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What are the best visa options for staying in Thailand while managing health issues and building a house?
Thailand VisaNON-O VisaMarriage VisaRetirement VisaExtension of StayEntry Requirements90-Day ReportingVisa Options for ExpatsBuilding a House in ThailandHealth and Visa Regulations
May 12, 2017
9 years ago
Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERVisa advice required. Due to recently diagnosed ill health I am no longer able to retire to Thailand this August. My health problems can only be monitored in the west and if I remain a Jersey, UK resident will be paid for by the state. So for the next couple of years I plan to continue working and visiting Thailand on an exempt at the airport on arrival. My employer will only let me take 2 weeks off at a time so no problem there. However in a couple of years time I plan to take a year out to build a house in Issan with my Thai wife. She already owns one small Thai style house in Thailand. I have heard that you can get a One year visa with a Thai wife to visit Thailand. Is this true? Or would it be better to get a retirement visa and only use it for a year. Once the house is built I plan to spend any thing from 3 months to 6 months in Thailand per year. I gather a 90 day visa ( 60 days plus an extension for 30 days) should be no problem ?) but what if I wanted to stay in Thailand for 6 months (180 days) ? For the rest of the year I plan to return to Jersey UK. Any advice or comments are welcome.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses the author's visa options due to health issues preventing a permanent move to Thailand. They plan to work and make short visits initially, seeking information on a suitable visa for a longer stay when they build a house in Isaan with their Thai wife. The discussion highlights the NON-O visa based on marriage or retirement, requirements for a 1-year extension, and the implications of 90-day reporting and re-entry permits.
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Robert *******
NON O based on marriage or retirement does not need the medical form. the NON O-a Visa does. Difference is the NON O gives you 90 days on entry and the NON O-a gives you 1 year on entry.
Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERSee above. Thanks for the reply.
Reply to
Tom *********
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Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERJust to add one other complication the London Embassy may have a requirement to fill out a medical form for a retirement visa which for medical reasons I do not want to do as I do not want to risk being knocked back! I am advised by a legal firm in BKK that I can get a 90 day visa to go to Thailand , no medical form, then convert to a retirement visa in Thailand after 60 days, once again no medical form. Do not know the position as far as multiple re entries is though in this case as it was not in my original plan. Any definitive answers?
Tod *********
@T**
; I sent you a P/M check your messagesTom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERBKK legal firm that I talked to still wanted all the correct monies in Thai bank account etc so they seemed to operate above board. I was just by their route I would avoid applying for the retirement visa in the UK with its need for a medical certificate that I could be refused on. Did not want to take the risk !!! Weather this is above board I do not know. They will only advise and act for you if you take this route as the say if you want to apply in your own country you are best to do this with the embassy yourself. I would like to like to do everything the correct way if possible!
Martin *********
I'll be honest with you Tom , there are people out here ( Pattaya ) , that have retirement visas and I can't understand how they got them but they( and I know of 5-6 cases ) have them , I was slightly annoyed because I did it all the correct way , in all cases they ' paid ' some agent or something around £ 500 .. but I've seen their passports in 2 of these cases ,all the same stamps as I have , I was like " how did you get over the showing monies in a thai bank etc ?? " .. " O , they sorted all that , no problem ....
😳. So I know it can be done . Corruption as you know is not unheard of out here ....now I'm not advising you to do this , but it obviously can be done .
😳. So I know it can be done . Corruption as you know is not unheard of out here ....now I'm not advising you to do this , but it obviously can be done .
Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERYes but my doctor wants to go into great detail of a medical condition that I have. Have shown him the form and do not want to risk being knocked back because of this ! That is why I originally was advised by a BKK legal firm to get a 90 day visa ( no medical form required and then to convert this to a retirement visa in Thailand after 60 days. What do you think to this? I am now planing to do this in a couple of years time the get re entry stamps for when I have to go back to Jersey UK for health reasons. Does that sound like a good plan to you?
Martin *********
Yes the medical report and police report ..
the medical , is very easy , they ( your doctor ) just need to fill out a pre downloaded form that you do .. it is very basic , I can't recall all the questions , but they refer to , elephantiasis, yellow fever , and sexual diseases ... it cost me £75 I think though . HE just ticks the boxes .. and signs it ... police report also download and send , asks any convictions etc , again simple ( unless your a criminal) .. I think that was £90 ..but that's the 0-A non imm , based on retired not the marriage one
the medical , is very easy , they ( your doctor ) just need to fill out a pre downloaded form that you do .. it is very basic , I can't recall all the questions , but they refer to , elephantiasis, yellow fever , and sexual diseases ... it cost me £75 I think though . HE just ticks the boxes .. and signs it ... police report also download and send , asks any convictions etc , again simple ( unless your a criminal) .. I think that was £90 ..but that's the 0-A non imm , based on retired not the marriage one
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Martin *********
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Robert *******
There you go mate, if you do not apply you do not get it. But if you really love to be the correct person: I just saw in my crystal bal that you are right. No more Multiple 1 year visa possibilities from the UK, based on the thinking of Steve and his friends who did not apply for a visa.
