Moving To Thailand March/april 2013

[Dave8237]

Hi to everyone.

Has anyone used Siam Legal???

I am thinking of using them for a retirement/spouse visa.

I am 52, UK citizen

Married to Thai, have been since April 2012.

Already have Thai bank account in my name.

I can meet the requirements for money in account (400,000) to show each year.

Have been visiting Thailand for several years, and have a few Thai friends outside my wife's group of friends.

We will be building a home in Leong Nok Tha, where her family farms and we have been given a large plot of land from her farther.

However, I don't want to spend £500.00 if I can do the visa by myself, any advice??? Hate paying over the odds for stuff, when it can be done by me. However if it is a minefield, then, it isn't an issue.

Thanks

[wayned]

No need to hire a law firm, you can do it yourself. You should get a Non-O visa before you come and it can be extended at your local immmigration ofice for 1 year for 1900 baht. Someone will be along and detail the exact documentation requirements soon.

[meatboy]

just done my 3rd extension[marriage]as long as you make sure you have all the paper work[not rocket science] there is no need to hire any lawyer or pay any tea money,just some politeness at immigration,like wayned said someone will be along with what paper work you need and how much money and time it must be in your bank acc.dont use the term retirement when you apply as your going down the marriage route,ret.extension requires 800,000bht in your acc.good luck i bet you cant wait to get here.

[Lite Beer]

Fairly easy to do yourself. Enter Thailand with a Non Imm O Visa.

A Rough Guide.

(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.

[ubonjoe]

Contact one of the honorary Thai consulates in the UK (IE: Hull) for a single entry non immigrant O visa based upon marriage to a Thai.

Then get an extension of stay during the last 30 days of your 90 day entry.

Edited January 8, 2013 by ubonjoe

[CharlieH]

extension based on retriement is in my opinion by far the easiest, not connected to wife and far less paperwork.

[Dave8237]

Thanks for the advice, as it appears that the main point is don't hire a legal to help, then I don't think I will.

But still undecided if to use spouse or retirement visa. I would like a little job. Going to think that one over.

But there appears to be conflicting advice on the amount of money to be held on account, on sites which I have gathered information from.

[lopburi3]

It is 400k for Thai wife and 800k for retirement. Any other amount would be for different type of extension or because a person had been grandfathered.

[Lite Beer]

As said. 400,000 for Thai Wife and 800,000 for retirement.

[TerryLH]

"But still undecided if to use spouse or retirement visa. I would like a little job. Going to think that one over."

If you want to work, do the extension for 'marriage'. You won't get a work permit if on a retirement extension.

Terry

[MichaelJohn]

Do it yourself; it's easy.

If you spend a couple of hours on the Internet you'll be more than knowledgable enough to do it yourself and save £500.

[NancyL]

That's right, if you're retired, have time available and retain most your brain cells you can save yourself much money by doing your own retirement or marriage "12-month extension of permission to remain" from an O visa you obtain in your home country.

[Dave8237]

All very helpful, I think it will be a visa a spouse visa, rather have 400k sat there than 800k.

But thanks for the advice.

Dave

[meatboy]

All very helpful, I think it will be a visa a spouse visa, rather have 400k sat there than 800k.

But thanks for the advice.

Dave

once you have settled if you can leave the ext.fee in the bank there is quite a few fixed savings accs.available,4months,7months ect.immigration do except fixed accs.some might ask what money are you living on,but i have never been asked.as for a little job dont rely on anything and take anything for granted,there is always something crops up.you know the story of the sick buffalo do you.

[Dave8237]

Thanks to all for advice. I now have my Non Immigrant type O visa, from the Royal Thai Consulate in Birmingham. They wanted an English translation of myThai marriage certificate, which I didn't have, as well as photo copy wife's ID or passport. So to get around this, the very helpful woman there said bring proff of income minimum £900.00 per month, as still be paid by my old company I did. Took 15 mins to get it visa in passport. So simple.

Fly out on the 27th, going via Dubia with Emirates, for a change, getting a little miffed on Thai airways prices, and not keen on EVA......anyway that's by the by.

I am not going to use Siam legal, I have done all research, so that's fine.

My Thai friend who runs a car company is helping me obtaining my Thai driving licence.

Thanks guys and girls........very very useful forum

[NancyL]

Thanks for the follow-up report. If you have a valid drivers license from anywhere else, you can obtain a Thai driver's license with just a a minimum of fuss -- no need to take a written or driving test. It's nice to have a Thai friend help, but not if that "friend" expects payment. I found it much easier to get a drivers license than to get my first retirement extension.

[ubonjoe]

Did you get a single or multiple entry visa.

What they gave you was a visa for being over 50 instead of marriage.

For a single they normally don't ask for income proof.