Another Darned Visa Question

[Pseacraft]

So glad to have found this forum! I have been busy reading many posts as many are related to our situation - I should have taken notes! Let me try and paint our picture. My wife and I have been married for over 3 years and actually met in Washington DC. We are working the Thai citizenship and passport issue right now for our son who is a whopping 11 months old. My wife has her US green card.

We now live in Florida and are fixing to "become" homeless; we sold our house after receiving numerous warm and fuzzies on a job opportunity. I am retiring (I'm only 38) from the Navy after 20 years of service on 30 June and have a possible excellent job opportunity here in the states. I'm not betting the farm on it, but it will make our transition to Thailand easier as we will be able to bankroll more of my income and accomplish a few short-term goals. Our long-term goal is to move back to her village in Issan and raise our children. If this job opportunity falls out then we may be doing that sooner. I will be receiving a modest pension as part of my retirement starting the end of July.

We are planning a trip to visit her family as soon as our son's paperwork is in order, hopefully early May, and I will return to the states if things go well with my prospective new employer, otherwise we maybe staying longer.

I think I will initially be going with the 90-day non-immigrant visa. I understand that some of the requirements are making a big change in July for the 12-month extension. Does the required bankroll need to be one lump sum; can it be documented monthly income from overseas; or a combination of both?

Also, can I be on a 12-month extension and be working outside of Thailand in the states? Or would I be better off getting the 90-day visa when we/I wish to visit Thailand and not worry about the 12-month extension until we are completely ready to plant our roots on tera-firma?

Thanks for your advice and I'm sure I will have many more questions.

Eric

[lopburi3]

I would get a visa when you want to make a visit here and leave it at that until you are ready to move for good. The July changes are for visa extensions as announced.

If you will allow it would suggest you reconsider move until after your children's education to provide them the best choice for the future and insure your future. A modest pension is not going to provide a decent education for your children here; and also support a family for the years of life you should have remaining. A good job for another decade or so would be my first priority at this stage. But do understand it may not be your decision to make.

[Pseacraft]

Lopburi,

I appreciate the input. I was/am considering a follow-on job to support our long term goals. We have other medigating factors - doesn't everyone? Education was of concern to me but my wife is much smarter than I. Nearly all of her family are or have been teachers in Thailand and the US. I have been less impressed with how our education system in the US has been spiralling down the toilet over the past several years. We still have some of the best colleges around and have setup a college fund for our kids. I really want my kids to have the best of both worlds. I missed the multi-cultural foundation as a child myself as my parents had to move alot and want my kids to have it. I also want to be able to raise them like I was on the good, old fashioned and simple values that are prevalient in her village. So many of the kids here in the states are so out of control and their parents are afraid of being reported by their kids as child abusers for just being strict. It's really a sad state of affairs - not at all how I was raised.

Your so right on the decision process - only partly in our hands. I finally got the formal notice for my prospective job after waiting nearly a month with nothing but "two thumbs up" and "the job is yours talk" from the company. I got the lovely "thanks but no thanks" letter today. So Thailand is the greener pasture right now. I'll still be looking for something else, possibly offshore in the oil industry (the schedules are pretty nice), but am coordinating everything towards Thailand now. I am lucky that I get 78 days of paid vacation prior to my actual retirement date. My modest pension is about one third of my current salary which should go quite aways in Thailand as I miss the simple life I had as a small farm kid. As long as I have a roof over my head, good food in the belly and my amateur radio is humming I'll be happy.

I am looking forward to a nice long vacation in Thailand - away from the rat race.

Eric