Enormous Shakeup Of Visa And Immigration Rules

[Sunbelt Asia]

We've been married since May 2002 and I have never applied for extension to stay. We normally go back to the UK for a couple of months every year.

I have no money coming into my Thai bank, only transferred from UK bank when neccessary. I also get less than 40k/m pension.

Based on marriage, you do not qualify. A solution would be your wife works to help get you over the 40K per month rule. She could work for you as well overeseas, she then just pays tax of 2,300 Baht per month every month. ( if your pension was zero)

If your pension is 25K per month and her salary is 15K per month, then no tax would be taken out and given to the government. She just needs to file the PND #1 every month and the tax due is "0". ( PND #1 is Monthly Personal income tax)

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[hunglikea]

We've been married since May 2002 and I have never applied for extension to stay. We normally go back to the UK for a couple of months every year.

I have no money coming into my Thai bank, only transferred from UK bank when neccessary. I also get less than 40k/m pension.

Based on marriage, you do not qualify. A solution would be your wife works to help get you over the 40K per month rule. She could work for you as well overeseas, she then just pays tax of 2,300 Baht per month every month. ( if your pension was zero)

If your pension is 25K per month and her salary is 15K per month, then no tax would be taken out and given to the government. She just needs to file the PND #1 every month and the tax due is "0". ( PND #1 is Monthly Personal income tax)

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

As my wife doesn't work and I only get 18k/m pension but with other money on deposit, would it be best for me to change to a retirement visa or an extension to stay, and leave 800k in a 6/12 month deposit account here?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

We've been married since May 2002 and I have never applied for extension to stay. We normally go back to the UK for a couple of months every year.

I have no money coming into my Thai bank, only transferred from UK bank when neccessary. I also get less than 40k/m pension.

Based on marriage, you do not qualify. A solution would be your wife works to help get you over the 40K per month rule. She could work for you as well overeseas, she then just pays tax of 2,300 Baht per month every month. ( if your pension was zero)

If your pension is 25K per month and her salary is 15K per month, then no tax would be taken out and given to the government. She just needs to file the PND #1 every month and the tax due is "0". ( PND #1 is Monthly Personal income tax)

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

As my wife doesn't work and I only get 18k/m pension but with other money on deposit, would it be best for me to change to a retirement visa or an extension to stay, and leave 800k in a 6/12 month deposit account here?

IMHO opinion the retirement route is the way to go in the present regulatory climate. It, at least, brings certainty to the equation.

[hunglikea]

We've been married since May 2002 and I have never applied for extension to stay. We normally go back to the UK for a couple of months every year.

I have no money coming into my Thai bank, only transferred from UK bank when neccessary. I also get less than 40k/m pension.

Based on marriage, you do not qualify. A solution would be your wife works to help get you over the 40K per month rule. She could work for you as well overeseas, she then just pays tax of 2,300 Baht per month every month. ( if your pension was zero)

If your pension is 25K per month and her salary is 15K per month, then no tax would be taken out and given to the government. She just needs to file the PND #1 every month and the tax due is "0". ( PND #1 is Monthly Personal income tax)

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

As my wife doesn't work and I only get 18k/m pension but with other money on deposit, would it be best for me to change to a retirement visa or an extension to stay, and leave 800k in a 6/12 month deposit account here?

IMHO opinion the retirement route is the way to go in the present regulatory climate. It, at least, brings certainty to the equation.

Thanks Doc, how do I go about it - succinctly, so as not to bore the forum readers who know.

Cheers

[timonase]

Hello,

does anyone know if the burmese border an mae Sot is open for visa runs. I heard they closed it after the cuop for a while. A quick answer would be much appreciated.

best regards

Timo

[tropo]

Hello,

does anyone know if the burmese border an mae Sot is open for visa runs. I heard they closed it after the cuop for a while. A quick answer would be much appreciated.

best regards

Timo

I've heard it's open again. Do a search on here and you might find the post where that was mentioned.

[phuketrichard]

Hi to everyone!

It seems to me that regarding spouses visa the only topic discussed in this forum is all about foreign husband married to a thai wife..In my friends case (both foreigners) the one currently and legaly working is his wife and his husbands visa is a dependent visa from her..The multi million dollar question is,will this new visa regualtion have a huge impact in this kind of visa ???will he still be able to continue extending his dependent visa?any advice sunbelt? than you.....

