If I Stop Being Employed, What Visa For Me?

[femi fan]

Hello everybody, i wonder if any kind souls have some answers for me...

I have worked for nine years straight, with work permit keeping my visa status annually updated. I'm british, i'm 48, i'm legally married to a thai woman.

I'd like to stop being employed by my university, and do other projects in life, like earning my income from my writing and photography. I think this will leave me unable to get a work permit since i won't be working for anyone. I don't want to leave my job however if i can't get a one year visa renewable each year, as i've been used to all my time in thailand. I have until may to find a solution. But i'm fed up with my work!

It is unlikely that i'll have a spare 400,000 baht to put in a bank account by may next year.

It is likely that an income will come into my joint bank account (with my sister) in england every month by that time, which will be in excess of 40,000 per month.

1. Will this income into the joint bank account be sufficient to get me a marriage visa?

2. Do i understand correctly that in order to prove this income i need only get an affidavit from the british embassy that i receive this income? Or do i have to show bank statements to immigration to support my visa request?

3. Does that affidavit have to be renewed each year when the visa is due for extension?

4. If i don't have the income, and i don't have the 400,000 baht, what other visa options are available to me? I don't want at all to be on tourist visas.

Thank you in advance for any help posters!

[Lite Beer]

You need to show the Embassy that you have the monthly income of 40,000Baht.

Whatever proof they need you will have to ask them.

You would have to do this every year.

Other option would be a Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa obtained from KL Malaysia with a balance of 100,000 in the bank

or Savannakhet Laos with no proof of savings needed.

A Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa would give a year of unlimited entries with a max of 90 days each stay.

[femi fan]

Litebeer, thanks. Is getting that multi-entry non-imm visa because i'm married, or can anyone get it? Clearly the laos option would be better in terms of no money needed. And where is svannakhet? Is that in the capital or somewhere else?

[Lite Beer]

Visa based on having a Thai Wife.

This will give you some ideas.

http://www.savanvegas.com/visarun/

[samran]

Maybe it is just me, but why not apply for Citizenship. Stable employment at a university, three years of tax payments, married to a Thai make you the idea candidate. You have your application accepted while you are still working, and if your visa changes AFTER they accept the application is doesn't matter. Just my two cents...

[nontabury]

Maybe it is just me, but why not apply for Citizenship. Stable employment at a university, three years of tax payments, married to a Thai make you the idea candidate. You have your application accepted while you are still working, and if your visa changes AFTER they accept the application is doesn't matter. Just my two cents...

A few years ago,your wife applied for citizenship,has she received it yet,and if so how long did the process take?.

[samran]

Maybe it is just me, but why not apply for Citizenship. Stable employment at a university, three years of tax payments, married to a Thai make you the idea candidate. You have your application accepted while you are still working, and if your visa changes AFTER they accept the application is doesn't matter. Just my two cents...

A few years ago,your wife applied for citizenship,has she received it yet,and if so how long did the process take?.

We put it on hold for personal reasons as last year my wife and I had to spend quite a bit of time outside of Thailand.

We put it on hold in about August last year when she was invited for the final interview. We intend to re-get the ball rolling shortly.

On a recent visit to special branch I was told that she would have had it by now - so we are talking about a 3 year turn around time, similar to others at the moment.

I've been led to expect that once we restart the process, my wife can be expected to be interviewed in front of the final panel within a month or two.

Hope this helps.

[ubonjoe]

If you are still working now and making 40K baht or more you could change from a working extension to one based upon marriage to a Thai by showing income tax payments like you do now for your extensions.

Then when you stop working your extension would still be valid for the remainder of the one year extension.

By then you should be able to show the 40K baht by way of income letter from the UK embassy.