Help With Visa Advice

[RichardG]

Wonder if any of you good people can give me some sound advice. I realise there are changes coming in the near future and want to get into Thailand in the next week or so, but I need some advice on the best way to get a long term visa or even residency.

I am 40, UK citizen, married to a Thai and have a Thai son who is 3 years old.

We have spent the past 6 years in China but want to return to Thailand to stay on a permanent basis.

We have been married for 5 years, and already have a home in Chiang Mai.

I do not want to work in Thailand, but have savings and investments of around 280K US, these are 75% in stocks which provide a yearly return (dividends) of around 9-10K depending on exchange rates. The remainder is in cash / banks, and provides anothe 2-3K in interest. While this is more than enough for us, it is likely to fall a bit short of the new 40K Baht/Month. However, the bank deposit in Thailand could be increased to well over 400K required.

Do you know what the best way to get long term visas will be? are the rules hard and fast or can they be relaxed at the immigration officers discretion. Any assistnace would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[huski]

I need some advice on the best way to get a long term visa or even residency.

you need to start with a multi entry one year non immigrant "o" visa which you can get based on support of your THAI wife/son at a Thai Embassy in China. you will need a marriage certificate and your wife may need to be present when you apply. you can stay for 90 days at a time in thailand.

then come to thailand and go to a thai immigration office and apply for a one year visa extension. one of the requirements for your extension will be 200k + in a thai bank account along with a letter from your bank verifying the funds. the thai bank balance requirement may go up to 400k + in july but nobody is sure about this it seems. this should be very straight foward for you although you will most likely receive the standard 4 to 6 week extension stamped in your passport to start. then come back right before or on the expiration date of that extension for your final extension. you will then not have to leave thailand every 90 days, only report your address every 90 days. if you do leave thailand after any of these extensions are granted make sure to get a re entry permit BEFORE you leave, which can be done in one day also at immigration.

[RichardG]

Thanks Huskie,

do I not need to show regular income, pay taxes etc. etc. As long as I can show 200 or 400K in the bank is that it?

I thought I needed to have work permits or proof of 40K /month coming in, I cannot quite make the 40K month, only about 35K but could put money in the bank anyway.

Many thanks for your help!

Richard

[huski]

Thanks Huskie,

do I not need to show regular income, pay taxes etc. etc. As long as I can show 200 or 400K in the bank is that it?

I thought I needed to have work permits or proof of 40K /month coming in, I cannot quite make the 40K month, only about 35K but could put money in the bank anyway.

Many thanks for your help!

Richard

when you get to thailand and go to thai immigration for your one year visa extension based on your non immigrant O visa, the only financial requirement is currently 200K+ in a thai bank and a letter from the bank verifying these funds.

a non immigrant B visa extension and a retirement visa extension have different requirements.

[Indo-Siam]

Huski's comments are correct - at present, only 200,000 baht is required - in a joint account at a Thai bank. But - you must have a Thai marriage certificate (your marriage must have been registered inside Thailand), and your wife must accompany you to Immigration to apply. My company most recently submitted such an application on 13 February - that client opted to show 401,000+ baht in bank account.

According to Immigration, the new rates to go into effect are not yet approved - and the rules about "grandfathering" the 200,000 baht for future renewals in not assured. But - you will need to requalify with bank account at some level for each renewal.

I am not aware of any Thai diplomatic post that requires that your wife accompany you to get a Class O visa - a signed copy of her ID Card, along with a copy of marriage certificate is sufficient - but I have not specifically confirmed this practice at all such diplomatic posts - so I presume it is possible that some location has a different rule.

Good luck!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[email protected]

www.thaistartup.com

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Immigration like to see the wife only when the extension is sought.

[JimGant]

But - you must have a Thai marriage certificate (your marriage must have been registered inside Thailand)

We seem to go round and round on this subject. But the consensus seems to be that, no, you don't need a Thai marriage certificate/registration in Thailand if you have a valid marriage certificate from somewhere else. That 'foreign' marriage certificate needs to be translated into Thai -- but even this may not be necessary if you were married in an English speaking country, i.e., your certificate is in English. But like so many other quirky things here, that would probably depend on what clerk you happen to draw.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

But - you must have a Thai marriage certificate (your marriage must have been registered inside Thailand)

We seem to go round and round on this subject. But the consensus seems to be that, no, you don't need a Thai marriage certificate/registration in Thailand if you have a valid marriage certificate from somewhere else. That 'foreign' marriage certificate needs to be translated into Thai -- but even this may not be necessary if you were married in an English speaking country, i.e., your certificate is in English. But like so many other quirky things here, that would probably depend on what clerk you happen to draw.

That's about it Jim... T i T I do think you are best to carry an Embassy or MFA certified translation of the the marriage paper to be more certain of the attitude of officer of the day.

[RichardG]

I have all of the certificates as we were actually married in the Thai embassy in Shanghai. All the documents have been translated and are certified with certified copies etc. etc. I have been down this beauracratic nightmare before with the marriage and know just how awkward some of this legal stuff can be.

What about showing monthly income etc. do I not need to do that ? Are they only interested in the cash in the bank.

The way I read it was that you needed to show 40K coming in per month, which I cannot quite do, maybe 30K but not 40K and it would not be on a monthly basis, more likely once or twice a year - do you think I will have any trouble?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

What about showing monthly income etc. do I not need to do that ? Are they only interested in the cash in the bank.

If you have the "money in the bank" they do not need any proof of monthly income. That is only required when you do not have enough in the bank and want to use that to qualify.

They do have a question about your income for the form they fill out but this does not need to be verified and seems to just be part of the bio data they collect. You can make that an estimate on a yearly basis.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I have all of the certificates as we were actually married in the Thai embassy in Shanghai. All the documents have been translated and are certified with certified copies etc. etc. I have been down this beauracratic nightmare before with the marriage and know just how awkward some of this legal stuff can be.

What about showing monthly income etc. do I not need to do that ? Are they only interested in the cash in the bank.

The way I read it was that you needed to show 40K coming in per month, which I cannot quite do, maybe 30K but not 40K and it would not be on a monthly basis, more likely once or twice a year - do you think I will have any trouble?

Thanks

Can you get it all done before July. It is said the figures required will substantially increase thereafter.

[RichardG]

I am going to Thailand at the end of this month, so I expect to have an extension in place before July

Hope it helps!!

Richard

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I am going to Thailand at the end of this month, so I expect to have an extension in place before July

Hope it helps!!

Richard

Before July it is 200,000 baht in a bank in Thailand for someone married to a Thai.