Hocus Pocus

Indeed @DrJack54, my wife did enter with Non-O originally and has extended since then for reason of dependent. I am of the same thinking that my wife should be allowed, however I am informed that this will all be "at the discretion of the Immigration Officer". So I am really hoping that there will be no problem for my wife to change her extension reason from dependent to retirement, even if they force me to exit the country to "reset" from my original Non-B. If we both leave, I just realized there will be nobody to watch the cat and will have to arrange pet hotel. As for doing a piggyback, even though we will each have reason by retirement extensions, I am not fussed keeping the separate THB800k financial requirements for both of us. And heaven forbid something happens to me, my spouse would be under no pressure to attend to immigration during a stressful time. Will be all prepped with paperwork so will give this a go in a couple weeks. Will report how it goes. Many thanks.

Thanks again @DrJack54. Actually, as per a separate thread, I am trying to go from a extension based on work to extension based on retirement. My spouse is going from extension based on dependent to extension based on retirement. We are trying to do this without being forced to leave the country. We have done 9 extensions using Chamchuri, but it is our first time to experience Chaengwattana. Knocking on wood that we will be accepted with good preparation and good timing. As per your advice, will get the bank letter and bank statement a couple days prior. The deposit on day of application will do at a nearby branch. Will time that prior to a set up appointment. Thanks again!

Thanks @DrJack54... Many thanks for link pointing to the "bank letter" examples. There was one for SCB which I have printed out, so no confusion with the staff. For the bank statement, will 6 months be sufficient? When I got my bank statements for credit card application, SCB had given me 6 months of statement for 100b. I will be processing everything as Chaengwattana Immigration. Bank Letter + Bank Statement + Bank Passbook. Thanks!

Hi @DrJack54... Thanks for the informative reply. I understand well the part about getting the Bank Book copied after making a small deposit on the day of application. Should be a fast process. Also I should have added that both my wife and I are doing the THB800k method, which we have had deposited in Thailand for well over 12 months. To clarify on the "bank letter", exactly what is it? I understand what a "bank statement" is since I have recently applied for credit cards which require a 6-month "bank statement", but what is the difference to the "bank letter"? Is there an example anybody can post of a "bank letter"? Does it have specific information that needs to be on the document to be accepted as a "bank letter"? Do I need both bank letter and bank statement, or just the bank letter? And yes, I will make an appointment for sure. As I am going with my spouse, do I need separate appointments or just make one appointment for both of us? @lordgrinz: Thanks for the pointer to the other branch. Many thanks!

Will be going to CW for the first time for extension in the coming weeks and will need to get my bank statement from SCB Bank. I understand the CW branch has been closed for some time. Searching the threads, some recommend the BigC Branch, but when I search it says the opening time is now 11am. I have tried to scan Google Maps for other branches nearby and the best I could find was this branch (https://maps.app.goo.gl/S4WNgtw6TPjg7AMD9) which opens at 8:30am. I saw a post which mentioned the branch at LakSi IT Square, which seems nearer. Many searches and Google does not give the operating hours (says 24 hours but that is obviously for the ATMs). Does anybody know when the LakSi IT Square branch opens? Many thanks.

Work permit has nothing to do with immigration status. If somebody is employed with a work permit, then they are most likely on an extension for reason of work of what was originally a non-B (business) visa. If your extension date expires say tomorrow, then you have until midnight tomorrow to leave the country otherwise you are on overstay. The company that employs a foreigner is obliged to cancel the visa with immigration up to 21 days before the end of work, but you will be allowed to stay and work up until the final work day. For the work permit, the employer must take the blue book and cancel the work permit with the Department of Labor within 15 days after employment completes. This is what will be happening to me next month. In order to get what you cite in your second post, you would need to physically leave the country (timely as above) and then return. If you are from a visa exempt qualified country, you can get a 60-day visa-exempt permission to stay. Hope this helps.

