Thai Visa Choices

[HogRidr60]

Hello, I would appreciate some guidance on this please.

I am flying into Chiang Mai in August for 30 days and I know I get an automatic tourist visa for 30 days for 2000 baht.

I am going there to vist friends and look at the possibility of moving there permanently. I am already almost convinced.

I am a U.S. citizen, 70 years of age, with more than adequate pension, disability, and SS to live well in Thailand.

I expect to return within a year to visit again and secure rental housing for my permanent move the following 6 months or longer.

I am thinking that that a Non-Immigrant O - A might be a better visa to get before I go, instead of after I arrive.

I an reading online about proof of income, proof of no medical issues, proof of no criminal convictions, and if I am right on needing these items there is an additional form to indicate my address but that will not be permanent and I only have my round-trip itinerary, no ticket yet. It also requires 2 separate names, I assume a friend’s information but should the other be the landlord.

Then that cost is at least $200

My worse case situation is visit this August then come back to visit in less than a year but maybe not coming back to live permanently.

Any advice will be appreciated

Thank you

[glegolo]

Normally it is a good thing that you ask your questions here at ThaiVISA.com this instead to listening to crap information from friends who normally do not know too much about this matter.

 

I will leave guidence for you to other here, but to start with... You got this on your backfoot already from the beginning. There is NO tourist-VISA that you buy for 2.000 baht inside Thailand, actually you can not buy ANY VISA inside Thailand.

 

You probably refer to the VISA FREE STAY you automaticly gets upon arrivel called TOURIST EXCEMPT VISA  .... And these 30 days are FREE no 2.000 baht involved at all....

 

Good luck

glegolo

[steve187]

the 30 day free visa exempt entry will be good for you this trip, and any trip that is not longer than 60 days, as it can be extended for 30 days at local immigration offices within Thailand for 1,900 baht.

 

A single entry non immigrant 'O' visa will give you a permission to stay entry stamp of 90 days, and a multi entry visa will give you 90 days on each entry for 1 year, these are obtained outside Thailand at a Thai embassy/consulate

 

A one year multi entry non immigrant 'O' 'A' visa ( please note the 'A') is different to the previous visa in that it gives you a one year permission to stay stamp on entry, if a fresh entry is made just prior to the visa expiry date a fresh one year entry will be given, making the actual visa good for a stay of 2 years in Thailand. a reentry permit would be required to keep this 2nd years entry alive if a trip is made outside Thailand. this type of visa is only issued in your home country and requires a police  and medical checks and there are financial requirements.

 

a yearly extension of stay not a visa is issued within Thailand at local immigration offices 1,900 baht, and requires no police and medical checks, but requires the same financial requirements as the non imm 'O''A' visa. A non imm visa ( either 'O' or 'O''A' ) is first required to start the extension process, which is made in the last 30 days of any non imm entry.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, HogRidr60 said:

I am thinking that that a Non-Immigrant O - A might be a better visa to get before I go, instead of after I arrive.

I an reading online about proof of income, proof of no medical issues, proof of no criminal convictions, and if I am right on needing these items there is an additional form to indicate my address but that will not be permanent and I only have my round-trip itinerary, no ticket yet. It also requires 2 separate names, I assume a friend’s information but should the other be the landlord.

Then that cost is at least $200

As said you will get a free 30 day visa exempt entry when you arrive. You are confusing it with a 15 day visa on arrival that costs 2000 baht.

The OA visa is a good option. You will need a medical certificate and the criminal background check. There is no need for a permanent residence any address you can put on the form will be accepted. The friends you put can be anybody since the don't verify them. There is no round trip ticket requirement. The fee is $200.

You can apply for the OA visa at the embassy in Washington DC or one of the official consulates in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

Requirements for the OA visa is here on the embassy website. http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-o/

The big advantage of the OA visa is that you use funds in a US bank to meet the money in the bank option for it. If using a income of 65k baht in the option that advantage goes away since you only need to do a income affidavit at the US embassy to prove the income to apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration here.

If you want to do the extension of stay I suggest you contact one (or more) about getting a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day entry that you can extend at immigration. Contact for them is here. http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/

 

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Before moving to Thailand on a permanent or semi permanent basis, best to sort out your health insurance possibilities beforehand.  After 70, things do start to go down hill for most people.

