OZinPattaya

12 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

You have to ask yourself, what is your reason for wanting to retire in Thailand and specifically Pattaya. For sex? Booze? Food?

Now is the time to think long and hard, before you become too heavily invested, like many here. 

I never really intended to retire permanently in Pattaya, which I like mainly  for the convenience: Good hospitals, dentists, baht bus system, every convenience at your fingertips and still a small city. I've been avoiding the bar scene. 

Thinking of going to TikToc agency today in Jomtien. I’m just worried that even an agency might fail here and I don’t want to risk 15-20k baht if I don’t know if it will work

6 minutes ago, HampiK said:

Try to figure out what else they accept others than a work permit. If they really requested only work permit from the foreigner, then I guess your second choice is to do a short rental (1 Month) for only the Non-O stamp ????.

 

Maybe some other users here have a better option for you. Often the Immigration persons make up some own rules...

Rules state that lease must be 3 months or longer. “At least 3 months”

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You have a 30 day visa exempt entry entry and will use the TM87 form.

You writing " tourist stamp conversion" made me think you have a tourist visa entry.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll also add to checklist per your attachment 

"Location map of house." For some reason I think they want  this handwritten as I've noticed from other posts. 

7 hours ago, peterbkk2 said:

Just a minor issue but I thought the fee was 2000 baht for a tourist visa/visa exempt conversion to Non-O. 1900 baht is for an extension of stay (which you won't need to do for another three months).

 

Overall we would be interested to know how you get along with this process at Jomtien. Heard reports that it could be "difficult".

Any particular issues people have had at Jomtien with the non O conversion?

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you are on an entry from a tourist visa issued by an embassy or consulate you will use a TM86 change of visa status form.

Have a look at the list from the immigration website, https://division1.immigration.go.th/download/1551323081128.pdf

Okay, now I'm confused. I thought it was a tm-87 if you were on a tourist stamp, a tm86 if on your were on a tourist visa (I.e., setv, metv). I'm on a 30 day tourist stamp. 

Hello all,

I am getting ready this week to submit my paperwork for a tourist stamp conversion to Non-O based  on retirement and just want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row and I'm not forgetting something here. Specifically, will be submitting at the Jomtien office. I'm going to try to go 22 days in advance of my visa stamp extension expiration date just in case. Not sure if they will have a problem with such an earlier appearance. I believe for the conversion at Jomtien they require 15 days in advance of visa expiry? 

I will get my bank book updated same day as I go to Jomtien. I need to get a bank guarantee letter as well (not exactly sure what this is, but I believe it confirms existence of account and current balance, correct?) I have seen in other posts dealing with annual extensions that they are requiring a bank statement as well showing all transactions for a period of time (which could take 3-5 days). This isn't needed for the initial non-O conversion, correct? Just the guarantee letter and bank book updated, yes?

I have two bank books, as Bank of Bangkok initially would not let me create a fixed deposit  account until my 800k was transferred. So blue  bank book shows the original FTT transfer of 800k. Then I transferred that 800k into the fixed deposit account (orange Bank book). Will bring both. 

Checklist:

1. Filled out TM-87 application

2. 4x6 photo, Copies of passport photo page, tm-6, visa stamp/extension, tm-30 receipt. 

3. Copy of 1-year condo lease agreement and copy of owner's passport. Have seen posted requirements that also mention house book, but owner is foreign and does not have that. Hopefully lease and passport photo of owner will suffice. They do for a tm-30.

4. Copies of bank book showing FTT 800k transfer updated that day.  Bring original bank books. 

5. Bank of Bangkok guarantee letter (you can get this same day, correct?)

6. 1900 baht.

Am I missing something here, or any concerns?

Thanks!

On 12/11/2019 at 9:24 AM, freeman01 said:

second that, would love to hear a bit of details of the theft when you have time, could be useful.

Here’s the sad and comical story in a nutshell:

Bank books and passport were in money belt concealed under my shirt. No safe in hotel. I just didn’t trust the security of the hotel so I thought it would be safer to carry on my person. Too much to drink at Sailing Club with friendly and very drunk Norwegian guy. Made the bad judgement to stop at an after-hours bar on my way back to hotel. Fight erupts between two groups of Russians and I find myself in the middle of it. Beer bottles, fists flying everywhere. People grabbing at me because they think I’m part of it. (Every white guy in Nha Trang is assumed to be Russian until proven otherwise). Somehow the money belt goes missing during the melee.

Lesson same as in Pattaya: watch the alcohol intake and use your brain. I did neither and it bit me in the @ss.

Aside from this debacle I really did like Nha Trang. Very relaxing. Good option for expats/retirees looking for an alternative to LOS. Beautiful beaches, unbelievable promenades and communal spaces. More a cafe culture than a bar culture.

UPDATE FROM OP:

Against all odds my passport and bank books were recovered by the police. They wouldn’t go into too much detail but apparently some good Samaritan reported on the individual who took them. They are not going to charge him since everything was “lost” but implied that he was detained for eviction from Vietnam. So obviously not a Vietnamese National who was the culprit. Hmm, I wonder who else it could be? The return-home baht is gone but I’m not complaining. Am now back in good old Pattaya just in time to witness the banner high in tourists here ????

thanks all for your helpful suggestions

Their websites says 24/7. I'm trying the listed overseas # 66026455555. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. 

