Miguel Aribi really? For someone e like me, that's not yet living in Thailand, name those restrictions please

Dave Milligan,

I'm over twenty years older than yourself and have undergone some extremely stressful times for almost two years, yet I could understand your post without a problem (even though I've never been close to the 'sharpest tool in the toolbox' as the saying goes. Yes, your wording could perhaps have been slightly clearer regarding your Elite Visa and thoughts about getting another one, but I think if I could understand, most others should have.

As you're up to five years away from qualifying for a Non-O Visa based on being over 50 ('Retirement Visa'), once married, you can opt for the Non-O based on being married to a Thai. I have no idea about Elite Visas (or LTR's that a couple have suggested), but if you want to opt out of the Elite for whatever reason, and go for the lower cost Visa, then the 'Marriage Visa' might be the way to go, at least until you reach 50. Many will say that the requirements of the 'Marriage Visa' are more demanding than the 'Retirement Visa' but I've also been assured by some, that as long as you're organised and keep copies of documents that remain unchanged from year to year, the Marriage visa is fairly easy. That's the route I'll be going in the very near future, if everything works out for me (just waiting for one matter to be cleared up where I'm living right now).

Sky Lar you're not making assumptions, just insinuations and just being a rude ass! I know of a guy married to a Thai woman who's parents are poor farming people. This guys wife was able to study accountancy at University and was fully qualified before they met. She has a sister that is a fully qualified Dentist and has worked in Germany, and another sister, has also been studying at Uni. They're definitely not a family that has got their money from working as bargirls - they're not that kind of people. Sometimes it just takes hard work and determination on the part of parents and the family in general to achieve things.

Roger Cottrell I don't know if Dave Milligan has read a great deal of posts in groups like this, but if he has, like I have, he'll know that there are a lot of guys that like to ridicule other guys for marrying, or talking about marrying Thai women. That's probably because they've married Thai women and then the marriage has failed. I suspect that those guys don't tell the truth, or only a part of the truth and instead, shout it out to those online that don't know them personally, that it was all the woman's fault, just to make themselves feel better.

I suspect that Dave is stating facts about his fiancee, to highlight she has an independent, solid and stable career and doesn't need to rely on his money, unlike some who marry bargirls, who are far more likely to want the husband to fully support her and her family. That seems obvious to me, as does the question posed in the original post, which so many commenters just can't seem to understand.

Alfie Green are you aware that the average tourist spends an average of 7-8 days in Thailand and the great majority don't stay any longer than three weeks?

You may consider yourself as a tourist, but according to the numbers you've provided, in light of the clamp down on people abusing the system, Thai Immigration Officers could quite likely see you as someone trying to live in the country without a long term Visa. That would be based on you having spent half of the past two years in Thailand.

You haven't specified whether you have purchased Visas prior to visiting Thailand or whether you've entered only in Visa Exempt. If it's the latter, then you might be wasting your Airfares trying to get a free entry again so soon. Having seen this topic discussed so many times in the past year, and particularly since Immigration Policies were updated last November in regard to Extensions, I think that only the fact that you have returned to your home country each time, might sway an Immigration Officers decision in your favour. Even that may be a stretch having spent half of your last two years in Thailand.

Dave Allen he's talking about another 60 day Visa Exempt and that will be entirely up to what the IO sees on their computer as far as his history of entries goes.

I can only assume that as you admitted that you're "no expert" you're mixing up Visa Exempt entries and Extensions, which according to Immigration Policies updated last November, stipulate that within a one year period, one 30 day Extension may be granted and if a second one is applied for, it will only be 7 days.

Patong Jeff did you lodge your application outside of Thailand, which is required? They may be checking where you are and where you were when lodging your application. They probably wouldn't like you bringing a lawyer into it when it's not a legal matter.

@Magnus ********************

Moderator,

@Brandon ***********

already said a couple of hours before your comment, that an exit and re-enter is required to validate the visa if one has already entered Thailand Visa Exempt... Google it.

As for the Chinese New Year, it is neither an Australian or Thai public holiday, so it has absolutely no bearing on how long it takes for visas to be processed.

I don't know where you're getting your information from, but I'm pretty sure that you commented on another post in the past few days, where people (maybe even myself also) corrected you.

Mark Heard no it's not, it's a fact

Steven Summers Thailand Digital Arrival Card actually, "tourist" isn't the first word. Although tourists need to complete one before arrival in Thailand, all foreigners do, even those on long term Visas.