Is this regularly enforced? Options?

[soistalker]

"Furthermore, foreigners who enter the Kingdom under this Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of

not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry."

 

Hi guys,

What are the best ways around this? Will I just be turned away at the airport? My wife and I bought a condo this year, but we might be too young for a retirement visa.

 

[tonray]

Best way around this is to stay in the Kingdom legally.

 

Is your wife Thai ? If so then get an extension to stay based upon marriage. 

 

Otherwise you have to play the system with Tourist Visas and exemptions and hope they don't deny you...not a relaxing way to live.

[ubonjoe]

The 90 days in 6 months rule was rescinded in 2008. It still erroneously shows up on few websites though.

[soistalker]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The 90 days in 6 months rule was rescinded in 2008. It still erroneously shows up on few websites though.

So, what is the rule now?

[ubonjoe]

For visa exempt entries by air there is no written limit. At land border crossings it is 2 per calendar year.

[Tanoshi]

How old are you?

[BritTim]

As @ubonjoe correctly states, the 90-day within six months rule for visa exempts was rescinded nearly a decade ago. It is still quoted on lots of webpages. An occasional immigration official will still claim it exists (e.g. at Poipet) also.

[soistalker]

5 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

How old are you?

50.

[soistalker]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

For visa exempt entries by air there is no written limit. At land border crossings it is 2 per calendar year.

So, if I show up well-scrubbed and presentable at the airport every few months, I will not have a problem? And if I go to immigration and extend for a month each time, I won't have a problem?

[OJAS]

26 minutes ago, soistalker said:

50.

In which case you are not too young for what you have called in your OP a "retirement visa" - which, in practice, can take 1 of 3 forms:- (1) an OA visa obtainable only in your home country, (2) a non-O visa obtainable at the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane or Royal Thai Consulate in Penang, or (3) a conversion of an existing tourist visa or standard 30-day entry into a non-O visa at the local immigration office in whose catchment area your recently-purchased condo (in which you and your wife, I assume, plan to live) lies.

 

And, assuming that your wife is non-Thai and under 50, she will be eligible for a non-O visa as your dependant.  

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, soistalker said:

So, if I show up well-scrubbed and presentable at the airport every few months, I will not have a problem? And if I go to immigration and extend for a month each time, I won't have a problem?

It depends upon what you mean be every few months. If it appears you are trying to live here on visa exempt entries and extensions you may be questioned after doing more than a few of them.

Best be prepared to show the equivalent of 20k baht in cash and ticket out of the country within 30 day in case you are asked to show them.

[silverado1]

i just bought my plane ticket to bangkok yesterday departure koln 03 october return 22 april 2018. as i will marry my gf immediatly after my arrival and getting an extention of stay (marriage).

entering with a visa exemption should i have a problem with the imm officer (at the airport)  and my return flight date ???

Edited August 28, 2017 by silverado1

[PoorSucker]

8 minutes ago, silverado1 said:

i just bought my plane ticket to bangkok yesterday departure koln 03 october return 22 april 2018. as i will marry my gf immediatly after my arrival and getting an extention of stay (marriage).

entering with a visa exemption should i have a problem with the imm officer (at the airport)  and my return flight date ???

No problem with Immigration but the airline can refuse you to board without a valid visa or ticket out of Thailand within 30 days.

[silverado1]

3 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

No problem with Immigration but the airline can refuse you to board without a valid visa or ticket out of Thailand within 30 days.

thank you.

[Dan5]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

In which case you are not too young for what you have called in your OP a "retirement visa" - which, in practice, can take 1 of 3 forms:- (1) an OA visa obtainable only in your home country, (2) a non-O visa obtainable at the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane or Royal Thai Consulate in Penang, or (3) a conversion of an existing tourist visa or standard 30-day entry into a non-O visa at the local immigration office in whose catchment area your recently-purchased condo (in which you and your wife, I assume, plan to live) lies.

 

And, assuming that your wife is non-Thai and under 50, she will be eligible for a non-O visa as your dependant.  

