non immigrant o visa inside thailand possible??

[ceiba]

Has anyone extended a regular 30 day tourist visa, into a non immigrant o visa, from inside thailand, with a u.s. passport??  december 2017....thanks!

[ubonjoe]

It is possible to do a application for a 90 day non immigrant visa entry if you qualify for certain extensions of stay.

You must have at least 15 days remaining on your 30 day visa exempt entry (it is not a tourist visa) or the 30 day extension of it to apply.

[ceiba]

Thank you for your quick reply! My 30 day visa is expiring on the 26th, so I may qualify... do you happen to know what the procedure is: 1. get affidavit of funds at U.S. embassy 2. Go to immigration and apply for non immigrant o visa...

I'm probably missing some steps, but this is all I know so far.... gulp   Thanks so much for you help!! I'm a 'just off the boat' farang, lol!!

[ubonjoe]

On what basis would you be qualifying for an extension of stay. Retirement, marriage and etc.

Where would you be applying.

Immigration will accept a income affidavit to apply for the visa if you have sufficient income to meet the requirements.

If your 30 day visa exempt entry is ending on the 26th you would have apply for the 30 day extension before you application would be accepted.

[ceiba]

Yes, I meet the retirement age and would like to eventually convert to a one year retirement visa...

[ceiba]

So sorry, but I seem to have lost the thread???? I can hear the beep that you have replied, but cannot find the thread past your second reply.... thanks!!

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, ceiba said:

Yes, I meet the retirement age and would like to eventually convert to a one year retirement visa.

You cannot a apply for a one year retirement visa at immigration.

You can apply for a one year extension of stay during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the non immigrant visa entry you would get.

General requirement are here to a apply for the non immigrant visa entry is here. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

To get the income affidavit you must make an appointment at the embassy to do it. Info about the affidavit is here. https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/income-affidavit/

For appointments info is here: https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/acsappointment/

 

Edited December 13, 2017 by ubonjoe
added appointment info

[ceiba]

Thanks so much for the helpful information! Really kind!  Regards, Ceiba

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

To get the income affidavit you must make an appointment at the embassy to do it.

quite so, note that the Chiang Mai embassy has limited hours to obtain the services you need; i believe they were tuesday and thursday; 

last time i used their online appointment system, there was a backup of about two weeks;

the appointments are one topic only; 2 topics, 2 reservations;

the income affidavit forms were in the waiting room near the exit door;

the embassy will not verify/check the amounts; that is the 'trust system' at this point**;

not sure if they require a witness for this purpose but somewhat similar services there do;

in that situation, i have just recruited another person nearby that agreed to do so;

**i believe there are USA Privacy laws that prevent them from doing so

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

quite so, note that the Chiang Mai embassy has limited hours to obtain the services you need; i believe they were tuesday and thursday; 

The embassy is in Bangkok. The US consulate is in Chiang Mai.

7 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

the embassy will not verify/check the amounts; that is the 'trust system' at this point**;

not sure if they require a witness for this purpose but somewhat similar services there do;

in that situation, i have just recruited another person nearby that agreed to do so;

No witness is need to do the income affidavit. Never heard of a witness being needed for anything done at the US embassy or consulate.

[steve187]

you will need a 30 day extension and then apply for the non imm 'O' visa once you have the finances in place.

 

not all immigration offices will do the conversion, and some may require the use of an agent

Edited December 13, 2017 by steve187

[glegolo]

25 minutes ago, steve187 said:

you will need a 30 day extension and then apply for the non imm 'O' visa once you have the finances in place.

 

not all immigration offices will do the conversion, and some may require the use of an agent

NO wrong.. you got it wrong my friend. He need to entry Thailand on a tourist VISA excempt (valid 30 days), then go to immigration and apply for a non imm o VISA on basis that he intends to go the route of applying later for an extension of stay based on Retirement (NOT A VISA)

 

Just read Ubon Joes posts and plse do not mix things up...

 

glegolo

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

you will need a 30 day extension and then apply for the non imm 'O' visa once you have the finances in place.

