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Hello, I am an American citizen 60 years old, who wants  to start a new life in Thailand. I have met a wonderful Thai woman and we want to marry. We talk every day for hours and have done so for 2 1/2 years. I also want to take college classes, and start a business. We will live in Chaiyaphum city, Chaiyaphum province where she owns a very nice home. Which visa should I purchase and should I purchase the visa here in the United States or wait until I get to Thailand? I want to stay in Thailand for the rest of my life. Please advise.

With such long term requirements I'd recommend the thailand elite visa since you are so sure of it all.

My suggestion although others may differ: First off there is no need for you to marry right away at least for visa purposes.

 

Get an 'O' visa in US and then before 90 days convert to retirement extension at Thai Immigration using income affidavit from US Embassy.

 

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

 

Non Imm O Visa from Consul in US and extend every 12 months in Thailand.

Or a Non Imm O-A Visa in US. This would get you up to two years stay.

Then extend every 12 months in Thailand.

When you are married you will have more options.

 

I would forget about starting a business and just retire.

 

Edited August 19, 20187 yr by Phuket Man

8 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Get an 'O' visa in US and then before 90 days convert to retirement extension at Thai Immigration using income affidavit from US Embassy.

He will not be able to get a non-o visa for being over 50 for retirement. The embassy and consulates will not issue them in the US.

His only option would be the OA visa. http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

Or he could get a single entry tourist visa and do a change of visa status to get a non immigrant visa entry and then an extension of stay based upon retirement.

OK so scratch that -- can he get a tourist visa in USA and then go to Vientiane for an 'O'?

4 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

OK so scratch that -- can he get a tourist visa in USA and then go to Vientiane for an 'O'?

No need to get the non-o visa from a nearby embassy or consulate. He could get one from any immigration office by applying for a change of visa status.

To get one from Vientiane would not be a good choice since they want a police clearance and medical certificate. Savannakhet and Penang are the best choices.

 

OK so I really don't know about all this Non -IMM 'O' stuff as I only ever had a non-IMM 'B' visa prior to retirement extension. I was just trying to help the guy realize that he can easily get an extension of stay based upon retirement and no need to marry post-haste strictly for visa/extension purposes.

Edited August 19, 20187 yr by JLCrab

I agree that entering Thailand as a retiree is the best approach for an initial period. You can freely study on a retirement extension. If you want to start a business, proceed cautiously. One advantage you have (as a US citizen) is that the Treaty of Amity between Thailand and the US allows you to set up a sole proprietorship and base your business around that, though you are likely to need a connected lawyer to get it set up.

STOP have you been to thailand to meet this women

48 minutes ago, ba ba said:

STOP have you been to thailand to meet this women

think he was asking advice about visas mate. his personal life is his business

A baiting inflammatory post has been removed.

The OP should be aware one does not purchase or buy a visa, one applies for a visa

There is a required application fee Even some case when the visa is affixed in the passport, but later stamped void by a higher-up in the office and passport returned without explanation. 

 

The application fee is non-refundable, under any circumstance.

 

Quote:  "...I also want to take college classes, ..."

 

Have you checked what's available in / near Chaiyapoom City?

 

There dozens of universities and various institutes all over Thailand including smaller cities, however please don't assume that the subjects / courses you want are available and/or operate the same as USA.

 

Also need to check what language is used in the classroom, and what language is used in the written course materials, and whether foreign students are allowed to register, etc. And don't assume that the teaching / learning environment is the same as home, In Thai universities it's very rare for students to ask questions (considered rude). 

 

Even if you have a visa you will still be regarded as a foreign student, and if it's a university, you will have to supply copies of previous educational levels from home, which will go to the Ed. Ministry in Bkk for checking, and they will contact the institution at home for verification, and then they will / won't issue an approval for you to study. This can take several months.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

  

On 8/19/2018 at 5:52 AM, Rc2702 said:

With such long term requirements I'd recommend the thailand elite visa since you are so sure of it all.

I would not recommend the Elite Visa at all. You pay 500.000Bt for five years and get very little in return, and you still have all the other bills to pay that everyone else has depending on lifestyle choices.

Only people with money to burn would get that visa.

31 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I would not recommend the Elite Visa at all. You pay 500.000Bt for five years and get very little in return, and you still have all the other bills to pay that everyone else has depending on lifestyle choices.

Only people with money to burn would get that visa.

Yes, given his apparent eligibility for an O-A visa and/ or extensions based on retirement or, at some point marriage, an Elite visa would be a massive waste of money that could be used for settling in expenses instead.

 

On 8/19/2018 at 5:52 AM, Rc2702 said:

With such long term requirements I'd recommend the thailand elite visa since you are so sure of it all.

