BritTim

On 3/31/2025 at 7:54 PM, DrJack54 said:

Could the OP mail the pp to avoid in person VSF .

Did you look into that option? 

Officially, that is not supposed to be allowed. However, several years ago, I know of two cases where a successful renewal from Thailand was achieved by applying direct to the Passport Office in the UK. Since your old passport needs to be provided in such an application, even if successful, it would put you in violation of Thai law which states that you need to have your passport available at all times. I would personally also be nervous about being without my passport for an indeterminant period of time, possibly many months if the UK officials decide to strike again.

On 3/8/2025 at 12:40 PM, cliveshep said:

Thanks for that. Just looked on Google and no cash accepted BUT, and here is the crazy bit, contrary to what it appears to mean on the UK help pages apparently VFS take the payment in the local currency in Bkk. I'll phone the buggers on Monday and ask. It is stupid all the contradictory information from these government websites. Naturally I have a Thai debit card so if google is right they'll accept that - or not! As sooner or later every British Expat is going to have to deal with this I'll post the answer. But as so many have already renewed there surely one of them can explain how they paid?

Unless the situation has changed (and if you are doing it in person, not using an agent) you can only pay by debit or credit card. A Thai card is OK, but, BIG BUT, there are frequent problems with Thai banks deciding a payment to "HOME OFFICE" looks dubious and rejecting the transaction. I have, in the past, succeeded, but once after six attempts to make the payment (including me telling my Thai bank to authorize the transaction) the UK Passport Office told me to find another way to pay, and I had my brother use his card.

On 12/29/2024 at 9:35 PM, DrJack54 said:

Reentry Permit at BKK is obtained after security and prior to passport control.

The desk is to left side of immigration ques.

1000b single reentry and 3800b multi. plus 200b if you opt for service assist

Zone 2

Actually, there have been changes to the re-entry permit application at Suvarnabhumi. You now apply just after passport control. There are signs that direct you to the desk which you reach by turning left and walking to the end. The process is otherwise pretty much unchanged. As before, you can use your own completed form and photo, or you can pay 200 baht to have that dealt with for you.

Anyone thinking of applying for a NON O-A or NON O-X visa should also look at the option of getting an LTR visa which is definitely superior if you qualify. In the application for an LTR visa, the BOI is more rational in applying requirements.

The Non O visa and extensions makes sense for many, not least because an agent can help you more with the process.

Not mentioned by anyone else: Maesot has an airport, and it is possible to take a Nok Air flight to Bangkok.

With the police report and a Malaysian id card, I do not think there would be an issue taking a domestic flight, and it would be less stressful than a road journey.

3 minutes ago, post said:

Can one apply for the E-Visa online anywhere rather than the place he/she has citizenship or residency status only?

It is not supposed to be allowed.

It is, as is often the case, important to be exact in your use of terms.

When discussing visas, it is accurate to talk about Non B, Non O etc. In the case of applying for a Non O visa at a Thai embassy/consulate to visit your Thai child, there are no restrictions in terms of cohabitation or age. (Depending on the embassy/consulate, the birth certificate showing you as the father will usually be sufficient without legalisation.)

When talking about extensions of your permission to stay in Thailand, visas are irrelevant (except that you need to be on an entry from a non immigrant visa). You are seeking an extension to stay with your Thai child. In that case,

(i) you need to be living in the same household as your child; and

(ii) the child must either be under 20 years of age, or be seriously disabled to the point where they are unable to live independently.

Firstly, let's ensure we know EXACTLY what we are talking about.

You have:

1) a work permit;

2) an extension of your permission to stay based on working; and

3) a multiple re-entry permit allowing you to keep the permission to stay intact when you leave Thailand and return.

The correct procedure is to get a termination letter from your employer and take this to Immigration. Your permission to stay will be cancelled with effect from the last date of your employment shown on the termination letter. The re-entry permit will cease to be valid. Even after this, keep the termination letter as you never know when you might need to show it in future.

The work permit should be cancelled based on instructions to the labour department by your employer. You can leave the physical book (if you have one) with your employer.

After that, you leave on or before the expiry of the truncated permission to stay, and can return visa exempt.

On 3/22/2024 at 10:42 AM, Freddy42OZ said:

As far as farang husbands being dependents of their farang wives, I was unaware this was possible given children over 18 can't be dependents.  Seems utterly illogical to me that your children don't have the same family rights as a spouse. It's immediate family, if one of them has a visa then the others should all be allowed to be here as part of the family.

I disagree with you that adult children should be treated as dependants of their parents. Certainly, tax laws in every country I know of do not take that view. Historically, one half of a husband and wife pair has often worked while the other took care of the house and was dependant on the one working. Tax laws typically still reflect that.

The single entry Non O visa based on marriage to a Thai should be OK in either Hanoi or HCMC. However, the embassy in Hanoi is unfriendly. As mentioned above, there is often a wait to get an appointment in HCMC. They may ask to see financial proof.

On 2/23/2024 at 4:30 PM, tjintx said:

42

Hah, 42 includes everything (including every possible necessary visa).

The mice never got around to determining the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything, excluding visas.

On 2/21/2024 at 6:34 AM, Gottfrid said:

Where do they object to anything? The only thing that is needed, is the right permission to stay long time in Thailand. You are just another one that fail to understand it´s called tourist visa for a reason.

As a matter of interest, did you consider the Special Tourist Visa, provided during Covid and allowing a 270-day stay to be a tourist visa? Were people using it tourists?

In your view, is someone who stays from August until April of the following year on tourist visas a valid tourist (not resident for tax purposes) but someone who stays from January to July not a valid tourist?

When is a regular single or multiple entry tourist visa a "valid" visa, and where can the rules that document this be found? I have always considered that any visa issued by an embassy or consulate is valid, and ought only to be abrogated by Immigration subject to Section 12 of the Immigration Act (a policy followed by almost all land crossings and some airports, but ignored by some Immigration officials elsewhere).

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Having a local girlfriend while being a "tourist" is one clue.

If one can afford very long holidays without working, there are other visa's available when under 50. 

Apart from tourist or education visas, what other visa options do you suggest for those under age 50? Thailand Elite membership, never a cheap option, is now really expensive.

On 1/27/2024 at 2:42 PM, bbi1 said:

How did it pay for itself? The smarter more cost effective way would've been to do METV for a few hundred bucks every 9 months.

For many people, the cost of travelling to their home countries and staying for a few days is substantial. That is without considering that people might not want to do that. They might prefer to spend the time in Thailand. Also, bear in mind, that people have been refused serial METVs, and it has even been known for people with tourist visas to be denied entry.

EDIT: Yes, you can try to circumvent the rule that you must apply for an METV in your home country by using a VPN (and falsifying the passport copies you submit) but that involves risk.

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Daaaamn... thats a brutal increase...     they must be loosing membership on that.

 

At 500,000 baht for 5 years I think they had a 'sweet spot' and attracted many members, but that 900,000 baht is going to cost them I suspect.

They were originally planning to set the price of the 5-year membership even higher! My suspicion is that it will kill the Western market. I am not sure about Chinese, Russian and Middle East buyers. I think for many of them, the price is elastic. Time will tell.

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

If looking longer term... 5 years etc, the Thai Elite becomes the viable option, but far more expensive at 600,000 baht.

Following a revamp of the Thailand Elite program last year, the minimum membership is now 900,000 baht (5 years)

On 1/7/2024 at 9:35 AM, Foxx said:

No.  Before.  (It's after at Don Mueang.)

That was true until recently. I departed January 12th and you now apply for a re-entry permit AFTER passing Immigration. You do so by walking all the way to the left after passing through Immigration.