Thread: Is it that easy ?

You will also have to show your bed sheets and your wife Gstrings...

Ridiculous questions will be asked and you will prefer to go to Laos every 90 days than having to deal with these monkeys anymore...

Originally Posted by Perota

Is there anything she was missing or is it that easy ?

If you qualify for the "retirement" option do it. The marriage option is fraught with problems when you extend.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Perota

Is there anything she was missing or is it that easy ?

If you qualify for the "retirement" option do it. The marriage option is fraught with problems when you extend.

That's actually my question. What kind of problems ?

The lady at the Thai consulate in HK sounded very confident when she advised me to go the marriage option instead of the retirement visa. She said for the retirement visa I will have to provide much more documents. The only issue will be, because we were married in HK, to have the marriage certificate translated to apply for extension in Thailand but beside she said it was much easier than the retirement visa, for which I qualify too.

I'm on a marriage visa and I've never had any problems or personal questions. The paperwork is a bit of a pain in the arse - small changes can catch you out (last time I went they had changed the rules about the letter confirming your bank balance) and there's a lot of sitting around waiting. Whether that's any different with a retirement visa, I don't know.

Originally Posted by Perota

What kind of problems ?

The lady in the HK office is not in every Immigration office in Thailand.
I know at least five people who where subjected to all manner of probing questions and requests for additional paperwork before granted extensions. Never know what they might ask for at any given office. Everything from pics of you and the wife sitting on a bed together to documents proving you actually live together.

For retirement, all they want to see is money in the bank or proof of monthly income.

Originally Posted by Perota

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Perota

Is there anything she was missing or is it that easy ?

If you qualify for the "retirement" option do it. The marriage option is fraught with problems when you extend.

That's actually my question. What kind of problems ?

The lady at the Thai consulate in HK sounded very confident when she advised me to go the marriage option instead of the retirement visa. She said for the retirement visa I will have to provide much more documents. The only issue will be, because we were married in HK, to have the marriage certificate translated to apply for extension in Thailand but beside she said it was much easier than the retirement visa, for which I qualify too.

Retirement is much less of a paperwork hassle.
If you can do the 800k in the bank or 40k(?) a month income do that instead of marriage.

Money in the bank, the only problem will be to open a bank account because so far all the banks I visited said because of some new legislation they won't open an account for a foreigner without a work permit ...

By the way do you have to show how you bring the money to Thailand, like an official TT receipt ? Because with the bank exchange rate plus transfert fees compared to the rate you get for cash with super rich, for 400k or 800 K it makes a nice difference.

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

I'm on a marriage visa and I've never had any problems or personal questions. The paperwork is a bit of a pain in the arse - small changes can catch you out (last time I went they had changed the rules about the letter confirming your bank balance) and there's a lot of sitting around waiting. Whether that's any different with a retirement visa, I don't know.

Where did you apply ? I heard the main custom office is in Chaeng Wattana, that would be very convenient because I live nearby.

Originally Posted by Perota

Money in the bank, the only problem will be to open a bank account because so far all the banks I visited said because of some new legislation they won't open an account for a foreigner without a work permit ...

Kasikorn are usually helpful. But as with everything here, every branch likes to do stuff differently.

Originally Posted by Perota

By the way do you have to show how you bring the money to Thailand, like an official TT receipt ?

No. Use Super Rich.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

every branch likes to do stuff differently.

Yep. Trick is to keep visiting until you find a branch that says. No probrem.

Originally Posted by Perota

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

I'm on a marriage visa and I've never had any problems or personal questions. The paperwork is a bit of a pain in the arse - small changes can catch you out (last time I went they had changed the rules about the letter confirming your bank balance) and there's a lot of sitting around waiting. Whether that's any different with a retirement visa, I don't know.

Where did you apply ? I heard the main custom office is in Chaeng Wattana, that would be very convenient because I live nearby.

Chiang Mai, so probably not entirely convenient for you.