 

Mac

[HogRidr60]

21 hours ago, glegolo said:

Normally it is a good thing that you ask your questions here at ThaiVISA.com this instead to listening to crap information from friends who normally do not know too much about this matter.

 

I will leave guidence for you to other here, but to start with... You got this on your backfoot already from the beginning. There is NO tourist-VISA that you buy for 2.000 baht inside Thailand, actually you can not buy ANY VISA inside Thailand.

 

You probably refer to the VISA FREE STAY you automaticly gets upon arrivel called TOURIST EXCEMPT VISA  .... And these 30 days are FREE no 2.000 baht involved at all....

 

Good luck

glegolo

Thank you for the in-depth explanation. It is much appreciated.

[HogRidr60]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

As said you will get a free 30 day visa exempt entry when you arrive. You are confusing it with a 15 day visa on arrival that costs 2000 baht.

The OA visa is a good option. You will need a medical certificate and the criminal background check. There is no need for a permanent residence any address you can put on the form will be accepted. The friends you put can be anybody since the don't verify them. There is no round trip ticket requirement. The fee is $200.

You can apply for the OA visa at the embassy in Washington DC or one of the official consulates in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

Requirements for the OA visa is here on the embassy website. http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-o/

The big advantage of the OA visa is that you use funds in a US bank to meet the money in the bank option for it. If using a income of 65k baht in the option that advantage goes away since you only need to do a income affidavit at the US embassy to prove the income to apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration here.

If you want to do the extension of stay I suggest you contact one (or more) about getting a single entry non-o visa that will allow a 90 day entry that you can extend at immigration. Contact for them is here. http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/

 

Thank you very much for all the information. It is really appreciated.

[HogRidr60]

19 hours ago, Thanyaburi Mac said:

Before moving to Thailand on a permanent or semi permanent basis, best to sort out your health insurance possibilities beforehand.  After 70, things do start to go down hill for most people.

 

Mac

Thank you. Yes, I have almost finished doing that. My Medicare won’t pay over there but I have TRICARE being retired military and that will pay. Looked at various hospitals in Chiang Mai with RAM at the top of my list. I am a 100% Disabled Veteran and have rarely used the VA medical system. Thingshave been going downhill for years but a reminder is welcome. Appreciate the advice.

[steve187]

2 hours ago, HogRidr60 said:

actually you can not buy ANY VISA inside Thailand.

not quite correct, a paid for visa on arrival for some nationalities is obtained on entry, and a conversion to a non imm visa is also obtained inside Thailand at a local immigration office.

[glegolo]

44 minutes ago, steve187 said:

not quite correct, a paid for visa on arrival for some nationalities is obtained on entry, and a conversion to a non imm visa is also obtained inside Thailand at a local immigration office.

Correction - A VISA on arrivel is puchased BEFORE entry to Thailand.

 

And obtaining a non immigrant O-VISA is just ONE step towards getting an extension of stay, and not a VISA in that sence that you can use it and live on it here in Thailand.....

 

glegolo

[overherebc]

3 hours ago, HogRidr60 said:

Thank you. Yes, I have almost finished doing that. My Medicare won’t pay over there but I have TRICARE being retired military and that will pay. Looked at various hospitals in Chiang Mai with RAM at the top of my list. I am a 100% Disabled Veteran and have rarely used the VA medical system. Thingshave been going downhill for years but a reminder is welcome. Appreciate the advice.

I would suggest keeping up to date using the ChiangMai section here on TV on the air quality reports and what's called the 'burning season'.

On the visa question why not for your first trip get a tourist visa, you will get 60 days on arrival and that can be extended locally for another 30.

Gives you 3 months to have a good look around and decide what you fancy. Also gives you time to get your head around all the visa options. 

Some airlines can also get a bit sticky about allowing boarding without a visa.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, glegolo said:

Correction - A VISA on arrivel is puchased BEFORE entry to Thailand.

 

And obtaining a non immigrant O-VISA is just ONE step towards getting an extension of stay, and not a VISA in that sence that you can use it and live on it here in Thailand.....

 

glegolo

I'm just being picky but you do get it at the airport when you arrive.

[glegolo]

18 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I'm just being picky but you do get it at the airport when you arrive.

Yes that is obvious, but you gets it BEFORE you actually enters Thailand soil

 

glegolo