@Graham *********

since October 2023, there is no more "1-year marriage visa" with multi re-entry included. Savannakhet Consulate was the last one to issued it and they discontinued by January this year. Only 90-days single entry visa get issued. You can then apply for the "1-year extension of the stax permit" on Immigration, and once issued, buy a multi re-entry permit on it for 3800.- THB

@Ian *******

There is no more multi entry 365 days Non-Imm-O marriage (family) visa since October 30th, 2023. Savannakhet was the last consulate to issue it and they have discontinued when they went to the e-visa system in January. You need to apply in the e-visa system of the Thai embassy London, for the 90-days single entry Non-Imm-O family visa first, with a minimum of 400,000 THB or equivalent in GBP on any bank account that is in your sole name. After entering Thailand, immediately open a Thai bank account and transfer the money to it. Visit Immigration and ask for the handout list of requirements, so you can get your ducks in a row for the application to the "1-year extended stay permit". As soon as the money has "seasoned" for two months, you can apply for the "1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on being married to a Thai wife" on Immigration. The "extension" will first be issued for 4 weeks "under consideration". Within this period, Immigration will visit your at home. After the 4 weeks period, you visit Immigration and pick up the stamp. Watch your wording: An "Extension of Stay" is NOT a visa, it just is an "extended stay permit". There is NOTHING SUCH as a "1-year marriage visa"

@Divya *********

he has no parental rights, as the baby was born out of wedlock. His name on the birth certificate is not enough. He cannot get a Non-O visa based on the child

since the baby was born out of wedlock, you have no parental rights. Your name on the birth certificate is not enough to grant you a Non-Imm-O support of half Thai child visa. You need to get married and get your fathership acknowledged by the family court. After getting married you can use the Thai marriage registry document to apply for the 90 days Non-Imm-O family visa and the subsequent 1-year Extension of Stay

@Keith ******

on a Non-ED visa he definitely can get a bank account opened with the help of an agent. The problem is for those on tourist visa or visa-exempt entries - these people can't at the moment

@Willy ******

I was wondering, too. Some people are complicating easy matters without even realizing it 😂

@David **********

well, not meaning to nitpick, but . . . . . . . . . by the way, you didn't do a "visa run". You did a border run via air. . . . . . . It would have been a "visa run" if you had applied for a 60-days tourist visa or any other visa in the E-Visa online system of the Thai Embassy Vientiane, and waited out until you got the visa issued

@David **********

Yep, it's all down to the rules of the SECTION 12. . . . . . . the previous travel history is what mostly counts, and you are right, the overall appearance. The attitude - are you polite? Never get agitated. Are you a "real" tourist or are you trying to "milk" the visa-free system? And never ever show them a rental contract, this will make you a "non"-tourist. Never say you visit your girlfriend - this makes you even more fishy in their eyes

@Brian ********

A word – no warning and no scaremongering! – on the consecutive use of touristic entries.

Okay you have to realize this is not the Thailand it was BEFORE they went from 30 day free entry to 60 day free entry back on July 15th, 2024

It was a LOT easier to 'live here' or staying long term on free entry, than is now. And with a multi-entry tourist visas you had been able max it out to almost 9 months stay.

Apparently, according to what we read and hear every other day, Immigration has gotten progressively tighter over time about 'tourists' and consecutive visa-exempt entries

While in theory you can get almost 9 months of stay out of a 6 month METV, in practicality now we can’t tell if you'll get hassled at the border when bouncing out and back

I would say even on a single 60-days tourist visa you'd be questioned entering by air, given your previous entry/stay history is excessive. I would prefer to bounce by land and not do it by air.

And remember just because you have a valid visa in your passport it doesn't guarantee you entry.

All it means is if they let you in, they will stamp you in for the days the visa allows.

The safest way to get a second visa-exempt entry would be to use a “Visarun-Company” service to bounce you out and back by a land border. They have it set up so their clients do a border run without any issue.

@Brian ********

we are receiving reports from hundreds of people being denied entry on a second attempt to enter visa-exempt. Are you not reading the FB visa-advice and travel groups? I am reading in over twenty groups