Red Phoenix

#1 - Good question. When the OP would have applied at an Embassy for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa, and the Visa sticker was inserted in his passport, I presume that the border Immigration Officer on seeing that Visa in his passport, would stamp him in for the 90-days that the Visa will provide him. I am not sure whether OP would be able to convince the Imm Officer to stamp him in VisaExempt such that he can use the Visa later for another entry before it expires. But with an eVisa that problem doesn't materialize as the border Imm Officer will not know that OP has that Visa, if he doesn't show it. #2 - If OP enters Thailand 15 days before expiry of the 90-day Non Imm O eVisa, and he shows that eVisa to the border Imm Officer he will be stamped in for 90 days from date of entry.

OP didn't provide info on which Imm Office he would be applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement from his Visa Exempt entry using the +65K income transfer method. If OP would apply at CW, CM, Jomtien, Phuket, or another very large Imm Office, some posters that recently did same at that office might provide him with an overview of the requirements at that Office. Otherwise, it is recommended that he would visit the Imm Office where he plans to apply and to hear about the requirements as being applied at that office, this because the local interpretation/application of the requirements will greatly vary at each Imm Office. = = = The main requirements for his application are the financial ones. When using the +65K monthly income transfer method, here are the 'variations' that you can come across depending on the Imm Office where you apply. # Some Imm Offices require that at the moment of application you can show evidence of at least 1 transfer of + 65K to your personal Thai bank-account, while others require 2 or 3 transfers in the months preceding your application. And there are even Imm Offices that require 12 of such monthly transfers even for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa application. # There are also variations possible when applying at the end of the 90-days for the 1-year extension based on that Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement. Depending on the office they can require 2, 3 or 12 months of monthly +65 K transfers. # After the first 1-year extension of stay application (at the end of the 90-day period of the initial Non Imm O Visa), the requirement is 12 or 13 months of such +65K monthly income transfers to your personal Thai bank-account. # Some Imm Offices also require that the monthly transfers are done approx at same time of the month. # Some Imm Offices require that on top of the +65K monthly income transfers that you provide evidence of the SOURCE of that income. And some Imm Offices (e.g. Jomtien) only accept an official pension statement as evidence for the source, while others do not mandate any source-requirements at all, except evidence that the +65K funds originated from abroad. = = = Considering the above, it is therefore recommended to either get exact information from posters that recently used the same Imm Office as you would be applying for such a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement using the +65K income method. Or simply visit the Imm Office and ask about the requirements that they would impose for the initial 90-day Non Imm O Visa application as well as for the first 1-year extension (after 3 months).

TIP > Obviously it depends on where you are residing in Thailand, but a land-border exit-reentry is often cheaper and faster than exiting/re-entering by air.

The expiry date of the eVisa is the date till which you can use that Visa to enter Thailand. When showing that Visa on entry you will then be stamped in by Thai border immigration for the 90 days Permission to stay that Non Imm O Visa provides you. So in this case the OP should NOT show the eVisa to the border-immigration officer when he enters Thailand, and that will provide him with a 30 day Visa Exempt Permission to stay stamp in his passport. He can then after the 1 week he plans to stay in Thailand head for Phillipines, and after the 1 month he plans to stay there, on his return to Thailand THEN show the eVisa which will provide him with a 90 days Permission to stay for that Non Imm -O Visa. OP only needs to take heed of the expiry date of his eVisa and that he should not let it expire before he plans to re-enter Thailand from the Phillipines.

Not all Imm Offices accept an application for 1-year extension of stay for reason of Thai dependant child(ren). And some of those that do accept such application, can change/amend the requirements for such application. The excerpt you posted is from one such Imm Office, that requires that the +400.000, THB when using the Funds in Bank method, has to be on the applicants personal Thai bank-account 2 months before actual application. The normal 'official' requirement for a 1-year extension application for reason of dependant child(ren) ONLY requires the funds to be on the applicants personal Thai bank-account at moment of application. >> Hence the recommendation to the OP to check with his local Imm Office whether they allow switching from a Marriage to a Dependant Thai child application for his 1-year extension, and which specific requirements they impose for such application (which can be different than the 'official' ones, as in the case you posted).

