Extension Of Non Imm. O

[tallen1966]

Please help. This is all very complicated. I am going to marry my Thai girlfriend. I want to live in Thailand. I'm 40 years old. I have over 2,000,000 Baht, but I don't have a monthly income. Will I be able to live in Thailand? I planned on living in Thailand with my future wife until the money ran out, and then I'd go back to the USA and make more money and then return to Thailand, then repeat. Is this possible? Thanks

[Sunbelt Asia]

Please help. This is all very complicated. I am going to marry my Thai girlfriend. I want to live in Thailand. I'm 40 years old. I have over 2,000,000 Baht, but I don't have a monthly income. Will I be able to live in Thailand? I planned on living in Thailand with my future wife until the money ran out, and then I'd go back to the USA and make more money and then return to Thailand, then repeat. Is this possible? Thanks

No not unless she or you work and make 40,000 Baht a month.

The other option is to get a one year multi entri visa at a Embassy/ Consulate. This will require a visa run every 90 days with the exception of once a year, you are allowed a 60 day extension. That cycle then would be 5 months ( 90 days plus 60 days) before needing to do a visa run.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[rainman]

Ok, the income is from overseas so do you have to pay tax for it?

They are not looking for any tax payment in Thailand, on this income.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

statements of the last 3 years showing never less than 100,000 baht per month, coming in regularly between the 1st and 5th of each month would be proof enough?

[lopburi3]

If income from outside Thailand it must be confirmed by your Embassy. So up to Embassy what they will accept as proof and then up to immigration if they agree.

If income inside Thailand it must be confirmed with tax payment receipts.

[thai_narak]

If income from outside Thailand it must be confirmed by your Embassy. So up to Embassy what they will accept as proof and then up to immigration if they agree.

If income inside Thailand it must be confirmed with tax payment receipts.

Income overseas are pumped into the thai bank as international wire transfer relgularly. Can the bank issue a confirmation instead of the embassy?

[lopburi3]

Not to my knowledge. Foreign (non Thai tax) income is confirmed by Embassy letter.

[rainman]

reason i asked is, i tried my embassy to confirm my income but they got back to me with the response "we don't know you will have that income tomorrow, so we cannot confirm it". so what now..?

[lopburi3]

You or the wife go to work and make 40k per month. After 3 months you can then use that tax payment receipts to obtain the extension of stay. The wife would not even require a work permit.

Good luck obtaining her understanding.

[rainman]

You or the wife go to work and make 40k per month. After 3 months you can then use that tax payment receipts to obtain the extension of stay. The wife would not even require a work permit.

Good luck obtaining her understanding.

well, i'm on a 400k extension right now that runs out in late March 2007, but the funds i need for the 400k deposit won't be available to me until February 2007 (so one month before), because they're in an offshore investment. i get +100k per month in income from an offshore company however (since over 3 years), but unfortunately my embassy isn't as easy as the US embassy where you can just go and tell them how much you're making and they write a confirmation for you. in fact, they won't even accept a letter of employment since they wouldn't know for how much longer i am employed for; silly i know. does the immigration need a letter stating you are "currently" employed and receiving this salary or stating that you are employed for the "next 12 months" receiving this salary?

Edited December 5, 2006 by rainman

[lopburi3]

I was just going on the 100k coming into Thailand each month so that should allow a work around if you need to meet the 40k family income rules; believing you were a new applicant. My memory is not much good beyond the most recent post sometimes.

Immigration is only interested in history not the future so don't understand why your Embassy will not certify your history, like most any other Embassy will do. Even with Embassy certification you still have to present the proof to immigration now.

You may be able to slide on the 3 month rule as believe most have been told to do it next time to date and with the deposit record should not cause any red flags. Don't believe you will have a problem. But if you can get the money into the account earlier I would try.

[rainman]

i'm trying, believe me the money is unfortunately invested right now and it will be returned with more than the 400k i need, but just a month before i need to show it and as i understand, there's a 3 month period it needs to be there. i can always come up with the good old "i didn't know.." excuse, but i'd prefer to do it correctly if i can.

i can show bank books of 100k+ coming into my account in thailand for the last 3+ years, so i guess i'll have my embassy try and certify that again tomorrow, i guess.

in the worst case if they don't accept my bank statements (or embassy confirmation, when i get it) and neither my 400k deposit because it was made too late, i could always have my wife employed in her sister's company (already talked to her, its ok) with a 45k or whatever salary and just pay the taxes every month ...

i'd prefer one of the other two ways however

[harrydash]

i'm trying, believe me the money is unfortunately invested right now and it will be returned with more than the 400k i need, but just a month before i need to show it and as i understand, there's a 3 month period it needs to be there. i can always come up with the good old "i didn't know.." excuse, but i'd prefer to do it correctly if i can.

i can show bank books of 100k+ coming into my account in thailand for the last 3+ years, so i guess i'll have my embassy try and certify that again tomorrow, i guess.

in the worst case if they don't accept my bank statements (or embassy confirmation, when i get it) and neither my 400k deposit because it was made too late, i could always have my wife employed in her sister's company (already talked to her, its ok) with a 45k or whatever salary and just pay the taxes every month ...

i'd prefer one of the other two ways however

I went for my extension just over a month ago and was worried because the funds had only been in the bank for a month prior. However the officer said nothing, and I went back this week and now have my one year stamp.

