Hello all, found this fourm and need some help.

My wife, formally a Thai citizen, but now a US citizen wants to visit her family in Thailand.

She wants to stay for 4 months, but from what I understand this is not possible. From what I read, she can get a 60 day visa and then extend it 30 days once she is there. Is this true?

Also, do I have to purchase her (non-refundable) airline ticket in advance showing her 90 day agenda? What if I purchase the return ticket and they don't approve her extension?

What is the most easiest, inexpensive way to get this done.

Sorry for all the questions, but this is confusing to me.

Any advice or corrections of my assumptions will be appreciated.

You say "formerly a Thai citizen:.

Does she still have Thai passport and/or her Thai I.D. card.

Unless she has renounced her Thai nationality on becoming a U.S. citizen (not necessary any longer) she is still a Thai citizen.

If she has a Thai passport she can enter Thailand without a visa, as any Thai citizen would.

As a Thai citizen she has no need for a visa if she enters Thailand on her Thai passport.

I assume she also has a U.S. passport as a U.S. citizen.

Having both valid passports makes her a dual citizen, both Thai and U,S, citizenships now.

Generally she should use her Thai passport to enter Thailand as no visa is required and also exit Thailand on her Thai passport.

Use her U.S passport to enter the U.S. on her return to the U.S.

If her Thai Passport is ,expired, she can get a new one at the Thai government passport office here in Bangkok.

As I said if she has a Thai passport, even if it is expired, she can enter Thailand with no need for a visa and can stay as long as she likes.

.Now,you, if your are traveling with her, DO need a visa as a foreigner.

But that is a different question.

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by IMA_FARANG

Wow! I like that answer! Thank You!

The only glitch might be is that she changed her first name from "Keow" to "Gail" when she became a citizen. Her old name is on the Thai passport.

She has a Thai passport that expired in Aug of 2000. (Keow)

She has a current, up to date, US passport (Gail)

She became a US citizen about 8 years ago.

So maybe all she has to do is to renew her expired Thai passport in Thailand?

(and oh.. Im staying home this time..)

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by ChuckB

Your Wife is Thai so she can enter Thailand with her expired Thai Passport.

Your Wife is Thai so she can enter Thailand with her expired Thai Passport.

What about the name change situation?

So maybe all she has to do is to renew her expired Thai passport in Thailand?

Q:

1) When does she plan to travel?

2) Has the marriage been registered in Thailand (district office)?

If 2) is yes and there is enough time she could apply for a new Thai passport at a Thai consulate in the US before traveling (and a new ID card).

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by KhunBENQ

"Your Wife is Thai so she can enter Thailand with her expired Thai Passport."

If she does this she won't be able to leave until she gets it renewed. She'll need to be on a house book to do that here.

Over the last couple of years or so, there have been similar stories where the person had a difficult time renewing their passport, and were stuck here until they got their problems resolved.

The easiest way is to get a new passport where ever she's at before returning here.

Another option is to enter using her US passport and getting an extension from immigration. she can do that by showing her old passport or birth certificate. I've read that it's easy to get this kind of extension.

So maybe all she has to do is to renew her expired Thai passport in Thailand?

Q:

1) When does she plan to travel?

2) Has the marriage been registered in Thailand (district office)?

If 2) is yes and there is enough time she could apply for a new Thai passport at a Thai consulate in the US before traveling (and a new ID card).

She wanted to leave in about a month from now. Tickets have not been purchased yet.

The marriage has not been registered in Thailand.

The marriage not being registered will not effect her being able to get a Thai passport issued here. She does need to be registered in house book and have a valid ID card.

I am certain she is still in the same house book she had before leaving the country. It takes very little time to get a new ID here.

Not sure how long it would take to get the new Thai passport in the states, But I am certain a month would not be long enough.

If she is concerned about having problems she could get a single entry non-o visa as a returning Thai national that would allow a 90 day entry.

She can apply for a one year extension as a returning Thai national at immigration.

