Stretching a single non-immigrant O visa....

[Bullie]

Since I am financially independent, and over 50 years old I am entitled to a single nonimmigrant O visa. However, I would like to stay for 5 to 6 months without having to resort to putting the equivalent of 800.000 Baht in a Thai bank.

Since I stopped working I am not  entitled to a multiple tourist visa (In the Netherlands only available for people who are . employed or students) Which is strange in itself, because I have ample time, whereas someone who is employed does not usually have 4 or 6 months to play with...

Last year I resorted to two stints of 3 months each, which turned out to be quite expensive what with all the flying and taxi's and such plus the miserable time spent in a wintry Northern Europe in between.

 

So I came up with this cunning plan: Get myself a single non-immigrant O, which gives me 3 months in the country, then a border run to Cambodia, which gives another month, followed by an extension of 30 days at immigration, and again another border run for a final month in Thailand, winding up with (about) 180 days  in total. We live quite  close to the border, so effortwise very doable.

 

My question here is:  Is it legal, and will they let me in 2 times in succession on a visa exempt. Bar previous Non-O multiple and single visas I have not other stamps in my passport.

 

[elviajero]

If you’re over 50 you can get a multiple entry non ‘O-A visa. That will allow you to come and go as often as you want for 1 year, every time you enter you are granted a 1 year stay. You only need to prove an income equivalent to 65K pm, or have the equivalent of 800K in your non Thai bank, or a combination of the two.

[elviajero]

46 minutes ago, Bullie said:

My question here is:  Is it legal, and will they let me in 2 times in succession on a visa exempt.

Legal and no reason why not.

[elviajero]

47 minutes ago, Bullie said:

Since I stopped working I am not  entitled to a multiple tourist visa (In the Netherlands only available for people who are . employed or students) Which is strange in itself, because I have ample time, whereas someone who is employed does not usually have 4 or 6 months to play with...

It’s not strange. It’s a multiple entry visa designed for people that want to make multiple visits over 6 months, not for someone to live in the country for 4-6 months. Having evidence of a job/business demonstrates the need/want to leave the country.

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, Bullie said:

a border run to Cambodia, which gives another month, followed by an extension of 30 days at immigration, and again another border run for a final month in Thailand, winding up with (about) 180 days  in total. We live quite  close to the border, so effortwise very doable.

On the border-runs for visa-exempt entries: This will work as long as you do not use the Poipet/Aranyaprathet border crossing.  All others just follow the "2 Visa Exempts by Land per Calendar Year" rule.  Poipet has the Farang-hater clique running the show, so best to avoid it.

 

No reports yet of Cambodian crossings wanting to see 10K Baht worth of cash - but best to have that, as this is a "real rule".  The rule is 20K Baht when arriving with a visa.

Edited May 23, 2018 by JackThompson

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, Bullie said:

Since I stopped working I am not  entitled to a multiple tourist visa (In the Netherlands only available for people who are . employed or students) Which is strange in itself, because I have ample time, whereas someone who is employed does not usually have 4 or 6 months to play with...

Some embassies and consulates will issue a multiple entry tourist visa without proof you are employed if you can prove you retired and are financially independent. I suggest you contact them to find out what they will accept.

[Brunolem]

18 hours ago, Bullie said:

 

So I came up with this cunning plan: Get myself a single non-immigrant O, which gives me 3 months in the country, then a border run to Cambodia, which gives another month, followed by an extension of 30 days at immigration, and again another border run for a final month in Thailand, winding up with (about) 180 days  in total. We live quite  close to the border, so effortwise very doable.

You can actually do better than that.

 

You arrive with your non O visa, stay 90 days and then extend for another 30 days.

 

Then you go for a single border run, get 30 days followed by a 30 days extension.

 

Altogether you get to stay 180 days, having to go out of the country only one time.

 

[elviajero]

2 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

You can actually do better than that.

 

You arrive with your non O visa, stay 90 days and then extend for another 30 days.

They can’t do that. There is no 30 day extension available.

 

They could extend by 60 days, but only if the spouse or parent of a Thai.

Edited May 23, 2018 by elviajero

[Bullie]

20 hours ago, elviajero said:

If you’re over 50 you can get a multiple entry non ‘O-A visa. That will allow you to come and go as often as you want for 1 year, every time you enter you are granted a 1 year stay. You only need to prove an income equivalent to 65K pm, or have the equivalent of 800K in your non Thai bank, or a combination of the two.

Not in the Netherlands or Belgium you cant. Last year they made it a pre-requisite to actually receive a pension, no matter how much money you have in the bank. So in my case I will have to wait until I'm 67 for that, when my state pension kicks in..

[Bullie]

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Some embassies and consulates will issue a multiple entry tourist visa without proof you are employed if you can prove you retired and are financially independent. I suggest you contact them to find out what they will accept.

Not in the Netherlands. I tried! Being employed is a pre-requisite. Also, I can't prove I'm retired since I receive no pension. I just decided there's enough (more than enough) money in the bank to stop working, is all. I did show them statements of my savingsaccount.

Back to my original question: is this doable?

[Bullie]

3 hours ago, elviajero said:

They can’t do that. There is no 30 day extension available.

 

They could extend by 60 days, but only if the spouse or parent of a Thai.

In that case I could get a multiple non immigrant O easy!

My son is born in Thailand, my wife is Cambodian (Polpot refugee) with indefinite leave to remain in Thailand on grounds of cosanguinity.

Still: no dice, ambassador himself turned it down.

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, Bullie said:

Not in the Netherlands or Belgium you cant. Last year they made it a pre-requisite to actually receive a pension, no matter how much money you have in the bank. So in my case I will have to wait until I'm 67 for that, when my state pension kicks in..

