Ok, I have a bit of an odd question.
I am currently in Thailand on my first extension. I will be leaving less than two weeks into it then returning for a few weeks then leaving again. No, I’ve not been trying to live in Thailand on a tourist visa, but I have been exploring SE Asia to see where I might want to live.
I will be returning to the States, where I’m a citizen, for less than two weeks just after Christmas. I plan to then return. I think at that point it would be best to start the retirement visa process even though I’m still uncertain if I will land in Thailand permanently.
Given that I don’t plan to be in the States very long, does anyone have advice as to how to apply for a visa? It seems I need to wait until I return to apply for the tourist visa and that the time it takes could be longer than the time I’m there. Am I correct in that assumption? Do I need to be in the States to receive it or could I be traveling elsewhere (such as be making a stopover in Japan)? I also wondered if going to Phnom Pehn en route back to Bangkok might be an option, but it’s not an ideal solution. I’ll be traveling with refrigerated medication which has proved challenging in some hotels. One other option would be to get the visa in Cambodia before going to the States, but I don’t know how long the visa is valid.
Any advice is appreciated. I’m a full-time traveler and would prefer not to just sit around waiting for a visa.
TYIA
Update: I really am a tourist, even once I move to Thailand. I will be doing a lot of travel in and out of Thailand even once I get this resolved, so being able to continue to do so will be critical as well. Amongst other things, I have some commitments in Singapore as well as simply wanting to visit other areas in SE Asia. Thanks.