Conrad65

I had same experience with lady IO on arrival visa exempt ten days ago at BKK international. First asked if I had visa, and I explained no as I will enter visa exempt. Thereafter careful examination of passport with recent entry stamp and extensions (extended because was unable to get Non O at Samui immigration as per my posts elsewhere). Then asked how long I planned to stay - answered 30 days. I was not asked to provide evidence of funds or onward flight.

The above was handled very politely by IO and is standard line of questioning in most countries, especially if you have a recent history of visits and extensions. In the past I've even been stopped by UK immigration (I'm a UK national) and asked how long I was planning to stay (I've resided overseas all my adult life).

7 hours ago, les1 said:

Most of you seem to be talking about the A-O visa & it's requirements. I am looking at London Embassy who offer a retirees visa for 90 days only. I understand that this could mean 90 days full stop. Understanding the way Thailand works I don't know if it could be extended nothing is ever clear, Obviously no one on this Forum knows & that is fine. Thank you..

Could you post the link to the visa application at the London embassy...I'd like to make an application. Thanks.

Any users familiar with Samui procedures and able to advise please let me know. Thanks.

Shipped 30 cbm of household domestic goods (furniture, clothes, electrical items, bicycles, etc.) last month from the middle east to Thailand using AGS (they have branches globally including Thailand). The advantage with using AGS was I only dealt with one shipping and clearing entity. Having read some advice elsewhere on this forum and other users previous experiences I was concerned about customs treatment here.

Total fees in incurred in Thailand ThB 36,000 (customs clearance, demurrage, etc.). Door-to-door service from country of origin to Samui. I was present when the truck arrived and was unloaded on Samui. Not a single box (of 140) had been opened.

Declared value was done by AGS at country of origin and passed on to AGS Thailand - I think it was around USD 10,000. This was substantially less than the actual value. I did not insure the items as my understanding was that customs may use this as a baseline number to determine values. I'm on a tourist visa currently. To get duty free entitlement a work visa is required. But, when I looked in to declared values and how customs here determine what's duty/tax free it didn't seem to make much difference.

Anyway, I was surprised and very happy to witness all 140 boxes unloaded and installed in to my property on Koh Samui. It could not have been more straight forward and problem free! Unlike my attempts to get a long stay visa ????

I’ve recently extended my 30 day visa exempt for an additional 30 days at Samui immigration - very straight forward, but…..went there today to apply for 90 day non o and was met by a lot of confusion and misdirection ‘No can do’ etc. Am I missing something about what or how to ask or apply? I have 800k in bank, blue house book, etc. 

Regarding TM30….what if I’m staying in my own property?

Thanks for the advice ubonjoe & BritTim....will visit Samui Immigration this coming week, after the 18th!

18 hours ago, BritTim said:

Immigration will be closed from tomorrow, reopening Monday April 18. (when they will probably be insanely busy).

For conversion to Non O (90 days) will I be out of time after 18 April? I've read reference to applying no less than 15 days prior to end of stay (I arrived 01 April visa exempt 30 days)? 

Understood, thanks for shedding light on subject.

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is not 90 day extension you can apply for.

You could apply for the 30 day extension of your visa exempt entry and then a 60 day covid 19 extension prior to May 24th.

Great, thanks....that gives me sufficient time in Thailand for now. I'm also considering a conversion to Non immigrant with 90 day stay.

21 hours ago, BritTim said:

As noted above, there is no 90-day extension of a tourist (including visa exempt) entry with the special exceptions of medical extensions or extensions due to involvement in a court case.

 

Under certain circumstances, apart from the regular 30-day extension and possible 60-day Covid extension, you may be able to apply for a "conversion" Non Immigrant visa at Immigration. This is not an extension, but results in you having a fresh 90-day permission to stay.

Thanks - I think that's what I had in mind (convert to Non Immigrant visa with an additional 90 days). I'll have sufficient funds deposited in three days' time and showing as coming from out of country. Would you know if Immigration (Samui) will be open over Songkran? I understand I need to request the conversion max 15 days prior to end of 30 day visa exempt period, so it might be tight if there's govt. holiday and closures.

