Moving to Thailand - VISA requirements (USA)

[ocddave]

Hi,

I am married to a Thai women (as of November of 2014), we now have a newborn child :-). I just got back from spending 3 weeks in Thailand visiting with my wife and newborn (this was my second visit to Thailand). Upon my return to work here in the US, my boss has graciously offered me the chance to work from Thailand (so I can be with my family and actually watch my child grow up), I work in IT for a small company in the US, I keep the systems going and program solutions within our in-house Warehouse Management System. So I can login from Thailand and remotely handle issues, but I will be paid in the US, and I guess I would transfer money monthly to Thailand. This would last approximately 3 years (at which point we would all travel back to the US permanently), and I would probably also fly back every 6 month to handle any hardware upgrades at my work place during the 3 years stay in Thailand. We would upgrade our living space in Thailand from my wifes condo (that she owns ), to probably a home nearby that we would rent.

IF it helps......We are legally married in the US, and later made legal in Thailand (using US marriage certificate), and she carries my last name, so does our child. We met in the US while she was pursuing her PHD, and lived together for 2 years here in the US before she had to go back.

What would be the best approach/route for a VISA, considering I need to be there for 3 years?

What is this "A copy of recent bank statement ($700 per person and $1,500 per family)" on the VISA requirements? Is it to show my income in the US, or my wifes accounts in Thailand (I have no accounts in my name in Thailand)?

I also have to bring my 16lb dog with me, but I've read up on that, and may use a professional service to make that smoother/safer.

Thanks Again for your help!

David

Edited May 1, 2016 by ocddave

[rhodie]

Just apply for a marriage visa. Need to show 400,000 baht in the bank. No need to declare you are working as that is technically illegal.

Read some of the pinned threads in the visa section and you will get a good understanding of requirements and how to proceed.

Sounds like you work for a great guy. Good luck.

[ocddave]

Just apply for a marriage visa. Need to show 400,000 baht in the bank. No need to declare you are working as that is technically illegal.

Read some of the pinned threads in the visa section and you will get a good understanding of requirements and how to proceed.

Sounds like you work for a great guy. Good luck.

I just trying to following the Thai Embassy requirements on the following link, which doesn't say anything about 400,000 baht, or anything about extensions for that matter, but makes mention of the $700 and $1500. I assume from what I read elsewhere, that I should get the non-immigrant marriage "O" VISA, and pay $80 for the single entry, then apply for 1 year extension before 90 days is up. But does that mean I just keep renewing the extension every year after that? Is there any link to the Thai Embassy that actually has this extension information listed, and its requirements?

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

[ubonjoe]

In reality there is no marriage visa. There is a non-o visa based upon marriage or a one year extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai obtained at immigration.

You can apply for a single entry non-o visa at the embassy in DC or at any of the 3 official consulate located in LA, NY, or Chicago or at one of the 10 honorary consulates ( see: http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/ ).

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the visa you can apply for the one year extension of stay at the designated immigration office for where your are living. You can apply for anther extension after the first one ends without needing to leave the country.

Here is a general list of required documents for the extension of stay. It can vary dependent upon which office you apply at.

Unless you are applying at Bangkok you will need 2 sets of copies attached to 2 TM7 application.forms.

Proof of 400k baht in the bank for 2 months by way of a letter from your bank and your bank book.or 40k baht income.proven by a income letter from your embassy.

Copies of your passport photo page and every page that has any stamp or visa for Thailand on it. Copy of TM6 departure card.

Marriage certificate and a updated Kor Ror 2 marriage registry (Kor Ror 22 for foreign marriages)

Copies of your wife's house book registry and ID card.

Photos of you and your wife in and around the house. One must show you both with the house number shown in it. The number of photos needed varies by office.

Map to your residence from the nearest main road or street.

Proof of residence if not living where your wife's house book is for.

Some offices may want witnesses when you apply.

[elviajero]

A single entry non 'O' visa with a 1 year extension of stay is probably your best option if planning on staying 3 years. The extension can be renewed each year at your local immigration office, but it is a new application each year. You would need a re-entry permit too when making trips back to the US. Single entry is 1,000 baht; multiple entry is 3,800 baht.

Alternatively you could get a multiple entry non immigrant 'O' visa. It would allow unlimited entries for 1 year, but each entry would be limited to 90 days. With planning you can stay using this visa for nearly 15 months before needing a new visa, or nearly 17 months if you extend the last 90 day stay by 60 days to visit you wife. At the end of the 15/17 months you can get a new visa in the US or from a Thai Embassy/Consulate local to Thailand, or apply for a 1 year extension of stay.

Whatever way you go your permission to stay doesn't give permission to work.

• Working at your occupation, whilst physically in Thailand, requires permission/work permit.
• You will not get permission or a work permit for your work.
• The authorities currently, tolerate, remote IT work, but you could have problems if you disclose you are working whilst in Thailand.
• If you stay in Thailand for more than 6 months a year you will be resident for tax and may have a tax liability on your US earnings if transferred to Thailand within the year earned.

[jacksam]

OP you seem to have nice path mapped out. The advice from the experts above is clear. Take note of what elviajero mentioned. Keep the IT work to yourself. Many digital nomads happily living here but do not advertise the fact. Good luck and buy your boss a nice Xmas present

[55Jay]

Yes, you can apply for a new extension every year.

