Visa on arrival at Mae Sai - change Thai business visa to retierment.

[Thailand2020]

Please help.
I am planning to go to Mae Sai on Monday to get a 30 day visa on arrival.
But I have read some info that they only give 15 days, but I have also read that it is still 30 days?

I am from the US and have a Thai business visa. I want to change to retirement. So I was told I can do this with at least 21 days left on a visa on arrival.

[ubonjoe]

You can get a 30 day visa exempt entry since you are from the US.

Perhaps confusion with a 15 day visa on arrival that requires applying for it and paying 2000 baht for those from 21 countries.

You could a apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement during the last 30 day of the 90 day entry from your non-b visa. Or if you have a extension of stay based upon working issued by immigration after canceling your extension.

[Thailand2020]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You can get a 30 day visa exempt entry since you are from the US.

Perhaps confusion with a 15 day visa on arrival that requires applying for it and paying 2000 baht for those from 21 countries.

You could a apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement during the last 30 day of the 90 day entry from your non-b visa. Or if you have a extension of stay based upon working issued by immigration after canceling your extension.

Thanks Ubonjoe. You always give helpful answers.

I wanted to just get my retierment exension using my busines visa, but they said since I never had extionsion on the visa, I couldnt. Also, my attorney is in bkk and I am in cm. So I think that made things more complicated. My visa and work permit expire on Monday. 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Thailand2020 said:

I wanted to just get my retierment exension using my busines visa, but they said since I never had extionsion on the visa, I couldnt. Also, my attorney is in bkk and I am in cm. So I think that made things more complicated. My visa and work permit expire on Monday. 

That is nor really correct info. All that is required is a non immigrant visa to apply for the extension based upon retirement. Nothing states it has to be a non-o visa.

Did you ask about it at immigration? If not and you have your financial proof ready you might want to try tomorrow at immigration in Chiang Mai.

[Thailand2020]

Huh. That is what cm immigration said. I'll ask someone else there tomarrow. They first said it was ok, but once they saw I nevér had an extension on the 90 day business visa, they said they can't. Didnt sound correct to me either.

 

[Thailand2020]

Maybe CM immigration just said no cause my situation is a little complicated.

- my 90 day business visa expires on Monday 30th.

- the soonest the US consulate is open, for my proof of pension is Tuesday the 31st.

- I'm in CM and my attorney in BKK said it will difficult to get my work permit canceled by Tuesday, because of the recent holidays. They said the work permit and new visa should happen on the same day. (sounds like a problem)

 

So the earliest I could get my retirement extension done is Wednesday the 1st, or maybe later, if my attorney takes longer. So I guess I might as well just hop on my motorcycle Monday morning and go to Mae Sai and get the 30 day visa exempt. To avoid over stay fees.

 

But thanks for letting me know that Mae Sai will issue me a 30 day visa exempt, that I can use to get a retirement extension.
Just don't want to go to Vientiane. A ride to Mae Sai is doable.

 

[JackThompson]

7 minutes ago, Thailand2020 said:

...

But thanks for letting me know that Mae Sai will issue me a 30 day visa exempt, that I can use to get a retirement extension.
Just don't want to go to Vientiane. A ride to Mae Sai is doable.

A visa-exempt entry is not a "Non-Immigrant" type of entry, so you cannot go straight from that to a retirement extension - as you could have from a "Non-B" (= "Non-Immigrant Type-B" visa-entry).   

 

If returning with a visa-exempt entry, your next step will be to get a "conversion" to a Non-Imm Non-O 90-day at immigration in CM.  Others who have done this can confirm what is needed (varies by office - some are near-impossible, others ok).  In the last 30-days of that 90-days from the conversion, you can then apply for a 1-year extension of stay.

 

Another option would be to go to Savanahket for a 90-day Non-O single-entry based on retirement, after which you can apply for a 1-year extension of stay without any "conversion" step.  That would also require an embassy-letter, so given your time-table, it looks like your next step to avoid overstay is still to Mae Sai, just to buy some time to explore your next options.

[BritTim]

Although frustrating when you already have a lawyer acting for you in Bangkok, I would suggest talking to an agent in Chiang Mai first thing tomorrow. A good agent will actually have a better idea of what is possible than a random immigration official, and will be able to bypass many cases where the officials are reluctant to process the extension, but can if sufficiently motivated.

[Thailand2020]

Thanks for your reply. I went to the office for the conversion upstairs from CM immigration and they gave me the info for the conversion. I should have mentioned that in my post.

So I will just do the Mae Sai run.

 

I messed up by waiting so long, but I was busy, then with the holidays this week, it got more complicated. Oh well, sometimes things are a hassle in Thailand, but overall it is worth the hassle. Sad about the king today.

[Thailand2020]

Thanks. The agency I used in the past to get a retirement extension told me the bad news, he said it came CM immigration.