Hi, My friend wants to get a marriage visa or a retirement visa (He does not has a marriage license yet but he is going to marry in Thailand once he's there). He was wondering if he should get an OA or O visa before getting either one of the visa? Also, is marriage visa easier to apply than a retirement visa or vise versa? How long will the visa be approved? Are they both need to renew every year? Please advise. Thank you.

Edited March 20, 20215 yr by BirdofParadise

In general, regardless as to whether he wants to live in Thailand on the basis of marriage to a Thai or on the basis of retirement, he probably wants to stay away from a Non O-A visa. If he can get a Non O visa for intended retirement purposes, that is probably a good option. Not yet being married, a Non O visa on the basis of marriage will not be possible. If the marriage will occur shortly after arrival in Thailand, possible is to arrive on a tourist visa, and convert to a Non O visa at Immigration in Thailand once the marriage is registered. After arriving as a tourist, conversion at Immigration to a Non O with the intention of retirement is also possible.

The financial requirements to justify visas and extensions of stay on the basis of retirement are higher than for marriage to a Thai. However, the application is otherwise a bit easier for retirement.

Since he is not married personally I would either obtain non O based on retirement or enter Thailand visa exempt or tourist visa and obtain the non O (retirement or marriage) at immigration. The retirement path is quick and simple requirements. The financials are far easier for marriage. 

Both those options give a 90 day permission of stay in Thailand. In the last month of that stay he could obtain 12 month extension of stay. Note if he went down the extension based on retirement, there is nothing stopping him from obtaining his next extension based on marriage. The only reason I suggest retirement option is that he is not yet married and would be more straightforward. In order to live in Thailand ongoing he will obtain a new extension every year.

Small issue to note is that he would need to obtain a Thai bank account in his name only asap after arrival.

Edited March 20, 20215 yr by DrJack54

Thank you so much for your quick reply. Just want to clarify...so it's better for him to go to Thailand as a regular tourist and get marry there once he arrive. Then, he can change the his status to marriage visa, right? Also, does US citizen need a tourist visa or a health insurance to Thailand? What is the requirement in this COVID-19 era? Thank you!!!!

6 minutes ago, BirdofParadise said:

Then, he can change the his status to marriage visa, right

The tourist visa gives him 60 day stay. If he acted quickly regarding his marriage and required paperwork then he would attend immigration to 'change' to a non O (marriage).  Many married guys will be along to advise exactly what is required and also anything you could obtain before coming to Thailand. Freedom to marry (perhaps). Best info will be from guys that have been there done that.

Thank you BritTim and DrJack54 for all the wonderful information. I have another question. The woman he is wanting to marry just divorced, is there a waiting period for the woman to remarry again or he can marry her right away? Is he eligible to open a Thai bank account before marry or after marry? If he choose to get an retirement visa at the Thai immigration, can he open a bank account without being a Thai citizen? Also, can he get a tourist visa from the US more than 60 days or should he get there and extend the visa stay (Just in case he needs more time to prepare for the wedding?) Thank you.

Edited March 21, 20215 yr by BirdofParadise

8 minutes ago, BirdofParadise said:

Thank you BritTim and DrJack54 for all the wonderful information. I have another question. The woman he is wanting to marry just divorced, is there a waiting period for the woman to remarry again or he can marry her right away? Also, is he eligible to open a Thai bank account before marry or after marry? If he choose to get an retirement visa at the Thai immigration, can he open a bank account without being a Thai citizen? Thank you.

Being married/not married or a Thai citizen has not much to do with opening a bank account.

Opening a bank account is a whole other topic and widely discussed on Thaivisa. There is often no consistency as to what is required. Some banks open accounts on a tourist visas, others need a work permit etc, its really just a case of going bank to bank, branch to branch until you find a bank that says yes.

I see...thank you Peterw42 for your information.

26 minutes ago, BirdofParadise said:

The woman he is wanting to marry just divorced, is there a waiting period for the woman to remarry again or he can marry her right away?

There is waiting period after divorce based upon the possibility of the wife being pregnant. A pregnancy test can be done to get around it.

