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Answered8 months ago

Can I enter Thailand on a tourist visa and convert it to a Type-O visa based on marriage?

Jeffrey **********
asked Mar 5, 2026
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I am legally married to my Thai national spouse and filed in Bangkok and the Thailand government. I am ready to join her in living in Thailand soon. Can I simply come on a tourist visa and file for the Type-O when i arrive and then extend to the standard 1yr. until I can apply for permanent status ?
Answer summary
The poster, who is legally married to a Thai citizen and preparing to move to Thailand, inquires whether they can enter on a tourist visa and later apply for a Non-Immigrant O visa based on their marriage, followed by a 1-year extension of stay. Responses emphasize the importance of applying for the Non-Immigrant O visa in their home country before moving, as applying on a tourist visa has specific financial requirements including having a Thai bank account with a minimum of 400,000 Baht. The conversation further details necessary documentation for the extension and addresses misconceptions about permanent residency.
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Ian **********
Ian **********
You will never have permanent status. Being married to a Thai citizen gives you almost zero status in Thailand.
Nigel **************
Nigel **************
Ask for Grace
John ********
John ********
How can you be married to a Thai and not know how to re enter Thailand ! Do your own research ya muppet !
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
you can only do a "change of visa type" from a touristic entry to an initial 90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa, if you already have an existing Thai bank account with a minimum of 400,000 THB already sitting in it. It has been explained in detail and correctly by Andreas Mueller. People in this group simply saying "you can" is a very bad answer
Osian ********
Osian ********
Why do people assume they can apply for permanent residency, it's almost nonexistent unless you're investing millions into Thailand
Jack ********
Jack ********
Ask your wife.
Night *******
Night *******
Yes, you can. You've got the perfect idea. Simply ignore people posting 1000-word solutions.
Jeffrey **********
Jeffrey **********
OP
Night Rider Thank you. Many mis what I am asking I think ? Could you share more of your thoughts and experiences with me.
Adam *****
Adam *****
Night Rider oh, so we can all get permanent residency based on being married to a Thai right? NO!
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
Night Rider he can only do a "change of visa type" from a touristic entry to an initial 90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa, if he already has an existing Thai bank account with a minimum of 400,000 THB already sitting in it. It has been explained in detail by Andreas Mueller. You simply saying "you can" is a very bad answer
Bo**
Bo**
************************
Paul ***********
Paul ***********
Again, this question pops up (every couple of days in different forms)

Why can’t people just scroll through this groups posts or do a search to pick up the desired answers. I have lost count on how many times very clear and precise answers to the non O visa questions have been answered in RECENT months
Jeffrey **********
Jeffrey **********
OP
Paul De Graaf Thanks. I just joined the group today and that was on my mind since I've heard the good & bad of it. Here state side the Royal Thai Embassy use to generally say 15 days. Now their not sure and only say it will take longer. Timing is everything for me as I shut down everything thing here before leaving for Thailand.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. I need to do more homework on this... Cheers
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
Jeffrey Tompkins you can only do the "change" from the tourist visa to a 90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa, if you already have an existing Thai bank account with a minimum of 400,000 THB already sitting in it. I have explained it again and again in detail. Simply saying "you can" like some of the idiots here do, is a very bad answer. In case you have no Thai bank account, you must apply for the 90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa in your home country before you wing your way to Thailand . . . And in order to apply for the 12-months extension of the stay permit on Immigration, you need a freshly printed out Kor Ror 22 or 2 marriage registry printout from the local Amphur office, to prove that your marriage is still active and existing
Robert ************
Robert ************
meand my thai wife live usa we will move too thailand in 3 years too retire. some people tell me not too bother with marrige visa retirement. many people say it is a hassle just doo the 1 year extension 800.000 bhat retirement visa
Osian ********
Osian ********
Robert Harrington yes having lived here under both regimens, the retirement is far more straight forward, for the sake of an additional £10k stuck in a thai bank account, i know which way i would go
Lea ******
Lea ******
Yes
Andreas *********
Andreas *********
Let me get this straight:

You will enter Thailand on a 90-days Non-Imm-O family visa, and will receive a 90-days stay permit.

Before these 90 days expire, you need to apply for the “1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on being married to a Thai wife”

Immigration will call it a “visa extension”, but actually they don’t extend any non-existing visa, they are extending the 90-days stay permit to a “one-year stay permit”. The visa itself actually has become invalid for further use upon your entry

You can apply for a “1-year extension of stay based on marriage with a Thai wife” 30 days (45 days on some immigrations such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai) before the end of the 90-day stay permit you got stamped

To do this, your marriage must be recognized and registered in Thailand. Because Immigration will ask you to present a freshly printed Thai marriage registry document from the Thai Amphur. It is called Kor Ror 2, or Kor Ror 22 (whichever applies to your marriage)

In addition to other documents, a financial evidence must be provided:

Either

You have a Thai bank account in your sole name and a deposit of a minimum of 400,000 Baht. The money must have seasoned for 2 months on the day of application,

or

You got a legalized statement of your country’s embassy in Bangkok/or of a honorary consul, about a regular monthly income of at least 40,000 Baht (a so-called income affidavit)

Some embassies, like the U.K., the U.S. and the Australian embassy, don’t issue affidavits of income any more. In this case, Immigration will ask you for a bank statement of 12 months of consecutive money transfers coming in from abroad over a minimum of 40,000 THB. So, in the first year, you won’t easily get around the 400,000 Thai Baht account deposit method

The combination method, which is accepted for the application to the “retirement extension”, a mix of a deposit plus income, is not possible for an extension based on being married to a Thai wife.

