We are a family of 4 all from the U.K. living in Chiang Mai and find ourselves in a difficult visa situation. Our kids are in International school and they have solid Ed visas now extended/valid until June 2020. My husband and I have also had Ed visas this past year and that’s worked well. Last week we went to Hanoi to apply for same Ed visa for the second and final year (as we plan to move back to UK in June 2020), but were rejected (which we’ve heard happened to many). We got back in on a 30 day stamp as advised by Thai Embassy in Hanoi, although they questioned us at the border for not having a visa! So now we are looking into getting Non-O “Guardian” visas and have a number of questions…
1. Do we need to apply for Non-O visa in U.K. or can we apply in another country?
1. We understand we need 500k baht each seasoned in our Thai bank accounts before the first extension at Chiang Mai Immigration - however we’ve read both 30 and 90 days as the requirement, anyone got definitive experience with this?
1. Do we need to show any financial records or have a certain amount of money in our Thai or UK accounts when we make the first Non-O application out of country?
1. Will we need children’s birth certificate legalised/certified for the application and/or extension - I’m thinking for the extension we will and perhaps the application if it isn’t in the UK, anyone know?
1. Will we need our marriage certificate legalised/certified for any reason? We only have a Thai bank account in my husband's name, but we plan to open one for me once I have the visa to do so.
1. In order for us to have more time to get the money/paperwork in place we’d like to extend our current 30 day stamp at Immigration office - do you see any issue with this after we were questioned i.e. might that be on our record?
1. My husband has several trips out of country and an alternative for him might be SETV + METV - however, we are not sure if that’s too risky - any advice welcomed
Thanks in advance and sorry for long post... !!
TLDR : Answer Summary
A family from the UK residing in Chiang Mai is facing challenges with their education visas for their children. After a failed attempt to renew their education visas in Hanoi, they are exploring the option of applying for Non-O 'Guardian' visas. They seek clarity on several points: whether they can apply for the Non-O visa outside the UK, the financial requirements related to their Thai bank accounts, documentation needed for the application (like children's birth certificates and their marriage certificate), the feasibility of extending their current 30-day stamp considering past questioning at immigration, and alternative visa options for the husband. Other community members share their experiences and advice on navigating the visa process, including specifics on financial proofs and practical tips for dealing with immigration.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
