Possibility to change NON-O extension to METV at immigration

[Max Brok]

Dear all. I go to Thailand in October and have to make an extension of my NON-O based on marriage. My present NON-O is valid till December 31. Because I only stay for 5 months and all those documents and the need your wife have to be present when you do the request and the possible of a home visit I searching for an other way. Can I change my NON-O to a METV instead of request a extension? My wife has work and at home and max holidays is 2 months, I am realy married for your information. 

A METV is more convenient and the trip, after 60 days, to the border is this time not necessary.

Next year I will do this at home(The Netherlands) but I can not do it now because I can not get another visa if another is still valid.

If not posible, what is a convenient way to stay 5 months(without aditional insurances) in Thailand.

[BritTim]

There is no way to convert from a non immigrant permission to stay to a tourist permission to stay without leaving and re-entering Thailand.

 

A possible approach if you will only stay five months at a time is:

• Having allowed your non immigrant permission to stay lapse, apply for a single entry tourist visa and use the new visa to enter Thailand. This will give you a 60-day permission to stay. Depending on your nationality, you may be able to get the visa via the e-visa system, or may need to apply direct to an embassy/consulate.
• Extend the 60-day permission to stay at immigration for a further 30 days.
• Extend the permission to stay at immigration by a further 60 days to visit your wife. The requirements for the 60-day extension are easy. The main requirements is that your wife must go to immigration with you.

This will give you a total stay of 150 days (149 nights).

[Max Brok]

9 hours ago, BritTim said:

There is no way to convert from a non immigrant permission to stay to a tourist permission to stay without leaving and re-entering Thailand.

 

A possible approach if you will only stay five months at a time is:

• Having allowed your non immigrant permission to stay lapse, apply for a single entry tourist visa and use the new visa to enter Thailand. This will give you a 60-day permission to stay. Depending on your nationality, you may be able to get the visa via the e-visa system, or may need to apply direct to an embassy/consulate.
• Extend the 60-day permission to stay at immigration for a further 30 days.
• Extend the permission to stay at immigration by a further 60 days to visit your wife. The requirements for the 60-day extension are easy. The main requirements is that your wife must go to immigration with you.

This will give you a total stay of 150 days (149 nights).

How to do in case of paragraf 1? I enter Thailand October 4 2022 with a re-enter permit with my NON-O marriage and have to go minimal 2 weeks before December 31 for extension or another way to stay legal in Thailand up til February 12 2023. 

I there is no solution for it then I have the same problem again next year, an new visa request with a running visa is not allowed.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Max Brok said:

How to do in case of paragraf 1? I enter Thailand October 4 2022 with a re-enter permit with my NON-O marriage and have to go minimal 2 weeks before December 31 for extension or another way to stay legal in Thailand up til February 12 2023. 

I there is no solution for it then I have the same problem again next year, an new visa request with a running visa is not allowed.

Extending a Non Immigrant permission to stay for any of the allowed reasons is not a problem. If you are married to a Thai, you can apply for a further one-year extension of your permission to stay based on your spouse. If over age 50, for instance, you could also apply for a one-year extension of your permission to stay based on retirement. What you cannot do (when in Thailand on a Non Immigrant permission to stay) is apply for a fresh Non Immigrant or tourist visa. Make sure you understand the difference between a visa and a permission to stay.

[Max Brok]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

Extending a Non Immigrant permission to stay for any of the allowed reasons is not a problem. If you are married to a Thai, you can apply for a further one-year extension of your permission to stay based on your spouse. If over age 50, for instance, you could also apply for a one-year extension of your permission to stay based on retirement. What you cannot do (when in Thailand on a Non Immigrant permission to stay) is apply for a fresh Non Immigrant or tourist visa. Make sure you understand the difference between a visa and a permission to stay.

This means no solution on my question. Another 400,000 Baht to the bank.

[Max Brok]

40 minutes ago, Max Brok said:

This means no solution on my question. Another 400,000 Baht to the bank.

But I make some investigation in this forum. Would it be possible to make a request at immigration to skip my present permission to stay and apply for a METV?

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, Max Brok said:

But I make some investigation in this forum. Would it be possible to make a request at immigration to skip my present permission to stay and apply for a METV?

Where would you apply for the METV, and why would you need a multiple entry visa? I assume you do understand that you can stay just as long (without a border bounce) with a single entry tourist visa as with a multiple entry tourist visa. I am missing why you think an METV will benefit you, and just reiterate that an METV is only available via the embassy (or an official consulate) in your home country.