Best Visa for a Newbie

[JGon]

Hi everyone, I'm sure this question has been asked before. But immigration policies change all the time, so here goes...

 

I will travel to Thailand this summer (In July).  Thailand currently allows my country (USA) to have a 30 day visa waiver... but that's not what I want because you need a round trip ticket and I don't know any other restriction...

 

My plan is to permanently move there and marry my girlfriend of 3 years as soon as I'm able to do it.  I'm basically retiring in July (I'm 43), so I don't need to be back to the USA for a while.

 

Which of the Thailand visa offers is best suited to my case? I am not 50 years old so retirement visa is out... can I just do a tourist visa and then change it at the Thailand immigration center to an O non-immigrant visa? (after I get married)

 

I thought the non- immigrant OA, long stay visa would work, but unless I'm missing something... the age requirement is 50.

 

I appreciate any help. ????

 

[ubonjoe]

You could apply for a tourist visa that will allow a 60 day stay in the country that can be extended for 30 days. Then after you get married you could apply for a non-o visa at immigration and then a extension of stay based upon marriage

That is probably you best option since you are under the age of 50.

[DrJack54]

43 minutes ago, JGon said:

My plan is to permanently move there and marry my girlfriend of 3 years as soon as I'm able to do it

Do you have a Thai bank account in your name. 

Since you will enter on tourist visa you most likely would need a 30 day extension to provide enough time to get married and subsequently obtain non O marriage.

[lopburi3]

As said a tourist visa and then change to non immigrant O after marriage and extensions - using the 400k in bank.

 

The non immigrant O-A visa is the retirement visa so indeed age 50 is a requirement, as well as insurance.