Hello
We want to come to live in Samui, my wife, my son and I, and I am looking for informations on the different kind of visas required in my case.
I am retired more than 50 years, so for me, it's quite simple : Visa OA
My wife is not 50 years old, so a visa O  would be probabily the best
And my son, who is 11 years , he will study at the international school, I think an ED visa would be ok
But all this is not certain ... may be other options ?
Is there a family among the visitors of this forum in the same situation as us, and which would have already taken the steps and perhaps they can guide us?
Thank you for your help

You wife and son can both get single non-o visas as your dependents at the same time you get your OA visa .

Then when you arrive here they can apply for extension of stay as your dependents at immigration. Their extensions will be issued valid to the date your first one year entry form your OA visa ends.

Thank you "ubonjoe"

I have some difficulties to obtain all the document for the ED Visa, I'm not right now in Samui so it's not easier with the school.
So I think it would be a good solution to have a "O" visa for my son before get a ED visa.
But how long can you stay with a "O" visa before getting a extension ?

Do you need to have a return flight ticket with this kind of visa ?

 

17 minutes ago, greuu said:

Thank you "ubonjoe"

I have some difficulties to obtain all the document for the ED Visa, I'm not right now in Samui so it's not easier with the school.
So I think it would be a good solution to have a "O" visa for my son before get a ED visa.
But how long can you stay with a "O" visa before getting a extension ?

Do you need to have a return flight ticket with this kind of visa ?

 

If you follow UJ's advice your son will not need an ED visa. Your wife and son can have permission to stay by piggybacking yours.

 

Your son doesn't need an ED visa to go to school.

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You wife and son can both get single non-o visas as your dependents at the same time you get your OA visa .

Then when you arrive here they can apply for extension of stay as your dependents at immigration. Their extensions will be issued valid to the date your first one year entry form your OA visa ends.

What happens if the OP leaves/re-enters Thailand on the original O-A visa, hence changing his permitted-to-stay date?  Do the wife's/son's permissions-to-stay remain with the original expiration date, and then they re-synch with the OP when they apply for a new extension at the expiration of the original extension?

1 hour ago, wpcoe said:

What happens if the OP leaves/re-enters Thailand on the original O-A visa, hence changing his permitted-to-stay date?  Do the wife's/son's permissions-to-stay remain with the original expiration date, and then they re-synch with the OP when they apply for a new extension at the expiration of the original extension?

The wife and sons permission to stay is linked to the OP's. If he leaves, without a re-entry permit, his permit to stay ends and so does the wife and sons. They would need to leave the country too or apply for a new extension of stay (if available).

 

When the OP returns the wife and son could apply for a new piggyback extension.

11 minutes ago, elviajero said:

The wife and sons permission to stay is linked to the OP's. If he leaves, without a re-entry permit, his permit to stay ends and so does the wife and sons. They would need to leave the country too or apply for a new extension of stay (if available).

 

When the OP returns the wife and son could apply for a new piggyback extension.

But, every time the OP returns (on an O-A within the first year, so no re-entry permit needed) does it in any way affect the wife/son?  The permission to stay date for the OP would be beyond the permission stay of the wife/son -- is that okay?

2 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

But, every time the OP returns (on an O-A within the first year, so no re-entry permit needed) does it in any way affect the wife/son?  The permission to stay date for the OP would be beyond the permission stay of the wife/son -- is that okay?

A re-entry permit isn't needed for the OP to re-enter, but in this case it might be beneficial to protect the wife and sons permits to stay.

 

IMO it would be best for the OP to use a re-entry permit to keep the original 1 year permit to stay alive, and to switch to an extension of stay issued by immigration as early as possible.