What Is Your Visa Status?

[drummer]

This is just to see where TV posters are sitting with their visas. There are lots of reports of this and that. This is to see where you, personally, are. cheers

[tropo]

This is just to see where TV posters are sitting with their visas. There are lots of reports of this and that. This is to see where you, personally, are. cheers

I'm waiting to see and seriously considering leaving.

I already have tentative plans to relocate and really it's only a matter of when, rather than if. I refuse to live with such uncertainty.

[Grover]

maybe the thais want you to go tropo

Edited December 23, 2006 by Grover

[monty]

I don't see how it can affect that many people.

It's not that hard and certainly not impossible to be legal!

In my opinion two groups are hit unjustified, first being the under 50's unmarried people whom they have taken away the 3 million Baht investment extension.

The second group would be the under 50 married people, who now actually need a certified regular income, as opposed to the 400,000 Baht on the bank before!

[Lite Beer]

I am one of the lucky ones.

Over 50 , married to a Thai lady with two kids I can adopt. Also grandfathered to the money in the bank system.

I think the group that can feel agrieved are the fathers of Thai kids that are under the age of 50.

The monthly visa runners surely knew they were bending the rules and it would end one day.

[rcm]

I don't see how it can affect that many people.

It's not that hard and certainly not impossible to be legal!

In my opinion two groups are hit unjustified, first being the under 50's unmarried people whom they have taken away the 3 million Baht investment extension.

The second group would be the under 50 married people, who now actually need a certified regular income, as opposed to the 400,000 Baht on the bank before!

I thought this was "grandfathered'? Meaning that those who used to show the 400000thb before October for the extension may still go on under this rule.The certified income is for those who wish to extend their Type O and are under 50 , after the October rule came in place.

Please correct me if i am wrong .....but this is how i understood it,

rcm

[Crossy]

I thought this was "grandfathered'? Meaning that those who used to show the 400000thb before October for the extension may still go on under this rule.The certified income is for those who wish to extend their Type O and are under 50 , after the October rule came in place.

Please correct me if i am wrong .....but this is how i understood it,

You're safe mate

Assuming you've already got an extension on the "400k in the bank" rule you will be able to continue that route.

[chokdeekrap]

The monthly visa runners surely knew they were bending the rules and it would end one day.

call me naive or an idiot but i did monthly visa runs for 18 months never thinking i was doing anything wrong or even bending the rules. a thai immigration OFFICIAL would stamp me out of the country & i would get stamped back into the country by a thai immigration OFFICIAL. never did i hear any remark about bending the rules or mis-use of the VOA.

i knew not to overstay as the rules were clearly stated that the stamp in/out was valid for 30 days, anything longer would result in a penalty. no where did it ever mention that back-to-back-to-back-to-back...18 times-to-back runs to the border were wrong or a blatant mis-use of the VOA.

now thai immigration, much to my dismay has expressed that never-ending border runs will no longer be tolerated, introducing these new regultions.

so now what... i can get a double entry tourist visa from my home country, return to LOS and with 30 day ext, 3x30VOA, another tourist visa another ext i can happily live in thailand. thems are the rules! so is this the next group of peeps that are seen by everyone (including thai immigration) to be BENDING the rules? how long will that last?

i also have a thai GF i love. not sure i want to marry her yet but hey why not? i could get my non-imm-O visa & stay in LOS. am i BENDING the rules again?

Edited December 23, 2006 by chokdeekrap

[Gary A]

I have had a retirement visa for several years so I am not affected. I do have some old retired friends (old literally) that I worry about. They are planning to take their chances and just stay illegally. Most of them could come up with the 20,000 baht fine if it came down to that but what about the airfare back to their home countries, and what do they do when they do get there?. There are some of these guys who (healthwise) simply couldn't handle any Thai jail time. I really wouldn't have a lot of sympathy for young guys getting caught but the oldsters in most cases have been here for years and actually have no where else to go.

