scroggins

Thanks to you both. I should have clarified my intention is to apply for a non-imm O visa in Savannakhet. The tourist visa would only have been if I went to Penang, because I can't meet the 60-day seasoning requirement with my current stay. Is the consulate in Kota Baru better for tourist visas, by any chance? I am assuming no.

Thanks.

Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I take this to mean Penang is not a good place to get a tourist visa with my history of stamps. Savannakhet it is then...

This lengthy thread can be summed up with the following question: How easy is it to obtain a tourist visa in Penang for someone who has already been in Thailand for a year on visa-exempt stamps? I am thinking about heading to Penang next week to apply for a visa but am hoping to first receive some guidance. My situation is slightly complicated. I am an American married to a Thai. I have been living in Thailand since July 2022, using only visa exempt stamps with 30-day extensions, plus three 60-day extensions for visiting Thai family. I have never overstayed. I have tried multiple times to apply for a non-immigrant O visa based on marriage to a Thai, but was basically told that I should apply outside the country. I had intended to apply in Penang, but they apparently require the funds to be seasoned for at least 60 days prior to applying. So I would like to first apply for a tourist visa, which, when combined with the family visit extension, would give me 5 months to sort out my long-term visa. Given my situation, and history in Thailand, am I likely to receive a tourist visa in Penang? We live in our own house and will be driving our own vehicle, so I can't show an onward ticket or a receipt for my accommodation. Obviously these things can be obtained, but I prefer to be completely transparent. I don't want to find myself in a situation where I'm denied a visa, then I'm trapped in Malaysia because I've used up my two border crossings for the year. Yes, I know I could always fly into the country, but this is not a great solution for many reasons. If I'm unlikely to receive a visa in Penang, I will make the long drive to Savannakhet, where I'm told it's very easy to obtain a one-year non-immigrant O visa. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Thanks. Much appreciated.

I do have a question about requirement 9: "approximately 6 photos of family pictures and house residents pictures, including house number and inside a house" Does this need to be the house we intend to live in? We have a small apartment in BKK, but it is being rented out and we don't intend to live there. We plan to get an Airbnb for the first month or two while looking for a place to live long-term. Do these photos have to be taken in the house we intend to live in, presumably with the rental agreement mentioned in item 10? Thanks again.

Thank you, this is extremely helpful.

My (Thai) wife and I were planning to relocate to Thailand next month. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency we need to go immediately, which means I will not have time to apply for the non-imm O visa first. If I enter Thailand on the 30-day visa extension stamp, is there a way to convert to residency status through marriage, or will I need to go apply for a visa in a neighboring country? Thanks.

Thanks for sharing your perspective and experience Chiwi - very useful. The consulate asked for details of a tabian baan as part of the registration process, so it seems like it can't be avoided (though I didn't ask for an exception). I would be nervous about asking now, because after his warning it would seem like an obvious attempt to avoid the draft...

Thanks all - some very useful info here. We've decided to go ahead and register his birth now, and figure out how to deal with the possibility of conscription later. We don't have any immediate plans to move to Thailand, but obviously a lot can happen in 20 years.

Thanks, ubonjoe. Since we already have the required documents (triple-stamped birth certificate being the most difficult to obtain), would we be able to register his birth in Thailand in the future? This is more or less what the consulate representative recommended.

My son (Thai wife) was born in the US earlier this year. I was planning to register his birth at the Thai consulate to ensure that he obtained Thai citizenship, but the person there advised me to wait until he was older, because if I do so now he may be required to serve in the Thai military when he is 20. Is it true that merely registering the birth would mean he would be required to register for the conscription lottery? Should we go ahead and register his birth now and deal with this issue later, or should we follow the advice of the consulate representative and wait until he is older? Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated. Thanks.

My Thai wife and I, along with our son, were planning to move to Thailand, not travel there. However, in light of the restrictions described here we will not be doing so in the near future.

Thanks for the replies everyone (except DrJack54 - I don't understand the need for such vitriol). It seems like Thailand may not be a practical option after all, given the obstacles described here.

Are covid vaccinations currently required to enter Thailand? I'm finding conflicting information on this. Apologies if this is not the right place for this post. Thanks in advance for any replies.