Hi everyone.
I did a posting last year asking if it was possible to emigrate to LOS. The replies were that I should wait.
What I need to know is if it is at all possible to go. The fact's are. I am 44 years old and married to Ooy, we have a 2 year old daughter.
Is it not possible to move to LOS on a year visa as was said before, build a house and a small shop to pay the bills and live a life. What is stopping me??
If this is possible then I will need to find out the finer details involved and hope there is not much red tape.
I look forward to your replies, hopefully positive.

Regards

Gary

This is a very general question. Any choice you make must be a decision for you and the Mrs. I take it that you have money or another income stream to enable you to live and build your house/business. Your existance/lifestyle depends on how much you have. If you have lots you will enjoy more, less and it becomes harder. Up to date visa questions are answered better on another site www.thaivisa.com.

Gary, have a look at the information on www.immigration.go.th, especially Criterion and conditions of foreign nationals’ residential permit consideration.

Neil, shouldn't your last sentence read Up to date Thai visa questions may be answered better on another site.

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Originally posted by Neil & Mook:
... Up to date visa questions are answered better on another site www.thaivisa.com.

Better? I don't think so ... similarly perhaps, but certainly no better.

One only needs to use the search facility and all the answers are here!!

If there are specific questions then I'm sure you will find there will be those on here who are capable and willing to answer, although I am not one of them - by that I mean I am willing but alas not capable.

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... especially Criterion and conditions of foreign nationals’ residential permit consideration.

The "Criterion and conditions of foreign nationals’ residential permit consideration" bears little resemblance to the requirements of a non-O visa or ongoing visa extensions. Gary, please disregard the link provided by Nick. Very few people apply for a residential permit, it's an expensive process and far too few are given out each year for most to bother even trying. In the highly unlikely event you would ever consider applying for such a permit it could not be done, at the very least, until 3 or 4 years after settling in Thailand.

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Is it not possible to move to LOS on a year visa as was said before, build a house and a small shop to pay the bills and live a life. What is stopping me??

The first year is easy, but you need to seriously work out what you are going to do when your non-O visa has nearly expired? To extend your non-O based upon marriage, under the current rules, you'll need to show an income of no less than 40,000 baht a month. That figure could go up at any time. How certain are you that you'll be able to show that based upon your net profit from a shop? It would need to be one hell of a busy shop.

Failing that you may end up having to leave the country every 60 days, travel to a consulate and apply for another 60 day tourist visa, quite likely spending a night there while you wait for it. Could you contemplate doing that indefinitely and never having any status in Thailand other than that of a tourist? It's either that or return to the UK every year for another 12 months non-O visa. Could you afford to do that? That is also assuming it would still be allowed as it is now. In some countries, Canada for example, it is no longer possible.

A few things to consider.

Regards

quote:

Originally posted by maokaang:
Gary, please disregard the link provided by Nick. Very few people apply for a residential permit, it's an expensive process and far too few are given out each year for most to bother even trying.

Apols for any confusion. In my ignorance I assumed a link provided by the British embassy would be useful .

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I assumed a link provided by the British embassy would be useful

Bit impetuous Nick - LOL

Thanks everyone for your help.
I think my only option as you said Paul, is to apply for the year visa, which I believe you have to do a visa run every 3 months, then return to England to re-apply again for the year visa.
If this is possible then I am prepared to do it. I can't worry about wether things might change like they have in Canada. I have to live for today, and do it.
Questions I also have:-
If and when I would have to return to England to renew my visa, does my wife have to come with me?
Can I still claim child allowance whilst in LOS? Do they need to know?
When I reach 50 years old, does it get easier?
Any other suprises I should be aware of?

I appreciate your feedback.

Regards

Gary

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I think my only option as you said Paul, is to apply for the year visa, which I believe you have to do a visa run every 3 months, then return to England to re-apply again for the year visa.

Currently, that is still possible. If you get your non-O visa just a few days before travelling to Thailand and time your 90 day visa runs well, you'll get up to 450 days (nearly 15 months) out of each one before having to return to the UK again. Make sure you get a jumbo passport (48 pages) next time you renew. A single Laos visa run takes up nearly 1½ pages - a full page for the Laos visa and four entry/exit stamps. Add a full page for your non-O visa and you'll be using up about 8 pages every 15 months.

