Which visa please?

[RoyP]

My wife and I both uk citizens over 50 wish to spend 3 months iin Thailand early next year, what is the best visa and application process ?.

[blackcab]

Moved to the Thai Visa forum.

[ThailandRyan]

A single entry Tourist Visa will give you a total of 90 days.  First stamp should be for 60 days, then a trip to immigration where you will pay 1900 baht for the final 30 days.  They have however changed the Visa Exempt entries to 45 days, starting soon, which you could get upon arrival and then extend as well.

[ubonjoe]

The easiest visa to get would be a single entry tourist visa that allows a 60 day stay on entry that can be extended for 30 day at a immigration office.

[DrJack54]

As mentioned by @ThailandRyan a tourist visa is best option.

That give 60 day stamp and can be extended by 30 days for a fee of 1900baht.

If you require longer you can add a border bounce with a visa exempt entry. 

Edited August 30, 2022 by DrJack54

[Big FranK]

By far the best option is non immigrant O visa for people over 50 and wanting to stay no more than 90 days.

It is even easier to get than the tourist visa, and, above all you don't have to waste a day to go to an immigration office in Thailand after 60 days to get 30 days more. And there is no limitation on how many visas you can get in one year.

That is what i do two to three times a year, mixed with travels in other coutries.

Extension over 90 days is possible but hard to get and only in certain cases like married to a thai.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Big FranK

[ChaiyaTH]

Get a tourist visa to get the 60 days on arrival but do not get the extension, instead plan a trip upfront to one of the nearby countries as an bonus holiday. The extension fee alone would cover 60% of the round way fares if you book it a bit early.

Examples could be a weekend to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh etc. When you return you get 30-45 days again (same as 1900 baht extension would get you without leaving).

 

If you do not mind spending half a day for an extension or to even make 1-2 of those trips during the 3 months of holiday, you could come here without any visa at all.

You would arrive and get 45 days, be able to either fly or do 2 border runs again, as well be able to make a extension locally after each international entry. I could imagine obtaining the visa alone would waste a lot of time and money in the UK too, after all it is only 15 days more compared with the new 45 days on arrival stamp.

Edited August 30, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[ChaiyaTH]

To add: I am unaware how it will run in the near future, would not be surprised if both the 30 days on arrival is 45, but also the extensions going to be 45 days. That would make 1 entry with extension 90 days total already.

Edited August 30, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

To add: I am unaware how it will run in the near future, would not be surprised if both the 30 days on arrival is 45, but also the extensions going to be 45 days.

The extension of the 45 day visa exempt entry will still be for 30 days.

[Jason44]

15 hours ago, Big FranK said:

By far the best option is non immigrant O visa for people over 50 and wanting to stay no more than 90 days.

@Big FranK, thank you very much for this answer. I was struggling with how to have a stay of 90 days without having to apply for the full blown retirement visa (O-A?) The Thai E-Visa web site is particularly confusing, as it describes a Non-Immigrant O, specifically as "Visiting friends and family". However, I was able to see that there are many different sub-categories within the O Visa, one of which covers "Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days)". 

As you mention getting this type of visa two to three times a year, can I assume that you are doing your application through the Thai E-Visa web site? If so, do you just select Type O and then there is a secondary list to specify the sub-type (i.e. over 50)?

I see that you need to upload documentation for "Financial Evidence, Confirmation of Legal Residence, and Copy of Health Insurance". It appears that for the financial evidence, all they are looking for, is to see inflows come into your bank account, and don't really care about the source. So are you just sending them 1 to 3 months of bank statements? Do you know if they would just accept a statement from one's brokerage account? (Since I am retired, my income is the dividend and interest received on my assets.)

Edited August 31, 2022 by Jason44

[Big FranK]

I get my Visa from the thai embassy in France, and yes from now on it is eVisa
As you say, you have to choose the Retirement O Visa (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days).
No need for health insurance now, as it is explained on the first screen when you connect to the eVisa. Just upload a page whith a screen capture of that statement. 
Concerning the financial evidence, they don't care about the source of money. Just upload bank accounts showing you had the minimum required money for the last three months.
Honestly it is not difficult, just give it a go.
Best is to save your application after each step

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Jason44 said:

So are you just sending them 1 to 3 months of bank statements? Do you know if they would just accept a statement from one's brokerage account? (Since I am retired, my income is the dividend and interest received on my assets.)

I would think that the questions are similar to that for a marriage visa, in which case there will be 2 different questions. One will refer to proof of income and the other ask for a bank statement, you need only answer one, or both if you so choose.

[Big FranK]

Here are the eVisa supporting documents for Retirement Non Immigrant Visa O (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days)

Health insurance is no longer needed

[sandyf]

20 hours ago, Big FranK said:

Here are the eVisa supporting documents for Retirement Non Immigrant Visa O (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days)

Health insurance is no longer needed

Thanks for that,  looks like the 2 financial questions that appear for the marriage visa have been merged into one on the retirement, although the amount of GBP10K is the same for both regarding the bank statement.

This is the docs for the marriage visa.

Official Website of Thailand Electronic Visa_4.pdf