I'm a US citizen, married to a Thai national. I'm currently on a 1 year extension of stay (expires March 28th) based on being over 50 years old, and having a monthly income in excess of 65K Baht. Now that the US Embassy has stopped issuing income affidavits, and I have NOT been sending 65K TBH to my Thai bank for the past 12 months, and I do NOT have 800 K TBH in the bank, I will need to change the way I get permission to stay in Thailand. I have had in excess of 400K TBH in a Thai bank for 5 months now. However, my understanding is that it is a pain in the arse to get an extension of stay based on marriage, while in Thailand. That said, I understand that the Thai Embassy in Savannakhet Laos can issue me an actual marriage VISA overnight, without proof of 400K TBH in my Thai bank. I have some questions. First, as a US citizen I know that I need a Visa to enter Laos. Can I buy a Laos visa at the Savannakhet border crossing, and if yes, how much will this cost me? Also, if I get a marriage VISA, does it work the same way as a retirement visa, in that if you leave Thailand a few days before your retirement visa expires, and then return to Thailand before your visa expires, Thai immigration will stamp your passport with an expiration date of one year in the future, basically getting 2 years for the price of 1 year? Any guidance would be greatly helpful.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user, a US citizen married to a Thai national, is seeking guidance on changing their stay permission in Thailand due to the US Embassy no longer issuing income affidavits. They want to know if they can obtain a marriage visa from the Thai Embassy in Savannakhet, Laos, without needing to maintain 400K Baht in a Thai bank, the cost of obtaining a Laos visa at the border, and if a marriage visa allows for a similar extension as a retirement visa.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
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