KED

My friend has an O Visa which expires on Nov 18 - he wants to go to Chaeng Wattana and extend it for one year based on retirement. What is the earliest and latest he may apply for the extension at Chaeng Wattana?

many thanks.

I do have one additional follow up question - my friend used an embassy notarized letter for proof of income - the original lette was kept on the first visit - but was given a copy of the letter - will he be able to submit this copy on his third visit for the actual one-year extension since the original is on file or will he need another original notarized letter ?

many thanks for any info.

Thanks, UbonJoe, I guess they added a third step that I did not have to make 5 years ago.

I am helping a friend get a one year extension based on retirement - initially he had a 30 day entry stamp only - no O visa. I did the exact procedure 5 years ago.

Last week we went to Chaeng Wattana with incomeverification and he was given a receipt for THB 2,000 - to change his 30 day entry stamp to an O visa and advised to return one week later. However, there is no O visa in his passport.

My memory is hazy about what I did 5 years ago, but I could have sworn that on the first procedure, I was given the O visa and advised to return after 30 days had expired in the visa.

Is my memory incorrect, or is there now a new step that he must return a week later to get the O visa?

When he returns next week, will he be able to go directly from the O visa to a one year extension, or will he have to wait 30 days and return for a third time to get the one year extension?

Many thanks for any consructive information.

Others may have different experiences, but the retirement one-year extension (not a visa) is granted on being 50 years of age or older and based on an income of THB 65,000 per month or THB 800,000 per year or a combination of income and savings totally THB 800,000. Since there is no marriage requiremnt - I do not see why your marital status would be part of the process nor why your wife's (should you have one of any nationality) attendance would be required.

Totally agree with UbonJoe - no minimum - but unless you really have no choice - better to do 30-45 days early (depending on what your office will allow) just in case you run into documentation problems - then you will have a window to resolve without having to start the process all over again.

Hi old croc, we are living in spain at the moment ,and are being paid a reduced Australian age pension, we tried Thailand in the early 90,s but left huahin when the Scandinavian invasion started, we always liked Vietnam and we permanently rent a bungalow in vungtau as a fishing hut for me and the grandkids while the women folks are shopping in HCMC, don't shout about VN too much, it is great as it is not to many tourists, and no <deleted> Scandinavians, local authorities look after us pretty well,even centrelink is not so heavyhanded these days

I would rather have a large number of Scandinavian tourists than Australians, British, American or Russian.

I had same problem as old passport was only 3 years old but full. Immigration guy at desk had to refer to his boss but no problem on entering, just asked me to go to local immigration office to have visas transfered to new passport.

Immigration does not transfer visas. If you have a valid visa you have to use both passports until it expires.

Immigration will do a stamp with info about the visa you used for entry. They will then transfer the your extension of stay stamp and a re-entry permit if you have one.

You can not have two valid Passports from the same nationality at the same time.

It's just not possible.

US citizens can legally possess two passports. Yes, you can have the normal 10-year passport plus a second, limited validity passport, normally valid for 1 or 2 years. Commonly referred to as "Duplicate Passports",second passports offer the ability to travel internationally while processing a visa in the US or to visit countries who do not allow entry to passport holders with stamps from enemy countries.

Although often called Duplicate US Passports, a second passport is not a duplicate passport. The second passport will have its own dates of issue and expiration and their own passport numbers. This is a critical difference between a second passport and a duplicate. In order to get a second passport, the applicant must prove that they are in possession of their standard 10-year passport and that they truly need the second passport. The US State Department prefers to limit the number of duplicate passports, so your reasons must be honest and valid - otherwise the second passport may not be issued.

10 year visa can be used anytime for the ten year period just once.

is your comment about the UK 10 year visa or U.S.? The U.S. 10 year visa can be used many times during the 10 year period - not just once. Immigrations does keep track of the entries and departures - should a person enter for six months and then leave for a few days or a week and then enter again for six months - questions would arise as to why the consecutive lengthy stays in the U.S. - but a Thai (or other nationality) with a 10 year U.S. visa could certainly enter every year for 10 years for a holiday - just no working or studying under a tourist visa.

Sure but I must admit I get annoyed that so many people think gender identity and sexual orientation are the same thing.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I agree, but hopefully as individuals do come forward and articles are written or t.v. interviews are done - society can be educated about the issues such as sexual identity being different than sexual orientation. There are now so many informative and honest videos on youtube - hopefully those who want to better understand the LGBT community can do so.