 

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by Suradit69

Get an O-A visa based on retirement with multiple entries, you can work this out to almost two years, can do through the mail, I did mine in Chicago, very easy for me, not sure where you are located, don't get scared about the police report, just go to your local police station and they can do for you, mine costed five dollars, this was two years ago, not sure if requirements have changed, just go to the Thai embassy website and they will have all of the information and forms that you will need. Good luck on all of your plans, think about every major decision you make in Thailand, there are a lot of scammers that will take you for whatever they can get

op get a tourist Visa. come for 30 days.

understand all the requirements for getting a retirement extension of stay and get the multi reentry version so you can leave the country more than once.

 

bring a notebook computer with a VPN.

 

think about the income requirement and how you will meet it.

I put the total 800,000 baht in a fixed account with no ATM access at Bangkok Bank so I only have to show passbooks and statements each year.  Easier for me.

 

First get a Thai cellphone number.

Open a Thai bank account with a small amount of money in your name only. get a ATM card.

setup online access at the bank.

use your girlfriends address.

Apply for a drivers and motorcycle license.

Don't leave any bank documents, vehicle registrations or official paperwork with your girlfriend and take it with you when you go back to the USA.

 

After thirty days then fly back to the USA and do all the things you did not think about before you came over.

 

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by NCC1701A

Multiple entry visa valid up to one year, then extend at the end based on retirement.  The consulate  in the U.S. has a set of requirements for that type of visa including financial, medical, police background to be attached to the application etc.  The fee was around 200 USD.  I found the consulate to be very helpful in Los Angeles.

5 hours ago, possum1931 said:

I would not recommend the Elite Visa at all. You pay 500.000Bt for five years and get very little in return, and you still have all the other bills to pay that everyone else has depending on lifestyle choices.

Only people with money to burn would get that visa.

 

Yes and who in his 60ies cannot afford to burn 500k for a visa ?! 

It's nothing and it brings peace of mind for 5 years, OP should do it, but at least he should visit Thailand once first ?

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, gaff said:

Yes and who in his 60ies cannot afford to burn 500k for a visa ?! 

It's nothing and it brings peace of mind for 5 years, OP should do it, but at least he should visit Thailand once first ?

A better question is who would burn that much for a temporary visa when they are over 50, so have much less expensive easy-options?  Hopefully, only someone very wealthy for whom it is a pittance - but that isn't 99% of expats in Thailand - who often come here to enjoy the lower cost of living - not because Switzerland was too cold.

A Non-OA would be the sensible choice, since he seems really ready to stay for the long-term.  After the 2 yrs from that, go the extension-route for 1900 Baht/yr.  Alternatively, a Non-O single-entry from Savannakhet or get a Non-O stamp from his local immigration office (if his office is amicable to this - if not, off to Savannakhet), then the 1900 Baht annual extensions from there.

 

Whether someone who has never lived here could possibly know he would be happy here long-term (as I am) is another question - but that is for the OP to find out from experience.

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by JackThompson

On 8/18/2018 at 6:51 PM, JLCrab said:

Get an 'O' visa in US and then before 90 days convert to retirement extension at Thai Immigration using income affidavit from US Embassy.

O visa is not available in the US unless you have a family connection to a thai national. May be you meant O-A visa (Long-term stay)

Edited August 20, 20187 yr by onera1961

4 hours ago, onera1961 said:

O visa is not available in the US unless you have a family connection to a thai national. May be you meant O-A visa (Long-term stay)

For mea culpa see Post #8

On 8/18/2018 at 7:59 PM, ubonjoe said:

He will not be able to get a non-o visa for being over 50 for retirement. The embassy and consulates will not issue them in the US.

His only option would be the OA visa. http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

Or he could get a single entry tourist visa and do a change of visa status to get a non immigrant visa entry and then an extension of stay based upon retirement.

Is the OA visa issued from Thai embassies only, DC as above or Los Angeles, for example?  I thought I recall the honarary consulates no longer issue those OA visas, and only do routine SETVs basically

17 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Is the OA visa issued from Thai embassies only, DC as above or Los Angeles, for example?  I thought I recall the honarary consulates no longer issue those OA visas, and only do routine SETVs basically

The embassy in DC or the official consulates in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles can issue OA visas.

The honorary consulates can issue single entry tourist visas and single entry non immigrant visas. Apparently they have been told by embassy not to issue non-o visas for being over 50 for retirement. List of them is here. http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/

Several years ago they authorized a couple of honorary consulates to issue OA visas (Houston and Hawaii I think it was) for a few years.

27 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Thai embassies only, DC as above or Los Angeles, for example? 

OA is issued by DC, LA, Chicago and New York