Howdy, what is the process for an American (with ED Visa) married to an American (with Type-B visa, teacher at international school) to transfer to a Type-O spouse visa in Bangkok? Required paperwork and original marriage license is not a problem but the schools visa processing person is quite incompetent and has botched visa processes very badly before.

Is the spouse with ED visa required to leave the country to transfer from their current ED Visa?

Or can they stay within Thailand and receive a Type-O?

We've been told that the spouse (ED) will need to leave the country and return on a tourist visa, then they will apply for the type-O in Bangkok and will not need to leave the country again.

My understanding is that the spouse should be able to remain in Thailand and transfer directly from ED to Type-O without leaving. Any insight would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

P.S. I have searched the forums for this but I am either using poor search criteria or am unable to find it, if you know a thread that speaks exactly about this situation I would be happy to close this thread and use the other instead, just please provide the link. Thank you again.

You cannot change non immigrant visa types.

You can change the reason for your extension from going to school to a dependent extension based upon your spouses extension of stay.

I am not sure if Bangkok immigration will still do the change. In the past they would do them but recent reports are that they are now requiring people to go out for a non-o visa before getting the extension.

Immigration will not do a change from a tourist visa to a non immigrant visa based upon qualifying for a dependent extension.

Thank you ubonjoe!

Just to confirm I understand what you're saying, with the new rules being enforced the spouse with ED will need to apply for all paperwork while in Thailand, then leave Thailand to acquire a non-o visa from neighboring consulate/embassy. At that point they will be able to return and then both spouses will do extensions together from then on.

Does the spouse with the Type-B need to go with when applying for the Type-O in neighboring country?

There would be no need to apply for anything before leaving to get the non-o. You would just need your marriage certificate in English or Thai and copies of your spouse passport photo page and extension of stay stamp. Your spouse would not need to go with you.

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I am of the same question. I have recently married a Thai national and currently on an ed visa too. So when my visa is due for renewal I have to go out of Thailand to obtain a non o? Correct? And then every 90 days just the extension of stay. I am a British female, a friend of mine recently went and got her non o but she came in on a tourist visa. Again I've heard conflicting reports that I have to go to Bangkok.

I am of the same question. I have recently married a Thai national and currently on an ed visa too. So when my visa is due for renewal I have to go out of Thailand to obtain a non o? Correct? And then every 90 days just the extension of stay. I am a British female, a friend of mine recently went and got her non o but she came in on a tourist visa. Again I've heard conflicting reports that I have to go to Bangkok.

You need to check with your local immigration office to see what their policy is. You should be able to change the reason for your extension to one based upon marriage without having to go out for a non-o visa.

If you had a tourist visa or visa exempt entry it is possible to convert to a non immigrant visa entry based upon qualifying for an extension based upon marriage in Bangkok. You cannot change non immigrant visa types.