Govt approves 10 year visas for foreigners over 50

[sjaak327]

2 minutes ago, khunJeroen said:

 

Same counts for many other countries but they will also not give you a visa unless you have enough money in the bank. It seems many Western people feel they are entitled to stay in Thailand even if they have little to spend. 

One would think the actual income requirements are geared towards the actual costs of the country setting the requirements. 100.000 K is not a reasonable income requirement for a society such as Thailand, this has nothing to do with feeling entitled.

[Andrew65]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

How would they know if you have insurance ?

You'd show them a valid policy document.

 

Some years ago I had a 4 year work visa for Australia. A condition of the issuance of the visa was for the sponsoring company to provide proof of health insurance for me.

[Dakhar]

I see an oppertunity for coruption.  I do believe the rules are if you get caught working with a retirement visa, your assets are taken, and you are tossed putof the country.   the deffinition of work is ver very very broad.

 

You could in theory get busted for working, if caught washing your car, cutting your grass, painting your fence, gardening, checking your mail box....

 

The opertunities are boundless, and if an immigration officer says "Pay me 50k baht, and we can make this infraction go away, " who would not pay?

 

 

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Happyman108 said:

800000 baht 3 months for a year visa or 3 million baht a year for a 10 years visa........not surprise so many poor farang complaining, but hey you can still apply for the usual 1 year visa dude. But for those who are financially more well off are given a better choice of not going thru the yearly hassle, I'm going for it !! 

 

 

The article says 10 year visa will replace the 1 year visa "dude"

[LivinLOS]

15 minutes ago, AsiaCheese said:

 

Seriously, what good would that do? Save 10x a few hours (at most) at immigration over the next 10 years, but having to commit/lock 3mio Baht for 1 year instead, and somehow making sure that 100k/month inflow won't ever get interrupted over the next 10 years? And they might just get ideas to "inflation adjust" that at some future point in time.

 

Thanks, but no thanks. I'm fine with (and see a good reason for) that 800k deposit or 65k/months show for a yearly extention, at a very polite and competent all-smiles immigration office (Jomtien).

 

 

1 hour ?? Chiang Mai is be there the night before and queue in the mossie infested night, all night.. To get a queue card.. Total joke !! 

 

Its the ease of it.. You do it once, your good to go for 5 years and that gets extended 5 years by the sound of it with no further checking. 

 

As to the added hassle.. For some when they show their income its >100k now, and they only get a year.. For the exact same effort, the person who has a good income, gets 10 years.. Its all a bonus. 

[LivinLOS]

9 minutes ago, BWPattaya said:

 

There are many people struggle now due to the GBP to Bt exchange rate

 

 

Well the good news is the UK is now cheap as chips.. Spent my summer months there and its a good bit cheaper than here for my lifestyle. 

[Mook23]

5 minutes ago, Happyman108 said:

800000 baht 3 months for a year visa or 3 million baht a year for a 10 years visa........not surprise so many poor farang complaining, but hey you can still apply for the usual 1 year visa dude. But for those who are financially more well off are given a better choice of not going thru the yearly hassle, I'm going for it !! 

 

Wow! A genuine "quality" tourist. On TVF!!!! This is some REAL breaking news. 555

[Spellforce]

We have to keep quiet :)

This article doesn't said the 1 year visa will change ! (and what about the IM and marry VISA ?)

 

We have to understand that if you want to apply to a 10 years VISA:

1 - You need the 1 year non-im VISA

THEN

2 - You can apply for a new 10 years VISA that will REPLACE the 1 year VISA. The 10 years VISA is not an extension, this is a NEW VISA.

 

 

[soalbundy]

Just now, Mook23 said:

Wow! A genuine "quality" tourist. On TVF!!!! This is some REAL breaking news. 555

don't bait him or he will start boasting about his car and his Hi-So girlfriend

[LivinLOS]

8 minutes ago, Happyman108 said:

800000 baht 3 months for a year visa or 3 million baht a year for a 10 years visa........not surprise so many poor farang complaining, but hey you can still apply for the usual 1 year visa dude. But for those who are financially more well off are given a better choice of not going thru the yearly hassle, I'm going for it !! 

 

 

65k a month income or 100k a month income ?? 

 

Really, anyone thinking of retiring here, at the rate at which this country is developing and the surge in middle class, the rising incomes of the young professionals, the rising cashed up society.. And dont have 100k a month coming in or planned.. Is looking at a very risky 15 - 20 year future.. 

[Spellforce]

You can also REPLACE your 1 year VISA by an elite 5 years VISA.

 

Elite or 10 years VISA 50yo are optional.

 

Nobody said that the 1 year visa will change.

[MrMuddle]

2 minutes ago, Spellforce said:

We have to keep quiet :)

This article doesn't said the 1 year visa will change ! (and what about the IM and marry VISA ?)

 

We have to understand that if you want to apply to a 10 years VISA:

1 - You need the 1 year non-im VISA

THEN

2 - You can apply for a new 10 years VISA that will REPLACE the 1 year VISA. The 10 years VISA is not an extension, this is a NEW VISA.

 

 

I really hope you're right on this.   :)

[JLCrab]

So this is all way preliminary but that $10,000 annual insurance requirement would seem to leave out the self-insured crowd.

[nofarang]

42 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

If correct, 3 mill or 100k will provoke a huge exodus, the human tragedy side of this could be appalling. Substantial numbers of long term expats will not be able to meet these requirements, let's wait and see if this is this only option going forward.

