Difficulty of applying for a Non-Immigrant "O" Visa (Retirement) in home country

[StayinThailand2much]

I was planning to apply for a Non-Immigrant "O" Visa, based on being over 50, in my home country. However, I realised that I may not meet the requirements, which are very complex, incl.:

 

- "at least one address" (presumably in my home country, which I don't have anymore, and, because of the housing crisis back home, I couldn't afford on top of my expenses in Thailand)

 

- "a local guarantor" (so they want my, then 76-year old mom, or 80 year-old dad, to guarantee my stay in Thailand??)

 

- a police report (which, customarily, is not sent abroad, but takes up to 3 months to process in my country, requiring me to fly there twice on the vague possibility to get such a visa! Just curious, do they accept police reports from Thailand?)

 

Seems, that I will be stuck with SETVs for the foreseeable future. Wasn't the visa application in one's home country supposed to be easier? Obviously only for people who still work there, and have the possibility to go 3-4 times a year on holiday for a week or so, but why would those people need such a visa at all?

 

[ubonjoe]

Those requirements appear to be for NON-OA long stay visa not a NON-O visa.

You only need an address for here. Guarantor is not normally required.

You could apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement here at immigration. No police report or medical certificate needed.

You would need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

 

[StayinThailand2much]

35 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Those requirements appear to be for NON-OA long stay visa not a NON-O visa.

You only need an address for here. Guarantor is not normally required.

You could apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement here at immigration. No police report or medical certificate needed.

You would need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

 

I  am corrected; for the 90-day single entry visa there's no requirement for a police report or a medical certificate. Still the first requirement on the list is:

 

"Completely filled out application form: the exact address of, at least, one residential address (...), as well as a guarantor, resp. contact person in (country) must be declared." 

 

As I understand it, they really want someone to guarantee my 3-?? months stay in Thailand, i.e. they will actually call them and ask them if they will guarantee for all expenses. I don't have someone who will guarantee for all my costs and expenses in the Far East. And that is on top of the required bank balance of 200,000 baht! 

 

[lopburi3]

47 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I was planning to apply for a Non-Immigrant "O" Visa, based on being over 50, in my home country. However, I realised that I may not meet the requirements,

There is no age 50 requirement for non O visa issue based on marriage (bank balance 400k - you are not 50 per your profile birthdate anyhow).

[ubonjoe]

They do not check with the guarantor that you show on the form or even very the address for yourself that you put on the form.

They don't really want the guarantor to provide anything.

The 200,000 bank balance sounds like you are looking the requirements for a multiple entry tourist visa.

Which embassy website are you looking at?

[StayinThailand2much]

14 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

There is no age 50 requirement for non O visa issue based on marriage (bank balance 400k - you are not 50 per your profile birthdate anyhow).

Well, I'm not married. However, being close to turning 50, I was considering a visa application based on that fact.

[StayinThailand2much]

35 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They do not check with the guarantor that you show on the form or even very the address for yourself that you put on the form.

They don't really want the guarantor to provide anything.

The 200,000 bank balance sounds like you are looking the requirements for a multiple entry tourist visa.

Which embassy website are you looking at?

Thailand Embassy, Berlin/Germany. They mention as a requirement "5,000 Euros and proof of that bank balance for the past 3 month" (for the single 90-day visa).

 

2. Non-Immigrant-Visa

 

"O": Visum for other purposes

NON-IMMIGRANT-O VISA S: (90-day visa, single entry)

NON-IMMIGRANT-O VISA M: (90-day-stay per entry,  valid 1 year, multiple entry)

Pensioners/ Persons, from the age of 50 years on:

 

- filled-out application form, with exact address of, at least, one residential address (guarantor, resp. contact person in Germany has to be named)

- passport...

- photo...

- copy of confirmed flight booking

- copy of pension approval certificate (Yeah, right. Not until I'm 66!)

- if no pension, bank statements of at least 5,000 Euro (account statements for the last 3 months) (Sorry, haven't had a current account back home for a while)

- visa fee

 

No mention of money in a Thai bank I could use, nor of a possible guarantor in Thailand. Seems to be copied from 19th century visa-regulations when 99% of people lived in their home country, and hardly anyone abroad.

[ubonjoe]

Why don't you a apply for a non immigrant visa entry at immigration. Requirements here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

Or a apply for single entry non-o visa at nearby embassy or consulate. Same financial requirement needed for an extension of stay.

Or are you thinking you can get a multiple entry non-o visa in Germany.

[StayinThailand2much]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Why don't you a apply for a non immigrant visa entry at immigration. Requirements here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

Or a apply for single entry non-o visa at nearby embassy or consulate. Same financial requirement needed for an extension of stay.

Or are you thinking you can get a multiple entry non-o visa in Germany.

Well, I always like to play by the rules. Getting a long-term visa in my home country seemed to be the sensible thing. I may look into changing a tourist visa into a non "o", or applying for a non "o" nearby. (Thanks for the link!) I still have about two years until I'm eligible; who knows what the requirements will be then...