Thai Non-work Visa For 6-9 Months

[nongkhai]

I'm Canadian and will retire soon. At this point I do not wish to formally retire to Thailand, but I would like to spend in the neighbourhood of 6-9 months out of any given year there. I have holidayed in Thailand for many years now, and know the country fairly well, though the longest trip was only 2 months.

I must admit to reading quite a lot about various visas on vaious websites (including this one & the Thai Gov't site) and finding the info there fairly confusing (I admit to being easily confused, as well!).

So could you folks help me with some easy-to-grasp information on the type of visa I should probably apply for.

Some considerations for replies:

~ Minumum stay would be 6 mos ... maximum 9 mos.

~ I'd like to be able to leave Thailand and re-enter (i.e. a side trip to Australia for 3 weeks is in my thoughts). Can I do this on same visa?

~ No work intended, so I assume it would be some kind of "tourist" long-term stay visa?

~ For this length of stay would I need to declare finances & medical condition(s)? No problem with that, just want to know beforehand.

~ Would a visa run(s) be necessary? Again, no problem.

Thanks

NongKhai

Hmmmmm ... now that I read a bit further on this website I've noticed this: http://www.thaivisa.com/422.0.html

Perhaps I've answered my own questions? Is this the visa I need (although it's for a year apparently)?

Edited January 7, 2006 by nongkhai

[lopburi3]

Yes that is probably your best choice (multi entry non immigrant O visa) and you can freely travel and have no 90 days address reporting required. The only thing you will have to do is limit each visit to 90 days (border run would then be required to receive another).

Although such a visa is usually not freely available everywhere if you are over age 50 and can show a Thai bank account of 200,000 baht believe it is available in Penang and most home country small consulates. Requirements do vary.

[camster]

I'm a Canadian who has spent the last 3 winters in Thailand (6 month stays). I havent gone back this year so maybe things have changed but what I have done before is get a non-immigrant 'B' Visa from the Thai Consulate in Canada. This allows you a 90 day stay before having to leave Thailand and is good for up to a year. This means in a six month stay you only have to leave once which is no big deal - take a short holiday to Singapore or Malaysia or even Australia as you mentioned, or just do a one day bus visa run and your good to go for another 3 months. Easy.

[lopburi3]

A non immigrant B visa is issued for employment or business and has become more difficult to obtain without valid credentials.