Another tightening on visa aplications

[up2u]

Regional Thai embassies in KL , HK and other Asian countries have now began to request further documentation to issue a 90 day non-immigrant business visa , basically they want a certified copy the company registration documents before they stamp your passport a second company acting as sponsor is no longer acceptable

[chelsea]

The Royal Thai Consulate in neighboring Penang, Malaysia, has stopped issuing double-entry tourist visas for Thailand. The only tourist visa currently available there is a 60-day single-entry one.

An official at the consulate this afternoon told the Gazette that Consul Pramote Pramoonsab had issued an order to cease issuance of double-entry tourist visas.

Other visa categories are unaffected by the order, the official added.

The Royal Thai Consulate in Kota Bharu and the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur are, for the time being, still issuing double-entry tourist visas.

Fareeda Chewae of the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur warned that this may change in the near future, however.

From October 1 Thai Immigration will limit to three the number of visas on arrival it s officers will issue at Immigration checkpoints in Thailand.

To cope with the new policy, many long-stay “touristsâ€

[Norseman]

Nothing of this is known by the average Thai inhabitant.
Only a few thais from immigration itself have heard of it.
Nothing has been said in tv/radio, or written in any newspaper.
It seems to me that only farangs know about the new visa regulations.
I asked a taxidriver in Bangkok yesterday if he knew it, but no.
He said; what about the tourists and expats, the only people with money?
To make it short; he will never again vote TRT again.
I hope that Isaan soon will wake up and understand what this stupid TRT-government is doing.
I guess that at least half the population in north east have a family member who get her income from a farang.
No money - no Thai Rak Thai.

[matthew80]

All of this "buzz" is pretty scarey. I wonder what the situation will be a few years from now when I am in a position to be an "expat"....time will tell I guess.

[fremdulo]

I have a question, I’m looking into the 800,000 baht option. Over 50, medical record etc. I don’t want to change Euros into Baht at 47 to the Euro, in fact I want to convert as little as possible into what looks like an increasingly unstable currency. I have asked several times at the Immigration Office if I can use a Euro account in a Thai bank as equivalent. My bank, I guess other Thai banks offer Euro accounts. The problem is that some of the guys at immigration say yes and others say no. My question is this: Is there anyone out there who has obtained an over 50 non O retirement visa on the basis of having the equivalent of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank but in Euros?

[pookie]

I have a question, I’m looking into the 800,000 baht option. Over 50, medical record etc. I don’t want to change Euros into Baht at 47 to the Euro, in fact I want to convert as little as possible into what looks like an increasingly unstable currency. I have asked several times at the Immigration Office if I can use a Euro account in a Thai bank as equivalent. My bank, I guess other Thai banks offer Euro accounts. The problem is that some of the guys at immigration say yes and others say no. My question is this: Is there anyone out there who has obtained an over 50 non O retirement visa on the basis of having the equivalent of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank but in Euros?

From what i have read its always been the case that the cash must have been in a Thai bank account for a year(?) at least, and, therefore in Thai Baht. I am ready to be corrected on this though.
What i find amazing is that the exchange rates have been fairly stable throughout both the land ownership reaffirmation period, and now this
Maybe there will be a period of steep movement (up or down) now that the facts are becoming clearer

Pookie

[elem]

I am not sure about the currency situation-if you can keep the 800000 in Euros, but friends living on and off in LOS for the past few years, tell me they just "transfer" the money from friend's accounts when having to show proof, and then send the money back, or to the next person who needs to show it...

[Jockey]

The Thai Immigration police in Hua Hin require a letter from your Bank.

May I suggest to the poster who asked if the money in the bank can be in Euro that he take the other option and put a steady 50,000 baht per month into his account (but watch for charges or it may turn out to be more economical to put 800,000 straight in).

[thaikahuna]

Please allow me to respond on the issue of the retirement visa for Thailand. You are no longer required to have 800K baht in a Thai bank, though it does remain an option.

You can also qualify if you have an income of at least 65K baht per month and some in the bank too. The length of time it is in there is irrelevant...so long as you have an active account. I do recommend at least 100K baht in bank if you only have income of 65K baht. The rest of the requirements are pretty simple and you can get the visa in one day provided you have all your paperwork in line.

The retirement visa is a non-immigrant O visa. It is good for one year at a time and you must report your address to immigration every 90 days... no visa runs! You must also purchase a re-entry permit if you plan to leave the country. If you get the retirement visa and leave the country without a re-entry permit, the visa is void and you get to start over with all the new paperwork.

