FiestyFarang Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 This is the only country in the world that I know of if you marry one of their citizens you do not have right of abode. It is disgraceful. Thailand in 2013 is still racist. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonypace02 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days. Bad advice! 1. Thai immigration has a limit on the number of border runs; 2. All his passport pages would be filled in 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbadaguy Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 a business visa in cambodia is $25 for one month, extendable at the same rate for 12 months, then can be reissued. so, cambodia, no immigration checks, no immigration foolishness for $300 US a year... multi entry. can come into thailand and go back as often as one wants. oh, and, no, you don't actually have to have a business... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxo1947 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Hello all. friend of mine is a US man aged 66 living in Aranyaprathet and married to Thai national. He was on a retirement visa but due to illness and the hospital costs he cannot afford the visa. Can anybody suggest his options please. Thanks in advance, John ..................................................................................................................................................... Option 1 ....You help him out........Lend it to him. option 2 .....Let him be sent home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asiaexpat Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 lot of great visa solution advice... however not much getting into the real problem here, i think. if someone, for whatever reason is down to his/her last 27.000$ (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! Living on SS in the USA means abject poverty for most retired persons. At least in Thailand, with SS payments, he can have roof over his head, eat three times a day and watch Thai TV. His only benefit in living in the USA would be Medicare, which isn't saying much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbadaguy Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days. Bad advice! 1. Thai immigration has a limit on the number of border runs; 2. All his passport pages would be filled in 6 months. my understanding is that on a tourist visa you are limited to 90 days out of the preceding 180 days. however, a non-imm visa is not limited by number of days or border runs. they do pressure you for a retirement visa if it is age appropriate, but i don't think you need to do so. especially if you "live" in cambodia on a business visa. cambodia business visa = $300 US a year and no immigration hassles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlandy Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 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. I believe the guy is suffering from poor health, I wouldn't wish visa runs on him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiestyFarang Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days. Bad advice! 1. Thai immigration has a limit on the number of border runs; 2. All his passport pages would be filled in 6 months. my understanding is that on a tourist visa you are limited to 90 days out of the preceding 180 days. however, a non-imm visa is not limited by number of days or border runs. they do pressure you for a retirement visa if it is age appropriate, but i don't think you need to do so. especially if you "live" in cambodia on a business visa. cambodia business visa = $300 US a year and no immigration hassles. "my understanding is that on a tourist visa you are limited to 90 days out of the preceding 180 days" this ceased a long time ago, about 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 It went away about 5 years ago when 15 days by land started. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 lot of great visa solution advice... however not much getting into the real problem here, i think. if someone, for whatever reason is down to his/her last 27.000$ (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! Living on SS in the USA means abject poverty for most retired persons. At least in Thailand, with SS payments, he can have roof over his head, eat three times a day and watch Thai TV. His only benefit in living in the USA would be Medicare, which isn't saying much.True about US.Also if his wife is anything like beloved Thai wife he is already being taken care of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTIRIOS Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 ...marriage visa is half the amount.... ...but in either case, I have heard that there are people that provide bank services... .....maybe he should investigate that route as a last resort....ask around..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dao16 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 If he lives in aranyapratet, he can just cross the border every 15 days. Bad advice! 1. Thai immigration has a limit on the number of border runs; 2. All his passport pages would be filled in 6 months. my understanding is that on a tourist visa you are limited to 90 days out of the preceding 180 days. however, a non-imm visa is not limited by number of days or border runs. they do pressure you for a retirement visa if it is age appropriate, but i don't think you need to do so. especially if you "live" in cambodia on a business visa. cambodia business visa = $300 US a year and no immigration hassles. But, yeah, if the guy is married.....easy....non-O, multiple entry=5,000 baht for a year. then just cross the border every 90 days. No proof of income. Just certificate of marriage, etc (wife's docs and all). This can be renewed forever. So, 5,000 baht+transportation costs+whatever a cambodian visa costs x4 and you have your visa expenses for one year. I know it sucks to pay out all that money, but if that is too much, it may be time to consider another place to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 ...marriage visa is half the amount.... ...but in eithr case, I have heard that there are people that provide bank services... ....maybe he should investigate that route as a last resort....ask around..... That is not legal.Plus cost ranges from 25k to 30k baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 This is the only country in the world that I know of if you marry one of their citizens you do not have right of abode. It is disgraceful. Thailand in 2013 is still racist. The OP's friend's predicament is unfortunate he has my sympathies and maybe Thailand remains racist/sexist compared