I've just spent a very enjoyable month checking out Thailand as a place to live. Previously, I had spent the last year living in the Philippines (mainly Cebu). Although I enjoyed living in Cebu, I've decided to move to Thailand (Chiang Mai) for at least the next 6 months to a year...providing I can work out Visa issues.

I have a couple of questions that hopefully some of you can help me with:

1) I am American. I want to get either the new 6 month Visa, or the one year retirement Visa. Can I get either of these from the Thai Embassy/Consulate here in the Philippines, or do i have to go back to the USA for these?

2. My girlfriend is a Filipina. She accompanied me on my trip to Thailand and will live with me there. I have no plans to marry her immediately. What are her best options for a Visa? I believe she can get a 3 month ASEAN Tourist Visa. Are there any other options available? We will also look into a 1 year work visa as well. She has a college degree and has taught ESL for several years here in the Philippines.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Edited February 16, 201610 yr by Alk

1. You would not be able to get either one. The OA long stay visa for retirement can on by applied for in the states. The new multiple entry tourist would also be in the states or possibly in Australia.

You can get a single entry tourist visa that would allow a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 days at an immigration office. After it ends you could get another one in a nearby country.

You could convert your tourist visa entry to non immigrant visa and then apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement at an immigration office. You would have to have 800k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht to apply for it.

2. She could get a single entry tourist visa. There is no 90 day ASEAN visa. If she found a job here she could get a work permit and a non-b visa and then a 1 year extension.

To obtain the 'new' 6 month tourist visa or the O/A long stay (retirement) visa would require returning to the States.

There is no work or ASEAN visa.

The best you will be able to get is single entry tourist visa(s) which with an extension would provide for a stay of 90 days.

Further tourist visas could be obtained thus enabling a 6 month stay.