Hi I'm 35 been with my thai wife for four years married for 2 in jan next year. Had hoped to get her to the uk but have had various problems, had all my paperwork in order to do the visa in december when bangkok was under water so my visit was in vain. Then came back and work has been miserable due to the economic situation in the uk. So now I wouldn't really be eligible to sponsor her to come.

Anyway after my last visit my wife got pregnant and I don't want to see my baby every 4 - 6 months so Im selling my business and planning to go live over their. I will have enough money to buy land and build a house with the help of my father in law who built his home which is fab. I wont have huge amounts of money left over by the end of this so I want advice as to what my situation will be regarding visas? I will get the 3 month one but don't want to have to do that visa run every 3 months forever.

I do intend to get stuck in to thai life as i do fit in with my thai family and get stuck in to everything with them. They have their own business making the gorgeous Trang smoked pork and they sell second hand clothes and they make a good enough living for thai people their obviously not millionaires but they have a good life and can afford a new car, minivan, pickup as well as various mopeds.

The Farther in law feels I should breed catfish as well as do the old second hand clothes thing. I know I wont be rich but i will not starve and I will be a father to my child and not a stranger who visits every few months.

Please some visa advice would be nice and much appreciated..

regards

James

For working you would need a Work permit which you will probably not get for those activities.

If you do not want to do border runs every 90 days you need 12 month extensions of stay.

Basic information is:

(6) In case of marriage with a Thai lady, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year.

dam_n!

Its not going to be easy then! Same As my wife coming to the UK...

Is their a limit to how many times you can do the 90 day visa?!

You can get a Multi Entry Non Imm O which you will give you almost 15 months but means a border run every 90 days.

At the moment these can be got in the region and there does not appear to be any limits.

You could always join a Thai Language school and get an Education Visa.

No idea if there is one in Trang though.

OK so this will definitely be my option then. After the 15 months How do I stand to do this again? I realise that their are many many people living in thailand this way, so do I have to return to the UK after the 15 months or can I just get this visa again.

Thanks for the replies very much appreciated..

Edited October 10, 201213 yr by sutton1001

Go for a Non O visa, just get it before you spent all your money. Just show 400 000 Baht in your account and all the required documents. It's not rocket science. Once you are established in Trang get a job or start a business on your wife's name if you need money. Anyway you will find many ways how to extend your stay without any hassles. It's not that difficult to stay legal in Thailand.

I've heard many bad stories of deceiving Thai wives, but it is not a rule. There are genuinely good people. If she's the one, go for it! Cheers!

Most people are actually able to meet financials to extend there stay on a yearly basis but for those that can not the multi entry non immigrant O visa is the best - but has become harder to obtain in recent years and most Consulates will want proof of some savings to provide. Currently the best options in the area are Savannakhet where no requirement is made or KL where 100k in bank is accepted. As for how long this will be available only time can tell. It could come down to only single entry visas allowed without financials but believe there will always be some option.

Personally would urge you to think long and hard as it seems your options will be very limited in Thailand; unless you have qualifications and like teaching English it may be a difficult path

OK so this will definitely be my option then. After the 15 months How do I stand to do this again? I realise that their are many many people living in thailand this way, so do I have to return to the UK after the 15 months or can I just get this visa again.

Thanks for the replies very much appreciated..

Yes, you can get Non O visa extension in Thailand without leaving Thailand as long as you provide all the required documents at Thai Immigration in the area you stay. Simple as that.

what are the required documents when you are in thailand please?

Thanks for the reply

(6) In case of marriage with a Thai lady, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year.

Letter from your Thai Bank showing balance and up to date bank book.

OR.

Letter from your Embassy showing income. Now may also need proof of income as back up.

Marriage Certificate

Marriage Registry entry.

Wife's Tabbien Baan and ID Card.

Your Passport.

Copies of everything.

Photos of you and your Wife in and around the house.

A map showing the way to your house.

Passport size photos and 1,900 Baht fee.

Take your Wife to be interviewed.