[Lite Beer]

The monthly visa runners surely knew they were bending the rules and it would end one day.

call me naive or an idiot but i did monthly visa runs for 18 months never thinking i was doing anything wrong or even bending the rules. a thai immigration OFFICIAL would stamp me out of the country & i would get stamped back into the country by a thai immigration OFFICIAL. never did i hear any remark about bending the rules or mis-use of the VOA.

i knew not to overstay as the rules were clearly stated that the stamp in/out was valid for 30 days, anything longer would result in a penalty. no where did it ever mention that back-to-back-to-back-to-back...18 times-to-back runs to the border were wrong or a blatant mis-use of the VOA.

now thai immigration, much to my dismay has expressed that never-ending border runs will no longer be tolerated, introducing these new regultions.

so now what... i can get a double entry tourist visa from my home country, return to LOS and with 30 day ext, 3x30VOA, another tourist visa another ext i can happily live in thailand. thems are the rules! so is this the next group of peeps that are seen by everyone (including thai immigration) to be BENDING the rules? how long will that last?

i also have a thai GF i love. not sure i want to marry her yet but hey why not? i could get my non-imm-O visa & stay in LOS. am i BENDING the rules again?

Technicaly yes. Living here on never ending tourist visas is not using them for the purpose they were intended . It remains to be seen if this will be allowed any way.

It would appear that you and your girlfriend have been very happy together for well over a year so why not marry her? Would solve a lot of your problems. Sorry for sounding a bit cold but that is the situation you find yourself in.

Anyway forget it all for a few days and have a happy Christmas with your girlfriend.

[chokdeekrap]

I really wouldn't have a lot of sympathy for young guys getting caught but the oldsters in most cases have been here for years and actually have no where else to go.

what a dumb-ass statement that is! i am sorry but come on, you would rather young guys get caught & sent out of LOS rather than old guys because they have nowhere else to go?

where did they come from in the first place?

i think the "oldsters" have it the easiest of any farang in LOS @ the moment qualifying for the 50+ non-imm-O visa. if anything, the "oldsters" is the group of peeps i have the least sympathy for in this whole mess!

i think any "oldster" that has livied in LOS for any length of time can continue to do so without change to regular visa procedures (just an assumption on my part & i could very well be wrong but i think the grandfather rules would include this group) so there should be no "oldsters" that are legal worrying about these new regulations.

editted for grammer.

Edited December 23, 2006 by chokdeekrap

[Gary A]

I really wouldn't have a lot of sympathy for young guys getting caught but the oldsters in most cases have been here for years and actually have no where else to go.

what a dumb-ass statement that is! i am sorry but come on, you would rather young guys get caught & sent out of LOS rather than old guys because they have nowhere else to go?

where did they come from in the first place?

i think the "oldsters" have it the easiest of any farang in LOS @ the moment qualifying for the 50+ non-imm-O visa. if anything, the "oldsters" is the group of peeps i have the least sympathy for in this whole mess!

i think any "oldster" that has livied in LOS for any length of time can continue to do so without change to regular visa procedures (just an ssumption on my part & i could very well be wrong but i think the grandfather rules would include this group) so there should be no "oldsters" that are legal worrying about these new regulations.

That shows how much you know. Someday you too will be old and I hope you will have have planned well for the future. These old timers have been doing month to month runs for years. Some worked all their lives and have $600.00 a month pensions to show for it. Do you suppose an 80 year old man can go find a job? They came here and lived pretty well and are a burden to NO ONE (YET). You young guys who still know EVERYTHING can at least go back to work. You have not paid your dues like those old guys have.

[TerryLH]

"editted for grammer."

You should also use a spellchecker.

[chokdeekrap]

"editted for grammer."

You should also use a spellchecker.

yikes! glad i didn't decide to try to teach local thais english grammar!

thanks for that terry

edited for grammar.

Edited December 23, 2006 by chokdeekrap

[tropo]

maybe the thais want you to go tropo

Yes, the expected asinine comment. You're really on the ball Grover...only took you a minute.

Check the poll so far. There's 20% leaving or seriously thinking about it from 50 votes.

The Thais will be happy to see MANY people leaving.

Edited December 23, 2006 by tropo

[chokdeekrap]

Someday you too will be old and I hope you will have have planned well for the future.

Yes i have already planned for the future... as i get older & can apply for a non-imm-O visa i will have the funds to be approved for said visa if i wish to stay in LOS.

These old timers have been doing month to month runs for years.

so what is different from me doing month to month visas for the past 18 months? do the "oldsters" doing monthly VOA runs deserve the right to stay in LOS over because they have been in LOS longer? they have the choice to apply for the non-imm-O retirement visa.

