Non-imm "o" Visa Financial Obligation

[Gumballl]

I've been reading past postings here on TV about Non-Imm "O" visa, that one can obtain if married to a Thai woman. From what I have understood, there are minimum financial obligations that the farang man must maintain: either earn B40,000 per year OR have a minimum of B400,000 in the bank at the end of the year.

(Please correct me if these figures are wrong.)

Should the Thai gov't should ever decide to increase these minimum limits, as they have done in the past ("to attract quality farangs"), how would this affect those of you already in possession of a Non-Imm "O" visa? Could you afford an increase?

If you had to leave Thailand, what would you do??? Going back to live in your country would probably cost more than staying in Thailand. Nevertheless, some of you undoubtably only have a fixed amount of money saved (such as myself).

I really would like to move to the LOS to be with my wife and daughter, and I know that is what she would like too. But I cannot shake this worrisome feeling from my head that some how I will end up as a pauper before I reach my golden years.

Once I reach the golden years (60+ years old), I will have sufficient monies available to me, but till then, I will have to work... and I'm not confident I can earn B40,000 in Thailand. I'm an old-school software engineer that has spent his career supporting US gov't contracts... and there is no demand for someone with this background in LOS.

Anyhow, any advice would be helpful on the subject of the Non-Imm visa. Any advice to calm my fears.

Thank you in advance.

P.S. BTW, for those who might wonder, I am currently 38 years old, and from the US.

P.S.S. It is my intent to bring my wife and daughter to the US, but as of recently, I was made redundant at work. I'm looking for work, but things are looking bleak. And every day I stay in the US costs a fortune!

[Totster]

either earn B40,000 per year OR have a minimum of B400,000 in the bank at the end of the year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The figure is an income of bt40,000 per month...

The financial obligations only need to me met when applying for a 1 year extension to your Non Imm visa..

With the Non Imm visa you can stay for 90 days, then do a visa run across the border and back again to get another 90 days. This can be done until the visa expires.

totster

Edited December 17, 2005 by Totster

[lopburi3]

You do not need the 40k/400k for the visa so you will be able to visit your wife for up to 90 days at a time. The multi entry non immigrant O visa is the preferred method but it is often not available outside of your home country or Penang in Malaysia. It normally only requires proof of your marriage and perhaps a copy of the spouse ID card to indicate you are still a couple. With 90 day visa runs that can cover up to almost 15 months.

If you have a collage degree and are willing to teach English you probably could earn enough to get by and probably obtain extension of stay - but as you noted there is no guarantee for the future and likely not much chance to save for the rainy day.

I understand your concern between jobs but remember as cheap as it may seem here if you don't have the money it is as expensive as anywhere else. I would try to keep working/saving until at least age 50 if you have any chance to do so. Good luck in your job search and perhaps a move a less expensive area might be considered if that would help your current situation and improve your job outlook.

[nellyp]

If you have a degree you can teach and if you don't have a degree you can teach. But either way you can teach some where, it just depends where you want to live. for teaching without a degree you should get 30,000B which is nearly enough (and they'll do your visa. If you have a degree and teach you'll earn plenty. otherwise you will need to save, save, save and retire in the way the word means.

You can then invest your money in the Thai economy in some way or other, see that disappear, and then move back home.

My advise is this. save enough money to retire on and then move to Thailand with no worries otherwise you will be worrying about money forever...Then it is not the land of smiles

[Gumballl]

The figure is an income of bt40,000 per month

Totster, thank you for the correction.

You do not need the 40k/400k for the visa so you will be able to visit your wife for up to 90 days at a time. The multi entry non immigrant O visa is the preferred method but it is often not available outside of your home country or Penang in Malaysia. It normally only requires proof of your marriage and perhaps a copy of the spouse ID card to indicate you are still a couple. With 90 day visa runs that can cover up to almost 15 months.

Lopburi, I have asked my wife not to change her name on the ID card. I think that it is best that she preserves her Thai surname on her card (and passport). Do you advise against this? As I hinted in my OP, I am applying for a visa for my wife to come to the US. I have applied using her maiden name. If the visa is ultimately granted, it would be associated with her first name/maiden name... not my surname. In the future, perhaps we can change her surname to mine, if/when I "retire" in LOS.

As for background, I do have a university degree... a bachelor of engineering in computer science. Not quite a specialization in teaching, but still something that I can apply to teaching in Thailand in case the need arises.

Right now, I wish I could find a good paying job (in the US). The bad news currently weighing on me is that my house is costing me approximately US$4000 monthly (about 160K baht). Without an income, you can imagine my anxiety. I want to sell my house, but the Winter period is notoriously the worst time to sell, and I worry that I will lose money (and not have a place to live). I do have savings to cover my "gluteus maximus" for about 6 months, but I really do not want to use this to pay more towards the house. After all, most of the monthly payments go toward interest, and not principal balance on my mortgage.

My ultimate wish would be to buy a house in LOS (paying cash), and then obtain a job (teaching if I must) to pay for food, utilities, etc.

Anyhow, I am rambling on... it is time for me to go to bed, and hope that tomorrow brings me a wee bit of good fortune.

[lopburi3]

I don't really believe there is any advantage in not changing her name (in fact it may make travel harder if immigration officers can not easily identify you are husband and wife) but it is legal now so should not be a major problem. I would make sure she changes ID card to reflect marriage status and Home Register the same.

The degree is for show and helps establish you rather than needing to be in teaching. I would consider getting the house on the market even if unable to sell as your savings are going fast with that kind of mortgage.

[moziman]

Can't much help with finding work i'm afraid but I personally do get the 1 year extension from the original non o visa that I got 3 years ago, I am now on my 3rd year and the requirement was and is that at the year renewal date I have either 400,000 baht in bank or an income amounting that amount, I have always insured

I had that lump sum every year so cannot vouch for the income part, I am now aged 40.

The year visa I have is supporting my wife.

I have to say also that I have great difficulty getting anyone to believe that this is possible so I suspect it might be hard for some people to get, having a super clean passport with no overstays and being super polite might help I guess, I think that once you have managed to get it once it is fairly easy to renew every year, well that has been the case for me. I actually reaplied for a new clean passport before I set up here for good as I had two overstays on my old one.

I would say regarding working here and settling here, think very carefully before you do commit especially if you cutting it tight money wise, in your position I would 100% insure you don't burn you bridges back home if you do need to return. Also is there no way you can find work online using your skills in your own country and then do that from here, that would be the safest solution, internet isn't super great here but is improving.

Anyway good luck,

mozzi

[moziman]

PS forot to mention that if you planning on working here officially you will require a non B visa not non O, O is ordinary and B is buisness, well that is my understanding anyway.

mozzi

[lopburi3]

1. Getting the support Thai wife one years extension of stay is not hard if you meet the income or savings requirements and I would urge anyone living on border crossings to talk with immigration before you decide it is too hard. If you have the paperwork ready it is about one hour of your time each year.

2. You can work on a non immigrant O visa for support Thai wife just as you can on a B visa. The retirement visa is where you can not work.

[otherstuff1957]

I too, am on my 3rd year of visa extensions of my original one year visa. I originally had a one year type o based on 200K in the bank and a Thai Wife. The next year the requirements changed to 400K in the bank, so I had to show a legal income (work permit, etc..) of 40K per month.

It's all quite doable. My advise would be to do it now, so that you can find out if Thailand is right for you while you are still young enough to go back and start over if things don't work out. Can you rent your house for enough money to pay the mortgage? If so, it would probably be best to keep your assets over there.