I know for a fact that a if a farang has a retirement visa, his alien wife (under 50) and dependants (under 20) will also be granted annual extensions. So Iassume the same would apply in the situation you have cited. No doubt Sunbelt can confirm.

WRONG!!! new regulations::: Children under 20 DO NOT qualify anymore!!!! they must have their own visas. the wife is still ok thou.

That is really F#@cked. another case of thailand does not care about us or the kids of farangs

Edited October 31, 2006 by phuketrichard

[Mobi]

Hi to everyone!

It seems to me that regarding spouses visa the only topic discussed in this forum is all about foreign husband married to a thai wife..In my friends case (both foreigners) the one currently and legaly working is his wife and his husbands visa is a dependent visa from her..The multi million dollar question is,will this new visa regualtion have a huge impact in this kind of visa ???will he still be able to continue extending his dependent visa?any advice sunbelt? than you.....

I know for a fact that a if a farang has a retirement visa, his alien wife (under 50) and dependants (under 20) will also be granted annual extensions. So Iassume the same would apply in the situation you have cited. No doubt Sunbelt can confirm.

WRONG!!! new regulations::: Children under 20 DO NOT qualify anymore!!!! they must have their own visas. the wife is still ok thou.

That is really F#@cked. another case of thailand does not care about us or the kids of farangs

Sunbelt, is this true?

If so, it is contrary to what you told me the other day. And what happened to those folks I referred to you?

[Sunbelt Asia]

WRONG!!! new regulations::: Children under 20 DO NOT qualify anymore!!!! they must have their own visas. the wife is still ok thou.

That is really F#@cked. another case of thailand does not care about us or the kids of farangs

Sunbelt, is this true?

If so, it is contrary to what you told me the other day. And what happened to those folks I referred to you?

The poster is mistaken.

7.19 In case of being the member of family of the foreigner who is permitted to stay temporarily in the Kingdom pursuant to the Criterion No. 7.1, 7.2, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.9, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15, 7.16, 7.20, 7.21, 7.25 or 7.28 of this Order (Only for Father, mother, marriage couple, ordinary child, adopted child or a child of the marriage couple)

Each time of permission shall be granted for a period not exceeding 1 year.

( 7.21 is based on retirement)

(4) In case of the ordinary child, adopted child, child of the marriage couple, these person need to be single/never married and has never lived as a part of the family before, and shall not be older than 20 years old,

The poster is not completely wrong as for around a month, (First part of September), they however were not issuing extension of stay for children under 20, based as a dependent if the father who was on retirement.

The logic was 'that their could be a case with a foreigner who was over 50 years old and his kids were 10 years old and not going to school. If this happen the World would put a black mark against Thailand as how could Thai government allow this? (This happen around the John Karr situation) This then changed then around a week before Oct 1st when they started following the new regulations which allows any child under 20 to get the extension of stay as a dependent.

As for the couple that you refer to us. Talk about a very bad firm they were working with before. The wife was charged 23,000 Baht to do a extension of stay for 10 days ( extension of 30 day stamp) Which she could of done herself.

Because this extension was done, we could not change the 30 day stamp to an "O" visa (dependent extension off her husband retirement extension). She now has to go to an Embassy and get an "O" visa or just get a 30 day stamp, so we can change it to an "O" visa inside Thailand. The ironic point is she had told this lawyer she was leaving on Oct 28th, so no need to do the 10 day extension in the first place. ( The extension was till Nov 7th!)

As you know she was being quoted 98,000 Baht to get a dependent visa! You warned her this was high and refer her to us. Our fee for a change of the visa is 3,900 Baht and dependent extension is only 3,900 Baht. Additional fee of 1,600 to get the Marriage certificate translated and certified at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

But her kids and her qualify as a dependent.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[Mentors]

There is daily again so much wrong informations from post's here which make headache to the readers.

lucky we have Sunbelt here to clear always up.

Thank You.

[phuketrichard]

Hi;

I realize that kids were allowed before BUT I was informed that they no longer are. ( if you look at the offical thai visa website they still are)

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php

"3.2 Applicant’s family members, namely; spouse, parents and children who are unmarried and under 20 years old, are eligible to apply for Non-Immigrant Visa (category “O”) and will allow to stay from the period of 90 days but not longer than 1 year."

So your saying that kids now can stay with their dads Retirement visa?

If so then great as this affects a lot of friends of mine here in Phuket.

On another matter; Do you know if they are enforcing the 800,000 in the bank THREE MONTHS before the new extension is due for retirement extension?

