Tourist visa to Retirement extension advice required.

[GoodisonPark]

My circumstances

 

59 years old 

Arrived Thailand 4 September 2018 on 60 day tourist visa 

Went to Prachin Buri  Immigration yesterday and was granted a 30 day extension ( as have address here) so that takes me to 2 December 2018

 

I asked Immigration Officer about Retirement extension and was told in no uncertain terms that I must leave Thailand and apply at a Thai Embassy there.

 

I have been to Bangkok Bank and they will accept opening of savings account on Tourist Visa  for the required 800,000 baht for retirement extension - so no problem there.

 

Sorry if this subject has been covered before - I have read through many threads and still not 100% sure what to do.

 

Seems some Immigration Offices operate under different rules - and I have notice a shedload of "agencies"  ( Legit?) who offer to convert my Tourist visa to Retirement extension.

 

Advice appreciated . Thanks

 

I 

[ubonjoe]

They gave you false info.

Any immigration office can accept applications for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry. Been that way for a little over a year now.

I suggest you go back and ask about it again.

Requirements for the visa application are here.https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

For the visa application the 800k baht only has to be in the bank on the date you apply. Then when you apply for the extension of stay during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the visa it will need to be in the bank for 60 days on the date you apply.

[GoodisonPark]

Cheers for your reply ubonjoe, will go back and see what they say. Failing that I will go to Bangkok Immigration Office . And as for agents ? I had a response from one - yes he can do it - 35,000 baht - in my view not an option.

 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, GoodisonPark said:

Failing that I will go to Bangkok Immigration Office .

They will tell you to do it at your designated immigration office unless you have a Bangkok address to put on the application form. Others have tried and been told that.

[GoodisonPark]

Okay thanks, thought that would just be the head office, hmmmm anyone would think they want to make it difficult to live here .

[JackThompson]

21 hours ago, GoodisonPark said:

Okay thanks, thought that would just be the head office, hmmmm anyone would think they want to make it difficult to live here .

Bangkok ordered all local-offices to provide the service at the same time they stopped allowing those not living in their service-area to use the Chang Wattana (main Bangkok) office to apply there.  But, some offices have been reported to make it very difficult to get a Non-O stamp (aka "conversion").  Some which will do it, demand the money be seasoned first - contrary to the official-rules.  I encountered similar problems personally, at a different office. 

 

You could try taking a printout of the requirements, per the website UJ quoted above.

 

If that fails, one option is to move to Bangkok for awhile while you get the Non-O.  Another workaround is to get a Non-O Visa in Savannakhet, which has the least paperwork required, of nearby consulates.  For the 2nd option, you would need proof of the money plus proof of retirement, for which an income-affidavit from your country's embassy may be used.  The affidavit can be any income amount, if you have 800K in-the-bank.

[GoodisonPark]

Thanks Jack, not only me had this problem then. Am going to give it one final shot at Prachin Buri, show them the info supplied by UbonJoe - if that doesn't work will either move to another province where they are able to convert my visa - or will see about getting agent/legal advice . 

 

[GoodisonPark]

Just an update - I went back to Prachin Buri Immigration Office yesterday - was seen pretty quickly by an Immigration Officer - who was pleasant but FIRM.   Seems everything I said was WRONG.  I cannot convert my tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O  visa whilst inside Thailand - even when I pointed out it can be done in Bangkok - I was told wrong again. The only way  is to go to a neighbouring country and appl there. when I mentioned the 800,000 baht in bank- was told it has to be deposited for THREE months - Realising there was little point continuing,  I asked her opinion of using an agent - she declined to comment - merely repeated go to a neighbouring country and apply .

 

S0 am thinking either  do as she suggests, r or just bite the bullet and get an agent. In the meantime I shall have a beer and try to  remain calm .

 

 

[OJAS]

On 9/26/2018 at 2:53 PM, GoodisonPark said:

And as for agents ? I had a response from one - yes he can do it - 35,000 baht - in my view not an option.

 

Indeed. For that amount you could probably book a return flight to the UK in order to obtain a non-OA visa from the Royal Thai Embassy in London!

 

Seriously, though, did it not occur to you to obtain a non-OA visa, instead of a tourist one, before you came out here? Would have required you to go through a number of hoops, of course, but, as you are now finding out,  so would a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate in this part of the world for a non-O visa.

Edited October 3, 2018 by OJAS

[GoodisonPark]

3 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

 

 

Seriously, though, did it not occur to you to obtain a non-OA visa, instead of a tourist one, before you came out here? Would have required you to go through a number of hoops, of course, but, as you are now finding out,  so would a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate in this part of the world for a non-O visa.

I have learned by my mistake - am not a seasoned traveller - sure will get it sorted - and this site is a mine of useful information -

 

[JackThompson]

7 hours ago, GoodisonPark said:

Just an update - I went back to Prachin Buri Immigration Office yesterday - was seen pretty quickly by an Immigration Officer - who was pleasant but FIRM.   Seems everything I said was WRONG.  I cannot convert my tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O  visa whilst inside Thailand - even when I pointed out it can be done in Bangkok - I was told wrong again. The only way  is to go to a neighbouring country and appl there. when I mentioned the 800,000 baht in bank- was told it has to be deposited for THREE months - Realising there was little point continuing,  I asked her opinion of using an agent - she declined to comment - merely repeated go to a neighbouring country and apply .

