No dependant on retirement visa.

[sam]

Can anyone tell me my options on a visa?

I have just read on TV that the rules have changed and there is no dependant visa for retired couples.

He is okay , I will only be 47 when we come out (and even when old enough did not really want to put 1,600,000 in thai bank for 3 months),
I won't be working, what are my options if any?

Or do we sell up and find another country?

[Rider]

This topic is absolutely buzzing about on the other forums! Either HHAD is on chilled out mode or no everyones away of the ramifications this new visa will have!

Previously Expats over 50 years old and married to a non-thai spouse could declare their spouse and any kids as 'dependants.' This effectively meant that they only had to prove they had 'one' source of income coming into Thailand and a lump sum in a thai bank to meet the non-immigrant 'O' 'Retirement visa'. This was 65,000 baht per month and a lump sum of 800,000 baht respectively.

NOW you have to have double that amount coming in, so effectively it is now:

2 x 65k per month and 1.6 million in the bank!

Also farang dependant children are now now longer permitted to extend their visa as dependants.
Crazy tunes that are coming from Thai immigration!
Either that or the lunatics have taken over the asylumn!

[Jaime]

That caravan in Tenby is looking more attractive by the day!

[K2OWN]

We are moving out in Jan/Feb Can you please confirm that we need to have 1.6million between us in a Thai Bank and not also 65k coming in each month per person as stated on a previous post. I am 47 and Hubby is 56 and this is now really worrying me . Help Please..

[Norseman]

You don't need both sums.
After the supposed or planned change of law you need 800.000 Baht pr person in the bank permanently.
OR an income of min. 65.000 Baht pr month pr person, confirmed and stated by your embassy.

[K2OWN]

Thank You Norseman as usual the "Font of Knowledge" Many Thanks

[expatsally]

[quote="Norseman"]
After the supposed or planned change of law you need 800.000 Baht pr person in the bank permanently.
Permanently? Is this whole subject yet more rumors, does anyone have a "real" credible source or is this all about getting our panties in a bunch? Only seen one thing in the Bkk post about this and it was in todays 'postbag' section.

[Norseman]

If you don't have the 800.000 grand in your bank account next year, how can you get another one year visa?
You can of course use the money if you are able to fill up your account to 800.000 upon next visa extension.
Read the Thai foreign ministry-rules here: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2493

[PeteC]

I'm trying to look at the logic behind this from different directions.

First, didn't most visa fees increase by 50 to 100% some years back? This is simply a 100% increase in the visa fee for the retired person with a dependent, not the younger spouse who doesn't qualify for a retirement visa anyway. Perhaps a bank balance increase for the single farang is coming as well?

Next, are there enough retired farangs here where the banks and Thai Treasury see them as an attraction to increase Thai bank deposits? Is the Thai financial condition such that they need to do things like this?

Is this yet another step in improving the so called "quality" of the farangs living here? Their thinking could be that those who can afford to buy or already have a retirement home here should also be able to maintain this new threshold amount.

Concerning child dependents, is this really a factor? How many retired people over 50 have children of the age where they still live with Mom and Dad, and in a foreign country as well?

Not trying to justify anything. Just trying to understand their thinking beyond sheer greed. Pete

[dtaai-maai]

I'm trying to look at the logic behind this from different directions.

First, didn't most visa fees increase by 50 to 100% some years back? This is simply a 100% increase in the visa fee for the retired person with a dependent, not the younger spouse who doesn't qualify for a retirement visa anyway. Perhaps a bank balance increase for the single farang is coming as well?

Next, are there enough retired farangs here where the banks and Thai Treasury see them as an attraction to increase Thai bank deposits? Is the Thai financial condition such that they need to do things like this?

Is this yet another step in improving the so called "quality" of the farangs living here? Their thinking could be that those who can afford to buy or already have a retirement home here should also be able to maintain this new threshold amount.

Concerning child dependents, is this really a factor? How many retired people over 50 have children of the age where they still live with Mom and Dad, and in a foreign country as well?

Not trying to justify anything. Just trying to understand their thinking beyond sheer greed. Pete

Pete, I agree that lateral thinking is probably an advantage in Thailand, and I think that your attempt to understand the thinking of the Thai authorities is admirable .

The visa fee hasn't changed much (recently), it's the financial requirement to qualify for the retirement visa that is supposed to be doubling (assuming all this is fact, and assuming that the 'retirer' isn't single), and that's a different kettle of fish.