Do you suppose an 80 year old man can go find a job?

i don't hope & i don't wish for any 80 year old man to go and find a job. but you make it sound like his only hope of making it is retirement in LOS. where did this 80 year old man come from? i am sure he is not the only person from where he came from trying to make ends meat. i guess if he had a legal visa, like if i myself had one also (i only wish i could get a non-imm-O retirement visa) he would have no worries. but this older person should be given preferential treament that allows him to stay in LOS because he has been here longer than say a younger person?

They came here and lived pretty well and are a burden to NO ONE (YET).

as far as i know i was never a burden to anyone while i was living in LOS! i was happily going along following whatever rules i was aware of. i was happy living "pretty well" also.

You young guys who still know EVERYTHING can at least go back to work. You have not paid your dues like those old guys have.

i am not sure i know everything... but i know i am pretty close! JK. yes i can go back to work & make a lot more money... but why should i have to do that if i don't want to... i worked my ass off (regardless of what you say) & put myself in a position that i can now relax & enjoy the things that i want to enjoy & perhaps missed out while on working my lil' ass off!. i am sorry if you or your generation didn't have the opportunities that myself & my peers had the chance to accomplish. So tell please why do i have to suffer because of that?

[Francis Maube]

Conspiracy theory aside, I am wondering what's going on. Let's forget about LOS government driving foreigners away for a minute. The latest change in regulation targets 2 groups of people, the one on VOA and the Non O. By trying to force the VOA holder to return to their home country for a multiple entry tourist visa and the Non O to have their monthly income certified by their embassy, does that sound like cooperation between thai authorities and (presumably mostly) western counties authorities. The drivers could be, weeding out criminal, tax evaders and the like.

We have seen an increasing level of cooperation between Thai police and Interpol over the past few years, the new regulation happen to be fitting nicely into the pattern.

Is it bordering paranoia or is there something behind?

[chokdeekrap]

and have $600.00 a month pensions to show for it.

pension sounds nice. i am sure there won't even be a pension for me when i am eligible.

edited for grammar.

Edited December 23, 2006 by chokdeekrap

[bmanly]

The new visa regs do not affect me. Every year I purchase a Non Imm O multi entry visa from the Thai Consulate in my home Country, cost $225 AUD. I can come and go to Thailand as often as I like for 12 Months and do not have to tie up 800,000 baht in the country, suits me fine.

[Grover]

maybe the thais want you to go tropo

Yes, the expected asinine comment. You're really on the ball Grover...only took you a minute. <snip>

The Thais will be happy to see MANY people leaving.

Calm down, calm down. Dont go tropo

Edited December 23, 2006 by Grover

[aussiestyle1983]

No change, it will not affect me.

Good luck to everyone else.

[Krub]

I really wouldn't have a lot of sympathy for young guys getting caught but the oldsters in most cases have been here for years and actually have no where else to go.

what a dumb-ass statement that is! i am sorry but come on, you would rather young guys get caught & sent out of LOS rather than old guys because they have nowhere else to go?

where did they come from in the first place?

i think the "oldsters" have it the easiest of any farang in LOS @ the moment qualifying for the 50+ non-imm-O visa. if anything, the "oldsters" is the group of peeps i have the least sympathy for in this whole mess!

i think any "oldster" that has livied in LOS for any length of time can continue to do so without change to regular visa procedures (just an ssumption on my part & i could very well be wrong but i think the grandfather rules would include this group) so there should be no "oldsters" that are legal worrying about these new regulations.

That shows how much you know. Someday you too will be old and I hope you will have have planned well for the future. These old timers have been doing month to month runs for years. Some worked all their lives and have $600.00 a month pensions to show for it. Do you suppose an 80 year old man can go find a job? They came here and lived pretty well and are a burden to NO ONE (YET). You young guys who still know EVERYTHING can at least go back to work. You have not paid your dues like those old guys have.

While I can understand the situation they find themselves in, they brought it to themselves by going the easy route of not getting proper long term extensions of stay even though they were available when they first came in and settled.

600US$ per month might let them get by in rural Thailand but even by Thai standard would not qualify for a 'safe' retirement plan.