 

S0 am thinking either  do as she suggests, r or just bite the bullet and get an agent. In the meantime I shall have a beer and try to  remain calm .

 

It is amazing how they can lie straight to your face like that - on both the Non-O stamp AND the seasoning period for your 1st extension.  And it must be just a coincidence that the agent can get it done for 35K Baht.  Disgusting.  I have "been there and done that" - and know the feeling all too well. 

 

Savannakhet isn't a bad place to spend a couple days.  Beer Lao (I prefer dark) is delicious.  Just make sure you have the money-proof and an Embassy letter showing some income (proof of retirement), so it's not a wasted trip.

 

And given they make up their own seasoning rules at that office (3 months instead of 2 for the first extension), I would get the money started seasoning before the trip, so your 1-yr extension goes well.

Edited October 3, 2018 by JackThompson

[CharlieH]

Reported off topic post removed

[matt999]

I just did exactly that at Chaeng Wattana Immigration Bangkok yesterday: Apply for change of Tourist Visa to Retirement Visa.

 

They DO accept it, the officer even gave me the attached sheet stating the required documents (see scan below).

 

In addition / clarification to what's written on the scanned document below please note:

• As Tourist Visa owner with Visa on Arrival you need to fill TM87
• 5. / 6. / 7. are OR options, partially substituting each other
• 7. only replaces 5.3 (you still need 5.1 and 5.2). If you worked in Thailand the year before you can show your Tax Return filings which state your income - that seems to be an acceptable solution to prove your income as source of your 800k.
• Owners of a condo can - instead of 8. - show their chanote and Blue Tabian Baan. If they have the Yellow Tabian Baan - even better. Map is required anyway.
• While it is not requested on the list, they still take a copy of the police record from your home country if you offer it to them. Even if its not translated ...

In regards to procedure:

• Once they reviewed and accepted your documents
• An immigration officer will apparently come to see you at your living address appr. 3 working days after you applied. You must stick around.
• Then you can pick up the Visa Stamp 10 days later at the Immigration Office
• The stamp will be only 90 days. After 90 days you have to do the whole procedure again and only THEN you will get the full year retirement visa.

Apologies for the text marker on the pic, they were already on it when i received it.

I'll see if I can update this once it is all done.

Hope this helps ????

 

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, matt999 said:

I just did exactly that at Chaeng Wattana Immigration Bangkok yesterday: Apply for change of Tourist Visa to Retirement Visa.

 

They DO accept it, the officer even gave me the attached sheet stating the required documents (see scan below).

Yes, it is no problem at CW, and some other offices.  At CW you can go in-person and they follow the rules. At other offices - maybe yes, and maybe no.  The OP was in Prachin-Buri, where the only option he was given was trip out of the country for a Visa or paying an agent 35K Baht. 

 

This is why I suggest anyone first-arriving to Thailand without a Non-O Visa, and wanting to get a non-o-type extension, should stay in Bangkok until they get this done - because of exactly the scenario the OP encountered (as did I, at a different office). 

Not only did his office pretend a Non-O stamp was impossible, but they also added an extra month of seasoning to his first-extension - such that he needs to open his bank-acct and get the money there *before* he starts his Non-O 90-day stamp-entry. 

 

The first extension seasoning is 2 months - specifically to allow an applicant time to get the bank acct open and money transferred after they get the Non-O stamp.  A Non-O  makes opening a bank account easier (at many branches) than with a Tourist-entry.

 

Clearly, that office wants him to be unable to succeed without paying their agent-friend - so are trying to trip-him-up 2 different ways.  And they are not the only office to play these sorts of dirty-tricks.  Hopefully the info in this thread helps the OP short-circuit their scheme. 

[matt999]

Understood, Jack.

 

Immigration had another procedural flavor to add, which is apparently new:

• After you handed in your application at CW you have to wait for the immigration officer to come to your place
• They come a few days later with two officers to see your place.
• They take photos of you with your open bank book and passport in your hands in front of your condo with number sign in plain view.
• They also take pictures of the bank book and of the passport individually
• Then (and that was quite unexpected to me coz no one ever mentioned any of this, not even CW) they want to have someone who guarantees for you actually living there.
• So for example you take them to the Juristic / Nittibukon and the manager will have to produce his ID card, they write his details down in another form, photograph his ID, him + you + one officer in his office

Then they are finally done. So, wherever you apply, make sure to have your place of living ready plus a guarantor with ID card.

 

Apparently they only do this with your first application. If you already have a retirement visa and just extend for another year, this procedure is skipped.

I'll keep this updated as it happens ...

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, matt999 said:

Immigration had another procedural flavor to add, which is apparently new:

• After you handed in your application at CW you have to wait for the immigration officer to come to your place

That is a new procedure at Chaeng Wattana immigration. I wonder if they are doing it to insure people are actually living in Bangkok and not just staying there long enough to do the non immigrant visa application. Or perhaps to make it impossible for agents to do it for those not living in Bangkok.

[matt999]

The officer doing the home visit had actually another paper ready with the requirements for retirement visa (a bit late, considering that we were already at the home visit stage and obviously they already HAD all the documents, but nevermind, better safe than sorry). See below.

2018_10_16 Infosheet Immigration Docs for Retirment Visa V2.pdf