U.S. citizen cant afford his visa anymore, options please...

[Aranyrammie]

Hello all. friend of mine is a US man aged 66 living in Aranyaprathet and married to Thai national. He was on a retirement visa but due to illness and the hospital costs he cannot afford the visa. Can anybody suggest his options please. Thanks in advance, John.

[caykay]

Unfortunately, he'll probably have to leave. I think he may be able to petition the local immigration office for a waiver based on his health condition but they tend to frown on foreigners who are unable to support themselves.

[meatboy]

Unfortunately, he'll probably have to leave. I think he may be able to petition the local immigration office for a waiver based on his health condition but they tend to frown on foreigners who are unable to support themselves.

as above say's only one option go home unless his wf.can afford the 400.000bht.as i have posted before thailand is not the place to be without money,if you dont you will end up as another sad case.

[ubonjoe]

If he is legally married to a Thai he could easily change his reason for the extension (not a visa) to marriage this would reduce the financial requirements to 400K baht in the bank or income of 40k baht.

If he truly has a visa and has been making border runs he could continue this with no financial proof by getting a multiple entry non-o in Savannakhet Laos based upon marriage.

Edited September 16, 2013 by ubonjoe

[pmarlin]

He is most likely getting Social security from the US which is now little over 45,000 thb a month. He could go for the marriage extension.

[ubonjoe]

I suspect that he has been doing the money in the bank option because he may of not been aware that there were other options.

It would be similar to the post that only mentioned the 400k baht option.

Not every body gets 45k baht in SS payments. It depends upon what his salary history was when he applied. Some get less and others get much more.

If his SS payments are about $1300 or more using current exchange rates he could do an income affidavit at the embassy to prove income for an extension based upon marriage.

Edited September 16, 2013 by ubonjoe

[NeverSure]

He is most likely getting Social security from the US which is now little over 45,000 thb a month. He could go for the marriage extension.

Everyone's SS is different, depending on what he earned and therefore how much he paid in. My SS checks are closer to 80,000 baht pm.

[phuketrichard]

hahahhaa, my ss checks are less than 10,000 baht/month!!! Not all of us spent a lifetime working :-)

but if he gets anything he could do the combo method as the money does not need to be seasoned .

[lopburi3]

There is no combo method for Thai wife extensions of stay (which was the last suggestion to make it a lower bar).

[Time Traveller]

If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days.

[Aranyrammie]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Are you saying that he can change his extension to stay from retirement to marriage and for that he doesn't need the 400k in the bank but he does need a minimum of 40k a month SS?

Don't know exactly how much he gets but I believe it's quite high.

[wayned]

He is most likely getting Social security from the US which is now little over 45,000 thb a month. He could go for the marriage extension.

Everyone's SS is different, depending on what he earned and therefore how much he paid in. My SS checks are closer to 80,000 baht pm.

You must have maxed out, as did I, and didn't take early retirement! Everybody's is different depending on the last 10 years of reported income! I often think of what kind of cardboard box I would be living in if I were still in LA! If the OP can't qualify for a marriage visa or travel to get a tourist visa his options are return home or continue where he is and live under the radar!

[Aranyrammie]

If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days.

Yes that is an option I suppose but he is recovering from cancer and is far from good health. But the biggest drawback of the 15 day border run is the amount of room it will take up in his passport, even if it is currently empty I think it would fill up quickly.

[lopburi3]

Yes if officially married (registered at District Office) he can change reason for extension to Thai wife. Not having enough cash for retirement would be a valid reason. But if he has a high pension income he might be able to use the combination method and keep retirement (less paperwork) by using letter of income from Embassy with a bank deposit if needed. Income alone would require 65k per month but combination of any income and bank deposit to equal 800k per year is allowed for retirement extension. So if income were 40k per month only 320 would be required in bank account.

[IMA_FARANG]

If he has any funds in the bank he can do a combination of income and bank funds,

So if his monthly Social Security income and his Thai Bank account balance COMBINED are above that 800K Thai Baht equivalent each year he will still qualify for his annual extension each year,

The combination method is not available for a marriage visa/extension, but it can be used for a retirement visa/extension.

So if he has approximately 40K baht income monthly from Social Security that is equivalent to (40K baht monthly times 12 months) or 480K Baht in a Thai bank, If he can also show 320K Baht in actual bank funds that will put his annual income TOTAL up to the required 800K Baht figure.

As I said this combo method will work for retirement extensions but will not be allowed for a marriage extension.

Also there is no age limit on ED visas to study Thai. As long as he has the funds to pay for the Thai lessons he can go the ED visa route.