If I am not mistaken the 800K requirement is the latest figure but it was at one time 200k increased to 500k and now 800k.

the old timers are grandfathererd.

Message to all : get the correct visa for your real intentions and do not try to play 'smart' like the endless 30 days back to back as it is too dangerous to build your life plan on it.

I wish there was a solution for the old folks whom you describe.

Edited December 24, 2006 by Krub

[drummer]

According to the poll results so far, it looks like 2/3rd are not affected. Half of those left have made themselves legal already, (whether legally or illegally) If new rules actually get in place, it looks like up to half of the guys on VOAs might leave - that would be somewhere around 200-300 thousand Europeans. This would seem to be the potential number, given the results of the polls and the numbers of back-to-back visa runners according to border Immigration numbers.

Of course, everyone is waiting to see what the new rules really are. If they start limiting Tourist visas, then the number of those departing would probably get a lot higher. If they make some sort of residency plan, then I expect most people would stay.

I tually turned down 2 lob offers with work permits when I left. I don't like the uncertainty game. Also, I make more money when the economy does well, and this wuld seem to indicate that the the government is more concerned with ideology than reality ... Look at Bush, Mugabe and Mao to see where that gets you... My own 2 satang is that they are trying to get farang to leave, and are probably going to make it harder to get a tourist visa locally. They are already making it harder to get a non-Imm visa and work permits.

Edited December 24, 2006 by drummer

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I don't see how it can affect that many people.

It's not that hard and certainly not impossible to be legal!

In my opinion two groups are hit unjustified, first being the under 50's unmarried people whom they have taken away the 3 million Baht investment extension.

The second group would be the under 50 married people, who now actually need a certified regular income, as opposed to the 400,000 Baht on the bank before!

I thought this was "grandfathered'? Meaning that those who used to show the 400000thb before October for the extension may still go on under this rule.The certified income is for those who wish to extend their Type O and are under 50 , after the October rule came in place.

Please correct me if i am wrong .....but this is how i understood it,

rcm

Not a pomlem at all

[junkofdavid2]

I don't see how it can affect that many people.

It's not that hard and certainly not impossible to be legal!

In my opinion two groups are hit unjustified, first being the under 50's unmarried people whom they have taken away the 3 million Baht investment extension.

The second group would be the under 50 married people, who now actually need a certified regular income, as opposed to the 400,000 Baht on the bank before!

I thought this was "grandfathered'? Meaning that those who used to show the 400000thb before October for the extension may still go on under this rule.The certified income is for those who wish to extend their Type O and are under 50 , after the October rule came in place.

Please correct me if i am wrong .....but this is how i understood it,

rcm

Not a pomlem at all

Not affected. Gotta 1 year B visa, multiple entry.

[Nikkijah]

I think the group that can feel agrieved are the fathers of Thai kids that are under the age of 50.

Is that certain now then? Hope not

[ilyushin]

Currently my visa status is fine, but I have friends (fellow aviators, teachers, retired folks , business people, frequent travelers, married to Thais, etc..) all having problems or expecting problems.

Get your paperwork in order and get ready for tighter messures. I just don't see it getting easier for the 30 day border runners or 90 day Non Imms. These are the ones being weeded out.

I expect they will start the Tax Clearance like back in the 80s. Short term visa holders will not survive this for very long. Guess the 90 day in and out 90 is getting closer to the mark.

[tropo]

According to the poll results so far, it looks like 2/3rd are not affected.

Why do people that are unaffected by the new visa regulations read this board, let alone vote here?

I would hazard a guess and say that the largest percentage of regular posters here are long term residents and only a small percentage are visa runners.

The results from this poll couldn't even come close to indicating the real situation.

Edited December 24, 2006 by tropo

[Firefan]

I agree Tropo - most people reading this board wants to know and understand the rules - and abide by them(mostly). I have met many people who are oblivious to the rules (be it old or new rules) and are in for a bad surprise at their next visa run. CHeers!

[Couthy]

This is just to see where TV posters are sitting with their visas. There are lots of reports of this and that. This is to see where you, personally, are. cheers

My visa status?. NFI.

Do the job, pay the tax and that's that!.

And to all TV readers, my very best wishes for the season and may next year be profitable and happy for you all.

Regards,

Couthy.