Jim

[Norseman]

What do you mean with 65.000?
Until now it's been 55.000 bath income every month.

[seasider]

Please allow me to respond on the issue of the retirement visa for Thailand. You are no longer required to have 800K baht in a Thai bank, though it does remain an option.

You can also qualify if you have an income of at least 65K baht per month and some in the bank too. The length of time it is in there is irrelevant...so long as you have an active account. I do recommend at least 100K baht in bank if you only have income of 65K baht. The rest of the requirements are pretty simple and you can get the visa in one day provided you have all your paperwork in line.

The retirement visa is a non-immigrant O visa. It is good for one year at a time and you must report your address to immigration every 90 days... no visa runs! You must also purchase a re-entry permit if you plan to leave the country. If you get the retirement visa and leave the country without a re-entry permit, the visa is void and you get to start over with all the new paperwork.

Jim

Jim can you give me a bit more information on the issue of purchasing a re-entry visa if you leave the country when holding a retirement visa. How does this operate and how much does it cost? It seems it could be a pain if you are in Thailand on a retirement visa but want to travel around the region as well.

Thanks
SS

[thaikahuna]

There are two re-entry permits, single entry and multiple entry. Both are easy enough to get and can be had at the immigration bureau when you get the retirement visa. The cost for a single entry permit currently is B1000 and B3900 for a multiple entry permit.

I suggest the single entry permits if you will not be leaving the country regularly. The multiple entry is good if you know you will be leaving the country at least 4 times. This is just for an economic matter. Just don't forget to get the new re-entry permit when you return.

Jim

[Guess]

The specific "guidlines" often quoted in farang publications for a retirement visa are 65,000 baht per month only or 800,000 baht in a lump sum. Works out roughtly the same n one year. You are allowed a combination of the two. I have never seen 100k specified on top on the monthly income but it woudl make sens that when you trael abraod to get your first visa that you have that sort on money in your bank anyway in case of emergency.

Its is good to here the stuff from Chelsea from a reliable source rather than all this "the bloke who runs thw fish & chip shop" or "the guiy in the pub's mate has just done it type stories".

As for the guy in Patttaya I guess you are doing this via Cambodia so there may be some subtle differences.

I am surprised that the consulate in Penang offeres diffrent tourist visas from other parts of the country but I have heard that before. Double and even treble untry visas have been available from Penang up until a couple of months ago. What I can not understand is what the helll is the point of a six month tourist visa with single entry. If yyou get a 60 day on tour first and only entry you will then be able to extend it for a period at a local immigration office. You will still have about three months left on it that us useless so why woulf they offer such a visa. A 4 entry which In got about five years agon would be the ideal situation. you could squeeze about nine months out of that oen if you did it riight.

This is why I could bot understand the logic of people getting the repeat 30 days when they could easily go to Penang for a little more money, buy the visa and then extend it in Hua HIn and then make one more trip out for another 60 day stamp and extend that. You then just start the process again. The only question I have their is will they keep isuing repeat tourist visas. It way work out that a combination of double entry 6 month tourist visa from KL and three 30 crossings may solve the long stay problem for people who do noy have the 65,000 baht per month pension.

Many answers and suggestions here about retirement visas but does anybody know the situation regarding non-immigrant O visas based upon marriage.

[thaikahuna]

According to a statement from Pramote Pramoonsab, Thai Consul in Penang, Double entry visas are being stopped immediately. Already border immigration folks are stopping people and if you have "many" 30 days runs they are refusing re-entry. There are a lot of folks in Pattaya whizzing in their pants right now. If folks just followed the rules and got the right visa in the first place they would not have to worry about this. But thats a whole lot like making sense.

Most of these changes are aimed at folks who have come here on 30 day visa and are running dive shops, bars, mini-marts and do not have work permits.

You are correct on the 65K income or 800K in bank. I mentioned the 100K figure as a measure to show the Thai authories you have more than a minimal income. What you do is entirely up to you and wish you luck with your paperwork.

[pookie]

You are correct on the 65K income or 800K in bank. I mentioned the 100K figure as a measure to show the Thai authories you have more than a minimal income. What you do is entirely up to you and wish you luck with your paperwork.

Here's another thing that needs consideration. Friends over there tell me its not the easiest thing in the world to open a Thai bank account (doable, but not easy) You would think, therefore that a LOOSENING of these banking rules might be the order of the day now?

Pookie