New Visa Rules From July Confirmed By Immigration

[george]

NEW VISA RULES FROM JULY CONFIRMED BY IMMIGRATION

BANGKOK: The new rules for foreginers married to Thai citizens was passed as law in July 2003, to be effected from July 10'th 2004, same time as the new rules/figures for foreigners working in business here.

MARRIAGE EXTENSIONS:

The requirements for new NON-O extensions based on marriage to Thai citizen are:

- Having a saving account showing not less than 400.000 baht for annual use

or

- Having an income of not less than 40.000 baht a month

or

- Having a savings account and income together of not less than 40.000 baht a month.

(Example: Saving account with 200.000 bath + income 20.000 baht a month will be accepted).

This new new rules/figures, is now confirmed by Vice Commander of Immigration Division 1, Montrie Gosiyasathit, only apply to people applying for extension first time after July 9. 2004.

For foreigners already in the system the old rule/figures still apply, also in the future, currently 200,000 baht or a combination of income and savings not less than 200,000 baht.

RETIREMENT EXTENSIONS:

No changes in the requirements or rules for NON-O Retirement visa extensions, the amount required is still 800,000 in Thai bank assets or a combination of savings and income of not less than 800,000 baht.

Applicants who in the past was grandfathered with lower amounts than 800,000 will be allowed to continue with their lower amounts.

Source: Immigration Bureau 2004-02-24

WORKING CATEGORY EXTENSIONS:

We will post info in a separate thread regarding NON-B extensions shortly. Basically the propsed changes in salaries etc. are confirmed as well by Immigration. Will keep you posted!

Earlier discussions regarding this topic can be found here.

Source: thaiimmigration.com

[steffi]

Can somebody explain to me how this is better than before?

[Phil Conners]

Isn't it better to only require 200k in (the 0-interest bearing) bank account than 400k ?

[ayakiawe]

Ok I just read this part now what about all the other rules and reg?

For example:How often does a married Farang (USA) man have to leave the county for example etc etc.....?????

I have been living with my Thai girlfriend now for 7 years and getting tired of this 2 month visa deal!

Its expensive now and I dont like mini buses!

Can some one recommend differn possiblites for me and what is involved?

I can make a bank account here in Thailand say I have 400K (or more if nessary) but I am only 44 years old.

Please let me know what is really involved?

I may end up gettting a fiance visa and take her back to the States but want to know what other options I can do here instead?

I am not working and have quite small income.

Anyone who knows the score and can recommend to me what I should do I am all ears!

Thanks, SM

[caughtintheact]

Is there a change for retirees grandfathered under the 20000/200000 rules?

[george]

Consensus is to start the process and apply for a yearly extension now, before July!

[goodguy]

Hi I just got my first extension last week. The slip the immigration showed me back in December said I need only 200,000 Baht in the Bank.

So now I have my first extension, would this put me in the 200,000 bracket when it becomes time to apply for extension No.2?

Regards

good guy

[dishrace]

can you still get married before july 10 to get benefits or must you already have been married.....i am planning marriage in june.....

[george]

Is there a change for retirees grandfathered under the 20000/200000 rules?

No change!

[Thaiboxer]

Hi Everyone,

I'm on a Non-O marriage visa. I was told that in order to extend this visa yearly you would need to transfer 200,000 baht from abroad if you're not working. This most recent posting indicates that the old 200,000 baht rule applies, however it doesn't indicate whether or not you need to just show the savings or do the transfer. Can somebody tell me if you need to bring in this money from outside or simply have it sitting in your bank account over here? Thanks!

[george]

can you still get married before july 10 to get benefits or must you already have been married.....i am planning marriage in june.....

Better act quick with your marriage, as the one year extension based on marriage should be submitted before the deadline. I would say, do it NOW!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi Everyone,

I'm on a Non-O marriage visa. I was told that in order to extend this visa yearly you would need to transfer 200,000 baht from abroad if you're not working. This most recent posting indicates that the old 200,000 baht rule applies, however it doesn't indicate whether or not you need to just show the savings or do the transfer. Can somebody tell me if you need to bring in this money from outside or simply have it sitting in your bank account over here? Thanks!

If you are not working the funds must have originally come from abroad. Is that correct ?

[Golf]

In the marriage extensions section, do these requirements apply to both farang men and women? What will happen when a Farang woman married to a Thai man? Does she needs to have that kind of money too? I am Thai and am planning to marry my farang girlfriend. I beleive that I am her supporter here in Thailand. Do I need to have 200k in my account or what? The new requirements did not mention about this issue.

