Melbourne Thai consulate will not give non O any longer

[ezzra]

30 odd years in Thailand last 10 on a retirement permit, got caught when passport

has expired and silly me didn't noticed that the last extension was only good to 

when the passport expired 6 moths earlier 

At the thai consulate in Melb. to be told that only Canberra can issues

a non O visas now, and that after vigorous vetting to keep the riff-raff out as

i was told, so now with only a 60 days tourist visa i got to figure out how to

establish my retirement permit again, any ideas how to get the non O that

doesn't cost a bundle or have to travel too far?....

[ubonjoe]

The stopped issuing them some time ago for being 50 or over for retirement.

I you were married to a Thai you could one there.

You can do a change of visa status at immigration to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O). You would need to show the financial proof needed for an extension go apply for it. You must have at least 15 days remaining on your 60 day entry to apply for it.

 

[tagalong]

I got an O A in August from Canberra...No problem ..in 3 days...Try there....

Edited February 5, 2018 by tagalong
Correction

[OJAS]

18 minutes ago, tagalong said:

I got an O A in August from Canberra...No problem ..in 3 days...Try there....

Would require him jumping through a few hoops first, though - including obtaining a criminal record check and a doctor's certificate confirming that he didn't suffer from a range of ailments.

[tagalong]

You are correct but all was too easy....The doc cert list only 4  requirements...Elephantiasis etc... The police cert within 14 days...

[fvw53]

The Thai representation in Melbourne is a Honorary Consulate (it means unpaid and run by a volunteer) and this may explain that because of increasing need for supervision, the Thai Embassy in Canberra takes back competence to issue the Non Imm O

As Australia is indeed not a small country this can be a problem

[Suradit69]

47 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Would require him jumping through a few hoops first, though - including obtaining a criminal record check and a doctor's certificate confirming that he didn't suffer from a range of ailments.

Not that much of a hurdle and you end up with potentially 2 years in Thailand without the need to get an extension or the need to prove income and/or money in a Thai bank.

 

Not sure why most people would find the process especially onerous. Certainly the medical report should be easily obtained (unless you have leprosy or elephantiasis) and the police report, depending on where you live, should be pretty straight forward.

 

 

[Laza 45]

1 hour ago, tagalong said:

I got an O A in August from Canberra...No problem ..in 3 days...Try there....

...yes.. that is the way to go.. I've been getting OA multi entry visas for years.. always done through Canberra.. just meet the requirement.. no problems.. 

[cat handler]

You can get them in Canberra, it’s not far from Melbourne, just drop off everything one day and go back a couple of days later.

[Spock]

1 hour ago, cat handler said:

You can get them in Canberra, it’s not far from Melbourne, just drop off everything one day and go back a couple of days later.

Not far from Melbourne! You jest! Surely the process can be completed by mail? 

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, Laza 45 said:

...yes.. that is the way to go.. I've been getting OA multi entry visas for years.. always done through Canberra.. just meet the requirement.. no problems.. 

But don't you have to leave the country every 90 days if you do not convert to a retirement extension. This is not convenient for some.

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

But don't you have to leave the country every 90 days if you do not convert to a retirement extension. This is not convenient for some.

A OA visa allows one year entries not 90 days. A non-o visa only allows 90 day entries.

[logres212]

Try the Thai consultant in Hobart Tasmania. That's where l got my non O visa my son also, and we were living in Melbourne at the time. All done through the post, very quick service about 4 days turn around using express courier. Very friendly and helpful staff, spoke to them on the phone, and they advertise they're cheapest in Australia. Check out their website.

[StevieAus]

14 hours ago, Spock said:

Not far from Melbourne! You jest! Surely the process can be completed by mail? 

You beat me with your post, although I suppose it depends on your definition of “ Not far”

[Laza 45]

14 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

But don't you have to leave the country every 90 days if you do not convert to a retirement extension. This is not convenient for some.

OA is a retirement visa.. 90 day report by mail (for me).. at the end of the first year before the visa expires I do a border run and get a further year.. but entries expire so if I want to leave the country and come back in the 2nd year I have to buy a re-entry.. 

[Evilbaz]

For OA:-

AFP report done online (from Thailand).

Took 3 days.

Dr's certificate - 15 minutes - only visual inspection required.

JP notarization - 20 minutes.

Mailed to Canberra from rural W.A. and received back in a week.

What's difficult?

[OJAS]

20 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

Not that much of a hurdle and you end up with potentially 2 years in Thailand without the need to get an extension or the need to prove income and/or money in a Thai bank.

 

Not sure why most people would find the process especially onerous. Certainly the medical report should be easily obtained (unless you have leprosy or elephantiasis) and the police report, depending on where you live, should be pretty straight forward.

