I Have A Retirement Visa But I'M Now Married To A Thai Girl.

[elektrified]

And next year when they decide that anyone on a marriage extension for 5 continuous years will receive Thai citizenship

That is not going to happen.

+1

Never will happen.

[letitbe]

if you can afford it id strongly advise you stay on retirement visa ive been married 17+ years and have never been tempted to go over to the support a wife visa. Immigration can and do visit your home if you go for a support a thai wife visa and you need to start your record all over again. Just my view and immigration have told me many times they much prefer retirement visas as its less work for them. also and I hope like me you stay happily married for 17+ years if by some chance it does not work out you will need to go back to a retirement visa starting whole process again with medicals and all rest and who knows they might easily in future make it much more difficult for new applicants.

So if you can afford extra 400,000 baht in bank for 3 months id definitely not change. After all the interest you can get on it amounts at best to 3% say which for 3 months 3,000 baht. It also makes sure you have 800,000 available on renewing. My main problem is every time I renew this frees up 800,000 baht and so its always immediately spent on a condo or gold or a new car or extension for house and such things and then I need to free up some money 9 months later from shares, gold or selling a condo in time to raise 800,000.

[AndersSN]

Another vote for retirement rather than marriage. Even the immigration officer told me that.

Compared to retirement, a marriage extension can be a walk on the dark side.

And next year when they decide that anyone on a marriage extension for 5 continuous years will receive Thai citizenship ............. you won't and I will.

When you talk to a competent immigration official (not a lazy one) and ask what visa you should be on, the answer is always the visa appropriate to you being in Thailand. If you are here because you are married, you should be on a marriage extension.

And why would u want citizenship?

Unles of course u plan to die in Thailand like a Thai. I.e. not leaving Thailand to visit the rest of the civilized world.

Visas for Thai citizens are a nightmare, so unless your home country allows dual citizenship, going home could be a real problem.

Good luck

[flying]

And next year when they decide that anyone on a marriage extension for 5 continuous years will receive Thai citizenship ............. you won't and I will.

When you talk to a competent immigration official (not a lazy one) and ask what visa you should be on, the answer is always the visa appropriate to you being in Thailand. If you are here because you are married, you should be on a marriage extension.

And why would u want citizenship?

Unles of course u plan to die in Thailand like a Thai. I.e. not leaving Thailand to visit the rest of the civilized world.

Visas for Thai citizens are a nightmare, so unless your home country allows dual citizenship, going home could be a real problem.

Good luck

Do any first world countries not allow dual citizenship? I think Germany does not.

but my wife has Thai/US & it helps in many ways.

As a US citizen I would jump at the chance to obtain a 2nd passport

[AndersSN]

And why would u want citizenship?

Unles of course u plan to die in Thailand like a Thai. I.e. not leaving Thailand to visit the rest of the civilized world.

Visas for Thai citizens are a nightmare, so unless your home country allows dual citizenship, going home could be a real problem.

Good luck

Do any first world countries not allow dual citizenship? I think Germany does not.

but my wife has Thai/US & it helps in many ways.

As a US citizen I would jump at the chance to obtain a 2nd passport

Plenty of European cuntries doesn't allow dual citizenship.

Mind you. If I was from the US I would want a 2nd passport too. Plausible deniability an all that. (yes I'm actually not American, here look I'm Thai, my passport proves it...)

[onthedarkside]

Flame edited out of one post and the insulting replies all removed.

[TommoPhysicist]

. . . it does not work out you will need to go back to a retirement visa starting whole process again with medicals and all rest and who knows they might easily in future make it much more difficult for new applicants.

There are no medicals required for visa extensions.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

And why would u want citizenship?

Unles of course u plan to die in Thailand like a Thai. I.e. not leaving Thailand to visit the rest of the civilized world.

Visas for Thai citizens are a nightmare, so unless your home country allows dual citizenship, going home could be a real problem.

Good luck

I wouldn't mind giving up my existing passport if I got Thai citizenship. Thailand after all has given me so much more.

[Dante99]

Do any first world countries not allow dual citizenship?

US does but it is probably not considered "first world".

[thaibeachlovers]

. . . it does not work out you will need to go back to a retirement visa starting whole process again with medicals and all rest and who knows they might easily in future make it much more difficult for new applicants.

There are no medicals required for visa extensions.

Thanks. I was starting to get worried there.

[onthedarkside]

The last 3 posts removed. Way off the original topic.

[tom21]

Depending on your nationality you can just get a Statutory Declaration signed at your embassy to say you have a minimum income of 65,000baht/month income.

Each embassy appears to have different arrangements with Thai Immigration.

statutory declaration is a written statement that a person signs and declares to be true and correct before an authorised witness. By signing it, you agree that the information in it is true, and you can be charged with perjury if the information is false.