 

not all immigration offices will do the conversion, and some may require the use of an agent

In Chang Mai, I think they do the conversions following the actual rules (unlike some other offices).  But based on some reports, they may try to "run out the clock" - using the "15 days left on your current permission of stay" rule, by claiming no appointment-times available soon enough.  The agent-applications seem to get appointment-priority.  Applying ASAP could help mitigate this potential roadblock.

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

the embassy will not verify/check the amounts; that is the 'trust system' at this point**;

They ask you to verify/swear to the amount you are claiming, It is not simply a notary of your signature, it is an affidavit. Immigrations still has the right to ask for supporting evidence ... although I've not heard of them doing so. When I've done annual extensions I bring along backup documentation regarding sources and amounts of income. Sometimes they keep it. Sometimes they hand it back to me.

 

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No witness is need to do the income affidavit. Never heard of a witness being needed for anything done at the US embassy or consulate.

Agree a witness is not required for income verification affidavit, but if you want some document notarized and the document requires a witness, the embassy website states:

 

• Quote

  If your document requires the presence of witnesses in addition to the notarization, you must supply these witnesses. Our staff cannot act as witnesses.

  https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/

But if you make an appointment at the embassy you would have to inform them ahead of time if you are bringing a witness.

 

Quote

Access will ONLY be granted to the individual(s) listed on your appointment confirmation. In advance of your appointment, please provide us with the full names of all people who will accompany you and explain why their presence is required 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2017 by Suradit69

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, glegolo said:

He need to entry Thailand on a tourist VISA excempt (valid 30 days)

He could be in the country on tourist visa entry or extension or he could be here on a visa exempt entry or extension to start the conversion to a non-imm O entry ... assuming he qualifies for it.

 

Probably easier to start out with a non-imm O visa entry after entering the country actually using a non-imm O visa.

[glegolo]

 

2 hours ago, glegolo said:

He need to entry Thailand on a tourist VISA excempt (valid 30 days),

glegolo

Suradit69

He could be in the country on tourist visa entry or extension or he could be here on a visa exempt entry or extension to start the conversion to a non-imm O entry ... assuming he qualifies for it.

 

Probably easier to start out with a non-imm O visa entry after entering the country actually using a non-imm O visa.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The guy asks for the following;

"Has anyone extended a regular 30 day tourist visa, into a non immigrant o visa, from inside thailand, with a u.s. passport??  december 2017....thanks!"

 

So why bring stuff up "mis-quoting" me, like you do? No need.....

 

glegolo

Edited December 13, 2017 by glegolo

[buick]

ceiba,

 

you should mention what immigration office you plan to use for the conversion process.  that will help you get the best advice.

[steve187]

10 hours ago, glegolo said:

NO wrong.. you got it wrong my friend. He need to entry Thailand on a tourist VISA excempt (valid 30 days), then go to immigration and apply for a non imm o VISA on basis that he intends to go the route of applying later for an extension of stay based on Retirement (NOT A VISA)

 

Just read Ubon Joes posts and plse do not mix things up...

 

glegolo

he is already in Thailand, on a visa exempt which runs out on the 26th, hr will need 15 days to do the conversion, today is the 13th so he does not have 15 days, therefore he will need to do a 30 day extension on the visa exempt entry, then obtain a non imm ' o' visa as a conversion, and then after the money has seasoned do a 1 year extension, in the last 30 days of that 90 day stamp from the non 'O'

so please explain what part of my post was incorrect, as your post is full of holes.

[Suzy]

On ‎12‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 9:20 AM, ubonjoe said:

You cannot a apply for a one year retirement visa at immigration.

You can apply for a one year extension of stay during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the non immigrant visa entry you would get.

General requirement are here to a apply for the non immigrant visa entry is here. https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

To get the income affidavit you must make an appointment at the embassy to do it. Info about the affidavit is here. https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/income-affidavit/

For appointments info is here: https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/acsappointment/

 

I got a one year retirement visa earlier this year at Immigration Bangkok, no problem.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, Suzy said:

I got a one year retirement visa earlier this year at Immigration Bangkok, no problem.

