Going to Thailand 29 July

[gprit]

Unexpectedly plan to go to Thailand on 29 July.  Am retired, UK National/British Passport  but living in France.

We plan to build a house for my wife's parents (please...no warnings about doing this....been married 4 years....) and so we plan to stay/rent in Udon Thani until probably AUg/Sept/2018 while this is being done..

 

No time to sort out Visas before we go.  I realise I get a 30 day visa on arrival, but how / where do I extend that for the time I plan to be there (and what type of visa)?

 

thanks

 

[ubonjoe]

You can extend the 30 day visa exempt entry (it not a visa on arrival) you will get for 30 days or for 60 days to visit your wife.

After those extensions you could get a single entry non-o visa and extend the 90 day from it for one year by showing 400k baht in Thai bank or proof of 40k baht income. Or you could get a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage in Savannakhet Laos with no financial proof that will allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year.

I assume you wife will be using her Thai passport for entry.

[gprit]

Thanks for the quick reply.  I don't want to open a Thai bank account - money will get transferred to my wife's Thai bank account (income is np....although statements /pension details etc in English....).

.....so probably looking at second option......when you say unlimted 90 day entries for a year..presumably I have to cross into Laos every 90 days and back across into Thailand (via Friendship bridge...)  Presumably all they will need to see (apart from passports) is proof of our marriage?

 

Yes, my wife will accompany me from France and will use her Thai passport.   We also have a 4 ear old son who has both Uk and Thai passports.

[ubonjoe]

You will need your marriage certificate plus a copy, copies of your wife's house book registry and ID to apply for the visa in Savannakhet.

After you get the visa you will only need your passport to leave and re-enter to get a new 90 day entry.

You can apply for a 60 day extension for each 90 day entry from the visa if you want to.

[gprit]

Sorry..maybe I am naive here......yes  np passports........np blue book.......np ID.......what is meant by,

You can apply for a 60 day extension for each 90 day entry from the visa if you want to.

 

Do I have to go to Laos every 90 days??

[perthperson]

54 minutes ago, gprit said:

Sorry..maybe I am naive here......yes  np passports........np blue book.......np ID.......what is meant by,

You can apply for a 60 day extension for each 90 day entry from the visa if you want to.

 

Do I have to go to Laos every 90 days??

Yes - You have to exit the country every 90 days unless a 60 day extension is applied for.  It is your choice to determine where, it does not have to be Laos. 

 

Sorry but I do not understand what you mean by 'np passport', 'np blue book' and 'np ID' so cannot assist. 

 

 

[gprit]

just meant no problem for passports...no problem for wife's blue book...no problem for Identification...

[perthperson]

3 minutes ago, gprit said:

just meant no problem for passports...no problem for wife's blue book...no problem for Identification...

Sorry but I am not clairvoyant and small case 'np' is not an acronym I am familiar with. 

[jeab1980]

Op np,  if you get a non o based on marriage you get a 90 day stamp then go to immigration and you can extend that 90 days to 150 days by getting a 60 dayvextension of stay based on visiting wife. You will need to take your wife with you to immigration a Tm7 form copies of passport face/visa and wifes blue book and ID and a copy of marriage certificate and take origional, cost 1900bht. Then you have to leave country after the 150 days to get a new 90 day stamp.

Edited mis read your pruposed stay dates non o multy entry is your best bet Savanakhet stay overnight hassle free 5k fee.

Plus you are ideally placed for border hop when required straight out and straight back in again at nong khai.

Edited July 20, 2017 by jeab1980

[gprit]

Thanks - I have been to Laos before when I fell foul of new laws limiting re-entry!!

 

Presumably, once I get the Marriage Visa there I do not have to leave every 90 days.

 

PS:  Also, if I enter on 30 day visa exempt, do I have to show a return ticket out of Thailand?

 

Edited July 20, 2017 by gprit
Additional question

[perthperson]

4 minutes ago, gprit said:

Thanks - I have been to Laos before when I fell foul of new laws limiting re-entry!!

