Multi-year O-visas?

[supra111]

I am a UK national and my wife of 15-years is a Thai national - we live in USA, but regularly travel to both home countries. My wife holds a 5-year multi-entry visa to UK, with 90-day stay limitation per entry (I understand a 10-year multi-entry visa is now available for her).

I have always entered Thailand on a tourist visa since we normally stay less than 30-days per trip. Myself (and the kids who are UK nationals) were recently refused boarding by a US airline because our return flights were 31 days after arrival to Thailand - my kids have overstayed in the past with no fine being applied on exit. I have never overstayed and did not plan to do so on this particular trip, as I had to leave the country for business half way through the trip (but I did not have flight tickets at the time to support this statement to the airline).

To prevent this problem in the future, I assumed the way around was to apply for a multi-entry O-visa, however, I understand this can be issued with only 1-year validity.

Is anyone aware of a multi-year, multi-entry O-visa (or other type of visa) having been requested and issued and/or what type of reciprocation agreement exists between UK & Thailand on multi-entry visas?

(Note: I am not at retirement age per the Retirement Visa qualification)

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The longest Non-Immigrant O visa stay is 12 months. There is no reciprocal visa arrangement between Thailand and the UK. Had the airline carried you into Thailand against the regulations ( ie visa exempt stay 30 days with a confirmed outbound airticket within 30 days of arrival ) and you were denied entry, the airline would be fined and have to carry you all out at its own expense.

[Lite Beer]

Yep. One year Multi Entry Non O Visa. Can be stretched out to 15 months.

Thanks for telling us about the airline. It is good to have an account of this actually happening. It backs up the advise we always give on here.

[lopburi3]

If your children have a Thai mother they can obtain Thai passports and then enter/exit Thailand without visa or overstay stamps. On second reading see you have been married 15 years so suspect they are indeed also Thai.

[PatinBKk]

Yep. One year Multi Entry Non O Visa. Can be stretched out to 15 months.

Thanks for telling us about the airline. It is good to have an account of this actually happening. It backs up the advise we always give on here.

I previously got 17 months...1 year, left just befor expiry hence getting 3 more months and then when that was up the local immigration office issued a further 60 days for 1,900 baht...not sure if that is still possible???

[lopburi3]

That 60 days had nothing to do with the non immigrant O visa - it was an extension to visit spouse.

[supra111]

Yep. One year Multi Entry Non O Visa. Can be stretched out to 15 months.

Thanks for telling us about the airline. It is good to have an account of this actually happening. It backs up the advise we always give on here.

Actaully, we did get on the plane in the end after about 1 hr of negociating with the (Continental) airline officials - the compromise we made was that my wife was checked through straight to Thailand with the baggage and myself and the kids were checked only as far as Japan were the connection was. In Japan, we picked up the second leg boarding passes (on Thai) with no issue.

The Continental check in system actually picked up the 31 days return date automatically and flagged a supervisor who came over, so I suspect I am not the only one this has happened to.