I had expected to receive a problem but turned out to be the easiest and quickest renewal I've had.

[slobbert]

I obtained my first retirement visa last January and it's expiring on Jan 13, 2007. I've been in the States for the past few months on personal business. I have a re-entry permit and am returning to the Kingdom on Jan 3. So I'll be applying for an extension of my retirement visa.

From what I've read here, I need to have the U.S. Embassy in BKK certify that my monthly pension is in excess of 40,000bt. (It is.) I also must show Thai Immigration independent documentation that I'm receiving that money. And since my pension is over the 40,000bt requirement, I don't need to prove 800,000bt in the bank, correct?

Is that it? Is there any other documentation that I will need? Sorry if I'm being dense but I've received conflicting information and my head is spinning. I'd much rather get my ducks in a row now than be groveling before the Immigration officer later.

Thanks for any help.

[lopburi3]

You pension must be more than 65k per month for a retirement extension of stay.

You will need Embassy paper of what your pension/income is and the proof of it (immigration will want to see supporting paperwork as well as Embassy paper this year).

You will need a bank account passbook and copies (amount not a factor if income above 65k in Embassy letter).

4x6cm photo current within six months.

Passport/entry card and copies of relevant pages.

TM.7 filled out and payment of 1,900 baht.

Optional - re entry permit.

Several sets of copies will be required outside of Bangkok.

[wpcoe]

I obtained my first retirement visa last January and it's expiring on Jan 13, 2007. I've been in the States for the past few months on personal business. I have a re-entry permit and am returning to the Kingdom on Jan 3. So I'll be applying for an extension of my retirement visa.

Since you are in the US now, how about getting a new O-A visa there? I believe the cost for a multiple-entry O-A is $125, about the same as an extension in Thailand (B1900) plus the multiple re-entry permit (B3800).

The documentation is slightly different: you'll need criminal record check and medical check. You can verify with the particular consulate (or the embassy) for their particular needs. See http://www.thaiembdc.org/directry/direc_e.htm for a complete list of consulates in the US.

To balance the extra paper work, some benefits are you can keep your money in the US accounts, and if you don't make frequent trips from Thailand you can stretch one O-A visa to almost two years: re-enter Thailand the day before the visa expires and you get a one-year permit to stay from that date. You also save a trip to the US Embassy in BKK and the accompanying B1200 fee, and can do the process via mail.

[slobbert]

Lopburi -- you are correct, 65,000bt for extension. No worries there. Does that bank passbook have to be with a Thai bank? I've kept all my cash in U.S. banks so far.

wpcoe -- I hadn't considered getting a new O-A visa. I could do it as there is a Thai consulate here in Chicago (they issued my original retirement visa). I'll think about that. One of the benefits you mentioned was I could keep my money in the U.S. That ties back in with my question to Lopburi. Am I required to have a Thai bank account for an extension of my retirement visa?

Thanks very much to you both for your help.

[lopburi3]

There has been a requirement for a "bank letter" and that is taken as a need to have a local account. The amount in the account can be minimal if you meet the 65k requirement. I find it much more covenant to use local ATM cards to obtain money than foreign cards that may or may not work on any given day (although they usually do these days) and the extra charges involved. It also provides a good record if Immigration should want evidence of your means of support at some point in the future and local cash in case of an emergency.

[slobbert]

Lopburi -- I guess I'll have to open an account when I get there. Hopefully they won't require that the money be there for three months prior to my application.

Thanks again to all for their help.

[rainman]

to confirm, if you want to extend based on monthly income of 40k baht foreign income, the immigration wants to see a certification past income (over the last 12 months), not a certification of future income, right?

so basically showing proof that between January 2006 and December 2006 you received 100k baht every month should be enough to get the extension for January 2007 to December 2007, so to speak?

[lopburi3]

When using money in the bank for retirement it must have been on deposit for the 3 previous months at or above the level required for any new applicants.

For income for marriage extension; if foreign it must be certified by Embassy and supporting documents available if requested by Immigration. Believe they are only interested in the 3 month period prior to application (just as with bank deposit). If local money the last three months of tax receipts are used as proof.

[slobbert]

Lopburi -- I'm sorry to keep beating this horse so much but every time I get a question answered, three more arise.

