Entering permanently without onward flight booked

[seancar29]

Hi, thank you in advance for any advice.

 

I am looking to move to the kingdom with my wife from the UK on a permanent basis this year.

Once settled in our house I will be organizing a retirement visa.

My question is how should I enter, and with which visa, to not be stopped at customs as I wont have an onward flight booked.

 

Many thanks

 

Sean

 

[Crossy]

Any actual visa will do.

 

Only the visa-exemption entry needs an onward flight.

[OneMoreFarang]

6 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Any actual visa will do.

 

Only the visa-exemption entry needs an onward flight.

Really?

When I got a tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh I had to show a flight out of Thailand. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten that tourist visa.

For a Non-B visa that was not necessary.

That happened in middle of 2023. 

[DrJack54]

35 minutes ago, seancar29 said:

My question is how should I enter, and with which visa, to not be stopped at customs as I wont have an onward flight booked.

You can enter on visa exempt or tourist visa and obtain a non O in Thailand.

Assume your wife is non Thai.

For her to piggyback on your extensions she would need to enter Thailand with a non O.

 

Do you have a Thai bank account in your name only? 

 

Don't be concerned about onward flight requirement from the airline at departure from UK..

Google "onward ticket.com" and that option is explained. It's basically rent a ticket and works fine. 

[noobexpat]

You may be queried at uk airport check in as well.

I got asked by immigration officer when i arrived in 2022 on a one way flight. I arrived on a 60 day tourist visa. He wanted to know my plan.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, noobexpat said:

I arrived on a 60 day tourist visa.

If you have a visa you would not be asked about onward flight at departure by airlines or immigration when arriving

[seancar29]

My wife is Thai, been in UK since 1989

I don't have Thai bank account yet but will open one when there.

Am I best to get a 90 day from the Thai Embassy and then they won't be concerned about the onward flight situation?

 

Looking at the Thai embassy website, could I apply for an o-x 5 year visa as I am 51 years old?

Sean

Edited January 23 by seancar29

[DrJack54]

26 minutes ago, seancar29 said:

Looking at the Thai embassy website, could I apply for an o-x 5 year visa as I am 51 years old?

Sean

Don't apply for a non O-X.

Since you are 51 and married to a Thai did you consider non O based on marriage with ongoing extensions.

Very easy financial requirements.

Re the bank account...entering with a non O would make opening bank account more easy.

Where in Thailand do you plan to live? 

 

Your wife needs to enter Thailand on her Thai pp

[seancar29]

We have a house in Kraburi, near Chumphon.

Thanks for the advice

 

[noobexpat]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

If you have a visa you would not be asked about onward flight at departure by airlines or immigration when arriving

 

Well i did get asked, by both. So you are wrong.

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, noobexpat said:

 

Well i did get asked, by both. So you are wrong.

Well to state your experience is an outliner is an understatement.

 

Even folks entering to Thailand visa exempt are rarely ask to show onward flight by immigration on arrival.

 

Flying visa exempt the airline at departure often asks for onward flight.

With a visa in passport almost NEVER. Same as with reentry permit.

 

Your information is poor...in any event seems you were not refuse boarding pass at departure or refused entry on arrival to Thailand. 

I'm not wrong at all. 

 

[bigt3116]

11 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Really?

When I got a tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh I had to show a flight out of Thailand. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten that tourist visa.

For a Non-B visa that was not necessary.

That happened in middle of 2023. 

 

You had to show the embassy, not the airline

[yankyoakum]

I came on 60 day tourist visa from USA, changed to Non O retirement using a service in CM...Wasn't that difficult and nobody said a thing as we flew one way ticket. That was 2019. Depending on yr finances, I did the 800K and have been married to a Thai lady for 48 years. No worries about taking photos in front of our house for immigration to look at. If you have the funds go with the 800K in bank less hoops to jump thru....Just old retired guys opinion...

[noobexpat]

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Well to state your experience is an outliner is an understatement.

 

 

Its called an outlier.

I didn’t say i was denied anything or had to prove anything - i said i was asked.

Read the words slowly.

[kuzie57]

When I returned to thailand after a 3 week holiday in Australia, I was asked by the airline staff when I checked in and had to show my retirement extension in my passport to be able to board the aircraft without an onward ticket.