@Glen *******

what happened in the first place seems down to people not fulfilling the terms required for getting a visa and an extension of stay, together with the involvement of agents, some Immigration officials and some bank employees, in circumventing the rules.

@Stu *******

That’s useful to know thanks. I’m heading back in two weeks to apply for the 1 year extension. Got a re-entry permit from Immigration and should be back before the Non-O retirement visa expires.

@Stu *******

If you fly in without being issued with your visa, it will become invalid if Immigration twig to it. The fact they have your passport details is contributing to the risk. If you come in visa exempt is it not possible to go to immigration and see if you can apply for a 12 month extension being that your money is seasoned in the bank? I’m no expert on that but maybe it’d save you having to go down the route of going to Laos or Vietnam etc. and paying for another Non-O marriage visa? If you’ve got the funds a Non-O retirement visa is a much simpler option and I only took two days to get it issued when I applied in Kazakhstan a couple of months ago.

@Stu *******

If you applied for the Non-O in the UK, you have to remain in the UK until it is approved. Likewise with any other country you might go to and apply from. The reasoning being that they might want to call you into the Embassy for an interview but also that the application would become invalid if they knew you were not where you applied from when it was due to be issued?

BTW, being that you have been married to a Thai for 30 years, would you have a working Thai bank account into which you can deposit or already have deposited the required 400k baht?

@Johnny ***************

- I see that you have paid for it but that it is classified as finished. I suspect you will have to pay for a new Non-O visa? If so get your photo taken professionally and get a PDF or picture file of it from the photographer. Scan your passport rather than take a photo of it!

@John ********

Schengen zone etc. too.

@จอนห์ ******

As other people have mentioned the Non-O 1 year multi entry visa no longer exists, but you can enter Thailand on a 90 day Non-O visa then approach immigration to buy a single or multiple re-entry permit for use during this 90 day period. Similarly after submitting and being approved for the 12 months extension you can also buy these single and multiple re-entry permits from Immigration, which will be valid during this 12 months period.

Some of the Thai Embassy websites are advising not to enter visa exempt for more than 90 days in 180 days. I’m aware Embassies and Immigration are different entities and that Immigration make the decisions. Your FRIEND is maybe pushing his luck with his days?

There’s more involved in the marriage extension, which is why many people opt for the retirement extension.

I applied in Kazakhstan a couple of months ago while I was working there. I showed details of the 800,000 baht equivalent in a U.K. bank and 3 months of statements (maybe not necessary but created and downloaded the PDF for use anyway.) I supplied my passport entry stamp for Kazakhstan and they got back to me asking for a copy of my Kazakhstan work visa which I supplied them with. I received the Non-O visa for Thailand within two working days.