One or two witnesses may be required.

You will be given a 30 day under consideration stamp.

Go back in a month and get the remainder.

basically you need to show an incoem of 40,000 a month OR 400,000 in a bankaccount in your name in Thailand for at least 2 months. Incoem can be from broad, in that case you must get a lette from your embassy confirming your income. if you can do that, you can get an extension of stay for 1 year, every year again.

Next is a whole bunch of documents, required to proof your relationship.

Cheers guys for all the prompt replies. Looks like ill be traveling to Malaysia then every 90 days for a very long time!!! :-(

Somebody said to me before tho that you can get in stamped in a official office ie Phucket or krabi for a fee of 1900thb!

Has anyone else heard of this?! Would be a lot easier!!

1,900 Baht is the fee for extension applications.

Which is what you would pay if applying for a 12 month extension.

You will be dealing with Satun Immigration.

Not Krabi or Phuket.

http://maps.google.c...1df360b&t=h&z=6

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/20120208_imm_map.jpg

Not having a dig but if you are buying land and making a house, you might be better off putting 400,000 Baht in a bank and sorting out your Immigration situation first.

Once you have the stamp in your passport you can dip into the money and top it up next year.

A 12 month extension costs 1,900 Baht.

A Visa costs 5,000 Baht plus travel expenses, plus hotels, plus border runs every 90 days.

If you really do find that you do not have the 400,000 for next year you can then get a Non Imm O Visa.

Maybe you can borrow the money to top up from your Wife or Father in Law.

Like I said, only making suggestions.

Thanks light beer for your replies!

Ok so I'm doing this wrong really I think!

I can put 400,000thb in a bank and apply for a 12 month living visa (or is it a 12 month holiday) where I don't leave every 90 days to do the border crossing?! Is this correct? Or am I getting it wrong?!

If it is a living visa and I do this and I still have 400,000 every year I only pay 1900 every 12 months?!!

Thanks

Money in bank 2 months allows one year extension of stay (not a visa) and costs 1,900 baht and can be done each year with same proof of financials and wife/documentation. For any travel you would have to first obtain a re-entry permit to keep this extension of stay alive for return. You never have to leave using this extension of stay system but if marriage ends it would immediately end also.

400,000 Baht in the bank gets a 12 month extension of stay.

No border runs but a visit to Immigration every 90 days to report your address.

You can even probably do it by mail.

Spend the money and top it up next year and apply again.

1,900 baht fee plus around 200 Baht for the bank letter giving proof of balance.

So would you get a three month holiday visa first for my travel to Thai and get funds in bank then get 12 month?! Or can I do this from the uk?!

Thanks

Get a single entry non immigrant O visa if you can be sure money will be available within a month of entry - if not it would be best to obtain a multi entry non immigrant O and then you can use for up to 15 months before extension is required (but you can do at end of any 90 day entry). Non immigrant visa issue will require marriage certificate/copy and copy of wife ID card and home register at most locations.

As said, A Non Immigrant O Visa.

Single or Multi depending on when you intend to apply for the extension at Immigration

Apply at a Consulate and not at the Thai Embassy in London.

Consulates are more helpful.

If 90 days from single entry non-o (based upon marriage to a Thai) was not enough time you could get a 60 day extension at immigration to visit your wife.

Will I have to do the 90 day thing for the rest of my life?! Can you get citizenship after so many years or is this out of the question?!

Will I have to do the 90 day thing for the rest of my life?! Can you get citizenship after so many years or is this out of the question?!

Unless you get Permanent residency or Thai nationality you will do your 90 day reports till you die, you move to another country or the law changes.

If you can get a good job in Thailand and make at least 40,000 a month you could apply for Thai nationality in a few years based on your wife and child.

As I thought its really hard to live their. Wow they don't want us being their easy do they!

Well ill have to get used to the 90 day after the initial 12 month visa then :-( unless I can save 400,000 after building a home! Err I doubt that very much lol

Oh to live In paradise hahaha