Tod Daniels

You have your wires crossed a bit, a single entry tourist visa is VALID for 3 month <- that means you have 3 months to ENTER thailand and when you do you get stamped in for 60 days. You can get one 30 day extension on that for 1900baht at the immigration office where you stay. Then you're done You could get a 6 month METV <- Multi-Entry Tourist Visa.. That visa is valid for 6 months from the date it's issued, it's unlimited entry with each entry getting you 60 days, and you can extend each entry once by 30 more days. Work that visa correctly and you can get almost 9 months of stay out of it. That'd be the choice, because this isn't the thailand it was pre-covid-sh*t show when people lived here on back to back free entry stamps, 30 day extensions and/or tourist visa entries..

I finally found a cancellation of extension from Cham Churi Square based on employment. As you can see from the dates the person went IN to the office to cancel the extension on July 1st, and their termination date was the 21 of July. The officer cancelled their extension on the first of July and gave them permission to stay until the 21st <- if you go a few weeks before the date on your termination paperwork they'll do the same thing to you and that should give you plenty of time to get to Chaengwattana to apply for the year extension based on retirement Sincerely good luck with it, and as I might have mentioned GO to Chaengwattana before you cancel your current extension. Go to Section L-1, the first cubby hole on the right in that section has a sign that says "Document Checking" and you can get the hand out from them that lists all the requirements to get the year extension. That way you can pull it off in one try.. Also helps to book an appt with the online booking system (which you can do up to a month ahead) because then you just show up 20 minutes before the appt, get your documents checked in that first cubby and go straight to Counter 32 in Section L-1 without needing to get a queue number from the front counter Here's the online link ONLINE APPT FOR BANGKOK you want this choice

That is usually requested for the year extension of stay, and when someone is applying for the initial first yearly extension using banked money method because their seasoning requirement is only 2 months <- that's why I said get a 3 month print out BUT There is no harm in having a year transaction print out although as you mentioned some banks can't print any more than 6 months on demand and the year has to be ordered taking about 4 or 5 days to get

That comment would NOT apply to Chaengwattana. You have to have proof of a current 90 day report <- meaning you have a receipt showing when your NEXT 90 day report is due. Had someone on a year extension WITH a re-entry permit come back into the country (which resets the 90 day count down) try to get a COR at Section B out at Chaengwattana with the previous 90 day report receipt and they were told; come back after you've filed a new 90 day report. They charge you 200baht, give you an EMS receipt and mail it to the address you have a TM30 filed under.. You get it in about 5 days Chaengwattana seems to really be sticklers for the requirements they have set up to issue Certificates of Residence to people. This is the form and the additional hand out they give you when you want to apply for the resident certificate and even though that "requirements" says "previous" 90 day report receipt they mean one that shows your NEXT 90 day report not one you got earlier but left the country on before it was due ????

You can cancel your extension at Cham Churi Square up to three weeks before your actual termination date on the paperwork from your employer <- they will cnacel the work permit/extension and give you a stamp letting you stay until the termination date, That gives you plenty of time to go get the bank letter, the documents, and go apply at Chaengwattana for your extension. The Bank LETTER can be up to 7 days old at C/W although your bank book must be updated the date you apply for the extension, and you need a 3 month print out of the detail transaction report which most banks can do on the spot. You DO need to have the funds fully seasoned the 2 months before you apply for the new extension as well as have all the documents required but it's pretty straight forward. Believe me people do "reason changes" for extensions all the time. ESPECIALLY employment to retirement or employment to marriage ???? those are done the most. One final time so sandyf catches on, you're NOT doing anything VISA-wise. An extension of stay is NOT a visa, it's exactly what the stamp says, an extension of stay, (you got it FROM a visa, but that visa expired long ago) You're just changing the reason for your extension is all. Totally can be done, totally can be done over a period of a couple weeks if you cancel your employment extension early like I mentioned

You just won't give it a rest, they are not here ON a visa <- they are on an extension of stay and there is no issue AT ALL with changing the reason for an extension. people do it all the time Employment to marriage, marriage to retirement, retirement to marriage, education to marriage, employment to retirement <- those are REASON CHANGES. and have nothing to do with changing a visa type at the MFA or leaving the country.