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If and when I would have to return to England to renew my visa, does my wife have to come with me?

No.

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Can I still claim child allowance whilst in LOS?

Legally, no. Ours was stopped six months after coming here but, that said, the tax man knows exactly where I am.

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When I reach 50 years old, does it get easier?

Under the current rules for a retirement extension you need to show either ฿800,000 in the bank, or an income of ฿65,000 a month, or a combination of both adding up to ฿800,000 for the year, e.g. ฿500,000 in the bank and ฿25,000 a month income. 500+(25x12)=800. What the rules will be in 6 years time is anyone's guess.

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Any other suprises I should be aware of?

Can't tell, that would spoil the surprise.

Regards

Paul,

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When I reach 50 years old, does it get easier?
Under the current rules for a retirement extension you need to show either ฿800,000 in the bank, or an income of ฿65,000 a month, or a combination of both adding up to ฿800,000 for the year, e.g. ฿500,000 in the bank and ฿25,000 a month income. 500+(25x12)=800. What the rules will be in 6 years time is anyone's guess.

Surely the above applies to those over 50 without a thai spouse?
In Garys' case when he hits 50 then as you stated earlier

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To extend your non-O based upon marriage, under the current rules, you'll need to show an income of no less than 40,000 baht a month.

Unless things change but T.I.T

Ian

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Surely the above applies to those over 50 without a thai spouse?

It depends on the immigration office and what 'sub-rules' they've decided to impose when you get there. I know several over 50s with Thai partners who were 'asked' by immigration to apply for a 'retirement' extension, not a 'Thai Wife' extension. They were as good as told that unless they had children in the marriage there was no other option.

Consensus of opinion is they prefer the global non-O figures to show as high a proportion of retirees as possible. The more over 50s they can 'persuade' to opt for a retirement extension the better, or so it seems.

Theoretically anyone over 50 married to a Thai has a choice of applying for either. In practice, I wouldn't bet on it.

Yes ... T.I.T.

This topic certainly puts our immigration rules into perspective. Why do you need to show so much income when you've no danger of being a burden on the State there - surely a modest investment in a business that could at the minimum support your family should be enough.

ps Paul, any tips on how you manage over there ?

Rob

Gary,

I would urge caution having had the same thoughts and carrying them through in 2000. We sold our house and took the proceeds to Thailand (about £50K) with intention of building a house and starting a business. We never did get any business opportunity I was willing to risk. For 4 years we spent 6 months here and 6 there, enjoyed it as the kids were growing up, but ultimately could not sustain this as one day we would be too old to earn and save in the UK. So now we are back in the UK just going over and staying in our house for holidays. We are feverishly saving and hoping to retire by 50-55 (I am now 43)but only when we are certain we have enough to live on out there. If you do make the move I would suggest 2 things (1) Be sure you are happy to live frugally unless you are 100% sure you will be able to earn very good money there (?) (2) Don't make a move you can't reverse comfortably if it does not work out. Whatever you do - good luck.

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Why do you need to show so much income when you've no danger of being a burden on the State there

Cos that's the rules.

Just to clarify one thing, and Paul will hopefully correct me if I'm wrong - if you are on an ordinary O visa (without the requirement to do visa runs) - the requirement of an income of 40,000 baht per month can consist of joint incomes.

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if you are on an ordinary O visa (without the requirement to do visa runs) - the requirement of an income of 40,000 baht per month can consist of joint incomes.

Yes, for a non-O marriage extension that is correct.

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ps Paul, any tips on how you manage over there ?

I'm just lucky. I've ran a small UK business for 17 years that I can operate from anywhere in the world. I'm still dealing with the same European client base as before. Same business, different office.

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Why do you need to show so much income when you've no danger of being a burden on the State there

They're not interested in farangs who just about "get by", they want farangs who have some spending money. Their country, their choice.

The exception to that rule is, conveniently, English teachers. They're allowed to "get by" on whatever crappy salary their school happens to pay.