Yes, I did. This morning I wrote a message to dTac Support on Facebook: > Hi, I currently have a dTac 1-year 30 Mbps unlimited download SIM which I bought last year at Lazada/Shopee and which will expire soon. Is there an option to extend that SIM with another year with same specifications, i.e. 30 Mbps and unlimited download. - Four hours later I received following response from dTac: > Unfortunately, the promotion for 30 Mbps unlimited Internet is applicable with a new SIM only, and the promotion period already ended. dTac then wrote ... We have alternatives as follows: ... and provided three different options to extend my 1-year unlimited download SIM, but none of them at 30 Mbps. * 1 Mbps = 1.926, - THB * 4 Mbps = 2.675, - THB * 10 Mbps = 3.745, - THB

A happy ending... I just ordered a new 1-year 30 Mbps unlimited download SIM, directly from Mobile2You (cost 2.790,- THB), which will be delivered tomorrow (pay on arrival). Note that these SIMs are not available anymore via Lazada/Shopee nor in dTac shops or directly from dTac, but good to know that you can still get them directly from Mobile2You. Thanks to everybody for responses on my query.

As it seems there is no way of extending the expiry date of my current 1-year 30 Mbps unlimited download SIM (only possible when opting for a pricy and low Mbps subscription), I will reach out as you recommended to Mobile2you and hope they still have these SIMs in stock. The change of number is a pain, but I don't want to settle for a 10 Mbps package at 3.745,- THB (see previous post) just in order to keep my number.

you just top up using your banking app or i think you can still use the machines outside 7 Eleven or even inside may be ok. 10-20 baht a top up adds another month. Also on the DTAC app select refill It's worth a try, but it is very unlikely that a 10-20 THB top-up would provide me with continuation for a month of unlimited download at 30 Mbps speed once my current 1-year SIM's expiry date has arrived. The top-up would keep the SIM phone-number alive and I could opt for one of their subscription packages, but very much doubt that a simple 10-20 THB top-up would enable to continue my unlimited downloads/uploads at 30 Mbps speed. See also below my contact with dTac re options for my situation. = = = This morning I wrote a message to dTac Support on Facebook: > Hi, I currently have a dTac 1-year 30 Mbps unlimited download SIM which I bought last year at Lazada/Shopee and which will expire soon. Is there an option to extend that SIM with another year with same specifications, i.e. 30 Mbps and unlimited download. - Four hours later I received following response from dTac: > Unfortunately, the promotion for 30 Mbps unlimited Internet is applicable with a new SIM only, and the promotion period already ended. dTac then wrote ... We have alternatives as follows: ... and provided three different options to extend my 1-year unlimited download SIM, but none of them at 30 Mbps. * 1 Mbps = 1.926, - THB * 4 Mbps = 2.675, - THB * 10 Mbps = 3.745, - THB = = =

Thanks, but I do not see a link to the specific Sim Expiry Top Up option that I need on the dTac App. Looking for a 1-year 30 Mbps unlimited download extension of my current SIM-card.

When applying for the 1-year extension for reason of dependant chidren and using the Funds-in-Bank method, the funds (+400.000,- THB} only need to be available at moment of application. When applying for reason of marriage, the funds have to be available on the applicants Thai bank-account 2 months before the moment of application. > Hence my statement re 'lighter' financial requirements when applying for reason of dependant children.

Thanks, but the rate for a 1-year extension of my current 30 Mbps unlimited download is not the issue. I am gladly willing to pay double or even triple than the 1500,- THB I paid for my current 1-year SIM, as that would allow me to keep my present phone-number. I recall numerous posts from 2-3 years ago, where posters wrote that their dTac office did not provide the extension service at same conditions, and you could only keep your number when subscribing to a limited download package. Hopefully that has changed.

OP would have to visit his local Imm Office where he plans to apply for the 1-year extension anyway, to hear what specific requirements his Imm Office imposes when switching from Marriage to Thai Dependant children as reason for his 1-year extension of stay application.

