O-A Visa to Retire - What Visa Option for my Non-Thai wife under Age 50??

[izakaya2022]

 

Hi All.  Hope you can help.  I have visited Chiang Mai many times and now that it is time for me to retire, I am looking at doing so in Chiang Mai.

Here is my situation:

Me -         60+ years old
My wife -    LESS THAN 50 years old (this presents a visa question)
My Daughter -     less than 15 years old (also a visa question)

I have applied for an O-A Long Stay visa one year length, multi entry and seems it will be issued soon.

Problem?

What are the visa paths I should be taking for my wife (of less than 50 years age) and my daughter?  Of course, we want to enroll my daughter in an international school in Chiang Mai.  We want to have normal family life with minimal need to exit, extensions, etc.  NEITHER my wife or daughter are Thai nationals - just enjoy Chiang Mai and hopefully contribute to the community.  We are all USA citizens.

1. For my wife, should I be applying for an O visa for her?  If yes, does this mean that each time she must get an exit permission before any travel outside Thailand?  Is there any better choice that either provides multi-entry or longer validity (longer than 90 days?)

2. Same question for my daughter.

My concern is with my daughter and wife, it would seem that if 90 visa is maximum I am able to get for them, then there will be very frequent requests for extension of stay - worry about the stability of it all and costs in time and money.

Thank you for anyone who has a suggestion or knowledge to comment on this.

Hope to see you all in Chiang Mai soon.
 

 

[Faz]

You should ask the Thai Embassy if they will issue a Non Imm O Visa for your wife and daughter to accompany you to Thailand on a Non Imm O-A Visa.

In Thailand, your wife and daughter can extend their stay by 'piggybacking' your permission of stay.
They must have Non Immigrant status to do this. (Non O).
However, I suspect they would be subject to the mandatory Health Insurance applicable to your Non Imm O-A Visa for any extensions of stay.

At 20 years of age, your daughter is no longer deemed a dependant.

[izakaya2022]

Hi Faz.  Thanks for your reply.  As my O-A visa is one year, does that mean that, once they have entered Thailand on Non Imm O Visa, they can then extend their stay duration to the same end date as my O-A Visa?

Many thanks!

[Faz]

On 8/9/2022 at 3:05 PM, izakaya2022 said:

Hi Faz.  Thanks for your reply.  As my O-A visa is one year, does that mean that, once they have entered Thailand on Non Imm O Visa, they can then extend their stay duration to the same end date as my O-A Visa?

Many thanks!

On entry with a Non Imm O-A Visa, you'll be granted temporary permission of stay up to 1 year, subject to the expiry date of your Health Insurance. (Have your Insurance start date dated the same day you intend to enter Thailand).

They can then extend their permission of stay to match yours.
This is detailed in section 2.20 of Immigration Bureau Order 327-2557 (2014) - Criteria for extension ENG.pdf 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Faz
Typo

[Faz]

A little late now, but why go for the Non Imm O-A?

As an aside, I suggest you bring your marriage certificate as well as the original and a certified copy of your daughter's birth certificate. Immigration should accept these English documents as proof of relationships etc, but they may well request they are translated and/or legalized by the Consular section of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Others have had issues with foreign UK birth certificates.
The original does not name the parents.
A certified copy does, but then they have refused it due to the wording 'copy' and requested only the original.
Difference in procedures of issuing birth certificates, bring both, so they can understand.

Certain requirements are not in black and white and are at the discretion of an Immigration officer.