Retirement visa extension restrictions for foreign married couples

[ubonjoe]

What if you are due to renew your visa in three weeks and the 800,000 has been in place for the required period of three months. I cannot put in another 800,000 backdated to September 2013 to meet the new requirement. Will they deport my wife?

There is no mention yet about seasoning for dependents.

At the moment there is no info regarding seasoning of funds directly from immigration at this time.

[evadgib]

So they think "farangs" will marry each other to get a thai visa? Yeah, we are the scammers here,right?

...and what married retired couples in Thailand have a joint annual income equivalent to GBP 32,000...? If we placed such a restriction on Thais entering the UK, they'd be screaming "racists"....!!

i should think most of them have this income or more and UK makes it much more difficult than here for Thai wives to enter unless like here and everywhere you can show very substantial funds and income.

I'd find it a little more palatable if there wasn't an exemption of financial hurdles for foreign women married to Thai husbands, inc those husbands that have lived abroad & acquired dual nationality.

Edited December 3, 2013 by evadgib

[GMeel]

What if you are due to renew your visa in three weeks and the 800,000 has been in place for the required period of three months. I cannot put in another 800,000 backdated to September 2013 to meet the new requirement. Will they deport my wife?

Yeah I guess she will be handcuffed and under police escort brought to Suvarnabhumi and put on the first plane out. LOL!

Well, it is not really funny and so isn't this new rule.They seem to come up every time with tougher rules, it is never ending story.

[Suffinator]

Looks like the Thai Government need to bring in as much cash as possible to prop up the Baht. With tourism almost in the toilet this isn't much of a surprise. Only a few months remaining and I'm outta here for good.

[Moo2cm]

How many people making the worthless comments will be affected by this new, and make sense, law?

No, sorry, you don't know what your talking about. If you think a couple now need 1.600,000 Bt to be worthy to live and spend money in Thailand

then ask for that. And if you are going to mess with peoples lives who have been living in Thailand for years by not grandfathering it in then be up front and say so.

It's the same old story... they came for my friend and I said nothing..... I guarentee you that however you are in Thailand you can be affected by the prescident of

not grandfathering in. Oh.... tomorrow, you need 3 million baht in the bank at 1% interest... so sorry it's policy now.

Ok, I guess we are clear, IMO who had the worthless comment.

[oldlady]

I'm not sure if this is totally topic related, but hopefully someone can help with this. If one person (wife) has a PR but is currently working (retires in June) but the husband is already retired. Right now the husband doesn't need a retirement visa as the wife has a work permit, but come June, the work for the wife finishes. In the past, the husband has just had to show his marriage license (and once a year the wife has to go to Immigaration). I know this sounds complicated, but just wonder if the husband has to get a retirement visa in June even if the wife has a PR. Do any of you know?

[Sydebolle]

Well, makes sense.

We remember:
Two aliens need THB 800'000 each; if they were smart enough to arrive with a break of - say at least three months - then the same THB 800'000 can be toggled between them.
- whereas -
one alien with a non-alien spouse need THB 400'000 together, since most non-alien spouses pay for the alien family-member-in-law

If I would be teaching I would use this as mother-of-all-proofs on Thai logic!

[Anon999]

So they think "farangs" will marry each other to get a thai visa? Yeah, we are the scammers here,right?

...and what married retired couples in Thailand have a joint annual income equivalent to GBP 32,000...? If we placed such a restriction on Thais entering the UK, they'd be screaming "racists"....!!

i should think most of them have this income or more and UK makes it much more difficult than here for Thai wives to enter unless like here and everywhere you can show very substantial funds and income.

Not true. My daughter in law has recently moved to join my stepson in England.

[SpokaneAl]

What if you have a joint bank account with your wife with 800.000 THB? 

Joint account would require 1.6 million baht. It is already that way for joint accounts.

In knowing our personal situation with everything in joint accounts, that was my next question. That sounds reasonable.

[Alwyn]

So they think "farangs" will marry each other to get a thai visa? Yeah, we are the scammers here,right?

...and what married retired couples in Thailand have a joint annual income equivalent to GBP 32,000...? If we placed such a restriction on Thais entering the UK, they'd be screaming "racists"....!!

Great idea! But not to Thais, to everybody! That might help a tadge except that the British government would give the incoming an allowance to cover the 32k.. Plus a free house and car etc

[IAMSOBAD]

This isnt funny. Its another slap in the face to the law abiding married GOOD farang trying to enjoy their later years....while foreign criminals line the streets dealing drugs and human trafficking.

Time to rethink where I spend my money and time.

No respect to people here for ten years and they change the rules.

Next will be 9 day reporting not 90.

Anything to mess with our retirement.

[hellodolly]

Makes sense to me.

The Thai government is trying to protect their own people first. The same as any other country. A single man meeting the financial requirements is far more likely to be able to pay his way than some one with the same income only supporting two people.

Remember this is not directed at just farongs it applies to all nationalities wishing to move to Thailand as their retirement center or what ever.

Medical is where the Government will save big time.

For those of you who wish to stand up for your rights Yes why should you have to pay twice as much as others just because you are not married.

[ubonjoe]

I'm not sure if this is totally topic related, but hopefully someone can help with this.  If one person (wife) has a PR but is currently working (retires in June) but the husband is already retired.  Right now the husband doesn't need a retirement visa as the wife has a work permit, but come June, the work for the wife finishes.  In the past, the husband has just had to show his marriage license (and once a year the wife has to go to Immigaration).  I know this sounds complicated, but just wonder if the husband has to get a retirement visa in June even if the wife has a PR.  Do any of you know?