Steve *******
Anyway, I'll let you get on and give advice that you obtained from out of date websites rather than personal experience. You obviously know best.
Steve *******
Robert, you really need to get up to speed. You're not doing yourself any favours.
Steve *******
Robert, go to apply but told you cant get it, just like all consulates/embassys around the world. Try and apply for a visa that we will issue.
Reply to
Steve *******
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Steve *******
I think the UK now only issues single entry non imm visas, giving you 90 days in the country. As you're married you can apply for a 1 year extention of stay. You will need 400,000bt in a Thai bank account or proof of an income of not less than 40,000bt per month. If you're coming/going and not staying 'long time' there are other options
Steve *******
@Robert ******
. Not a new rule, just an observation.Robert *******
your first comment: Steve Greir I think the UK now only issues single entry non imm visas.
Steve *******
@Robert ******
. I think you claimed it was a new rule. Not meSteve *******
@Robert ******
. Give it up mate. What do want? A written affadavid from a friend who was denied? They didnt even apply because the Embassy stated it wasnt avaliable.Robert *******
Last year as you claimed it was a new rule that consulates all over the world stopped issuing Multi Entry 1 year visa's, the Embassy itself is the only one who issues them, So you have to apply at an Embassy.
Robert *******
Give me one example of a person who got his multiple entry 1 year visa denied? Please with proof not only a friend of a friend his sisters brothers nephew dit not get it.
Steve *******
@Robert ******
. You do know that the embassy in London only update their website about once a year?Robert *******
As I wrote earlier, I not care about I think and my friends say. I read the website, just go to the Embassy and try out. Good luck.
Steve *******
Many friends in the UK are now saying they're only given the option of single entry non imm visa
Robert *******
5. Non-Immigrant (1 year validity/ Multiple Entries) 125 Copied this from their website
Steve *******
@Robert ******
, according to the embassy website only issued as single entry.Martin *********
I thought you could only apply from London Embassy now .
Robert *******
The Embassy in London where you have to apply for a 1 year Multi Entry visa. You are correct when you apply at the Consulate in Hull they only provide Single entry visa's.
Martin *********
Issued Feb 2015
You get up to a year before you need to start using , infact I got over 18 months from the original one 😉.
You get up to a year before you need to start using , infact I got over 18 months from the original one 😉.
Steve *******
@Robert ******
. Non imm visas have to be approved by the embassy. Hull states non imm visas are only issued as single entry.Robert *******
@Steve ******
at the consulates yes, not at the Embassy itselfSteve *******
@Robert ******
. That was issued over a year ago. The London website states that non imm O, B and ED visas are only issued as single entry.Robert *******
Yes
@Mar***
, they still do. I not understand why people want to give advice like I think, I hear from a friend etc. Easy to look up the website and to see what visa's you can apply for.Robert *******
I think you think wrong
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Martin *********
Maybe now Steve , but I got a multi , 3 + years back in London , maybe they've changed now .
Reply to
Martin *********
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Martin *********
Get a ' long stay ' pension visa with ' multi ' entry ... come and go as you please and when you come to ' extend ' apply for a multi then as well .. that's what I've been doing for 3 years now , sometimes I go home for 3 months , once 6 months and sometimes a few weeks ,
👍🏻
👍🏻
Martin *********
No problem Tom , just starts again from your new arrival , infact I just done exactly that in Feb this year ..
Robert *******
You only have to report if you are 90 days in the country, every time you enter the 90 days starts again with day of entrance as day number 1.
Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERIf on a retirement Visa but out of Thailand for 90 day reporting what happens then? With a re entry stamp if I was away for say six months does the visa start again when I re enter Thailand or if I have a retirement visa must I report every 90 days? (imposible to do if I am out of the country and in the UK for 6 months every year) ?
Robert *******
Come to extend means: if you get an Extension of Stay with a Multiple Re-entry permit you can indeed travel as you like, Benefit of Visa or Extension based on marriage is a lower financial level, but both have the same rules with re-entry permits.
Robert *******
I think you mean a Non-Immigrant O-A visa.
Reply to
Robert *******
Reply
Robert *******
Benefit of based on marriage is you only need 400.000 Thb in the bank or monthly income of 40.000 Thb.
Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks for the reply.
Reply to
Tom *********
Reply
Robert *******
You can apply for a 1 year Non Immigrant O visa based on marriage, than you get 90 days each entry into Thailand. Other option is 3 months Non O visa and ask Extension of Stay for 1 year at local Immigation, than you only have to report your address every 90 days at Immigration. With a Single or Multiple re-entry stamp you can travel in and out the country.
Tom *********
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks for the reply
Reply to
Tom *********
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