thairat Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 I entered Thailand on a 3 month Non-immigrant type O visa issued in the US and planned to get a retirement visa before the 3 months expired. Ooops, unfortunately just before my three month visa expired, my bank balance dropped below the required amount for about two weeks....ugh! Then I topped it up (required to be "seasoned" for 3 consecutive months.) Now it wont have been in the bank for a unbroken period of time. I went to my consulate in Chiang Mai, they recommended I go to Mae Sai on the Thai/Mayamar border get a 2 week tourist visa, come back to Chiang Mai then apply for another 3 month visa while I wait for the money to "season" then apply for the retirement visa in Chiang Mai. I would welcome any advice here, issues of concern: Immigration at Mae Sae unknown to me, unforeseen problems? any other comments on this approach Many thanks, these things are always stressful when things go amiss. Kind regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Is it possible to get a 3 month type O visa from within Thailand (Chiang Mai)? If my short term visa from Mae Sai, expires in 2 weeks my money still wont be "seasoned" Now what? Edited November 4, 2013 by thairat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beechguy Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Is it possible to get a 3 month type O visa from within Thailand (Chiang Mai)? If my short term visa from Mae Sai, expires in 2 weeks my money still wont be "seasoned" Now what? Yes, only as part of the retirement extension process, that is what they are trying to tell you to do. First, there is no retirement visa in Thailand, you would be applying/receiving an extension of your permisssion to stay, based on retirement. Also, you would not be receiving a 2 week visa at Mae Sai, it would be a visa exempt entry. When you make the border crossing, you will receive the visa exempt entry, possibly for 30 days now, under new orders, you will then go to immigration in Chiang Mai and apply for the Retirement extension, they can can't do that on a visa exempt, so they will modify your visa status and issue the Non-O, cost 2000 Baht if I remember correctly. Then when qualified you go back to immigration complete the extension process, another 1900 Baht. Edited November 4, 2013 by beechguy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiexpat21 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 There are no two week "visas" . You might get a 15 day visa exempt entry at the border . If so you could try to convert the "exempt" entry to a 90 day visa at immigration. This will involve being able to demonstrate you have the finances available to subsequently apply for an extension of stay. The only other option would be to obtain another "O" visa from a nearby Thai Embassy /Consulate in another country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Beachdude Thank you so much for the clarification. So entry from Mae Sai "visa exempt", will just be a stamp in the passport allowing me a 30 day stay, not an "Official Visa"? What is the cost of this stamp/procedure? What documentation do I need other than passport? Is a form required? Is entry on arrival issued to British nationals entering Myanmar from Thailand? Regards Rat Edited November 4, 2013 by thairat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiexpat21 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Beachdude Thank you so much for the clarification. So entry from Mae Sai "visa exempt", will just be a stamp in the passport allowing me a 30 day stay, not an "Official Visa"? What is the cost of this stamp/procedure? What documentation do I need other than passport? Is a form required? Regards Rat You will have to purchase a visa to enter Myanmar at the border.( I believe $10) Otherwise no cost or paperwork. Edit No not a visa ! The 30 days is based on unconfirmed reports don't be surprised if only 15 days are given Edited November 4, 2013 by thaiexpat21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 Ok sounds great I can enter Myanmar on arrival ....pay $10 I'm in Entering Thailand from Myanmar will be issued a 15-30 pass......like an ink stamp on my arm ;-) Now for about 2000 baht the can massage then stamp on my arm into a non-immigrant O in my passport which can be subsequently further massaged and extended for the purpose of retirement for another 1900 baht. Thank you so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiexpat21 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Ok sounds great I can enter Myanmar on arrival ....pay $10 I'm in Entering Thailand from Myanmar will be issued a 15-30 pass......like an ink stamp on my arm ;-) Now for about 2000 baht the can massage then stamp on my arm into a non-immigrant O in my passport which can be subsequently further massaged and extended for the purpose of retirement for another 1900 baht. Thank you so much! Thats about it ! Best wishes ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Let's see if I understand your situation correctly. You arrived in Thailand on <date unknown> with a single-entry non-O visa and received permission to stay for 90 days, ie until <date unknown>. Are your currently on overstay? Your intention is to apply for a one-year extension for the reason of retirement. No public announcement has been made yet but it appear that since November 1, 2013 the nationals of seven additional countries, including the USA, now get visa-exempt permission to stay also on land borders. Do that border run and if necessary pay the overstay fine, then follow the procedure outlined by beechguy, ie change to non-O visa at the immigration office, followed some 60 days later by extension of stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 The required money seasoning period for the FIRST retirement extension is TWO months, not THREE. