Thaivisa.com to meet with Immigration Commissioner

[hgma]

Does the arrival entries quota affecting Lao nationals, whom are married to foreigner residing with retirement visa in Thailand while they (Lao nationals) live in Thailand with their husband on a 30 day exemption entry?

[soalbundy]

we are dependent to some extent on exchange rate fluctuations. 9 years ago i was getting 80,000 Baht a month on my pension,now 73,000 baht but i have sometimes been on the boarder line of the 65,000 Baht that i need for my retirement visa. I have a lot of Thai dependents,my wife,with whom i no longer live,my girlfriend with whom i have lived with for 8 years,my 6 year old son, my girlfriends two daughters,one of whom i send to university,my girlfriends parents who are old and poor. Isn't it possible to show more leniency regarding income to those of us who have been here a long time,have never been in conflict with the law and who have Thai dependents. It could be for instance that when i renew my visa one day,the exchange rate is so bad that i have only 60,000 baht,the next month it could change so that i have 70,000 Baht but that would be of no use to me because my visa would have been refused already. If i had to leave Thailand and go back to the west i could no longer support my dependents because the cost of living in Europe is so high i would need all of my income just to support myself..

[TheSpade]

With the growing number of digital nomads and freelancers now in SE Asia is Thailand interested in making these people more welcome with some sort of official visa or way for them to spend their time and money in the country?

 

They have funds from overseas to support themselves, don't take anyone in Thailands job so not putting any locals out of job, in most cases have no need for employees so business visas are not needed, they spend money in the country without taking anything out, are mostly under 35 so retirement visas aren't a possibility.

 

Thailand could perhaps follow Santiagos lead and invite internet start up companies from around the world and turn BKK into a hub for digital enterprises?

 

http://www.startupchile.org/

Edited August 6, 2014 by TheSpade

[meatboy]

as my home is here,my wife is here,my assets are here,i am on a retirement yearly extension,please can you make it possible for all of us that have made Thailand our home to be able to have 5-10visa's at a cost.abolish the 90day report and have my wife and I to report once a yr.to confirm our address has not changed and our marriage is stable.

[Strangebrew]

1.Ok here goes Will a person with retirement type visa be issued a photo ID approved by the Thailand government To use instead of having to carry passport around with them all the time?

2. Also will the reporting to local police or immigration office be still required for us hold long term stay visa's since we do travel about the country spending money?  

[iancnx]

George, in the fullness of time would it please be possible/feasible to provide a transcript of the interview; what questions were asked, and what were the responses given.

[meatboy]

as my home is here,my wife is here,my assets are here,i am on a retirement yearly extension,please can you make it possible for all of us that have made Thailand our home to be able to have 5-10visa's at a cost.abolish the 90day report and have my wife and I to report once a yr.to confirm our address has not changed and our marriage is stable.

forgot I have one other point,the refuseing by banks to let you have these non taxed savings accs.

passport,perminant residence,tax registration card,drivers licence,and a bag of bahts already in their safe.

yet they refuse.

[JDGRUEN]

Please ask if the Immigration Commissioner would consider the following concept of issuing ID Cards for Temporary Resident Aliens: (for people who are permitted to stay in Thailand under one of the Non Immigrant Visa Categories and Extensions of Stay as currently standing or as newly revised:

 

- A credit card size Photo ID 'SmartCard' that has a unique number identifier and contains all pertinent data of the Temporary Resident Alien including all current Passport and Visa information... 

 

- Patterned after the Philippine ACR I-Card, the card would have a front side which displays the Alien's photo, full name, home country, birth date, place of birth, visa type, visa issue date, visa status, and an electronic chip embedded into the card containing all the Alien's relevant information. On the back side could be printed the Aliens gender, height, weight, blood type, address, thumbprint, and the issue date and expiration date of the card.

 

- Such a Temporary Resident Alien Card (TRAC - ID SmartCard would greatly facilitate instituting a new program allowing on-line 90 day reporting required by the Alien. 

 

- This TRAC - ID would greatly reduce the carrying and handling of original passports thus allowing passports to be kept secured which in turn would greatly reduce the occurrence of stolen passports in Thailand.

 

- At some point such TRAC - ID SmartCard could be integrated into the Alien's purchase of Thailand domestic airline, train or other transportation tickets and hotel bookings.  Thus eventually creating a system whereby the Temporary Resident Alien's whereabouts can be determined upon the need arising.