[Jingthing]

Depending on your nationality you can just get a Statutory Declaration signed at your embassy to say you have a minimum income of 65,000baht/month income.

Each embassy appears to have different arrangements with Thai Immigration.

statutory declaration is a written statement that a person signs and declares to be true and correct before an authorised witness. By signing it, you agree that the information in it is true, and you can be charged with perjury if the information is false.

There are no "different arrangements" with immigration! Thai immigration has no power, nor should they, over internal policies at foreign embassies.

[ianf]

You appear to be eligible for an annual extension based on marriage. However, many reports over the years that people generally find getting retirement extensions "easier" than marriage extensions. With marriage you have the issue of proving the relationship and the money. With retirement, its all about the money.

Agreed. I changed to a retirement visa after my cheating wife and I divorced. It has been so much easier than the marriage visa.

[flying]

Depending on your nationality you can just get a Statutory Declaration signed at your embassy to say you have a minimum income of 65,000baht/month income.

Each embassy appears to have different arrangements with Thai Immigration.

statutory declaration is a written statement that a person signs and declares to be true and correct before an authorised witness. By signing it, you agree that the information in it is true, and you can be charged with perjury if the information is false.

I have often wondered about any US citizens that may be using this method but do not actually have the income.

On the one hand they swear they do....easy enough & they may get away with it.....in Thailand for visa extensions.

But, being a US Consulate/Embassy I imagine the IRS gets a copy. So if they now do not claim this imaginary income

on their US tax returns they could be messing themselves up big time at passport renewal time. In any case I am guessing

in the long run it would cost them much more than the 800k in the bank route.

[IMA_FARANG]

Yes, the amount required to be deposited in the Thai bank account is halved for a marriage extension versus a retirement extension. but the paperwork required for the marriage extension is much more.

Also keep in mind that the marriage extension is valid only as long as you and your wife are together.

If you're seperated later....that can be a problem.

So it's your choice which one is better for you and your situation.

Also on the retirement extension you can use:

1. the 800K Thai Baht in the bank method.

2. the 65K Baht monthly income method

3. OR....a combination of the two methods above. For example...if you have only 400K baht in your bank....BUT can also show a monthly income outside of that 400K that equals another 400K yearly....the total income/bank account is then 800K. And that total qualifies you for the retirement extension.

You need to understand that if you do choose that combination method....you will need to get a statement from your enbessy stating that income.

For U.S. citizens currently a signed incvome statement from the U.S. embessy is accepted by immigration. The U.S. embessy will charge you $50 for an income statement.

I'm an American, butI understand for other countries the embessy...the U/K for example....requires financial evidence of income to give a similar statement.

But just to be clear it IS possible to use a Thai Bank account of (let's just say) 400K Baht and a Pension or Social Security monthly income equal to another 400K Baht annuallywhich MAY be combined for the total of the required 800K Baht needed for a retiremnt extension.

Edited May 17, 2012 by IMA_FARANG

[ubonjoe]

I have often wondered about any US citizens that may be using this method but do not actually have the income.

On the one hand they swear they do....easy enough & they may get away with it.....in Thailand for visa extensions.

But, being a US Consulate/Embassy I imagine the IRS gets a copy. So if they now do not claim this imaginary income

on their US tax returns they could be messing themselves up big time at passport renewal time. In any case I am guessing

in the long run it would cost them much more than the 800k in the bank route.

There might be some that cheat a little. But you must remember that it is a US federal crime to make a false statement before a consular officer.

They do not send a copy to the IRS I can assure you of that.

Also you must realize that most people doing an income affidavit are on a pension (more than likely Social Security) of some kind or retirement savings plans (IE:401K) that is tax free income.

Edited May 18, 2012 by ubonjoe

[NancyL]

I have often wondered about any US citizens that may be using this method but do not actually have the income.

On the one hand they swear they do....easy enough & they may get away with it.....in Thailand for visa extensions.

But, being a US Consulate/Embassy I imagine the IRS gets a copy. So if they now do not claim this imaginary income

on their US tax returns they could be messing themselves up big time at passport renewal time. In any case I am guessing

in the long run it would cost them much more than the 800k in the bank route.

There might be some that cheat a little. But you must remember that it is a US federal crime to make a false statement before a consular officer.

They do not send a copy to the IRS I can assure you of that.

Also you must realize that most people doing an income affidavit are on a pension (more than likely Social Security) of some kind or retirement savings plans (IE:401K) that is tax free income.

I agree with the statement that it's risky to swear a false statement before a consular official and that they don't send the forms to the IRS.