Hi Gary,Having read your post id just like to say,I am married to a Thai,17 months now. In previouse posts i mentioned some problems between us that happened last year in june through aug. I have since met a new Thai lady ((end sep)07 .
She rents a salon in Hua Hin opposite the lord nelson pub.
( i expect that a few of you know Peter and Nat the owners)
I have spent the last 2 months with her and made a few changes to how she manages the shop, and how it looks.
She is now averaging 80 to 100,000 baht a month.and with future plans of ours hopefully will make more.
She has 4 female staff the wages are split 60/40 on which each earns. Qn top of that She now sells beer coffee soft drinks etc. I have purchased some new cabinets and stocked them with cosmetics etc for sale. I trust her 100%
In fact i love her very much. I have just built a small house on her mums land in phethcaburi. She is contributing half towards the cost of this.
It is a very basic house ,and i purchased all the materials myself for a cost of 40,000 baht it took 10 days to build.
We do not intend to live in the house or to rent (cannot give full reasons for this on this forum yet )
Will update on this when i can and then you will understand more .
While i was in Hua Hin we looked at many other shops for rent. Usualy costing from 25,000/40,000 a month on rent.
The problem is you also need money for the contract for the shop, sometimes a yearly contract or 3 yearly.
This is where the expense is,anything from 300,000 to 2 million baht, plus be careful not to end up renting from someone who is already renting the shop but saying that they own it. Make sure who you are taking a contract out with.
On my next trip i will be converting one of her mums rooms into a small mini mart. Its location is at a crossing of a road and rail line at the back of Tesco lotus,many Farang and Thai cross this junction. The cost of to do this will be around 40,000 baht plus we will not have to pay rent.
You can buy a good sized piece of land in this area for around 80,000 baht,and then build rooms for rent at around 3,000 baht each a month.
Last week Ja (my new G/F) called to say that she has found another shop for rent.
A swedish guy and his Thai wife are planning to go and live in Sweden soon and want Ja to rent the shop from them.
25,000 baht a month for rent plus only 50,000 for a years contract, it has 4 rooms above which are also included.
My dream has always been to move to Thailand, this time it has cost me every penny i have ,but im back in England now to work hard and plan for my next trip.
I do not have any children so things are less complicated for me.
I have taken risks,and chances that maybe others would not take.I have sold many of my things,i do not know the future,or what may or may not happen if i carry on chasing the dream ,but one things for sure if i dont chase it,i might as well give up on everything.
If i think about it 2 long trying to get garentees about everything then i might as well forget it now.
So what are my plans? 1 to get divorced on my next trip.
2 to open another shop,
3 to buy some land ( yes in ja name) build some rooms for rent hopefully 8/10
4 convert her mums room into a shop.
any questions ?
Look i know i prattle on a bit,but its only rescently that ive found out that you can have a car or bike in your own name and get a Thai driving liscence without having to take a test. and this goes against what ive read on other sites and web pages. So go to Thailand talk to people ask questions,keep on rattling peoples cages and you will be surprised as to what you ( as Farang) can achieve in Thailand. Take care best wishes Stevem.

Steven Your article was very interesting You have hit the nail on the head If you want to do some thing get off your backside and ****** the consequences you only have one life Many years ago when I was 18 I got fed up in the Uk and went to the USA next thing I know I was fighting in Vietnam with the Usa marine corps I had volunteered. After 2 years I returned to the UK and signed on in the British Army. done my time and I have never looked back. Again Steven go and do what you want and all the BEST

Good post Steve. It shows that there are opportunities to make a life and a business in Thailand, and I wish you the best of luck.

Ian

Hi Gary speaking from experience it is possible to live there, but is very hard making a living, so be careful what you try, if you open a shop and it’s a corner type shop you will only just scratch a living, not enough to keep your daughter in international school, cover medical expenses for three people and so on.
A few pals of mine have failed in the following business; Bars; Motor cycle hire; clothing stall.
And on the other hand a good friend of mine is doing very well, he bought over 100 rye of Rubber and planted palm around his farm gives him a good living. Another thing to think about is your insurance stamp check how many years you need.

Gary, just remember you're only 44 years old. Thailand will still be there in a few years time! Be careful you don't act in haste and regret it later. I'm planning a move at the end of this month but it's taken me a few years to get ready for it. I felt desperate to move but I knew I had to wait until things were right first. If you do decide to go for it, I really hope it works out for you.

Bigger the bank balance..........stay as long as you like!
Same everywhere.