There might be more over 50s than you think with a younger wife and kids, but even if there aren't - why change things? I take your point about the quality of farangs in Thailand, but surely it's the type of farang on a retirement visa, with or without kids, that they should be encouraging to come here? Let's face it, the mega-rich, and even the quite rich, have more expensive places to go where there's far less hassle! Very soon the 'not very rich but reasonably comfortable thank you very much" will be looking to go elsewhere too.

There are quite a few threads at the moment where people are expressing concern about buying a house and/or retiring here, unprovoked violence against farangs, the bureaucracy, the police, and all the other various problems of living in Thailand. I don't have too many axes to grind with any of them, as I rent a house and I'm on a work permit. I also have a real problem with farangs who choose to live here, but also choose to do nothing but complain (not including you in that, Pete, I realise the spirit in which you posed the question, and it wasn't a whinge by any means!).

It seems to me that there are two quite simple bottom lines.

The first is for the Thai authorities: do you want foreigners living and investing in Thailand, or not?

The second is for us: is it worth living in Thailand? For me, the answer is definitely yes. At the moment.

[norm]

It is my understanding that the information on this new law has only come from one source and no one has been able to verify it. Sunbelt started this thread in TV but did not tell the source other than immigration.

So until it is announced offically I will take it with a grain of salt.

[caller]

That's true Norm, but recently they have added to that and explained why nothing further has officially been released and why some in Bkk and Koart have renewed their visas after 1/9.

But I'm just up and who knows, there could be more developments!

[niggle]

Maybe it may be different if spouse is under 50 but I just got my reirement visa, wife got heres as dependant (she is over 50).
Did not need double bank amount as if spouse then 800000 will do for both.
As I say. maybe its different if one of you is under 50.
By the way you must be married and show marriage certificate, common law marriage not recognised

[lomuamart]

Maybe it may be different if spouse is under 50 but I just got my reirement visa, wife got heres as dependant (she is over 50).
Did not need double bank amount as if spouse then 800000 will do for both.
As I say. maybe its different if one of you is under 50.
By the way you must be married and show marriage certificate, common law marriage not recognised

I've been away over a long weekend, but I heard about this news early Saturday morning. I've had a bit of time to reflect on it. These are just my personal opinions, I'm no expert.
At first, I just thought "another doubling of monetary requirements for farang couples". Assuming the new regulations are in fact law, that's bad enough in itself. Some will be able to afford it, unfortunately other won't.
So, if the "dependant" can't raise the capital/income to "support" themselves, or if they're under 50 years old, they've got to be a perpetual visa runner - ie get Tourist or Non Imm visas - until they reach 50, or show the money?
Bearing in mind that there are possibly many farang couples in Thailand, one of whom is over 50 and one of whom isn't and they've maybe lived here for a few years already, making the financial decisions necessary to emigrate, isn't it a little bit unfair that after having invested here they're told that one of them is a pariah?
I sincerely hope that this is just a knee jerk decision from the powers that be and that there might be a rethink. Just like that "we'll hold on to 30% of your money if you transfer more than 20k US dollars for a year with no interest". I've never really followed that one through, but the Thai stock market crashed the next day. Somehow the efficient government managed to backtrack the next day.
I'm afraid nothing's guaranteed in this country, especially with visas. Regulations can change at any time and even at the whim of some officer - that's their interpretation of their laws.
Anyway, enough said. Maybe someday, news like this just might just make page 5 of western newspapers as a 10 line "short, in brief summary.
Hopefully, these changes havn't been enacted yet. As I've said, I've been out of touch for a few days and you all probably know more about it than me.
BTW niggle,
My understanding on Saturday morning was that age didn't matter - unless the partner was under 50. 800k, 65k a month income, or combination for both partners was necessary. If under 50, "you're on visa runs - no extension"
I'll happily be corrected on that point.

[Jim]

I guess that as with most things that happen like this in LOS, it'll have to be a case of wait and see. There is a set pattern here of a leak of a proposed alleged anti-farang law, widespread farang panic and then a degree of normality coming back later as the proposals are watered down.

On the visa issue, a mate in Phuket has an occasional blog and he's just updated about the thrills of the Ranong rung. Follow the link and click on the blog tab. A short and entertaining read with some decent pics as well.

http://web.mac.com/garrymullett/iWeb/Ga ... /Home.html

See y'all on saturday.

Jim