Then finally the double entry or even triple entry tourist visa route will give him time to rebuild his bank balance as long as he can do the border runs. If his living costs are low enough he can possibly save some money on such a tourist visa and use the time to rebuild his bank balance in his Thai bank balance. Of course, he will have to restart his retirement extension and apply again. But there is no penalty on going through the whole retirement extension process again when he has the funds required. He won't lose anything if he simply abandons his retirement visa extension for 6 months or so and restarts a new application when he does have the required funds.

[ubonjoe]

If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days. 

Bad advise.

How long do you think he could do it?

[crazykopite]

I know this is not the correct way but overstay seems to be normal from what I see and hear. A friend overstayed for 5 years went to Airport and paid up 20,000 baht came back a month later, since his return he has passed on we all had a whip round to pay for his final journey to the local Temple. He had come back in on a tourist visa and once again had overstayed.

[travelman]

I suspect the poster of this topic is from Thai Immigration. Comments Reserved.

[jimky]

This all very easy, he'll be fine.

First he needs to make an appointment for citizen services at US embassy in Bangkok for notary service using this link. https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=BNK&appcode=1

At the appointment ask for the form for income affidavit. Fill it out stating monthly income is at least the USD equivalent of 40,000 baht. Then pay the 1500 Baht fee and they will notarize it.

He can then use this to apply for extension of stay based on marriage at local immigration office. He can check with them for exactly what is needed but it will be something like:

Income Letter (already mentioned above)

Marriage Certificate AND Kor Lor 2 Certificate. (this is Marriage register entry - which if don't still have can get new copy at district office)
Wife I.D Card and House Book (Tabbien Baan)
Map to House - (this you just draw a map).
2 Developed Copies each of 3 Photos with wife: 1) in front of house, 2) in bedroom 3) in living room
2 Passport size photo.

Passport

If have children together include children in photos and add children's birth certificates to the above to bring list.

They likely will also ask him to bring a "non-relative" witness too. Make sure the witness brings with them their ID + House Book (Tabbien Baan) too.

[BuriramRes]

There is no combo method for Thai wife extensions of stay (which was the last suggestion to make it a lower bar).

Since when? Of course there is a combination of income & bank deposit!

[Jeffrey346]

You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income.

Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question.

[ubonjoe]

There is no combo method for Thai wife extensions of stay (which was the last suggestion to make it a lower bar).

Since when? Of course there is a combination of income & bank deposit!

No there is not one for extensions based upon marriage.

[Jeffrey346]

You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income.

Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question.

Edit: If you declare B800,000 or more you do not need all the paperwork listed above.

[ubonjoe]

You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income.

Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question.

Edit: If you declare B800,000 or more you do not need all the paperwork listed above.

You sign the affidavit in front of a consular officer and state that it is true and correct. It is a crime to make a false statement.

The amount entered is in dollars and is monthly not annual income.

[Billy The Kid]

Why not marry her and take her to USA for couple months to fix up his SS to another $200( dependant/spouse allowance) on top of his normal weekly SS. That will settle him nicely.

[bangarang]

Unfortunately, he'll probably have to leave. I think he may be able to petition the local immigration office for a waiver based on his health condition but they tend to frown on foreigners who are unable to support themselves.

as above say's only one option go home unless his wf.can afford the 400.000bht.as i have posted before thailand is not the place to be without money,if you dont you will end up as another sad case.

isnt it 800,000 for retired?

[sometimewoodworker]

You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income.

Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question.

There are reports of some immigration offices or officers now also requiring to see proof of funds deposited in a bank from people using a US affidavit of income. Some of the immigration officers are well aware that US affidavits of income do not have to have any relationship to actual income.

[ubonjoe]

Why not marry her and take her to USA for couple months to fix up his SS to another $200( dependant/spouse allowance) on top of his normal weekly SS. That will settle him nicely.

There is no such allowance.

SS is paid monthly which tells me you don't have a clue about about SS.

[Billy The Kid]

Why not marry her and take her to USA for couple months to fix up his SS to another $200( dependant/spouse allowance) on top of his normal weekly SS. That will settle him nicely.

There is no such allowance.

SS is paid monthly which tells me you don't have a clue about about SS.

I dont, I have only knowledge of Irish SS system. I thought that would be the same as other countries such as US and UK. In Ireland, for those pensioners over 66 get €230 a week plus spouses/Adult Dependant €130 approx = €360 a week. Thanks for your correction.

[tingtong]

lot of great visa solution advice...

however

not much getting into the real problem here, i think.

if someone, for whatever reason is down to his/her last 27.000$ (800.000thb) as saving to show it up, or might have even larger problem if 400.000 is trouble as well....

then the real thoughts should go not in visa solutions, but moving back to USA, where at least he wont left starving, as there will be some charity taking care of such, not likely option here for a down on luck, poor farang.

as some said, Thailand isnt a place to be with no money, especially for foreigners!