What amendments would you make to the Thai visa/PR legislation?

[fang37]

Thank you, UJ

If you have a retirement visa, no PR.

Just keep extending the O-A visa until DOD.

[fang37]

One may come to Thailand with a view to living here until death do us part. Invariably, that person will be 50+yrs old.

The retirement visa program I have no criticism re eligibility.

After that?

You bring your $$$, your expertise etc but there are restrictions on utilisation.

The property ownership provisions I applaud for a time.

Voluntary work - to me, the restrictions are ludicrous.

Regular reporting to the I/O is satisfactory for a reasonable period of time.

Once your actions confirm that Thailand is your home - your permanent residence - WHAT THEN?

NOTHING? SAME SAME? NEXT STEP?

[bigt3116]

I would like to see it means tested

ie if you own your own condo or property (house in co name or whatever) then you would not need the 65K per month to live

on as you wouldnt need to pay rent

if you owned your own abode then why would you need to report every 90 days as its already registered

and on and on

the system could be simplified

Such as having visas state that you can enter the country from Date A and have to leave by Date B, in accordance with the practice followed by the vast majority of other countries across this great planet of ours. Far less confusing, I think, than having them "used" between these 2 dates as at present.

And having visas issued by immigration offices here in Thailand instead of your having to traipse to a Thai embassy or consulate in your home country or an adjoining country in this part of the world to obtain one. In place of subsequent extensions of stay your immigration office could grant you further visas as long as you met prevailing financial, etc requirements relating to your purpose for staying in Thailand (retirement, marriage, etc).

And, in the case of tourist visas, instead of the existing messy single/double/triple entry arrangement, simply have 3-month or 6-month (+ 9-month?) visas stating entry and exit dates as indicated above.

You should also be able to come and go to and from Thailand as you please within the validity period of your visa without the need for re-entry permits.

Such measures would, of course, see an end to border runs in most cases - as well as to the endless debates on here as to what constitutes a visa or an extension of stay. And, for over-50 retirees, the oft-quoted but totally non-existent "retirement visa" might even become a reality!

There is no debate about it, they are 2 totally different things - fact.

[fang37]

There is merit re income if you "own" your home.

Owning your own home - No, No.

"Own" your home - still have 3 monthly reporting? Why?

What I find illogical is that you need -

B800k in the bank for single status

B400k for married status

Review & amendment re living in LOS - few if any in the past decade.

[ubonjoe]

There is merit re income if you "own" your home.

Owning your own home - No, No.

"Own" your home - still have 3 monthly reporting? Why?

What I find illogical is that you need -

B800k in the bank for single status

B400k for married status

Review & amendment re living in LOS - few if any in the past decade.

Home ownership and visas/extension are two different issues.

You can own a home but you cannot own the land it is on. That is not going to change anytime in the near future.

The immigration act was written in 1979 and has not been changed since then. That is where 90 day reports and the length of stays come from. It requires the parliament to do a change and that is not likely to happen. The nationalists that have a big influence would fight any changes so it is not going to happen anytime soon.

The 800k baht is not always just for a single retiree. There are many foreign spouses and some with children that can stay on that by getting dependent extensions.

The extension of stay based upon marriage to Thai is done on a humanitarian basis. The 400k in the bank or 40k income is based upon that and the fact that the wife can also support the family by earning an income.

[BlackJack]

There is merit re income if you "own" your home.

Owning your own home - No, No.

"Own" your home - still have 3 monthly reporting? Why?

What I find illogical is that you need -

B800k in the bank for single status

B400k for married status

Review & amendment re living in LOS - few if any in the past decade.

Home ownership and visas/extension are two different issues.

You can own a home but you cannot own the land it is on. That is not going to change anytime in the near future.

The immigration act was written in 1979 and has not been changed since then. That is where 90 day reports and the length of stays come from. It requires the parliament to do a change and that is not likely to happen. The nationalists that have a big influence would fight any changes so it is not going to happen anytime soon.

The 800k baht is not always just for a single retiree. There are many foreign spouses and some with children that can stay on that by getting dependent extensions.

The extension of stay based upon marriage to Thai is done on a humanitarian basis. The 400k in the bank or 40k income is based upon that and the fact that the wife can also support the family by earning an income.

home can be a condo

if you own it then no need to pay rent

if applying for a ext of stay based on retirement then why need to 800K single

and half that if married - illogical mr spock

[fang37]

I am searching for suggestions to IMPROVE the Thai visa system.

Whether they will pass through parliament is only par of it. These matters are always subject to negotiation.

There may be a NEW visa classification. Some of the existing ones may get the flick. The conditions must be inviting to the expats & acceptable to the powers that be. At the moment, there are numerous categories with their respective conditions.

Revision of visas may be up for review - long time coming?

