I will be entering Thailand on a 30 day visa free entry ( British nationality). I cannot easily get a non - O visa ( or any other visa) before arrival as I am working in a country with no Thai Embassy. I have enquired at Chonburi Immigration office about changing purpose of visa from 30 day entry to non - Immigrant O, and then vary purpose to one year marriage. They told me that it is possible to change purpose from 30 day to non - O, but only in Bangkok, not in Chonburi office. Does anyone have any experience of this type of change, and how do I go about it ? Is it definitely possible in Bangkok ?

Yes but must be initiated with 21 days or more remaining on your entry stamp. It will cost 2,000 baht for the change and then 1,900 for the extension of stay. You will need to show wife/normal paperwork and financials.

name='lopburi3' post='3146164' date='2009-11-17 15:25:50']Yes but must be initiated with 21 days or more remaining on your entry stamp. It will cost 2,000 baht for the change and then 1,900 for the extension of stay. You will need to show wife/normal paperwork and financials.

Thanks, lopburi. I imagine I can do that in two parts ? Get the change of visa in Bangkok, and then do the marriage extension, etc in Chonburi at a later date ?

Sorry, I forgot to ask. Any idea how long the change from 30 day to non - O takes ? Will I be able to do it in a one -day trip to the Bangkok Immigration Office ?

Believe so. Actually what you want is a non immigrant visa as the visa exempt is not a visa - there are two different forms - one for that and one to convert a tourist visa entry (which you don't need).

Form TM87 is required to convert a 30-day visa exempt entry stamp to a Non Immigrant visa (Form TM86 is for the other one).

Thank you.