stephenb465

if I apply for a re-entry permit, which will cost 1,000 baht, do you foresee any problems if I'm out for Thailand for 6 months?

From what I understand, I should only get a multiple re entry if i exit Thailand more than 4 times in one year

Thanks for clearly that up for me, I had thought when you apply for a retirement visa, while in Thailand, you have a chose of the two (Single or Multiple) but it's actually a function after you have obtained the Retirement Visa. (please correct me if I'm wrong)

Thanks for the replay ubonjoe

​Seems straight forward to me

​I have another question,

when i apply for my retirement visa in Chiang mai, should I get Multiple or Singe

I plan to exit Thailand at lest twice per year.

Cost of single visa:1,900 baht

Cost of Multiple visa ??

When I exit thailand when i have my retirement visa, if i have single, what requirements is required so that i retain my retirement visa?

Thanks

Update: I'm now applying for my visa in Laos, while there i plan to tour about on my motorbike for 10 days

Within 7 days i fly to Thailand on a visa on arrival, then go to Laos vientiane within 30 days and apply for a Non immigrate 90 day visa so i can start applying for the retirement visa in Chiang mai.

Just a final check before I head over to Vientiane, has anything changed? or someone with personal experience so I get this trip done without any problems?

Things I'm taking with me:

Passport and two photo copies

2x passports photos of myself

A letter saying where I live in Chiang mai and a copy of my Condominium Title

Curriculum Vitae

Visa application form

and my bank book with a balance of 800,000 baht

1,900Baht fee

Medical certificate (Not required)

Police Clearance (Not required)

is that all I need?

Thanks in advance

fussing

I am planing to enter Thailand on the 30 days visa exempt at the end of the year and have been looking at my options.

my base is Chiang Mai.

my goal: Convert Visa on arrival (30days) to a Non-immigrate visa

The way i see it, we have two options, Bangkok or Vientiane.

Bangkok, you need to apply for your Non-immigrant visa 21 days before your current visa expires and then a return visit after a couple of weeks to pick it up.

Vientiane, Exit Thailand before your current visa runs out and head over to Vientiane and apply for your Non-immagrant visa, received the next day.

generally the paperwork is the same, but jacksam, pointed out a good point I didn't know about, (demonstrate that these funds came from abroad)

I took the Non Immigrant O-A route applying in my home country. Why? Simple I wanted the security of knowing I had just a few days shy of 2 years in Thailand before I slimmed my life down to 2 suitcases and a carry on.

Sure it cost $381 US (13,500 THB today) but I had the security of knowing where I stood with Thai immigration for 2 years. Yes it took a little more time in my country, but I wasn't in Thailand looking for some piece of paper that immigration wants that I don't have.

Everybody has different circumstances, but if possible I'd suggest taking the time and effort to obtain the O-A.

Please explain how a visa that costs $200 can end up costing you $181 more than the norm

Even with Express Mail to and from @ $19.99 X 2 = $39.98, that still leaves $142 not accounted for. The only additional cost I have ever incurred was $10 for a police report from my home state

I agree with your reasoning for getting an O-A, I just can't understand your math

The cost do mount up when applying for the visa in your home country,

for example

I looked at doing a O-A while I was in Christchurch, at the end i could do it as I couldn't show my finances, My money is in Australia.

medical cost was going to be +200 NZD

Express mail postage (x2)

Police clearance (not sure if there is a fee for that, Australia there is, but New Zealand, I don't know)

But at the end of the day, The best option as, Langsuan Man said, is to get it in your home land.

Update

Re: Obtaining a Non-Immigrant 90 day single entry visa from Manila.

I phoned the Thai Embassy in Manila yesterday, yes I can obtain the visa but he said that they are only for Filipino nationals and Non Filipinos that are residing in the Philippines.

Normal documentation is required, such as cash of 80,000php in the bank, medical certificate and a MBI Clearance (Similar to a Police clearance back home)

However, the stumbling block for me is to obtain a copy of the MBI Clearance, which requires two visits to the center on two different days, Unfortunately for me, there is no center where i work so I'd need to fly to Manila and overnight there before returning back to work. (that done twice, big cost for flights, accommodation and time off work)

So that crosses out getting a Non-immigrant 90 day Visa either from New Zealand or the Philippines.

My plan is now:

Obtain a tourist visa in Manila either a 60 day visa or the new soon to be released 6 month visa(released on the 13th November)

Then 21 days before my visa expires, head down to Bangkok and apply for a visa conversion Tourist to Non-immigrant

I have been considering going to Laos to obtain the visa and generally i like the idea, however, if I go to Laos and the rules have somehow changed or I didn't have enough paperwork, I would then have to return back to Thailand empty handed with only a 14day visa from the border crossing. this would obviously cancel any ideas of doing anything with the Bangkok imagination. Flight out of the country would be the next option or maybe a return trip to Laos.