Look at the stamp your passport and you will see it is an extension of your permission to stay not a visa.

[glegolo]

YES there were another one that now understand the difference between a VISA and an extension of stay... 150.000 people to go.....

 

glegolo

[Suzy]

On ‎12‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 1:59 PM, glegolo said:

YES there were another one that now understand the difference between a VISA and an extension of stay... 150.000 people to go.....

 

glegolo

Sorry can't understand your attempt at English!

[Suzy]

On ‎12‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 12:08 PM, ubonjoe said:

Look at the stamp your passport and you will see it is an extension of your permission to stay not a visa.

But stamped 'Retirement'

[BritTim]

47 minutes ago, Suzy said:

But stamped 'Retirement'

The documentation surrounding your pension may also refer to retirement, but that does not make it a visa.

[glegolo]

53 minutes ago, Suzy said:

Sorry can't understand your attempt at English!

Yes I can see that, you have to learn that there is an utmost important difference betwen a VISA and an extension of stay.... Follow the threads here at Thaivisa.com and try to learn from it. This being said in good faith not meaning any harm at all.

 

Hope you understand my english this time Susy....

 

glegolo

[NancyL]

On 12/13/2017 at 12:59 PM, JackThompson said:

In Chang Mai, I think they do the conversions following the actual rules (unlike some other offices).  But based on some reports, they may try to "run out the clock" - using the "15 days left on your current permission of stay" rule, by claiming no appointment-times available soon enough.  The agent-applications seem to get appointment-priority.  Applying ASAP could help mitigate this potential roadblock.

Was at CM Imm. last week and they have a sign that says you have to have "21 days left on your current permission to stay" to apply an appointment for a change in your visa status, not "15 days".  So, clearly they are working their appointment system to their advantage to run out the clock so that people are pushed into using agents who somehow aren't hamstrung by the "21 day rule".

[Lite Beer]

On 12/14/2017 at 12:03 PM, Suzy said:

I got a one year retirement visa earlier this year at Immigration Bangkok, no problem.

You did not.

[JackThompson]

8 hours ago, NancyL said:

Was at CM Imm. last week and they have a sign that says you have to have "21 days left on your current permission to stay" to apply an appointment for a change in your visa status, not "15 days".  So, clearly they are working their appointment system to their advantage to run out the clock so that people are pushed into using agents who somehow aren't hamstrung by the "21 day rule".

So, even if you go in at the first opportunity, they can throw in an extra "unofficial" document required, or ask for an MFA stamp on something, and they've "got you."  Yep. 

 

I have a special bottle of wine saved for the day I see this "fixer" system upended, and the players on TV with the fingers pointing at them.

[NancyL]

24 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

So, even if you go in at the first opportunity, they can throw in an extra "unofficial" document required, or ask for an MFA stamp on something, and they've "got you."  Yep. 

 

I have a special bottle of wine saved for the day I see this "fixer" system upended, and the players on TV with the fingers pointing at them.

Well, in all fairness to CM Imm, they haven't twigged to the "MFA stamp" requirement (yet).  Maybe you have to go to Bangkok to get a MFA stamp.  But, they do wait until the actual time of the appointment to review documents, and the biggest trip-up is with the TM30.  Appointments seem to book out at least 2 - 3 weeks in advance, so even if you go to make an appointment within a few days of arriving on a 30-day visa exempt entry, you're looking at having to obtain that second 30 day extension.  It would be good if they looked at documents at the time of making the appointment, much like they do when they issue queue cards in the morning for more routine services.

 

Oops, now that I think about it, they don't look for TM30s in the morning when they issue queue cards for routine services, either.  They wait until you get to the desk to submit the application for an extension or re-entry permit and then the officer looks for your TM30 receipt in the passport.  If none, he sends you up to the 2nd floor office that processes TM30s to get one, even if you claim it's been filed.  "You must keep the receipt in your passport". 

 

Fortunately, they aren't doing this with 90 day reports at this time, although it has been done on a selective basis with 90 day reporting, too.  CM fines the visa holder 1600 baht for failure to have a TM30 even though it's the responsibility of the property owner to file.