to developed countries in many respects but it is far from being the only country that declines to provide automatic right of abode anyone who happens to marry one of their citizens. This is also the case in the UK, the US, most of Europe as well as most Asian countries, certainly Singapapore, Malaysia and China. In Western countries it depends more on the citizen's income. I doubt very much that the OP's friend would be able to get right of abode for his wife in the US, if he has a very low retirement income there and probably not a tourist visa either. I have met Americans living on social security pensions and welfare in the US who were trying for the umpteenth time to obtain settlement visas for their Thai wives that they have been married to for years but are forced to live apart. You need to see things from the Thai perspective. They let in everyone with farang country passports without even checking for criminal records and allow them to live in their country permanently with annual renewals, as long as they can make the financial requirements for retirement or marriage extensions which they think aren't very high for farangs and they are very scared of being overrun. If they gave automatic rights to permanent right of abode to anyone who marries a Thai imagine what might happen, given that there are around 4 million foreigners from neighbouring countries living in Thailand, at least half of whom are undocumented. Once you give people permanent right of abode you have to take responsibility for them. You can't leave them without healthcare, for example, because that would create a risk of infectious diseases spreading. Since most Thais never register their marriages, there would be millions of legally single men and women who might be willing to "marry" a foreigner for money. Sadly automatic right of abode for someone who happens to marry a Thai is never going to happen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ableguy Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 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. It all depends on how much he paid into the system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1955 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 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. Wrong there ,, They are now making you provide a letter from you pension company or a tax statement showing that you do in fact get that much money ... Marrage extentions are processed in Bangkok and then sent back to what ever location you applied . Thats why you have to come back 30 days later ..... It is different on a retirement visa thay are all done right there where you apply .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aranyrammie Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 (edited) 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. Errrr? They are married. Thanks anyway for your input. Edited September 16, 2013 by Aranyrammie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 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. Wrong there ,, They are now making you provide a letter from you pension company or a tax statement showing that you do in fact get that much money ... Marrage extentions are processed in Bangkok and then sent back to what ever location you applied . Thats why you have to come back 30 days later ..... It is different on a retirement visa thay are all done right there where you apply .... Who is "They", that make you provide a letter form your pension company or a tax statement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falkan Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 well he either go back or stay here and overstay, i know old farts who been living here for years without proper visas..as long as they dont go out to mutch then ehm ok.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aranyrammie Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 Some great advise guys, thankyou for that. I will pass on the information to him and let him decide. I think the favourite will be the visa run to poipet every 2 weeks, or remarrying his wife and jetting off to the states etc etc, thankyou for all the good intentioned replies, thaivisa to the rescue again, cheers. I will post in future to say how he faired. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey346 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 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. Not true... You can enter $$$$$ or BBBB Monthly or yearly. As for the statement... Who's going to check??? Get off your high horse and give this guy a break... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income. Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question. Wrong there ,, They are now making you provide a letter from you pension company or a tax statement showing that you do in fact get that much money ... Marrage extentions are processed in Bangkok and then sent back to what ever location you applied . Thats why you have to come back 30 days later ..... It is different on a retirement visa thay are all done right there where you apply ....Just finished my 6th extension using income affidavit and never been asked for anything more.Only extensions for the Bangkok region are sent there. Mine have all been approved by the region 4 headquarters in Khorat. As far as I know Phuket is is the only location asking for back up at this time. Are you doing extensions based upon marriage? Have you been asked for proof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 (edited) You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income. Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question. Edit: If you declare B800,000 or more you do not need all the paperwork listed above.You sign the affidavit in front of a consular officer and state that it is true and correct. It is a crime to make a false statement. The amount entered is in dollars and is monthly not annual income. Not true... You can enter $$$$$ or BBBB Monthly or yearly. As for the statement... Who's going to check??? Get off your high horse and give this guy a break...Not sure who you are replying to. But here is screen shot of affidavit. I was replying to your post and not to the "guy". Edited September 16, 2013 by ubonjoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dao16 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 You can go to the US Embassy or to one of their Outreach locations and get an affidavit of income. The US Embassy allows you to fill in any amount without verified income. Thai Emigration accepts this affidavit without question. Edit: If you declare B800,000 or more you do not need all the paperwork listed