Dear All,

 

I am returning to my home near Chiang Rai after a year of cancer treatments in the U. S.  My Retirement visa has expired and I must get the automatic 30 day visa on arrival.   I could get a 60 day tourist visa from a Thai Honorary Consulate which is not that far from me here in the states, but the cost (and time/travel) would be more than just getting a cheap throw-away ticket so as to insure that I will be boarded in the U. S., ...so I guess I'll go that route.    My question is how best to get renewable visas to get me through about a 6 month to 9 or 10 month stay before going back to the States (assuming I live that long, hehehe.)?  I can go out of Thailand at Mae Sai and then back in, and get a 15 day visa I think, but after that 15 days what then?  Can I get a longer term visa at the Thai Immigration Office in Chiang Rai?  And what would it be and how long would that be for??  And would it be renewable to finish out my stay??? Your help would be appreciated.

 

Petruchio

Leaving and re entering will get you a stay of 30 days.

Howether there is a limit of 2 in a calendar year if using a land border.

 

You could get a single entry Tourist Visa at a Thai consulate in a neighbouring country.

Your best option would be to get a Multi Entry Tourist Visa in U.S before leaving.

 

Another option would be to change to a Non Imm Visa in Bangkok and apply for a 12 month extension for retirement.

Even better if you can get a Non Imm O visa in U.S.

 

Plenty of choices, up to you.

Edited January 14, 20179 yr by Lite Beer

You should be able to get a single entry non-o visa ($80) that would allow a 90 day entry at the honorary consulate. And then apply for a one year extension based upon retirement if you can meet the financial requirements. 

A single entry tourist visa would be free at this time (until Feb 28th).

If you enter and get a 30 day visa exempt entry you could extend it for 30 days  at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht.

You would not be able to cross at Mae Sai to get a new 30 day (there are no more 15 day entries) visa exempt entry. They only allow a crossing if you have a valid visa for re-entry. The nearest crossing that allows them is the Chiang Khong crossing to Laos.

So then it looks like I am utterly screwed, I think.  First, the Honorary Consul informed me unequivocally straight out last time, that Thai Immigration has stopped them form issuing non-imm O's or anything but a 60 day tourist visa.  Since I basically cannot get around without a wheelchair and someone helping me, I cannot navigate around in BKK, go to their Embassy and get a non-imm visa - or go to a neighboring country to theirs and all that would entail, ...all that is out.  Indeed I will be lucky just to get back to my home in my village.  So it seems I cannot stay longer than 60 days, if that - and there is no other way, would that be correct?.  If so I will just let Thai Immigration decide what to do with me when the time comes....

 

Petruchio

 

 

18 minutes ago, Petruchio said:

First, the Honorary Consul informed me unequivocally straight out last time, that Thai Immigration has stopped them form issuing non-imm O's or anything but a 60 day tourist visa. 

Not sure where you tried to get the non-o before. As far as I know honorary consulates can issue a single entry non-o visa but not multiple entry visas.

You would not have to go to immigration in Bangkok to get an extension or even a non immigrant visa entry.

If have the financial proof you can change your your tourist visa or visa exempt entry at immigration in Chiang Rai to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry and then apply for the one year extension there.

Can't you apply by mail/courier to one of the official consulates, like the one in Chicago?

Yes I can send my passport off to the Thai Embassy in Washington and hope all would be processed in a timely manner and I would get my passport back on time - but I have gotten tickets leaving on Feb 4th and that doesn't give much time for things to go right if at all if I don't get my Passport back in time.  I know the folks at Mae Sai and Chiang Rai Immigration and I think they would be inclined to help me find a way to stay 9 or 10 months if they can.  At least I hope so.  Time was when one could just get back to back ongoing 30 day visas and stay for years.  Looks like they've put a stop to that.

 

P