Thank you Ubonjoe for your information.  Does anyone know if he can get a tourist visa from the US more than 60 days or should he get there and extend the visa stay (He can go there visa free for 45-60 days? Just in case he needs more time to prepare for the wedding)? Thank you.

 

5 minutes ago, BirdofParadise said:

Thank you Ubonjoe for your information.  Does anyone know if he can get a tourist visa from the US more than 60 days or should he get there and extend the visa stay (He can go there visa free for 45-60 days? Just in case he needs more time to prepare for the wedding)? Thank you.

He could get a tourist visa and extend it for 30 days or enter visa exempt and extend the 45 days it allows now and extend it for 30 days.

Thank you so much. I have one more question...can he only buy a one way ticket or he has to buy a round trip ticket for his tourist visa? Since he's going to get marry, he might want to just get a one way ticket but not sure if this will work for a tourist visa?

18 minutes ago, BirdofParadise said:

Thank you so much. I have one more question...can he only buy a one way ticket or he has to buy a round trip ticket for his tourist visa? Since he's going to get marry, he might want to just get a one way ticket but not sure if this will work for a tourist visa?

He may have to show a ticket out of the country to apply for the tourist visa. Same for boarding his flight if entering visa exempt. A one way ticket to anywhere will be accepted in either case.

OP, as Peterw42  points out......opening a Thai bank account can be hit and miss. You can Google something like "open Thai bank account Thaivisa" that will take you to the many thread that discuss this issue. 

Also be aware that currently Thailand is giving 60 day 'covid extensions' issued til end of march. It is expected that these will continue to be issued. That would give your friend more time to obtain bank account and meet financial requirements for marriage.

Keep in mind that the money in the bank for a marriage visa has to be there two months in advance.  A tourist visa is good for 60 days and a 30 day extension is possible.  Not counting on other extensions your friend better head to the bank directly from quarantine, and it would probably be best if he was carrying 400,000 in cash at the time.

3 minutes ago, eastbaybob said:

Keep in mind that the money in the bank for a marriage visa has to be there two months in advance.  A tourist visa is good for 60 days and a 30 day extension is possible.  Not counting on other extensions your friend better head to the bank directly from quarantine, and it would probably be best if he was carrying 400,000 in cash at the time.

To obtain his non O the money only needs to be in bank day of application. That gives him 90 days. The 2 month seasoning is when he applies for 12 month extension.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

The 2 month seasoning is when he applies for 12 month extension.

You're absolutely correct, I was unclear on that.  He still needs to head to the bank as soon as possible after quarantine to make sure he gets the money in 60 days before the application is filed.

17 minutes ago, eastbaybob said:

You're absolutely correct, I was unclear on that.  He still needs to head to the bank as soon as possible after quarantine to make sure he gets the money in 60 days before the application is filed.

Exactly. Years ago opening a bank account was not straight forward. Now it's worse.

Recently discovered that agents can assist folk to open  a bank account. Folk in quarantine could even pre arrange this online. It's not huge fee. 

Thank you all for your advise and information. I really appreciate it!!

14 hours ago, eastbaybob said:

and it would probably be best if he was carrying 400,000 in cash at the time.

Converting a tourist visa to a Non Imm O for the purposes of a subsequent retirement extension -- requires that the 800k in the bank is shown to be a foreign transfer. Would think same applies for 400k related to subsequent marriage extension.....

Also, thought I read somewhere that a conversion for the purpose of a subsequent marriage extension requires that the applicant have paperwork showing he's married (otherwise, what's to prevent a shifty bloke from getting a 90-day Non Imm O with just the promise of, "I'm gonna try and find a lass in the next 60 days."

UbonJoe will clarify....

15 minutes ago, JimGant said:

Would think same applies for 400k related to subsequent marriage extension

Your correct that to obtain non o (retirement) need to show the 800k came from abroad. Not the case for the 400k non O (marriage).

Correct in the fact that he cannot obtain non O based on marriage unless he is married and has the required docs.

Edited March 22, 20215 yr by DrJack54