Hi,

 

I'm currently in the UK, have a Thai wife and kids in Bangkok. Haven't seen them for 5 months now and wish to get back.

 

Can I apply for the Visa on Arrival that was valid for a month but has now been extended to six weeks from the embassy in London, then change to a Non O once I arrive in Thailand?

Plus, are visa agents usually trustworthy to help me with this? I've never used an agent before but am considering doing so this time around.

 

Thank you

You can apply for a Non-Immigrant Type O Single Entry 90 day Visa from the Thai Embassy in London

(If I’m not mistaken you can apply online, then go to London and get your Visa affixed)

 

Then, once you are in Thailand about two weeks before your 90 days is up you can apply for an extension of Stay based on Marriage - its easy enough to do yourself.

 

Plenty of documentation required, but easy enough - you’ll need to have 400,000 baht seasoned in a Thai account for at least 2 months before hand. 

 

 

From context, I am pretty sure you are referring to a 45-day visa exempt entry and not a 15-day visa on arrival.

 

You can apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE) to enter visa exempt. If you are careful in your selection of an agent, they can help you. The cost will depend on a number of different factors.

29 minutes ago, BritTim said:

From context, I am pretty sure you are referring to a 45-day visa exempt entry and not a 15-day visa on arrival.

 

You can apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE) to enter visa exempt. If you are careful in your selection of an agent, they can help you. The cost will depend on a number of different factors.

 

Good advice as always.

 

Can you please share your thoughts on how to select a good agent?

 

I haven't used one but 2 years back I got into a conversation with a US couple in a coffee shop in CM, they mentioned they had been using the same agent for a couple of years.

 

They aske me what visa I was on. I shared that I'd had PR for 20+ years.

 

Instant response; 'that's what we're working towards, our agent told us first time we met him:

 

- Anybody who has been in Thailand for 10 years automatically qualifies for Thai PR.

 

- All applications for extending visas must be lodged by the same agent used to get the initial visa.

 

- Fees per year 25,000Baht (published fees and visa agents fee) per person to renew/extend each visa and to record the details on a Thai Immigration progressive record towards PR.

 

- A few weeks later I was in Bkk to do some lectures, an Indian student said to me 'I'm looking forward to my 10 years so that I automatically get Thai PR'.

 

All of the above is of course not true at all.

48 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Can you please share your thoughts on how to select a good agent?

 

That is not easy to answer. Some guidelines: in business for several years, has a bricks and mortar address, good prices, but not the absolute cheapest (they cannot afford to sweeten the pot when the inevitable occasional complications arise if they cut prices too far), preferably can process extensions through your local immigration office though this will sometimes push up the price (ask them point blank if they will use your local office), personal recommendation though you should not trust other people's opinion too much except on things like speed.

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

You can apply for a Non-Immigrant Type O Single Entry 90 day Visa from the Thai Embassy in London

(If I’m not mistaken you can apply online, then go to London and get your Visa affixed)

 

Then, once you are in Thailand about two weeks before your 90 days is up you can apply for an extension of Stay based on Marriage - its easy enough to do yourself.

 

Plenty of documentation required, but easy enough - you’ll need to have 400,000 baht seasoned in a Thai account for at least 2 months before hand. 

 

 

 

Above is correct but I wonder why you don't simply get a non-O visa in the UK to begin with?

 

Same quarantine requirement, same insurance requirement either way.

 

People coming as retirees and not married to a Thai sometimes prefer to come either on TV or visa exempt then change to non-O to avoid an added 400/40k insurance requirement but that does nto apply to people married to a Thai.

 

You can apply for non-O based on marriage, will give you 90 days on arrival then extend in country and no need for an agent.