However, it should be pointed out that SS income and income from a 401K isn't tax-free. The idea of a 401K is that you make contributions with "before tax" income and the earnings of the 401K aren't taxed as long as they're re-invested in the 401K. But, withdrawals are taxed, presumably at a lower tax rate than you would have paid if you invested "after tax" money in some other type of account during your peak earning years. Also many states don't tax retirement income below a certain level, which I believe is often $80,000.

It's a good idea for U.S. retirees to continue to file income tax returns even if they owe next to nothing. Past couple years I used a free on-line service sponsored by the Orange County (CA) legal aid society and it supports state income tax filing for many states. You go thru the screens and answer their questions and within an hour, you've got an income tax return you can file on-line. First year we owed something like $62. This year it was a few hundred because we've started to take some income from Hubby's 401K account.

[Mapguy]

I was wondering if I had as part of my qualifications money in the bank say 400,000 Baht and the rest in income if the money in the bank could be in a joint account with my wife in case I died.

Also could I have 200,000 Baht in the bank and proof of 50,000 Baht for my retirement visa?

At this time, money must be in your bank, joint accounts not considered. Or must be your personal income (think it's 45,000 baht/month, depends on your nationality).

Since we are talking retirement extension here the requirement is:

• Income of 65,000 baht per month, or
  
• bank deposit of 800,000 baht seasoned for three months (two months for the first extension), or
  
• combination of income and bank deposit totalling 800,000 baht (no seasoning required)
  

The amounts are the same for everyone and does not depend on your nationality.

Agree that the bank account and income has to be the applicants alone, joint accounts and income from spouse does not count.

Sophon

munch appreciated I have plenty of guaranteed income was just wondering if in case of the baht going up I could use some money in the bank as part of it.

I suppose the way around making it available to the wife in case of my death would be to get a ATM card and leave it with the pin number in our safe.

Caution! I believe that this is a "practical" solution considered by many people. Officially, upon death, your account is locked, and the court has to approve the disposition of your assets. That normally doesn't take very long, but you ought to leave some money for your spouse's immediate use.

[ubonjoe]

I have often wondered about any US citizens that may be using this method but do not actually have the income.

On the one hand they swear they do....easy enough & they may get away with it.....in Thailand for visa extensions.

But, being a US Consulate/Embassy I imagine the IRS gets a copy. So if they now do not claim this imaginary income

on their US tax returns they could be messing themselves up big time at passport renewal time. In any case I am guessing

in the long run it would cost them much more than the 800k in the bank route.

There might be some that cheat a little. But you must remember that it is a US federal crime to make a false statement before a consular officer.

They do not send a copy to the IRS I can assure you of that.

Also you must realize that most people doing an income affidavit are on a pension (more than likely Social Security) of some kind or retirement savings plans (IE:401K) that is tax free income.

I agree with the statement that it's risky to swear a false statement before a consular official and that they don't send the forms to the IRS.

However, it should be pointed out that SS income and income from a 401K isn't tax-free. The idea of a 401K is that you make contributions with "before tax" income and the earnings of the 401K aren't taxed as long as they're re-invested in the 401K. But, withdrawals are taxed, presumably at a lower tax rate than you would have paid if you invested "after tax" money in some other type of account during your peak earning years. Also many states don't tax retirement income below a certain level, which I believe is often $80,000.

It's a good idea for U.S. retirees to continue to file income tax returns even if they owe next to nothing. Past couple years I used a free on-line service sponsored by the Orange County (CA) legal aid society and it supports state income tax filing for many states. You go thru the screens and answer their questions and within an hour, you've got an income tax return you can file on-line. First year we owed something like $62. This year it was a few hundred because we've started to take some income from Hubby's 401K account.

I recall that 401K fund withdrawals are federal tax free after reaching a certain age (55 possibly) and up to a certain amount. Social Security is federal tax free unless you have other income that takes you over 25K single and 32 K if married.

I don't know about state taxes because Texas does not have income tax.

[ubonjoe]

munch appreciated I have plenty of guaranteed income was just wondering if in case of the baht going up I could use some money in the bank as part of it.

I suppose the way around making it available to the wife in case of my death would be to get a ATM card and leave it with the pin number in our safe.

Caution! I believe that this is a "practical" solution considered by many people. Officially, upon death, your account is locked, and the court has to approve the disposition of your assets. That normally doesn't take very long, but you ought to leave some money for your spouse's immediate use.

Normally when you open a bank account here that is not a joint account and have the wife along (or inform them that you are married) they will have the wife fill out and sign a form plus make a copy of her ID and house book so that upon your death she can easily have access to the account after the death certificate is issued by the Amphoe.

Unless there a challenge from a family member there normally will be no need for the courts to be involved in the disposition of your assets.

[lopburi3]

That is a good piece of information and do not recall seeing it mentioned before - appears to be like POD (pay on death) provision available from US banks.