But if I renew in Bangkok, I would feel very confident that the process would work and my backup plan would then be to head over to Laos.

correct me if I'm wrong, the requirement for a Non-resident 90 day single entry visa is, when applying in Bangkok or Laos

cash in bank, 800,000baht some say 2 months others say just one day, (when applying for retirement visa, 2-3 months is required) I'm covered either way

CV or personal details of myself

Then the normal paperwork filled out

Medical certificate (Not required)

Police Clearance (Not required)

Cadcat;that's for the details. Interesting you were able to do this from Phuket , and you didn't have to travel to Bangkok.

maybe I should visit the local immigration office in Chiang mai and see if I can convert tourist Visa to non-immigration single entry 90 day visa.

However, others say it can not be done, but maybe the rules have changed

Can I ask another question Ubonjoe?

If I do the option of of heading over to Vientiane, will I obtain the non-immigration visa single 90 days within two or three days of applying for it? and I assume there is no restrictions on how much time I have on my current visa, as i'm out of Thailand.

If so, this sounds like the best option as you have said previously.

​Can you foresee any problems if I ride my motorbike over to Vientiane, apply for the visa then spend a couple of weeks touring about in Leos then exit at a different border, one closest to Chiang Mai.

​Then when i arrive in Thailand, I start the process of applying for my retirement visa

Another question

Requirements to obtain a single entry non-immigrant 90 days visa when applying for it in Vientiane

I'm over 50 years old, but have no thai wife or child.

Just an update

Just got off the phone with both the consulate in Auckland and the Thai embassy in Wellington, I cannot get a non-immigrant O visa single stay visa, it has to be a long stay retirement visa or a tourist visa.

(if I had a Thai wife/child then i could obtain a non-immigrant O visa 90day.)

so out of luck there

I'm now wandering if this is the same for any embassy such as in manila, that i can not obtain a Non-immigration single stay 90days visa , I'll give them a call latter today and see if I can get a clear answer

Thanks for all the feed back

Tomorrow I'll give both the New Zealand and the Manila Embassy a call and see if I can apply for a 90 day Non immigration Visa. It would be easier and less cost for me if I could get this from the Philippines out of the two options.

The other updated option is to just obtain a visa on arrival as normal (Tourist visa 30 days), the almost straight away, head down to Bangkok immigration and apply for a 90 day non immigration visa, this seems to be the cheapest option but the negative is the travelling from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

(Probable take a morning flight and then taxi to immigration, shouldn't cost to much)

Time line: Arrive in Bangkok on the 30th December, need to get to bangkok immigration before 21 days of expire date. (9th December)

(knowing my luck, Xmas holidays and closed for 2 weeks)

I've been doing some more reading up on "O" visas,

from what I have read, "O" visa is usually for an extended period such as 12 months.

However, I have heard people talking about a 90 day "O" visa, is there such a thing or are they just getting confused with the tourist visa?

Time is getting closer for me to apply for a tourist Visa for 60+30 days, which will lead me to eventually apply for a retirement visa while I'm in Thailand (Chiang mai)

is there an advantage to apply for a 30day tourest visa from my home land (New Zealand) appose to getting one in the Philippines?

I'm thinking from the angle when eventually applying for a retirement visa while I'm in Thailand before my tourist visa runs out

I will have the required deposit (800,000) in the bank for 3+ months and I'm over 50 years old

Hi there Janii

I found your inquire about renovating a bathroom, I'm soon looking at doing the same in a couple of months

I'm looking at purchasing all the equipment and just hiring someone to assist me with tiling and fittings.

would you recommend anyone from your experience?

​From what you are saying, I arrive into Thailand as normal and obtain my 30 days tourist visa.

​Then, after a couple of weeks​ (Or maybe straight away), I head down to immigration in Bangkok and apply for a Non-Immigration O visa. (90 days)

Then apply for the visa extension for 12 month.

That sounds like an other good option

Can I do this in Chiang mai? or only in Bangkok. I think I read somewhere that i had to go to Bangkok.

But I think it could be cheaper if i obtained my Tourist Visa in the Philippines, then apply of an Non-Immigration O visa. (90 days) the the 12 month extension, if I factor in the cost of extra flights and accommodation

​Or maybe I have misunderstood something here

Update

I phoned the Manila Embassy this morning and asked about applying for a Non-Immigration Visa

The reply was that they don't do an Non-Immigration Visa, but will do a tourist Visa, which will give me two months he said

what i need is:

Hotel reservation, No problems, i can book that on line and cancel once I have the visa. (I have my own condo)

Bank Statment, As long as it has over a thousand dollars. I could printout both an Australia statement and a Thai statement, will be over a thousand there

Airline tickets in and out of Thailand

Fee, 1,450Php (1,120 baht)

Seems straight forward enough for me,

My goal, to obtain a Non-Immigrant O Visa (purpose, retirement)

​I would like to get a multi entry visa

As I understand, please correct me if i'm wrong,

I can apply for an extension of my tourist for another 30 days once my tourist 60 day visa runs out

Then apply for a visa for a Non-immigrant O Visa (Retirement) which will last 12 months

and all can be done in Thailand (Chiang mai)

What I ment was, I haven't updated my BankBook for about three or more months as i just use the ATM card. So if I just update that, it may do.