[OJAS]

I would like to see it means tested

ie if you own your own condo or property (house in co name or whatever) then you would not need the 65K per month to live

on as you wouldnt need to pay rent

if you owned your own abode then why would you need to report every 90 days as its already registered

and on and on

the system could be simplified

Such as having visas state that you can enter the country from Date A and have to leave by Date B, in accordance with the practice followed by the vast majority of other countries across this great planet of ours. Far less confusing, I think, than having them "used" between these 2 dates as at present.

And having visas issued by immigration offices here in Thailand instead of your having to traipse to a Thai embassy or consulate in your home country or an adjoining country in this part of the world to obtain one. In place of subsequent extensions of stay your immigration office could grant you further visas as long as you met prevailing financial, etc requirements relating to your purpose for staying in Thailand (retirement, marriage, etc).

And, in the case of tourist visas, instead of the existing messy single/double/triple entry arrangement, simply have 3-month or 6-month (+ 9-month?) visas stating entry and exit dates as indicated above.

You should also be able to come and go to and from Thailand as you please within the validity period of your visa without the need for re-entry permits.

Such measures would, of course, see an end to border runs in most cases - as well as to the endless debates on here as to what constitutes a visa or an extension of stay. And, for over-50 retirees, the oft-quoted but totally non-existent "retirement visa" might even become a reality!

There is no debate about it, they are 2 totally different things - fact.

Absolutely, as things stand at present. But that still doesn't stop the debates on here!

[fang37]

So, the visa system is perfect?

That is why there are visa runs & visa agents?

Personally, the requirements are easily met. Retirement visa & B800k bank deposit. PR would be icing on the cake.

BUT, we are looking at tomorrow & on.

[OJAS]

I am not xenophobic, besides I am an immigrant myself so if I am exhibiting that kind of behaviour it would be akin to cutting off my nose to spite my face. But there do need to be changes...the first I can think of is to tax pensions coming in from abroad. If this is impossible then bump up the fees significantly. Too many old folk think they can just up sticks from the miserable climate and ageist attitudes of their erstwhile homelands and plonk down in Thailand for next to nothing.

Speaking personally as a Brit retiree expat, there is nothing more that I would like than to be taxed on my pension, etc income in LOS given the sweet FA which HM Government back home gives me these days in return for all the "contributions" which I am still required to make towards alleviating the UK national debt - particularly since, as subsequently stated on this thread, this could eventually lead to PR status in my case should I still be around when the magical moment finally arrives.

Unfortunately, the jolly old taxman in HMRC has decreed that, since all my income is derived in the UK, this will not be possible.

Edited July 27, 2015 by OJAS

[Rimmer]

Off topic troll post removed

[elviajero]

5 year extensions after 10 annual extensions and PR after 20 years.

[fang37]

5 year extensions after 10 annual extensions and PR after 20 years.

Compromise?

PR after 12 years.

90 day reporting necessary only if change of address - after 5 years.

[Soutpeel]

I am not xenophobic, besides I am an immigrant myself so if I am exhibiting that kind of behaviour it would be akin to cutting off my nose to spite my face. But there do need to be changes...the first I can think of is to tax pensions coming in from abroad. If this is impossible then bump up the fees significantly. Too many old folk think they can just up sticks from the miserable climate and ageist attitudes of their erstwhile homelands and plonk down in Thailand for next to nothing.

Speaking personally as a Brit retiree expat, there is nothing more that I would like than to be taxed on my pension, etc income in LOS given the sweet FA which HM Government back home gives me these days in return for all the "contributions" which I am still required to make towards alleviating the UK national debt - particularly since, as subsequently stated on this thread, this could eventually lead to PR status in my case should I still be around when the magical moment finally arrives.

Unfortunately, the jolly old taxman in HMRC has decreed that, since all my income is derived in the UK, this will not be possible.

Whats your percentage tax payment at the moment and whats your gross if you dont mind me asking ? Be careful what you wish for

[elviajero]

5 year extensions after 10 annual extensions and PR after 20 years.

Compromise?

PR after 12 years.

90 day reporting necessary only if change of address - after 5 years.

I think anyone that has served 20 years is deserving of PR. I appreciate that would exclude most retirees but, with respect to retirees, I don't think they have a right to PR just because they've chosen to live here. As Thailand wants to restrict the numbers of PR 12 years would probably bring too many into qualification.

I don't think that workers that have only been here a few years should get it at all. That's just wrong!

90 day reporting is a waste of time but it's no big deal with postal and online reporting. I think if it stays then it's easier to apply the same rule across the board. Personally I'd scrap it as I don't think there is any benefit to immigration and just causes them unnecessary paperwork.

[fang37]

Of course, I have a vested interest.

90 day reporting - no problem - I live in a small town with an I/O.

I arrived here in 2003 from memory.

As I am 67 now, time is running out.

Of course, PR would be ideal but having researched Cameratta's excellent thread, I am no chance as I have never worked in LOS.

On-line queueing is painful - you need a lot of luck. Now, I live 150km outside of CNX.