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.

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.