Visa run avoidance

Post by **uncle tom** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 6:21 pm

This might help some of those trying to sift through the fog of Thai visa rules; as I think I'm fairly typical of many British blokes who come to Thailand to escape the winter, and want to stay longer than 30 days (but not forever..)

Background - I'm not quite old enough to qualify as a pensioner (not yet 50) but have come to Thailand for eight of the last ten years to escape the British winter. I want to spend about ten weeks in the kingdom.

I've been a good boy in that I've never over-stayed, or got into any trouble with the law.

I don't know if this approach will work for those who have not visited Thailand before, or have done so infrequently, but it worked for me..

1) Download the visa pack from the Hull consulate (the main Thai embassy site doesn't seem to link to this, and is very confusing..)

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/downloads/ ... 20Pack.doc

Read the notes carefully, and fill the form in correctly. Don't forget the payment form and certificate to say you have sufficient money for your trip. Don't forget to add the £8 to your fee for the return of your passport.

2) Ask for a non-immigrant 'O' visa, and attach a neat but simple letter stating that you wish to visit friends, and want to avoid the need to leave the country to renew your visa every 30 days.

3) Send by Royal Mail special delivery to the Hull office.

My 90 day visa was immediately granted without any query, my passport returned in 72 hours.

Tom

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 6:46 pm

Yes, Hull are well renowned for their relaxed attitude towards getting Non O visas - either single or multiple entry. There are other consulates in the UK who are also obliging.
In reality, you really should be either married to a Thai or over 50 to get a Non O (not just have "friends" over here), but as honorary consulates make a lot of money from visa applications, they tend to be user-friendly and bend the rules a bit. You wouldn't get that from The Thai Embassy in London.
For many people living over here, not married to a Thai or over 50, the option of a return to the UK, or their home country, to get a multiple-entry Non O visa that can keep them going for around 15 months on their return is a good one.

Post by **uncle tom** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 7:12 pm

Before I made tha application, I did a bit of digging, and couldn't find any requirement to be married to a Thai to qualify for a 90 day non-Imm 'O'.

I suspect it's more a case of London based jobsworths being awkward, than of Hull bending rules..

Tom

Post by **uncle tom** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:33 am

Here is the official list of legitimate reasons for allowing a Non-Imm 'O' visa:

Category “O”

Visit friends/family, for extended stay in Thailand, visit as UK pensioner, to work as a volunteer, attend training course (teaching English, scuba diving, etc) and to seek work/employment.

This category does not allow paid or unpaid employment without a work permit.

The comma separations show that there are clearly six separate reasons for granting such a visa, although the second reason "for extended stay in Thailand" effectively encompasses all the others.

It seems entirely reasonable for the Thai authorities to grant limited entry to those who turn up out of the blue at the airport, but be more accomodating to those who give them the opportunity to carry out a few more checks.

I wonder where the idea you had to be married to a Thai came from?

Tom

Post by **lomuamart** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:06 am

From The Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2489
Where does your list of reasons come from? If it's from the Hull website, they do indeed list "visiting friends" as a reason for obtaining a Non O, but I don't believe that this is an officially valid reason as laid down above.
Certainly, you won't get an "O" visa from a country neighbouring Thailand unless you're married to a Thai (and you have to produce the marriage certificate and other documents) or you're over 50.
As said in my post above, honourary consulates are much more flexible than Embassies. I've had multi-entry Non Os from Hull before - before I was married. It's good news for a lot of people as long as this flexibility remains.
Of course, another way for those wishing to stay for up to 90 days without doing a border run is to get a tourist visa. 60 days on entry and one extension of 30 days at any Imm office within Thailand (cost 1,900THB).

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:24 am

If Hull are handing them out on those grounds then all well and good as that is a very liberal description for those that want to qualify for 90 days. Does seem to overlap with the tourist visa a lot though.

I do agree with Lomuamart's comment about that list of reasons would not fly at any of the embassies or consulates around here or perhaps even anywhere other than Hull. The usual requirements for a non O are married, over 50 or having dependants in Thailand and from my many dealings around here then little else washes. If you are not married and want to find work then it's a non B, doesn't seem to be much latitude on it either.

I would also say that Thai embassies or consulates are run as a personal fiefdom of the diplomat in charge and sings their tune or interpretation of how it should be, this is one of the many reasons there is so much inconsistancy between them and you get different service or possibilities depending upon which one you go to.

If in the UK and want to come out here then Hull is place to go, wouldn't even consider the other options as they would not be so accommodating.

Post by **pitsch** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:33 am

My friend, he is not yet 50, got a non-imm. "O" (multiple entry) from a consulate in Germany. But he wants to stay for a full year. So he must do a border run every 90 days. What is not clear to him and to me: has he just to cross the border and come back or has he to go to the embassy in Ranong to get an extension?

Post by **Zidane** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:56 am

No,he just has to cross the border and come back.He will be then given another 90 days to stay in Thailand stamped in his passport at the border.
Note if he has a multi-entry Non O he can come and go as often as he pleases but,particularily useful is the fact that if he does his last border run just before his visa expires he can get an extra 90 days which extends the stay to nearly 15 months overall.

Post by **pitsch** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 1:34 pm

Thx, i will tell him. Its due in about 3 weeks.

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 1:53 pm

London still issues Non-Imm 'O's with your stated reason as:
1) Visiting friends
2) Visiting girlfriend/fiancee
3) Extended travelling around Thailand to learn about Thai culture.

All been done this year by friends or customers, no. 3 was put down as a bit of an ironic joke by someone re: 'indulging in the culture'. Don't know if anything's changed in last few months though.

SJ

Post by **lomuamart** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 4:42 pm

I'd say that the people you know have been lucky then, SJ. Here's the relevant visa information from the London Embassy's website:
http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/newvers ... sa_ni.html

Post by **sandman67** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:19 pm

Hull are well known for their relaxed and user friendly attitude. Im a regular user. Great service.

They are also good for Non Imm Bs

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:31 pm

lomuamart wrote:I'd say that the people you know have been lucky then, SJ. Here's the relevant visa information from the London Embassy's website:
http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/newvers ... sa_ni.html

The information on London's website is not complete though, for example catagory 'O' says activities "such as" and lists some but not all the officially permitted reasons from the Ministry. But as you stated earlier Lomu the MFA list does not actually state visiting friends etc, but London seems to allow it and has done since around 10 years ago when I got my first. There's plenty of reports across the forums of people getting them for reason not stated on the official MFA list, I guess it's up to the discretion of the officer in front of you.

Hull's got a different list again and would certainly be easier, plus you can post the applcation whereas London is two visits. Incredibly the Hull website includes the following allowable reason for a Non-Imm 'O' .... extended tourism

SJ

Post by **Korkenzieher** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:50 pm

You can also get 1 yr (15 months) with the ED visa, by signing up to an education program (of I believe not less than 180 hours). Normally it is given as a 3 month visa, but extendable at an imm office. It has the benefit, I believe, that you can do Imm office address reporting, rather than have to do visa runs every 90 days. Bapak Don will know the finer details. I had one last year from Hull (proximity rather than convenience - 6 miles from home!), but this year they gave me a 1 yr MRE O visa for the asking, and I too am under 50. I don't recall particularly giving any reason,let alone one from an approved list. Perhaps I had to tick a box or something - went in person to Saxon Way.

Post by **lomuamart** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:59 pm

Suppose so, SJ.
However, the best bet as we all know and the OP has again confirmed with useful information would be Hull.
As you correctly say, The Embassy dosn't allow applications by post, so with the efficiency of Hull it make the whole experience even more hassle-free.