I came in on a 90 day Non O E-Visa Visa issued by Thai Embassy in Washington DC with the intent of getting a Non O Marriage Visa. We went to the Thai Government Center (previously post said Consulate - wife's term) in CM with our Marriage Certificate issued by the Thai Embassy Washington DC. The young lady at the CM Thai Consulate said that we could not use it as it was more than 6 month old. Getting that Marriage Certificate was a process of going to the Virginia Dept. of Vital Certificates, then to Virginia Secretary of State for a stamp, then to the U.S. State Department Washington, DC for their stamp and finally to the Thai Embassy Washington DC. Thai Embassy Washington, DC issued the Thai Marriage Certificate 12 years ago. We did this in order to get a Thai Passport for our daughter. Due to the issues of getting another certified marriage certificate quickly/easily I decided to go with a Retirement Visa. Got my bank account and deposited 800,000 Baht for 62 days, filled out both the TM86 and TM87, copies of Passport pages, E-Visa, bank book and bank statements from K Bank showing more than 800,000 transferred . Statements from my US Bank showing the money transferred out matching the Baht received by Kbank. I let the money “cure” for 62 days before going to Immigration for my Non O Retirement Visa.

At Immigration, I gave the young lady my stack of papers in order as the appointment confirmation email had instructed. She looked at them and said that I filled out the wrong forms. She said that my E-Visa from the Thai Washington DC Embassy said Marriage.

After 20+ minute discussion between 2 officials they determined that I needed to speak with the lady in the colorful shirt. After a 15 minute discussion with her, she said to go out through Chiang Khong and come back on a tourist visa and then she could help get me through the process. Cost 22,000 Baht to get it through with a Non O and not a Non AO, which she says the Non OA will require health insurance.

It seems that my farang friends say, “that’s the way things get done here, just pay the agent”. Thai friends say not to pay it and make the system work without paying people off. Seems the Thais want to get corruption out of the system.

My questions to the Visa Community are:

If I leave through Chiang Khong and come back again on a 30 day tourist visa, what form or forms do I need to fill out in order to get a Non O Retirement Visa.

1. TM.86 or TM.87 or other document(s)?

2. Just pay the agent the 22,000?

3. We live in a different province, but can I go to CM Immigration and not be sent back to my wife’s province again for the process?

4. What triggers a Non OA instead of a Non O visa?

Thanks in advance for your advice and I hope that this helps others in the future.