I used option 3 and didn't have to get a criminal records report of medical cert. I think with options 1 and 2 you do need these. I don't know why, but it seems that's the way it works.

[OJAS]

8 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

I used option 3 and didn't have to get a criminal records report of medical cert. I think with options 1 and 2 you do need these. I don't know why, but it seems that's the way it works.

Only with option 1, I think.

[jeab1980]

You could also come in on visa exempt then pop over to Savanakhet for a couple of days and obtain a Non o multi entry based on marriage. No hassle from immigration when flying in and out then. Its another option.

You could even get one from your home country.

[bbpbbp]

Whatever are the rules you could have problems anyway !

 

 

[Tanoshi]

13 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

You could also come in on visa exempt then pop over to Savanakhet for a couple of days and obtain a Non o multi entry based on marriage. No hassle from immigration when flying in and out then. Its another option.

You could even get one from your home country.

The OP hasn't stated the nationality of his wife, you've rather jumped to that conclusion.

 

Quote

My wife and I bought a condo this year, but we might be too young for a retirement visa.

'We', rather than 'I', suggests she is not Thai.

[JackThompson]

20 hours ago, silverado1 said:

i just bought my plane ticket to bangkok yesterday departure koln 03 october return 22 april 2018. as i will marry my gf immediatly after my arrival and getting an extention of stay (marriage).

entering with a visa exemption should i have a problem with the imm officer (at the airport)  and my return flight date ???

You have time to get a Tourist Visa before coming - and I would do this.  Not only will this eliminate the need for a return air-ticket (which Immigration may ask for), but will also give you more time to get your marriage-documents prepared.  Getting married may take more time/effort than you anticipate, and it cannot hurt to have the extra time to deal with any issues.  One of those issues is getting documents certified by the MFA - given they will refuse to do any certifications if you are in the last 10 or 15 days of your permission-of-stay.  

 

My advice - go to the amphur immediately on arrival and find out what they need to allow you to marry.  Don't believe any of the stories online about "how easy" it is, because stories as recent as 2016 are out-of-date, as (some) amphurs make the rules increasingly more onerous.  Each amphur makes up its own rules, so be prepared to "amphur shop," if necessary, to find an amphur-director who is not opposed to "mixed-marriages."

Edited August 29, 2017 by JackThompson

[GinBoy2]

40 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

You have time to get a Tourist Visa before coming - and I would do this.  Not only will this eliminate the need for a return air-ticket (which Immigration may ask for), but will also give you more time to get your marriage-documents prepared.  Getting married may take more time/effort than you anticipate, and it cannot hurt to have the extra time to deal with any issues.  One of those issues is getting documents certified by the MFA - given they will refuse to do any certifications if you are in the last 10 or 15 days of your permission-of-stay.  

 

My advice - go to the amphur immediately on arrival and find out what they need to allow you to marry.  Don't believe any of the stories online about "how easy" it is, because stories as recent as 2016 are out-of-date, as (some) amphurs make the rules increasingly more onerous.  Each amphur makes up its own rules, so be prepared to "amphur shop," if necessary, to find an amphur-director who is not opposed to "mixed-marriages."

Hmm, Jack, see my reply to your post in the Marriage Forum.

 

I would concur, marrying in Thailand is a little harder than going to the Elvis Drive Thru Chapel in Vegas (I actually did that once, marriage lasted exactly 48 hours).

 

The embassy certification, translation and MFA legalization are the tricky bits. Now I did this last year, after living here for close to a decade, decided it was time to go back to the US, so needed to get a visa for my 'wife' of 10 years.

Thing to check is whether, and I'm assuming you're German, the German embassy will 'certify' a copy of your passport, which seems to be the latest hoop you need to go through. The US embassy will not, I know the British will, so it's probably best to check.

If not 'tea money' is the best option, which is what I did. 

[jeab1980]

4 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

The OP hasn't stated the nationality of his wife, you've rather jumped to that conclusion.

 

'We', rather than 'I', suggests she is not Thai.