How about you stick with what you know (here's a hint it is NOT entry/visa/extension stuff) The O/P is on an extension of stay, they can cancel that up to 3 weeks early at Cham Churi Square and that gives them plenty of time to apply for the year extension at Chaengwattana

You need to understand that you don't have any Non-B visa right now and you will NOT be applying for a Non-O visa either ???? You are on a yearly extension of stay (or sometimes a 2 year one as you get your extensions at Cham Churi Square's One Stop Service Center) As I said you will not apply for a Non-O visa inside the country. All you are doing is changing the REASON for your extension from one based on employment to one based on retirement. You will take documentation from your employer to C/C Square a few weeks before your termination date, cancel the current extension you're on <- they will give you a new stamp allowing you to stay until the termination date. Then you meet the requirements and go to Chaengwattana to apply for a yearly extension of stay based on being over 50 (retirement) <- in Section L-1 at the main immigration office for 1900baht. Cham Churi Square only cancels your current extension, they won't issue a new extension based on retirement, that's done at Chaengwattana. I would say well before you're going to do this cancel extension/apply for a new one you slog on out to Chaengwattana and get the hand out listing the requirements for the yearly extension of stay from the first cubbyhole on the right as you walk in to Section L-1 (it has a sign that says "Document Check" on the entry. That way you can have everything ready for when you do go to apply. Remember you need the 800K baht banked in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you APPLY for the extension. People change the reason for extensions all the time, and going from an extension based on employment to one based on being over 50 (retirement) is pretty straightforward even though you are dealing with two different offices

I went out there Tuesday the 15th and the station to the pink line was not open, and the guards there said there are no plans for it to open in the immediate future. You take a taxi from exit number one downstairs at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat and it's about 50 baht to the door of the immigration office in building B at the government complex

I found this https://www.pattayamail.com/chiangmaimail/thai-e-visa-service-to-streamline-application-process-433796

Okay just confirmed thru a border bounce service out of Chiang Mai (and having some one ask on a C/M f/b page) that the Lao crossing at Chiang Saen / Special Economic Zone (Kings Romans Casino) breaks down like this; It's 100baht to get the boat across to the Lao side. On the Lao side they will ask 2000baht for the Lao Visa On Arrival <- (you HAVE TO BUY ONE), but if you just give them 1500 they will accept it ???? Then the boat ride back is 200 baht ???? not much you can do other than swim back ???? So 1800baht all in AND it takes a full page plus entry/exit stamps because the lao visa sticker is one page.. It is NOT a day pass 10USD anything to get in to Lao and back

I believe you're in error there with that advice.., The Chiang Saen border with Lao DEFINITELY will sell you a Visa On Arrival for 1800baht, and not a "day pass for 10USD" <- which is what the BURMA borders do The Chiang Saen border goes across to the Special Economic Zone (Kings Romans Casino Complex), you take the boat across and back It's not that much faster (or any cheaper) than the Chiang Khong border just a ways away that has the friendship bridge to cross into Lao

You will need to have your landlord or yourself file a TM 30 showing you're registered as staying at that address before you apply for your yearly extension. And when you do apply you will need lease, you should also have the land lord thai I/D copy, house book copy but might not be asked for them.

You can only use Thai children as a reason for an extension until they are 20 years old. So your child is out as a reason to get an extension. I would say before you divorce go to the Thai consulate in Savannakhet Lao and get a year-long, multi-entry non-o visa based on marriage. That Visa is valid for a year from the day they issue it whether you divorce or not. On that visa you have to bounce in and out every 90 days, but you can do that for a whole year (even if you divorce or won't invalidate the visa). You can get almost 15 months of stay out of that year long, multi entry Non-O visa.

As people (most astute than myself) pointed out IF you are on an OA visa yearly EXTENSION OF STAY <-(not the original year entries from the visa), you can indeed "change the reason" for the extension to the one you currently have based on being over 50 (retirement) to one based on marriage to a thai AND you would not need to continue the insurance. You have to be on a yearly extension though because the rule is you must get at least the FIRST extension on a visa for the reason it was issued <- meaning seeing as you got the OA for being over 50, you'd have to have at least one yearly extension for that reason before you could apply for a yearly extension the following year for a different reason. Well spotted Dr Jack.. That was good you brought that up ????

They were making some people who didn't have proof of lodging for the whole 60 days BOOK hotels right there before you could apply Just make a booking for the whole 60 days you'll get for the tourist visa and then cancel it after you get the visa issued

These are the steps to get OFF an OA extension, on to an O visa and then a year extension based on retirement EXIT the country close to your current OA extension expiring, Enter the country on a free visa exempt entry for 30 days, immediately GO to your immigration office and apply for the 90 day Non-O visa by meeting the proof of funds and supplying the required documentation, you pay the 2000baht Wait the 14 to 21 days the under consideration is (depending on the office you use) Go back to the office on that date, get a Non-O visa and a new 90 day stamp inked in Wait until you have 30 days or less left on that stamp Go back to apply for a year extension by meeting the financial requirements, supplying the required documentation and paying 1900baht. The retirement extension is issued on the spot (unless you're in Jomtien or Phuket which have you leave the passport and pick it up the next day) That's how you do it above the table without an agent by meeting the requirements on your own. I mean face it if you have a yearly OA extension now you already DO meet the requirements ???? The tough part is getting OFF that OA, on to a stamp you can apply for an O visa from and then getting thru the steps

I totally concur with what Brit Tim says.. You will NOT get a tourist visa in Savannakhet and in fact you won't even get in the gate once they see your entry/stay history. They are turning away DROVES of people every week now However if you follow the guidelines for the tourist visa in Vientiane <- that means have proof of confirmed lodging for the 60 days you will be in thailand, have proof of a bank account with 20K baht in it for the last 3 months, have proof that you are flying OUT of thailand in 60 days, you should (no guarantees of course) be able to pull a single entry tourist visa from Vientiane for 1000baht. They won't even let you in the gate if you can't get it. Another consulate that appears NOT to take into consideration entry/stay history (at least not to the degree that HCMC, Hanoi & Savannakhet do) is Penang Malaysia so that might be another option for you ..

