Tourist visa to Non Immigrant visa

[Haggisthai]

Hi Guys can anyone help me with the following question. I am in the Uk at the moment and wonder whether I should obtain a double entry tourist visa here which I would like to transfer to a Non Immigrant visa once this expires. In other words can I go straight from a tourist visa to a multiple entry visa at Savvankhet. I am married to a Thai National so I will be applying on that and have lived in Thailand for 13 years on a yearly non immigrant visa obtained in the Uk.. Hope I have provided enough information .Thanks in advance.

[TerryLH]

"...and have lived in Thailand for 13 years on a yearly non immigrant visa obtained in the Uk."

Do you know you can get an extension for a year at an immigration office for 1900 baht? No need for a new visa each year.

"In other words can I go straight from a tourist visa to a multiple entry visa at Savvankhet."

Yes. As long as you meet the requirements. You don't transfer to a new visa, you simply apply for a new visa.

Currently multiple entry visas are available if you are married to a Thai.

[ubonjoe]

You could get the multiple entry non-o based upon marriage before leaving the UK. There have been recent reports of them being done there. The most recent was one from the embassy,

There is no restriction on having a tourist visa and then getting a non immigrant visa directly afterwords.

[UbonRatch]

You get a non-O multi-entry from UK Thai consulate, not embassy. I believe Liverpool is the easiest, and you don't have to provide financial evidence. They simply take your 120 odd quid and give you a stamp within the hour. I, as above poster says, would obtain the non-O in the UK, and save yourself the hassle of applying here, and having to produce endless paperwork and bank statements, etc.

Edited June 7, 2014 by UbonRatch

[ubonjoe]

You get a non-O multi-entry from UK Thai consulate, not embassy. I believe Liverpool is the easiest, and you don't have to provide financial evidence. They simply take your 120 odd quid and give you a stamp within the hour. I, as above poster says, would obtain the non-O in the UK, and save yourself the hassle of applying here, and having to produce endless paperwork and bank statements, etc.

For some time now all multiple entry visa applications submitted at the consulates have to be submitted to the embassy for approval. It takes about 5 days to get the visas now.

You are writing about an extension of stay at immigration here not a visa.

At the consulate in Savannakhet Laos a non-o multiple entry visa based upon marriage can be applied for without financial proof.

[Haggisthai]

Thanks for all the replies. Ubonjoe just to save myself some time and expense getting to a Thai Consulate here do you think that I will be ok going to Thailand on the 30 day exempt and once this has expired going over to Laos and applying for a multiple entry non immigrant O?

[ubonjoe]

You could do a mail in application to the embassy in London. There was a recent report of the them doing a non-o based upon marriage.

If not entering on a visa exempt entry and then going to Savannakhet would not be a problem. The only problem might be not having a ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival because the airline can deny boarding if you don't have one.

[Haggisthai]

Thanks a lot Ubonjoe , think I will risk it and go and get a visa at Savannakhet after the 30 days.