Dependent Visa

[Sunbelt Asia]

Even though you find this information on the Thai Immigration website in reference to a retirement extension of stay. In reference to the dependent for a retirement extension of stay, Immigration will no longer issue the visa for a farang wife.

Application for further stay to spend the remainder of life in the

Kingdom of Thailand

Required Documents

Immigration form 7 (Tor Mor 7)

Copy of passport

4 cm. X 6 cm. Photograph

1,900 baht application fee

Financial Evidence:

Bank account pass-book, bank statement

Evidence showing reception of pension accompanied with Thai translation certified by the embassy or consulate of the country paying the pension

Evidence presenting other sources of income or evidence of money transferred from overseas

In cases of having dependents (husband / wife, children), the applicant must provide evidence indicating their relationship. Evidence must be translated into Thai and be certified by the embassy or consulate of the non-Thai citizens.

Health Certificate for those who apply for further stay after Nov. 14, 2002.

The officials reserve the rights to examine or ask for additional documents, if necessary

Applications Consideration

A foreign national must be older than 50 years old.

Not be a prohibit person.

Financial documents state one of the following

A deposit of 800,000 baht at least , or

A minimum income of 65,000 baht a month , or

A deposit pluses (monthly income x 12) not less than 800,000 baht.

The Health Certificate must indicate that the applicant does not have the following serious conditions:

Leprosy

Tuberculosis, TB

Elephantiasis, Filariasis

Drug addiction

Alcoholism

Syphilis

Example: If you are 52 years old with a wife from Viet Nam who is 32 years old and have an extension of stay based on retirement. Your wife from Viet Nam cannot get a dependent visa.

Even though Immigration may have approved a dependent wife before, they are no longer on this basis. This is the case in Bangkok, your province may or may not be different.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[lopburi3]

Good to know but not so good news and am sure there are some in this situation.

Which begs the question would Penang issue a multi entry non immigrant O visa to visit her husband with proof of marriage and his legal status in Thailand?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Good to know but not so good news and am sure there are some in this situation.

Which begs the question would Penang issue a multi entry non immigrant O visa to visit her husband with proof of marriage and his legal status in Thailand?

You are correct the goal posts have moved for some. One of our lawyers was able to get a client the dependent visa after lots of pleading to the Immigration Chief that it was issued last year to the wife and it’s a renewal. It was issued now but with the stern warning to the client, this is the one last one the wife will get. The husband received the renewal himself with no hassle.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[astral]

What Ba***ds.

Any reason given why husband and wife cannot live together in LOS?

[Baberitus]

I heard from immigration about 2 months ago and i want to know why they didn't allow their wife as the dependent. Anyway i heard from one of my friend they told me that their have a new rugulation at the immigration samui regarding retirement visa and marriage about the people who go to extend thier visa base on marriage and retirement visa must to made an process with the finger print report at the national police. Is that true?

[footfall]

Sorry, confused ...

Does this mean the dependent wife/husband must be over 50 years of age ?

If the wife/husband is not over 50 they'd need to have some kind of work or business visa to stay long term (independently of the partner's retirement visa) ?

If the younger partner has a work or business visa, could the older partner stay in Thailand on an associated "O" visa ?

Edited September 5, 2006 by footfall

[Sunbelt Asia]

Does this mean the dependent wife/husband must be over 50 years of age ?

If they are over 50 years old, they still can't qualify as a dependent. They need to qualify on their own basis and have their own 800,000 Baht or 65,000 Baht income per month if it was on a retirement basis.

If the wife/husband is not over 50 they'd need to have some kind of work or business visa to stay long term (independently of the partner's retirement visa) ?

That’s a possibility. Could also be investment, support of a child that is going to school, or education for themselves.

If the younger partner has a work or business visa, could the older partner stay in Thailand on an associated "O" visa ?

Yes the older partner then could stay as a dependent and would not need a retirement visa to stay.

New regulation will be coming out on October 1st 2006 on this subject of dependents and retirement.

This includes dependents that are children that are under 20 years old and if they would qualify as a dependent of a parent who has a extension of stay based on retirement.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[footfall]

Thank you, Sunbelt.

One more question (from me, at least; I am sure others will have plenty to ask on this topic ) :

Once over 50 years of age, is one still eligible for a business/work visa ? Is there a maximum age ?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Once over 50 years of age, is one still eligible for a business/work visa ?

yes

Is there a maximum age ?

No maximum age in Thailand.

We by the way, probably hold the record ourselves for oldest foreigner employed. One of our American associates that work with us is 79 years old. Russ holds a work permit and extension of stay based on business. Russ may be old in years, but he's still as sharp as a tack and knows what he's talking about.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[ronw]

An american couple have just moved into our area.They have been in LOS for 4 or 5 months. He is 60ish, she is in her mid thirties.He has a retirement visa based on his income,and she is included,as a dependant.He obtained the visa in the U.S. of A.

Whether this is normal practice, or an anomaly, I know not, but it can ,and has,been done!

[vinny]

As far as the MFA is concerned, there has been no changes in existing policy.

[Sunbelt Asia]

An american couple have just moved into our area.They have been in LOS for 4 or 5 months. He is 60ish, she is in her mid thirties.He has a retirement visa based on his income,and she is included,as a dependant.He obtained the visa in the U.S. of A.

Whether this is normal practice, or an anomaly, I know not, but it can ,and has,been done!

They were doing it here in Thailand three months ago as well. Just a recent move of the goal posts.

Ask them why the ruling and they will look at you like you have three heads and one purple eye because they have no answer.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[astral]

If they are over 50 years old, they still can't qualify as a dependent. They need to qualify on their own basis and have their own 800,000 Baht or 65,000 Baht income per month if it was on a retirement basis.