 

Yes, and who over 75 can find and afford a compulsory health insurance???

[Spellforce]

Just now, MrMuddle said:

I really hope you're right on this.   :)

When you are applying for a 10 years >50yo VISA you are suposed to be on 1 year VISA > 50yo ?

So yes, that new VISA will replace the old one.

[LivinLOS]

7 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

The article says 10 year visa will replace the 1 year visa "dude"

 

 

The article is the usual vague collection of garbled translation.. 

 

The 10 year solution (I would guess 2 5 year extensions) would replace the 1 year solution for those who qualify.. It doesnt say they wills top the 1 year solution, only that for those with more income, this option could be an alternative. 

[acid thunder]

2 minutes ago, Spellforce said:

Nobody said that the 1 year visa will change.

 

The article suggests that this 'replaces' the current regime. 

 

Might be lost in translation but that's what is said.

[Spellforce]

Just now, LivinLOS said:

 

 

The article is the usual vague collection of garbled translation.. 

 

The 10 year solution (I would guess 2 5 year extensions) would replace the 1 year solution for those who qualify.. It doesnt say they wills top the 1 year solution, only that for those with more income, this option could be an alternative. 

Of course :) That article is a false alert.

19h15 time to relax and go eat ! :)

 

[jeffandgop]

41 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

 

Who would even think about retirement here without it.. 

I did and do not have a pension that reaches 100K per month. But my pension that I do have lets my wife & I live very comfortably and in our own home 

[LivinLOS]

1 minute ago, acid thunder said:

 

The article suggests that this 'replaces' the current regime. 

 

Might be lost in translation but that's what is said.

 

Yes for those who qualify, it would replace it.. 

 

Can you not see that interpretation ?? 

 

For those who dont qualify.. it doesnt replace it.. 

 

See now ?? 

[soalbundy]

Just now, LivinLOS said:

 

65k a month income or 100k a month income ?? 

 

Really, anyone thinking of retiring here, at the rate at which this country is developing and the surge in middle class, the rising incomes of the young professionals, the rising cashed up society.. And dont have 100k a month coming in or planned.. Is looking at a very risky 15 - 20 year future.. 

some of us don't have a 15 or 20 year future. Who knows what will happen to Thailand in the future,they are already in the middle income trap,Cambodia, Burma and Vietnam all have far lower wages and aren't shy about asking for investors,Thailand has to up its game but somehow i don't think they can.

[MrMuddle]

Can the good folks who run ThaiVisa please get clarification of all this, and spell out exactly what the new regulations entail ?

[mstevens]

54 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It sounds like they are copying the Malaysian program. SO FAR, the text implies this will be REPLACEMENT program for the current O-A visa and current annual extensions at much lower levels.

Very bad news for many of us.

If so, any chance of GRANDFATHERING those in the current levels that can't meet the new ones? 

 

Rereading the original article, you do have a point.  It says it replace existing one-year visas.  Wow, if true, Thailand's foreigner retiree numbers are about to plummet.

[LivinLOS]

Just now, jeffandgop said:

I did and do not have a pension that reaches 100K per month. But my pension that I do have lets my wife & I live very comfortably and in our own home 

 

Then you dont meet the qualifications for a 10 year visa (likely extension).. 

 

No sweat.. keep enjoying your life as you do.. Do your annual extensions.. 

[acid thunder]

Just now, LivinLOS said:

 

Yes for those who qualify, it would replace it.. 

 

Can you not see that interpretation ?? 

 

For those who dont qualify.. it doesnt replace it.. 

 

See now ?? 

 

It's open to interpretation and you definitely can't be sure at this juncture.  No point laying bets at present.

[chiang mai]

38 minutes ago, Lunchbob said:

It says in the linked article you still have to check in every 90 days. ridiculous. the only reason to have a long visa is to be relieved of the burden of "checking in"

 

Wrong! The reason for a long stay visa is to provide assurance of stay, 90 day reports are totally irrelevant.

[LivinLOS]

1 minute ago, acid thunder said:

 

It's open to interpretation and you definitely can't be sure at this juncture.  No point laying bets at present.

 

You never lay bets when the outcome is known.. 

 

I will take any bet anyone wants to make thats how it ends up. 

 

[mstevens]

52 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

If correct, 3 mill or 100k will provoke a huge exodus, the human tragedy side of this could be appalling. Substantial numbers of long term expats will not be able to meet these requirements, let's wait and see if this is this only option going forward.

 

Human tragedy?  Such hypebole.  There are other countries....you can get a 1-year visa in Cambodia for around $300 per year and don't even have to do 90-day reporting.  There are options!

[chiang mai]

2 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

 

You never lay bets when the outcome is known.. 

 

I will take any bet anyone wants to make thats how it ends up. 

 

 

I agree, the direction is set, time is the variable.

[SoFarAndNear]

53 minutes ago, eeworldwide said:

I suspect a great many things are going to change in terms of visas for Thailand in the coming year.

 

Would it be wishful thinking to hope that they might implement a realistic visa scheme for those who have married thais and have dependants here? Like, oh - every other country in the world?

 

Get rid of the stupid 3 month check in for a start and issue 5 year visas for those married to a thai national with thai dependants.

 

 

 

 

I think the Visa for married or having thai dependants are not that bad but the limits on the thai labor market are outdated. If you have a child in Thailand then it would be at least fair that you can have the possibility to work without the hard foreign labor restrictions.