Non-immigrant O

[sadako]

Hi there again all ,

The answers to these Q's will lie on this site somewhere and Im sure this subject has been covered 1000 times . Cant seem to find the exact answers I need though .

Im in the UK , soon to be living in Thailand and will one day be requiring a re-newal of a Non - Immigrant O 1 year visa . The UK Thai-consulate tells me I will not be able to get one anywhere apart from here in the UK . I am trying to avoid returning to the UK for this every year in the future .

1 ... Assuming Im not married . Can I travel to Oz or anywhere that is not the UK ( closest and less costly ) to get this type of visa ?

2.... I may marry to a Thai soon . I hear I can get this type of visa in Penang consulate if married . But I have heard conflicting stories of the amount required in a Thai bank account . I believe it to be 400,000 BHT . Am I correct ?

Thanking U ,

Confused Sadako . . . Lost in space forever

[loong]

I believe it to be 400,000 BHT . Am I correct ?

Correct

[Maestro]

Im in the UK , soon to be living in Thailand and will one day be requiring a re-newal of a Non -  Immigrant O  1 year visa . The UK Thai-consulate tells me I will not be able to get one anywhere apart from here in the UK . I am trying to avoid returning to the UK for this every year in the future .

So you’re planning to apply in the UK for a non-immigrant O visa to travel to Thailand.

What Thai Consulate in the UK did you talk to? As you may have noticed while reading the forum, one consulate may be more knowledgeable on the subject than another.

Your first obstacle will be to obtain a non-O visa. On the basis of what “purpose of visit” did you talk to the consular official.

At any rate, once you have entered Thailand with a non-O visa, you can apply for a one-year extension of stay within Thailand, at the Immigration Bureau.

Whether your application will be approved depends on whether you continue to meet the criteria for this visa type. Usually, it is either for retirement (must be over 50), or for support of Thai wife. You say you plan to marry a Thai while in Thailand, but will you do so before the time comes for you to apply for an extension of stay?

[Maestro]

Im in the UK , soon to be living in Thailand and will one day be requiring a re-newal of a Non -  Immigrant O  1 year visa . The UK Thai-consulate tells me I will not be able to get one anywhere apart from here in the UK . I am trying to avoid returning to the UK for this every year in the future .

So you’re planning to apply in the UK for a non-immigrant O visa to travel to Thailand.

What Thai Consulate in the UK did you talk to? As you may have noticed while reading the forum, one consulate may be more knowledgeable on the subject than another.

Your first obstacle will be to obtain a non-O visa. On the basis of what “purpose of visit” did you talk to the consular official.

At any rate, once you have entered Thailand with a non-O visa, you can apply for a one-year extension of stay within Thailand, at the Immigration Bureau.

Whether your application will be approved depends on whether you continue to meet the criteria for this visa type. Usually, it is either for retirement (must be over 50), or for support of Thai wife. You say you plan to marry a Thai while in Thailand, but will you do so before the time comes for you to apply for an extension of stay?

[Maestro]

Im in the UK , soon to be living in Thailand and will one day be requiring a re-newal of a Non -  Immigrant O  1 year visa . The UK Thai-consulate tells me I will not be able to get one anywhere apart from here in the UK . I am trying to avoid returning to the UK for this every year in the future .

So you’re planning to apply in the UK for a non-immigrant O visa to travel to Thailand.

What Thai Consulate in the UK did you talk to? As you may have noticed while reading the forum, one consulate may be more knowledgeable on the subject than another.

Your first obstacle will be to obtain a non-O visa. On the basis of what “purpose of visit” did you talk to the consular official?

At any rate, once you have entered Thailand with a non-O visa, you can apply for one-year extensions of stay within Thailand, at the Immigration Bureau. No need to travel outside Thailand for this.

Whether your application will be approved depends on whether you continue to meet the criteria for this visa type. Usually, it is either for retirement (must be over 50), or for support of Thai wife. You say you plan to marry a Thai while in Thailand, but will you do so before the time comes for you to apply for an extension of stay?

[Aussie Andy]

Let me know if I the answer to this has already been answered, but I am currently on a Non-B and would like to change to a Non-O as I am tying the knott this month. Is it possible to do this without leaving the kingdom and what will I need to take with me?

Cheers

[Crossy]

I assume that you're going to apply for your 'o' at Hull with the reason being 'visiting friends / family'.

A multi-o will get you up to 15 months in Thailand if you time your visa runs correctly.

You can get a 12 month extension if you are married to a Thai, 400 k needed in a Thai bank or over 50 'retired' when you will need 800k. Both these amounts can be split between a deposit and a certified income.

If you are neither married nor retired your options are limited, return to the UK for another non-O, whether it will be granted is debatable, or, go to Penang and get a double entry tourist visa, each entry is 60 days, extendable for a further 30 days at immigration.

If you can get a job here your options are greater.

[lopburi3]

There are very few places that will provide a mutli entry O visa anymore without family or other valid reasons so you do not have any option in the immediate area so Oz would probably be the nearest place.

If you marry the story changes and you should have no problem getting a multi entry O visa from Penang; and there is no requirement for any 400k in a bank account for this.

If you marry and have outside income or local work you may qualify for extension of stay and never have to travel or obtain a new visa. That would be where the 400k in a bank account would be required.

[lopburi3]

I believe it to be 400,000 BHT . Am I correct ?