No need for exiting Thailand and starting the Non Imm O process from scratch again. When the time is due to apply for the 1-year extension based on your Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage, you simply apply for a different reason, i.e. for reason of supporting Thai dependant children. The financial requirements are even less than for a marriage extension application, but there are some different documentary requirements that need to be met (and instead of your wife, your child/children need to accompany you when applying for the 1-year extension). The only snag could be that not all Imm Offices accept Non Imm O extension applications for reason of Thai dependant children. So best to visit your local Imm Office where you plan to apply for the 1-year extension, and ask them what requirements are applicable for such application (every Imm Office has its own interpretation on what is required at THEIR office).

Thanks, it is indeed possible to keep the SIM alive by topping it up. However, these top-ups are regular dTac subscription packages (with limited download) and are considerably more expensive on an annual basis. However if it would be possible to keep my SIM with same conditions (i.e. unlimited download at 30 Mbps speed) I would gladly do that. It would also avoid me having to inform all my contacts that my number has changed (which is a real pain and imo the main disadvantage of those 1 year SIMs). Anyone having done that?

Thanks, that's most probably what I will do. But as scubascuba3 wrote, I will wait till it actually expires and see if they do offer me a continuation. Note: When my previous 30 Mbps SIM-card expired, I got a message allowing me to buy limited download packages on-line with short expiration date. So I bought a 3-day package if I recall well, to bridge the time till my new SIM arrived.

Hi, I currently have a 30 Mbps dTac SIM with unlimited download (bought last year from Lazada or Shopee). It is the perfect SIM-card for me (I use my mobile as hotspot for my laptop, and can download at approx 20 Mbps and have no problems streaming HD-movies). Unfortunately that SIM card will expire in 1 week (18 april), so I am looking for a new 1-year dTac unlimited download SIM. Since last year the prices of these unlimited download SIMs seem to have approx doubled, but the price is not the issue for me. When looking on Lazada and Shopee (those unlimited SIMs are only available when bought on-line) I see that the 15 Mbps SIMs are still available, but it looks like the 30 Mbps ones, are sold out or not available anymore. Note that on Lazada there are 4 semi-identical ads/offers for such a dTac 30 Mbps SIM. But at approx 1050,- THB those offers are probably 'too good to be true' and it's of course a Big Red Flag that a Thailand dTac SIM would come from abroad... [ https://www.lazada.co.th/products/dtac-30-mbps-unlimited-sim-net-30mbps-1-12-30mbps-mobile2you-i5088939251.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.2.68315775KoSHyO ] Also: as the search-engine on both Lazada and Shopee is not very good, maybe they don't show up in my search. Would be grateful for any response/suggestions re the issue. Thanks in advance.

Yes, obtaining a Certificate of Residence at your local Imm Office should be free of cost. Of course there are Imm Offices that - contrary to the official policy - do charge for such a CoR. Anyway, at my SiSaKet Imm Office I got the CoR free of charge, but I needed a Request Form from the local DTP asking the Imm Office to provide it to me in order to apply for the Thai Driver's Permit. Luckily the DTP was only 3 km from the local Imm Office, and they provided that Request Form on the spot and also at no charge. Note that the CoR stated that it was to be used to apply for a Thai driver's permit at the local DTP, so it could not be used for any other purpose.

Most if not all of the provincial DTP's that issue Thai Driver's Permits, require a Certificate of Residence from non-Thais as proof of their official address in the province where the DTP is located. Such CoR can be obtained - usually at no cost - at the local Imm Office that issued your Non Imm O Visa/extension.

The "combination method" is one of the official options you have to meet the financial requirements for the 1-year extension based on your Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement. But as mentioned in my earlier post above this one - It will depend on the Imm Office where you apply, whether they allow that you make use of the "combination-method" to meet the financial requirements for your application. Several Imm offices do not allow the use of that method, and if they do there are sometimes some minor additional requirements to be met when making use of that method.

