Visa For A 3-6 Month Stay

[sunsetlover]

Hello all,

I am in a simple situation, I'm coming to Thailand to relax and finish writing a book (not about Thailand). I'm planning to stay anywhere from 3 to 6 months, possibly longer. I have an American and EU passport. Obviously I don't need a visa, and I plan to visit other nearby countries during my stay, so I should be able to have a 30-day visa exemption at any time.

However, for times when I need more than the 30 days, I thought about a Tourist visa, which will give me 90 days visa validity, but only 60 days maximum duration of stay. I called the Thai Consulate in Shanghai and I couldn't get a clear answer on what happens to the rest of the visa validity, the 30 days. Also, can a Tourist visa be extended or renewed easily?

Btw, I also qualify for the Non Immigrant O-A Long Stay visa, which I understand I can apply for in BKK. Anyone has any experience with that, applying in BKK vs. home country?

Any advice is much appreciated!

[lopburi3]

You may require a visa to board aircraft or a flight leaving within 30 days.

A tourist visa allows 60 day stay for most and you can visit immigration to extend for 30 days paying 1,900 baht one time. After that you must leave to obtain a new visa or visa exempt entry.

You can not obtain a non immigrant O-A visa in Thailand - only your home country. What you can obtain is a single entry non immigrant 90 day entry conversion and then a one year extension for retirement. You need 15 days remaining on entry stay and have the financial proof in Thailand (although if bank deposit does not have to be in account 2 months at conversion time).

You also have the option to just exit and obtain a new tourist visa with an overnight stay, from a consulate.

[sunsetlover]

Thanks Lopburi, I just saw your reply.

This tourist visa then is quite restrictive and expensive, about $125 for 3 months worth of stay.

On the Chinese Thai consulate site, about the Non-Immigrant O-A visa, it states "Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located on Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Sathorn District, Bangkok 10120."

So this doesn't apply in practice?

[beechguy]

Thanks Lopburi, I just saw your reply.

This tourist visa then is quite restrictive and expensive, about $125 for 3 months worth of stay.

On the Chinese Thai consulate site, about the Non-Immigrant O-A visa, it states "Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located on Soi Suan Plu, South Sathorn Road, Sathorn District, Bangkok 10120."

So this doesn't apply in practice?

It's misleading at best, one can apply for an "O-A" in their home country, but one applies for a one year extension of their permission to stay, within Thailand. Those aren't the same thing.

[lopburi3]

You can not obtain a non immigrant O-A visa inside Thailand. What you can do is obtain a non immigrant O visa entry of 90 days and then extend that for one year. Cost is 2,000 baht for visa and 1,900 baht for extension. You will require 15 days or more on entry stamp and proof of financials in Thailand (800k in bank account or 65k income embassy letter or combination to meet 800k per year).

As for tourist visa costs basic visa is 1,000 baht (in local exchange) for each 2 months stay so with extension at 1,900 baht total could be about $125. You could not extend and exit/return if cheaper and you have two or three entry visa. You could also likely obtain a non immigrant O visa for entry to check retirement options at the cost of two tourist visas allowing 90 day stay.

[sunsetlover]

Thank you both.

Of course the more we dig into this, the more questions come up, so I apologize. In particular, the 800K baht (or equivalent?) has to be in Thailand? and it applies to a simple non-immigrant O visa ?

Also, assuming one goes the route of 3 tourist visas for a total of 6 months (no extensions), would a Consulate AND Immigration "frown" on seeing 2-3 visas back to back? certain countries don't care as long as you wanna spend money domestically (including the one where I am now, China).

[Madgee]

I've just applied for a non-immigrant O visa from a Thai Embassy in China.

They would only consider a 90 day single entry.

I had to show available funds in a non-Thai bank account equivalent to 800k baht.

Flight tickets etc.

This does not mean I have to initially deposit the funds in Thailand. If I decide to stay longer then I must deposit the funds into a Thai bank acct within 1 month to allow it to be 'seasoned' and then apply for a visa extension of a further 9 months based on retirement.

The diplomat I dealt with was very helpful and explained the process extremely well.

I hope he is right!

[sunsetlover]

Thanks Madgee,

So they didn't even consider a 90-day multiple entry? The only advantage of this visa it seems is that it allows you to extend it for an additional 9 months, total 1 year.

I think the O-A visa, IF one qualifies, is the way to go for something like a 1 year stay.

[Mario2008]

The consular officer was correct. But when you convert you do not need to have the money seasoned, just have it in an account in Thailand.

[Mario2008]

Thanks Madgee,

So they didn't even consider a 90-day multiple entry? The only advantage of this visa it seems is that it allows you to extend it for an additional 9 months, total 1 year.

I think the O-A visa, IF one qualifies, is the way to go for something like a 1 year stay.

Getting a multiple non-O is getting difficult.

An O-A visa requires more paperwork and that you are a national or official resident of the country where you apply for the visa.

[lopburi3]

Actually the consular officer was not correct in the extension time - it will be for one year from the end of the 90 day non immigrant O visa entry (not nine months). The O-A visa can only be obtained in your country of residence (outside of Thailand) and would require a medical exam paper and a police check report - it is good for some in home country as money does not have to be in Thailand for one or two years but for others single entry O visa and extension is preferred (especially if medical testing would involve a large expense - some doctors can not sign off on such a report without extensive testing).

Yes the 800k would have to be in Thailand for extension of stay in Thailand.

Yes getting tourist visas can be an issue after having more than a handful but normally going elsewhere often solves that.