If the marriage VISA is easier to get then go for it.
When the time comes for your EXTENSION then you can extend on the grounds of retirement because it's easier than a marriage extension

Or,,,,,,you can forget the bank and use embassey letter as proof of funds

Originally Posted by Thetyim

If the marriage VISA is easier to get then go for it.
When the time comes for your EXTENSION then you can extend on the grounds of retirement because it's easier than a marriage extension

Thanks. That's what I was thinking about.

Embassy in HK says you need a lot of docs to get a retirement visa, like medical certificate, police report ... that are not needed for a marriage visa. Then I may do as you say, go for a marriage visa in HK then look for a retirement extension in Bangkok if it's easier.

Originally Posted by Perota

go for a marriage visa in HK

You will receive a Non Immigrant O visa in HK. Good for 90 days. Within 90 days apply for extension to stay.

Originally Posted by Perota

Embassy in HK says you need a lot of docs to get a retirement visa, like medical certificate, police report

No need for med cert or police report but will need a letter from your wife stating you are married.

Originally Posted by Norton

No need for med cert or police report

I think you will find they are needed

Could be. Maybe the nice lady in HK will remember it's required. If so, best go for the retirement option.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Perota

go for a marriage visa in HK

You will receive a Non Immigrant O visa in HK. Good for 90 days. Within 90 days apply for extension to stay.

That's the original idea

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Perota

Embassy in HK says you need a lot of docs to get a retirement visa, like medical certificate, police report

No need for med cert or police report but will need a letter from your wife stating you are married.

They ask for the copy of the HK marriage certificate + copy of the id card and passport and blue book. It should be enough but if they need a letter on top, it's no big deal

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Originally Posted by Norton

No need for med cert or police report

I think you will find they are needed

The lady at the embassy specifically mentioned that it was the difference between the two visas, marriage and retirement, not need these additional documents. But you're right, if they are needed, I will probably go straight for the retirement visa.

An other question, are both these visas multi entries ? I need to travel at least every other month. To stay 90 days without leaving Thailand would be a problem, I really need a multi entry.

An other thing to consider is that I have an APEC card. Every time I come I get an automatic 90 days visa. I've been using it for the past few years without problem, mainly to get access to the priority lane. I'm just afraid that now that I spend 90% of my time in Thailand, after a while the immigration may start asking question at the border. Does anybody has experience with this kind of APEC visa ?

Originally Posted by toddaniels

One more thing, your "signature" says "Bangkok, Korat" but the real question is "what country is on you passport"?? I can't be bothered to read all your previous posts to figure it out. Hong Kong is not the most "user friendly" Thai Embassy/Consulate in S/E Asia. Unless you are in Hong Kong, I wouldn't waste the time it takes talkin' to them.. They're tough as nails, and dumb as a box 'o rocks when it comes to what's what about visas for Thailand..

I read that too, that HK was not an easy place to apply for a visa.

I've an european passport but I'm also HK permanent resident, that's how I qualify for an APEC card, and as such I can also apply for a visa in HK instead of having to go back to my birth country. Technically I'm eligible for a Chinese passport but then I would have to give up my current passport. So far I've heard of only two westerners who did it, both for political reason, one of them being Allan Zemman, Mr Lan Kwai Fong.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

You can ask for a multi-entry year long, and as you know (or appear to know) that will limit your stays inside the country to 90 days at a time. After that you "run-4-the-border" (as in exit thailand, enter another country, exit that country and re-enter thailand) to get another 90 day stamp.

Regarding the multi entry visa, what I was talking about is a visa that let you go in and out of the country as many time as you went during a given period. I will probably need to travel back to HK almost on a monthly basis, if it's only good for 4 entries within an one year period, I may need to apply for a new visa before 6 month.

Sorry, there are a lot of "if" in my post because I just stated my "retirement" and I don't really know how I'm going to manage my time in the coming month/years. I just try to cover all the bases in order not to be caught one side or the other of the border because I don't have the right documents.