A return or onward ticket is not required if she has valid visa of any type for entry to the country.

Wow.. all this is complicated (to me) !

Looks like her easiest options are:

Get a one way ticket to Thailand, leave the USA with her US passport.. Arrive in Thailand using her expired Thai passport.. Go directly to the Thai government passport office in Bangkok and start the process of getting the passport renewed, understanding it takes a long time. She wants to stay 4 months.. maybe this is long enough? Once she decides how long she wants to stay, send her money for the return flight.. ?????

OR

Get a two way ticket to Thailand and back to the USA. Get the 60 day tourist visa and have it extended for another thirty days when she gets there. Buy the non-refundable Airline tickets based on a 90 day visit.. ?????

is this right? Would the first option be foolish?

These sound good too:

"The easiest way is to get a new passport where ever she's at before returning here."

"Another option is to enter using her US passport and getting an extension from immigration. she can do that by showing her old passport or birth certificate. I've read that it's easy to get this kind of extension."

Don't get me wrong, Gail is a fairly smart woman, but it worries me that she is traveling alone and might make mistakes (use the wrong passport ect..) or forget to do something causing big headaches.

Her english comprehension is poor..

A Thai passport only takes a few days to get. She will apply for it and they send it by Express Mail (EMS). She will need to renew her to Thai ID card before applying and will need a copy of her house book registry

Info for getting the passport is here in Thai: http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/services

A list of passport offices that are located all over the country is here: http://www.consular.go.th/main/th/organize/21037-%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87.html

Rather than getting a single entry tourist visa she should get a single entry non-o visa (see my earlier post) that would give her a 90 day entry without the need for an extension.

Rather than getting a single entry tourist visa she should get a single entry non-o visa (see my earlier post) that would give her a 90 day entry without the need for an extension.

Thank you. I looked up the required documents and it seemed quite complicated.

I sent an emall to the local Thai Consulate about Gail's "Keow" passport to see what's involved for renewal..

More than likely I will just go the Tourist Visa route as I now realized I did on her last trip in 2010... It all came back to me when I saw the 2010 visa in her US passport.

Seems the rules have changed.. back in 2010, it was a 90 day visa with no extension needed..

Edited January 13, 201610 yr by ChuckB

A tourist visa has only allowed a 60 day entry for many years if ever. You should look at her previous visa and I think you will find that it is a non immigrant O visa.

If she decided she want to stay longer than 90 days she can get a one year extension for the same 1900 baht fee as a 30 day tourist visa entry extension.

A tourist visa has only allowed a 60 day entry for many years if ever. You should look at her previous visa and I think you will find that it is a non immigrant O visa.

If she decided she want to stay longer than 90 days she can get a one year extension for the same 1900 baht fee as a 30 day tourist visa entry extension.

You are absolutely right.. Wonder how I managed to get an "O" visa last time for her..??

On the "get a visa" web sites it makes no mention of them.. hmmm

It would think you would of noticed the difference in the fee. I think back in 2010 it was the same as it is now which is $40 for a tourist visa and $80 for non immigrant visa. The extra $40 is still less than the 1900 fee for an extension.

It is mentioned here on the embassy website. http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/

"6. If you are a former Thai citizen, proof of Thai citizen such as Thai passport or Thai identification card"

Just a follow up.. I had to take the day off and drive down to the Royal Thai Consulate in Coral Gables (Florida) to get a 90 day type "O" non-immigrant Visa for my wife. Had to be done in person and not by mail ect..

Brought along flight agenda and bank statement, pass port photos, which is pretty much standard for any visa, but also had to bring my wife's family birth certificate, showing her sister (all on the same page) she will be staying with, also a basic paper trail of her name changes through out the years (marriage license, first name change etc). We also had to write a letter showing her intentions for the trip. (visiting family members). Cost was 80.00, plus Fedex charges.

They issue the visa there and mail it to us. We are eagerly waiting for it.

Edited April 6, 201610 yr by ChuckB