I have not processed as such, but am in a similar situation. All nearby country Thai Embassy/Consulate websites quote a blanket 15 business day processing time except Kuala Lumpur, which quotes a 7 day processing time (calendar or business day unknown). Just an educated guess at this point, but I think that type of visa (Tourist visa will take less time and Non-B/Non-O longer due to more paperwork) and completeness/accuracy of required documents will be factors in actual processing time. The EVISA process assumes that the applicant is physically in the country at the time of application and requires the applicant to upload proof of location (either visa stamp and/or plane ticket stub) as part of document submission. Assuming documents are in order when submitted, there is no interaction from the Embassy until the visa is approved and sent by mail. They will not issue any temporary "sticker" to return. In theory, your friend could pop back to Thailand, but then he would have to return to Malaysia once the visa is issued in order to return to Thailand with the non-B visa printout. Personally, I would NOT recommend this as immigration in Thailand could check in/out stamps upon return with possible problems. As to the required documents, I would recommend that your friend make an EVISA account and prepare a draft application online. You can save the application and ensure that you have prepared/uploaded all of the necessary documents (except for the proof of location) in advance. I logged into my account and did the first page as attached. There are several types of Non-B visas, so the required documents may vary based on exactly what your friend intends to do. For myself, if I am forced to leave the country to reset from my current non-B work extension to a non-O retirement, I will leave on a Sunday afternoon to KL, add the proof of location to my application, submit and pay online. Then from Monday I will vacation in cheap and comfortable KL until the approval arrives by email. Good luck.

Will be interesting to see these changes reflected on the official LTR website and in their application forms. I ended up not going for LTR Wealthy Pensioner because the requirements are fixated on "passive" investment income and will take no consideration for what most retiring people have today - provident funds or 401k-type retirement savings. So if you have >$80k/yr from a military pension, you are good. However, if you are retiring early with $10m in a 401k/Provident Fund/Super account, cannot be considered. Then they give another option for those between $40k-80k passive income to top-up by showing investment in Thailand like a condo or Thai Government Bonds, but the process and restriction to buy Thai government bonds is so wonky and difficult because they make you buy bonds that have >5yr maturity because the 10yr visa is really 5yr+5yr. Suspect they will see a big uptick in Wealthy Pensioner applications if they tweak the requirements to cater to the cohort with 401k/Provident Fund/Super-type savings. Look forward to them getting the LTR to a more successful level. Upz ADDENDUM... I just read the article below. Zero loosening to Wealthy Pensioner requirements (which is the most popular application category). And the Wealthy Global Citizen category still has to invest in USD500k worth of Thai Government Bonds/Property. So none of these changes will really move the needle for LTR. Pity. https://franklegaltax.com/ltr-visa-updates/#:~:text=New Rule%3A The personal income,of foreign investment in Thailand.

I am very interested in this topic too since I may have to leave the country for eVISA next month. I have looked on all nearby Embassy/Consulate sites and they all say "10-15 WORKING days processing time". Only Kuala Lumpur is unique and says "7 days processing time" (they don't say whether that is calendar days or working day)s. I suspect that turnaround time is shorter (as quoted above) for Tourist Visa type than Non-O/Non-B which require more documents to validate. As part of my preparation for possible eVISA, I have already created an account and prepared a fully drafted application except the document to "indicate current location". I will fly in on a Sunday night, upload the final "indicate current location" document showing my passport entry stamps/flight stubs, submit, pay online and enjoy a vacation in KL from Monday until the visa is approved. Hopefully they process within the week so I can fly back by the following weekend. Will be interesting anybody can validate the processing times specifically for Non-B and Non-O at nearby countries. Thanks.

Thanks @khunPer for a constructive reply. I appreciate that some members may find this discussion not useful, however it potentially serves a specific useful purpose for me in retaining my Thai Social Security, hence the thread. Regarding my Plan C (agent) : I went to an agent today in central Bangkok and her first question was "do you have a Thai wife". Telling her I didn't, then she asked if I own property. I told her I have a condo, but it is in Pattaya. She called her contact and I was informed that I could get a Yellow Book, but it would have to be done in Pattaya. I also asked if there were any "$informal$" approaches to getting it done in Bangkok, but unfortunately seems NONE. So will keep to Plan A and Plan B and see what develops for the Yellow Book. In parallel, I will be working with my company HR to see if they can work around the Yellow Book requirement with Social Security. Thanks.

I will be completing 9 years of employment in Thailand. In order to retain my Thai Social Security under Section 39, I need to obtain a Yellow House Book and Pink ID Card. I live in an apartment building in Bangkok and I am asking if the owners can add me into the Blue Book of whoever is the house master for my unit. That is my Plan A and probably the most straightforward if the apartment management agree to treat me as part of the family. Plan B is that I own a condo in Pattaya under foreign ownership, for which I have the Blue Book. I am not married to a Thai nor to I intend to be. The Blue Book for my Pattaya condo is blank since only Thai citizens can be listed there. Question I have is: "Can I obtain a Yellow Tabien Baan and Pink ID Card using the Blue Book from my Pattaya condo"? If so, what is the process? I tried Googling on this question and the answer that came had conflicting information that "you must be married to a Thai citizen" but also "provide the marriage certificate IF you are married". Confusing. Plan C. Is it possible to use an agent to bypass these limitations and just pay my way to getting these documents? Honestly even if I am told Plan B is possible, it will be a lot of hassle as I will probably have to go to Pattaya and deal with things there, so best if I can just get it through a little payola. Appreciate any guidance in advance.