Bottom line is that if the world would allow individuals to express their gender identity and sexual orientation without prejudice, then this would not be news. However, it is good for society to see that the LGBT community are mostly the same as the rest of society - individuals who want to be happy and to love and be loved. Hopefully, if Bruce Jenner's transition is televised, maybe it will offer support to others in the transgendered community to be comfortable and true to themselves. And if you aren't interested - then simply change the channel.

As a gay man, I empathize with transgenders fight toward awareness, equality and dignity. I think any positive media coverage is still a good step toward helping the non-transgendered community understand the prejudice that the transgendered community experiences. Once LGBT people areable to live their lives as equal individuals without prejudice, then I can also enjoy the luxury of being bored about LGBT civil rights issues.

It is truely a tragedy that any part of society would condem anyone simply for who they love. I do feel that the world is slowly changing to allow LGBT individuals more respect, equality, diginity, and acceptance. Sadly, there are many countries, religions and cultures where there is little or no enlightenment. I do hope that the entire world does evolve and allow people the right to be who they are and to love who they love. Someday.

I enoyed seeing both seasons - and was surprised to find that Delta Airlines had 2 episodes available on their inflight entertainment (I thought this would be too racey). I haven't lived in the U.S. for 8 years but did feel that it was a more realistic portrayal of a segment of the gay community.

My life is not affected by the opening of this new mall; however, it is sad that is just a big clone mall with nothing to set it apart from the other malls within a stone's throw. The floor plan just seems to be tile and escalators - not much architectually interesting and no shops I haven's avoided before. I think Terminal 21 is better designed - but I only visit there when meeting others.

Quote : "The town of Chiang Mai is perfectly rectangular"

When I walked around the moat with my Garmin GPS (ie inside the moat but on the pathway along the moat's bank) I measured each side as 1 mile on each side (Give or take +/-). Does this make it square and not rectangular?

all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares...f.y.i.

I agree that it is not always clear about what to fill in thesmall space proviced; however, it does seem like most information is ignored as long as something is completed. Just fill out to the best of your understanding

12 years in Pattaya, but the posh end

oxymoron - jumbo shrimp - open secret...posh Pattaya

Hi ked,

You mention chiang mai ........ there and bali are my 2 preferred places in SEA!

and within Bali - definitely Ubud is the most magical - glad you share my interests :-)

Good for the OP for posting - it is always good to know options in the area. I live in Thailand but visit Indonesia often (both Bali and Java). No place is perfect - but I do feel that Bali is a much better destination for holiday or living than Koh Samui or Phuket. If you are not a beach person, then Chiang Mai does compare closely with Bali - with each offering a different experience. If you are over 50 and looking to date 20 year-old locals, Thailand is the place for you.

I have visited Indonesia regularly over the last 10 years and just got back from 3 weeks there. Any holiday depends on what you are looking for - but I cannot find anyone who would enjoy more than 2-3 days in Jakarta - get out as quick as possible and visit Bogor, Bandung - only a few hours by train. Yogyakarta is very traditional Java and worth a few days along with Borobodur if you have never seen it. Other interesting places for a few days are Semarang / Malang. Bali is a nice beach area but the main areas of Kuta/Legian/Seminyak are just for beach holiday and tourists - but if you gu up north to Ubud -you will see more of he beauty of Bali and it's people.

I travel throught by train or plane and have never felt unsafe or threatened - so much natural beauty and while a Muslim country - it is a more gentile version than other countries.

On lengthy flights, it is not uncommon for 1 hour longer or shorter flight times as a result in the change of normal tradewinds.

Thank Buddha for ThaiVisa. I think the big problem is the Thai immigration does not have a clear website to explain their policies and procedures. Also, in smaller immigrations offices in the provinces, I think the officials poor English results in a miscommunication of the process. If it were not for the information given on ThaiVisa - there would be so many more problems for all.

For a trip BKK to PNH (Phnom Penh), kayak and matrix only show bangkok airways. Skyscanner only shows airasia and bangkok airways. Thai air and Cambodia angkor also fly this route and there maybe others.

Are there any better search engines?

Not true at all. For BKK-PNH, Kayak definitely shows multiple airlines, incl Thai, Jetstar, and Vietnam airlines. You are aware that kayak usually has multiple pages of flights....and are usually presented cheapest to most expensive? (I just did a dummy booking for BKK-PNH and all of those airlines were represented on kayak, plus Bangkok Airways.)

I often use Kayak for Thailand to U.S. flights; however, within Asia (Bangkok-Chiang Mai / Bangkok to Indonesia) I find Kayak does not include air asia or Lion Air - I even submitted an inquiry with them - and they replied once asking for further info and then never responded.

For inra-Asia flights - I find skyscanner to be one of the best.