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tenbyboy you may want to go to this website to get the information on a Thai Married Visa. http://www.thaivisa.com/

Pop's

No you can't.
Residence is only available to those who have had at least three continuous one year extensions, and a host of other qualifications too. bear in mind there is a yearly quota and a spoken interview conducted entirely in Thai, it helps if you have a strong endorsement to your application from someone 'high up' too.

A 'normal' one year extension to a non-imm visa is available to anyone who is married to a Thai lady. Again a host of qualifications besides producing the marriage certificate, such as a minimum 400,000 in a THAI bank in your sole name _or a monthly equivilant (maybe a pension?) copies of your passport, visa, bank book - showing that you do actually use this money and not just have it sitting there for visa purposes and you may get asked for a work permit too depending on your age. The first year they usually overlook it and tell you that next year you must have one (you can get by without one) however I quote "If you do not have a work permit - you will be thoroughly interogated as to how you can support yourself and your wife and where your funds arise from" You can get throught this is you can prove you have savings in your home country for example.
Just remember to be polite and provide whatever they ask for with a smile on your face and grit your teeth - its not that much of an ordeal really

Incidentally - I am assuming you are referring to a Thai female and a Farang male? If it is the other way round (Farang female and Thai man) I believe that residency is granted almost instantly - strange but true.

Paul

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It was my understanding that you could only import your own personal effects and possessions without paying duty/taxes, if you had a work permit and if they were brought in within the first 6 months of you being granted your work permit, and that they were for your own personal use, and that didn't include cars (which attract huge import taxes). Though as I had no plans to do so, I didn't take too much notice.

Seems we have switched topics from can I get a residence visa - to how can I import personal belongings. Oh well

No I did not have a work permit when I first arrived here. Just a marriage certificate and a non-immigrant visa valid for one year in 90 day segments of course.

There is an official Thai customs website which clearly states what you can bring in without duties (something like - one shipment and within xxx amount of time of you coming here etc)

I don't think I still have the information anywhere but suggest you search for it on google or something - I remember it was easy to find. Sorry I really dont have the time to look for it for you, but if I get 5 minutes I will.

Paul

Just to get things back on track I posted the Thai Customs link in http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/v ... highlight=

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I wouldn't rush to bring all your stuff out here. I would wait and see how things pan out, proceed slowly with caution. That advise was given to me by a fellow Brit about 5 years ago, and it has been proven true so many times.

I personally would bring nothing over here. At least nothing you can't afford to lose. Most stuff is relatively cheap to buy out here. Then wait and see how things go.
Rj

RJ wrote

I wouldn't rush to bring all your stuff out here. I would wait and see how things pan out, proceed slowly with caution.

Mr Tenbyboy
I know we are wondering off topic here but I would suggest listening to Rj (senior members) advice.

Not wanting to be cynical

Hmmm - just had a thought which may end the confusion here.

I did not bring anything into Thailand when I came here ! It was my WIFE who brought it in !!!!!!!!!!
It was her name on the documents, her passport we submitted and her (parents) address as the destination. It was simply a case of HER returning to Thailand to live after a spell abroad.(I just 'tagged' along

I am guessing that the advice you are being given about a work permit etc is if YOU yourself want to import the goods (i.e. - as a single Farang man)

"Non-Thai, holder of Thai Residence Visa for at least one year."

I take the above statement to read 'non-immigrant visa'. You are not coming here on a tourist visa as a tourist , you are here on a non-immigrant visa which means it is your intention to live here for a period (1 year at least) for a reason other than tourism. Doesn't that mean you are resident here? albeit for only a short time, but you are actually living here!

I say again I did NOT have a work permit and was never ever asked for one. My shipment was absolutely painless. And for the record too - I did not ship out all my household belongings it was just personal things (even 27 boxes , but small boxes) and my bicycle. I started again once I got here and was a chance to get rid of some of the accumulated junk in my house I had been holding on to for so many years

Paul

TC said[quote]Mr Tenbyboy
I know we are wondering off topic here but I would suggest listening to Rj (senior members) advice.

Not wanting to be cynical

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Bear in mind that shipments are judged on square metres rather than weight and some large (but light) furniiture can prove costly.

I don't know many people who have brought furniture over - most sell up and start again once here. It tends to be more minimalistic here anyhow and an IKEA Chintz pattern lounge suite which looks great in your 3 bed semi at home might look odd in a rented 2 room apartment - for example. Each to their own I guess

Regards
Paul