It is always recommended when researching a Thai Immigration related issue, to start from the latest version of the official requirements (like the one Liquorice posted above re the application requirements for a 1-year extension based on your Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement). But similarly important you need to take into account that in this crazy country which we all love that: #1 - Every one of the more than 80 Imm Offices in the 77 Thai provinces, have the authority to change and amend the official requirements, with additional requirements as they see fit. So what's required and accepted at the Imm Office in province X, can be rejected for not meeting 'their' requirements/interpretation at an Imm Office in another province. Hence the need when posting a request for information on an Immigration practice, to mention the specific Imm Office where you would apply. #2 - To complicate things even more, the requirements to be met do not only depend on the Imm Office where you apply, but also the specific Imm Officer handling your application, can apply his interpretation of the requirements to be met. #3 - Also be aware that several of the official requirements are 'updated' not by re-issuing an updated official version, but by issuing additional Police-orders on specific parts of the requirements. And obviously - this is Thailand - some Imm Offices or rather the Imm Officers that are supposed to execute these additional requirements 'never got the Memo'.

No, my SiSaKet Imm Office did not require to check my bank pass-book, when some 90 days after I returned to Thailand I did my 90-day report, and provided both my original damaged passport as well as my new one for transferral of the relevant information from my damaged old passport to my new. The 'stamp transfer' process took approx half an hour and the friendly and efficient Imm Officer was all the time checking and inputting data in their system and writing the relevant info manually in my new passport. No fee or payment was asked for conducting that lengthy process.

Fully agree with Richard Smith's post. I had a somewhat similar experience with a damaged passport > almost half of the back-cover of my Belgian passport was eaten by our dog. But luckily the ID-page and all the stamps were still pristine. I researched the matter and majority of sources indicated that travelling with a damaged passport to your home-country is allowed, but it's a definite no-no for travel to other countries. The only hick-up I faced was that I flew to Belgium with Emirates, and Thai border-immigration made an issue about that 'transit in another country' (where they didn't even check my passport by the way), but the Emirates staff helped me out on that one. On arrival in my home-country I applied for a new passport, and flew back to Thailand with both the damaged and new passport. I needed the damaged passport as it contained my Re-Entry Permit to protect the Permission to stay date based on my Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement. So on arrival in BKK the border Imm Officer stamped my new passport with the Permission to stay based on that Re-Entry Permit. And 3 months later when I had to do my 90-day report (new passport so not possible to do it on-line) I did both my 90-day report and my local Imm Office transfered all the relevant information from my old passport to my new one.

Hi AAArdvark, Thanks for sharing your experience as it gives a glimmer of hope for my friend that he might not have to exit Thailand and start the whole process for a Non Imm O Visa from scratch again. A couple of questions though: #1 - At which Imm Office did you apply for the 1-year extension of stay based on your Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement? #2 - Did you - like my friend - NOT meet the required 'Funds-in-Bank' requirement during the 12 months preceding your application for the 1-year extension? #3 - What additional requirements and documents did your Imm Office impose/require when you switched from the 'Funds-in-Bank' method to the 'Monthly-Income-Transfer' method? Obviously you would have to provide evidence of having transferred +65.000,- THB from abroad during each and every month in the 12 months preceding your application for the 1-year extension. But did the Imm Office also require a 'pension statement' or any other documents regarding the source of these monthly transfers? Thanks in advance for response.

MY SOUL HAS A HAT I counted my years & realized that I have Less time to live by, Than I have lived so far. I feel like a child who won a pack of candies: at first he ate them with pleasure, But when he realized that there was little left, he began to taste them intensely. I have no time for endless meetings where the statutes, rules, procedures & internal regulations are discussed, knowing that nothing will be done. I no longer have the patience To stand absurd people who, Despite their chronological age, Have not grown up. My time is too short: I want the essence, My spirit is in a hurry. I do not have much candy In the package anymore. I want to live next to humans, Very realistic people who know How to laugh at their mistakes, Who are not inflated by their own triumphs, & who take responsibility for their actions. In this way, human dignity is defended And we live in truth and honesty. It is the essentials that make life useful. I want to surround myself with people Who know how to touch the hearts of those whom hard strokes of life Have learned to grow, with sweet touches of the soul. Yes, I’m in a hurry. I’m in a hurry to live with the intensity that only maturity can give. I do not intend to waste any of the remaining desserts. I am sure they will be exquisite, Much more than those eaten so far. My goal is to reach the end satisfied And at peace with my loved ones and my conscience. We have two lives & the second begins when you realize you only have one. Mario de Andrade (Saõ Paolo 1893-1945)