Answered2 years ago

Can my husband enter Thailand on a tourist visa while waiting for his Non-Immigrant O visa approval?

Non-Immigrant O Visa Tourist Visa Thailand Immigration Visa Application Process Visa Exempt Entry

Marina *******

asked Apr 26, 2025

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Hello,

My husband usually stays with me on a tourist visa but has gone back to Italy to apply for his spouse visa (Non-Immigrant O). He applied last Monday, but his return flight to Bangkok is this Monday and his visa still hasn't been approved.

Do you know if he can enter Thailand on a tourist visa while waiting for his Non-Immigrant O visa to be approved? Or is he better off rescheduling his flight, and if so, to when?

Thank you in advance for your help

Answer summary

The user is asking if their husband can re-enter Thailand on a tourist visa while awaiting his Non-Immigrant O visa approval. Commenters note that if he enters Thailand under visa exempt status, it could complicate his visa application if further documentation is requested by the consulate. It’s suggested that the husband could have applied from a nearby Thai consulate rather than returning to Italy.

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Tod *********

Now to answer your question, CAN he fly back here, enter free stamp "visa exempt" and wait for the visa to be approved.

He could,

BUT

if the consulate sends a request for extra documents asking for copies of all his passport pages (blank ones too) <- which is something they can do and if they see he already LEFT Italy and is in thailand they will reject his application and he will lose the fee

I will leave it to you to decide what he should do,

He sure didn't have to go all the way back to italy to get that visa. He could have gone to a thai consulate in a nearby country and gotten the Non-O thai wife visa in just a few days

2 years ago

Marina *******

@Tod ********

thank you for your answer! Yes you're right, by tourist visa I meant the visa exemption based on his nationality. However, we already knew that he didn't have to go all the way to Italy to apply; he just had to go for family reasons, so he decided to use this time to apply. And we already submitted all his passport pages, so you're right, maybe he shouldn't get new stamps in the meantime. We also know that the website says that the approval process takes 14 business days. I was just wondering if maybe someone on here has already had an experience where they received their visa earlier than that. Thanks anyways!

2 years ago

Tod *********

@Marina ******

unfortunately that someone got theirs approved earlier than the posted time doesn't mean your husbands would be approved sooner.

As long as he's applied, I think best to just wait it out

2 years ago

Tod *********

I am not saying that above scenario WILL happen (being asked for all passport pages blank ones too) but it can, and I tell people just wait it out and then come back WITH your visa 🙂

2 years ago

Tod *********

doubtful he was on a "tourist visa" or will be entering on one 😮

It's far more likely that he enters "free stamp" (visa exempt) entry for 60 days <- which isn't a tourist visa, isn't a visa at all, just a free entry based on his nationality

It's posted on the Thai embassy in Rome website that processing is 14 business days

(that's actually about 21 calendar days IF there are no holidays)

2 years ago