 

Presumably, once I get the Marriage Visa there I do not have to leave every 90 days.

 

I suggest you re-read this thread --- If you do not leave at the specified intervals you will run foul of the law and find yourself on overstay at 500 Bht a day --

 

"np" if you follow the rules.

Edited July 20, 2017 by perthperson
typo removed

[gprit]

Sorry.......I actually meant to refer to teh LAos optio from JEAB1980

" non o multy entry is your best bet Savanakhet stay overnight hassle free 5k fee."

 

Presumably once I get the non o multy entry I can stay put in Thailand for one year and not have to leave/reenter.

 

Also, when I enter Thailand on 30-day Visa-exempt, (or checkin at Paris), do I have to show proof that I have a ticket OUT of Thailand ?

[Mattd]

3 minutes ago, gprit said:

Presumably once I get the non o multy entry I can stay put in Thailand for one year and not have to leave/reenter.

NO, you cannot stay for one year based on that non O ME visa, you would have to leave Thailand every 90 days OR you do have the option to extend the entry by a further 60 days for visiting wife, if you take that option, then you must depart Thailand and reenter again, in any event it involves departing Thailand and reentering.

The only way you can stay for a year without leaving Thailand is to obtain a SE non-O and then extend this at the local immigration office to where you will reside at in Thailand, as explained by Ubonjoe in his first reply to your post.

[perthperson]

4 minutes ago, gprit said:

Presumably once I get the non o multy entry I can stay put in Thailand for one year and not have to leave/reenter.

 

Sorry but I am losing patience.

 

If you stay in Thailand with your "non o multy entry" visa for one year without ever leaving you will be fined 20,000Bht and Banned from reentering the country for a minimum of 12 months and that assumes the Thai authorities do not "catch" you, If you are caught on overstay you can expect to be detained, fined, banned and deported.

 

"bp" = Big Problem  for those who ignore the rules

[gprit]

Sorry to test your patience agaian....but what about a Non-Immigrant Visa O-A by virtue of "retirement" ????  Anyone know what requirements are needed, as I believe with that visa I do not need to go in and out of the country every 90 days.

 

Also, when I enter Thailand on 30-day Visa-exempt, (or checkin at Paris), do I have to show proof that I have a ticket OUT of Thailand ?

 

 

[perthperson]

2 minutes ago, gprit said:

but what about a Non-Immigrant Visa O-A

 

OA visa requirements in the link

 

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/types-of-visa#section8

 

The  OA visa can only be obtained in your country of origin or legal residence. 

 

The airline may refuse you boarding if you attempt to fly to Thailand without an onward flight within 30 days if you have no visa.

[gprit]

Thanks for the link...think that's a non starter.

No more questions - thanks for all your help.

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, gprit said:

Sorry to test your patience agaian....but what about a Non-Immigrant Visa O-A by virtue of "retirement" ????  Anyone know what requirements are needed, as I believe with that visa I do not need to go in and out of the country every 90 days.

A OA visa allows unlimited one year entries from the date it issued. You can only apply for it in your home country or country of legal residence.

Basic info is here (in #3 ignore the part about immigration since it is wrong).  http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

 

7 hours ago, gprit said:

enter Thailand on 30-day Visa-exempt, (or checkin at Paris), do I have to show proof that I have a ticket OUT of Thailand ?

 

The airline may ask to see a ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival to board your flight.

[jeab1980]

Op stop worrying just come over on 30 day exempt then e extend then  go over to Savanakhet get a non o based on marriage.

Get your first 90 day stamp two weeks before that expires go to local immigration and extend that by 60 days to visit wife. Then border run and do the 90+60 again, border run day before visa runs out and then you do 90+60 giving you 17 months on non o and 2 months on exemt to start 19 months in total, Simple really as i belive you will be in Udon Thani  border run will be a doddle at Nong khai. 

[gprit]

ok...just an update.   My 30 day visa exemption expires 29 August.