Edited August 7, 2014 by JDGRUEN

[Davedub]

Hi George,

 

So many posts for you to sift through! Apologies if this has already been asked, but I may have some interesting points, as I do have some experience in this:

 

Would the commissioner consider reviewing the visa / work permit requirements situation for Digital Nomads, in particular the 4 Thai employees rule? There are already exemptions / allowances for other types of business (e.g. scuba diving schools are allowed more work permits than other businesses)

 

Just to be clear, by Digital Nomads, I am referring to anyone from those who can make an income hunched over a laptop at home on their own to small, dynamic high tech outfits requiring fast turnaround of highly specialised contractors.

 

Digital Nomads would draw no resources from the Kingdom, would not take work from Thais and are generally lovely people that spend freely. In practically all cases, 100% of their income would come from outside Thailand but would be spent inside the Kingdom. The income levels vary wildly, but on the whole are relatively high. Would it not be worth considering an exemption on the 4 Thai employees rule for Digital Nomads, as due to the nature of the work, there is not often any need whatsoever for Digital Nomads to employ anyone, and the knock on effect of doing so involves costs and hassles like the unnecessary procurement of office space for employees, etc - it's just not workable in most cases.

 

Aside from the numerous posts here on Thai visa forum on the subject, I am certain that globally, there are a HUGE number of Digital Nomads who would love to come work and spend money in the Kingdom. It seems there is currently a wasted opportunity for a mutually beneficial arrangement.that both Thailand and the Digital Nomads are missing out on. Embrace the geeks, don't shun them!

 

I used to run an IT business in Bangkok myself a few years ago. I did have one Thai employee whom I trained in 3D character animation. She turned out to be very talented and after I closed the business went on to take a course in digital animation in Vancouver, CA. I believe she is living and working there now. Despite the fact I was paying her very well (more than most English teachers earn), at the end of my first year I was unable to renew my work permit because of the 4 Thai employees rule. The rules are simply not workable for high tech startups. I've since given up working in IT, as I'm well over 40 now (over the hill in IT terms) and now work happily (and legally) as a manager of a restaurant. 

 

 - Dave

Edited August 7, 2014 by Davedub

[gerrythepoet]

Would it not be far better for  those on a Multiple Non Immigrant (O) status to report to their local immigration office and pay 1900 Thai Baht rather than travel to border crossings leave the Kingdom to arrive into a neighbouring country for a visa on arrival then return to Thailand and get stamped for another 90 days?

 

Tremendous revenue is filtering away from Thailand the holders of the Non O do not wish to acquire an extension of stay based on marriage they tend to travel out of the country but not always 90 days.

 

The holders have to bear the burden of travel, fatigue as well as costs at hotels.

 

I state 1900 Baht rather than US$ 35 for extension is 1900 Baht.

 

 

[heyexile]

Questions for Immigration:

As Immigration is part of the Ministry of Interior, who is the present acting Minister and can you clarify the current Appeals procedure?

 

As Thai Elite visa is granted for 5 years, would it not save time and costs to issue retirement and marriage visas for 5 years as well without the need for annual extensions?

 

Why does the 800k retirement deposit have to be in a Thai bank every year? Why for 90 or 60 days?  What is wrong with holding funds in a home country or off-shore International Bank (which many expats need to do)?

 

 Many retirees do not have a simple state or company pension but have private income, eg from a trust fund or investments, paid into an international bank quarterly or annually in varying amounts so why are these not accepted as qualifying income for retirement?

 

Is the current crackdown, for whatever reasons, aimed particularly at westerners? Do some IMOs suffer from an anti-western bias?

 

Reputable, well established Visa Agents can avoid cultural and communication clashes that are often experienced between overworked IMOs and stressed applicants so could Immigration publish lists of approved agents for each province?

 

The only visa recommended to me by Thai Consulates and visa agents was retirement visa so why not promote the more convenient Elite visa option to prospective retirees whist they still have the capital to pay for it?

 

If an elderly genuine retiree is refused an annual extension and deported for unknowingly transgressing some Immigration requirement due to agent`s error, would it not be more reasonable and humane to grant a 14 day stay (as in most western countries) to allow appeal to be properly lodged and to allow collection of belongings rather than being forced to immediately abandon house, car, Thai family and possessions and be sent to IDC Bangkok?

