Why can't I stay with my wife in Thailand?

I can't believe the immigration situation in Thailand. I've been reading up and following a few threads here and it looks like getting married to a Thai will not entitel me to live in Thailand. I can't believe it, why? What do I have to do to stay here? I think it's my right to stay here if I'm married. Help!

I wonder, why do you not bring your Thai wife to your own country?

And I think, your own country also will ask a lot of questions over a considerable waiting time until it will issue a visa and labor permit for her.

I'm going to guess you're a westerner, in which case, it's normally very hard for your Thai wife to go and stay with you in your home country... With this in mind, can you think of any reason for Thailand to make it easy for you to stay there with your wife?

I do not think Thailand is an exception of the rule here in Asia.

Most Asian countries do not have a spouse visa or at least it is not issued quickly, and often the spouse visa does not include the labor permit, and does not include social insurances.

There are threads about this topic in this forum, Indonesia is not an easy place at all, just one example.
Much more complicated than Thailand.

Generally, Asia is not EU, where you can live just everywhere you like within the union, and it is not like USA/Canada.

This post has been edited by yohan: 08 February 2010 - 04:49 AM

Agree with Yohan. I can't really settle with my wife in China very easily. The only thing I can get is a glorified tourist visa that lets me stay in the country for a year but not work. ANd I can never get any social benefits there (not that they are much to lose). So I've been waiting 5 months now for her to get approved to come to Canada.

Well in a perfect world we would be able to live and work where we want to without any govt interference. Unfortunately the reality of the situation is simply you can't and you must jump through hoops whether its your country or your wife to be's country. Not fair, but that is life for you.

The Thai visa process is designed to teach you about life in Thailand.

If you have enough money, life (and visa process) is easy in Thailand.

If you don't, then life (and visa process) is difficult.

Somers, on 08 February 2010 - 04:34 AM, said:

You have to [a] have a job or [b] have enough income from somewhere that you can show 400,000 baht in the bank every year. Otherwise how could you provide for your wife and family?

If you are female, it's much easier because the Thai husband is assumed to be providing for you.

$400,000 THB/year?
cam, can you tell me more about this - or refer me to an online source?
I would appreciate it very much.

I remember reading about an 'elite' card (or something) - but it was 4 to 5 million THB/every 5 years - that you actually paid (I believe:unsure:).

Anyway, things are always changing in Thailand, it seems. Even the most secure solution(s) may not be so secure next year - with exception to permanent residence/citizenship, I suppose...

METHOS, on 08 February 2010 - 10:38 AM, said:

The Elite Card scheme is now discontinued, or in the process of being wound up/swept under the carpet. It was a brainchild of Thaksin, universally considered a complete failure and an embarrassment to the country. As the name suggests, it was only designed for the super rich.

The standard rules apply to everyone. If you have a Thai spouse, you need ฿400,000 on permanent deposit in a Thai account, or a verifiable income of at least ฿40,000 per month. This will get you ongoing visa extensions if you have a marriage certificate. If you are not married to a Thai, there is the retirement visa option, and in that case, you have to have ฿800,000 on deposit in Thailand. Naturally, there is a minimum age requirement for the retirement visa.

The above figures/goal posts move from time to time.

I see.
So, you have to be married to a Thai to qualify...
Thanks!

MrFantabulous-
I know this is slightly off-topic, but do the same guidelines apply for China (i.e. do you have to maintain a minimum bank/savings balance and/or show proof of income etc. to continue to qualify for a guaranteed visa each year while being married to a local - assuming you are unemployed and/or you are not staying on a different visa type)?

As far a I know for a family visa you only need to show your marriage papers. I don't think you need to show proof of income. You would probably have to find a Chinese employer willing to sponsor you for a work visa at some point.

One year multiple entry business visa for Cambodia is just shy of $300 USD, you can work and do whatever you like. It take two days to get your visa and it cost between $3 to $5 extra if you get a travel agent to do it for you. If you want a Cambodian citizenship then it would cost a "donation" of $20k to $30k USD to the government social project programs.

There are now many positive changes to the foreign investment law here including property ownerships. As much as I love Thailand and know many people there life is much simpler in the sticks.

Marriage to a Thai national gives no automatic right to remain in Thailand, just as marriage to a UK national doesn't give my wife any automatic right to reside in the UK.

However, I've lived in Thailand for the last five years on a succession of multi-entry non-immigrant 'O' visa. The one year visa currently costs USD175 and allows you to stay for up to 90 before you need to make a visa run.

