I am a US soldier who is currently deployed in Iraq. Prior to getting deployed I got married to a Thai National. Through out my time here I have been working on putting together a corporation in thailand, for the purpose of exporting products from thailand to the US. Now I am looking at coming home and I am trying to get a idea of how to get a visa to stay in thailand. This will be my first visa, because in the past I have always stayed in Thailand using my passport or my wife has stayed in the US.

I see that many of you have been applying for and receiving thai visas for many years and I am hoping to borrow some of the experience that I see here. I understand from looking at this site that my best option is to get a multiple entry non-immagrant visa, then later I can apply for the marriage extension and a work permit through my company, but outside of that, I am not all that sure what the requirements are. I am not even for certain a non immigrant multiple entry visa is the visa that I should get. Also I would like to know whether I need to apply for such a visa in the US, Thailand or another country. Normally I would just do my homework myself, but unfortunately over here my computer time, and free time in general is kind of limited, so I appreciate any help you can give me.

Also, I have been reading that it is a good idea for my wife to write a letter of invitation to Thailand. Does anyone have a sample letter that they can post or can anyone at least tell me what would need to be in this letter. Both me and my wife does not know what should be in the letter. I can guide her on wording the letter, but I would need to know what the content of the letter would need to be first.

Any and all help is appreciated.

You plan to exit the military and live full time in Thailand? A non immigrant O visa entry is the basic building block so yes that type of entry would be the best method - extensions of stay require proof of 40k per month family income (tax receipts) so if immediately available a single entry visa might work - if you need time the multi entry is preferred (each entry 90 days). You obtain from a Consulate in a foreign country and use marriage certificate/copy of wife ID card and home register. It can help at some places for wife to write of her wish you are issued a multi entry visa to be with her but in general that is not required. As you get closer to Thailand the harder is becomes to obtain more than a single entry - although Singapore will issue with proof of 400k in a bank account somewhere.

As US citizen, this might interest you.

http://www.sunbeltlegaladvisors.com/Thaila...mity-Treaty.php

By far the easiest way to get a visa if you are still in the US is to go to an Honorary Consul General. My first non-o took a total of 5 minutes from walking into the office until I had the visa in my passport. All i needed was my wife's passport and my marriage license.