90 day Thailand Trip with Thai Wife

[madisongy]

I know this has been done to death, but since the advice I had from last year is no longer valid, I wanted to get updated info for trip hopefully in January, 2023.

 

I'm American, married to a Thai for 3 years.   We intend to make 90 day trips to Thailand annually.   In the past, we would stay on the 30 day exemption, and then either head out of the country for a few days, or I got the 30 day extension.  

 

I saw the exemption is now 45 days........true?    If that's the case, is the extension 45 days as well?    Or do I go with the OA?   Or do a border run?

[ubonjoe]

You can apply for a 30 day extension of the 45 day stay form a visa exempt entry. You can also apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife.

You could apply for a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai at a embassy or consulate.

In the US they use the e visa site to do the application. https://thaievisa.go.th/

 

[madisongy]

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 30 day extension of the 45 day stay form a visa exempt entry.

You could apply for a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai at a embassy or consulate.

In the US they use the e visa site to do the application. https://thaievisa.go.th/

Many thanks Ubonjoe, great site.   I read you need to apply 15 working days in advance if applying in home country.   Read elsewhere, that you need to stay 60 days in Thailand before you can apply in Thailand.  Is that correct, and which is the better route?

Also shows requirement for travel booking confirmation......would you happen to know if they accept an itinerary, or do I actually have to purchase the tickets?

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, madisongy said:

Many thanks Ubonjoe, great site.   I read you need to apply 15 working days in advance if applying in home country. 

It is suggested to apply for the visa at least 15 days before your departure date.

 

10 minutes ago, madisongy said:

Read elsewhere, that you need to stay 60 days in Thailand before you can apply in Thailand.  Is that correct, and which is the better route?

That would be to apply for a one year extension of stay applied for at immigration to do it within 30 days after you enter the country with a non-o visa.

14 minutes ago, madisongy said:

Also shows requirement for travel booking confirmation......would you happen to know if they accept an itinerary, or do I actually have to purchase the tickets?

For a visa application the will want to see ticket to here. There is not need show a return ticket.

 

Your best option is to enter the country visa exempt and apply the 60 day extension to visit your wife. But immigration may want you to apply for the 30 day extension first.

[DrJack54]

Enter Visa exempt and obtain a 60 day extension to visit Thai wife..

90 days in total.

Need longer obtain 30 day extension to your visa exempt entry + visit wife extension.

Total 120 days.

 

[madisongy]

Many thanks Dr Jack54 and Ubonjoe for the outstanding information.    Obviously taking your advice to enter visa exempt and then do the extension. when I'm there......and will hopefully get approved for the 60 days extension.   

 

I did a 30 day extension 3 years ago, and at that time ....besides the crowd... was a pretty simple process.   This time, I will plan to bring a marriage certificate that we got in the US for proof of marriage, passport, and 1900 baht.  Do I need to show a Thai bank statement or proof of insurance or anything else?

 

Assuming the fact that my wife lives with me in the US is not a factor to "visit Thai wife" as we're actually visiting her family. 

[madisongy]

On 12/5/2022 at 1:37 AM, DrJack54 said:

Enter Visa exempt and obtain a 60 day extension to visit Thai wife..

90 days in total.

Need longer obtain 30 day extension to your visa exempt entry + visit wife extension.

Total 120 days.

 

Hey DrJack, just booked tickets for 88 days in Thailand and just a quick question on the extension documents.

 

I plan to bring the marriage certificate that we got in the US, my passport of course, and the 1900 baht.   My wife will be there with me also.  anything else I need to bring?

 

Thanks.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, madisongy said:

Hey DrJack, just booked tickets for 88 days in Thailand and just a quick question on the extension documents.

 

I plan to bring the marriage certificate that we got in the US, my passport of course, and the 1900 baht.   My wife will be there with me also.  anything else I need to bring?

 

Thanks.

Here is a thread. 

One post asks about US marriage certificate.

Ubonjoe posts a reply.

Thread obviously contains other information. 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1130123-re-60-day-extension-to-visit-your-wife/ 

 

Note: be aware that Thailand has just amended it's requirements for flight to Thailand and showing vax records to airline will be required.

Also if you are flying visa exempt you should read threads discussing "onward flight" 

Edited January 9, 2023 by DrJack54

[madisongy]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Note: be aware that Thailand has just amended it's requirements for flight to Thailand and showing vax records to airline will be required.

Also if you are flying visa exempt you should read threads discussing "onward flight" 

Thanks much DrJack.   Link answered questions on marriage cert, thanks.   For vax, we have 4, last one Oct 2022, so should be good there too.

 

For "onward flight", yeah....good point.  Saw your post on stepping away and getting ticket or rent a ticket.  Found site....onwardticket.com.   Would you happen to know if they're reputable or who would be?    What's cheapest legit flight?  Any idea if this is generally an issue or generally no problem?  

 

really appreciate your clear and concise information.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, madisongy said:

   For vax, we have 4, last one Oct 2022, so should be good there too.

 

For "onward flight", yeah....good point.  Saw your post on stepping away and getting ticket or rent a ticket.  Found site....onwardticket.com.   Would you happen to know if they're reputable or who would be?    What's cheapest legit flight?  Any idea if this is generally an issue or generally no problem? 

You only require 2 jabs and no reference to how long ago.

So you are all good.

I'm going to Vietnam shortly and will have hard copies of vaccination records for airline.

As for onward flight you can use companies such as onwardflight with confidence. Cost approx $15 USD. 

Many reports of no issues.

You can also buy throw away ticket approx cost 1600 baht.

 

As I mentioned in that thread you can try and obtain boarding pass without onward flight and if issue step away and book onward flight.

Sometimes the airline allows you to sign a waiver.

You have a return flight (even though it's outside 45 days) think airline will/may issue boarding pass. 

 

[madisongy]

22 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

As I mentioned in that thread you can try and obtain boarding pass without onward flight and if issue step away and book onward flight.

Sometimes the airline allows you to sign a waiver.

You have a return flight (even though it's outside 45 days) think airline will/may issue boarding pass. 

 

Hey, usual Thanks DrJack.   More great info....thanks. 

 

Looked at getting the return boarding pass.  We're booked on JAL and looks like I can only get that 24 hours before flight.   Feel good about onwardflight based on your comment.  Seems simple.   Keeping my fingers crossed I get a decent IO.  

 

You've been an absolute huge help.   If you're in BKK, the beers are on me.

 

[madisongy]

Holy smokes!!   Complete CF on this extension.

So got to the immigration office today and they told me nope....wrong place.   Gotta now go to Laksi IT Square.   Ok, so headed over there.....they told me nope, you need to get the marriage cert stamped.   This was the first gal we spoke with and I told her that's not right and she would not speak with me, wanted to speak Thai with my wife and told her there is no way to get this extension without the stamp and we could not get a number.   Sent us to a third place to get a stamp on the marriage cert, which is where we are right now.    I asked can we get this stamped?   Nope, ya gotta go get a translation and you have to go to the US Embassy and ya gotta do this and ya gotta do that.  Its sort of ridiculous.

 

I really feel like just changing the ticket and leaving Thailand.