Hands down CNX is an easier entry point than either DMK or BKK. In fact I couldn't find any reports of denial of entry from CNX. If you're coming back in, have proof of onward travel in the 30 days you'll get stamped in. They'll ask for that first if they're going to hassle you or deny you entry.

If you get a year long, multi-entry, non-immigrant type O Visa based on marriage to a thai, you are correct that Visa sticker cannot be transferred into another passport. Period, End of story If you get a new passport while the Visa in the old passport is still valid when you travel out and back in every 90 days to activate a new 90-day entry on that year-long Visa you will show both passports each time, and you will be stamped in and out on the new passport. There is no way to get a Visa sticker issued from a Thai consulate in another country transferred to a new passport. Only entry stamps, and or extensions of stay can be transferred.

You're out nothing by slogging down to the Savannakhet Thai Consulate but I can almost guarantee you won't get a tourist visa from them with that entry/stay history. I doubt you will even get in the gate ???? AND as people pointed out for Vientiane you need to MEET the requirements for the tourist visa, especially the banked money, the confirmed lodging for 60 days AND the proof of flight out in 60 days. Vientiane is a totally workable consulate IF you meet the requirements and it's a totally BAD consulate to choose if you don't. So I take it from your entry history you burned BOTH the visa exempt entries you are allowed by land in a calendar year? If that's the case and you are unsuccessful at both Vientiane and Savannakhet what ever you do DO NOT fly back in to either Bangkok airport. You are almost sure to be denied entry at DMK or BKK. If you can't get the tourist visa and have to fly in go to Chiang Mai or Phuket.. <- Those two have the least denial of entry of any international airports in thailand. If you're comin' back visa exempt (as in you don't get a tourist visa) definitely have the 20K baht in CASH, proof of onward travel in 30 days and proof of lodging. If they're gonna deny you entry they'll ask for onward travel before anything else.

It is totally possible to get a tourist visa in Savannakhet, IF you don't have an extensive entry/stay history in your passport. If you milked 2+ years of covid extensions, have a b/s, back door ED or volunteer visa or took two free visa exempt entries last year and then the two this year already, you may run in to problems. They also appear to be a "one and done" consulate, if you have a previous recent tourist visa you can't get another one. They tightened up because they were being hit hard by the visa run companies and some Mondays there'd be over 300 people in line. You definitely show the funds in a bank account like it says on the website as well. Word has it Vientiane (which requires à booked online appt to get in the gate, and more stringent requirements) doesn't care about previous entry stay history as much of at all

There is no issue at all bouncing out and back at the Mae Sai / Tachileik border, in a matter of minutes if you want to. 500 baht or a pristine 10 dollar US bill gets you a 14 day entry permit and you can stamp in and right back out of you want to.

Thai Visa Centre doesn't do visa runs, they hawk visas. From Bangkok, Thai Visa Service runs to Savannakhet twice a week and leave from the Tesco Lotus On Nut parking. http://www.thaivisaservice.com

Okay if you fly in and are denied entry as a rule they give you the option to go back to where you just flew in from Although you need to keep in mind that if you raise a fuss with them they can (at their discretion) send you back to the country of passport origin) <- so if you're denied entry by air while you're free to try to negotiate getting in do not argue with them to the point they decide you're going "home" ???? Where as IF you're denied entry by land they just turn you around and send you back to the country you just stamped out of <- meaning that country cancels your exit stamp and lets you back in Then you go to an airport to fly in or try to 'negotiate' a way in the following day <- that last one is seen a LOT at the Aranyaprathet / Poipet border where they will deny you entry and as soon as you're stamped back in to Cambodia two guys will approach you and say "we can get you in tomorrow when the border opens for xxx USD" ???? They can indeed get you in AT that border, without any difficulty, but it happens so much, and like clockwork that I think both sides of the border are in on it along with the touts who approach people when they're denied. Another good bit of info, IF you're denied by air do NOT (as in under NO circumstances) sign that form in thai that they fill in. Don't sign it, you don't get a denial of entry stamp in your passport, just shipped out. Sign it and you DO get that denial stamp in your passport. That's how it works and I know over a dozen people denied entry by air who refused to sign the form and did not get a denial of entry stamp in their passport. I mean it's still IN the immigration computer system but there's NO half page stamp saying you were denied in your passport