A while back I reported on a Japanese friend of mine that arrived in Thailand with a 30 day Tourist Visa. He has been married to his Thai Wife for 5 years.

In any case he went to Immigration in Bangkok had his Toursit Visa changed to a Non-Immigrant "O" and was given sixty days to present all revelant paperwork to get his one year visa.

The only problem he encountered is that his wife, in good faith, opened a joint bank account where she placed 400,000 Baht to meet the visa requirment. Immigration staffers indicated that they wanted to see the monies coming into the country therefore he had to explain and proove that they monies came from Japan.

All seem accepted and worked and he is now gathering his documents to submit and request the one year visa.

When issued it will be for a total of 1 Year, starting at the date of his new Non-Immigrant "O" that he has already changed to.

Hope this information is helful to someone, especially the part about changing the Visa without having to leave the country

Can you confirm the part about a "30 day tourist visa". Japan is among the 39 countries that do not require a visa for 30 day stays and a tourist visa would normally receive a 60 day stamp.

If he was able to receive a non immigrant visa without a prior visa it is the first report I have seen of this and should be good news to many; although I suspect the 5 years of marriage may have been a major factor.

lopburi 3, you have quite rightly posted before that the entry must be on a "visa" not a entry permit, inorder to get an "in country" change to non-immigrant 0.

Yes checked and yes it was a 60 day tourist visa. Sorry my mistake.