NikkiSixx wrote:Now, in order to finance this whole thing I have two condos in Jomtien bringing in an annual potential of 70,000 thb per month but realistically, probably half that amount. Am I encumbered because that money is generated inside Thailand? Would this affect any visa?
The first part of this I am not sure about but I don't think there is any problem with that as long as you are paying the relevant taxes etc (if any). As far as the visa goes it shouldn't have any affect on which visa you can or cannot apply for, but it will have a bearing on whether you can extend the visa you get; at present I think you need to show an income of 80,000 baht per month or 800,000 baht in a Thai bank (or a combination of the two) in order to be able to extend the type of visa you are likely to get, a non-immigrant type 'O' on the basis of marriage to a Thai. You will need to provide copies of your marriage certificate and your wife's ID card normally, although some have said that you can get this visa from the Hull consulate by post without this.
Also, I may be applying to embark on a TEFL english teaching course with view to maybe bolstering my possible income in Thailand. Would it be prudent to apply for an all encompassing visa on the outset? or would it be better to apply for a separate visa for my initial trip? If so which ones?
There is no such thing as an all encompassing visa for Thailand. The choices you have are the one I already mentioned (which does not allow you to work), or the following;
Tourist Visa (cannot work or do business) - normally maximum time you can stay on this is 60 days plus a 30 day extension which you can get in Hua Hin; if you get a double entry (or more if they will give it to you) you can just hop over the border to a neighbouring country (most people in HH go to either Myanmar via Ranong, or Malaysia) and then back in to Thailand for another 60+30 days.
Non Immigrant 'B' (can work or do business but to apply for this visa you will need a letter from your intended employer, or I think evidence of the company you have set up for business) - this will allow you the same period of stay (90 days at a time) as the non immigrant 'O' visa, and you can similarly extend this to enable you to stay for an unbroken period of a year if you meet the financial criteria; however you will also need the people you work for to apply for a work permit within a certain period of your arrival here as a condition of the visa. If you do plan to teach I think the financial requirements are less stringent, as the average wage for foreign teachers does not come anywhere close to the visa regulations!
If I were you I think you would do best to go for the multiple entry non immigrant 'O' visa, as it is easy to get, and would allow you to stay in Thailand (with 4 visa runs to a neighbouring country) for up to 15 months (or indefinitely if you meet the requirements for the extension; if you do then you need only apply for a single entry but should ensure you get a re-entry permit if/when you go out of Thailand. The extension can be renewed every year after that, as long as you follow the reporting conditions of going to the immigration office every 90 days). If you get your teaching qualification and find a job then you would have to leave the country to apply for the relevant visa. I would suggest contacting the Thai consulate in Hull as they are apparently extremely helpful and will be able to give you the most up to date information; these things do change from time to time! I hope that helps, and that my info is correct.
