Thai Nationals to Loose Long-Term (5-10yr.) Visas to USA

[Banana7]

Some Thais that have 5 and 10 years visas to USA will loose them, unless Thailand provides reciprocal visas for American citizens. The new Executive Order indicates USA wants Visa Validity Reciprocity with all countries. Will Thailand start issuing 10 year visas for Americans?

 

Here is an excerpt from the order:

Sec. 10.  Visa Validity Reciprocity.  The Secretary of State shall review all non-immigrant visa reciprocity agreements and arrangements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment.  If another country does not treat United States nationals seeking non-immigrant visas in a truly reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by that foreign country, to the extent practicable.

 

 

[thequietman]

About <deleted> time.  

 

Now UK, Ireland and all others need to follow suit. Great news. Reap what you sow Thailand.

Edited March 7, 2017 by metisdead
8) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

[macahoom]

 

If Thai immigration doesn't reciprocate, I wonder will my girlfriend's existing 10 year visa be cancelled?

Edited March 7, 2017 by macahoom
Clarification

[HooHaa]

yeah, im ecstatic that my ex and my child may have to leave the US to satisfy a few petty <deleted> who seem to believe they are entitled to stay in thailand.  

over 20 years in thailand and i have NEVER had a visa issue. it really isnt that difficult.

Edited March 7, 2017 by metisdead
8) You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages, vulgarities, obscenities or profanities.

[thequietman]

33 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

yeah, im ecstatic that my ex and my child may have to leave the US to satisfy a few petty <deleted> who seem to believe they are entitled to stay in thailand.  

over 20 years in thailand and i have NEVER had a visa issue. it really isnt that difficult.

So your ex-wifes entitlement would be what?

[theguyfromanotherforum]

1 hour ago, HooHaa said:

yeah, im ecstatic that my ex and my child may have to leave the US to satisfy a few petty <deleted> who seem to believe they are entitled to stay in thailand.  

over 20 years in thailand and i have NEVER had a visa issue. it really isnt that difficult.

 

No biggie. They can apply for a "correct" visa.

[Jingthing]

Elite cards? 

[sumrit]

So the USA Government want Thailand to provide reciprocal visas for American citizens.  If that's what the USA insist on Thailand will simply make a visa for an American citizen to come to Thailand as difficult to obtain as it currently is for Thai nationals to enter their country. I don't know how complex/difficult it is for Thais to go to the USA but I imagine it's similar to the hoops Thai people have to jump through to go to the UK. How many American expats would stay here if their own Governments rules forced them into a similar system to stay in Thailand?

[steve187]

there is a 10 year visa in the pipeline

[Banana7]

On 3/7/2017 at 7:11 PM, macahoom said:

 

If Thai immigration doesn't reciprocate, I wonder will my girlfriend's existing 10 year visa be cancelled?

Not cancelled, but modified so that she will have to:

1. Show USA located assets (solely in her name) or income, sufficient to support herself, for 1 year or more. Note assets must have been electronically transferred from outside of USA, in a foreign currency, not earned in USA or brought in in cash. Income statement must be authenticated, and guaranteed by Thai embassy in USA, each and every year.

2. Report to immigration every 90 days with proof of address.

3. Notify immigration, within 24 hours, every time she moves to a new address and stays over night.

4. Provide immigration all her email addresses, bank account numbers and locations, all phone numbers, all the places she might visit frequently, and the names and phone numbers of American citizens who know her personally.

 

Next visa she gets, will only be valid for a max. of 1 year, subject to a one year extension, if she has been a good girl.

 

Very simple - just the same rules Thailand imposes on Americans.

 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Banana7

[paul18620]

about time Thailand was getting some of its own medicine 

[Banana7]

On 3/7/2017 at 6:43 PM, thequietman said:

About <deleted> time.  

 

Now UK, Ireland and all others need to follow suit. Great news. Reap what you sow Thailand.

Oh but the countries in Europe are too diplomatic, to ask for reciprocity.

[Banana7]

On 3/7/2017 at 7:11 PM, macahoom said:

 

If Thai immigration doesn't reciprocate, I wonder will my girlfriend's existing 10 year visa be cancelled?

No, just modified.

 

She'll need to provide proof of adequate financial resources. We'll use Gross National Income (GNI) as a guide for establishing adequate financial resources for a Thai living in the USA. Since Thailand demands 800,000 baht in the bank or 400,000 baht in the bank if you are married for a USA citizen, then the adjusted assets, based on GNI, for your GF is assets of about USD$228,000 or 7.8 million baht located in USA, transferred from outside the USA in a foreign currency, or the equivalent annual income. Half of that, if she is married to a USA citizen.