I expect she is thai or why marry here as soon as HE come over

[Tanoshi]

2 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

I expect she is thai or why marry here as soon as HE come over

Errm! I think your confusing the facts with maybe another thread.

He isn't coming to get married, he already has a wife.

 

Quote

My wife and I bought a condo this year, but we might be too young for a retirement visa.

 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Errm! I think your confusing the facts with maybe another thread.

He isn't coming to get married, he already has a wife.

I think he was replying to this post on page one.

 

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, Tanoshi said:

Errm! I think your confusing the facts with maybe another thread.

He isn't coming to get married, he already has a wife.

 

 

My misread two posters i mistook for same. However his wife could still be Thai op maybe you can clarify please.

Edited August 29, 2017 by jeab1980

[OJAS]

There does, indeed, appear to be some confusion here.

 

soistalker (the OP) is the guy with a wife of (as yet) unknown nationality.

 

silverado1 is the guy with a Thai girlfriend whom he will soon be marrying.

[GinBoy2]

I'm totally confused, I'll let you guys figure it all out

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Hmm, Jack, see my reply to your post in the Marriage Forum.

 

I would concur, marrying in Thailand is a little harder than going to the Elvis Drive Thru Chapel in Vegas (I actually did that once, marriage lasted exactly 48 hours).

 

The embassy certification, translation and MFA legalization are the tricky bits. Now I did this last year, after living here for close to a decade, decided it was time to go back to the US, so needed to get a visa for my 'wife' of 10 years.

Thing to check is whether, and I'm assuming you're German, the German embassy will 'certify' a copy of your passport, which seems to be the latest hoop you need to go through. The US embassy will not, I know the British will, so it's probably best to check.

If not 'tea money' is the best option, which is what I did. 

I believe that the USA Embassy in Bangkok will now certify passport copies - I assume in response to demands on the Thai side of the equation.  I was shown one by a translator, when I asked what I was supposed to do about this limitation at so many amphoes. 

[silverado1]

11 hours ago, JackThompson said:

You have time to get a Tourist Visa before coming - and I would do this.  Not only will this eliminate the need for a return air-ticket (which Immigration may ask for), but will also give you more time to get your marriage-documents prepared.  Getting married may take more time/effort than you anticipate, and it cannot hurt to have the extra time to deal with any issues.  One of those issues is getting documents certified by the MFA - given they will refuse to do any certifications if you are in the last 10 or 15 days of your permission-of-stay.  

 

My advice - go to the amphur immediately on arrival and find out what they need to allow you to marry.  Don't believe any of the stories online about "how easy" it is, because stories as recent as 2016 are out-of-date, as (some) amphurs make the rules increasingly more onerous.  Each amphur makes up its own rules, so be prepared to "amphur shop," if necessary, to find an amphur-director who is not opposed to "mixed-marriages."

thank you for your reply. i plan to buy a flight out of thailand with air asia to rangoon (25 euros) and not use it (for the airways staff on onboard in koln) who can make me problems... for the imm officer (getting the 1 year permit of stay based on marriage , it would not have any problem as i meet him everyday in kapchoeng....  i stay 1 km far his office.. ) 

[JackThompson]

22 minutes ago, silverado1 said:

thank you for your reply. i plan to buy a flight out of thailand with air asia to rangoon (25 euros) and not use it (for the airways staff on onboard in koln) who can make me problems... for the imm officer (getting the 1 year permit of stay based on marriage , it would not have any problem as i meet him everyday in kapchoeng....  i stay 1 km far his office.. ) 

That ticket will work for the exempt-entry. 

If you are already married, that cuts down on the paperwork and time needed.  It was the amphoe-requirements for getting married that held me up repeatedly. 

 

For immigration, just make sure you have everything on the list for doing a conversion from Tourist to a Non-O.  The "official" Bangkok-Immigration list was posted here.  Some local offices are known to sometimes add more:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/994756-extension-of-stay-based-on-marriage/?do=findComment&comment=12132060

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by JackThompson