Where in Thailand can I get my UK marriage certificate stamped as genuine?
You can’t any more. Most embassies, including the British, now refuse to confirm official documents issued outside the home country. The sole exceptions to this rule are your passport and your driving licence. This is because those particular documents are on a UK data base available to the embassy. So if you want your UK marriage certificate or your educational qualifications verified you have to send them to a special office in Milton Keynes. The complex details and payment instructions are on the embassy website in the section dealing with what the embassy cannot do.
What happens when I die in Thailand?
Not sure about your personal destination but the disposal rules are fairly clear. Most people here die at home or in hospital or in road accidents. The first hurdle is the local police who have the discretion whether or not to require an autopsy, usually carried out at the police autopsy unit in Bangkok. The general rule is that you will be taken for autopsy unless you die in hospital with documents showing a recent illness and treatment undergone. The next of kin or the executor will require a letter from the appropriate embassy giving permission for him/her to move the body for cremation or overseas transportation. Most embassies keep a list of recommended morticians who can assist with the detail.
What is the easiest way to obtain
a retirement visa?
Technically, you mean a one year extension (not a visa) on a non-immigrant visa you obtained at an overseas Thai embassy or, in some circumstances, at a Thai immigration office. The easiest way is to keep at least 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account for five months of the year (starting two months before you apply) and at least 400,000 baht for the remaining seven months. You also need to show evidence of your address in Thailand. Another way is to show at least 65,000 baht a month coming into your Thai account from abroad for a whole year or even a combo method with a mixture of cash in the bank plus monthly transfers. But all alternatives are more complex than the 800,000 way and subject to differing regulations at local immigration offices.
What is the longest visa you can obtain?
The Elite visa is promised for between five and 20 years according to how much you pay (500,000 baht up to 2 million baht) but each chunk of time is just three months. After that you have to visit an immigration office or leave the country to obtain your next slice of time. There is also a non-immigrant “XO” visa for 10 years and obtainable at some Thai embassies abroad – but be warned the paperwork is substantial and you need approved medical insurance for this one. Both the Elite and the “XO” can include family members but the price structure varies according to your specific needs. Neither of these visas allow you to work in Thailand.
What is a smart visa then?
This was created a few years ago in close consultation with the Board of Investment. It is quite unlike other visas as it allows for built-in work authorization dependent on what exactly you will be doing. Whilst there are many perks associated with this visa, it is certainly the most scrutinized category owing to the oversight of the various ministries responsible for authorizing an operation which might be eligible. Basically this unique visa is for foreigners who are investing large sums in a high-tech business venture here or will work for a high-tech company on a salary way above the average. The voluminous detail is on the BOI website.
Why do some Schengen
or UK visa applications fail?
When Thais are disappointed that their European visa applications fail, it is usually a problem of lack of documentation. If visiting a friend, for example, it is not enough to show evidence of a relationship and rely on the sponsor to provide details of accommodation and income. The Thai applicant, unless of substantial independent means, will be required to explain (and back up with documents) why he/she will return to Thailand after the vacation. In practice, this means providing detailed evidence of an occupation in Thailand or proof of ownership of significant assets of land or property. A common myth is to assume that a letter from the employer is proof of a job. Many embassies also require evidence of weekly or monthly payments backed up by bank statements.
Is it worthwhile obtaining the “yellow book”?
This is the house registration book and accompanying pink ID card which show the name of the resident farang(s) as opposed to Thais living there. The rules for obtaining these vary in each local authority or city hall and may include verification of personal documents from the applicant’s home country rather than from his/her embassy in Bangkok. The yellow book and pink card can certainly be used for some purposes in Thailand, but not for all. For example, most land transportation offices still need a separate letter from the immigration police when you apply for, or renew, your driving licence. Views differ on whether the effort is worth the prize.
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