Big FranK

As i am over 50 years old, i use single entry non-immigrant O visa valid for 90 days. In my case, i don't qualify for extension. The lady at the embassy told me i can get as many visas as i want in a year (contrary to the Tourist visa for which you need not to have spend more than 90 days in Thailand in the last 6 months).

First time i asked for a thai visa was in the 90's, i got my visa at the embassy in three days and could ask for a tourist visa with as many entries as i wanted. No documents asked, just had to fill a form, done in 5 minutes...good old days. I don't delete the bank account number on bank statements, but i delete my client number and internet personal access number on every file i send. With the right pdf editor they won't even see the modification.

My bad. You are right, visa exemption can also be extended by 30 days at immigration center...So 75 days for visa exempt against 90 days for tourist visa.

Actually visa exempt gives you now 45 days, and 30 days more if you leave the country doing a visa run. The tourist visa still gives you 60 days, and 30 days more without leaving the country. So the tourist visa is still very relevant, 15 days more and no need for visa run.

In my case, thai embassy in Paris, it took 14 days to receive my non-imm O visa in my mail last month. Their website says the usual wait is 1 month. Only pb is that they ask for documents that are nowhere to be found in the Evisa. So i had to merge all the pdf files into one and put it with the bank statements. E-Visa for the first time was a bit challenging, but will be much easier next time.

Something is strange here. If all that the thais wanted was a nice chitchat, how could this escalate into a fight ? Thais are notorious for trying to escape their responsabilities, especially if police or foreigners are involved. Maybe their motorbike hit the car and they did not stop, who knows ? We only have the story from the thai side, and before jumping to conclusion it is necessary to hear it from the foreigners' side. Hoping the police will do its job without money involved.

Even if i usually travel business class, i never go in the special line for luggage checking or immigration. Usually there are less people, so officials have plenty of time to go through your things and ask plenty of questions. Blending in the mass of travellers is always a better option.

I don't know about the US embassy, but in France the Thai embassy says on its website that you need to provide a return ticket before 90 days (and not 60 days). So I always bring a screen copy at the airport in case they would ask me. But 90 days is fine with Thai Airways and i've never had any problem or even question, as long as i can show a tourist visa. I guess it depends on the airline. But when going from Bangkok to the Philippines without any visa, to be safe i book my return flight within 30 days, and then change my return ticket once in the Philippines.

Why not doing it simple...if under 50, tourist visa with 1 extension gives 90 days. If over 50, single entry non-immigrant O visa gives also 90 days and no extension needed. To be safe with eVisa, apply 1 month before traveling.

I dearly miss the time of my first travel to Thailand in the 90's. Went to the embassy in Paris in the morning, gave them my passport and a form that i filled there in 5 minutes. I waited 30 minutes, and got a three entries tourist visa, altogether 270 days ! You could asked for as many entries you needed...Good old days. Now they need a never ending list of documents impossible to get, and their website says the eVisa needs 1 month minimum to be proceeded...The joy of bureaucracy.

I agree, the french embassy is terrible. They are asking for more documents than any other places (even more than what the eVisa is asking for), and don't answer calls or reply to mails. Hopefully the new eVisa will make an end to that nonsense.

Thanks for the answers, but my question was specifically about "If you are applying for Multiple Entries you need to prove that you have a genuine reason to visit Thailand on a regular basis". How hard is it to get one of this METV these days, without a "genuine reason" whatever it is ?

I am from France...so i guess nothing is sure, it is not because it is available that you can get one, as it is up to the Ambassy to give a single or multiple visa ?

Hello everyone, (sorry if this topic has already been answered...) In the new eVisa procedure I see there is the possibility to ask for a Multiple Entries Tourist Visa. I understand that this visa is valid for 6 months only. So i could stay 2 months, ask for 30 days extension, then leave the country, do it again a second time, and before the end of the 6 months make a last visa run. Altogether staying nearly 9 months with 2 visa runs. Is it available to everybody, because it is also written in small print : "If you are applying for Multiple Entries you need to prove that you have a genuine reason to visit Thailand on a regular basis. The difference in fee will not be refunded if the officer grants a Single Entry Visa instead of the Multiple Entry Visa you applied for" Any opinion ? Thanks

Here are the eVisa supporting documents for Retirement Non Immigrant Visa O (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days) Health insurance is no longer needed

I get my Visa from the thai embassy in France, and yes from now on it is eVisa As you say, you have to choose the Retirement O Visa (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days). No need for health insurance now, as it is explained on the first screen when you connect to the eVisa. Just upload a page whith a screen capture of that statement. Concerning the financial evidence, they don't care about the source of money. Just upload bank accounts showing you had the minimum required money for the last three months. Honestly it is not difficult, just give it a go. Best is to save your application after each step

By far the best option is non immigrant O visa for people over 50 and wanting to stay no more than 90 days. It is even easier to get than the tourist visa, and, above all you don't have to waste a day to go to an immigration office in Thailand after 60 days to get 30 days more. And there is no limitation on how many visas you can get in one year. That is what i do two to three times a year, mixed with travels in other coutries. Extension over 90 days is possible but hard to get and only in certain cases like married to a thai.

You have a point, eVisa is probably less worrysome than it seems. But i am still wondering why the eVisa has no way to upload some documents asked by the embassy, and how to do it. Maybe it is simply because they haven't updated their website yet. Anyway my next eVisa will be easier, or so i hope.

The key word here is "assuming"... But yes, that's what i am hoping for. I am probably over anxious as it is my first try with eVisa, not knowing if someone will even process my application. I prefer having someone i can talk to, like in the old days.

Thanks This is for the thai embassy in Paris I only want a 3 months visa. I could ask for a tourist visa, but then will need a visit to the immigration office for a 30 days extension, and that would be a waste of time. Whereas being over 50, non-imm O would get me 90 days straight. I am inclined to merge the additional documents with others into a single pdf file, hoping they will spot what they want. Apparently embassy requirements vary by country, and that is not compatible with a single worldwide eVisa procedure. The joy of bureaucracy. I understand eVisa is a progress for people living far from the embassy, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Hopefully things will get better with time. Cheers

Hi everyone, Looking to get a non-immigrant O visa 3 months. On its website the thai embassy asks for proof of hotel booking for 7 days, and proof of retirement. No problem with that, but the eVisa doesn't allow to upload anywhere these two items (for that kind of visa). The embassy doesn't respond to mails... Any idea what i should do ? Thanks

If you stay less than 2 months, i understand why people won't bother with evisa when they are entitled to visa exemption, even if they have to deal with Immigration for their one month extension. After all, the point of visa exemption is to have as many short-stay tourists as possible, isn't it ? (unlike evisa which is mostly to get money from someone who is not even yet in the country)

I too already had some remarks from thai officials saying i had too many entry stamps, and that i might not be allowed in the country next time. So back to my country i simply forget my passport in the washing machine, and ask for a new one. What triggers the IO is how many stamps they see in the passport, even if what you did was perfectly legal and that there is no flag in their computer. I agree that the overzealous middle aged female IO are the one to avoid in most countries.