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Is the Non-immigrant O visa with multiple entries suitable for my travel plans?

Non-Immigrant O VisaThai Visa RulesVisa ExemptionVisa ApplicationThai Spouse VisaImmigration AdviceTravel to ThailandExpat Visa Guidance
Jun 18, 2019
5 years ago
Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi All - I am looking for some advice regarding non-immigrant O visa with multiple entries. I’m currently living in the UK. Coming to Thailand next month for three weeks and hope to enter on 30 day visa exemption stamp. My husband is a Thai citizen living in Mukdahan. I was planning to cross over from Mukdahan to Savannakhet in Laos and apply for a Non-immigrant O visa with multiple entries that would be valid until July 2020. I thought that this would be the correct visa for my situation coming and going every 4 months or so, as right now I can’t live in Thailand more permanently. I will be making my next trip after this one in December for one month and planning to move permanently in May/June. My questions is this - is the Non-immigrant visa with multiple entries the correct visa for me to get next month? Will it enable me to enter Thailand every 4-5 months or will I have trouble with immigration because I will be living outside of Thailand more than I am actually inside of Thailand for the 12 months that I will have the visa for? My understanding was that the visa would be good for my next 2-3 trips between July this year and June next year as my purpose of visiting Thailand is to visit my spouse. I usually only spend 3-4 weeks in Thailand during these trips. I don’t know what other visa to get that would work best for my situation. Any advice would be much appreciated!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is seeking advice on whether a Non-immigrant O visa with multiple entries is the right choice for their travel plans to Thailand. They currently live in the UK, intend to enter Thailand on a 30-day visa exemption, and then apply for the Non-O visa from Savannakhet, Laos. They plan to visit their Thai spouse every few months and are concerned about potential immigration issues since they will not be spending most of their visa's validity in Thailand. Multiple commenters advise that the Non-O visa is appropriate for their situation and will not penalize them for extended periods spent outside Thailand, as long as they adhere to the visa's entry and stay regulations.
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Paul *********
Can get in the UK much much easier then get an extension each year or apply from the uk again or laos
5 years ago
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Tod *********
@Pa**
 Sadly, when they went to the online application system on the 15th of this month, they also discontinued the year-long, multi-entry Non-O visas based on marriage :/ :(
5 years ago
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Paul *********
@Tod ********
 wow!
5 years ago
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Tod *********
Heads up, you can no longer get a year long multi-entry Non-O visa from ANY of the thai consulates in the UK.

They now only issue SINGLE ENTRY 90 day Non-O's based on anything.
5 years ago
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Tod *********
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Tod *********
There is no down side to getting a year- long, multi-entry visa based on marriage to a thai from the thai consulate in Savannakhet.

They don't care how often you enter the country OR if you ever do after you have that visa, so don't worry about using it a month every 3 or 4 months.

It's FAR better to have the correct visa than play the "enter on a 30 day visa exempt entry stamp" game and run the risk of getting pulled aside by a cranky immigration officer.

Get the year-long, multi-entry Non-O in Savannakhet for 5000baht
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 Thank you very much for your advice and clearing this up for me. Much appreciated. Exactly what I thought I should be doing as I would feel much more content having the multiple entry visa than taking the risks with visa exemptions stamps each visit. Going to Savannakhet isn’t a problem for me at all as my husband lives in Mukdahan so it couldn’t be more convenient. I don’t mind the trip out or the queue at the consulate it if means I’m on the correct visa for my circumstances right now. Plus, I’ll be re-entering Thailand on the same day I get the visa/my passport back from the consulate there. Long term plan is to stay in Mukdahan next May/June so my understanding is that I could do the one year extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai spouse after I use my last entry before the visa expires. Thanks again for your help.
5 years ago
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Emma *************
@Tod ********
 thank you - good to know for future reference!
5 years ago
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Amornrat **********
@Emma ******
 she will be using the first entry right when she enter and the vise is valid for a full year, no problem.
5 years ago
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Tod *********
@Emma ******
 a multiple entry Non-O is valid for a year from the date they get it. :)
5 years ago
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Dominic *****
@Emma ******
 You don’t have to enter any earlier than the expiry of the visa. You could enter on the last day if you wanted, but that would get you a single 90-day stay out of a 1 year ME visa.
5 years ago
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Dominic *****
Is her situation risky enough to warrant the 5000 baht fee, short overnight trip to Savannakhet, queue to submit application and collect visa the next day?
5 years ago
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Emma *************
@Tod ********
 could you also advise that once the OP receives the non O visa in her passport does it have a certain period of validity e.g 3 months during which she must enter Thailand for the first time or not? Thanks! (This was a concern I raised that if she got it in July but didn’t plan to enter until December?) guessing with multiple this is not the case as with single from the helpful information you posted above?
5 years ago
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Emma *************
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Ellie *******
Seems like that non-o single entry and extension based on marriage to Thai national is the easiest and the least hustle-less way...

