Which Visa

[BOBDUTHAI]

Hi returning to forum after a while , retired now and only visited Thailand with thai wife once since covid, she now wants to finish work and spend a large part of the year  back home , probably October for 6 months. which do you think is my best option for visa ? our daughter is now 20 and my local immigration officer said that when she is 21 i would not have to provide details of money in bank as she will be my carer lol .would just like an opinion thanks 

[DrJack54]

Depending on which country you could obtain a ME Non O based on marriage.

That visa provides for stay of 12+ months and each entry gives a 90 day stamp.

 

You could obtain a non O based on marriage and subsequent 12 month extension.

There are also other options.

 

Personally would not bring daughter into it as carer with other options available 

 

Many threads cover this

Edited July 10, 2023 by DrJack54

[BritTim]

It is absolutely true that an adult Thai can justify an application for annual extension for a 50 year-old parent based on the child supporting them. Not all immigration offices will allow the application, however, even if you are staying in the same household. It seems your immigration office is one of those that does. If you want to take advantage of this, enter Thailand with a single entry Non O visa to visit your Thai child.

[Red Phoenix]

Being married to a Thai national and only staying 6 months in Thailand per year, you have many options.

A possible option with very little hassle could be to

1 - Enter Thailand VisaExempt (without a Visa) which will provide you with a 30-day permission to stay.

2 - In the last 2 weeks before expiry of that Permission to stay, apply at an Imm Office for a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your Thai family.  Since you meet the requirements it will be provided on the spot and the 60 days will be added to the initial 30-day permission to stay due date (cost 1.900,- THB).

3 - In the final days of that 60 day extension of stay, do a border-run to a neighboring country, which can be done same day or combined with a holiday in that neighboring country.  On re-entering Thailand this will provide you once again with a 30-day permission to stay.

4 - You can then apply once again for a a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your Thai family at a Thai Imm office. 

When having done a same-day border-run that would provide you with a max of 180 days permit to stay.

5 - In case the above does not provide you enough days till your flight back home, you could prior to the 60-day extension of stay application, first apply for a 'regular' 30-day extension of stay (also 1.900,- THB). 

>> Applying first for the 'regular' 30-day extension of stay followed by an application for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your family, would provide you with a max of 240 days permission to stay, without having to apply for a Visa, and requiring only 1 border-run in the middle of your stay.

 

 

[BritTim]

An alternative to @Red Phoenix's suggestion above would be to apply for a multiple entry Non O visa to visit your Thai wife. This, valid for one year, provides 90-day stays on each entry, and each entry can optionally be extended for 60 days. Thus, if only needing five months, enter using the visa and extend at Immigration. If needing longer, do a border bounce for another 90 days instead of or in addition to the extension.

[sabaiguy]

He only wants to stay for 6 months.  Why not a METV.  Assuming it's convenient to do a border bounce.

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, sabaiguy said:

He only wants to stay for 6 months.  Why not a METV.  Assuming it's convenient to do a border bounce.

If married to a Thai, it is usually easier to get a multiple entry Non O (90-day stays) then a multiple entry tourist visa (60-day stays).