KSwr7UDHyn Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 My (Thai) wife and I will be moving back to Thailand after spending about 10 years in the US. I just crossed the 50 threshold so I am eligible for a retirement visa but I, obviously, also qualify for a marriage visa as well. My closest consulate in the US is the Los Angeles consulate. My plan is as follows: 1. Apply for a 90-day Non-Imm O visa at the Los Angeles consulate 2. Send 400K baht to my Thai bank account 3. Enter Thailand on Non-Imm O visa 4. After about 60 days, go to the immigration office in Bangkok and request an extension of stay So, I have a few questions: 1. Is it better to apply for a Non-Imm O in Los Angeles or should I just go for a SETV? 2. If I get the SETV, can I convert it to an O without leaving the country? 3. If I apply in Los Angeles, the consulate website says I need to show $1,500 in a bank account for an O. I am assuming that would be a US bank account? 4. If I get the O and show the $1,500, I assume that I still have to show 400,000 in a Thai bank account for 2 months before applying for extension of stay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishtank Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1. Get in L.A if you can. 2. Arrive with Non Imm O Visa. Much easier. 3. Correct. 4. Correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1. Getting a single entry non-o visa is certainly the best option. 2. Possible but some offices make it difficult and it means making 2 trips to immigration to get the non immigrant visa/entry stamp. 3. You only need to show $700 to apply for the non-o visa. The $1500 is only if a family is applying for visas and is not applicable to you since you will be the only member of your family applying for a visa. 4. You will have to have 400k baht in a Thai bank in your name only for 2 months on the date you apply for the extension of stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJAS Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 (edited) OP - in connection with (4), you will, I think, be able to obtain some breathing space as regards the 2-month seasoning requirement of the 400k (should you need it) by applying for a 60-day extension for the purposes of visiting your Thai spouse initially - followed in due course by an application for a full 1-year extension. EDIT - that, of course, assumes that you start off with a non-O (rather than tourist) visa! Edited July 23, 2019 by OJAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSwr7UDHyn Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 Thanks for everyone's replies. You read all these different sites saying the same things but differently and you're wondering if you're reading things right. So thanks for clarifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Lee Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 Maybe I just haven't dug deep enough, but my question on O visa is this. My Thai wife and I got married in the US almost two years and ago. We eventually decided to live in Thailand instead. We are in Korat now, I have been doing the monthly border runs for some months now. I am on the verge of flying back to Los Angeles to go to the Thai Embassy there (I have other business to attend to, so trip itself no big deal) and apply for the O visa. It sounded so easy. But now that I am a week away from skying off, it occurs to me - does Thailand require a marriage in Thailand, or will they honor a USA marriage license? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 9 hours ago, T Lee said: It sounded so easy. But now that I am a week away from skying off, it occurs to me - does Thailand require a marriage in Thailand, or will they honor a USA marriage license? Your US marriage certificate will be accepted at a embassy or consulate. The consulate in LA will accept it without a problem. If you wanted to apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration based upon marriage you would have to register your foreign marriage at a Amphoe to get a Kor Ror 22 marriage registry that they require. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IvorBiggun2 Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 On 7/24/2019 at 12:23 AM, KSwr7UDHyn said: You read all these different sites saying the same things but differently and you're wondering if you're reading things right. Wait until you've lived here a while and have gone to different offices. Each office interprets the rules differently as you WILL find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somtumwrong Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 On 7/23/2019 at 3:43 AM, ubonjoe said: 3. You only need to show $700 to apply for the non-o visa. The $1500 is only if a family is applying for visas and is not applicable to you since you will be the only member of your family applying for a visa. Slightly off-topic but the Thai embassy in my country in the Nordics no longer requires a bank statement when I applied for the Non-O multiple entry this month, no financial proof of whatever. Last year they still required. They only required an official certificate that our marriage has (also) been registered in my country (married in Thailand a few years ago) and the usual copy-of-wife-passport, flight ticket, mugshot and the fee in cash :) They also check the PNR of your ticket to verify you did not just book-and-cancel the flight ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 37 minutes ago, somtumwrong said: Slightly off-topic but the Thai embassy in my country in the Nordics no longer requires a bank statement when I applied for the Non-O multiple entry this month, no financial proof of whatever. The $700 mentioned is the equivalent of 20k baht that is required for all visas. It is not financial proof to get the non-o visa based upon marriage. 37 minutes ago, somtumwrong said: They only required an official certificate that our marriage has (also) been registered in my country (married in Thailand a few years ago) Many countries do not require you to register your foreign marriage so that is country specific thing at the Thai embassy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike787 Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Just wishing you lots of luck dealing with Thai immigration constantly. It will be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somtumwrong Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said: The $700 mentioned is the equivalent of 20k baht that is required for all visas. It is not financial proof to get the non-o visa based upon marriage. Do you refer to the amount one has to show at the border if requested? (I have assumed that there is no need to proof the 20k at the border with Non-O) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 28 minutes ago, somtumwrong said: Do you refer to the amount one has to show at the border if requested? (I have assumed that there is no need to proof the 20k at the border with Non-O) It is the same amount for getting a visa or for entry to the country when using a valid visa. Immigration seldom ask to see it if you have a non-o visa for entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now