I have no bank accounts in the Philippines

Yes, you are right, Probable best I call the Embassy and find out the requirements, nothing on their website

Thant's good news that a police and medical certificate isn't required when applying in Manila.

But How do I prove I have 800,000 in the Thai bank when i'm in the Philippines?

However, having said that, in November, after going to New Zealand for a week, I plan to spend two weeks in Chiang Mai. Maybe I can get my Bank book updated, or get a letter from the bank. then when i return to the Philippines, i can then apply for the visa

You don't have the bank book associated with the account ?

If not the Embassy might accept evidence of funds in a local bank.

Check with the Embassy as to their exact requirements.

Thant's good news that a police and medical certificate isn't required when applying in Manila.

But How do I prove I have 800,000 in the Thai bank when i'm in the Philippines?

However, having said that, in November, after going to New Zealand for a week, I plan to spend two weeks in Chiang Mai. Maybe I can get my Bank book updated, or get a letter from the bank. then when i return to the Philippines, i can then apply for the visa

Thanks lopburi3 and nowretired

I like the idea of obtaining the non "O" visa before leaving the Philippines,

providing I don't need to obtain a doctors report and police clearance. I'm not saying that i'm a criminal or with health issues, it's just a lot of hard work obtaining these while overseas.

I'll give the Thai Embassy a call next weeks and find out the requirements

also, I like the idea of visiting Vientiane as i could spend a couple of weeks touring about Loas.

If I decided to just enter Thailand on a visa on arrival (30Days) could I just do what you recommended nowretired? ie before my visa expires, I head over to Loas and apply for an "O" visa from Vientiane.

Come the 31st of December this year, I plan to travel to Thailand with the intention of living there for good. Therefore my end goal is obtaining a Non-Immigrant O Visa (purpose, retirement)

What's the best way should I approach this process?

October I will be 50 years old

I have 800,000 Baht in the Thai bank

I currently work in the Philippines, which will probable finish in December.

What type of visa should I apply for in manila before i fly to Thailand in December?

Tourist Visa, I think this will give me 60 days, then a 30 day extension at which point I could apply for my Non-Immigrant O Visa

or

Non-Immigrant Visa Which i know very little about

Another option is:

November I'm flying to New Zealand for a week to visit family and friends.

I have two passports, Australian and New Zealand

I could also apply for a Thai visa in New Zealand, ie post my application with my New Zealand Passport and get my family to re-forward it to me by post to the Philippines once approved.

any thoughts?

hopefully I have given enough information

Hi there

I live in Chiang Mai and its about time I write up a will, I have written it in English but not in Thai as yet.

Do I need to translate it, if so, who would you recommend in Chiang Mai. Thanks

Sent from my HTC One mini using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks Chicowoodduck,

My licence expires on the 11 march, Given that you get three months to renew your licence, I'll leave it to my break after march which would be April.

Then I'll take time out and visit Pattaya and renew it then as I'll have no problems in getting the residence certificate from my condo

thanks for the helpful information every one.

Do you think I'd complicate things if I got my resident letter from my condo in pattaya and get immigration in Chiang Mai to give me the appropriate paperwork so I can apply for a renewal of my driver’s licence.

I'm asking this because on my next visit to Thailand, I'd prefer not to travel to pattaya with the sole purpose of obtaining my drivers licence, but to travel straight to Chiang Mai

Seems to me there is a lot of work just to get the one year drivers licence, and then repeat that every year.

As I travel to Thailand every 5 weeks, makes me wander if it's worth getting a long visa just so I can get the 5 year drivers licence.

I’m looking at renewing my Thai drivers licence and have a couple of concerns

I’m currently on an one year temporary licence, expires on 11 march 2014

I arrive into Thailand on the 28 Feb 2014

I obtained the licence in Pattaya, with Pattaya address on the licence

I travel to Thailand every 5 weeks, therefore I obtain a tourist visa on arrival (30 days)

My question is:

Can I renew my licence in Chiang Mai? Or do I have to travel down to pattaya?

Would I get 5 years renewal on my current visa even in Chiang Mai? if I renewed it after the 11 march

If I can get my licence renewed in CM, do I need doctors certificate and residential letter and immigration documentation

many thanks

Stephen