 

Is there some problem with Chiang Mai Immigration this year with respect to backlogs, time taken to issue Certificates of Residency etc? Why are Certificates of Residency only valid for 30 days from date of application?

 

How is it possible that an Immigration Office can suddenly decide after 4 years of annual retirement extensions, multiple re-entry permits etc with no problems via the same agent that the subject was blacklisted for a minor offence 30 years previously and as nobody had ever applied to have it lifted was automatically still applicable?

 

My apologies if last question is a little too case specific.

 

[greenchair]

There are literally thousands of part time non degree nes who are going to have to leave Thailand. The non degree nes must be one of the most talked about topics. They work in many places where They are needed. and have managed that going in &out for years. There must be a way to provide them with wp & visa. they get paid very little, so the idea of 4oo,ooo in bank is not realistic.

[kalasiner]

Is it really necessary for me to report to the local police when I visit my in-laws in another province for a couple of days ?

[heybuz]

Would it be possible to have a Thai family support visa for foreigners supporting Thai children not of their own.maybe with six months reporting.

[heybuz]

Would you consider a Thai family support visa for people who support Thai families not of their own.

[Charlie]

Does the Commissioner knows that in Malaysia the long term foreigners - like Malaysia My Second Home - just like Retirement Visa - are given
a ID card (the size of a credit card) to move around the country. No need to carry the passport. All the information on the retiree are in that ID card.
It will also show the expiry date. No need to carry the passport unless he wants to travel out of the country.
For that Malaysia is more advanced in this aspect.
And further  more, tourists coming into Malaysia need not have to fill up a "arrival & departure" card.
And no such thing as 90 days reporting.
Thailand must keep up with the times and look beyond. For that Malaysia is "thumbs up" and right on spot.
Thank you.

[nputman]

Consistency of rules at Immigration offices? 

Full listing of all extension documents needed or which may be asked for?

 

[PREM-R]

 

I would like to ask if it would be possible, on the occasion of new immigration rules being applied or old rules being more strictly applied, for the immigration commissioner be the only one to release this information to the public and prior to releasing it, inform ALL officers at Thai entry/exit points as to what the new rules are, what date they are to be implemented from and to whom they apply.  Furthermore, I would like to ask the commissioner to make it clear to ALL of his staff, at ALL Thai entry and exit points, that entry is at their ‘DISCRETION’ not at their ‘WHIM’.

[stephen terry]

1. I'm on a retirement visa and report my pension income every year. As it is a pension of fixed income (barring a slight increase each year), why do I have to produce a new Embassy letter each renewal date, and why hasn't the whole system been computerised?

 

2. If I produce a copy of my UK income tax return that shows my pension income, can that replace an Embassy letter?

 

3. The 90 day reporting requirements want copies of the same documentation every time. Why? And why haven't my passport pages been scanned and computerised for easy reference?

 

Thank you - and apologies if I have duplicated any questions. Best of luck at the interviews.

 

[pchansmorn]

Is it ever going to be possible to wave the 90 day check in after being here more than a year, and only have to check in every year, and after 5 years then every 5 years for long term retire's than plan on living here with there Thai wife's till they die. And wouldn't it make more sense for us to carry a card, like the Thai citizens cards that have all the important information on them, so we don't risk losing are passports. We all abide by the laws, and deserve  to be treated fairly. 

[dereklev]

The major problem for myself and I am sure many others is the total lack of security we have visa wise if the unforessen happens..

 

I am a 64 year old Brit married to a Thai and have a 9 year old "Leuk Kreung" son. I have lived here on and off for 11 years and permanently since late 2009.

 

We have a lovely house in my wife's village, a car, 3 motorbikes a MiniMart near home on 10 rai and few plots of land ranging from 1 to 33 rai. All paid for by me with money bought in from the UK and totalling in excess of 30 million THB. Add to this the many millions I have spent in my time here on givimg my family a nice standard of living and you will see I am fully committed to living in Thailand.

 

Yet all this is worth nothing if Immigration change the requirements for me to stay here and I cannot meet those requirements.

 

In my country my wife would have had British Citizenship long ago just for being my wife and the mother of a dual Thai/British son.

 

I cannot apply for Permanent Residence as I do not work and pay imcome tax here.

