If you visit the Royal Thai consulate at Hull website, it indicates that it is the Thai Immigration's intention to apply the existing visa rules more rigorously, in accordance with the with the original immigration policies.
This will be as from 1st October 2006.
more at :http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com
Sawasdee.

I found this worrying snippet on this week's stickman page:

There is heaps of confusion at the moment for holders of O visas married to a Thai lady. A long time reader went to the Immigration Department at Suan Plu to extend the visa. Married to a Thai lady, he has had no problem extending the visa previously, but this time he was told that they no longer issue extensions to O class marriage visas and he would have to do a visa run, that is leave the country, and leave his wife, every 90 days! Whether this is a new policy or he got a cranky officer having a bad day is unclear.

Let's just hope it's a "cranky officer".

This gets worse - other people reporting the same problems and visa agencies confirming that O visas for married foreigners using the 400,000 in a Thai bank account or 40,000 per month income route with no need to do a visa run are no longer available.

Have any members applied for an O visa in Thailand using this route recently?

I have written to the Thai Consul in Hull to ask what the real position is and will post as soon as I get a reply.

The Thai immigration police stated in the Phuket Gazette recently that the changes to the immigration laws only affected visas on arrival.

Surely this is just a case of a few immigration officers getting it wrong?

Firstly, the regulations are not new. They were written in 1979 and just not rigourously applied.

Anyone who applied for an extension, or started the process, prior to Oct 1st will not be affected. Anyone who obtains an 'O' visa outside of Thailand and then wishes to extend for a year will now have to show a monthly income of 40k Baht, a lump sum in the bank no longer qualifies. That 40k can be made up of joint income, spouse and Thai partner added together (that's much fairer than it was previously)

Previously all extension applications were forwarded to Immigration in Bangkok, this is now being decentralised and the smaller local offices can make the decision themselves and the decision can be at the officers discretion.

One thing that is clear.... the Consuls/Embassies in countries that border Thailand are clamping down on 'perpetual tourists'

We suspect that there are two main reasons for the rules being applied as they were originally drafted some 27 years ago.

1. How many people have been living here for years that have never shown up in a Thai database, they entered the country on a 30 Visa Exempt stamp at the airport and have crossed a border point monthly, every month since, were there is no computer system installed, just a man with a rubber stamp..... forcing those people to obtain the correct visa from a Consulate/Embassy means they will end up in the Immigration Database.

2. How many people living here are earning money illegally (ie no work permit, not nefarious activities) and not paying income tax. So, prove the money comes from outside of Thailand or get a work permit, your bar/shop/disco/whatever registered and start paying dues on it as you should.

It's like most things in life.... if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.


I have more.... but I am unwilling to write it in a public forum .... PM me for details.

Thad I'm fully aware that matters to do with the visa on arrival are only an enforcement of rules that were already in place. The Thai authorities also stated quite clearly that the only type of visa affected was visa on arrival. If all they are doing is clamping down on the illegals then fair enough.

However, I have seen no announcement regarding changes to the O visa rules yet people who have been living there for years legally are now being told they can no longer have an extension.

So it seems that rules are being applied and/or interpreted unevenly/unfairly - hardly confidence inspiring for a guy who might have been living there for years with wife and kids. Why the hell they can't have a settlement visa the same as we do beats me.

Phil ... as you stated ... you are not 'fully aware'

Few are

The laws are being applied or not applied as Immigration see fit...... a regular 'visitor' will not be affected in any way shape or form. A tourist will still be a tourist, with all the rights and privileges accordingly, for the duration of their stay.

One thing's for sure Thad..............Malaysia is looking better by the day!

quote:

Originally posted by Flip:
One thing's for sure Thad..............Malaysia is looking better by the day!

Maybe, however, (there is usually a however)

Malay society understands the importance of being able to converse in the global business language... does this make them more tolerant of people that are born with that language?

I have no idea Thad but I do know I can own my own house there and be granted settlement without fear of some immigration official exercising his "discretion" and making me leave every 90 days.

quote:

Originally posted by Flip:
I have no idea Thad but I do know I can own my own house there and be granted settlement without fear of some immigration official exercising his "discretion" and making me leave every 90 days.

I agree Phil (but I did phrase it as a question)

There is only one thing you can take for granted, they can't kick you out of the country you were born in.

Hi everyone.I will be entering los on an O visa for 90days which will take me up until the end of february.My return ticket is dated for the end of march.Last year i had the same visa and after 90 days i visited immigration office in jomtien and was issued a new visa for 60 days.the child details were taken and i did not have to pay for him as they said he is with his mother.
Will it be possible to visit the immigration office at the end of february and get a new visa or will i have to leave los for 90 days.thanks.

In the current climate - who knows Griff?

Finally received replies from the Alan Taylor the Honorary Thai Consul in Hull on the current situation regarding O visas - not at all helpful I'm afraid.

"Thank you for your message.