You will need to present (this list might not be accurate nor complete, as some requirements are Immigration specific, and you need to visit your Immigration and ask for their handout list)

*** a copy of your passport detail page

*** a copy of the entry stamp

*** a copy of the pdf. visa document

*** a filled out TM7 form (can be had on Immigration)

*** two signed memorandi of understanding (which you get on immigration

*** photos showing your wife and you in front of your house, with house number visible

*** Hand-drawn map of the location of your house. Some Immigrations accept a printout of google maps and geo-data

*** 1900.- THB application fee

If you meet all the requirements, immigration will stamp your passport or clip a paper into it, stating “application under consideration. Please visit us” . . . and a date, in most cases 4 weeks away

Within these 4 weeks, Immigration will visit you and your wife at home, they might ask your neighbors whether you are really married and live there.

As soon as the “under consideration” period has expired, you can pick up the passport from immigration with the completed and stamped one-year extension of stay permit.

It is recommended to buy at least one single re-entry permit for 1000.- THB (you need to bring two passport pics for that) because should you exit Thailand during the one-year Extension of Stay Permit period, the re-entry permit keeps your extended stay permit alive
Steve *******
Steve *******
Get the Non Imm O based on marriage from your home Country before moving to Thailand. It will make the process so much easier 👍
Jeffrey **********
Jeffrey **********
OP
Thank you

.. Yes, I have set up an account with a brokerage to transfer the needed funds for the Thai bank deposit and also certified monthly income. I will have those documents with me.

I heard that I need to get the type-O visa here state side ? I question this only because most all my documents are with my spouse in Thailand.

Thanks again for your comment
Phil ********
Phil ********
Jeffrey Tompkins

What are you talking about?

All you need from her is a copy of the wedding certificate and copy of her Thai ID card.

All other documents you provide.

I done mine recently and it was approved in 10 days.
John **********
John **********
@Jeffrey *********
certified monthly income is meaningless. If you are aiming for permanent residence you need to find a job in Thailand and work & pay tax for at least 3 years before you can apply. From memory you need to earn at least 40k baht per month
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
to be able to get a permanent residency, you need to have had a work permit, worked in Thailand and paid taxes for 5 years, in other words: forget it
Jo **********
Jo **********
Nongnuch Kamdee and speak Thai
John **********
John **********
If you already have a Thai bank account you could but it's all but impossible to open one on a tourism entry. Best to apply for the 90 day Non-O visa based on being married to a Thai in your home country before travelling to Thailand. When you arrive in Thailand open up a bank account, deposit the required funds and once they've been in the bank for 2 months apply for the 12 month extension of stay based on marriage
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
you need to find out if you need an already existing Thai bank account with a minimum of 400,000 THB in it, if your plan is to arrive on a tourist visa and apply for the "change of visa type" to the 90-days Non-Imm-O Family Visa and from there to the 1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on marriage to a Thai wife
Jeffrey **********
Jeffrey **********
OP
I think I am confused from AI searches
Paul ***********
Paul ***********
Jeffrey Tompkins Just scroll through recent posts mate. Your question has been tackled with very precise answers many times in recent months.
Graham ******
Graham ******
Jeffrey Tompkins forget AI, it farms misinformation
Vulcan ******
Vulcan ******
Nongnuch Kamdee Or 800K (or document that proof 800K pension OR a combination from pension and fix deposit) and retirement visa
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
Vulcan Eric as an American citizen, he can only do a "change of visa type" from a touristic entry to an initial 90-days Non-Imm-O Family or Retirement Visa, if he already has an existing Thai bank account with a minimum of 400,000 THB/ respective 800,000 THB already sitting in it. It has been explained in detail by Andreas Mueller. You simply saying "you can" is a very bad answer
Graham ******
Graham ******
Vulcan Eric the OP has not said he is over 50 and qualifies for this route ;)
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
Vulcan Eric you are confusing a few things
Nongnuch ********
Nongnuch ********
Vulcan Eric he could only use the combination method if his embassy issues an affidavit of income. He seems to be US American citizen, so he cannot do it, at least not in the first year, maybe in the second year after having collected 12 months of consecutive transfers from abroad into his Thai bank account over a minimum of 65,000 THB (and only if his Immigration office accepts the combination method, because many Immigrations do not even touch this thing)

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