What is the least stressful way to obtain a 12-month visa for Thailand?

Hello

I am French and went through

“ VisaThailande.fr”.

I am not sure if they can support non French demands but it is worth a try. They have been very professional with me

I can’t say which is the least stressful but there are various ways.

From the UK - Non immigration O-A visa

You must be over 50 be able to show equivalent of 65,000 baht into UK bank for three months prior to application.

You need 12 months health insurance with minimum 3 million baht cover ( AXA cost about £250 PA) You need a police check ( ACRO not CRB ) cost £66. A health certificate certifying you are free from some specific diseases. You can get from a google search of Doctors who provide this service ( cost about £25)

You apply from London Thai Embassy using E Visa service.

You get a 12 month multi entry visa within 7-10 days. It’s a very easy user friendly application. When you enter Thailand you need to present your visa and a copy of you health insurance and will be stamped in for 12 months ( or the last date of health insurance cover)

Also for aged 50 or over

You can get a three month non immigrant O Visa. I’m not sure of the exact process but many in this group will help. In Thailand you use this visa and other documents to open a bank account. You deposit 800,000 Thai baht in the account. When it has been seasoned in the account for 2 months you can apply for a 12 month extension to your visa. As long as you keep at least 400,000 baht in this account and then three months before your extension runs out you go back up to 800,000 then you can extend again for 12 months. As pointed out below the non O option has no requirement for health check, police check or health insurance. My personal view is that if you are intending to live in Thailand you would be foolish not to have health insurance.

You also have the agent options. You can use an agent to open a bank account for you at a fee, then you deposit the money ( 800,000 baht under the same terms) then the agent can apply for you or you can. This is the legal way to use an agent.

The most popular way to use an agent is to pay him a large fee 20-40,000 baht depending which agent and how gullible they think you are. No need to deposit any money in the bank and they do it all for you. Then every year you must use an agent and pay a fee to get an extension.

That is the most common way to use an agent and thousands of ex pats do it. You must remember tho it’s not legal, you and the agent are conspiring to commit fraud on the Thai government. As I said thousands do it every year all over Thailand and get away with it and this will probably continue …..until it doesn’t. So the illegal agent way may be the least stressful in the moment but you are breaking the law and if there is ever a crackdown you will be without a visa and probably in some legal troubles.

I used the first option the Non O-A and found it totally without stress and user friendly , I have 12 months in Thailand ( multi entry) so I can come and go. If I leave then re-enter in the last month of visa and have renewed my health insurance I I’ll get a further 12 month extension ( not multi entry)

Hope that all helps and makes sense.

The least stressful way is by an agent - but it’s also the most expensive

I’ve gone through the process to start a 12 month Retirement Visa by doing it on my own. (With help from my Thai Girlfriend)The less stressful way is the Agent Route but from what I’m listening to, this option is becoming more expensive. If you want to go it alone my posts give a little more insight into the first steps if you are coming from the UK. Also it would be beneficial to know what type of 12 month Visa you are looking for and like the previous comments, what your plan is

Getting an agent is the easiest, and most expensive, which could be stressful.

Already y’all giving him stress

Agent

That depends on your reason I know alpt of people go medical route to treat something keep a few appointments and their good ... wanting to learn culture.. language cooking martial arts ed visa ( more expensive)

There are various, depending on age, reason to move to Thailand and money saved. You need to give a bit more details to get appropriate suggestions