So this rules out just about every farang married couple.

How many will be able show twice the income??

or doubling the capital sum, with zero interest payments..........

It will be good news for the Malaysia My Second Home scheme.

[dalmatian]

Sorry but your information troubles me.

I am a UK citizen who holds a retirement visa with a UK wife who has been granted a dependent visa based on the required criteria. I hope to renew this visa in December. Now you are advising that my wife will not be allowed a dependent visa.

From the criteria highlighted in the first post I see nothing there that says my wife will not be given a dependent visa. I fulfil the criteria being over 50 (my UK wife is 37), I hold all paperwork and can prove financial holdings of at least 800,000 in a sponsored bank.

Please advise where this information is in regards to immigration as you have made me most concerned. Do I tell my wife that even though I am retired here she can no longer live with me and must return to UK or I pay an extra 800,000 so that she can stay with me. Please advise as this has serious implications on my desire to stay in this country. I own a house in a company name (which could soon be a problem) and now they wish to tell me my wife is no longer a desirable person. Also on the basis of maybe paying another 800,000 this would not be her money as she does not work so in effect I am being asked for 1.6 million to retire here.

I would have thought this would have become a major topic on this board as again it begs the question of whether the Thai Government wants foreigners in their country. I spend on average 600,000 baht a year on living expenses which go directly to the Thai economy, I can asure them that this may be the last year that I am so generous.

[krikrik]

I would have thought this would have become a major topic on this board as again it begs the question of whether the Thai Government wants foreigners in their country. I spend on average 600,000 baht a year on living expenses which go directly to the Thai economy, I can asure them that this may be the last year that I am so generous.

Well said, dalmatian.

[DD18]

As this will affect me am I understanding correctly that I can have the dependant visa but will not be able to extend it without leaving the country? In other words will have to do a visa run every 90 days. Also that this would apply to our 18 yr old son as a dependant?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Please advise where this information is in regards to immigration as you have made me most concerned. Do I tell my wife that even though I am retired here she can no longer live with me and must return to UK or I pay an extra 800,000 so that she can stay with me. Please advise as this has serious implications on my desire to stay in this country. I own a house in a company name (which could soon be a problem) and now they wish to tell me my wife is no longer a desirable person. Also on the basis of maybe paying another 800,000 this would not be her money as she does not work so in effect I am being asked for 1.6 million to retire here.

They now are allowing dependent wives/husbands again on a retirement visa.

As this will affect me am I understanding correctly that I can have the dependant visa but will not be able to extend it without leaving the country? In other words will have to do a visa run every 90 days. Also that this would apply to our 18 yr old son as a dependant?

Your son is not allowed to be a dependent on a retirement visa.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[JimGant]

This is so incredibly nonsensical -- it must be true.

[astral]

From the criteria highlighted in the first post I see nothing there that says my wife will not be given a dependent visa. I fulfil the criteria being over 50 (my UK wife is 37), I hold all paperwork and can prove financial holdings of at least 800,000 in a sponsored bank.

Ouch.

I will be interested to hear what happens when you apply for your wife's extension.

Off the top of my head I cannot think of anyway she would qualify, except as your dependant, because of her age.

I am leaving out investment visas.......

If it is to be rigorously applied this really is a very stupid regulation.

I wonder how many other couples are affected.

I guess the vast majority of retirees are single or divorced???

[lopburi3]

//cut//

I wonder how many other couples are affected.

I guess the vast majority of retirees are single or divorced???

I suspect the majority of those who are married have a Thai spouse and thus will not be affected.

[krikrik]

If it is to be rigorously applied this really is a very stupid regulation.

Must agree with that. Looks like an attempt at money-spinning, pure and simple.

However, many of the older foreign couples I see are doing very useful stuff in their communities, in addition to feeding plenty of money (and employment) into local communities just by being there.

I don't see an overall gain for Thailand in this one.

Edited September 11, 2006 by krikrik

[krikrik]

In reference to the dependent for a retirement extension of stay, Immigration will no longer issue the visa for a farang wife.

By the way, Sunbelt, is it really just foreign wives this applies to or should that read "spouses" ?

If yes to "spouses", the title of the thread is misleading.

Edited September 11, 2006 by krikrik

[Levent]

If it is to be rigorously applied this really is a very stupid regulation.

I don't see an overall gain for Thailand in this one.

How many more stupid rules are they going to come up with? Anyone with a bit of a brain can surely see that all these new, limiting regulations will be very damaging to the Thai economy???

First the company shareholders thing regarding houses, then the new rules regarding visas (which I am desperately trying to understand) and now this!

My partner and I were discussing it only yesterday. She has a retirement visa, but I don't because I am younger. I am staying on a tourist visa (I have a 2 entry visa now) and was already getting worried by this new visa rule. I am wondering whether I will be kicked out of the country in February 07, when my current visa expires. We have a home here, this is supposed to be our current home country... So we started thinking about getting married to prevent any problems and make it possible for me to be a dependent on her retirement visa.

Does this mean: 1) sell the house in a short term and leave, or 2) forced separation from my partner because I am not allowed to stay longer?

We have sufficient funds for both of us, and I don't work at the moment. So no work permit.

Sure, most farang guys here are either single or married to a Thai, so no problem for them. But in my case, and I'm sure there must be more like me here, I get the feeling I'm being hit on the head over and over again...

[briley]

Levent - you can still get a tourist visa, even a year long multi entry and do border runs every 60 days. It appears to only be the 30 day visa exemption or 30 day visa on arrival that can only do three back to back visas.

But whether they stop the multi-entry back to back visas in the future is open to question. I'd keep your eyes open for the next few weeks as all the new rules come out and bed in.

[vinny]

See also News On The New Regulation, VOA's, Retirement, Marriage, Investment and Monk.