Are you sure that was not to get a non-o visa. They mention prove retirement to get one here on their website. http://www.thaiembassy.org/hague/th/services/76474-Non-Immigrant-Visa-O-(others).html

No mention of pension for the OA visa here. http://www.thaiembassy.org/hague/th/services/76475-Non-Immigrant-Visa-O-A-(long-stay).html

 

[elviajero]

30 minutes ago, Bullie said:

Not in the Netherlands or Belgium you cant. Last year they made it a pre-requisite to actually receive a pension, no matter how much money you have in the bank. So in my case I will have to wait until I'm 67 for that, when my state pension kicks in..

I think you’re confusing s non ‘O’ issued on the basis of retirement and the non ‘O-A’ which is a “long stay” visa.

 

The ‘O-A’ would seem like the perfect visa for your situation.

[elviajero]

23 minutes ago, Bullie said:

In that case I could get a multiple non immigrant O easy!

My son is born in Thailand, my wife is Cambodian (Polpot refugee) with indefinite leave to remain in Thailand on grounds of cosanguinity.

Still: no dice, ambassador himself turned it down.

As neither your wife or son have, or qualify for, Thai nationality it’s not surprising it was turned down.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

On 5/22/2018 at 11:34 AM, elviajero said:

If you’re over 50 you can get a multiple entry non ‘O-A visa. That will allow you to come and go as often as you want for 1 year, every time you enter you are granted a 1 year stay. You only need to prove an income equivalent to 65K pm, or have the equivalent of 800K in your non Thai bank, or a combination of the two.

but he said he wants to do it without having to keep  800K in a thai bank account. and that can be understood (affraid of devaluation / corruption).

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

On 5/22/2018 at 11:34 AM, elviajero said:

Legal and no reason why not.

legal but not sure, they can refuse his entry at any point with no clear explanation besides : you in out thailand too much

[elviajero]

31 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

but he said he wants to do it without having to keep  800K in a thai bank account. and that can be understood (affraid of devaluation / corruption).

You don’t need 800K in a Thai bank for a Non ‘O-A’ visa. The money can stay in a bank in your home country.

[elviajero]

33 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

legal but not sure, they can refuse his entry at any point with no clear explanation besides : you in out thailand too much

They can. They have discretion to decide when enough is enough.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

11 hours ago, elviajero said:

You don’t need 800K in a Thai bank for a Non ‘O-A’ visa. The money can stay in a bank in your home country.

but in his home country they will not give him the NON O-A visa if he is not employed...that is why he can't apply for a retirement visa in thailand...cause he does not want to keep 800K in thai bank...kapish ?

[elviajero]

4 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

but in his home country they will not give him the NON O-A visa if he is not employed...that is why he can't apply for a retirement visa in thailand...cause he does not want to keep 800K in thai bank...kapish ?

Why not? You don’t need to be employed. You need proof of a 65K income or 800K in the bank. Capisce?

[faxx]

38 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Why not? You don’t need to be employed. You need proof of a 65K income or 800K in the bank. Capisce?

In many countries it is less than 800k. The requirement is available at the respective embassy or consulate. In Europe it is also possible to visit a consulate in a nearby country. Ie. a friend of mine from Poland gets his visa in Germany.

[elviajero]

38 minutes ago, faxx said:

In many countries it is less than 800k. The requirement is available at the respective embassy or consulate. In Europe it is also possible to visit a consulate in a nearby country. Ie. a friend of mine from Poland gets his visa in Germany.

You can only get a non ‘O-A’ visa from Embassies/Consulate Generals. There is no embassy that I know of, or have heard of, that will issue one with less than the equivalent of 800K baht in the bank unless you are combining, or using, income to meet the financial requirement.

 

Maybe you could link details of just one of the many you claim that do?!

Edited May 23, 2018 by elviajero

[ubonjoe]

6 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

but he said he wants to do it without having to keep  800K in a thai bank account. and that can be understood (affraid of devaluation / corruption).

I think you misread his reply.

6 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

or have the equivalent of 800K in your non Thai bank, or a combination of the two.

To apply for a OA long stay visa at a embassy in your home country the money can be in a bank their.

[Bullie]

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you sure that was not to get a non-o visa. They mention prove retirement to get one here on their website. http://www.thaiembassy.org/hague/th/services/76474-Non-Immigrant-Visa-O-(others).html

No mention of pension for the OA visa here. http://www.thaiembassy.org/hague/th/services/76475-Non-Immigrant-Visa-O-A-(long-stay).html

 

I see what you mean, but it would cost several hundreds of euo's for the medical exam, and the notary, apart from the hassle. Besides, I don't want to stay full-time in Thailand, I just want to visit for 5-6 months every year. Just popping across the border (1 hour drive from my home) for a visa exempt is easier and cheaper.

 

So again: will they let me through two times in succesion on a VE after my single non-immigrant visa-o has run out?

[Bullie]

18 hours ago, elviajero said:

As neither your wife or son have, or qualify for, Thai nationality it’s not surprising it was turned down.

The law also applies to permanent residents, which I thought they were. Instead they are defined as having "temporary leave", although they are allowed to live in Thailand forever...

[Bullie]

12 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

but in his home country they will not give him the NON O-A visa if he is not employed...that is why he can't apply for a retirement visa in thailand...cause he does not want to keep 800K in thai bank...kapish ?

Correction: they will not give me a multiple TOURIST visa.

The multiple O-A might be a way to go, but is very expensive what with notaried birthcertificates and residence extracts, not to mention the hefty bill for a medical examination. It would run to several hundred euro's , it's more easy and costeffective to just do a borderrun.