Thai Immigration Bureau Explains The New Rules

[divndave]

I am under 50 moving to thailand to marry my GF,I will have 60,000 baht income a month for life from a settlement in the US.I may open a small shop to give my wife some thing to do but I dont intened to seek employment.

What problems will I have with the visa and be able to stay in the kingdom

[Salom]

Hello,

I Have been working in Thailand as an Eng. teacher since Jan.2001. I've got Non-B in my passport, and also I've got a work permit. Now my question is if I want to change my school that I'm teaching (employer), do I have to get a new Non-B and work permit again? Or I can still have my old visa and work permit with a new employer.

[Billion]

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[Billion]

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[astral]

7. Letter of Authorization giving your consent that the Immigration Officer is allowed to

check the current balance of your bank account at any time.

*/** After 9th July 2004 the Financial amounts will be not less than 400.000 THB

a year / 40.000 THB a month for new applicants.

This one does mention grandfathering, which is a relief.

Mind you the bit about checking the amount is worrying.

It implies that we cannot spend the money.

[khunphilip]

Here we go again these laws were know last year and as 40.000 baht a month would not give you much of life in Good old England you can live a good life here it is apity they do not have laws like this in england then maybe all the deadbeats and rubbish would not get in and live of the british taxpayer at least we all know the ruleshere like it or not and a good bit of advice I recieved was to get a retirement visa so you are not depended on your wife as we all know there are pently of of women out here who shall we say mai poot jing speaking from experince so she is history can still stay here in my own right Hope not to upset people but a farang married here has in my humble opinion more to worry from their wifes than the Thai immigration

Phil

[unbiasbob]

Here we go again these laws were know last year and as 40.000 baht a month would not give you much of life in Good old England you can live a good life here it is apity they do not have laws like this in england then maybe all the deadbeats and rubbish would not get in and live of the british taxpayer at least we all know the ruleshere like it or not and a good bit of advice I recieved was to get a retirement visa so you are not depended on your wife as we all know there are pently of of women out here who shall we say mai poot jing speaking from experince so she is history can still stay here in my own right Hope not to upset people but a farang married here has in my humble opinion more to worry from their wifes than the Thai immigration

Phil

Amen dude. there is a facsination with marriage to thais here on the board. face it there are plenty of us who "just say no"

[fred110]

The new regulations look like nothing more than change for change's sake. Or seem to intended to address non-existant problems and then only ineptly.

For those who have irregular or undocumentable income and are married to Thai wives, a one year multiple entry visa and 4 well-timed visa runs would still seem to be the smart choice. Make it two days in Penang to get the visa and then 4 days lost over the next 15 months... Not the cheapest solution, but one that will still work for quite a large number of people.

Much easier than tying up 400 or 800 k in a bank with nil return ( if you can get a multi entry non immigrant visa )

I went to Penang in Feb. this year, they would not give me a non-imm 'o' without the proof of monthly income (notorized by the US embassy) or a bank letter. I had neither with me. I ended up paying a Thai immigration guy a bribe and I got the 'o' visa that way.

[marquess]

went to Penang in Feb. this year, they would not give me a non-imm 'o' without the proof of monthly income (notorized by the US embassy) or a bank letter. I had neither with me. I ended up paying a Thai immigration guy a bribe and I got the 'o' visa that way.

The trick with the Non Immigrant O's, is to get out of Asia, when you want the multiple entry one year one. In Melbourne, I used to get three entries. I have been told that the honoury consulate in Perth, will give you a one year multiple entry. Or try the States, which is even easier. Unless of course things have changed

[alykev8892]

When Thai Immigration says the new income requirement is 40,000 a month/400,000 a year, which can I go by? My pension is $14,520 a year or $1,210 per month. Depending on what Immigration uses for an exchange rate for US dollars, I will easily qualify for the 400,000 baht per year but perhaps not the 40,000 per month if they use 32 baht to the dollar. How did they determine 40,000 per month? 400,000 per year equates to 33,333 per month. So if the income were really based on 40,000 per month, that is really 480,000 per year. Just another confusing point!!! Does anyone know what Immigration uses as an exchange rate when converting US dollars to baht for this purpose?????

[Nam Kao]

Fred - How much ?

thx

[lopburi3]

Does anyone know what Immigration uses as an exchange rate when converting US dollars to baht for this purpose?????

Believe they were using 38 baht per 1 US$ last time I was there. Remember that you can use bank deposit to cover any shortfall in income; if there was one. So if you had 200k in bank you would only have to show 200k yearly pension to come up with the 400k total.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

went to Penang in Feb. this year, they would not give me a non-imm 'o' without the proof of monthly income (notorized by the US embassy) or a bank letter. I had neither with me. I ended up paying a Thai immigration guy a bribe and I got the 'o' visa that way.

The trick with the Non Immigrant O's, is to get out of Asia, when you want the multiple entry one year one. In Melbourne, I used to get three entries. I have been told that the honoury consulate in Perth, will give you a one year multiple entry. Or try the States, which is even easier. Unless of course things have changed

The RTCG's in Brisbane and Perth issue multiple non-immigrant visa's. Brisbane forms can be downloaded at www.thaiconsulate.org.au

[Felt 35]

I cannot see any changes to the previous rules (except from wanting more money) as long as the individual immigration officers have the power to decide.

If they really want to change the rules they must imprint it, as straightforward general rule to follow for every immigration office, not make it as your visa depend on the mode to each an every immigration officer.

Last two years I have been to the Immigration with near a half million on accounts and documentation from my embassy with proof of regularly monthly income at 70K a month.

I’m Married to a Thai.

No change. Why? Probably because I meet them with the same approach they meet me.

Have I offended them? Well not as I know, or maybe it’s an insult to not bribe them or accept their cheating. Problems, no not at all. Have been around for more than seven years and creep shall not stop me from live in Thailand. Only I make that decision.

Why the government don’t clean up. Well it will come sooner or later but not with Mr. T behind the steering wheel. Too much money involved and to many associates in the police bureau.

I travel to Perth or Brisbane and it’s a pleasure to be treated as you are. Friendly but correct. There you get a multiple Non O, and by the way it’s great with a short holiday to Australia once a year.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I cannot see any changes to the previous rules (except from wanting more money) as long as the individual immigration officers have the power to decide.

If they really want to change the rules they must imprint it, as straightforward general rule to follow for every immigration office, not make it as your visa depend on the mode to each an every immigration officer.

Last two years I have been to the Immigration with near a half million on accounts and documentation from my embassy with proof of regularly monthly income at 70K a month.

I’m Married to a Thai.

No change. Why? Probably because I meet them with the same approach they meet me.

Have I offended them? Well not as I know, or maybe it’s an insult to not bribe them or accept their cheating. Problems, no not at all. Have been around for more than seven years and creep shall not stop me from live in Thailand. Only I make that decision.

Why the government don’t clean up. Well it will come sooner or later but not with Mr. T behind the steering wheel. Too much money involved and to many associates in the police bureau.

I travel to Perth or Brisbane and it’s a pleasure to be treated as you are. Friendly but correct. There you get a multiple Non O, and by the way it’s great with a short holiday to Australia once a year.

And those Consulates are super fast. A friend went to Brisbane, arrived about lunchtime, got the visa, and flew back to Bangkok same day.

[thaigold]

My Friends...

In spite of all the pain, Thailand is still more liberal, by light-years, compared to the US.

Try retiring in the US - especially if you're an alien.

Maybe we should all grin and bear it. Not "rock the boat", so to speak.

TG