Dear Forum Members,

I'm UK passport holder and entered Thailand on 30 Day visa exempt on April 1st. Can I apply for a 90 day day extension at my local immigration office (Samui), or do I need to do a 30 day extension first? And, if possible to do 90 day extension what are the requirements/documents to be submitted?

My original intention was to apply for retirement Non 0, but I need to exit Thailand for three months from mid-July so would rather postpone this until I return in October.

Thanks in advance for advise and feedback.

21 hours ago, zib said:

I got a recent email from Finnair stating they will not require a pre-departure PCR-test from me after 1 april.

 

Update: Qatar airways also lists "Effective April 1, 2022, the pre-departure RT-PCR COVID-19 test will no longer be required for all travellers to Thailand."

I’m flying with Qatar Airways from Doha today (31st March) and arriving Bangkok April 1st - just to be on safe side have pre-departure PCR test….am assuming requirement for pre-departure test is dropped tomorrow….after waiting so long to travel I’d be gutted to be refused at airport today!

Re. ‘Which airlines require PCR test independent of country rules’….Qatar Airways requesting PCR for March 31st departure (Doha) April 1st arrival (BKK). I was planning to do one regardless just to be safe.

Just needed bare bones basic to cover entry requirements. I'm fully vaccinated, plus booster, and recent recovery from Covid - I'll just need to hope I don't end up in so called 'close contact' from flight or airport transfer ????

Great, thanks Pib....my first port of call. Any idea about customs exemptions and my residence status? I’m unlikely to be able enter Thailand until the new year (can’t see current restrictions being lifted before then) and will come in on 30 day visa exempt tourist entry, before converting to OA non-immigrant then retirement extension of stay (I think those are the steps). Meanwhile expect shipping to arrive Oct/Nov.

I appreciate this might be the wrong forum to post - maybe someone can direct me to a more appropriate forum? I’m relocating to Thailand and in the process of organizing a container of household items (furniture, household goods, electronic goods, clothing, etc.) to be shipped door-to-door for arrival in three month's time. Does anyone have any guidance or advice about minimizing customs duties and clearance fees? I shipped furniture (just a sofa and a couple of arm chairs) out from the UK last year as a trial run, and it arrived safely, with a ThB 4,500 customs and clearance fee. As this time it’s a container load I just want to make sure I avoid as much as possible any pitfalls. Thanks in advance.

Temperature check on arrival. Transit only, no entry allowed. Maintain social distancing, plenty of signs and assistance. Wear a face-mask. Otherwise all good there.

Thanks, ubanjoe!

I did go in to the local embassy a few years back and asked - the response was one of puzzlement....'But, you from UK. must go back'! It was probably an unusual request for them. Anyway, now I have a friend-of-a-friend in the embassy in Doha so I'll follow up through that route and see what they say.

Otherwise it sounds like a trip back to the UK to arrange a non-immigrant O A or as ubonjoe suggested 'You could enter the country on a 30 day visa exempt entry or a tourist visa and apply for 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration and then apply for the one year extension based upon retirement during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the visa.'

If I came in on a 30 day visa exempt entry and applied for a 90 day non immigrant visa can I exit and re-enter on the same 90 day visa? Or does exiting void the 90 day non immigrant visa?

Thanks for the replies. I'm a resident of Qatar (for my sins!).

I'm a UK national and passport holder (born in the UK) residing overseas. Planning for retirement / extension of stay permission for Thailand. I've recently made a deposit of the required ThB 800,00 to my bank in Thailand. I have some questions regarding the logistics of the process / steps involved. Do I have to return to the UK to start the application process or can I enter Thailand on a non-immigrant visa (O/A?)? Can I get  a non-immigrant O/A from a Thai embassy other than the UK?

Next question is, assuming I'm in Thailand using whatever is the correct first step, how long would it usually take to arrange the extension of stay, and how long before I could exit Thailand?

Hope this clear what I'm trying to understand. Thank you.