You're saying that I need to have some money in a Thai bank account (along with the other documentation) for at least three months before I will be granted a one-year extension on my retirement visa? So if I arrive in Thailand on Jan 3 and open an account I won't be able to get an extension until April?

If that's the case then I guess I'm screwed on getting the extension. I suppose I could apply for another

retirement visa here in the States as Wpcoe suggested but it's a pain in the butt to scramble around at this late date to get all the documents together as I did last year.

Time for some agonizing re-appraisal.....

[lopburi3]

As you already have a retirement visa I expect they will allow the fresh deposit. It is those going from a normal visa that are currently having to show the 3 month proof I believe - for others there will be a phase in period so you should be OK this time.

But am confused as to why you have a re entry permit. Did you not receive the normal multi entry non immigrant O-A visa? With that you need no re entry permit and obtain a one year permitted to stay on each entry; so you would have received a one year permitted to stay stamp on your Jan 3 arrival next year.

[slobbert]

The short answer is no. I was totally ignorant of the multi-entry option and got what they gave me which was a single entry. No excuses, I just didn't know about the multi-entry permit.

Live and learn. Some day, I'm gonna figure out this stuff.

Thanks very much for the info, Lop. It's eased my mind greatly.

[tgeezer]

Can anyone confirm that this is the the right way to understand the new law, - being an "alien" married to a Thai woman:

Order of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters No. 606/2549. Re: Rules and Conditions in the Consideration of Alien Applications for Temporary Stay in the Kingdom of Thailand

Chapter 7.17 (6)

In the case of an alien married to a Thai woman, any party or both must have a total income of not less than Baht 40,000 per month, except for aliens who entered the Kingdom before this Order came into force and granted a permit to stay in the Kingdom. If the alien does not have the minimum income above, he shall have an account deposit in Thailand in the name of either party or both of not less than Baht 400,000. Proof of account deposit for the previous 3 months is required.

-----

The (very unpolite) Immigration officer at the Mukdahan Imm.Offce REFUSED to receive my application for extension of NonImm. O when I did not show evidence of a monthly income of 40K. In my documentation it was legally proof of bank deposits much more than 400K that has been transferred from abroad and in over 3 months.

Anyone with similar experiences?

[Maestro]

Tgeezer, with what intention did you quote that old post, without adding any information or comment of your own?

--

Maestro

[old wanderer]

I have been waiting to renew my passport next week when I get to Los Angeles. I looked at the Thai Consulate web pages, and the multi entry O-A visa is no longer available here in the USA>

I am transfering to Singapore in a few months, and will make regular weekend trips to BKK as we are building a vacation home about 2 hours out from BKK in the mountains. Since I am married to a Thai, looks like the only game in town for me is the multi entry O visa.

If they start taking the 3 tourist entry thing in 6 months seriously I would not want to gamble. (even if they do not amount to 90 days, it only takes one jerk to ruin your trip). It is $125 for a year O visa.

Looks a lot simpler than a O-A visa (and I am over 50 years old).

Any reason I should not go this route?

[lopburi3]

1. The Thai-LA website is not reporting any update since October of 2005 so would not take what it says as valid without a call to confirm.

2. An O-A even if single entry can be used with a multi re-entry permit for unlimited travel.

3. Nothing wrong with a multi entry O visa on the basis of your marriage for now and with no address in Thailand is probably more applicable. You can always change to retirement inside Thailand later if you plan to move here.

[wpcoe]

Mods, feel free to remove this post. I missed a key point the poster was trying to make: *multiple-entry". Upon review of the pages I referred him to, I realize none of them specifically mention *multiple-entry* although anecdotally: a friend of mine just got a multiple-entry O-A visa at the Chicago consulate about two months ago. However, that anecdote may no longer apply?

Edited December 17, 2006 by wpcoe

[lopburi3]

And that LA page has the following quote:

Fee

$ 50 for a single-entry ONLY, no multiple-entry.

But if you look at the bottom of the page is was last updated 1 Aug 2005.

[lotus eater]

Since this is such a live thread on the topic of extension of a non o visa (with the presence on it of lopburi), may I pose a few questions here, instead of on a separate thread, about the 3 month deposit, the expiry date for application - and any address requirement?

a) I want to put in for an extension of non o visa on a retirement/800k pa basis.

I can't easily get the money transferred to thailand until mid January.

c) My current visa is good for a final entry by April 11.

My questions are

1) Can I do a visa run before April 11 to get a further 90 days here, and upon completion of the money’s 3-month deposit period make the application.

2) Or, must I assume the application must be made before the anniversary of the non o visa (April 11) , somehow get the money here before Jan 11 and make the application 3 months after it does, ie before April 11?

3) Can the money be at any branch in Thailand, or only at a branch in CM (where I'll make the application?

Also,

I am renting accommodation without any written agreement. Will this undocumented address be acceptable on any requisite papers of the application?