Make sure you plan ahead if you intend to use the 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank, to satisfy the income requirements for 1 year extension based on marriage. It has to be seasoned in the Thai Bank here for 2 months before applying.

If you don't have a Thai bank account, are busy in that first 90 days after arrival and don't want to deal with it, or simply do not want to import that much US currency into Thailand to begin with, then the monthly income method might be preferable for you - keeping in mind the work permit issue raised above. Obtaining an income verification letter from the US Embassy here is a fairly simple, straight forward process.

If you need further info about Thai banks and pushing money into Thailand from the US, you can find good info over in the Business/Banking thread here> http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/13-jobs-economy-banking-business-investments/ There are some helpful, knowledgeable guys in that forum as well.

[lcp0761]

Question - retiring January 3, 2017 here in the USA and subsequently moving to Thailand. I'm 55 years old, not married and have a good retirement pension (about $7K per month).

Please advise on my VISA options - is there a 1-year tourist VISA I can apply for and subsequently request it be extended?

Thanks ---

[johnatong]

Question - retiring January 3, 2017 here in the USA and subsequently moving to Thailand. I'm 55 years old, not married and have a good retirement pension (about $7K per month).

Please advise on my VISA options - is there a 1-year tourist VISA I can apply for and subsequently request it be extended?

Thanks ---

Your best option would be to apply for an O/A visa

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-o/

[elviajero]

Question - retiring January 3, 2017 here in the USA and subsequently moving to Thailand. I'm 55 years old, not married and have a good retirement pension (about $7K per month).

Please advise on my VISA options - is there a 1-year tourist VISA I can apply for and subsequently request it be extended?

Thanks ---

• A multiple entry non immigrant 'O-A' visa will give you a 1 year stay for any entry.
• The visa is valid for 1 year.
• If you enter just before the visa expires you will get a final 1 year permit to stay. Giving nearly 2 years from one visa.
• At the end of any 1 year stay you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay based on your income.
• Extensions of stay can be renewed at immigration every year thereafter.

Edited May 2, 2016 by elviajero

[ocddave]

I need clarification on one part of the process, what does the following mean? (This is from the Thai Embassy site)

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

***A visa becomes effective from the date of issuance. Do not apply for the visa too early. If you apply too early the visa may expire before your trip and you will have to re-apply. The fee is not refundable***

"effective", meaning it starts the 90 day countdown from when it is issued? That would seem like a tight time-table to be asking for the Visa at the last second, in the hopes it arrives before I leave. As it is, I am scared that I have to send my passport to another countries embassy, in the hopes that I ever get it back.

[elviajero]

I need clarification on one part of the process, what does the following mean? (This is from the Thai Embassy site)

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

***A visa becomes effective from the date of issuance. Do not apply for the visa too early. If you apply too early the visa may expire before your trip and you will have to re-apply. The fee is not refundable***

"effective", meaning it starts the 90 day countdown from when it is issued? That would seem like a tight time-table to be asking for the Visa at the last second, in the hopes it arrives before I leave. As it is, I am scared that I have to send my passport to another countries embassy, in the hopes that I ever get it back.

• A single entry non immigrant visa is valid for 3 months from the date the visa is issued. That means you have 3 months to make your one entry.
• The visa will have an 'enter before' date printed on it and that is the last day that you can enter.
• You can apply anytime within 3 months of the date you are entering the country.

This might help.

7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay. Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand. In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years. The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker.

8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. For example, the period of stay for a transit visa is not exceeding 30 days, for a tourist visa is not exceeding 60 days and for a non-immigrant visa is not exceeding 90 days from the arrival date. The period of stay granted by the immigration officer is displayed on the arrival stamp.

Source: MFA Website

Edited June 22, 2016 by elviajero

[ocddave]

Thanks elviajero

That makes more sense to me now, I guess I was thinking the 90 day time period for getting the bank account/paperwork ready for the extension at the end of the 90 day VISA, would be starting from the point they issued the visa in the US.

I need clarification on one part of the process, what does the following mean? (This is from the Thai Embassy site)

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

***A visa becomes effective from the date of issuance. Do not apply for the visa too early. If you apply too early the visa may expire before your trip and you will have to re-apply. The fee is not refundable***

"effective", meaning it starts the 90 day countdown from when it is issued? That would seem like a tight time-table to be asking for the Visa at the last second, in the hopes it arrives before I leave. As it is, I am scared that I have to send my passport to another countries embassy, in the hopes that I ever get it back.

• A single entry non immigrant visa is valid for 3 months from the date the visa is issued. That means you have 3 months to make your one entry.
• The visa will have an 'enter before' date printed on it and that is the last day that you can enter.
• You can apply anytime within 3 months of the date you are entering the country.

This might help.

7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay. Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand. In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years. The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker.

8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. For example, the period of stay for a transit visa is not exceeding 30 days, for a tourist visa is not exceeding 60 days and for a non-immigrant visa is not exceeding 90 days from the arrival date. The period of stay granted by the immigration officer is displayed on the arrival stamp.

Source: MFA Website