Which visa should my husband and I apply for to stay in Thailand long-term?

@Brad ********

Thank you for your assist. When I looked at the Toronto website it referred to Ottawa. I have added Vancouver to my post in reply to the OP. There may be other places in Canada which might issue the O-A.

@James *******

not true, Vancouver issues them as well.

@George *****************

the paperwork for Toronto and Vancouver is different. I suggest you use the Vancouver Consulate.

@Marty ********

Apply for the O-A visa from the Vancouver Consulate. They processed mine within 24 hours. The list of documents and requirements are on their website. Make sure you follow the instructions exactly. Use Express Post with a return Express Post envelope inside for them to return your passport.

There is a way for you to piggy back on your husband's visa, but I'm not sure exactly what you need to do, and that may only work with an extension of stay obtained in Thailand, not the O-A visa. Someone else will have to answer that

@Kimberly ***************

, You should have plenty of time if you start researching the requirements for paperwork now.

Getting the background check (and related notaries/authentication, if required based on your list from the Thai Consulate in your area), bank letter and corroborating financial statements, and medical tests (some doctors will want to do blood tests) are the things you'll need at least 2 weeks lead time for, conservatively. The rest tends to be easier (like getting copies of passport photos, filing out forms, etc.). Timing for getting the actual visa depends on whether you go into your region's Thai Consulate office or send passports in via the mail.

**Just make sure you are following the timing they require (getting the visa and various documents signed no more than so many days before leaving, etc.).

My husband and I just went through this for our Non-Immigrant O-A visas and it took us 1 month to get everything together. We went in to the Thai Consulate in our region and that was a 2-day process based on the website guidelines. Good luck! It was much easier than I thought once we got clear about what was required and made a checklist we could follow with all the guidelines/dates to stay on track.

@James *******

of course. I referred them to their Consulate in Canada but the O-A visa should be the same. Read my original comment.

@Marty ********

they are not American Citizens...will need to apply for the O-A in Canada, their home country.

@Kimberly ***************

I got mine at the L.A. Consulate in the US. You submit documents one day and get the visa the next day. You want to get your medical form and criminal background check done first and the background check took a week to get the results. There should be a list of other documents at the website for your Consulate.