What visa should I apply for before turning 50 while moving to Thailand with my husband who is applying for a retirement visa?

Alan *********

If you can live here as a dependent, it will save you having to deposit funds (800k THB) in your own account. Make sure to have your marriage certificate legalized and translated to Thai etc. Check with the Thai Embassy in your home country as to what you will need to do.

Andy **********

Another option would be to get an METV (multiple entry tourist visa) by applying on the Thai E-visa website, it has a 6 months validity, and with a few border bounces will give you 8-9 months in Thailand, after that when you are 50 years old, you can convert it into the non O visa without leaving Thailand, and do yearly 12 month extensions based on retirement.

Gardar ***************************

If you have the funds for yourself maybe look into DTV? Give you 5 year visa and 180 days each entry yes can extend 180 before you need to border bounce but many reports easier to border run 180 days. Or go school one year then you over 50 and can join your husband with non-o based on retirement

Bill *********

Have you considered just waiting until November to come to Thailand? The 3 months will fly by. Certainly make use of an agent for both of you as it's the best way to optimize time (speaking from experience).

Clare *******

@Bill ********

yes give husband some playing time

Mandee *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Bill ********

No. We already have started renting a place in Krabi and a family will be staying in our home for a year in the U.S. starting August 1. My husband just found an agent. We have so much going on and an agent would help. We have more going on than just obtaining visas. It can be overwhelming.

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Mandee *********

John **********

One thing to consider trying, which you can't do inside Thailand. It might be possible for you to apply for a Non-O visa as a dependant of your husband once he applies for the non-o visa based on being over 50. If you can get this your age is irrelevant, as is having to place funds in your name in a Thai bank account

Brendan ********

You need a bank account . For rv. So non o visa 1 st from own country . Get bank account in thailand . Then r.visa

Chris *******

First thing to is contact the US thai embassy you will use and ask this question:

"My husband will apply for a 90 day non-o visa based on retirement.

I would like to apply for a 90 day non-o visa as dependant spouse.

Is this possible?"

There are still a few embassies that will issue a retirement and dependant visa.

Then you could both enter with the visa and extend 1yr in Thailand once he has money in the bank.

Having the visas makes opening a bank account much easier.

You would be his dependant and not require to wait till you are 50.

IF YOU choose to:

You husband could get an 1yr OA VISA , thats requires health Insurance perpetually, and you could apply for a 90 day non-o dependant on his visa and then extend for 1yr in Thailand.

There are a couple ways to make it easier without needing 1.6mil baht in a bank. You would only need 800k in both these scenarios.

In both cases getting your e-visa first is the best course.

Getting the bank accounts in Thailand right now is very problematic without at least the 90 day visa.

Mandee *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Chris ******

can I do this by just contacting them? Our closest Thai embassy is 3 states away. We planned on doing this online if possible.

Chris *******

Mandee LaRoque all are evisa only. You cannot go into one. You can find contacts or maybe even Facebook messenger. Most embassies have FB pages now.

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Chris *******

Mandee *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Chris ******

thank you.

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Mandee *********

Rok ********

Your husband can get non-o(retirement) in his own country while you can try it in November in Thailand. The bank account may prove a catch 22 though. Always easier in home country and then open the bank account and extend in Thailand.

Mandee *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Rok *******

thank you. My husband is a civil engineer and I worked in health care and in a masters program and I feel like a complete idiot. I feel like I need another degree to learn this visa stuff out. It's overwhelming on top of trying to tie up affairs here in the U.S. at the same time.

Kevin ******

it can be complicated because you will be convinced you understand the process then feel confused when you read from another source.

21 days ago

Rok ********

you will be ok. Otherwise there are always immigration agents to rescue any situation - for a fee. Personally i learned a lot doing it all alone.

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Rok ********

Mandee *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you for the advice from everyone. Much appreciated. 🙏🏻

Ma *******************

my spouse and I are in a similar situation. He's what I would suggest.... see if you can come in as spouse on your partner's retirement visa (which must be applied for before coming) or.... Apply for the education visa and sign up for a 6mo program. You can switch from education visa to retirement visa once you turn 50 without having to leave the country.

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Ma *******************

Stuart ***********

The process should be quite straightforward for your husband, he will have the long term visa and can therefore open a bank account before extending his stay. Your situation is a bit more complicated, but maybe a bank will be sympathetic and open an account for you at the same time as your husband. If not, you might need to see if an agent can help you with that part of the process. Everything else should be fairly straightforward, as others have said extend your tourist visa and then apply for the non-O. If all else fails, you might need to go to a neighbouring country like Vietnam to apply for your non-O, before opening your bank account etc. Good luck.

Jan ******************

If you have passport from any of the nations on this list you can just come on a 60 days visa exemption and do a 30 days extension at your local immigration. After your passed 50 years you can apply for a 90 days Non O in country and need min 15-21 days left on your stamp. The only issue is to get a bank account without a long stay visa. You might need to get an agent to assist you with the process. The immigration might also accept an account in both names, but you’ll need to qualify individually for the visa/stay.

Wannikea *********

Depending on your passport you can enter using the free 60 day Visa exempt stamp and extend that 30 days hopefully by then you've turned 50 and apply for the non-o