Returning to Thailand from Tenerife, Visa concern

[Velocette]

5 years ago I lived in Thailand with my Thai wife, she visits me here in Tenerife Spain. I now wish to return to Thailand and need to know which visa would be appropriate. There is no Thai embassy here only a Consulate which I think are more restricted in the visa's that they can issue.

 

I have read the various threads on visa advise, but still feel unsure as to what my choices are. I thought that this time it would be easier to have a one year extension of stay based on retirement, rather than marriage as I had before. Should I ask for (and hope they can oblige) for a 90 visa (to give me time to set up a bank account and transfer money etc when I arrive in Thailand) and would I need to show a marriage certificate, and house book etc to the Consulate here . . .

 

If they can only give me a 60 day visa, does it make much difference to the hoops I need to jump through?

 

And finally I'm concerned that if I only have a one way ticket some airlines may refuse to let me fly, I've read this occasionally happens, so perhaps a refundable return ticket (if it's easy to book such a thing online) maybe the best bet to remove my anxiety. I would greatly appreciate any advise, or if I've missed the bleedin' obvious please let me know!

[elviajero]

You should try and get a Non Immigrant 'O' visa. They will want your marriage certificate, but probably not your wife's house book. You'll need to check with the consulate to find out what else they need.

 

If you get a Tourist Visa you'll need to switch to a non 'O' once in Thailand, which can be a bit of a pain, or get a non 'O' from an Embassy/Consulate close to Thailand.

 

If you travel with any type of visa the airline shouldn't insist on an onward flight.

[pearciderman]

The Canary Islands, Spain

(Kingdom of Spain)

Address

Royal Thai Consulate – General
Loro Parque
Calle Bencomo, s/n
Puerto de la Cruz 38400
Spain

Contact Numbers

Tel: (+34) 922 37 38 41, (+34) 922 37 40 81
Fax: (+34) 922 37 50 21

 

There is no email or website and it looks as though they have no visa section either.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, pearciderman said:

There is no email or website and it looks as though they have no visa section either.

Honorary consulate are small and have very few staff so there certainly would not be a special visa section  since issuing them is about their sole purpose for existing. 

[overherebc]

Are you from uk?

[BritTim]

Usually, it is easy to get a single entry Non O visa to visit your wife in Thailand, if you can show copy of marriage certificate, copy of wife's Thai ID card, and copy of wife's house book. This will simplify things, and give you an initial 90-day entry. If you enter with a tourist visa (60 days) it is possible to convert this to a non immigrant entry (necessary for further steps) but can be a tricky first step sometimes.

 

Towards the end of your 90-day stay, you will apply for a one-year extension of stay based on retirement. For this you will need either

• 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account; or
• confirmation via a letter from your embassy that you have an average income of 65,000 baht per month; or
• a combination of bank balance and annual income together amounting to 800,000 baht.

[overherebc]

15 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Usually, it is easy to get a single entry Non O visa to visit your wife in Thailand, if you can show copy of marriage certificate, copy of wife's Thai ID card, and copy of wife's house book. This will simplify things, and give you an initial 90-day entry. If you enter with a tourist visa (60 days) it is possible to convert this to a non immigrant entry (necessary for further steps) but can be a tricky first step sometimes.

 

Towards the end of your 90-day stay, you will apply for a one-year extension of stay based on retirement. For this you will need either

• 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account; or
• confirmation via a letter from your embassy that you have an average income of 65,000 baht per month; or
• a combination of bank balance and annual income together amounting to 800,000 baht.

If the OP is from UK is an OA from London possible?

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, overherebc said:

If the OP is from UK is an OA from London possible?

If he went to the UK to apply for it. He would not be able to do a mail in  application for outside the country.

He should able to get a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage before his trip and then apply for an extension of stay based upon marriage or retirement.

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

If the OP is from UK is an OA from London possible?

Yes, but O from consulate would be much easier.

[overherebc]

17 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, but O from consulate would be much easier.

Maybe the OP isn't up to speed on all the ways to do it and if a few days in London for him is not a problem then the OA gives him two years to sort out many things.

[Dan5]

You didn't say how old you are or your income. If you are at least 50 and have an income of over 65,000 Baht per month, a retirement visa is less trouble than a marriage visa. And getting a visa here in Thailand like I did is easier than doing it from abroad. No medical or criminals records reports are needed and I think even the proof of income is simpler though I suppose that depends on the particular embassy or consulate. I'd guess you could just come in with a tourist visa or maybe visa exempt and get your marriage or retirement visa here. When I first moved here, I got a refundable onward ticket to some nearby country. Didn't cost much and of course I got my refund.

[overherebc]

 

10 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

You didn't say how old you are or your income. If you are at least 50 and have an income of over 65,000 Baht per month, a retirement visa is less trouble than a marriage visa. And getting a visa here in Thailand like I did is easier than doing it from abroad. No medical or criminals records reports are needed and I think even the proof of income is simpler though I suppose that depends on the particular embassy or consulate. I'd guess you could just come in with a tourist visa or maybe visa exempt and get your marriage or retirement visa here. When I first moved here, I got a refundable onward ticket to some nearby country. Didn't cost much and of course I got my refund.

OP mentioned he would prefer a retirement extension when he gets here.

It's not a visa by the way.

See attached

Edited December 9, 2017 by overherebc

[Velocette]

I would like to thank you all for your advice and suggestions, I do appreciate it.

 

I'm 70 so easily qualify as far as age is concerned! . . . . . .I was born in Dublin, although I spent most of my life in London, where I held a British passport. But when I returned to Dublin my British passport had expired (people from the Republic of Ireland from my generation anyway, were entitled to a British one , although there is some subtle difference in the wording somewhere, so that customs or whoever could tell that perhaps I was an Irish national holding a British passport!)

 

So when I was back in Dublin I got an Irish passport, and have it still, but having a Londonish accent doesn't make me a very convincing Irishman, but I doubt the Thai people would be aware or even care!

 

Again many thanks . . . . . .  

[steve187]

my advise having just tried and failed to do a conversion in Thailand, is to try and get a non imm 'O' visa prior to travelling, if that is not possible get a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of your arrival ticket, on arrival in Thailand obtain a visa exempt entry of 30 days 

 

then once in Thailand try to do a conversion, which may be difficult to achieve, so have a back up plan to go to Savannakhet and obtain a married to Thai wife non imm 'O' visa, either single entry 2,000 baht or a multi entry 5,000 baht no financials required.

 

You can then if required in the last 30 days of that non 'O' entry apply for a one year extension, either married or retired, having had the required financials sorted, or if you obtained a multi entry non 'O' you could make use of that, and on any entry in that one year visa validity obtain a one year extension.