What is the best visa option for a UK citizen visiting their Thai spouse for 6 weeks?

Dec 20, 2020
4 years ago
Rich ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I would like to go to Thailand for 6 weeks in jan with my wife who is a Thai national. We both live in the U.K. the Thai embassy in london haven’t updated their info. Is my best course of action getting a 30 day tourist visa on entry and then extending it in Thailand. I have fighured out the insurance, COVID test , quarantine and all the other bits it’s just the visa I’m still a bit confused about. Thanks 👍
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is planning a 6-week trip to Thailand with their Thai national wife and is seeking advice on visa options. Comments suggest that the user could consider getting a 30-day visa on arrival, or applying for a 60-day tourist visa. Alternatively, as the user is married to a Thai national, they could opt for a 90-day Type O visa based on marriage, which might be easier in terms of paperwork. Key considerations mentioned include the timeline for obtaining visas and the requirement for COE (Certificate of Entry) amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Ray *****
You are going for 6 weeks no visa required, just get a COE from the Embassy and extend by 30 days when you are here. That's the simplest way
Steve *******
@Ray ****
Easier to get a single entry tourist visa, cheaper and saves a trip to an immigration office to get an extention of stay.
Rich ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ray ****
thanks. Yep easy 👍
Bo ***********
I think you can apply for non O visit Thai family. Then can extend 60 days more here or 1 year Thai spouse visa
Steve *******
Get the single entry tourist visa.
Sanjeev ******
You should have family visa means marriage visa
Kool *******
You are legally married to a Thai national, so, if you have a copy of your marriage documents, and a copy of her Thai ID card, you can get a 90 day type O visa based on marriage. Then, if you want, you can put bt400,000 in a Thai bank account in your name only, for at least 2 months, meet all the other document requirements, which are easy, and extend that type O visa for another year. This is the way to go, whether you extend it, or not.
Kool *******
@Michael *******
no, the OP wants the easiest visa to get that will meet his requirements.
Michael ********
@Kool ******
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Michael ********
@Kool ******
the poster doesnt want a visiting family visa.

Just because they only wanted that info from Los Angeles doesnt mean that is the standard worldwide.
Kool *******
@Michael *******
last month, from the US, two of my friends were only required to show marriage certificate copies, and wife's Thai ID copy, to get their 90 day type O to enter Thailand from the Los Angeles Thai Consulate. It cost them each bt2000 for the visa. It would have been more involved if they wanted to get a visiting family visa
Michael ********
@Kool ******
In July I was able to get Non O based on marriage.

Documents I had to provide

Marriage certificate

Wifes ID

Wifes housebook

Letter from Wife in Thai explaining to embassy why i needed to return to Thailand.

Proof that I had
*****
0 baht in Bank account.

Covid Insurance

ASQ booking

Flight.

I really dont think you have a clue in how you get in the country now
Kool *******
@Michael *******
close friends have, and what I posted is exactly what they were required to present.
Michael ********
@Kool ******
you dont have a clue and take it by not answering you havent applied for non O marriage visa from outside country this year
Steve *******
@Kool ******
Non Imm O based on marriage requires financials, ie bank statements from the UK and is more expensive than a Tourist visa.
Steve *******
@Kool ******
Where did you here that? Certainly not from any Embassy/Consulate I know of.
Kool *******
@Michael *******
tourist visa requires paperwork verifying hotel, bank statement, and flight confirmation. Type O based on marriage only requires marriage document and copy of wife's Thai I D card, that is it. The application, and sending in your passport are the same. You don't have to search for a flight, or search for your hotel to enter in the tourist visa process.
Michael ********
@Kool ******
have you had to get one from outside the country Since all this began. Lot easier to get the tourist visa
Kool *******
@Steve ******
the 90 day type O actually requires less paperwork than the single entry tourist visa.
Steve *******
@Kool ******
Why go through all that if he's only going for 6 weeks? The single entry tourist visa is the OP's best option.
Andrew *****
Biggest problem will be the timeline you have set yourself as the embassy will be closing over Christmas and new yr also don’t forget your have to quarantine in a covid ASQ hotel for 15 days have all your documents ready to get you COE then get your tests and fit to fly

So your need

Insurance for covid

Flight details

ASQ booking bank statements this is for the Coe after you have got your visa
Michael ********
Personally think you are better off getting the 60 day TR visa rather than getting 30 days then extending.
Oliver *************
Good Luck
Steve *********
You can't get a visa on arrival. You may be confusing it with a visa exemption?
Rich ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Steve ********
sorry yes that’s what I meant. 30 day stamp on entry.
Johanna ********
We were told we could get an single entry visa for 60 days
Haydn *******
@Johanna *******
yes you can.. Just apply via your local embassy. In UK its £30
Wylie *******
If all you're going for is 6 weeks it seems like that would be the easiest in terms of requirements. They did just announce that they are offering the visa exempt again, which would make it even easier since you would not need a visa. The UK is on that list of countries. Although it doesn't mention it, i thought you were able to extend that by 30 days also. I would definitely check with the embassy to confirm that first though.

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