I'm the guy who just posted about my US passport getting stolen in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Well, it gets worse. My Bank of Bangkok passbooks were also stolen in the same theft. Like an idiot I had brought them with me. The first was a blue book that showed the original FTT transfer, the second an orange book after I had transferred the 800k baht into a fixed deposit account. Now, I think I should wait till I get back to Pattaya to report these books "lost" (in Pattaya) for the requisite police report. Fortunately I know where my originating bank is and can get to it easy.  But my understanding is that Bank of Bangkok will close the original accounts before issuing new bankbooks. If they issue new books will they show the original FTT transfer of the 800k (which I understand I need when time comes for me to apply for a tourist stamp conversion to non-o based on retirement)? Basically, if they issue new books will this somehow mess me up when I apply for the non-o? I understand the non-o conversion requires no seasoning of the 800k, correct? So that shouldn't be an issue. 

What a mess. 

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

So correct. Think I mentioned above.... when back bkk and go through process of replacement full pp just say you lost it. 

Mention of stolen will open can of worms.

You don't imagine Embassy will make a bigger effort to expedite if reported stolen than lost? Probably not. I think I'll take your advice.

Even worse in Thailand. You're liable to get charged with filing a false police report if you report stolen income or property. Risky. The backpackers committing insurance fraud to finance their holidays has led to this. 

Just for future reference to anyone who loses a passport in Nha Trang (and perhaps most of Vietnam in general).

1. Bring a translator! The officer insisted on my having a translator. My sweet mama-san hotel manager and husband met me at police station. God bless them.

2. If money was also stolen, do not report this. Just take it for a loss. They are extremely reluctant to file police reports over stolen income and may outright refuse to create a report at all.

3. Report passport as "lost" to police even if stolen. It amounts to the same thing anyway, and in my case they made me fill out a second police report stating that it was lost, end of story. 

If US passport, and I imagine other countries, you MUST get a local police report even for lost passports in order to obtain an emergency passport. This has to do with the now nonexistent entry stamp, I believe. 

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, easy from couch in Thailand but I would go to airport and deal directly with staff either vietjet or Jetstar. Do you have photo ID. DL from home country? 

Fly to Saigon and obtain emergency pp there. I might even consider just saying that I lost it.

Good luck

On their website JetStar says for domestic travel a passport is "usually" not required, just photo id, so I will probably go that way, thanks for the suggestion.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

As I mentioned previously. Better advice will come along. Esp from Ubonjoe. Think he is USA so expert advice soon.

In meantime my concern is not just obtaining emergency pp.

Years ago I was about to travel from Los to Vietnam and realized my pp was about to end. I went to Oz embassy bkk and applied for replacement pp along with emergency pp.

I returned in 8 days and both emergency and new "normal" pp had arrived. Yes that's correct. So the embassy staff made me accept the emergency pp, sign doc. Then hand it back, cancel it and then hand my new full passport over to me.

Point is you would need apply for emergency pp in Saigon then pp in Thailand. How would that work.

BTW...I keep referring to it as emergency pp. It may have another name. Looks exactly same as normal pp. With one/2 pages

Yes, my plan was to get the emergency passport in Saigon and then apply in person for permanent passport at US Embassy in Bangkok the day after I get there. 

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, easy from couch in Thailand but I would go to airport and deal directly with staff either vietjet or Jetstar. Do you have photo ID. DL from home country? 

Fly to Saigon and obtain emergency pp there. I might even consider just saying that I lost it.

Good luck

Yes, US driver's license and picture/copy of passport. 

Just now, moe666 said:

Emergency passports are usually only good for a departure flight out of the country were issued. You can use them for hotel as well but have a short life span.

I thought that was only the case with the so-called emergency travel document, not emergency passport. Will call US Embassy tomorrow and see if they know for sure.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Man that's bad luck. In Los you can fly domestic with photo ID. Such as DL.

Not sure about Vietnam. Nha Trang is a hike from Saigon but fall back position is train/bus. Check out Jetstar. Might be more helpful. Temporary pp consists of couple pages and is good for international travel. Can't advise on USA pp replacement time. Mine from OZ took very little time. Think 5 days.

Just to clarify you don't want emergency visa. You need emergency passport and obtain visa exempt entry at Los. 

Wait for better advice. 

Correct. Emergency  passport, not visa, I misspoke.

It seems Vietjet does allow a local police report in place of lost passport. I can't tell though if the police report is in addition to 'diplomatic document' or is an alternative. 

From their website

a. Foreign passport or laissez-passer, separate visa, permanent residence card or temporary residence card issued by Vietnam (these document must have Vietnamese exit and entry stamp as prescribed).

b. In case of losing passport, passenger must present diplomatic document from his/ her country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulates or official letter of Department of Foreign Affairs, local police where the passenger lost the passport to confirm personal record or inform the case. Document must have passenger’s ID image and overlapping stamp. These documents will be valid within 30 days from the issued date;

Suffice it say that my US passport was stolen (along with my 10k baht for tourist stamp income purposes) in Vietnam the other day. Plan on getting an Emergency Visa at US Embassy in HCMC. I believe this is a full passport as opposed to an emergency departure doc. Are emergency passports valid/okay at Bangkok BKK? I emailed Thai Consulate in HCMC but so far no word. 

I am currently in Nha Trang. Is it possible to get on a plane with Vietjet with no passport? I have a police report from Nha Trang police stating that it was "lost." Police would not give report if I stated it was stolen. I tried calling Vietjet many times and I always get disconnected immediately. Otherwise should I take the train to Saigon? Bus? No passport needed then, only passport number? 

Thanks,