa could dig into this a bit and find out once and for all what are the real legal requirements on registering vehicles and obtaining drivers licences ?

Sure it differs between DLT's but knowing the actual law and requirements would surely help many to dodge those so common requests of additional stuff coming from uninformed staff members.

Probably the most asked question here after visa information is actually DL or car ownership issues.

Sunbelt, Siamlegal any takers ?