What visa extension options are available for a British tourist in Thailand considering long-term stay?

Dang Tod. You know stuff :)

The 30 day visa is 45 til the end of September( 30+ sandbox 14). That might be enough. Or if he knows someone to help him he can get an extension for up to another month, at the immigration office. Need to have a return ticket though.

I have just returned on the 45 visa exempt but have extended twice previously.

My uninformed opinion is that a retirement visa is the easiest route of he has the correct funds...800,000 baht in a Thai bank account under solely his name.

>A tourist?

He can get ONE 30 day extension of stay based on tourism at the local immigration office. Different immigration offices have different requirements, but all require:

1. His passport and:

a. a copy of his data ("picture") page

b. a copy of his most recent visa (if you have one)

c. a copy of his most recent stamp

d. a copy of his departure card

2. A TM30, filed in the immigration office.

3. The forms (each immigration office may have different forms, and want to use their special forms)

4. 2x passport pictures

5. 1,900 THB.

>As he is 60, could he convert it to a longer term retirement visa?

SOME immigration offices allow a person to purchase a 90 day Non-O visa INSIDE Thailand and then get a one year extension of stay based on retirement. This requires:

- 800K THB in a Thai bank account (NO seasoning requirements)

- Proof of being over 50

He can then get a one year extension of stay based on retirement. Ask the immigration office for the specific requirements.

>Pending approval from my company, can I sponsor him as a dependent on my non-immigrant B visa?

That would be another option. It's an option you, AND THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE, will have to talk about.

REGARDING THE 60 DAY EXTENSION OF STAY BASED ON UNABLE TO TRAVEL DUE TO COVID-19.

I would *not* assume he can acquire this extension of stay. The last day it is being sold is September 27th, and for most immigration offices he will need to get his first 30 day extension of stay based on tourism first. He can apply for an extension of stay at most immigration offices when he has 30 days or less remaining on his stamp.

Make him an employee and get him a work permit…

The retirement visa is a good option if he can afford to deposit 800k into a Thai account and leave it there

First off there is no 30 day tourist visa 😮 SO if he didn't BUY a tourist visa from the thai consulate before he showed up here he was stamped in for free on what's known as a visa exempt entry AND he didn't get stamped in for 30 days but 45 days 😉

Be that as it may,

he can get a 30 day extension on his visa exempt entry ONCE

OR

if they are still available when he needs an extension he could apply for a 60 day covid extension

OR

he could apply for an in country 90 day Non-O visa based on being over 50 (retirement) IF he transferred into a thai bank account in his name only 800K baht, and after that apply for a year extension

OR

you can deal with your company to see if you can get him a Non-O and then an extension that matches yours

Those are pretty much your options

You mean 60 days or 45 days visa exempt? If either, he will have one 30 day extension available to him and potentially the unable to travel due to covid extension if they continue that beyond 27 September.

Can you sponsor him as a dependent? No.

Retirement, I'll let someone more knowledgeable than me on that answer that.

Please clarify what visa he entered on... Tourist visa gives him 60 days on arrival...

Or did he enter visa exempt ...which gives him 45 days on arrival...

Both can be extended one time for 30 days at Thai immigration for 1,900 Thai baht.

There's no such thing as a 30-day tourist visa. Can you please clarify?