hello

I am french, 48 old,planning to expatriate to Thailand in October 2016.

I will be able to get an OA visa in september 2017.

Untill then I am thinking to go to Thailand next october without visa (30 days) and to ask there a 30 days extension (for october/november 2016).

Do you think Thai Embassy will grant me a METV visa in december 2016 (of which I know the rules) even I am just back from Thailand ?

If you have another idea, do not hesitate :-)

many thanks

you will get visa very easily because you are soon retired.

I don't think you can extend on a visa waiver.

better for you to get a visa from France.

you will get visa very easily because you are soon retired.

I don't think you can extend on a visa waiver.

better for you to get a visa from France.

Since August of last year a visa exempt entry can be extended for 30 days at an immigration office.

I very much expect you will NOT be able to get a METV anywhere in Thailand or even South East Asia as it will probably be available only to those who are nationals of that country.

You will have to make do with the Single Entry Tourist Visa and extensions to those SETVs.

And I believe that an O-A visa will probably only be available to you in France as it is almost always only given in the applicants home country as it requires a doctors certificate and a police records check to get it.

There have been several reports the embassy in Paris will not issue a tourist visa until you have been out of Thailand for 90 days. I suspect it will be the same for the METV.

Have you considered applying for a OA visa long stay visa at the embassy in Paris. See: http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa/visa-o-a/

The OA visa would give you unlimited 1 year entries for 1 year from the date of issue and by doing an entry just before it expires you can get almost 2 years of stay from it before needing to apply for an extension of stay.

If you entered on a visa exempt entry you could apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at immigration in Bangkok. You would need to show 800k baht in the bank or proof 65k baht income or a combination of the two totaling 800k baht. Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry you could apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement (it is not a OA visa).

just come on a visa exempt and extend it at the immigration office, and run to Lao for a tourist visa...

I have never been refused

many thanks

yes ubonjoe, that is exactly what I am affraid: to not get a visa before 30 days

for the rules (OA and METV) it is clear that they have to be asked in your country (France for me)

I will try to get a work permit for this year before the OA

As it appears that your initial visit pre-dates your turning 50 (Oct 2016), begin the process with a METV, issued in France. That gives you nearly 9 months, if you re-enter just before expiry and then extend that final entry. Then add an SETV at a nearby consulate, which should get you to Sept 2017. Having then turned 50, the long-stay options come into the picture - available locally.

When is your 50th birthday? All of your planning revolves around that date.

50th birthday: mid september 2017

You could apply for a single entry non-o visa on your birthday at a nearby embassy or consulate. You would need the financial proof needed for an extension but money does not need to be in the bank for 60 days.

You could also convert a visa exempt or tourist visa entry to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at Bangkok immigration or at a few offices near there.

You would then apply for the extension of stay during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the visa..