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Let's see if I understand your situation correctly. You arrived in Thailand on <date unknown> with a single-entry non-O visa and received permission to stay for 90 days, ie until <date unknown>. Are your currently on overstay? Your intention is to apply for a one-year extension for the reason of retirement. No public announcement has been made yet but it appear that since November 1, 2013 the nationals of seven additional countries, including the USA, now get visa-exempt permission to stay also on land borders. Do that border run and if necessary pay the overstay fine, then follow the procedure outlined by beechguy, ie change to non-O visa at the immigration office, followed some 60 days later by extension of stay. I enter LOS 10 August, havent overstayed yet current visa expires 7 Nov, I am a British national. My intention was to apply for a 1 year visa extension on the grounds of retirement, but money not seasoned, by Nov 10 money only seasoned 1 month. Dont follow what you mean here "get visa-exempt permission to stay also on land borders" Do you mean the people from USA now get visa-exempt status when entering Thailand from adjoining land......Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia? My consulate claim they called Thai immigration in CM, and were told only 2 month "seasoning" necessary not 3......I thought it was 3 months. I have had extensions for retirement several times, but when returning from US in August, I entered on new Non-immigrant O, so is this considered a first time to apply for retirement extension? My point is they (retirement extensions) are not contiguous, my visa acquired in US was not an extension of any kind. Edited November 4, 2013 by thairat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 It is definitely TWO for the FIRST extension and THREE for all later ones. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beechguy Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Let's see if I understand your situation correctly. You arrived in Thailand on <date unknown> with a single-entry non-O visa and received permission to stay for 90 days, ie until <date unknown>. Are your currently on overstay? Your intention is to apply for a one-year extension for the reason of retirement. No public announcement has been made yet but it appear that since November 1, 2013 the nationals of seven additional countries, including the USA, now get visa-exempt permission to stay also on land borders. Do that border run and if necessary pay the overstay fine, then follow the procedure outlined by beechguy, ie change to non-O visa at the immigration office, followed some 60 days later by extension of stay. I enter LOS 10 August, havent overstayed yet current visa expires 7 Nov, I am a British national. My intention was to apply for a 1 year visa extension on the grounds of retirement, but money not seasoned, by Nov 10 money only seasoned 1 month. Dont follow what you mean here "get visa-exempt permission to stay also on land borders" My consulate claim they called Thai immigration in CM, and were told only 2 month "seasoning" necessary not 3......I thought it was 3 months. Your question to Maestro's comment, he simply worded it differently, we are talking about the same thing. First application is 2 months, 3 months there after, for financials. Also, I would consider obtaining a re-entry permit once you have the extension in place, single entry is 1000 Baht, and multi is 3800 Baht, it will keep the extension valid when you exit Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 No question about it, you guys are hero's! You provide an invaluable service for those of us lost in the morass of Thai visa's, this is very serious stressful stuff.....and difficult to follow the spaghetti system of Thai visas. You can bask in the glow I feel inside....thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Previously and for the past six years or so only nationals of Malaysia got 30 days on land borders, since November 1 apparently also nationals of USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan, ie the so-called G7 countries. See this topic: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/678982-30-day-stamp-land-crossing-in-ranong/#entry6993577 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 6, 2013 Author Share Posted November 6, 2013 (edited) Update: Departure/Entry Mae Sai bridge Thailand/Myanmar border for British citizen Thai immigration office on the bridge itself Myanmar immigration almost on the bridge or river bank. Entry into Myanmar 500 Thai baht Entry into Thailand for British subject (land border)........Free......30 days stamped into passport. When I entered Myanmar, Immigration asked me if I was going shopping or just returning to Thailand, I said just returning and left the office, just outside the office an immigration official asked to see my passport, after viewing my stamp he turned me around a pointed me back to Thailand, apparently they stamp passport differently if shopping locally vs immediately walking back to Thailand. I noticed a sign on the window of the immigration office Show XX,XXX baht transit visa Show XX,XXX baht for Non-immigrant visa Show XX,XXX baht blah blah blah visa They didnt ask me to show anything other than my passport and completed departure card for the 30 day stamp in my passport. This implies they issue visa's like this at the bridge? I would not have thought so! Thanks guys! :-) Edited November 6, 2013 by thairat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 Was the sign in the range of 10k baht to 30k baht. I think it is the amount of money you need to prove you have enough money to live on if they were to ask for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thairat Posted November 6, 2013 Author Share Posted November 6, 2013 Yes, that is about right, so could they have issued me a 3 month non-immigrant visa right there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 No they can not issue a visa but if you have a visa you could use for entry (many people do visit borders for a new visa entry). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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