thegreatone Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Currently in the US (citizen) and will be moving to Thailand this Spring. I have a Thai wife of 8 years and a 3 yo boy. I plan to retire in Thailand and have a pension, not sure of exact amount yet and have the necessary funds in the bank. What kind of visa do I need and how long before the move should I apply?? :question: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelseafan Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I suspect a residency visa. Speak to your Thai consulate and they should be able to advise. www.thaivisa.com usually has the uptodate information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 You would need to obtain either a marriage visa or a retirement visa. The marriage visa requires proof of 400,000 baht annually, either in a bank account (in bank for 3 months before applying for visa or extention of visa for 1 year) or proof that your pension will generate that amount per year (from what I understand, it is easy to obtain a norarized statement from the embassy in Bangkok, saying you have the required funds in a pension, even if you don't). The retirement visa is the same but it requires proof of 800,000 baht per year. Before moving to Thailand, I'd get a 60 day tourist visa from a Thai consulate in the U.S. and the marriage or retirement visa can be obtained once you are in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simie Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I would'nt advise that at all myself! As far as I'm aware you cannot turn a tourist visa into a Non Imm O or Non Imm O-A in Thailand. I'd advise the original poster to either get a multiple entry Non Imm O on the basis of marriage before leaving the USA. Just need to show copy of the wifes ID card and your marriage certificate together with the form and fee of course. You don't need to show any money in the Thai bank. And you can get the 12 month extention later showing 400,000B if you wish to and don't plan to leave the country every 90 days. He could also get the retirement visa before leaving the USA but its more hassle so can't see the point myself if you have a Thai wife? Simie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Simie is correct Tourist Visa cannot be transposed to a Non-Imm O. TGO There are 2 ways you can go either retirement or Marriage visa, since you are married I would go for marriage visa since it requires lees prrof of income or less money tied up in a Thai bank account. 2-3 weeks before you are due to travel apply for a Non-Imm O at your local consulate based on Marriage, take your marriage certificate with you to support the application. This will get you a single entry 90 day Visa. Once in Thailand, when there are 30 days or less on the Visa you can apply for a 12 month extension, your wife will have to be present with you when you make this application and this is when you need to demonstrate prrof of income etc. Since you are relocating back to your wifes country you will do well to have family photos showing you and the family at home in the States to support the application. Good Luck and enjoy your retirement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 We had a thread awhile back on the step by step procedure on getting married in Thailand, anybody remember it, just in case... err a friend... might be thinking of legalising the relationship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allistar Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting that a tourist visa could be transposed to a marriage/retirement visa. I was suggesting that one go for a 2 month tourist visa to start out with, rather than a one month visa that you would get on entering LOS. Then, having two months to get the marriage/retirement visa, you can go to the nearest immigration office in LOS and sort out getting one or the other. I haven't done it but I would presume that what simie said about getting the marriage/retirement visa from a Thai embassy/consulate in your own country is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 From reports, the marriage visa requires pictures of you and your better 2/3's, 400K in the bank, etc. Just chatted with a fellow farang he nixed the marriage visa and went with the retirement visa, less hassle from what he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simie Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 You need the 400,000 in the Thai bank for the one year extension on the Non Imm O based on marriage as Mekong explained. Don't need to show any money in the bank for the Non Imm O based on marriage when you get it in your home country. And no problem if you meet the criteria, very simple indeed just need a copy of your marriage certificate and copy of your wifes Thai ID card. Plus as I stated before the completed form and fee. You can either get a single entry and do the above mentioned extention in Thailand as Mekong also explained above or get a 12 month multiple entry if you plan to make a number of trips abroard each year and thus do not have to show any money in the Thai bank account at all. Simie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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