I am assuming that the 62yo husband is on a Non-O Visa/Extension by reason of Retirement. I noted the following when I was doing research for my own circumstances. As per the image below, at the KL Royal Thai Embassy website, it is noted that "A retirement visa does not qualify for applying for a NON-O dependent visa. The companion may instead apply for a tourist visa or any other visa type for which they are eligible." So not sure that the 50yo spouse can "piggyback" on the husband's Non-O, or at least if applying from Malaysia. The website refers to "companion" and does not specify "spouse", so not sure if marriage will change the circumstance of the application. For consideration.

Although not an expert to the degree others are, I am adding some additional points since my own circumstances have some common points. @DrJack54, et.al. can chime in if I am wrong. Since you intend to get another non-B, you need to ensure you don't do anything that would jeopardize your next non-B visa. Number one, ensure that you leave the country before midnight 28 January to avoid overstay. Number two, ensure that your current employer cancels your work permit with the Department of Labor and provides you documentation of the cancellation. As I understand, failing to do either of these might impact non-B process down the road.

Hoping to tap the forum expertise. As the title says, I arrived 8 years ago on Non-B Visa for employment and have been on 1-year employment extensions ever since with the same company. My spouse arrived on Non-O Visa as a dependent and had tandem 1-yeardependent extensions with me. Early Jan'25 we will go for our 9th 1-year extension at Chamchuri with company visa agent. Chamchuri is the only experience we have had with Thai immigration. However, I am now confirmed that I will complete my employment on 28FEB25. The visa agent will provide me a timeline for work permit cancellation in February, but don't have the firm dates yet. Both my spouse and I come from visa exempt qualified countries. My company, work visa and work permit matters have always been done in Bangkok. We will be in Bangkok for all matters going forward. Both my spouse and I want to migrate to Non-O Retirement. Both of us are over 50yo. Both of us have separate Thai bank accounts opened years ago with deposits exceeding THB800k (but the funds have NOT been transferred from overseas, they are from my Thailand salary account). Both of us have a multi-year contract under both our names for the condo we currently occupy and intend to occupy going forward. As I have been under a BOI company dealing with Chamchuri, we have never had to do a TM30. All 90-day reports are up to date for both of us. Ideally we want to convert from current visas to Non-O Retirement without leaving the country. Besides convenience, my primary driver is that my spouse has just had a knee replacement and she has limited mobility. Question #1: Is there a legal process that can accomplish this? The reason I ask is that I have approached several visa agents and they all reply with vague no-need-to-leave quotations (ranging from THB25 to THB110k per person!), but when I probe details and hear things like "no need to show bank funds" or "no need to come to immigration in person", it tells me that the process they are using is not above board. Honestly I don't want to start my retirement with this kind of process as I have heard many stories about how dodgy processes can lead to rejections in later extensions. IF a legal process exists to convert without leaving the country, I am all ears for the details! Question #2: IF it is absolutely necessary to leave the country, then what is the most efficient way to do so? Worst case I had been provisionally planning to ask the company visa agent to cancel everything on 28FEB25 and request a 7-day extension. Then we would fly to Laos with my spouse and take a 3-day trip to apply for the 90-day non-O Retirement there. However, I now read that the system will change to e-visa and Laos requires payment in person before processing, so using Laos appears too difficult. Question 3: Given the e-visa scheme, is there a nearby country (Cambodia, Malaysia, etc.) for us to apply/pay/get approved in advance (say early February) while we are in Thailand, then once our cancellations are done end February, fly out first week of March to that country and immediately fly back using our pre-approved e-visas? We honestly don't want to fly out, apply and then wait in a hotel for "up to 15 days" for an e-visa to be approved (assuming we are not asked for more paperwork). Question #4: Failing all of the above, what alternative(s) would be advisable? I have really tried to read all past threads on this process. Whilst there are claims that they "know someone who was able to convert in the country", I see no details to support how the process would work (or it seems like some things were done years ago or during COV19 extenuating circumstances). Apologies for the long post, but wanted to add as much detail as possible. Really appreciate any guidance. Kind regards!

Allow me to clarify. My Thai language skill will need some work. ????