Linnets1961

I am on a Retirement extension currently living in Thailand with my Thai girlfriend, I have 2 adult daughters in the UK who I would like to visit for a 2-3 week holiday. My girlfriend doesn't work as she is fully financially supported by me, she doesn't own any land but has 3 sons and 2 grandchildren in Thailand.

How easy will it be for me to get her a Tourist Visa to come with me to the UK?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Works ok an a Macbook Pro using Safari if you copy and paste the link, I was able to get to the form you fill in easy enough.

After reading all the doom and gloom and stories on here about renewing your passport I decided that even though my passport didn't expire until Dec 2017 I would renew it now ahead of my retirement to LOS this coming June.

I made an appointment at Peterborough at a weeks notice, turned up on the day with form filled in, 2 passport photo's and my old passport and walked out 4 hrs later with new 10 year 9 months passport in hand. At least I now don't have to worry about it now for some time. God knows why they make the process so difficult just because you are applying from abroad!!

Thanks for the information, as far as the return ticket issue is concerned that's not a problem since in every case I have looked at so far a one way ticket is more expensive than a return so I will have a return ticket and just not use the second flight.

As for going to Bangkok twice, again no problem for me since I shuttle backwards and forwards between Pattaya and Bangkok regularly when I'm over there anyway. If the conversion from Visa exempt to Non-O Imm can definitely be done then its less hassle for me than having to get a tourist visa or Non-O here in the UK.

Is there any reason why it is better to convert from a 60 Day tourist visa (obtained outside of Thailand) to a Non-O for retirement purposes, than to do the same conversion from a 30 day visa exempt?

My circumstances are that I'm over 50, already have the 800K in a thai bank account, already rent a property in thailand etc. I don't understand the need to go to the hassle of getting a tourist visa in the UK if I can convert a visa on arrival.

Other than the time constraints of having to go to Bangkok Immigration on or around the 14th day of my visit what other benefits are there for going the tourist Visa route?

Thanks in advance.