Visa Query

[seajae]

I am currently in Thailand on a 90 day business visa and staying with my thai wife but it expires in 5 weeks and I was going to go back to Australia for a week and get a 12 month multi-entry visa. I would apply for a spouse visa but due to being an a dissability pension I would not qualify as I will loose the pension after 13 weeks and I do not have the funds to put in a bank account. With the multi entry I am hoping to be able to set myself up with a way to be able to earn the required 40,000 baht a month so that I can go onto the spouse visa eventually. My wife works and earns around 600,000 baht a year but I need to earn my own money to stay. Can anyone tell me if this is the best option for me and any problems they can see with it. Luckily I am only 3 hours from the border so visa runs are not hard but I need to go back next month so I can have my pension re set for another 13 weeks too.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Edited September 18, 2012 by seajae

[ubonjoe]

Check with one of the Honorary consulates in Austrailia (Brisbane is good) to get a multiple entry non immigrant O visa based upon marriage. All you should need is copy of marriage certificate, wife's ID (or passport) and house book.

The above is probably your best option to start with and then get an extension from any of your 90 day entries when you are ready. You can also get 60 day extensions at immigration (1900 baht) for your entries if you wanted to save on doing a border run.

[lopburi3]

Also you can continue to obtain such visas if you do not have the financials for one year extensions of stay and if no need for Oz visit they currently are available in KL with proof of 100k in bank account in your name or Savannakhet without financial requirement.

[aarn]

Mate, too easy for you. You will be able to extend your 12m next visa by demonstrating to your local Thai Immi Office that you have income in Austr (not sure what pension is now - $AUD20k ~ ThB 600k) + bank balance here in Thai of ~200kB, for a total in excess of 800kB.

Thai Immi Office will want to see a recent (ie.within a week or so) stat dec from the aussie embassy, attesting to your annual income (cost ~ 600B). The day before you go to Immi Office, just top up your bank account so you have the required total 800kB. In other words, there is no required 'seasoning period' for the bank balance. You can put money in, get a bank statement, do the job at Immi, and withdraw from bank the same day.

Be aware also, once you have the annual extension, no need to even go to Immi Office every 90 days - can just registered post (cost 18B) in your report (with a few required photocopies) form.

What I would do in your position - set up a bank account here asap, deposit say 100kB. When you go back to Austr, just get a 60day tourist visa, come back here, go to aussie embassy, get stat dec income statement, top up you bank account (so the total statement + bank > 800kB), go to Immi Office and get your annual non-O A extension. Check with lopburi3 here - he's a champ.

By the way, I understand that for disab pension there is a new requirement - cannot be outside Austr for more than 6 weeks??? Check www.centrelink.gov.au. Cheers, AA

[Mario2008]

It is either income or money in the bank. If you (or your wife) can save 400,000 baht in a bank account in your name in Thailand you will qualify for reason of being married to a Thai.

[seajae]

Hi guys, thanks very much for your answers, it really has given me options and I appreciate it. Got to admit, this site is bloody good, especially for newbies over here like me.

Cheers