Which Visa , Confused ! Need Advice

[Billpro785]

Hello all,

need help on which visa type I should get for Thailand . First , I'm American , with a US passport , and age 49 , will be 50 next April.

I'm planning on spending 2 years in Thailand , Koh Chang area , with trips to the Golden Triangle area . I've spent time researching here , and still confused about which visa to get .

If anyone could provide help !! More details , I've bought a small cafe \ bar , with a house in the rear in Koh Chang. Bought just for the house only , as I will have the current manger still running the cafe.

Also would like to buy a new motorbike ( KLX 250 ) , for trips to the countryside. I will be spending the next two years , writing , and taking photos , for a possible travel book. ( I'm a freelance photographer .)

I will be in the states , Houston Texas for 2 weeks in Dec . Which visa would be my best option ?

Again thanks for all the help

[lopburi3]

You do not qualify for anything but a normal tourist visa allowing 60 day stay with 30 day extension. You may be able to obtain a two or three entry in the US to start with. Once age 50 a non immigrant O visa to check on retirement or a one year extension of stay for retirement could be available with proof of 800k in bank account 2 months or 65k per month income.

[Billpro785]

You do not qualify for anything but a normal tourist visa allowing 60 day stay with 30 day extension. You may be able to obtain a two or three entry in the US to start with. Once age 50 a non immigrant O visa to check on retirement or a one year extension of stay for retirement could be available with proof of 800k in bank account 2 months or 65k per month income.

so after the 90 days I could go to a next door country and get another tourist visa ?

[CharlieH]

You do not qualify for anything but a normal tourist visa allowing 60 day stay with 30 day extension. You may be able to obtain a two or three entry in the US to start with. Once age 50 a non immigrant O visa to check on retirement or a one year extension of stay for retirement could be available with proof of 800k in bank account 2 months or 65k per month income.

so after the 90 days I could go to a next door country and get another tourist visa ?

In theory yes, you could go get another but be aware that your visa history in your passport may effect the outcome. Too many back to back may cause refusal in some places.

[Billpro785]

You do not qualify for anything but a normal tourist visa allowing 60 day stay with 30 day extension. You may be able to obtain a two or three entry in the US to start with. Once age 50 a non immigrant O visa to check on retirement or a one year extension of stay for retirement could be available with proof of 800k in bank account 2 months or 65k per month income.

so after the 90 days I could go to a next door country and get another tourist visa ?

In theory yes, you could go get another but be aware that your visa history in your passport may effect the outcome. Too many back to back may cause refusal in some places.

Thanks again , would I be able to buy a motorbike on a tourist visa ? What about this 1 year visa I keep seeing ? Also I read somewhere else , that you could get a retirement visa at 49 , as thai's consider you 1 year old at birth , true ???

[wayned]

I would try to get at least a double entry torist visa that is valid for 6 months. By the expiration you would be 50 and be able to start the retirement process. There are three Honorary consulates listed in Texas. You don't have to go, everything can be handled by express delivery service. I would call each one and see if they will issue the double entry visa. The addresses are:

Dallas, TX

Three Galleria Tower

13155 Noel Road, St 100

Dallas, TX 75240Mr. W. Forrest SmithPhone: (214) 934-0022, ext. 101204

El Paso, TX

414 Executive Center Blvd.

Suite 211 El Paso, TX 79902Ms. Mary L. L. PinkertonTel (915) 533-5757, 532-0781

e-mail [email protected]

Houston, TX

2800 Texas Commerce Tower

Houston, TX 77002-3094Mr. Charles C. FosterTel (713) 229-8733, 228-1303

I don't know if the contact info is current.

Edited November 24, 2011 by wayned

[moe666]

The consulate in Houston may be your best bet as I had a real problem contacting Forrest in Dallas. If there is a problem with the Houston office Portland office is very user friendly. Double entry tourist is your only option for 6 month stay as the age is 50. Once you reach 50 convert your tourist visa to a non-o open a bank account deposit 800,000baht and allow it to season for 2 months after 60 days go back to immigration and apply for retirement extension of stay. you canalso use 65,000baht a month income instead of the 800,000baht deposit.

[Billpro785]

The consulate in Houston may be your best bet as I had a real problem contacting Forrest in Dallas. If there is a problem with the Houston office Portland office is very user friendly. Double entry tourist is your only option for 6 month stay as the age is 50. Once you reach 50 convert your tourist visa to a non-o open a bank account deposit 800,000baht and allow it to season for 2 months after 60 days go back to immigration and apply for retirement extension of stay. you canalso use 65,000baht a month income instead of the 800,000baht deposit.

I will use the Houston office ,as I will be only 20 minutes form the office . so I want to ask to get a tourist visa , double entry for 6 months . Does anyone know how long it takes if you apply in person ? I will call them but I would assume all you would need is your passport , photos , and the application ?

[lopburi3]

Age is counted from zero the same as normal other places so you can not apply until after age 50.

We did not mention education ED visa as you are close to age 50 but that would be another option and a non immigrant visa entry so likely buying a bike would not be an issue and study of Thai would likely be easy and beneficial to you. But not sure where the nearest school would be located.

[Billpro785]

was thinking of the ED visa too, So I could get my tourist visa in the states , than apply for the ED visa in Thailand ? And yes would be good to know at least a basic working of Thai

[lopburi3]

Unless you have paperwork from course you will likely have to enroll and then visit a Consulate in adjoining country to obtain the visa and then extend every 90 days at immigration with attendance paperwork.

[ajfoyt]

I just emailed the Houston Consulate a few days ago and they sent me these two documents.

visa application form.pdf

Visa Information - Thailand.doc

[wayned]

Excellant post. Complete, concise and to the point. Should be saved somewhere for future reference, not buried when this thread is archived.

I just emailed the Houston Consulate a few days ago and they sent me these two documents.

Edited November 24, 2011 by wayned

[lopburi3]

The problem is such documents are specific to one location and in the future such documents will be incorrect - most of the material cited can be found on the MFA website (when the site is up - seems to be down at night recently, (perhaps because of flooding), and that should be updated when changes occur - a saved document would not be.

[Billpro785]

Have one final question,

On the round trip ticket requirement for a tourist visa , Could I get away with a one ticket to Thailand , and then a one ticket somewhere else example , Vietnam ? or would have to be to and from my original point of origin

[wayned]

Cheapest ticket to anywhere outside of thailand is OK.

Have one final question,

On the round trip ticket requirement for a tourist visa , Could I get away with a one ticket to Thailand , and then a one ticket somewhere else example , Vietnam ? or would have to be to and from my original point of origin

[lopburi3]

You do not require onward ticket if you have a tourist visa. The Consulate may require to issue visa but believe that may be more common with third country nationals and may not even be asked. If asked it would be up to the Consulate involved what they might accept.