I need advice on my first extended stay

[Rusty1953]

I have been married to my Thai wife for 7 years and we live in Canada. Up until this point we have been going to Thailand for a month to 6 weeks annually to visit the kids. We bought a house last year and I recently retired. This next trip will last about 4 1/2 to 5 months. I am struggling with the best way to do this. I have looked up on the Thai Embassy website here in Canada and it seems as thought the O-A visa may be the best. It seems to me that I can get this as a multi entry as long as I show that I have the enough money in a Canadian bank. Please correct me if I am wrong. I also believe that I can apply for a marriage visa but that would mean putting either 400K or 800K in a Thai bank and I am not quite ready to do this. I do have a Thai bank account but it only has about 100K in it. Our plan is to spend anywhere from 4 to 6 months in Thailand every year for the next number of years. Obviously being Canadian they will be the winter months. So I am looking for the best way to do this so that I can just repeat the process each year. I appreciate any thoughts and advice. I used this forum extensively a number of years ago when my wife first came to Canada and found many knowledgeable users.

[Hoppyone]

I would keep it simple just get a 6 month multi entry tourist visa will cover the time you need to be in Thailand, providing you can show funds to support yourself while away from Canada

[BritTim]

You can get a multiple entry Non O visa to visit your Thai wife without any money in Thailand. You may need to show 400K equivalent in a bank anywhere, but financial proof may not even be required. Each entry into Thailand only gives you a 90-day stay, but a quick in/out at a land border gives you another 90-day stay, if required. As an alternative, you can get a 60-day extension at the immigration office in Thailand..

[lopburi3]

The O-A should work fine - especially if you obtain just prior to visit and next year plan to enter for second visit before it expires.  Two years of use on the one visa and freedom to travel first year without issue and can obtain re-entry second year if you want to travel before returning to the cold country.  Visa should be easy to obtain with you in Canada and no need to increase Thailand accounts or do more than a 90 day report and perhaps a TM30 while in Thailand.  

[Rusty1953]

2 hours ago, Hoppyone said:

I would keep it simple just get a 6 month multi entry tourist visa will cover the time you need to be in Thailand, providing you can show funds to support yourself while away from Canada

Is it not true that a 6 month multi entry visa still only entitles you to stay 60 days.

[Tony125]

7 hours ago, Rusty1953 said:

Is it not true that a 6 month multi entry visa still only entitles you to stay 60 days.

It gives you 60 days which can be extended at immigration inside Thailand for an additional 30 days for 1900 baht. At the end of those 30 days  you would then do a border hop (leave and come back) to get another 60 days .  You can do that 3 times and get almost  9 months from the visa.

You could also come over on a single entry tourist visa ( 60 days ) and extend it at Thai immigration inside  Thailand for and additional 30 days for 1900 baht  and when it expired go to say Laos for another tourist visa ( 60 days) and could extend that at immigration for another 30 days if needed.

[Boboobowbow]

the non 0 single entry and  sixty day extension is good enough if you only stay 5 months (15O days). The visa is $ 100 CDN, and the extension is 1900 baht.  A lot cheaper than the $ 200 multi entry and trip out of country. 

 

The single entry Non O was easy to get. Just copy of wife's passport or ID card and marriage certificate.

 

I have only done it once. 

 

[Tayaout]

16 hours ago, BritTim said:

You can get a multiple entry Non O visa to visit your Thai wife without any money in Thailand. You may need to show 400K equivalent in a bank anywhere, but financial proof may not even be required. Each entry into Thailand only gives you a 90-day stay, but a quick in/out at a land border gives you another 90-day stay, if required. As an alternative, you can get a 60-day extension at the immigration office in Thailand..

I think you can only get a Non OA if applying within Canada. The Non O multi without financial proof is only available in some Asian location: Savanakhet and Ho Chi Min. However the Non OA can be used almost for 2 years if the last entry is made just before the 1 year expiration but then require a re-entry permit to protect the visa if traveling outside Thailand the second year.