Correct

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not correct. There is no requirement for money for a visa to visit family (wife) by Penang. That requirement is only for extension of stay from immigration inside Thailand.

[loong]

I believe it to be 400,000 BHT . Am I correct ?

Correct

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not correct. There is no requirement for money for a visa to visit family (wife) by Penang. That requirement is only for extension of stay from immigration inside Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, misread his question.

[lopburi3]

I believe it to be 400,000 BHT . Am I correct ?

Correct

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not correct. There is no requirement for money for a visa to visit family (wife) by Penang. That requirement is only for extension of stay from immigration inside Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, misread his question.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Easy to do - it was popping my eyes out too.

[sadako]

I believe it to be 400,000 BHT . Am I correct ?

Correct

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not correct. There is no requirement for money for a visa to visit family (wife) by Penang. That requirement is only for extension of stay from immigration inside Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, misread his question.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Easy to do - it was popping my eyes out too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK , so let me get this straight . If I am living in Thailand now on a 1 year O visa , when it expires , if I am married by then , I can go to Penang , bring marriage certificate and not have to show 400,000 Bht in Thai bank account to get another 1 year ?

Or is it only the case that I dont have to show 400,000 bht if I am not coming from within Thailand and returning again ?

What Im trying to ask is , is it possible to live in Thailand until my " O " expires and then travel from Thailand to Penang and, if married to a Thai , return to Thailand every year with another 1 year non-immigrant O issued at Penang without showing 400,000 in bank ?

[sadako]

Im in the UK , soon to be living in Thailand and will one day be requiring a re-newal of a Non -  Immigrant O  1 year visa . The UK Thai-consulate tells me I will not be able to get one anywhere apart from here in the UK . I am trying to avoid returning to the UK for this every year in the future .

So you’re planning to apply in the UK for a non-immigrant O visa to travel to Thailand.

What Thai Consulate in the UK did you talk to? As you may have noticed while reading the forum, one consulate may be more knowledgeable on the subject than another.

Your first obstacle will be to obtain a non-O visa. On the basis of what “purpose of visit” did you talk to the consular official?

At any rate, once you have entered Thailand with a non-O visa, you can apply for one-year extensions of stay within Thailand, at the Immigration Bureau. No need to travel outside Thailand for this.

Whether your application will be approved depends on whether you continue to meet the criteria for this visa type. Usually, it is either for retirement (must be over 50), or for support of Thai wife. You say you plan to marry a Thai while in Thailand, but will you do so before the time comes for you to apply for an extension of stay?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I will receive my first 1 year O from Hull in the UK . I only have to show a letter of guarantee from a family member , or proof of visiting friends or family in Thailand . Either I can provide without a problem . Im just trying to find out information for the future , because I may be married to a Thai soon , and will not return to the UK for another 1 year O unless it is necessary . That is why I would like to know if I can simply travel to Penang with marriage certificate ( which is much cheaper than returning to the UK ) and whether or not I must show in Penang 400,000 Bht in my Thai bank account . It would be nice to keep that money " not tied up " as it were , if possible . Thanks again .

[lopburi3]

I answered your question in post #8. You do not need a bank account to obtain a non immigrant O visa from Penang if you are married to a Thai. You will require at least a marriage certificate and copy of her id card however.

As you seem to be new to the multi entry visa I hope that you do understand you will not be allowed to remain in Thailand more than 90 days at a time.

As for doing this forever nothing lasts that long so the rules could change next week. You are obviously not going to be the most welcome visitor if you do not have reason for doing this (such as frequent travel for employment reasons and such) so will this route be open forever? I don't know.

Edited August 31, 2005 by lopburi3

[sadako]

Ok , thanks , I undertand now . So I only must show the 400 K if I plan on extending within Thailand .

Well , I do plan on working in Thailand also . First I will set up a couple of investments , and possibly get married to my lovely lady next year . I will work as soon as I can find employment , and will be looking for all oppurtunities there . ( English teaching possibly )

Just nice to know if married I will not have to return to the UK every year for a renewal of the O , which is it seems quite simple to get year on year over here ....at the moment !

I understand fully about the necessity to leave the country every 90 days , and this is not a problem . I plan to use Jacks Golf from Sukhumvit to Poipet .

Could anyone possibly advise me on the best way to travel from BKK to Penang ? Train , bus , flight etc ?

Thanks for all your help , this info is very useful to me .

Sadako .

[loong]

Could anyone possibly advise me on the best way to travel from BKK to Penang ? Train , bus , flight etc ?

It may be an idea to post this as a seperate thread in the travel forum

Edited August 31, 2005 by loong

[Maestro]

Let me know if I the answer to this has already been answered, but I am currently on a Non-B and would like to change to a Non-O as I am tying the knott this month. Is it possible to do this without leaving the kingdom and what will I need to take with me?

Perhaps you would have fared better if you had started a new thread rather than cutting into an unrelated thread.

The link of the Thai Immigration Bureau should help you. (This site works with Microsoft Internet Explorer, but not with Mozilla Firefox)

On the home page, click on “Change visa”, then select the fourth from the top, “As an Immediate member of a family in Thailand (NON-O)”

Good luck!

[sadako]

Could anyone possibly advise me on the best way to travel from BKK to Penang ? Train , bus , flight etc ?

It may be an idea to post this as a seperate thread in the travel forum

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

DOH ! And did I think of that ? ........No