Clarification Please: 40k Or 400k For Extension

[wasanajones]

Hello - I'd appreciate definitive advice regarding non-immigrant visa extensions.

I just registered marriage to a Thai lady.

We're on our way to Phnom Penh to hopefully secure a 90-day non-immigrant visa for marriage.

(type-'O', I assume?)

To get a one year extension in the event that this trip is successful, will having 400K in a Thai bank account work in lieu of proving an income of 40K baht per month? I have the money for a bank account, showing income going to be tougher. (no I'm not a mafia type, just on sabbatical!)

Is the affidavit from the American consulate that I have an income over 40K baht sufficient, or do the Thai authorities want more evidence?

By the way it was very difficult to open a Thai bank account - they require a work permit now. Fortunately an influencial friend intervened at the bank and convinced them to open an account for me.

The Thai immigration office in Chiang Mai was unhelpful and provided numerous incorrect answers to our questions (go to the Thai embassy in Bangkok...huh? -- no problem opening a bank account...huh?)

THANKS

[Noel]

The ฿400,000 capital option is no longer available for new applicants. However, the ฿40,000 per month certified income option remains unchanged.

That is all as you should need in terms of the financial requirements, but it may be as well to have your bank book available for inspection as they may wish to see some activity history.

[lopburi3]

Yes it is now 40k family income so your wife can use her tax payments to prove the income - believe at least a three month period is required to start.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

tax clarification?? its just a small shop that now will be the end of the year.. untill now..no tax and nothing..

the only connection that we have with the tax is that when we/she open the shop she needed to register in the tax office.. and thats all ..

so.... ummmmm yang mai ru.....

Keep border hopping then.

[kriswillems]

almog_thai.

I am more or less in the same situation. I have 5 million baht on a European bank account but I've a very hard time proving the 40K (although we've much more than 40K, income from abroad included).

My wife plans to take over the shop of her parents. Not much tax is paid by this shop. They don't cheat taxes. They just don't need to pay much (probably because of the high default tax deductions for self-employed people).

So, I am in the same situation as you. To be honest I am afraid that there is no solution for people like us. We are being kicked out unless we travel to embassies in other countries and we go to the border every 3 months.

Look at it this way. Knowing that you can't get a 1 year extention and that money doesn't help, you are totally free to leave all money in your home country. You don't need to invest 1 baht in Thailand, you don't need to pay even 1 baht tax and don't even need to put 1 baht on a Thai bank account: it wouldn't help you to get a visa anyway.

Before I planned to move my money to Thailand. Now I wont invest even 1 baht there. Not because I don't like Thailand, just because it doesn't help me at all. I am forced to do visa runs to stay with my wife.

Edited November 9, 2006 by kriswillems

[rainman]

Is the affidavit from the American consulate that I have an income over 40K baht sufficient, or do the Thai authorities want more evidence?

nobody can tell you that except thai immigration themselves. get your butt into the skytrain, subway or taxi, drive down to immigration in soi suan phlu and ask them what exactly they want, which documents, statements, etc.

So......nobody here to give professional answer?...

i'm sure everyone here has an answer to give, but if you accept an answer as correct and when the day comes immigration tells you its completely wrong, what are you gonna do? tell them someone on the internet told you different?

I am more or less in the same situation. I have 5 million baht on a European bank account but I've a very hard time proving the 40K (although we've much more than 40K, income from abroad included).

its not hard, set-up a company overseas (should be easy in your home country), employ yourself and start sending yourself a monthly salary. prove that to immigration, maybe pay taxes in thailand (if you need to) and you're all set. if you have 5M in an overseas bank account it shouldn't be hard sending 50k (looks better than 40k) per month to thailand. that's 600k per year.

So, I am in the same situation as you. To be honest I am afraid that there is no solution for people like us. We are being kicked out unless we travel to embassies in other countries and we go to the border every 3 months.

what is "people like us"? you make it seem so dramatic when its really not. thailand is still one of the easiest countries in the world to stay without really any difficulties. try getting a long stay visa in the united states, australia or even some european countries with rougly 1000 us dollars (40k thai baht) income per month - forget it!

and remember i'm trying to help, just by stating the truth and giving you some options about what you can do..

[lopburi3]

I provided the answer in post #4 (have proof of tax payments); but you did not like it so what more can we say?

[kriswillems]

Rainman,

My wife didn't need to have any income or money when she came to Europe. She got a residence permit without any question asked. Moreover she gets exactly the same rights as me over here. She can buy land, work without a working permit, get's free education, free healthcare and free support for unemployment, without paying 1 euro.

I am not going to pay tax on income that I don't make. Any income will be taxed, either in Europe or in Thailand. Some people are corrupt because they want to avoid taxes. I think that's not fair. But it's also not fair to force foreigners to pay taxes on income they don't have.

Further on my embassy is never going to provide a prove of income unless it's real income (and not just a transfer of my savings).

Edited November 9, 2006 by kriswillems

[kriswillems]

Almog_thai.

Let be reasonable. If you want to have an official income of 40K on your wifes name and your wife is self-employed, she'll will be the only self employed person in your village that will be paying that high tax. She'll not be able to compete anymore.

Almost all the small shops of self-employed people in Thailand have very high tax deductions and therefore a very low official income. Probably the tax revenue department also estimates their income to be very low. Just go to ask any shopkeeper of a small shop in Thailand how much income tax they pay yearly. You'll have a very hard time finding anyone that pays more than 5000 baht. And believe me, they are not poor and many of them are making more than 40K per month.

You can always go to the tax revenu office and ask to pay much more tax. They will not refuse. But please keep in mind that if the turnover of the shop is higher than 1.2 million, you'll be obliged to register for VAT (and you'll pay a lot!!!!).

All I want to say is that keeping things like they are and flying to Europe or USA (or wherever you're from) to get a new multiple entry non-immigrant visa is probably the cheapest solution for you.

Edited November 9, 2006 by kriswillems

[kriswillems]

Almog_thai, have a look here:

The 1.2 million is turnover, not profit.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=91637

A shop with a income high enough for your visa (40K/month) will almost for sure have a turnover of more than 1.2 million and will probably have to register for VAT.

example:

shop is selling 150000 per month (VAT included) = 93457 without VAT

shop is buying 100000 per month (VAT included) =140186 without VAT

profit:46729 /month (VAT taken into account)

Assume the deductions for expenses are 70%

income tax: (140186*12*0.3 - 100000 - 60000)*10% = 34466 B/year

VAT: ((150000 - 140186) - (100000 - 93457))*12 = (9814 - 6543)*12 = 39252 B/year

Much more expensive than an airline ticket, if you ask me.

Edited November 9, 2006 by kriswillems