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What are the best visa options for a UK national married to a Thai citizen wanting to reside in Thailand for around 6 months?

Visa Options Non-O Visa Marriage Visa Retirement Visa Tourist Visa Multi-Entry Visa LTR Visa Tax Status in Thailand

May 3, 2025

a day ago

Raymond ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

UK national married to Thai.

wishing for some advice on which way to go initially …Tourist visa, Retirement or Marriage visa? I/we intend to reside in Thailand for just short of 6 months with a view to becoming more permanent later. Of course I would rather spend less time dealing with acquisition of visas as I come and go (staying longer later) mindful too of tax status. 

 What are my best most sensible options to consider if I have provided you enough info.

 P.s seasoning of any funds is no issue as I have an existing primed bank account

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A UK national, married to a Thai citizen, is seeking advice on visa options for a short-term stay in Thailand of around 6 months, with potential for longer residency later. Several comments suggest various visa types including the multi-entry tourist visa for maximum flexibility, the Non-O visa based on marriage for easier long-term extensions, and the 10-year LTR visa with fewer renewal hassles. Other considerations include tax implications and the process of marriage registration in Thailand.

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Raymond ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks everyone. Food for thought. I’ve got a few months to go over it again but looks like non O from UK and then go extension based on marriage root and then re entry permits. What a palaver!

Thankyou gang

17 hours ago

Dave ************

I got the non o based on visiting family (90days and can do online in the uk so no visit to immigration) then got 12mths marriage visa, means I’m only going immigration once a year this way (apart from first 90 day report) you could then Buy a re entry permit (at the airport) to cover your visits in and out. Need 400k in the bank. All very easy to do and only one visit a year to extend.

I believe we (uk) have a tax agreement with Thailand so shouldn’t get double taxed if you stay longer than 180 days (or so my accountant tells me lol)

Good luck 🤞

a day ago

Ally ************

@Dave ***********

Good advice.. if currently in the Uk then getting the 90-day 'visiting family' visa in advance circumvents the need to get the initial 90-day marriage visa when he reaches Thailand.. and will speed up the process.. but if already in Thailand and applying locally then an unnecessary step.. but if married in a country outside of Thailand then they will need a copy of the original marriage certificate certified (ie. authenticated) by the embassy of said country.. and a copy translated into Thai and duly certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand.. before registering the marriage at the local Amphur in their district.. registration gives them a Kor Ror 22 certificate which is needed for the marriage visa application.. along with embassy and MoFA documents 👍

21 hours ago

Raymond ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Ally ***********

perhaps I should have said… we married in Thailand

17 hours ago

Reply to

Raymond ********

Tod *********

you didn't get any 12 month marriage visa 😮

you got a 90 day Non-O from the thai consulate in your country before you came here

THEN

once you were here and had 30 days or less left on that 90 day entry stamp from the Non-O visa you applied for an in country "yearly extension of stay" <-(it's not a visa) by meeting the documentation and financial requirements at your immigration office.

You got a 30 day under consideration stamp when you applied for that extension and then you went back on that date and got the year extension inked into your passport.

a day ago

Dave ************

@Tod ********

yes based on marriage ??

a day ago

Tod *********

@Dave ***********

correct (y) (marriage or retirement) if you look at the stamp you got (that's good for a year) you'll see it says "extension of stay permitted until" and has a date (of next year)

That's NOT a year visa, and it's not a visa at all, just an extension of the 90 day entry you got FROM your original Non-O visa..

Just wanted to make sure you and the O/P know that an extension isn't a visa, was all 🙂

here's one based on retirement but the stamps are the same

a day ago

Reply to

Tod *********

ไมเคิล **********

Get an LTR visa... 10 years, plus PI tax incentives, no funds seasoning and you can work (if you are so inclined).

a day ago

Nick **********

Marraige ok but you have to go brit embassy to verify your divorce(if) status.then translated and verified by Thai MFA(ministry of foreign affairs).after that go local Thai amphur office 200baht for marry certs.Then immo for visa

a day ago

Graham ******

Get on a marriage Visa then extend for 12 months every year for just 1900B plus the cost of re-entry permit (1000B)

a day ago

Colin **********

Look into DTV (soft power). You've got to leave the country every 6 months (but you can extend for another 6 each time) and book a course, but you apply online from outside Thailand and it's 5 year multi entry. No requirement to keep renewing every year or applying for re-entry if you leave mid visa

a day ago

Lloyd ********

@Colin *********

Not the best advice, if only because it would tie up 500k, which the tourist visa does not, also it requires attending a course, which maybe as holiday makers they don't want. People seem to think the DTV is a free for all 5 year stay, I fear that the walls are going to come tumbling down and many people are going to have to rethink their strategy for staying long term in Thailand.

a day ago

Colin **********

@Lloyd *******

I was just suggesting to check it out. As I guess you would agree, looking at all options is a good idea. Do people really think that the DTV is a free for all? I certainly don't. I hope your fears don't come true, but they are just that. Fears. There isn't any discussion or pending legislation to base these fears on as far as I'm aware.

a day ago

Lloyd ********

@Colin *********

They have just announced new measures for the Ed visa, I can't see the DTV being far behind.

a day ago

Colin **********

@Lloyd *******

yes, but best off just mentioning stuff that's actually confirmed really rather than fears i think. It's difficult enough to discern fact from fiction on these groups.

a day ago

Reply to

Colin **********

Lloyd ********

Initially, I would suggest a multi-entry tourist visa, this allows you up to 9 months (60+30 at a time), you say coming and going, each entry would get you 60 days, no need to keep applying for any visas initially.

a day ago

Reply to

Lloyd ********

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What is the best visa option for an American married to a Thai, wishing to spend 6 months in Thailand and 6 months in the USA?

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