 

2015 GNI for Thailand is USD$5720 and USA is USD$55,980 according to the World Bank at

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD

 

Since Thailand wants 800,000b in the bank for a foreigner, which is about USD $22,800, that translates into 400% of the Thai GNI. The adequate financial threshold imposed on Thais living in the USA should be the equivalent of 400% of USA GNI which equates to USD $223.7K .

 

I wonder how many Thais will qualify?

 

Now we are beginning to see if the Thai immigration standards are fair and reasonable for foreigners living in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Banana7

[macahoom]

55 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

No, just modified.

 

She'll need to provide proof of adequate financial resources. We'll use Gross National Income (GNI) as a guide for establishing adequate financial resources for a Thai living in the USA. Since Thailand demands 800,000 baht in the bank or 400,000 baht in the bank if you are married for a USA citizen, then the adjusted assets, based on GNI, for your GF is assets of about USD$228,000 or 7.8 million baht located in USA, transferred from outside the USA in a foreign currency, or the equivalent annual income. Half of that, if she is married to a USA citizen.

 

2015 GNI for Thailand is USD$5720 and USA is USD$55,980 according to the World Bank at

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD

 

Since Thailand wants 800,000b in the bank for a foreigner, which is about USD $22,800, that translates into 400% of the Thai GNI. The adequate financial threshold imposed on Thais living in the USA should be the equivalent of 400% of USA GNI which equates to USD $223.7K .

 

I wonder how many Thais will qualify?

 

Now we are beginning to see if the Thai immigration standards are fair and reasonable for foreigners living in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your interesting reply.

 

But when I said, "If Thai immigration doesn't reciprocate, I wonder will my girlfriend's existing 10 year visa be cancelled?" I was speculating about my girlfriend’s, 10 year, U.S.A. tourist/visitor visa.

[Banana7]

13 minutes ago, macahoom said:

Thanks for your interesting reply.

 

But when I said, "If Thai immigration doesn't reciprocate, I wonder will my girlfriend's existing 10 year visa be cancelled?" I was speculating about my girlfriend’s, 10 year, U.S.A. tourist/visitor visa.

She'll be notified of the new requirements and changes to her visa.

 

Thailand won't change anything until they get lots of complaints from Thai citizens, especially the rich and influential ones. US government will move quickly, Thai government will move policy and changes at their leisure based on my experience and they don't listen to foreigners.

 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Banana7

[whatawonderfulday]

2 hours ago, paul18620 said:

about time Thailand was getting some of its own medicine 

yes and also prevent them from investing until reciprocal arrangements are in place in Thailand also

[Dipterocarp]

Put a lien on any Thai owned landed properties to ensure they are sold within 12 months.

 

When a Thai is living in their American spouse's home/land  and that spouse dies must be sold also.

 

Prohibit the sale of condominium units to Thais  where more than 50 percent of owners are Aliens. (Check Trump Tower. )

 

If a Thai is living in American owned spouse's Condo bequeathed to them  in a legal will and that spouse dies  

ensure that the full appraised value of the Condo is transferred within one year from abroad into the USA.  As required to create

the absurd legal fiction of purchasing the Condo from the deceased American spouses estate in order to register the change at 

the City/County land office.

 

Make acquisition of US Citizenship just as easy and straightforward as it is for an American to get Thai nationality.

 

Every time a Thai wants to buy a car, open a bank account, get a drivers license, etc. insist that they go down to the Thai

consulate or US immigration office to procure an expensive Prooof of Residence document that can only be used one time.

 

Eliminate the US cultural practice of addressing Thai people by title, name or Sir/Ma'am and just call them "Foreigner" all the time.

 

Immediately begin a dual pricing system and regular fleecings starting with Ten times entrance price to State/National parks.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Dipterocarp

[theguyfromanotherforum]

You guys are fantasizing. As usual, Thailand will sail through like nothing happened.

[HampiK]

And how easy is it to go for holiday to thailand for an american... and how easy it is for a thai to visit USA?

 

So according to all the posters who complain about Thailand... Then now they have to do a visa in their homecountry... with a chance of about 50% that they become a visa for thailand...

... as usual most people only see the disadvantage but not see the other side....

[Dipterocarp]

Plenty of Thai people have money and frequently travel to the US make investments, buy land etc..