above.You sign the affidavit in front of a consular officer and state that it is true and correct. It is a crime to make a false statement.The amount entered is in dollars and is monthly not annual income. Not true... You can enter $$$$$ or BBBB Monthly or yearly. As for the statement... Who's going to check??? Get off your high horse and give this guy a break... True, they don't check. However, it is also true that it is a binding legal document and could come back to haunt you later on if you are found to have lied. My marriage is based on an affidavit on the US end and I was told the penalties I would face if I lied (I was just swearing in front of an embassy worker that I was not currently married to anyone). It works as a document with the Thais and other countries because you will end up in federal prison for perjury if you lie and that comes to light. If the guy is stays here and all stays in order, I guess it wouldn't matter much. But, if for some reason, something pops up, it can land you in serious doo-doo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiestyFarang Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 This is the only country in the world that I know of if you marry one of their citizens you do not have right of abode. It is disgraceful. Thailand in 2013 is still racist. The OP's friend's predicament is unfortunate he has my sympathies and maybe Thailand remains racist/sexist compared to developed countries in many respects but it is far from being the only country that declines to provide automatic right of abode anyone who happens to marry one of their citizens. This is also the case in the UK, the US, most of Europe as well as most Asian countries, certainly Singapapore, Malaysia and China. In Western countries it depends more on the citizen's income. I doubt very much that the OP's friend would be able to get right of abode for his wife in the US, if he has a very low retirement income there and probably not a tourist visa either. I have met Americans living on social security pensions and welfare in the US who were trying for the umpteenth time to obtain settlement visas for their Thai wives that they have been married to for years but are forced to live apart. You need to see things from the Thai perspective. They let in everyone with farang country passports without even checking for criminal records and allow them to live in their country permanently with annual renewals, as long as they can make the financial requirements for retirement or marriage extensions which they think aren't very high for farangs and they are very scared of being overrun. If they gave automatic rights to permanent right of abode to anyone who marries a Thai imagine what might happen, given that there are around 4 million foreigners from neighbouring countries living in Thailand, at least half of whom are undocumented. Once you give people permanent right of abode you have to take responsibility for them. You can't leave them without healthcare, for example, because that would create a risk of infectious diseases spreading. Since most Thais never register their marriages, there would be millions of legally single men and women who might be willing to "marry" a foreigner for money. Sadly automatic right of abode for someone who happens to marry a Thai is never going to happen. I really don't know where you get your information from, but in developed countries if you marry legally through their system the partner does get Right of Abode, are you mistaking it for a wedding in a rice field, come on focus. How many bargirls live overseas when they had no official income, no assets and no official job. If Thailand did not let in rich foreigners where would Isarn be even poorer than it is now. Secondly morally - if a couple have children how are those kids going to feel if one parent has to leave because they did not have enough money, are they going to respect Thailand. What are these "annual rewards" Lastly it would be easy to check for criminal records, don't you see they want anyone as it attracts money, pure and simple, the window dressing about attracting high class people is an enigma. Face reality! You seem to have been brain washed that Thailand has been good to you. You have put money into this country and probably not got a penny back and never will like most of us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friendphil Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 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. That.is.simply.not.accurate.... (excuse.my.,keyboard,please...my.space.key.is.not.working) SS.varies,depending.on.how.much.money.a.person.made.in.his.working.life.in.the.U.S.and.how.much.therefore,he(or.she)paid.into.SocialSecurity. I.get.significantly.less,and.have.had.to.do.visa.runs.about.every.five.months:a.three.month.visa.then.a.two-month.extension(the.visa.a.non.O.and.the.extension.allowed.is.two.months.if.married.to.a.Thai.woman).... If.someone.knows.a.better.alternative.I'd.like.to.know.about.it! And.if.someone.can.prove.me.wrong.and.i'm.supposed.to.be.getting.about.45,000.baht.a.month,I'd.really.like.to.know.about.that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac3013 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 There Are some visa companies that will put up the funds for a fee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kowpot Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Wouldn't it be nice if after living in Thailand for let's say 10 years, the Thai government would let you get a permanent visa. I don't mean that you are a citizen or anything like that. Just that you would no longer need to get an annual visa. They could still have you report every 90 days. Let's face it. Someday all will be old or ill and it will be such a hassle to keep renewing a retirement visa. But, let me play devil's advocate. You will still need to show somehow that you have income somehow and have not emptied your bank account and that you will not become a burden on the system. I would think that if you have been showing a pension or SS that they would know that is going to continue. They are even trying to have everyone show in person when doing the 90 day immigration check. That can be tough when you are in your 80's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 There Are some visa companies that will put up the funds for a fee That is illegal and can have very serious consequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 There Are some visa companies that will put up the funds for a feeWhich is not legal and costs 25k to 30k baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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