Went to the local Thai immigration office in Udon Thani this morning.  Very helpful - the main man.....He immediately extended my visa until 28 Septemer (2k baht).

He suggested a 90 day extension and then apply for marriage visa.  ALL can be done at the Immigration office in udon Thani - no need to go to Laos and once marriage visa issued he stated valid for one year and no need to leave every 90 days. 

Requirements for 90 day extension:

1. Confirmation of Income by British Embassy in Bangkok - can be done by post
2. Wife's blue book and ID card
3. Plan of rented house
4. Agreement rental
5. Owner's blue book copy and ID copy
6. Photos of me and my wife at/around the rented property
7. Two passport Photos
8. Marriage certificate - our original was  Type 3 - we had to go to local Amphur to get Type 2 (20 baht - about ten minutes)

 

 

[007 RED]

8 hours ago, gprit said:

 

1. Confirmation of Income by British Embassy in Bangkok - can be done by post.

 

 

FYI – You can now apply for your letter confirming income/pension by email – look towards the bottom of the information page link below.

 

Just complete the application form and attach copies of documents to support your claimed income – they must be readable.  You can also pay the fee using a credit card (payment taken in £). 

 

They will send their confirmation letter back to you by EMS.  Did mine last month had confirmation letter in less than a week.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration

 

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, gprit said:

ok...just an update.   My 30 day visa exemption expires 29 August.

Went to the local Thai immigration office in Udon Thani this morning.  Very helpful - the main man.....He immediately extended my visa until 28 Septemer (2k baht).

He suggested a 90 day extension and then apply for marriage visa.  ALL can be done at the Immigration office in udon Thani - no need to go to Laos and once marriage visa issued he stated valid for one year and no need to leave every 90 days. 

Requirements for 90 day extension:

1. Confirmation of Income by British Embassy in Bangkok - can be done by post
2. Wife's blue book and ID card
3. Plan of rented house
4. Agreement rental
5. Owner's blue book copy and ID copy
6. Photos of me and my wife at/around the rented property
7. Two passport Photos
8. Marriage certificate - our original was  Type 3 - we had to go to local Amphur to get Type 2 (20 baht - about ten minutes)

 

 

Were you not asked for a completed TM30 form?

[gprit]

Thanks for the postal link -......I was going to send originals by post.

TM30 - no, not mentioned - think this applies to people who own/rent the property.

see https://perfecthomes.co.th/tm030-registration-thailand/

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, gprit said:

TM30 - no, not mentioned - think this applies to people who own/rent the property.

If they did not ask for it that means they did not want one. Some offices don't ask for them.

[Lobber]

please...no warnings about doing this....been married 4 years..

 

sorry pal but you're still in the honeymoon period, give it a few more years !!!!!!

[gprit]

Is such a comment really necessary - especially from a senior member?

[JackThompson]

On 8/15/2017 at 3:18 PM, gprit said:

ok...just an update.   My 30 day visa exemption expires 29 August.

Went to the local Thai immigration office in Udon Thani this morning.  Very helpful - the main man.....He immediately extended my visa until 28 Septemer (2k baht).

He suggested a 90 day extension and then apply for marriage visa.  ALL can be done at the Immigration office in udon Thani - no need to go to Laos and once marriage visa issued he stated valid for one year and no need to leave every 90 days. 

Requirements for 90 day extension:

1. Confirmation of Income by British Embassy in Bangkok - can be done by post
2. Wife's blue book and ID card
3. Plan of rented house
4. Agreement rental
5. Owner's blue book copy and ID copy
6. Photos of me and my wife at/around the rented property
7. Two passport Photos
8. Marriage certificate - our original was  Type 3 - we had to go to local Amphur to get Type 2 (20 baht - about ten minutes)

Add Udon Thani to the list of Immigration Offices who are civil and helpful in processing "conversions" of Tourist Entries to Non-O - saving pointless trips to Laos.  Glad it worked out!!  Hopefully, they will even allow you to use the same Income-letter (on-file in the office) for your 1-year extension at the end of the 90-day period - as most offices do.