Answered2 years ago

What is the best visa option to spend 6 months in Thailand with my Thai wife?

marriage visa NON-O visa visa extension Thailand expat visa options visa regulations

Alex ************

asked May 20, 2024

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Soon I will be going to Thailand to spend 6 months with my wife who is a Thai national. 

Originally my plan was to get the 90-day marriage visa and then extend for 60 days with a family visitation extension for a total of 150 days, and then I would do a border run and enter back in with a 30-day Visa exemption to finish off the 6 months. 

However, I have heard that there is a place in Laos where you can apply for the one year marriage visa without the financial requirement. Is this true? Has anyone here done this before? 

If that's not a feasible option, how does my original plan look? Is there any easier way to spend 6 months with my wife in Thailand?

Answer summary

The user plans to spend 6 months in Thailand with their Thai wife and initially considered obtaining a 90-day marriage visa followed by a family visitation extension. They inquired about the possibility of obtaining a one-year marriage visa in Laos without financial requirements, but a commenter clarified that recent changes now require proof of funds for such visas. They suggested that the original plan of obtaining the 90-day visa and making extensions and border runs could still be a viable option.

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Chris *********************

Don't know if this would help,apply for your 90 days visa, come to Thailand, get 30days exempt when you land ,do a 30 day extension, in the meantime your visa should have been received. Leave Thailand and return to activate your 90 day visa, then extend for 60 days,all in all 7 months,

I did it ,wasn't planned I left it a bit late to apply for my visa, it didn't come before my flight date.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

You USED to be able to get a 1-year multiple entry non-O visa based on marriage to a Thai at the Thai consulate at Savannakhet Laos without proof of funds. As of November last year this is no longer possible. They now require proof of 400,000 in a Thai bank account to issue the multiple entry non-O. The only one you can get without proof of funds is the single entry non-O visa.

I'm not sure you understand what they were offering either. The 1-year multiple entry non-O still only gets you a 90 day stamp each time you enter Thailand so you would need to leave at least every 90 days. Your original plan is probably fine still.

2 years ago

Alex ************

@Brandon ***********

thank you for your explanation. I did not realize that the one only gives you 90-day stamps.

So my original plan of doing the 90-day non-o Visa followed by a 60-day family visitation extension followed by a border run and Visa exempt entry, is still my best option as someone who cannot meet the financial requirements for the one-year Visa? I've heard various reports of them being more strict with Visa exempt entries when the person has been staying in the country for an extended period of time. I just wanted to make sure that I can still enter exempt after the 90-Day Non-O Visa and family visitation extension. Would hopping over to Vietnam and just applying for another 90-day non-o Visa. Be a better or more secure option?

Sorry for all the questions, until recently I've just been doing the 60-day tourist visa and 30-day extension and then a border run and rinse and repeat. But we got married in December and this will be my first time over there attempting a different Visa and I'm just really trying to make sure it all goes smoothly.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

@Alex ***********

instead of flying out to do your border bounce, use a land border bounce agency who will drive you to a land border and ensure you get out and back in without any issues, regardless of how long you've been in the country.

Alex ************

brilliant thank you.

Brandon ************

believe it's between 3000-4000. If you Google "Thai visa service" they have a good reputation and leave from the Lotus On Nut parking lot 6 days per week. Very very early in the morning and have you back by afternoon.

2 years ago

Alex ************

@Brandon ***********

I've never heard of such an agency. How much does something like that cost? I will be in Bangkok so there's no quick drive to a land border nearby.

2 years ago

Nongnuch ********

@Brandon ***********

Brandon, Savannakhet is the last place where you can get a multi entry Non-Imm-O family visa (which is not even listed on their website but which you can get if you ask for). On embassies&consulates world over, the ME Non-Imm-O family visa has been discontinued. Only the single entry type remains available

2 years ago

Brandon ************

@Nongnuch *******

yes I realize I didn't make it clear in the first sentence that I was only saying it's not available without proof of funds anymore

2 years ago