Edited October 31, 2006 by phuketrichard

[tropo]

Hi;

I realize that kids were allowed before BUT I was informed that they no longer are. ( if you look at the offical thai visa website they still are)

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php

"3.2 Applicant’s family members, namely; spouse, parents and children who are unmarried and under 20 years old, are eligible to apply for Non-Immigrant Visa (category “O”) and will allow to stay from the period of 90 days but not longer than 1 year."

So your saying that kids now can stay with their dads Retirement visa?

If so then great as this affects a lot of friends of mine here in Phuket.

On another matter; Do you know if they are enforcing the 800,000 in the bank THREE MONTHS before the new extension is due for retirement extension?

Apparently they are, but what is surprising to me is that they have even kept the 800K retirement visa in place while canning the investment visa.

[VBF]

Apparently they are, but what is surprising to me is that they have even kept the 800K retirement visa in place while canning the investment visa.

Shhh....... Let's be thankful for something at least!

[Firefan]

Apparently if you are over 50 years old you are no longer a threat.

Why not can the rule with the age limit. They could then have progressive scale (18-35 - 2M Baht in account, 35-50 - 1.5M Baht in account) and so forth if they feel the need.

Cheers!

Edited November 1, 2006 by Firefan

[englishoak]

Why not can the rule with the age limit. They could then have progressive scale (18-35 - 2M Baht in account, 35-50 - 1.5M Baht in account) and so forth if they feel the need.

How stupid of you to come up with a sensible option . Attempt to simplify things when the gov are spending so much effort the make life in LOS more difficult ?

How dare you sir

[Firefan]

My deepest apologies! Cheers!

[ArranP]

Hello,

I am 35, a British Male, no criminal history.

I have an investment value of £400,000 (28,000,000 baht) in the UK, this gives a monthly return of £1,200 (84,000 baht) per month. I am looking to retire next year to Thailand. What are my options ?

Thanks.

[TAWP]

If you have the extension of stay based on marriage before Oct 1st 2006. then you can use the 40k income per month or 400,000 Baht funds in the bank.

If you applied after Oct 1st 2006, you can only use the criteria of income of 40K per month.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Had to read through 40 pages to find this gold-nugget (the OP didn't say anything, this forum needs FAQ-threads for each and every VISA-type, stickied).

So...having money in the bank isn't even an option for non-O people that are married. Nice. One has to work in the country/have income. And not asking for extension of stay (haven't sofar since I didn't have the 400K needed, and well, I'm still not 30 years of age...we young people don't have big stash of cash liying around) is getting harder to live by since Penang doesn't issue Multi-entry anymore, and they want one to go back home(?) to get them...meaning I would have to fly to the other side of the globe. *sigh*

With a pregnant wife moving isn't even a possibility now, for some time.

[Sunbelt Asia]

If you have the extension of stay based on marriage before Oct 1st 2006. then you can use the 40k income per month or 400,000 Baht funds in the bank.

If you applied after Oct 1st 2006, you can only use the criteria of income of 40K per month.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Had to read through 40 pages to find this gold-nugget (the OP didn't say anything, this forum needs FAQ-threads for each and every VISA-type, stickied).

So...having money in the bank isn't even an option for non-O people that are married. Nice. One has to work in the country/have income. And not asking for extension of stay (haven't sofar since I didn't have the 400K needed, and well, I'm still not 30 years of age...we young people don't have big stash of cash liying around) is getting harder to live by since Penang doesn't issue Multi-entry anymore, and they want one to go back home(?) to get them...meaning I would have to fly to the other side of the globe. *sigh*

With a pregnant wife moving isn't even a possibility now, for some time.

Kl or Singapore will issue a multi entry visa.

If you are looking to extend inside Thailand, your income outside Thailand will work as well to meet the criteria.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[TAWP]

As a freelancer (starting to look for a meningless job inside the country now however, that is going to pay peanuts *sigh*) you never know how much you will get, and I doubt I can apply for extension based on 'sometimes I get this and more' kind of deal.

As asked in the other thread, if the wife (on paper) payes tax for an income of 40-50K/m, will this be enough?

I don't have any problem with paying too much taxes if this is the route needed to go.

[BlackJack]

email EX PM Taxsin

Hes a wizz at not paying taxes

Maybe he has some pointers

[tropo]

Hello,

I am 35, a British Male, no criminal history.