As far as I know, I can be a legal permanent resident in the States without having to show my bank account. As long as I am a good person with no criminal records and am willing to contribute my efforts to the country I live in. I feel like Thailand is a hard place to do things that supposed to be easy.

[huski]

i am glad to hear that its officially anounced but i've been posted so many times that the officers and high rankers promised grandfathering on this matter.

If you are not working the funds must have originally come from abroad. Is that correct ?

doctor, you know the answer to this one technically on the immigration form checklist the officers use, yes funds must come from abroad. but they do not care, as i have had 3 bank letters never mentioning funds coming from abroad. they just want to see your passbook and the letter with the balance/date.

In the marriage extensions section, do these requirements apply to both farang men and women? What will happen when a Farang woman married to a Thai man? Does she needs to have that kind of money too? I am Thai and am planning to marry my farang girlfriend. I beleive that I am her supporter here in Thailand. Do I need to have 200k in my account or what? The new requirements did not mention about this issue.

for her visa yes, 200k in the bank...she can also become a thai citizen, where as the other way around thai wife/farang husband must go through hoops and wait almost 10 years.

[lopburi3]

I can make a bank account here in Thailand say I have 400K (or more if nessary) but I am only 44 years old.

Please let me know what is really involved?

I may end up gettting a fiance visa and take her back to the States but want to know what other options I can do here instead?

First you need a legal marriage. Do that and you can obtain a multi entry class O visa valid for a year which allows unlimited 90 day entries (better than those 60 days) or if you can get your extension paperwork in before July you only need 200k in a bank account to extend on a yearly basis your stay with no need to ever exit again. First marriage. Then non immigrant visa. Then extension of stay.

[PD0NVJ]

for her visa yes, 200k in the bank...she can also become a thai citizen, where as the other way around thai wife/farang husband must go through hoops and wait almost 10 years.

This what we call equallity of sexes

[Artisan]

Hi Huski,

...Yes funds must come from abroad. but they do not care, as I have had 3 bank letters never mentioning funds coming from abroad. They just want to see your passbook and the letter with the balance/date.

Every deposit into your Thai bank account will be given a code to indicate the source. Your bank account passbook will display this same code against each deposit. For instance, international transactions on your account will show FMT, FDD, FCH, or FTT and an Immigration Officer will be aware of these codes. Both the Immigration Offices at Pattaya and Rayong insist on seeing a headed letter from the applicant's bank confirming the account balance at the time of the application and the deposits originating ONLY from overseas.

Cheers

[Phil Conners]

Immigration in Soi 7, Pattaya, gave me a list of requirement for the visa extension less than a month ago, that clearly said the amount was 40,000/400,000 THB.

How does one deal with that?

[Artisan]

The financial criteria for obtaining a 1-year extension to a Non-Immigrant 'O' Visa based on marriage to a Thai national, changed in 1998 from 20,000 baht monthly income from overseas or 200,000 baht in a local bank to 40,000/400,000 baht respectively. This combination of 20,000 baht/200,000 baht expired 6 years ago, but for those people who applied for this extension on this basis prior to 1998, the status quo was maintained.

Hope this helps you Madsere.

Cheers,

Artisan

[Up2U]

Most of the entries in my pass-book are prefixed NOT.

I earn my salary abroad most of the time, my company asks the local bank to transfer the money and this is done via their corresponding bank, usually Bangkok Bank (which is not my bank).

However, I have copies of most of the telex transfers from the foreign banks, whether in Saudi, Libya, UAE or other part of Sandland. I can match up amounts, the T/T gives my account number, so I hope that this will prove the 'overseas' origin.

[mai_ra_bu_cheu]

I am married to a Thai lady.

Am I correct in thinking that I can get a Non-imm "O" from Penang next month, by just showing my marriage cert? Do I have to show the wife?

If I get this, can I borrow the money(200k) for a day so to get the passbook in my bank to show the savings?

I have money going into the bank, approx 50k per month from my work.

NO WORK PERMIT !

Should I show them this?

MRBC

[Henning Karlsen]

Hello!

I usualy don't belong to those writing messages to forums but this time I would like to know a small detail since I'm a Scandinavian who are getting married next year.I would like to settle down in Bangkok area but due to the regulations on incomes to get workpermits I find it some difficult.

Do I understand this right if I say that I can get work and residence permit after the marriage if I have an income of 30000Bt pr month and a bankaccount of for instance 100000 Bt.For my profession it is difficult to get the required income for a workpermit (without marriage).

[lopburi3]

The financial criteria for obtaining a 1-year extension to a Non-Immigrant 'O' Visa based on marriage to a Thai national, changed in 1998 from 20,000 baht monthly income from overseas or 200,000 baht in a local bank to 40,000/400,000 baht respectively. This combination of 20,000 baht/200,000 baht expired 6 years ago, but for those people who applied for this extension on this basis prior to 1998, the status quo was maintained.

