I'm 37 y/o getting ready to retire from the US Navy in 8 months. I currently live in California, and wish to retire and live in Thailand. My wife is Thai.

1) What's the best, longest, easiest Visa to get?

2) How far in advance should I apply? Do I use a travel agency to apply for the Visa?

marriage certificate and apply for multiple entry visa  O class

Consulate in Houston is easy LA can be prickly. Once you get to Thailand open a bank account in Thailand with at least 250,000 baht. Get a letter evidencing your balance and take it, her and the marriage certificate ( translated into Thai and certified to be a credible translation ) to Immigration and apply for a one year stay....and if you propose to travel, a multi re-entry permit.

Not sure he wants that visa to the extent of getting married.

Without getting married you only qualify for a tourist visa which can be up to 90 days with extension.  If you plan to arrive as a businessman you might be able to get non-immigrant visa class 'B' allowing 90 days before new entry or visa needed.  You should be able to answer your questions by reading the main site here.

Ooooooooooooooooooops....velly solly

He is married.  So the dr.'s Rx is correct.  Take marriage certificate, copy of wife's passport and current letter from wife that you live together to any Consulate to obtain a class O non-immigrant visa within a month or two of your intended arrival in Thailand.  This allows you 90 day stay in Thailand and you should open a bank account and keep over 250k baht in it.  A week or so before your 90 days ends go to bank and request a letter confirming your account balance addressed to immigration.  If bank has to obtain from Hqs may take a day or two.  Will cost about 200 baht.  Also copy all pages of your account passbook and passport, her ID card and home register, marriage certificate and photos of you together.  Go to immigration with wife and a current photo of yourself and fill out extension form (support for Thai wife), pay 500 baht, collect and go to extension room.  Here you will be questioned and forms will be filled out and map made of where you live.  An extension will be stamped into your passport of probably 45 days and you should go upstairs to report your address (required every 90 days).  When you return a new stamp up to your last entry into Thailand will be made.  If you plan any travel outside Thailand you may want to obtain a re-entry permit.

As retired Navy myself, I want to add an important item. The rules for retired government, military, are not the same as for mere mortals.

During the initial 90 day period here, go to the U.S. Embassy on Wireless Road and get an affadavit  http://www.usa.or.th/ to confirm your retirement pay.  

When you open a bank account here, you will need to show that you have deposited at least B65,000 per month.  

If your retirement pay is less, you will have to deposit a lump sum based on the following calculation:

1.  Take your monthly gross retirement pay and convert it to baht at B43:$1.  

Let's say that your retirement pay is $1000 per month, or 43,000 baht per month.

Multiply your monthly retirement pay by 12 months or B516,000 per year.  

The lump sum requirement will be the difference between B800,000 and B516,000 is B284,000.

Each year when you renew your visa you will need to show that you have th lump sum plus you have brought in B43,000 per month.  After you show the B284,000, you can take it out, spend it or whatever, but it will need to be there each year for the visa extension.  It can be reduced as your retirement pay increases.  

If your retirement pay is over B65,000 per month, you will not have to put in any lump sum, even though the total per year is B20,000 short of 800,000,  but you will have to transfer B65,000 per month to your Thai bank account at a minimum.  

If you have other sources of income, don't tell anyone, unless you need to in order to meet the 800,000 baht requirement.

Whoops, may have made a mistake.  The exchange rate that Immigration uses might be 40:1, but not sure.

The rules for retired government, military, are not the same as for mere mortals.

 Your information is fine but it applies to a retirement visa at age 50 or above.  He can obtain a support visa with a 250k bank/income requirement rather than needing 800k.

Right on, I missed the age bit, probably because at my age my eyes don't work like they did at 37.  My apologies.  The embassy affadavit though is still required, but only the first time that he applied for the "dependent's" visa.  It costs $30 now.  

With proof of government retirement pay is the 250K still required? It wasn't for me.

With proof of government retirement pay is the 250K still required? It wasn't for me.

Believe it depends on if you are even using your retirement pay.  You do not have to have any affidavit from the Embassy if you are using the bank deposit route AFAIK.  I suppose that they would require it if you were using the pay as part of the support requirement.  But as long as you have the money in the bank and proof of deposits from overseas they do not believe they require any pay statement.

Ok Lopburi3, thanks for the info.