 

Why after 11 years of marriage do I still have to meet finacial requirements to stay but cannot include the assets we have accumulated, over the years, with money bought in from overseas, and the income we get from them?

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2014 by dereklev

[ajack]

Not sure if this question is relevant for the immigration, but it needs to be asked.

What is the possibility of changing the rules for the need for teachers to have a degree to teach children in Thailand?

[shawn82]

I wish there was a Long Stay visa for people under 50 years old. 

Why can’t Thailand add ”retired” whatever the age? 

 

I love Thailand, the culture, language and the values of the people. I feel at home there. But its a pain to not know if I can stay because of VISA rules.

 

 

[olddutch]

Hello,is it possible to get a non O married visa for more than one year If you are married for more than 5  or more years.Because it is very difficult to get an appointment in Chiangmai for this visa ?

[pchansmorn]

Why is there a rule that makes you have to check in to a immigration  office if you are away from home for more than 48 hours, it's like being under house arrest. Sure doesn't make any of the Expats living here permanently feel like they have much freedom.

 

 

[kbelyeu]

TV,

 

I am keen to learn how this will pan out for those of us working 28/28 rotations outside Thailand using the visa exempt scheme.  My question is are they going to allow this to continue using the visa exempt (5 or 6 times per year) or will we be required to get the Thailand elite visa which I believe is way over priced for the kind of money I am already spending in the Kingdom.  Bear in mind I am under 50, do not want to open a business since I am actually on holiday and do not have any dependent wife or children.

 

Sincerely,

 

Kurt 

[Caspersfriend]

Apologies for being direct but Chiang Mai Immigration should be an embarrassment to the Immigration Bureau!

 

The buildings and land area are way too small for the number of persons needing to attend.

 

Vehicle parking is almost non-existent.

 

According to an interview published in Chaing Mai News last year, Police Colonel Prachak Awaiyawanont admitted that his department was 14 persons understaffed; apparently at the time therefore running at just 80% of required headcount.

 

The online booking facility for certain visa categories has been a step in the right direction, but with only ten appointments a day they are usually taken up on or close to the 100 day limit. For everyone else there is the need to queue for a ticket. I have known people who arrive more than an hour before the office opens and are so far down the list they can't get an appointment for that day; two years ago arriving at 6am [two and a half hours before operations commence!] would virtually guarantee you would be first in the queue, these days you'll be way down the list. Improved facilities and staffing, plus the consideration of other suggestions here on changes to the 90-day reporting [for example] would make the experience for many less daunting/frustrating, with commensurate benefits to bureau staff who wouldn't have so many confused/frustrated/annoyed 'customers' to deal with. Translations for those who don't read Thai ---- if these could be edited by native speakers of the language, to improve clarity of communication to the reader, a considerable amount of staff time would be saved for more productive work.

 

Chiang Mai is a very busy division and causing so much frustration to so many who are compelled to attend the offices on a regular basis [some who live quite a distance away], plus the added pressures placed on over-worked bureau staff cannot be in the best interests of anyone. There have been strong rumours for a year or more of a move to larger premises in Chiang Mai, with adequate parking, yet nothing seems to be happening and the staff appear to be as much in the dark about this as we are.

 

Does the Commissioner have any firm plans, with implementation dates, to improve the standard of service at Chiang Mai Immigration by addressing any of these problems?

[RtotheC]

I'm more or less curious if he could make a clear black and white distinction between visa runner and tourist. It seems a lot of tourists are scared to even come now because of the rules. If he could just make it simple and clear (i.e 3 of the 30 day entires, or two consecutive DE tourits visas, or 180 days in country and 180 days out before you can return etc etc) it owuld be very beneficial to the tourists and tourism industry. 

[Cocobeach]

Why do Parents here on their child Ed Visa has to prove an income of 500,000 Baht in a Thai account for 3 months?  Why can't it be an account from abroad?

 

I have a Dutch permanent residence but a Malaysia passport.  When I try to get a prove of income and assets from the Dutch Embassy they refused to provide me a letter as i don't have a Dutch passport.  

 

Wouldn't it be sufficient that I can prove my Account is indeed mine.   What about a letter from the Bank?

 

Thank you and good luck with the interview.

[Rv Hawee]

Could the immigration cancel the 90 days reporting for the 1 years extension holder?

I mean once the first years is already pass and a new one start. Then only give obligation to indicate your new adress within a week if you change your location.