What Visa Is My Wife Talking About?

[Mosha]

My wife on her own innitiative has asked about a visa for permanent stay for me. The immigration officer said I must place 400K Baht in her bank account and a nominal support of 5000 B/M. She must sign a sponsor form as a business person. Apparently growing 2000 rubber trees qualifies her as a business women. Surely there must be more to it than this?

Regards Steve

[lopburi3]

The 400k makes this sound like (but there is no need for your wife to be a "business woman" for that) a normal "support Thai wife" extension of stay offered by Immigration for one year period that you renew each year. It is not permanent stay - it has to be renewed each year. You will find full details if you read a few posts here. The official requirements are listed http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...hp?page=service

Click "visa extension" and then "to support a wife..."

[BKK90210]

I'm almost ready to apply one also.....but never heard of 5000 b/m in wife name only account (hmm this sounds fishy to me! to be honest! )

The only thing the embassy told me is to make sure I have 400k in the account (in my name only) in thai bank when I try to extend 1 yr stay visa.

[desmond]

Mosha, the 400k must be in your name and not your wife's name

[Mosha]

Thx guys. Ok given that info and also that I have over 1M Baht in a joint account which I can/will transfer the necessary money to a sole named account. Also given I am now an old fart and have a company pension of at current rates 40,000+ Baht. Is this visa mt best option or the retirement one. Given that permanancy would be ideal but my "teacher" prefers Len Phai to teaching her husband the lingo. and I read somewhere that a permanenet residency requires a knowledge of Thai ( is that right ?)

Regards Steve

[lopburi3]

Thai is one of the things tested for PR. If that is your desire you do not want a retirement extension of stay; although it is not likely you would qualify with a support Thai wife extension in any case as for most people a record of tax payments during the qualifying years seems to be very important.

If you are willing to forgo the PR idea the extension for retirement is easier for everyone. That will require 800k in a bank account if you do not use your pension. If you use pension (letter from your Embassy) you will only have to have the difference 65-40x12=300k in the account.

[Mosha]

Ok thanks once again. Funnily enough it always comes back to the retirement option, and it's one I'm perfectly happy with.

[naka]

My wife on her own innitiative has asked about a visa for permanent stay for me. The immigration officer said I must place 400K Baht in her bank account and a nominal support of 5000 B/M. She must sign a sponsor form as a business person. Apparently growing 2000 rubber trees qualifies her as a business women. Surely there must be more to it than this?

Regards Steve

Love that

Ok thanks once again. Funnily enough it always comes back to the retirement option, and it's one I'm perfectly happy with.

Steve.

The retirement option is much less of a hassle than the marriage one, espesially

since you already have more than the required 800k in the bank ... But

it must be in your name only.

Naka.

Edited April 23, 2006 by naka

[lopburi3]

I do not believe it is a problem using a joint account but only half of the money would be usable for visa extension in my understanding (that could be a problem for most). My account is joint but I have enough in pension so don't believe they even looked at the details last time.