Hello! Does anyone know if I can apply for non-immigrant type O (on the basis of being a spouse) via the E visa website without my Thai husband having a Thai ID card? He has a copy of his Thai birth certificate and tabien baan, and expired Thai passport.

I can’t seem to get hold of the London embassy to ask them and I don’t want to pay the fee if the Thai ID is an absolute must for obtaining the visa.

(For context: he will apply for his Thai ID card when we get to Thailand. It’s not possible to do at the embassy here because the first ID card must be issued in Thailand).

Also, would I really need to provide a DBS certificate and medical certificate? I struggled to check this info online. I’m assuming I’d need to pay a GP to issue a medical certificate… has anyone been through this process before and could possibly share some tips?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, Im planning on retiring in Thailand, i've lived / worked there before so just a few questions.

Is it better to apply for the retirement (non imm O) visa before I come or just come on a 60day Tourist visa and progress from there? Only ask as I noticed that if I apply from home (uk) you need to show £10,000 in bank for 3 months before (I have it, but need to do some transferring) is that necessary if I do it in thailand? Also I see you need a notorised certificate of health, try getting that in uk - no way. Its not possible to just go to a docs and get a bespoke certificate covering the thai medical requiremts - had anyone done that or got A/O from the UK? Was it easy, what did you do about med check and Police check?

Also I noticed that Bangkok Bank require proof of address in home country and thailand - so i just use my old address or some mates address in uk? Im guessing its just paperwork and not so importsnt to give uk address (Im selling so wont have a uk address).

Also they may want a reference letter from my bank via WISE, what is that exactly? I guess the ref. letter from the embassy in thailand is the best / easiest option for that but just seen they dont do those any more for us/uk?

Also it says they (bank) need addresses not from hotels, so its important to get an appartment pretty quickly right? Might be more difficult as i'll still be on Tourist Visa?

Also, is the Wise tranfer a simple process as i'll be going the 800k bhat in bank route...

Any other advice welcome, but if ur gonna troll or flame please at least make it funny as I prefer some thought in the trolling!

Thx my dear estemed peers.

I completed my online application and submitted it. I chose postal option. Thinking they would check docs online. I waited to hear that they wanted the originals. This is not the case. So after a week I just posted them off anyway.

Monday- posted off docs and barcode

Tues- got email about proof of income. Rang them and talked through salary deposits. Online status immediately changed to Pending approval.

Weds- I had not sent £10 cash for return postage. So did so.

Thu- my online application disappeared from website. I rang. She said it was going out today

Fri- arrived.

Not an expert. But happy to help if anyones struggling

How to get the most time in-country out of a year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A (Long Stay) "retirement" visa.

First off this information is ONLY about the Non-Immigrant Type O-A visa that you get from a thai consulate in your country BEFORE you come here. This is the visa that requires you to be over 50 y/o, needs a police background check, a medical certificate and meeting the financial requirements of 800K baht (or the equivalent) in a bank in your country.

The visa is valid for a year from the date it's issued AND every time you enter thailand during the validity of the visa you are stamped in for a completely new year.

The way to get the most time in country out of this visa is to get it as close to the time you're comin' to thailand as you can. Because the visa is valid for a year from the date it's issued you don't want to get it too early and then burn up the validity NOT being here ;)

Once you arrive you're stamped in for a whole year. During the validity of the visa you can exit/re-enter the country all you want and you will be stamped in for a completely new year each time.

However keep in mind when the visa itself expires. You need to exit/re-enter the country one final time just prior to the "enter before" or "valid until" date on the visa itself. That will get you stamped in for a new year (in essense giving you TWO years of stay out of a one year visa.

Remember also, IF you exit the country AFTER the "enter before" or "valid until" date on the visa itself you will need a re-entry permit to get stamped back in on the remainder of your last entry stamp because the multiple entry part of the O-A visa expires on the "enter before" or "valid until" date.

This is an example of a year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A (Long Stay) "retirement" visa.

You can see it is an O-A visa, has Multiple entries, was issued Oct 4th 2017 and has an "enter before" date of 3 Oct 2018. When the holder of this visa enters thailand they will be stamped in for a full year. AND as long as they exit/re-enter thailand one final time just prior to 3 Oct 2018 they will be stamped in until Oct 2019 (another full year).

Sorry this was long, hopefully it was helpful ;)