A non-immigrant 'O' can readily be obtained from a Thai embassy in your home country, or from some Thai embassies in neighbouring countries.

NOTE: Requirements vary, if I applied at my local Thai consulate in the UK a copy of my marriage certificate will suffice, if I get my visa in Jakarta, I work in Indonesia, I'm also asked to supply a copy of my wife's ID card. I believe some embassies variously require copies of the wife's Tabian Baan, sight of sufficient funds anything from THB100,000 to 400,000, plus a letter from the wife. A single embassy can also request different documents from different applicants seemingly on whim. Always contact the embassy in advance.

Quote

because they say so

MrFantabulous, on 08 February 2010 - 05:01 AM, said:

If I compare Thailand with some other countries (reading the very interesting information about Indonesia by DrBruce) and also your comment, I think, Thailand is not that bad considering the foreign spouse.

As Mandrunk said, you need first of all legal papers about your marriage, which must be correctly registered in Thailand and the next step is a deposit in a bank of baht 400.000,-. And you will get your spouse-visa. You can stay, but same with China, no labor permit, no social benefits, and after one year (?) you need the visa extension and checking again, if baht 400.000,- are still in your account.

But anyway, at least there are clear rules and I do not know among of some Western friends who are living now in Thailand with spouse visa or retirement visa about complaints. both visa options, spouse visa and retirement visa seem to work with many foreigners, who stay long-term in Thailand.

It should be noticed, that Thailand does not restrict you otherwise, there is no religious problem like with Muslim countries if you are not a Muslim, there is no restricted area and you might stay even in a remote village somewhere, you might buy your own condominium without a lower price limit (not only high quality housings), and if something is going wrong, divorce rules are easy and not like in the Philippines where divorce does not exist at all.

My impression, Thailand is not that bad for a developing country. And for working overseas and coming to Thailand for family visit a short time several times a year you have the tourist visa exemption of 30 days, and for visa there is the tourist visa 2 months, the non-immigrant visa 3 months and it takes only a few days to issue for a Thai consulate.

Try the same with any Western country (all of them UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia etc.) as a Thai national, you will be surprised.

camerata, on 08 February 2010 - 10:05 AM, said:

Baht 400.000,- for one year means about Euro 8.800 = about euro 750,- per month.

This is a very reasonable sum by my opinion. It's approx. baht 35000,- per month for a couple, sometimes with children.
It covers just a moderate life-style of a Thai family, for sure the sum of baht 35.000,- is not over the top.

-----

It's nothing wrong to ask for a security deposit from foreigners living in Thailand, and often I think, Western countries should do the same, considering the questionable quality of some immigrants.

For the 1 year extension based on marriage, to your presumed initial 1 year multi entry non imm o, you do not need to have Bt400000 in a Thai bank all year round.
It is required for only 3 months prior to application, [if first time applying, then it is 2 months.]
During this so called seasoning period, you must not go below that figure.

If you are not able to raise that kind of 'dead money,' you must show proof of monthly income of min. Bt40000.

Before imm. moved the goalposts things were easy. If you were unable to make the required funds and your wife had a job, incomes could be combined.

If you are able to raise income for retirement and are over 50, it's less hassle to go for retirement extension.
You will need Bt800000 for 3 months prior to app. or a proven monthly income of Bt 65000.

Note that these extensions are not visas. The visa is what you entered the LOS on.

Not so long ago, a Thai girl marrying a foreigner was losing ALL her rights.
She could not buy land in Thailand anymore.
And her children had no rights to go to a government Thai school.
It has changed.
But it is pretty recent, to the point that is compulsory for my son at the French school to now learn Thai and the Thai culture.
He is now called Franco-Thai.
Two years ago, only the children with a Thai father needed to do it.
They were Thai-French, not Franco-Thai...
Not that I complain about my son learning the Thai culture and the Thai language.
But he knows the Thai culture better, and in a more genuine way that the Thai teachers at the French school.
What bothers me, somehow...

TizMe, on 08 February 2010 - 08:43 AM, said:

Now that is the BEST summary of how to deal with the Thai system that you will ever read!

MrFantabulous, on 08 February 2010 - 05:01 AM, said:

Can't you become a Chinese citizen, MrF? S'pose that'd mean renouncing your Canadian rights.

Captain Chaos, on 08 February 2010 - 11:02 PM, said:

Americans cite the names of the presidents and other faces on their banknotes when talking about "reverse" or "Egyptian" handshake payments. I think the King of LOS is on all Thai currency. Can you say that you are acquianted with HIM in the same situation, or will that be lesse majeste?