Best process for returning back to Thailand

[eastcst84]

Good morning all,

 

Excuse my newbie questions on this topic.

 

I was hoping I could get some expert info from you all. I am married to a Thai resident. I left Thailand around Oct - 21 to visit some elderly family back in the US. It was my first time doing the Non-Immigrant Visa-O process with the year visa, that expired on Nov - 21.

 

I plan to come back in August. Do I have to go and do the same Non O process to come back and repeat the process again? Or is there a simpler way, since I have done it once already?

 

Also, I started reading a bit about the current Thai pass covid process and the need of covid insurance. I had to get something similar when I came last time from Vietnam and got some temporary insurance from this site I linked below. It seemed to work fine then and I just canceled it after I was in the country for a few months. Can anyone confirm this time, I should be fine using them and doing the same for this covid rule? I know their site seems to push specific insurance companies of course and it seems to state you need this insurance for the whole time you're in Thailand. 

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=trainwick+international&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

Appreciate the help.

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

What do mean by Thai Resident? Do they have permanent residency granted by after going through the application and approval process that takes a couple of years. 

Or are they on a extension of stay for entry from a non immigrant that was issued by immigration and you were on a non-o visa and and a extension stay for being a member of the their family?

What is required for you to get a new non-o visa depends upon their status in the country.

For the insurance question you find insurance here that meets the requirements for a Thailand Pass. https://tqm-app.com/static/thailandpass/index.html

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, eastcst84 said:

I plan to come back in August. Do I have to go and do the same Non O process to come back and repeat the process again? Or is there a simpler way, since I have done it once already?

You start again.

Your previous non O and extension is irrelevant.

Your main choice to to obtain the non O while in the states or just enter Thailand visa exempt.

Having done it before would mean that you have a Thai bank account in your name only.

As for insurance to enter Thailand you could buy cheapest policy with 30 day period for covid 10k cover..

 

Note if you need more time to arrange for the non O (should not) you can obtain 60 day extension to visit wife

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by DrJack54

[eastcst84]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

What do mean by Thai Resident? Do they have permanent residency granted by after going through the application and approval process that takes a couple of years. 

Or are they on a extension of stay for entry from a non immigrant that was issued by immigration and you were on a non-o visa and and a extension stay for being a member of the their family?

What is required for you to get a new non-o visa depends upon their status in the country.

For the insurance question you find insurance here that meets the requirements for a Thailand Pass. https://tqm-app.com/static/thailandpass/index.html

Thanks so much for always helping. Sorry, for not clarifying. She is a Thai citizen.

 

Hope this makes my questions more clear.

 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, eastcst84 said:

Thanks so much for always helping. Sorry, for not clarifying. She is a Thai citizen.

Hope this makes my questions more clear.

 

If married to a Thai you can apply for a new non-o visa at a embassy or official consulate without a problem.

Or you also could apply for a non-o visa at immigration if you entered on a tourist visa or visa exempt if you can show 400k baht in a Thai bank on the day you apply.

[eastcst84]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If married to a Thai you can apply for a new non-o visa at a embassy or official consulate without a problem.

Or you also could apply for a non-o visa at immigration if you entered on a tourist visa or visa exempt if you can show 400k baht in a Thai bank on the day you apply.

Perfect. Thanks @ubonjoe I think I will just apply here in the US before hand. Just wanted to check if there was something else I didn't know about.

 

 

[eastcst84]

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You start again.

Your previous non O and extension is irrelevant.

Your main choice to to obtain the non O while in the states or just enter Thailand visa exempt.

Having done it before would mean that you have a Thai bank account in your name only.

As for insurance to enter Thailand you could buy cheapest policy with 30 day period for covid 10k cover..

 

Note if you need more time to arrange for the non O (should not) you can obtain 60 day extension to visit wife

 

Thanks for the info! 

 

I wasn't sure if this insurance was much more specific or any old insurance that had covid coverage would do the trick. Looks like it's the latter.

 

Thanks again!

[daveAustin]

If you’re not worried about good coverage, FWD insurance works well for the thai pass. Quick, easy and cheap, like 19 bucks. 

[DrJack54]

31 minutes ago, eastcst84 said:

Thanks for the info! 

 

I wasn't sure if this insurance was much more specific or any old insurance that had covid coverage would do the trick. Looks like it's the latter.

 

Thanks again!

Have a look at cheapest option 650baht.

https://partner.fwdgi.co.th/en/fwdgi/corona-virus-inbound-insurance

 

You only need a throw away policy for Thailand Pass.

