First extension with NON imm O visa

[Marius Brok]

I am looking for the easy way to stay 4 moths in Thailand for holydays. In fact only for supervise the building of a house.

I also need a proof of residence to get a bank account and possibly a drivers licence.

I do not have time to stay in Bangkok and do my immigration things at the imm office in Chaiyaphum. I have a permanent address to stay for these 4 months in the house of my wives sister.

I can do a 1. METV, a 2. NON IMM O-A (ME) or 3. NON IMM O retirement.

 

1. With a METV and extension I do not get a proof of residence and drivers license I think. I also want to avoid border runs for extensions.

 

2. With a NON IMM O-A multiple entry it is possible to get a residence proof and drivers license but very expensive in total with all paper work and stamps for notarising. CAN I HANDLE ALL IMMIGRATION THINGS AT THE CHAIYAPHUM OFFICE?

 

3. With a NON IMM O multiple entry for retirement. Although we do not stay permanent after the house is ready we go a few months a year to the house. I can get a residents proof and a drivers license I believe. 

But CAN I MAKE THE FIRST EXTENSION (TO GET A ONE YEAR) OF THIS VISA AT THE IMM OFFICE IN CHAIYAPHUM?

 

Good advise is welcome and wrong assumptions of me can be discussed 

If one will respond please do it for each paragraph number to keep sight on the differences?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

[johng]

You could just get a  Multi Non-O ( from Thai embassy in Netherlands)

and stay for <90 days then hop across the border for a few hours and come back to Thailand for another 90 days

 

If they won't give a multi Non-O get a single then stay for 90 days and get an extension of stay at immigration for 60 days (to support your Thai wife)    I'm sure @ubonjoe  will be along soon.

[steve73]

Whichever visa you use to enter Thailand (even a visa exempt) you (or your hotel or landlord/housemaster) should report your address to your local immigration office (TM30) within 24 hours, and the I/O can then issue you with a certificate of residence if you want.  If you're planning to be based in Chaiyaphum then that's the best place to do it (although I have no experience of this office).

 

You should be able to open a bank account and get a Thai drivers license whatever visa you have, although some areas may refuse for a VE.  Best if you do a conversion using your national driving license plus an International as it saves doing the whole test...  If this is your first license, it makes no difference what visa you have, you'll only get a 2 year validity.  (Next time if you have a non-O or extension of, you'll get a 5 year, or if you're still on METV's you'll only get another 2 years.)

 

For your bank, it's again best to open it in the province where you will most likely be staying, since out-of-province ATM withdrawal usually incur a small charge, but preferable to use a main branch or one in a major mall (like Tesco Lotus) as there's a slightly better chance that they'll speak some English.  It'll help if you take a Thai existing account holder with you as an introduction.

 

With an METV you'll get 60 days initially extendable by 30, then you'll need to do a border run for another 60(+30).

A non-O will give you 30 days (only extendable for one year provided you satisfy the financial conditions for retirement or marriage, or for 60days if married).

A non-O-A ("retirement") is multi-entry that is valid for one year.  If you leave and re-enter just before the visa expired you can get another year of stay (but you'll need a re-entry permit once the visa has passed its validity date, if you do want to leave again).

 

Both an O or an O-A can be extended annually provided you meet the necessary conditions.

If you get a METV, you can (I think) convert this to a non-O without leaving T/L, but I'm unsure if all Immigration offices can do this.

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, steve73 said:

Whichever visa you use to enter Thailand (even a visa exempt) you (or your hotel or landlord/housemaster) should report your address to your local immigration office (TM30) within 24 hours, and the I/O can then issue you with a certificate of residence if you want.

Issuance of Cert of Residence varies by office, as to what type of stay you must have.  Some will not do it unless you are on a permitted-stay beyond 90-days and are therefore filing 90-day reports. 

 

2 hours ago, steve73 said:

You should be able to open a bank account and get a Thai drivers license whatever visa you have, although some areas may refuse for a VE. 

The bank-account part varies wildly - by bank and branch.  Many have had great trouble - with both Non-O and Tourist-type entries - even as they try to set up an account to use for a 1-year extension. 
Most can find a branch somewhere in their area who will let them open an account, if they can get a Cert of Residence, but that Cert of Residence may need to come from their embassy, due to some local-imm-offices refusing to issue one. 

 

2 hours ago, steve73 said:

If you get a METV, you can (I think) convert this to a non-O without leaving T/L, but I'm unsure if all Immigration offices can do this.

They all "can" do it - were even "ordered" to do it by headdquarters.  But, some make it very difficult, expensive (agent fees shared with the corrupt IOs), or outright refuse to do it.   Much better to enter the country on a Non-O type Visa if possible.  Otherwise, if entering with a Tourist entry, it may be beneficial to "live" in the Bangkok, within the Chang Wattana office area, until getting the Non-O stamp from that office.

[Marius Brok]

5 hours ago, steve73 said:

Whichever visa you use to enter Thailand (even a visa exempt) you (or your hotel or landlord/housemaster) should report your address to your local immigration office (TM30) within 24 hours, and the I/O can then issue you with a certificate of residence if you want.  If you're planning to be based in Chaiyaphum then that's the best place to do it (although I have no experience of this office).

This is in the planning.

 

5 hours ago, steve73 said:

You should be able to open a bank account and get a Thai drivers license whatever visa you have, although some areas may refuse for a VE.  Best if you do a conversion using your national driving license plus an International as it saves doing the whole test...  If this is your first license, it makes no difference what visa you have, you'll only get a 2 year validity.  (Next time if you have a non-O or extension of, you'll get a 5 year, or if you're still on METV's you'll only get another 2 years.)

It is the first and have always a INT license with me.

 

For your bank, it's again best to open it in the province where you will most likely be staying, since out-of-province ATM withdrawal usually incur a small charge, but preferable to use a main branch or one in a major mall (like Tesco Lotus) as there's a slightly better chance that they'll speak some English.  It'll help if you take a Thai existing account holder with you as an introduction.

 

They have 2 branches in the city. In one I was refused, need a proof of residence.

 

 

With an METV you'll get 60 days initially extendable by 30, then you'll need to do a border run for another 60(+30).

This still an option for me but do not like a border run.

 

5 hours ago, steve73 said:

A non-O will give you 30 days (only extendable for one year provided you satisfy the financial conditions for retirement or marriage, or for 60days if married).

 

A non-O-A ("retirement") is multi-entry that is valid for one year.  If you leave and re-enter just before the visa expired you can get another year of stay (but you'll need a re-entry permit once the visa has passed its validity date, if you do want to leave again).

 

 

Both an O or an O-A can be extended annually provided you meet the necessary conditions.

If you get a METV, you can (I think) convert this to a non-O without leaving T/L, but I'm unsure if all Immigration offices can do this.

Thanks