 

I would guess more Thai people have passports than Americans by percentage 

 

The sarcastic post I made illustrates a number of discriminatory actions if taken would all be illegal under the US constitution. Except calling people Foreigners. 

 

That would be OK but one would become a complete pariah and probably result in Job termination.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Dipterocarp

[1happykamper]

yeah, im ecstatic that my ex and my child may have to leave the US to satisfy a few petty  who seem to believe they are entitled to stay in thailand.  

over 20 years in thailand and i have NEVER had a visa issue. it really isnt that difficult.

The Thai Visa system is awful. I have an O-A visa.. Must Check in every 90 days.. Online reporting often does not work. Only valid for 2 years upon renewal. Cost is not cheap.. Adds up over 10 years! Thailand needs to welcome retirees better!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Bill Miller]

My best understanding is that a Thai person granted a visa to the US has a ten year validity for use of said visa, not a ten year visa.
The maximum period of any visa is five years, and that is for someone with critically needed skills, or a whole bunch of money to invest. There are no ten year visas of any kind. There are several categories involving five year or less, or status dependent visas like for students or domestic workers. These are normally three year max, with extensions possible in one or two year increments.
If you get your fiancee' a K1 visa, you have ninety days after arrival to get married. You then apply for a "change of status", which upon approval entitles your now spouse to a green card, which confers resident status. The initial issue is I believe for two years, and then the spouse can receive a regular ten year green card.
This is along the lines of the "there is no such thing as a retirement visa!" oft stated about us'ns here in Thailand, (even though two immigration officers have given me instructions on when and how to renew my "retirement visa" ). The difference is that there simply is not any ten year visa available for any nationality to the United States.
In re: reciprocity Thailand has the US beat with I believe I have read up to twenty year visas. I do not know very many people who can afford them, but they can apparently be had.
All of this info on US visas is available from 

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html

 

[OJAS]

On 3/7/2017 at 6:43 PM, thequietman said:

About <deleted> time.  

 

Now UK, Ireland and all others need to follow suit. Great news. Reap what you sow Thailand.

Yep, the UK does, indeed, need to follow suit by scrapping all the bloody bureaucratic nonsensical hoops the powers-that-be there insist on our Thai wives going through in order to accompany us on a trip of 30 days or less back to our motherland.

[Bill Miller]

11 hours ago, OJAS said:

Yep, the UK does, indeed, need to follow suit by scrapping all the bloody bureaucratic nonsensical hoops the powers-that-be there insist on our Thai wives going through in order to accompany us on a trip of 30 days or less back to our motherland.

The USA as well.

[paul18620]

Its about time something like this happened to the Thai people then they will know how it feels to visit immigration offices and get the run around from them ,just a pity it can happen instantly .

[brewsterbudgen]

Its about time something like this happened to the Thai people then they will know how it feels to visit immigration offices and get the run around from them ,just a pity it can happen instantly .

Surely it's always been more difficult for Thais to get US visas, than vice versa? Are there some visa restrictions for Americans who want a visa for Thailand that I don't know about? For us Brits it's pretty straightforward with lots of options.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As another poster mentioned above, while we're at it, let's make reciprocal rules for property ownership.

 

If foreign nationals can not own land in Thailand, then Thai nationals shouldn't be allowed to own land in other countries.

 

[brewsterbudgen]

As another poster mentioned above, while we're at it, let's make reciprocal rules for property ownership.
 
If foreign nationals can not own land in Thailand, then Thai nationals shouldn't be allowed to own land in other countries.
 

It's too late for that to happen now. But I wish western countries had been a bit more restrictive about allowing foreigners to buy property and inflate property prices. Thailand has it right.

[Bill Miller]

30 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

It's too late for that to happen now. But I wish western countries had been a bit more restrictive about allowing foreigners to buy property and inflate property prices. Thailand has it right.

I question how much Thai and other small ASEAN members have raised property prices in the US. Most of that is from US people wanting "more, bigger, better" I believe. China is the Big Dog in this particular area. The biggest factor is a long period of low interest rates and slowly increasing, in the last few years, consumer confidence
One thing for certain is that the US has many, many more times the land area available than Thailand, which is a relatively tiny country, and who saw what was happening to their neighbours going back 100 or so years. Land prices are comparatively much lower in most of the US vs. most of Asia.
Also note that of late Asian investors have been purchasing lesser value properties... more people buying residences, I expect, rather than investments.
Interesting to watch... I have about 75 rai available... any takers? Only 5,000,000 Baht.

[Briggsy]

I would like to know why the visas are tied up in the first place.