claynlr

What is "1 Baht" gold? I have seen it on the forum..1 baht..2 baht...but never knew what it means.

As soon as I saw the headline on my TV breaking news e-mail, I knew Costas was already catching hell! ( I was right! )

If one doesn't want to rehash or answer the question...just don't reply! Seems easy...no need to get nasty about it. Geeezzzz

Prize....head of immigration.....don't forget the Work Permit Joe!

That's what I thought. It's really strange they don't update their site. I guess it's TIT in the U.S. too!

I copied this off the Washington Thai Embassy web site:

Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom

I wanted to post a link to info on the Chicago consulate but they have very little info on their website about the OA visa just a short blip mixed in with other visa info.

Yes Joe, it looks like Washington is the best choice due to no notarization. Just another thing you do not have to worry about. If you would be mailing the application, like I would , the visa will arrive back to you at the same time no matter which office you use (except for maybe more time to approve due to that office's work load...but we have no way of knowing that!).

Never mind Joe..you are right as always!!! The EMBASSY is Washington!!! Chicago is a consulate!!! I apologize!

Joe- the link you gave is Washington and they do not ask for notary as you say...but you mention Chicago who does ask for notary...

Thanks for all the time and effort you (and many others) put in to help people like me who are making one of the biggest steps of our lives!!

A question on getting 2 years validity, if you work it right, on an O-A acquired in the States. Say the visa validity starts on Jan 1 2015(validity starts when you arrive in LOS?) and you leave and re-enter December 30, 2015. You would get stamped in for another year, until December 30,2016. Are you still receiving multi entries or where those only for the 2015 year? I guess what I am asking is in the second year (2016) you cannot leave and re-enter and get another 12 months of validity on the original visa forever. The visa has to end sometime! The part that has me confused is when it's stated ( in TV) "you leave and when you return you get stamped for another year"

Never mind guys ...I goy my answer on the other thread thats running!

I did not look at the other sites but the L.A. site info looks clear and concise as Al stated. If I go this route (O-A in States) I am just going to mail to them.

A question on getting 2 years validity, if you work it right, on an O-A acquired in the States. Say the visa validity starts on Jan 1 2015(validity starts when you arrive in LOS?) and you leave and re-enter December 30, 2015. You would get stamped in for another year, until December 30,2016. Are you still receiving multi entries or where those only for the 2015 year? I guess what I am asking is in the second year (2016) you cannot leave and re-enter and get another 12 months of validity on the original visa forever. The visa has to end sometime! The part that has me confused is when it's stated ( in TV) "you leave and when you return you get stamped for another year"

Spokane Al--It says on the LA website that the bank info, police check, and med clearance have to be notorized. Did you sign all these documents and have YOUR signature notorized? Or did you get the signatures of the doc, bank official, and someone at the courthouse notorized?

A few questions on filling out a TM.87. I entered on Visa Exempt and want to convert to Non-O. Some of these might seem self explanatory but this will be my first TM87 and I don't want to get to Immigration and have to redo it. I am from the U.S.

ON FRONT PAGE

1. "Immigration Bureau"....The office where you are applying?

2. After you fill in all the passport number and passport issue date it asks "issued at".....New Orleans? USA? I don't have my passport in front of me, maybe this is on the info page of passport?

3. After the passport "valid until" info it asks for "kind of visa".... Is this what visa you entered on? As in my case, Visa Exempt? Or the type Visa I am requesting?

ON BACK PAGE

1. "Address in Thailand"....Can this be the hotel I am staying at and will I need to bring any paperwork from hotel?

2. "This application is written by"...My name if I filled it out? And if I did fill out, whose address goes below that?

Thanks guys!

On the conversion of visa exempt to non-O with the plan to get extension based on retirement at the appropiate time....what will I enter on" Purpose"
or "Reason" for visa on the TM.87 form? (don't know the exact lingo as I don't have the TM.87 in front of me.) Just "retirement" OK? Or "investigating retirement"?

Thanks Joe...Since I asked this question on the 12th, I have been doing forum research on the Immigration office in Nakhon Sawan and alot of posts that say the Embassy letter at that office can only be 30 days old. Some of these posts (maybe all?) are a couple of years old though. Has the law changed to 6 months recently or is this a quirk with this office. I think they follow what CM does as they fall ynder CM's jurisdiction.

Does anyone know if Nakhon Sawan will do the conversion to Non-O?

I have read this before but cannot for the life of me find it. How many months is the income letter from your embassy valid for and accepted at Thai Immigration? I was thinking that when I get this letter from the embassy I would just pay for two originals and use one for conversion to non-O and the other for the retirement extension two months after and save another trip to the Embassy. I would be wary of taking a copy of the first letter for the retirement extension!

The advantages seem great....my account opening went very smooth also. There web site is tops.

No..your BKK account will be the same...no need to open another.

I am over 50 but not retired...my question is can I still get a retirement extension and not really be retired?

Let me pose this question to all...If I have all the required documents and have the monetary requirements of a visa exempt to non-o conversion and then get a retirement extension...do I really have to be retired? As in I still have my job in the Middle East and visit 4 times a year using a multi re-entry permit?

This has really confused now, having been on an Non "B" + WP or Non "O" or Non "OA" and/or extensions for some 13 years now.

Why was I always under the impression that the Non "O" visa could only be issued from an off shore Consulate/Embassy? Unless I'm wrong I read this thread as saying the Non "O" can be obtained in Bangkok and some other offices.

It is not really a true non-o visa like you would get at an embassy or consulate.

It is non immigrant visa only valid for the date it issued. Most of the time is only valid for as long as it takes the immigration officer to do the 90 day entry stamp. It is only issued based upon qualifying for an extension of stay. For retirement you have to provide the financial proof needed for the extension.

If you are over 50 and have the money in the bank can you get the non-o from a visa exempt even if you are not wanting the retirement extension?? i.e. you just want an easy to get 90 day visa? It's just 2000 baht.

I understand the 60 days seasoning of 800,000 baht in bank for the retirement extension... but when you apply for non-O (after entering on visa exempt) you also have to have 800,000 in a Thai bank (does not have to be seasoned) to receive the conversion from visa exempt to non-O?