Foreign property owners now allowed to return to Thailand

[rooster59 16,644]

Foreign property owners now allowed to return to Thailand

 

Image: Reuters file photo

 

Foreigners who own property in Thailand have been added to the group of non-Thais who are now able to apply to return to the country.

 

But before you get too excited, be warned there are a whole host of eye opening requirements that need to be met as part of the application process.

 

The requirements are listed on the website of the Royal Thai Embassy in London and the information provided here is based on someone applying from the UK.

 

Firstly, property owners need to be able to provide documentation that shows they do indeed own a property, this could be in the form of a house registration book or proof of purchase documentation. 

 

Next, (and this is the first of the eye opening requirements) they need to be able to provide a copy of a bank statement that shows a balance of at least 3 million baht deposited into a Thai bank account.

 

They also need to show a bank statement from a UK or Irish bank account that has a balance of 500,000 baht for the past 6 months.

 

They then need to meet all the other requirements necessary for any non-Thai returning to Thailand currently such as, Certificate of Entry, declaration form, quarantine booking, Fit to Fly Certificate, COVID-19 negative test result and an insurance policy which covers COVID-19 and up to 100,000 USD.

 

Once all of the requirements have been met, the foreign property owner then needs to apply for a Non-B visa to enter Thailand. 

 

While the addition of foreign property owners gives hope to some foreigners to be able return to Thailand, it may do little to help what is arguably one the biggest groups of foreigners stranded outside the kingdom - expat retirees.

 

Earlier this week, Thaivisa heard from one expat who despite living in Thailand on a retirement extension for the last 9 years, is not able to return and remains stranded in the UK.

 

Since publishing the story, Thaivisa has been inundated from people in a similar position. 

 

The full list of requirements for foreign property owners to enter Thailand can be found below:

 

For non-Thai who own property in Thailand

 

While Thailand still puts in place travel restriction, foreigners who own property in Thailand can apply for non-B visa and the Certificate of Entry to go to Thailand.  

 

Required documents : 

 

• Your passport copy 
• Copy of property ownership document in Thailand, or proof of purchase of property and relevant documents
• Copy of bank statements of a Thai bank account with deposit at least 3 million baht (approx. £77,000), or Thai government bonds at least 3 million baht
• Copy of bank statement of a UK/Irish bank account with deposit at least 500,000 baht (approx. £12,800) for the past 6 months
• Declaration form
• A copy of flight confirmation
• A copy of ASQ booking confirmation

 

Please see our visa page for more detail at https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84508-non-immigrant-visas

 

What you need to present at airlines check-in counter and upon arrival in Thailand:

 

• The Certificate of Entry 
• Declaration form 
• Fit to Fly health certificate, issued within 72 hours before departure – this is a statement by a doctor that you are free from symptoms and fit to fly (must be separate from COVID test)
• COVID-19 test result, with a laboratory output indicating that COVID -19 is not detected (COVID test must be by RT-PCR method), issued within 72 hours before departure
• Copy of your insurance policy which covers COVID-19 and no less than 100,000 USD
• Copy of your confirmed booking at an ASQ hotel
• T.8 form 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-10

 

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[Pottinger 1,061]

Farookin' ridiculous! Three million Baht earning 0.1% in a Thai bank plus another half million doing nothing in your home country - just how anxious do they think people are?

Expect a lot more condos to come up for sale.

Edited October 10 by Pottinger

[madmen 9,362]

So punters drop eg 5 to 15 million baht on a home and now need to show 3 million to use it

 

Sounds fair 

[Don Mega 9,622]

Glad I live here cause I don't have a UK or irish bank account.

[Surelynot 5,435]

OMG.....this doesn't apply to the Chinese as well...... does it?.......It can't do, they are flooding back into my condo at the moment.

[PST 144]

None of the Non B's listed on the Embassy website mentions Foreign house owners, so why do they need to apply for a NON B visa to enter Thailand?

[Surelynot 5,435]

Let's face it...this is just another step on the road to clearing out foreigners (apart from their brothers and sisters in China).......It is all part of going down the (silk) road to become the next North Korea.

[Susco 4,650]

16 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Next, (and this is the first of the eye opening requirements) they need to be able to provide a copy of a bank statement that shows a balance of at least 3 million baht deposited into a Thai bank account.

 

They also need to show a bank statement from a UK or Irish bank account that has a balance of 500,000 baht for the past 6 months.

 

 

Best evidence ever that Thailand Covid is only about money, and not about infections

[Airalee 3,476]

Only a complete financial illiterate would put 3 million baht into a Thai bank when the deposit protection drops to ONE million baht next year.  

[Raymonddiaz 2,464]

7 minutes ago, PST said:

None of the Non B's listed on the Embassy website mentions Foreign house owners, so why do they need to apply for a NON B visa to enter Thailand?

Non B is for people who intend to work in Thailand. What’s really going on???? More confusions.....

[finnsk 578]

The country needs money, they take where they can see options.

 

I think this option will be a quiet death, with only a very few applicants, like the stv.

 

The country must begin to think at forreigners as friendly people, not stupid milky cows.

 

 

[Brunolem 7,169]

First they destroy their tourism industry by creating, then suspending for no clear reason, a new 9 month tourist visa.

 

(Note that the Chinese who were ready to embark on the first flight to Thailand, cancelled at the last minute, may not be reimbursed for their fully prepaid voyage).

 

Now they are up to destroying their real estate industry by telling foreign buyers that their investments in Thailand's condos don't matter...what really matter is the cash they deposit in Thai banks.

 

What's next?

[ezzra 42,627]

Is there no end to the length that this government will go to be even more ridiculous and difficult to torment people that loves being in this country and that the Covid thing it's not heir fault?...

[soi3eddie 1,079]

Apart from the very wealthy (likely chinese business owners) this will be all but impossible for any other home owner. Most of us retiree expat home (condo) owners could not fulfill these lengthy and onerous requirements. Just another deliberately hair brained announcement to make it sound like Thai government are doing something to re-open the country when in reality their intention is the opposite. They want to keep the country closed to all but their wealthy friends in near Asia.

[NorthernRyland 1,341]

Seriously 3 million baht? This is no way to treat people who own condos. I wish sometimes we could do this <deleted> to the Thais that live in our countries. Maybe they would learn something in the process.