This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

What are the best visa options for a year-long stay in Thailand for a couple, one over 50 and the other under?

Thailand Visa Non-Immigrant Visa METV O-A Visa Tourist Visa Visa Extensions Visa Runs Long Stay Visa Immigration Expat Life in Thailand

Jun 2, 2017

8 years ago

Nico ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi all, 

First of all: thanks everyone for this group and for the useful advice given by many of you.

Next year (2018) my spouse and I would like to spend the entire year in Thailand; perhaps we will spend a couple of months during that year in another country in Asia. 

We have no intention of working in Thailand (we can afford just to "be" there for a year), I am 52 by that time, my spouse is under 50. We are married but both non-Thai. We intend to buy a return ticket from The Netherlands (where we live) to Bangkok departure early January 2018, return late December/early January 2019.

In my current thinking I guess it would be best if we try to get an ME tourist visa for 6 months, then after that period do visa runs or apply for 2-month extensions a number of times. 

Questions:

1) Would the airline except this given the fact that, on departure, we would only have a 6-month visa but stay for a year?

2) Do you think the visa schedule I propose is doable/the most appropriate one in this case?

Thanks for your help in this,

Nico

950

views

likes

all likes

replies

images

users

TLDR : Answer Summary

The discussion revolves around the best visa options for an expat couple planning to stay in Thailand for the entire year of 2018. The couple is considering a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) for up to 270 days and potential extensions or visa runs thereafter. Comments suggest that the over-50 partner is eligible for a Non-Immigrant Type O-A Visa, which would allow for a longer stay without needing frequent visa runs, while advice on applying for a tourist visa in nearby countries is also provided. The conversation emphasizes the importance of having a return ticket and sufficient funds in the bank for visa applications.

Pelle Eriksson★★★★★

Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...

recently on Facebook

Luca G.★★★★★

I used this agency for my DTV Visa...

recently on Google

Trusted Thai Visa Agent

OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED

#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND

Tod *********

Good suggestion for the O/P

@Ste****

, (y)

Unfortunately only a person over 50 could qualify for the year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A (Long Stay) )visa :/

His wife could apply at the same time for a 90 day single entry Non-Immigrant Type O visa as the spouse of someone on an O-A visa and then she could apply for a yearly extension which matches her husbands admitted until stamp at the immigration office for 1900baht. After that if she's going to exit/re-enter the country she'd hafta buy a re-entry permit.

OR she could check and see if the consulate will sell her an year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O visa (which would mean every 90 days she'd need to border bounce <-go to the border, stamp out of thailand, stamp in&out of another country, then back into thailand to get a 90 day stamp.