 

 

But in the UK applicants are also required by the London Embassy to get the application form as prepared in triplicate plus all supporting docs notarised by a notary public or solicitor. That was by far and away the most time-consuming (and expensive) part of the whole process based on my experience of applying for an OA visa there 10 years ago.

 

Not sure whether the Camberra Embassy has imposed a similar requirement for Australian applicants, though.* And I take it from your comment that the Washington Embassy (plus official consulates dotted around the USA who also issue OA's) does not impose this requirement for American applicants?

 

*EDIT: According to the relevant application form in this instance (click on the FORM A link on http://canberra.thaiembassy.org/Home/visa to download), Camberra does, in fact, require notary public/justice of the peace certification in a similar manner to its London counterpart. Something for the OP to bear in mind.

Edited February 6, 2018 by OJAS

[Laza 45]

8 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

For OA:-

AFP report done online (from Thailand).

Took 3 days.

Dr's certificate - 15 minutes - only visual inspection required.

JP notarization - 20 minutes.

Mailed to Canberra from rural W.A. and received back in a week.

What's difficult?

..a question about JP notarization..  did you have to get every page of the original as well as the copies signed by the JP?  On my last application 2 years ago the 1st JP I saw would only sign the originals.. I had to get new copies and find a JP who would sign them all. Still... worked out better than a Notary Public (expensive).. at least the JP is free..

[Evilbaz]

22 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

..a question about JP notarization..  did you have to get every page of the original as well as the copies signed by the JP?  On my last application 2 years ago the 1st JP I saw would only sign the originals.. I had to get new copies and find a JP who would sign them all. Still... worked out better than a Notary Public (expensive).. at least the JP is free..

Yes - all copies.

I apologized for the workload but he was most obliging (and free).

With the copies, IIRC, I had to sign they were a true copy and he certified he had witnessed that.

[Laza 45]

50 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

Yes - all copies.

I apologized for the workload but he was most obliging (and free).

With the copies, IIRC, I had to sign they were a true copy and he certified he had witnessed that.

Still the same.. thank you..  I have to do one in a couple of weeks,,

[cat handler]

On 05/02/2018 at 5:51 PM, Spock said:

Not far from Melbourne! You jest! Surely the process can be completed by mail? 

 

Sorry, I live in W.A, I have a 750km drive to the airport, same to get my BMW serviced but only a 450km drive to get my bike serviced. So yeah, Canberra isn’t far from Melbourne.

[Evilbaz]

48 minutes ago, cat handler said:

 

Sorry, I live in W.A, I have a 750km drive to the airport, same to get my BMW serviced but only a 450km drive to get my bike serviced. So yeah, Canberra isn’t far from Melbourne.

I'm scratching my head at this.

Where in WA are you 750km from an airport?

[fabphil]

Just go to your local visa shop in Thai, they can do it :)

 

[4evermaat]

Try the Thai consultant in Hobart Tasmania. That's where l got my non O visa my son also, and we were living in Melbourne at the time. All done through the post, very quick service about 4 days turn around using express courier. Very friendly and helpful staff, spoke to them on the phone, and they advertise they're cheapest in Australia. Check out their website.

How long ago did you or your colleagues attempt this?

Sent from my LDN-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Laza 45]

35 minutes ago, 4evermaat said:

How long ago did you or your colleagues attempt this?

Sent from my LDN-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

...I repeat.. local consulates do not give out visas.. ALL go through Thai embassy in Canberra.. consulates can help with forms  but you have to send to the Thai embassy..

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

...I repeat.. local consulates do not give out visas.. ALL go through Thai embassy in Canberra.. consulates can help with forms  but you have to send to the Thai embassy..

The honorary consulates can still issue most single entry non immigrant visas and tourist visas without them having to be sent to the embassy.

Look here on the Melbourne website. http://www3.truecorp.co.th/cm/shop

[chainarong]

On ‎2‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 8:51 AM, StevieAus said:

You beat me with your post, although I suppose it depends on your definition of “ Not far”

Like Perth isn't far either if U say it fast

[StevieAus]

On 6/18/2018 at 6:37 PM, chainarong said:

Like Perth isn't far either if U say it fast

I think Perth is very far from Sydney cannot go much further !!

[Classic Ray]

Several years ago I arrived from UK on 30 day visa exemption and, provided you apply within 7 days of arrival, was able to convert that to a 90 day Non Immigrant visa in Chiang Mai. If you leave it after 7 days, they make you do a land crossing border run to Myanmar to get another 30 days. I think that period may have been reduced now.

 

That gave time to season necessary savings/income in a Thai bank account so was then able to apply for a one year Retirement extension to that Non Immigrant visa. 

 

No idea if this option still works as I am now on a Marriage extension, but still to that original Non Immigrant visa, and all without leaving the country, or getting any visa or medical/police records check in UK.