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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 Types Tourist Visa Marriage Visa Retirement Visa UK National in Thailand Non-O Visa Long-Term Residency Visa Visa Application Process Tax Implications

May 3, 2025

22 days 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

The user, a UK national married to a Thai citizen, seeks advice on the best visa options for a short-term stay in Thailand, with a view toward longer residency. Suggestions include considering a multi-entry tourist visa for initial travels, a Non-O visa based on marriage, and potential options for longer-term visas like the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa. Users highlighted the necessity of a valid marriage certificate and potential tax implications when staying over 180 days. The conversation pointed out the convenience of applying for certain visas from the UK and the benefits of reduced immigration visits with specific visa options.

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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

21 days 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 🤞

22 days 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 👍

22 days ago

Raymond ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

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

perhaps I should have said… we married in Thailand

21 days ago

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

@Raymond *******

Then you simply take your Thai marriage certificate to the local Amphur and register it with them.. they will issue a Kor Ror 2 certificate (instead of a KR22) which is needed to support your married visa application 👍

21 days ago

Reply to

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

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.

22 days ago

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

@Tod ********

yes based on marriage ??

22 days 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

22 days 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).

22 days 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

22 days 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)

22 days 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

22 days 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.

22 days 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.

22 days ago

Lloyd ********

@Colin *********

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

22 days 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.

22 days 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.

22 days ago

Reply to

Lloyd ********

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What are the best visa options for retirees married to a Thai national who want to live in Thailand?

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