Changing From Tourist Visa To Non Immigrant "oa" Visa.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Headache number two. You are not allowed duty free import. Only those here on extensions of stay with a work permit get that.

Lopburi, I am sure you are right about this, but I can try and see what happens. Maybe if my belongings arrive at a good day ( someone celebrating birthday or other kind of sanuk ) at the customs, they will not find it worthwhile to look into my shipment for taxable goods, well, you never know, it is worth trying, I think.

If they are not having a good day maybe I just have to pay !

North

Let us know how you go. Good luck

[JimGant]

then around March 1st. I can go to immigration and apply for a visa change from tourist visa to Non Imm O.

Why wait until March 1st?

[North]

Headache number two. You are not allowed duty free import. Only those here on extensions of stay with a work permit get that.

Lopburi, I am sure you are right about this, but I can try and see what happens. Maybe if my belongings arrive at a good day ( someone celebrating birthday or other kind of sanuk ) at the customs, they will not find it worthwhile to look into my shipment for taxable goods, well, you never know, it is worth trying, I think.

If they are not having a good day maybe I just have to pay !

North

Let us know how you go. Good luck

I will report later this year about my visa and the import of my belongings.

then around March 1st. I can go to immigration and apply for a visa change from tourist visa to Non Imm O.

Why wait until March 1st?

Because lopburi3 wrote this:

""You are expected to have 21 days remaining on your permitted to stay of a tourist visa - with 15 days recently reported by Sunbelt as the minimum. So you should do it tomorrow or Monday. First you convert to a non immigrant O visa and then extend your stay for retirement for one year. ""

So I thought, I could not go to immigration before that time, but maybe it is to be understood as: minimum 21 days remaining ??

North

[lopburi3]

You are expected to have at least 21 days remaining on your permitted to stay stamp but recent reports that down to 15 days are accepted and at least several have been down to last day.

[JimGant]

So I thought, I could not go to immigration before that time, but maybe it is to be understood as: minimum 21 days remaining

Yes, the operative word is "minimum."

The only "maximum" situation I'm aware of is where you must wait 60 days into your 90 day Non Imm O entry (i.e., a maximum of 30 days remaining) before applying for an extension of stay. This doesn't seem to be enforced too much when you convert to a Non Imm O in-country. But in at least one case (in CM), the chap was told to come back in 60 days following the day he got his tourist visa converted to a Non Imm O.

[North]

I said earlier, that I would report later about my visa, and here is the first report and a few questions.

After having had all this information I went to Nong Khai bringing all the documents needed.

However, it was a BIG problem getting the exchange of visa in that office, and I did not get it the same day, but had to wait around one month !

Eventually I did get the non-immigrant visa, and though I thought, they would backdate the non-immigrant visa to the date of my last arrival on tourist visa, they did not do that.

I arrived last time 24. january and was admitted until 24. march. I went back to Nong Khai on 23. march to hear the outcome of my application, and that day they stamped in my passport: admitted 13. march 2007 until 10. june 2007.

Now to the questions:

Since I had big problems getting this exchange of visa in Nong Khai I would prefer never to set foot in that office again. Therefore I think about, if I can go to Bangkok and do the visa extension instead ?

When I was in Nong Khai, they kept my document from the embassy regarding my income from Denmark on file there, I do have copies, but, would that be a problem if I go to Bangkok and submit my application there?

And can I have the extension the same day I go there?

Another question about this visa related to travel:

My wife and I are planning a holiday in Europe this summer. If I get the one year extension in this month (around the 21. may I plan to apply) and we leave for Europe in the beginning of June, how long time can I stay there without losing the visa extension ??

Thanks for any help!

North

[Krub]

I said earlier, that I would report later about my visa, and here is the first report and a few questions.

After having had all this information I went to Nong Khai bringing all the documents needed.

However, it was a BIG problem getting the exchange of visa in that office, and I did not get it the same day, but had to wait around one month !

Eventually I did get the non-immigrant visa, and though I thought, they would backdate the non-immigrant visa to the date of my last arrival on tourist visa, they did not do that.

I arrived last time 24. january and was admitted until 24. march. I went back to Nong Khai on 23. march to hear the outcome of my application, and that day they stamped in my passport: admitted 13. march 2007 until 10. june 2007.

Now to the questions:

Since I had big problems getting this exchange of visa in Nong Khai I would prefer never to set foot in that office again. Therefore I think about, if I can go to Bangkok and do the visa extension instead ?

When I was in Nong Khai, they kept my document from the embassy regarding my income from Denmark on file there, I do have copies, but, would that be a problem if I go to Bangkok and submit my application there?

And can I have the extension the same day I go there?

Another question about this visa related to travel:

My wife and I are planning a holiday in Europe this summer. If I get the one year extension in this month (around the 21. may I plan to apply) and we leave for Europe in the beginning of June, how long time can I stay there without losing the visa extension ??

Thanks for any help!

North

You can apply for an extension of stay at any immigration office. bangkok does not mind where you live but the local one might question why you don't uses an office nearer to 'home'.

if you get your extension of stay (for 1 year I presume), to keep it alive you need to apply for a re-entry permit which will be valid for re-entry until the end of your extension's validity.

Regarding the income letter from your Embassy, we have been told that a copy is accepted as long as your adress and passport details remain the same. As you do not have the original anymore and if you want to make sure not to have to make 2 trips, it might be wise to have a new original letter for your rxtension application whhich should be processed on the spot.

Good luck

[North]

You can apply for an extension of stay at any immigration office. bangkok does not mind where you live but the local one might question why you don't uses an office nearer to 'home'.

if you get your extension of stay (for 1 year I presume), to keep it alive you need to apply for a re-entry permit which will be valid for re-entry until the end of your extension's validity.

Regarding the income letter from your Embassy, we have been told that a copy is accepted as long as your adress and passport details remain the same. As you do not have the original anymore and if you want to make sure not to have to make 2 trips, it might be wise to have a new original letter for your rxtension application whhich should be processed on the spot.

Good luck

Thank you for the answer. Yes, I want to have the one year extension of my non-immigrant O for retirement and the letter from the embassy verifies, that I have the income needed for this extension.

I just hope, that immigration will accept, that I don´t use my local bank account much, normally I am using my Visa card in ATM´s, I keep all receipts though, so, will it work ??

And it will be easy for me to apply in Bangkok, I will just accompany my wife who is going there too to apply for a schengen visa to Europe.

North

[lopburi3]

There is normally little or no interest shown in your bank account when using retirement/65k extension of stay.