What are the best visa options for a 69-year-old UK retiree wanting to stay in Chiang Mai for 4 months?

60 day tourist visas,multiple entry .

Gives you up to 9 months and you can come and go to other country's

like Brandon Thurkettle (Moderator) wrote:

a 30 day visa exempt can get a 30 day extension. So if you get a tourist visa you can do 60 days (an extension is also possible here) and then visa exempt 30+30 . . this will get you 5 months stay in Thailand. A multi-entry 6-months Tourist visa from the Thai embassy in your country will give you alomst 9 months stay permit in Thailand (including 2 extensions and one border run)

Do it the easy way and stay 60 + 30 days, which may be long enough time when never stayed more than 30 days before.

When going to Thailand for 31 - 60 ( 90 )days, the 60 days touristvisa is the best option.

It is cheaper than visa excempt + 30 days extension.

No need of a onward ticket ( 90 days 1 onward ), if returnticket within 60 days.

It is easier to apply from the comfort of your home.

thaievisa.go.th

If visiting the nearest Thai Embassy website, you may find informations, that make it much easier to apply online.

Not wasting holiday time to find, go to and waiting at a immigration office ( 90 you would need that ).

Then no need to leave Thailand in up to 90 days.

Multiple entry tourist visa. Each time you get into the country it should give you 60 days. Two entries is already 120 days, and then you can extend another 30 days.

Neither one of these will get you 4 months.

A tourist visa only gives you 60 days on arrival, and you can apply 1 time for a 30-day extension, so that's 90 days total.

A non-O retirement visa would give you 90 days, and the only extension available is the 1-year extension with proof of retirement funds in the bank.

You're probably going to need to do a border bounce and get a visa exempt stamp when you return to get the extra time you are looking for.

If I were you, I would apply for a tourist visa through the e-visa system.

Then plan your trip to Thailand for 50-60 days, and plan an other trip to a nearby country after that. Maybe Vietnam, Singapore, Laos, Malaysia, there are many options. Go there for a week or so, then return to Thailand without a visa and get a fresh 30 day visa exempt stamp. This way you're not making a trip just for a new stamp, you're getting a new stamp as a benefit of visiting a new place.