Visa and 400.000 Bath in account

[thaisail]

I am a US male citizen married to a Thai woman. I have lived in Phuket for 8
years now. I always have the 1 year non O marriage visa and I always apply
for the visa in the US and have never had a problem until now. I always ask
for the multiple entry visa because I work on a ship with a 90 day rotation.


My ship is going to Singapore from Hawaii right now and I just found out
that I will be leaving the ship at the end of my tour in Singapore. I do not
want to fly back to the US to get a new non O marriage multiple entry visa.
My visa expired in August this year while I was aboard the ship. I would
prefer to do this visa in Singapore. I have never had 400K baht in my Thai
bank account because I prefer to keep my money at Schwab bank in the US
where my paychecks go to anyway. I usually keep only about 50k to 100k in my
Thai bank and each time I apply for my visa for Thailand in the US, I always
show my Schwab Bank statement that usually has around $25K US whenever I
leave the ship. I also own a sail boat that is US documented and I keep the
boat in Boat Lagoon on a Thai cruising permit that is valid for 6 months at
a time. I usually have to sail the boat twice a year to Langkawi to renew
the cruising permit but this year I am hauled out doing major work in Phuket
and the boat has been granted two 6 month extensions by customs to make
repairs. Does anyone know the latest news from Singapore Thai consulate
about their policy regarding issuing the Non O marriage visa without money
in a Thai bank and would having my wife and daughter with me at the
consulate help at all for this?

The other option is to mail my US passport from Singapore to a Thai
consulate in the US and apply for my visa that way using my US bank
statements like before. I can then enter Thailand on my French passport
since I am a dual citizen and then wait for my US passport to be returned
from the Thai consulate in the states. The problem will be how to leave
Thailand on my French passport and re-enter Thailand on my US passport with
the new visa. Can this be done in Ranong? Will the Burmese allow me to enter
Burma on French passport and leave on US passport?

All I want to do is avoid having to fly to the US to get the visa and then
fly right back to Thailand where I have lived for 8 years now. Any advice
would be appreciated... Regards from P....Thaisail

[ubonjoe]

The best choice to get your visa would be in Savannakhet Laos. They do the visa with no financial proof. You could enter Thailand getting a 30 day entry and then go for your visa.

It it is also possible to get a 60 day extension at immigration to visit your wife of the 30 day entry.

Edited October 4, 2013 by ubonjoe

[zeichen]

I didn't know that Thai consulates allowed you to mail them your passport. I thought that you had to hire a service or the like.

As for having two passports it shouldn't be a problem doing a border run and re-entering on a different passport.

[ubonjoe]

You cannot do a passport swap at a border crossing Thai immigration will check that there are entry stamps for the other country.

[appwill]

You cannot do a passport swap at a border crossing Thai immigration will check that there are entry stamps for the other country.

Do they do this only for the land border crossings? When I fly into BKK, they never seem to look for the exit stamp from my previous country (they only seem to flip through it fast enough to check for visas or something).

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

Only at border crossings.

[SpokaneAl]

I didn't know that Thai consulates allowed you to mail them your passport. I thought that you had to hire a service or the like.

As for having two passports it shouldn't be a problem doing a border run and re-entering on a different passport.

[SpokaneAl]

While in the US I mail my passport to the LA Thai Consulate each year to obtain a new visa. Their website provides instructions and if they are not clear I always get a solid response when I call them direct with my questions.

Edited October 4, 2013 by SpokaneAl

[LeeThayer]

Have your wife send you a copys of the marriage certificate, ID, and house book, then get a single entrynon-imm O visa in Singapore, you will be stamped in 90 days, at the 60 mark get an income affidavit from the US Embassy either in Bangkok or during one of the outreach visits. Then gather up all the required papers and go to Immigration in Phuket and get a 1 year extension

[SSSlongtime]

do the same visa for 10 years ,this time asked to show 400,000 bt in thai bank ,got home here but may never come back

[lopburi3]

You are aware that a home country Thai Consulate may not require that 400k and locally Savannakhet in Laos has still been issuing multi entry non immigrant O visas without any financial requirement?

