What'S The Advantage?

[Sjptain]

Maybe someone can point out if there is any advantage?

I'm married and live in Thailand, and each year since 2004 been renewing my Non-Immigrant "O" as close as possible to the dates of expiry, the first few times in the UK, but this years one i did in Singapore because i was working there.

I work outside of Thailand and most of my trips i could get by on a Tourist visa, but felt it was better to get the correct visa in order to be with my wife, and if i needed to purchase anything it was better with an N-I-"O" visa than a tourist visa.

Anyway, towards the end of this year i'll be turning the big 50, and have seen a lot of discussions about Retirement Visas - but i don't know if there is any advantages or what i'm already doing. Or to throw in the other spanner, would a residence visa be another option?

At present i do have both a yellow book, and a Thai Tax ID (never ever worked in Thailand), next step i think will be the driver license.

I'm not a legal jargonned individual so if people can keep the responses on a "dummies" level i'd appreciate it.

[lopburi3]

You are currently using visa entry for up to 90 day stay (non immigrant O multi entry). You can obtain one year extension of stay from Immigration but as you work outside Thailand and travel often it is probably best to use what you now have (plus the marriage extension would require 400k in Thai bank account 2 months or 40k per month income and require you to be here for at least a 30 day period of time (under review period).

At age 50 another option opens up. Either a one year permitted to stay stamp on arrival using non Immigrant OA visa from home country or one year extension of stay from any non immigrant visa entry with 800k in bank two months or 65k income. No under review period is required. But an extension would not allow travel without re-entry permits (3,800 for multi entry).

There is no such thing as a residence visa.

So if you plan to continue working your best option is likely to continue as you are doing now and obtain a new non immigrant O multi entry visa each year. One place close by that will issue with marriage proof and 100k in a Thai bank account is KL. When you end work the retirement extension of stay is likely the best option.

[Hahhi]

So if you plan to continue working your best option is likely to continue as you are doing now and obtain a new non immigrant O multi entry visa each year. One place close by that will issue with marriage proof and 100k in a Thai bank account is KL.

The Penang consulate does not ask for proof of income or money deposit, for Non-Imm O multi entry. They only asked the following documents:

- visa application

- copy of passport name page

- copy of marriage certificate

- copy of wife's passport, ID and tabian baan

- copy of our air tickets to Thailand

- 550 Malaysian Ringgits

No hassle, no queues - everything was very smooth. And this experience happened 2010-06-16.