Phuket Immigration Office Today 6th Oct

[geoffphuket]

The wife and I went to the Phuket immigration office this morning to make my first 365 day extension to a multiple entry ‘O’ visa that I obtained in Penang in August.

We have no regular income – so I can’t show 40K/month income, but my offshore investments provide a good standard of living, with the proceeds being transferred annually.

I was concerned, reading all the rumors about the 400k bank deposit not being accepted anymore….I can clearly say that THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN PHUKET. The immigration officer stated to me that there are NO changes to current policy either now or in the pipeline, and that the bank deposit on its own is good enough.

I have to go back next month to submit my application, because my entry stamp doesn’t expire until 19th November, and they can’t process the application until nearer the date...at that point I asked again "will my 400K+ in the bank be accepted" - "YES" came back the reply.

Maybe the situation is different in Bangkok, but those applying for the first time here need not be concerned.

For those that don't know, the office has moved to a temporary home just across the road from the old building.... Very small and cramped but the staff were as pleasant as ever

Got the date wrong for the topic - should have read 6th October

Someone's just changed it for me....cheers

geoffphuket

Edited October 6, 2006 by geoffphuket

[Sunbelt Asia]

Interesting news in Phuket, as they are still part of Thailand . I hope though it still will be valid in November, as it may or not be ( after BKK Immigration has read this news. )

I was concerned, reading all the rumors about the 400k bank deposit not being accepted anymore

They are not rumors. In Bangkok they are not accepting the 400k Bank deposit UNLESS you had applied for the extension BEFORE October 1st 2006.

It is per

7.17 (6) of the National Police Office Order No. 606/2006

(6) In case of the applicant who is married to a Thai wife, one of them or both of them need to have the total annual income that is averaged out not less than 40,000 Baht per month. Except for the case that the said foreign national has entered Thailand before this Order is enforced and the foreign national has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom by the result of having married to a Thai wife, then if the applicant does not have the said income, then, the latest 3 months records of the account book of any Bank in Thailand with the account name of either or both parties need to have the amount of money not less than 400,000 Baht.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[geoffphuket]

Interesting news in Phuket, as they are still part of Thailand . I hope though it still will be valid in November, as it may or not be ( after BKK Immigration has read this news. )

I was concerned, reading all the rumors about the 400k bank deposit not being accepted anymore

They are not rumors. In Bangkok they are not accepting the 400k Bank deposit UNLESS you had applied for the extension BEFORE October 1st 2006.

It is per

7.17 (6) of the National Police Office Order No. 606/2006

(6) In case of the applicant who is married to a Thai wife, one of them or both of them need to have the total annual income that is averaged out not less than 40,000 Baht per month. Except for the case that the said foreign national has entered Thailand before this Order is enforced and the foreign national has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom by the result of having married to a Thai wife, then if the applicant does not have the said income, then, the latest 3 months records of the account book of any Bank in Thailand with the account name of either or both parties need to have the amount of money not less than 400,000 Baht.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

So have we heard from any applicants being turned away yet in Bangkok ?

Just reporting what is happening on the ground in Phuket.

Friends have told me that they process their own appications now, without the need for documents to be sent to Bangkok as used to be the case several years ago. Maybe that is why there's a difference in attitude.

geoffphuket

[taxin]

Interesting news in Phuket, as they are still part of Thailand . I hope though it still will be valid in November, as it may or not be ( after BKK Immigration has read this news. )

I was concerned, reading all the rumors about the 400k bank deposit not being accepted anymore

They are not rumors. In Bangkok they are not accepting the 400k Bank deposit UNLESS you had applied for the extension BEFORE October 1st 2006.

It is per

7.17 (6) of the National Police Office Order No. 606/2006

(6) In case of the applicant who is married to a Thai wife, one of them or both of them need to have the total annual income that is averaged out not less than 40,000 Baht per month. Except for the case that the said foreign national has entered Thailand before this Order is enforced and the foreign national has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom by the result of having married to a Thai wife, then if the applicant does not have the said income, then, the latest 3 months records of the account book of any Bank in Thailand with the account name of either or both parties need to have the amount of money not less than 400,000 Baht.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

So have we heard from any applicants being turned away yet in Bangkok ?

Just reporting what is happening on the ground in Phuket.

Friends have told me that they process their own appications now, without the need for documents to be sent to Bangkok as used to be the case several years ago. Maybe that is why there's a difference in attitude.

geoffphuket

Careful Geoff ! Yes Phuket is the best immigration office in Thailand but lets keep it that way shall we ! If Phuket does get an influx of cheap charlies next time you come to renew it might not be so easy ! And when my one year extension take 90 days to come through instead of 30 due to the extra work they have I will be blaming you !!

We Phuket expats are the ones who have been paying an extra 20 baht for a beer, we are the ones to have to put up with overpriced tuk tuks, more expensive housing.... so we deserve to have it a little easier than the rest !

If you must post msgs like this then please do it in the Phuket forum.

Guys, dont come, its awful, its too expensive, crime everywhere, dont believe what Geoff is telling you...

[barryofthailand]

Nothing has changed in the process for a one year visa extention for support of a Thai wife.

I don't know where the info is coming from. The local immigration offices are still reqiured to send the packets to Suwan Plu for approval.

Barry

[E.Phuket]

Nothing has changed in the process for a one year visa extention for support of a Thai wife.

I don't know where the info is coming from. The local immigration offices are still reqiured to send the packets to Suwan Plu for approval.

Barry

I made for the third time one year visa extension on july in Phuket, and my document was sent to Bangkok for approvation, same every years.

[astral]

7.17 (6) of the National Police Office Order No. 606/2006

(6) In case of the applicant who is married to a Thai wife, one of them or both of them need to have the total annual income that is averaged out not less than 40,000 Baht per month. Except for the case that the said foreign national has entered Thailand before this Order is enforced and the foreign national has been permitted to stay in the Kingdom by the result of having married to a Thai wife, then if the applicant does not have the said income, then, the latest 3 months records of the account book of any Bank in Thailand with the account name of either or both parties need to have the amount of money not less than 400,000 Baht.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

In the old days we were expected to spend the money, to live during the year.

Now we are expected to keep it in the bank...........................

What do they expect us to live on during the 3 months????

[lopburi3]

The minimum balance is 400k - you would be expected to have a cushion to cover the under review period if using that method. The under review period has always operated under this condition but expect most people did not get checked in earlier times so we only got a report every few months of someone having troubles.

That seems academic to new applicants in any case if they strictly enforce the 40k income rule.

[lukamar]

The minimum balance is 400k - you would be expected to have a cushion to cover the under review period if using that method.

That seems academic to new applicants in any case if they strictly enforce the 40k income rule.

In a round about way they have actually raised the dollar amounts for married to a Thai. Under the old system with new rules 400,000 +3 months= 520,000Bt and under the new application system 12x40,000=480,000Bt.