Untrue! The requirement is now and has been 200k (although 250k was also sometimes required) for support. It will change this coming July as confirmed in this thread. What changed earlier was the retirement visa requirements to 800k from previous two tier system (age 55 and 60). Those in the system were grandfathered just as those in the marriage system are scheduled to be under the new 400k rules.

[wolf5370]

mai_ra_bu_cheu said

I am married to a Thai lady.

Am I correct in thinking that I can get a Non-imm "O" from Penang next month, by just showing my marriage cert? Do I have to show the wife?

If I get this, can I borrow the money(200k) for a day so to get the passbook in my bank to show the savings?

I have money going into the bank, approx 50k per month from my work.

NO WORK PERMIT !

Should I show them this?

Worried about the NO WORK PERMIT bit. Does youir income come from abroad, or are you illegally working in LOS. If the ofrmer, then no problem - you can show more than 40k income. If the latter, you can hardly expect the Thai authorities to accept illegal earnings in their country as means of support.

Can you borrow 200k, er I suppose if someone trusts you enough. The cash still has to come from abroad, and you will need to show the balance again the next year when you renew. The authorities are not stupid. You may get away with it in the first instance, but if they see it in your passbook whizzing away again two days later and back just in time for the renew I would think they would be suspicious. Of course, you could use different passbooks (bank accounts) etc. I don't think you have to maintain the balance all year (confirmation guys?), but it must be there next renewal.

Also be careful showing your passbook showing the 50K p/m incomings if they are not from abroad/illegal (as said earlier, they can tell by the code how the money was credited). They may correctly assume that you are working illegally and the resulting action may be quite severe.

I still think you'd be OK with the income alone (assuming its legal).

[ajax]

Hi everybody,

Hope someone can help me I intend to move to Thailand from Australia this year, I am already married to a thai wife, I will be appling with a marriage visa one year current 200000 bht, this will be my first application, if i apply before July does that mean I need 200000 bht and when i go to renew each year I require 200000 bht in the bank or will it be 400000, could someone please help as I am a little bit confused.

Thanks.

[pipchatel]

Hello I think ive missed something here, why is this item posted as good news?

I am married (full marrige) to a thai and will be renewing my marriage visa 3rd yr) at the end of July. , so now it looks like I will need to bring more cash to show the immigration guys in chiang Mai, is there any other benifits to warrent the GOOD NEWS leader?? Thanks Pip

[lopburi3]

I am married (full marrige) to a thai and will be renewing my marriage visa 3rd yr) at the end of July. , so now it looks like I will need to bring more cash to show the immigration guys in chiang Mai,

The good news is that you will not have to show more money. Those in the system are grandfathered at the old rate so you only require 200k for as long as you continue your visa extensions without a break.

[lopburi3]

if i apply before July does that mean I need 200000 bht and when i go to renew each year I require 200000 bht in the bank

That it. Get moving.

[chuckd]

This is my first post so please be kind.

I am retirement age with an 11 year old Thai/American daughter, which I have full and legal custody of, as determined by Thai divorce documents. I am, obviously, divorced with no Thai wife.

I wish to get a retirement visa in June and am counting on the 800K/65K combination to qualify for this visa. Will these requirements change in July or do they remain the same? If they change, will I be grand-fathered on any subsequent changes?

I are confused....please help.

[huski]

Hi Huski,

...Yes funds must come from abroad. but they do not care, as I have had 3 bank letters never mentioning funds coming from abroad. They just want to see your passbook and the letter with the balance/date.

Every deposit into your Thai bank account will be given a code to indicate the source. Your bank account passbook will display this same code against each deposit. For instance, international transactions on your account will show FMT, FDD, FCH, or FTT and an Immigration Officer will be aware of these codes. Both the Immigration Offices at Pattaya and Rayong insist on seeing a headed letter from the applicant's bank confirming the account balance at the time of the application and the deposits originating ONLY from overseas.

Cheers

i have never made an international transfer and don't know who you bank with but i am looking at my thai farmers passbook with the same code for every cash deposits i've made which is

PC

my other account is with bangkok bank and in the passbook , shows only cash deposits and it's code is

DEP

i have never made an international transaction, and all three bank letters have not mentioned anything more than 2 sentences verifying my bank balance on that date.

i believe you and T I T, so it looks like bangkok immigration is not as concerned as the other offices you mentioned. every one year extension i have received <3>, the officers never questioned my deposits and they have all been cash.