It will not apply to you. Your extension is under a different clause of the police order specificity for dependents of a person that has PR. In fact your current extension is under that clause I am sure.

[bigbamboo]

So they think "farangs" will marry each other to get a thai visa? Yeah, we are the scammers here,right?

And I thought farangs only came to Thailand to get married..... not divorced.

Or maybe that's just the golfing, spa going, high end ones?

[Briggsy]

Everyone starts howling about "farangs" without considering that most immigration changes have Chinese, Indian, Burmese, Cambodian, Vietnamese, etc. reasons and concerns behind them.

[JSPS]

I wonder if my Thai born US Citizen wife counts as a Thai or a Farang?

[Richard Hall]

I wonder if my Thai born US Citizen wife counts as a Thai or a Farang?

Depends on whether she travelled into Thailand by using an US or Thai passport.

[dunque]

The rapaciouness of the Thai government never ceases to amaze me.

I can't see how the Thai government generates much net income from this.

Also, they may be far thinking in light of same sex marriages - now there's a loophole for those prepared to take the plunge.

[dunque]

What if you are due to renew your visa in three weeks and the 800,000 has been in place for the required period of three months. I cannot put in another 800,000 backdated to September 2013 to meet the new requirement. Will they deport my wife?

Hmm, do we detect a hint of hope in the tone of the question ?

[hellodolly]

What if you are due to renew your visa in three weeks and the 800,000 has been in place for the required period of three months. I cannot put in another 800,000 backdated to September 2013 to meet the new requirement. Will they deport my wife?

Yeah I guess she will be handcuffed and under police escort brought to Suvarnabhumi and put on the first plane out. LOL!

Well, it is not really funny and so isn't this new rule.They seem to come up every time with tougher rules, it is never ending story.

Yes it is a never ending circle the same as the foreigners continually breaking the rules no matter how tough or lax they are.

It is a sad thing for some people but not that many. Most of the one's it will affect know where to borrow the 800,000 baht for two months or they will find out quickly. There are many couples here already that will have no problem with it. Other than a wee bit of inconvenience. Do the same paper work twice and open another bank account if they don't already have it.

[hgma]

Wife's excluded to piggy bag

how about children?

[kerrysum]

Divorced couples staying on the same visa year after year? Yeah, right... must be tens of thousands of them

What about the Thai divorce rate??? How stupid can they be????????

Doesn't smell too good to me......... Chok-Dee, Immigrations..... How about cleaning up the corruption?????

kilosierra.... Remember you faith Thailand... please

[Beetlejuice]

What if you have a joint bank account with your wife with 800.000 THB?

I have a joint account with my Thai wife and need a minimum of 1.6 million baht in that account in order to qualify for my 1 year retirement visa extension.

So it`s only fair that the same rules apply to ex-pats married to ex-pat wives also regarding joint bank accounts.

I can remember some years ago Immigration introduced this rule, then after a few months and after a few thousand farang married couples of little wealth left the country, the Government done a U turn and changed their minds. Only fair, 2 foreigners staying long term in Thailand should be independently assessed regarding their financial status for remaining in the Kingdom.

800000 baht ($25000) is peanuts in today`s terms and quite honestly for the individual farangs who cannot afford to have this amount as savings in a bank, well, tough, they can find somewhere cheaper to plonk their butts.

[F4UCorsair]

It sounds fair. Two people, two incomes.

Sounds fair to me too. Posts calling the government 'rapacious' are a touch silly. The government doesn't get the money; it's there as a form of guarantee that the foreigner will be self sufficient, and two people don't live as cheaply as one, although there are some common expenses. Maybe somewhere in the middle, B400,000 - 500,000 lodged for the spouse?

If anything, it's confirmation that foreigners themselves aren't welcome in Thailand.....but their money is.

Edited December 3, 2013 by F4UCorsair

[BlueSkyCowboy]

It sounds fair. Two people, two incomes.

So what about women who were housewives after they tot married and therefore haven't had an income???

Exactly, wife has no income? What then?

That's easy, stay out of the LOS, or just leave the wife back home.

[LawrenceN]

"Letters from an embassy are still required as proof of the income whilst the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank must have been there for three months prior to the application (2 months 1st application) and be supported by a letter from that financial institution."

I believe I read in TV some time in the last few months that a letter from a financial institution is now acceptable as confirmation of regular monthly income (not the 800,000 baht on deposit). When I read it, I took it to mean that the silly notarized letter from the consulate was no longer necessary. Can someone clarify, please? Is the news item (quoted above) correct, or was there a slight rule change this year?

[F4UCorsair]

It sounds fair. Two people, two incomes.

So what about women who were housewives after they tot married and therefore haven't had an income???

Exactly, wife has no income? What then?

That's easy, stay out of the LOS, or just leave the wife back home.

GMeel said, "So what about women who were housewives after they tot married and therefore haven't had an income???"

It's irrelevant what they did 'back home'. The rules are that they must meet the same requirements in Thailand as their husband/partner does. I'm sure the Thai government doesn't care that they didn't have an income, but that they can show an income or bank deposit NOW!

Really, if you can't put your hands on B1.6 Million, or show an income of that amount, maybe you shouldn't be retiring anywhere other than at home on an aged pension. It's not a lot of money.

BlueSkyCowboy, you got it right. Stay out, or leave her at home.

Edited December 3, 2013 by F4UCorsair

[mok199]

imsure this is very rare.

[Larry001]

Fair enough. If you cannot afford you should stay at home. There are enough 'cheap charlies' here already.

[redutedog1]

sounds about right, equal rights for all