I have an investment value of £400,000 (28,000,000 baht) in the UK, this gives a monthly return of £1,200 (84,000 baht) per month. I am looking to retire next year to Thailand. What are my options ?

Thanks.

You're young with a decent monthly return that would allow you to live well in Thailand, but why would you want to retire so young, and why in Thailand? At your age you should consider exploring the world before you settle. There are a lot of options.

[ArranP]

Hello,

I am 35, a British Male, no criminal history.

I have an investment value of £400,000 (28,000,000 baht) in the UK, this gives a monthly return of £1,200 (84,000 baht) per month. I am looking to retire next year to Thailand. What are my options ?

Thanks.

You're young with a decent monthly return that would allow you to live well in Thailand, but why would you want to retire so young, and why in Thailand? At your age you should consider exploring the world before you settle. There are a lot of options.

I earn good money in UK/Europe I know, however I do have the notion to not spend/give my whole life to this same work. The point of travelling further, somebody else mentioned this to me as well, traveling around vietnam, combodia, malysia as well as thailand, maybe do this, but first come to thailand and stay/relax for a few months at least. Thanks for the reply.

[Maestro]

I earn good money in UK/Europe I know, however I do have the notion to not spend/give my whole life to this same work. The point of travelling further, somebody else mentioned this to me as well, traveling around vietnam, combodia, malysia as well as thailand, maybe do this, but first come to thailand and stay/relax for a few months at least.

See here.

---------------

Maestro

[aznyron]

I earn good money in UK/Europe I know, however I do have the notion to not spend/give my whole life to this same work. The point of travelling further, somebody else mentioned this to me as well, traveling around vietnam, combodia, malysia as well as thailand, maybe do this, but first come to thailand and stay/relax for a few months at least.

See here.

---------------

Maestro

The question is why would any foriegner want to work in thailand Thais don't make enough to live and they know how to live very cheaply as a American I could not live here on 16k a month I spend that much in 10 days and that does not include my 12K truck payment which is in my G/F name because I can not get credit in thailand but my credit cards are accepted LOL I just got my ret visa it went very easy if you have your papers in order and the required monthly income or the 800K in a thai bank and save your self some money if you have it all just do it your self you don't need a fancy attorney to do nothing but show up at the immigration office and you do all the running around getting every B/S piece of paper the attorney wants and does not need. If I offended any attorneys reading my reply well sorry but the truth is the truth

[dr_Pat_Pong]

One is unable to cause simple offence to an attorney

[Firefan]

Tawp: if your wife earns (and pays tax on) 40k/mth or more you do not have to show ANYTHING with the new rules - good news I presume? Cheers!

If you have the extension of stay based on marriage before Oct 1st 2006. then you can use the 40k income per month or 400,000 Baht funds in the bank.

If you applied after Oct 1st 2006, you can only use the criteria of income of 40K per month.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Had to read through 40 pages to find this gold-nugget (the OP didn't say anything, this forum needs FAQ-threads for each and every VISA-type, stickied).

So...having money in the bank isn't even an option for non-O people that are married. Nice. One has to work in the country/have income. And not asking for extension of stay (haven't sofar since I didn't have the 400K needed, and well, I'm still not 30 years of age...we young people don't have big stash of cash liying around) is getting harder to live by since Penang doesn't issue Multi-entry anymore, and they want one to go back home(?) to get them...meaning I would have to fly to the other side of the globe. *sigh*

With a pregnant wife moving isn't even a possibility now, for some time.

[TAWP]

Tawp: if your wife earns (and pays tax on) 40k/mth or more you do not have to show ANYTHING with the new rules - good news I presume? Cheers!

Hi Firefan.

Yeah, saw that later on. That might be an improvement that can work out if nothing else.

A sidenote to that: If one does get a job here but asks them to sign out the check to the wife, one might also be able to dodge the WP-requirement. Not that I ever would do that.

[Firefan]

Glad to hear if some of the changes actually makes it EASIER for some to stay.

It is illegal to work without a WP, who recieves the payment is irrelevant as such. Even if volunteer worker one needs a WP. Therefore your "idea" does not really change much (oh, and I think it is a pretty bad idea btw!). Cheers!

[TAWP]

I know, hence the smailie. =)

But yeah, an improvement at the same time as they where talking about shakeup and 'tighten' of the rules was unexpected. But welcome. And afterall, it's the familys chance of survival they should validate, not the husbands possibility of earning enough over the wife...

Edited November 6, 2006 by TAWP