Hopefully will be gone in a month or two. 

[eastcst84]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Exactly what I was looking for.

[ftpjtm]

On 6/4/2022 at 9:55 PM, eastcst84 said:

Perfect. Thanks @ubonjoe I think I will just apply here in the US before hand. Just wanted to check if there was something else I didn't know about.

 

 

At least with my experience in Jomtien, it's much, much easier to apply for the Non O visa in the US vs in Thailand. 

 

Also, if you have medical insurance in the US it will likely have sufficient coverage to meet the insurance requirement. What you need to do is call them and ask for a coverage letter. Do that early as it can take several weeks to obtain. 

[eastcst84]

On 6/4/2022 at 3:47 PM, ubonjoe said:

If married to a Thai you can apply for a new non-o visa at a embassy or official consulate without a problem.

Or you also could apply for a non-o visa at immigration if you entered on a tourist visa or visa exempt if you can show 400k baht in a Thai bank on the day you apply.

Hello @ubonjoe apologies for bringing up an older post but as I just applied online with the Embassy in LA. They asked for proof of stay, accommodations, hotel, etc..

 

I put my spouses apartment address in the application, but I guess they didn't understand that. I emailed them back explaining how do I state my " proof of stay, accommodations' if it's at my spouses apartment, will hope they reply.  I read some reviews stating some people emailed them after they requested some documents and they could never contact them after, via email or phone.

 

So as I have only done the Non O from another country extension route, can you explain how I would do the bolded text above? Just incase they just never reply and I have to go the visa exempt route. How does that work, and when should I have money in my thai account. My fight is Aug 31.

 

Thanks Joe.

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, eastcst84 said:

So as I have only done the Non O from another country extension route, can you explain how I would do the bolded text above? Just incase they just never reply and I have to go the visa exempt route. How does that work, and when should I have money in my thai account.

The 400k baht would only need to be in a Thai bank on the day you apply.

With a 30 day visa exempt entry would have 15 days to do the application or longer if you apply for the 30 days. You must have at least 15 days remaining on your stay to do the application.

Requirements for the visa application is here. https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

[eastcst84]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

The 400k baht would only need to be in a Thai bank on the day you apply.

With a 30 day visa exempt entry would have 15 days to do the application or longer if you apply for the 30 days. You must have at least 15 days remaining on your stay to do the application.

Requirements for the visa application is here. https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

Thanks so much! Hmm..15 days seems pretty short to do the application/get settled etc,. Hopefully, they reply. 

 

Any idea on what they actually want for proof of stay? In this case, at my spouses apartment rental?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, eastcst84 said:

Thanks so much! Hmm..15 days seems pretty short to do the application/get settled etc,

You would actually have about 45 days to do the application if you applied for a 30 day extension.

 

7 minutes ago, eastcst84 said:

Any idea on what they actually want for proof of stay? In this case, at my spouses apartment rental?

Normally that is not asked for when applying for a non-o visa. It might be an error on the e visa site.

Perhaps a statement from from your wife stating you are staying with her at her apartment.

[eastcst84]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You would actually have about 45 days to do the application if you applied for a 30 day extension.

 

Normally that is not asked for when applying for a non-o visa. It might be an error on the e visa site.

Perhaps a statement from from your wife stating you are staying with her at her apartment.

I see, strange, but I got the document request from an email follow up, like four days after I submitted. 

 

That sounds like a good plan. I will try them tomorrow and hopefully get lucky on the phone.

 

Thanks again Joe!!

[DrJoy]

34 minutes ago, eastcst84 said:

 

Any idea on what they actually want for proof of stay? In this case, at my spouses apartment rental?

I have an Extension of Stay based upon marriage to a Thai lady.

 

I stay with my Thai wife at her aunts house.

 

Proof of stay/Address-

Copy of her (Aunts) Blue House Book and her Thai ID card is all that is required for extension of stay.

[eastcst84]

1 minute ago, DrJoy said:

I have an Extension of Stay based upon marriage to a Thai lady.

 

I stay with my Thai wife at her aunts house.

 

Proof of stay/Address-

Copy of her (Aunts) Blue House Book and her Thai ID card is all that is required for extension of stay.

This is just applying for my Non O in Los Angeles. Not the actual extension you refer too.

 

I did a bit more research and it seems like they want a "formal accommodation agreement " of some sort between my spouse and I.

 

Seems strange, but isn't everything with embassies.