We are not officially informed about visa procedures inside Thailand. We are only told about
visa requirements for people who intend to travel to Thailand. As far as we are aware, a non
Thai who is married to a Thai requires the Non-Immigrant Category "O" Visa with either a
single entry or with multiple entries according to how long they intend staying in Thailand.
As far as we are aware, this has always been the case. It would appear that there has been
a relaxing of the implementing of this visa rule by Thai immigration rather than an actual
change of the rule. Since the coup many of these such relaxations have been stopped and
the rules are now being applied as they were meant to have been.

Please revert if you need further assistance.
Regards"

Nothing new there except he's wrong about the rules being enforced - that of course refers to visas on arrival. The 400,000 baht in a Thai bank OR 40,000 per month income rules are official regulations. I then asked that if he was unable to answer or get the full SP from his colleagues in Thailand, if he could put me in touch with someone in Thai immigration that could help - his response was incredible:

"Thank you for your message.

Unfortunately we cannot help you any further. Try the website www.thaivisa.com

Just a thought - maybe the Thai government has been hearing about the uproar in the
UK that the British government does not do enough to keep tabs on foreigners entering
the UK.
Regards"

The Thai Consul refering me to thaivisa.com - heard it all now. Exactly how to get to the bottom of this baffles me - the Thai embassy here can't even be bothered to reply.

Thad, in your post of 19th November you stated that a lump sum no longer applies - do you have a link to the official version of these changes? All I've seen is a Thai immigration official assuring people that the only visas affected are visas on arrival and that was to stop people living and working there illegally - nothing wrong with that.

quote:

Thad, in your post of 19th November you stated that a lump sum no longer applies - do you have a link to the official version of these changes? All I've seen is a Thai immigration official assuring people that the only visas affected are visas on arrival and that was to stop people living and working there illegally - nothing wrong with that.

You want the whole thing, brave man!

Police Order

BTW, let's just clarify it again, A UK national does not get a Visa On Arrival, they get a Visa Exempt stamp, it is not the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by griff:
Hi everyone.I will be entering los on an O visa for 90days which will take me up until the end of february.My return ticket is dated for the end of march.Last year i had the same visa and after 90 days i visited immigration office in jomtien and was issued a new visa for 60 days.the child details were taken and i did not have to pay for him as they said he is with his mother.
Will it be possible to visit the immigration office at the end of february and get a new visa or will i have to leave los for 90 days.thanks.

Some offices are granting 60 day extensions without proof of income, some aren't. Having a return ticket to show them will be a positive point. But, having said that, if you only need an extra month, it may be better to just do a border run to Loas or Cambodia, whichever is closest.

Sorry about my wording but I think you know what I meant, Visa Exemption or Visa on arrival - the statement was that non immigrant visas would not be affected.

I see what you mean by 'brave' Colin. That lot is about as clear as mud - if the Thai version is the same then I'm not surprised that immigration officers get it wrong. I'll ignore 'Topic 1' as I have no idea what they are refering to by 'petition.

But surely even this version is out of date? 7.4 - the investment visa. The qualifying amount has been changed to 10 million has it not? Or have they back pedalled on that? I also notice that only one extension of a non immigrant visa to visit a Thai wife, husband or child - 7.23 is allowed. You could get several extensions before - right?

Phil, you know this country as well as I do, the saying T.I.T didn't appear out of nowhere.

The rules are written in such a way that if they wanted to they could make any non-Thai leave, how strictly they are enforced...... 'up to them'

Look up the list of permitted occupations for a non-Thai, taken at face value, you can't even roll your own cigarettes, you have to employ a Thai to do it.

Yip, you smoke rollies.... you need a work permit first and then you have to make sure that a local can't do it as well as you, you can only perform that function in an advisory capacity and then only until a local has been trained up to the required level.

Basically, farang owns a business (paid for it, but doesn't really own it) has the right visa, has the work permit... but someone doesn't like you.... buy a pack of Krong Thip

I agree Colin - I guess that no matter how many roots a foreigner tries to put down over there, he will never be anything more than a guest. Wife, family, business, property - nothing seems to count.

T.I.T has probably never been more pertainent - I wonder if they will ever see how much their policies hinder their development? Oh but I forgot - ASEAN will be their saviour won't it?

Things do change here Phil. It can just take an unbearable amount of time.

If you remember, it used to be the case that a Thai national lost all rights to land or property ownership if they married a non-Thai, it took a while for someone to realise how damaging that was to the economy and changed the rules.

Now they are saying that new applicants for 'o' visas need to show a monthly income of 40k Baht, but it doesn't have to be all from one source. On is now the highest paid person in the village.... but she does complain about not having access to her passbook and ATM card now

I have no idea how long it will take, but I would expect the 'money in the bank' requirement will be reinstated at some point.

The most annoying thing about the creators of Thai policy is their everlasting need to reinvent the wheel. Singapore has outstripped Thailand time and time again on the world stage, but no one here ever thinks "oh, that's a good idea, let's do what they do" ...... because a Thai didn't think of it..... Face, the ever constant development prevention system.

Colin - we sing from the same hymn book. The thing they should really take note of is that Singapore was on its ass in the early 60's. What they have achieved in just 45 years is little short of amazing.

Merry Xmas all.
Hull consular site has updated forms regarding o visa,s etc.
No notarised forms reqd. that makes it cheaper!