[hellodolly]

Sounds to me like you are looking for an extension on your ?Thai marriage Visa. For all the problems it is causing you would it not be better off to just deposit 400,000 baht in a Thai bank?

[brianb1944]

Sounds to me like you are looking for an extension on your ?Thai marriage Visa. For all the problems it is causing you would it not be better off to just deposit 400,000 baht in a Thai bank?

Or, go the income route, presumably you can prove income minimum, 40,000 baht per month I think. Any visa agent will convert your 30 day stamp to a single entry non O, without leaving the country.

which in turn can then be extended to multiple entry.

[lopburi3]

VIsa agents do not convert entry to non immigrant O (that is done by immigration and often only by Bangkok for marriage).

[ubonjoe]

All those posting about extensions should read the OP where it is mentioned that he working on a ship which would make it very difficult for him to maintain an extension of stay.

[HOOD Robin]

" You are aware that a home country Thai Consulate may not require that 400k and locally Savannakhet in Laos has still been issuing multi entry non immigrant O visas without any financial requirement? "

=> Lopburi3, any idea what the total cost would be following the Savannakhet route ? thx

[lopburi3]

5,000 baht for the multi entry visa plus an overnight stay in Laos waiting for it and the Lao visa of about $35 and transportation.

[HOOD Robin]

5,000 baht for the multi entry visa plus an overnight stay in Laos waiting for it and the Lao visa of about $35 and transportation.

OK mate thanks

[machesta]

Does this mean that I can get a Retirement Visa issued in Laos without the financial proof? I can only show $30K a month Soc. Sec. income, but not 400k bat in Thai Bank.

[Sceptict11]

Does this mean that I can get a Retirement Visa issued in Laos without the financial proof? I can only show $30K a month Soc. Sec. income, but not 400k bat in Thai Bank.

If you are over 50 you may get a single entry non O visa without showing funds. I am uncertain about your chances of getting a multi entry visa.

To extend a visa for the purpose of retirement would require an income of 65k/month or 8ook in the bank

[thaisail]

I am going to Savaanakhet next week to get a multi entry Non immigrant O marriage visa. Do I need a visa to go to Laos? I am a US citizen in Phuket with a 28 day entry stamp. Is there still no need to show 400k baht for 3 months in a Thai bank? Can I drive my Thai registered pickup into Laos?

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ubonjoe]

You will get a visa on arrival for Laos that costs $35 or 1500 baht. You will need one photo and fill out a form on the Lao side of the bridge.

Savannakhet does not ask for any financial proof to get the visa. The 400K baht for 60 days (not 90) is for an extension of stay at immigration.

In order to take you pick-up into Laos requires it's original book and a passport for it that you get a t the transport office. For a short trip it would be best to park it and take the bus across the bridge and into the city. You can get a Tuk Tuk to the consulate or to hotel from the bus station.

[thaisail]

Where can I park my truck for two days in a safe place?

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[ubonjoe]

There is secure parking just before the bridge.

[thaisail]

Can you recommend a family hotel for me, my wife and our daughter who is 6 years old? Also convenient for the Thai consulate. Are there any interesting things to see or do while we are waiting for the visa, like swimming pool or markets for Laos made goods?

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[mark131v]

Daosavanh Resort is good, it is directly on the waterfront overlooking the Mekong and downriver about 500m from the Thai Consulate, It has a nice pool good rooms and a reasonable breakfast, I think we paid about B2500 for the room through Agoda but I could be wrong

I would advise taking your car as it is pretty straightforward to do and frees you from being dependent on the shitty Lao Tuk-tuks that only seem to do about 5 mph. You can get the car passport from your local land transport office. I forgot to take mine but if you are not in a rush you can stay a night in Mukdahan then go to the LTO there in the morning, Took about 30 minutes to get the Car Passport which is probably a lot quicker than if I had gone to my local office

Savanakhet is a bit of a dump really though there is a large market in town and some old temple just out of town but to be honest there is not really much to do, I wont be rushing back until I need another visa but all things considered it was very straightforward and quite painless really