Rickschoppers in Retiring to Thailand

[Storekeeper]

Next week I will be flying over to CM to pick up my sons US passport and certificate of birth abroad. He is now considered a US citizen and will have dual citizenship until he is 18 when he will have to declare which country he wants to claim as his homeland.

Actually as far as the USA immigration goes this is no longer the case, he can continue to maintain dual national status after 18. Not sure what the Thai rules are, probably the same.
My two kids born in Mexico retain both nationalities.
US Dual Citizenship

Got a dual Thai-USA citizen into the shipyard this past February and based on security clearance requirements they forced him to choose. Poor sap whined for weeks after his thai passport was cut up in front of him ...

[cisco999]

^

Tod tells us Thai Immigration accept the Stat Dec at the moment so I'll go with this.

But as you have pointed out, this is now and they could require to see actual proof of funds in the future.

Not too long down the track I suppose given the shake up.

Jesus, hope they don't do it before the end of the friggin Year.

Would not at all be surprised though.

I've never gotten a clear answer as to how long the validity of the Stat Dec is.(Income Verification Letter for USA) I just read on the Udonmap forum a person posted a six month validity but I was told by my local immigration office it has a one week validity. My closest consulate thought it was good for 30 days.


Anyone know the answer?

[Mr Earl]

^^I reckon he could always get another Thai passport if he leaves that job.
Just destroying his passport doesn't necessarily mean he gave up his Thai birthrights.

[Storekeeper]

^^I reckon he could always get another Thai passport if he leaves that job.
Just destroying his passport doesn't necessarily mean he gave up his Thai birthrights.

Yeah, reminded him he still had the Thai national ID card and could use it to get a Thai passport again someday.

He won't be giving up that job till he's eligible to retire.

[rickschoppers]

Why aren't you just applying for an extension of the visa in Thailand. You would then only have to report to an immigration office instead of leaving the country. Surely, the extension has to be more convenient and cheaper ?

Why would I apply for an extension when the original visa is still good for over a year? My only expense is driving the 50km up to the Laotian border and then re-entering with another 90 day stamp. Yes there is the Laos visa to pay for, but no trips to the Thai embassy.

Personally, I would prefer to file for an extension only when the original visa is used up. Hate to throw away the 200 dollars I paid. If I have to go home for any reason, I will just obtain another 1 year visa in LA. Much easier than talking to Thai immigration. If I do not go back, I will just file for an extension at3 that time.

As or changes in holding two passports until the age of 18, I was going by the US Immigration regs. If they have changed, please post the new ones. Thanks

[rickschoppers]

Why aren't you just applying for an extension of the visa in Thailand. You would then only have to report to an immigration office instead of leaving the country. Surely, the extension has to be more convenient and cheaper ?

Why would I apply for an extension when the original visa is still good for over a year? My only expense is driving the 50km up to the Laotian border and then re-entering with another 90 day stamp. Yes there is the Laos visa to pay for, but no trips to the Thai embassy.

Personally, I would prefer to file for an extension only when the original visa is used up. Hate to throw away the 200 dollars I paid. If I have to go home for any reason, I will just obtain another 1 year visa in LA. Much easier than talking to Thai immigration. If I do not go back, I will just file for an extension at that time.

As or changes in holding two passports until the age of 18, I was going by the US Immigration regs. If they have changed, please post the new ones. Thanks

[can123]

Why would I apply for an extension when the original visa is still good for over a year?

If you do not apply for the extension, you will become trapped in a cycle of applying for a new visa every year and have to leave the country to do it. Also, you will have to leave the country instead of just reporting to an immigration office. There might come a time when your health make the prospect of visa runs very unattractive. Certainly, I have decided that I am going to do all I can to avoid going to Laos every three months.

[rickschoppers]

I understand what you are saying, and would like to have the situation of not leaving the country. My plan is again to use the 1 year visa and then if it looks like I will not need to take a trip back to the US, I would then apply for an extension before the visa runs out.

Since I have a 92 year old mother and a sister who is going thru chemo back in the US, I do not know,at this time, whether a trip back will be needed or not, but I need to leave that option open. If I do not need to go back, I will apply for an extension to stay.

Everyones situation is a little different and mine is not cut and dry. Would I prefer to have a situation where I do not have to leave the country and just report in every 90 days? Of course. But for now the visa I have is just fine and gives me the flexability I need.

[rickschoppers]

I haven't posted on this thread for awhile, so I thought I would give a quick update. Here it is 2018, about four years after my last post and I still have never had to apply for a visa extension. I have made a trip back to the US every summer and just obtained a new Multiple Entry Non-Immigrant O visa from Los Angeles. I hand carried the application to the Thai Consulate and picked up my passport the next afternoon. The process has been very easy and quick. This year I may have to apply for an extension since I don't plan on going back to the US until 2019. I am not looking forward to it, but will just have to bite the bullet. Does anyone know if anything has changed over the past four years for obtaining an extension based on being married to a Thai national? Any new regs that I need to be aware of?

[bobo746]

First time i've seen this thread,some good advice & ideas.
Good on you mate looks like the plan came together.

[PeeCoffee]

Welcome back. I hope all is well with your family in America.

Which Immigration office will you be dealing with for your 90-day address updates and extension next year based on marriage ?

[HuangLao]

Welcome back. I hope all is well with your family in America.

Which Immigration office will you be dealing with for your 90-day address updates and extension next year based on marriage ?

That might be the most important inquiry for the obvious reason that all locales have special manner and cliques.

[Hugh Cow]

Welcome back rick. thought you'd carked it.

[rickschoppers]

Thanks everyone, the family is doing fine and all is good right now. I was just taking a break. I will be dealing with the immigration office in Udon Thani, but I may try what Tod suggested in an earlier post, if they are still a soft touch.

[rickschoppers]

Lancelot, that new photo every year of you and your thai wife standing in front of your address sign, sitting in the house, etc, is a pretty standard request. I think they've done it like that here in Bangkok a good while now.

AFAIK, every one who applies for a yearly extension of stay based on being married to a thai national has their extension go "under review" for 30 days.

During that time a thai immigrations officer is supposed to come to your house and make sure you're really living where you say with who you say you're living with. However, I don't know a person in Bangkok on an extension of stay based on marriage who's had a visit by immigrations to really check on them. They just go back out after a month and get the extension stamped into their passport.

As I posted in one of the other threads, if someone needs that "married to a thai" year long multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type-O visa (the one where you border bounce every 90 days) go to Savannakhet Lao. They now offer same day service and require NO proof of any financials..

Is this still the case Tod?

[Norton]

What changwat do you plan on living? As you may know, rules change from office to office.

[HuangLao]

What changwat do you plan on living? As you may know, rules change from office to office.

Quite so...

[Gazza]

Is this still the case Tod?

Went there on Feb 14th for a non-imm 'O'. Everything still the same but better in a way.
I arrived there just after opening time and nearly shit a brick. It looked closed and deserted as there was no long queues as usual
and no-one else coming or going. I'd already checked for Thai and Lao holidays and wondered why they'd be closed.

It was a big relief when I entered and saw 2 guys at the window handing in their documents. I handed in mine and got a ticket numbered 006.
Picked up PP and visa the next day.
No Khmers, Loa, Burmese or Phillies anywhere in sight.

Handed in:
Photocopy of Passport photo page
2 photos
Copy of Marriage Certificate.
Copy of house registration.
Photocopy of wife's ID card.

[rickschoppers]

Thank you for the information Gazza. It sounds easier than an extension here in Udon. Fewer hoops and less BS.