Interested to hear how much better it is in practice to apply in one's country of residence rather than arriving on tourist visas and attempting to convert over to a non-o.

The advantages of a country of residence application seem to be:

• country of residence proof of bank funds required, but no Thai bank deposit until you extend after a year (assuming you're not going the income certificate way)
• not having to convert the tourist visa to a non-o
• not having to convert the spouse's tourist visa which some here state is not possible and therefore requires exiting Thailand and applying for a non-o at an embassy or consulate
• marriage certificate may not have to be notarised as it would in Thailand
• some embassy/consulate staff in the country of residence may have better English and may be easier to deal with

The advantages of applying in Thailand:

• no verification of no criminal record required
• no health certificate required

Is all that correct? Have I missed anything significant?

Thanks

You seem to writing about about getting a OA long stay visa.

Unless your spouse wants to do border runs every 90 days she will still need to apply for a dependent extension at immigration. Most embassies and consulates will issue them a multiple entry non-o visa unless they qualify for the OA visa by showing the same financial proof and etc. as you do.

To apply for the dependent extension some offices may ask for the marriage certificate to be certified and/or translated to Thai if it is not in English.

With a OA visa you will not need to apply for an extension of stay here for about 2 years. The OA visa will give multiple one year entries for on year from the date of issue. If you do an entry just before the enter before date on the visa you will get another 1 year entry. Then if you want to travel you would get a re-entry permit to keep that last one year entry valid.

Thanks for those comments ubonjoe.

Yes OA long stay visa.

My spouse is under 50 and so doesn't qualify, need them to be the dependent on a non-O.

An OA with multiple entries to push things out to perhaps close to two years sounds encouraging.

My experience with enter before dates for Tourist visas has been disappointing. On a double entry Tourist visa my local consulate made the enter before date 90 days from when the visa was approved, which encourages leaving the application as late as possible (far from ideal). I will see what they say about the enter before date on the OA with multiple entries.

Thanks for those comments ubonjoe.

Yes OA long stay visa.

My spouse is under 50 and so doesn't qualify, need them to be the dependent on a non-O.

An OA with multiple entries to push things out to perhaps close to two years sounds encouraging.

My experience with enter before dates for Tourist visas has been disappointing. On a double entry Tourist visa my local consulate made the enter before date 90 days from when the visa was approved, which encourages leaving the application as late as possible (far from ideal). I will see what they say about the enter before date on the OA with multiple entries.

The OA starts the minute it is issued its secret is the use by date which is one year from date of issue. Prior to the use by date you will be given one year on each entry right before the use by date leave the country and return and you willrecieve one more year but now you need a reentry permit or youwill lose the remainder of your visa.

Thanks for those comments ubonjoe.

Yes OA long stay visa.

My spouse is under 50 and so doesn't qualify, need them to be the dependent on a non-O.

An OA with multiple entries to push things out to perhaps close to two years sounds encouraging.

My experience with enter before dates for Tourist visas has been disappointing. On a double entry Tourist visa my local consulate made the enter before date 90 days from when the visa was approved, which encourages leaving the application as late as possible (far from ideal). I will see what they say about the enter before date on the OA with multiple entries.

You wife does not have to stay on a non-o visa. She can apply for an extension of stay as your dependent that will be valid up to your permitted to stay date when she applies. She will just need a single entry non-o visa to apply for the extension.

All multiple entry non immigrant visas are valid for one year from the date of issue. It is always best to apply for a visa as near as possible to your planned departure date. With a tourist visa it is even more important.