You don’t have to live in Thailand ‘permanently’ to hold non-o extension...
5 years ago
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Vladimir ********
@Ellie ******
 not in OP case right now. More hassle, more paperwork, must extend at specific time, must wait for consideration. She live just across Mekong and Savannakhet, absolutely easiest way to get multiple non o. Yearly extensions and reentry permit will be reasonable if OP live here all the time
5 years ago
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Vladimir ********
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Vladimir ********
I absolutely recommend getting a proper visa. You may come on 30 days stamp, then get multiple O in Savannakhet, which will be a breeze because you are woman, and right across the border. Usually, people with family visas get zero question at the border... so get it and not worry about. It multiple, with the right timing for entering before the expiration date, you can get up to 15 months on it. Even if you plan to stay only 3-4 weeks 3 times per year.
5 years ago
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Jussi ********
No prob what so ever. You can also apply for a one year extension to that Non-O visa if you choose to stay permanently within the 15 months you can get out of it. So might fit your purpose perfectly.
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Vladimir *******
 that makes sense 🙂 I’m just concerned that immigration would stop me from entering in December and/or May/June because I haven’t been in Thailand for most of the visa validity period. I know with the multiple entry Non-immigrant O visa I can’t stay any longer than 90 days in Thailand each entry which isn’t a problem as I’ll only be there maximum 28 days each trip. But just worried that there might be some rule regarding how long you can actually stay outside of Thailand on a multiple entry visa? Worried it would lead to problems when I would be wanting to enter to stay there more permanently next May/June.
5 years ago
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Vladimir ********
Judith Jaiboon multiple will not mean you must to go in and out every month. But each of your stay after entry must be not more than 90 days. I have multiple reentry permit, this absolutely not mean I must use it every month (but actually I try to do 4 trips per year to compensate the cost he he) 🙂
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Vladimir *******
 that is exactly what I have been planning to do so that I would be on the correct visa every time I would be entering Thailand for the next 12 months. I am just worried that there would be an issue with me not using it often, as I would only be using the multiple entry visa to enter Thailand from Laos next month, enter at Bangkok in December and enter at Bangkok in May/June. My understanding is that it would be the correct visa for my circumstances but just worried because I’ll be outside Thailand for the majority of the time that the visa will be valid for. If I was sure that wouldn’t be an issue with immigration, then I would prefer to get the non-immigrant O visa when I have the opportunity to go to Savannakhet to get it next month, rather than entering on visa exemptions each time.
5 years ago
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Judith *********
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Emma *************
If your husband has a permanent address in Thailand that you can use as your residence here:
5 years ago
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Luis ***********
@Judith ********
 Visa exception, stamped on arrival.
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Emma ******
 yes that’s what I’m now thinking might be best for my current situation. Thank you for your help!
5 years ago
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Emma *************
Judith Jaiboon Dominic’s suggestion above is probably the most convenient as you are only visiting for shorter periods of time every so often, I can’t imagine it would be a problem and seems like you would have your return flight out of Thailand to show if any Q’s were asked. Just remember only 2 land crossing visa exemptions per calendar year 🙂
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Emma ******
 that’s what I’ll be applying for once I’m settled there next year. For now I’m just trying to figure out what is best way for me while I’m coming and going
5 years ago
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Emma *************
Might be worth waiting to do this when you plan to live in Thailand permanently as I’m not sure (someone else will advise I’m sure) if you get the visa next month but do not plan to enter Thailand until December that the visa would have already expired as usually only valid for 60 or 90 days after receiving it, as in once it’s in your passport you need to enter Thailand within a certain time period (But I could stand corrected for multiple re entries though as I only have experience with single entry)
5 years ago
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Emma *************
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Regis *******
Marriage to a Thai man has different (less) requirements than the reverse. So don’t assume a generic response fits your situation.
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Regis ******
 I’m well aware of that and was just looking to see if any one had any advice as I’m trying to make things as straight forward for myself as possible
5 years ago
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Judith *********
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Dominic *****
Also, why not apply for the Non-O (Thai Spouse) in the UK?
5 years ago
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Dominic *****
You should have no problem entering on visa exemption every 4 months for stays not exceeding 4 weeks. Save applying for a non-immigrant visa for later when you want to live here more permanently.
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Dominic ****
 that’s what I’m currently considering might be my best option - thank you
5 years ago
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Judith *********
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Gwion *******
Can only get multiple non O if you have all the marriage documents or a letter from an employer. Cannot just randomly get an non O.
5 years ago
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Robert *******
@Gwion ******
5 years ago
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Judith *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Gwion ******
 I have all my marriage papers as my spouse is thai. So not randomly trying to get one. I would be applying for the purpose to visit my Thai husband.
5 years ago
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Judith *********
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