Went to Immigration today with two packets with EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO GET NON Immigrant O visa. Was told that the law had been changed and I cannot use proof of 65k every month (which i had), and that I needed 800,000 in the bank. I was then told that I needed to go to Thai Embassy in Vientiene and get the Non Immigrant O and then before 90 says are up I can get retirement visa here in Chiang Mai. This sound right?

 

If that’s the case, why didn’t someone tell me that the two times I went to Vientiene this year, instead of me getting tourist visas?

 

I have been given nothing but the runaround at Chiang Mai Immigration and this has been nothing but a cloud hanging over my head since I arrived here last November. 

 

Some good sound, knowledgeable answers would be appreciated. I really am thinking of just saying to hell with it and leaving. This is too much of a hassle to try and stay here. 

 

Thank you...

I was uner the impression you could never get a non immigrant o in the country?

I was told a similar thing from Jomtien Immigration, i just assumed they were lying to get tea money. No one has mentioned a rule change here

Where you thinking about going mate?

Perhaps Vientiane didn't say anything because you were applying for a tourist via. I don't think Thailand 4.0 has got to the stage of mind reading yet.

Don't you apply for a Non Immigrant O in your home or neighbouring country, then do the retirement extension in Thailand?

 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

 

 

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by RAZZELL

I am puzzlled still after 11 years over many of us expats and their lack of thinking and reacting. I have heard so much shit about Chiang Mai, so I would never in my lifetime have to do anything at all with that cesspool to Immigration upp there.

 

Why even try to live there. There are really nice immigration-offices where it is actually nice to go to and have a chat and they are really trying to help you out.... Screw Chiang Mai and just move to another nicer place in Thailand.

 

glegolo

Chaiyaphum immigration.... is great...

40 minutes ago, sotonowl said:

Where you thinking about going mate?

Back home to the states. I’m in a 3 year lease and that’s a consideration. I live in a great neighborhood and have a nice house here in Doi Saket. This Immigration stuff sucks. As I scooped up my papers I told the Thai officer that they didn’t want Falangs and this Immigration attitude was bullshit and walked out. The wife and I spend some pretty good BHt every month here. Really pisses me off.  Coming here was a mistake I think. Breaking the lease, etc., is going to be a hassle. Damn Thailand!

41 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

Don't you apply for a Non Immigrant O in your home or neighbouring country, then do the retirement extension in Thailand?

 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

 

 

Well, as I said, news to me...

24 minutes ago, glegolo said:

I am puzzlled still after 11 years over many of us expats and their lack of thinking and reacting. I have heard so much shit about Chiang Mai, so I would never in my lifetime have to do anything at all with that cesspool to Immigration upp there.

 

Why even try to live there. There are really nice immigration-offices where it is actually nice to go to and have a chat and they are really trying to help you out.... Screw Chiang Mai and just move to another nicer place in Thailand.

 

glegolo

Chaiyaphum immigration.... is great...

My wife is an administrator at the Unity Concord International School in Chiang Mai...hard to leave...

Yes you can get a Non Imm Visa at Immigration with an income of 65k a month.

Providing it is part of the process to apply for a 12 month extension.

 

Is your Wife Thai?

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by fishtank

1 minute ago, fishtank said:

Yes you can get a Non Imm Visa at Immigration with an income of 65k a month.

Providing it is part of the process to apply for a 12 month extension.

 

Is your Wife Thai?

No...she has a Non Immigrant A?...teaching visa

Just now, FaFaHead said:

No...she has a Non Immigrant A?...teaching visa

Ok that would have given you more options.

 

Does she have a Visa or an extension of stay?

 

Just now, FaFaHead said:

No...she has a Non Immigrant A?...teaching visa

No you can’t my friend. I had a letter from SS, another from my retirement showing his much I get every month. I printed out the deposit pages of my B of A bank account they were deposited into from last November when I got here until this month. I use TransferWise and printed out the same corresponding pages showing transfers from B of A to Bangkok Bank. They didn’t want a joint account so I opened another Bangkok Bank account in just my name and updated both passbooks on the way to immigration this morning. The new Bangkok Bank account shows the SS and retirement deposits going into it for this month. The bank also gave me the required letter outlining my deposits since last November. They also did a computer print out for every month showing deposits since last November. House lease, book from landlord, tm30’s, tm86, all in duplicate, copies of passport pages, EVERYTHING...checked by someone who used to work at immigration by the way, all to no avail...Chiang Mai Immigration sucks. To say I am disillusioned is an understatement. 

9 minutes ago, fishtank said:

Ok that would have given you more options.

 

Does she have a Visa or an extension of stay?

 

What sucks, is she is in the states for the school break as her 88 year old father fell and fractured his back and since her return has had a couple of minor strokes, so he’s in decline and Laura won’t be back anytime soon to resume the school year on the 14th. Things are really in flux right now. 

1 hour ago, RAZZELL said:

Don't you apply for a Non Immigrant O in your home or neighbouring country, then do the retirement extension in Thailand?

 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

 

 

Thank you for this link, it’s just what I needed for clarification. Kap khun Kap!

800K , in the bank , good farlang , welcome.

  However that said the amount could increase tommo..

    Mounthly income nah , too much work for immi.

    The writing is on the wall..

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by elliss

3 minutes ago, elliss said:

800K , in the bank , good farlang , welcome.

  However that said the amount could increase tommo..

    Mounthly income nah , too much work for immi.

    The writing is on the wall..

How many years has the income method been valid?  So, you think it's going to stop?  Based on what?  52 Immigration offices and some problems at 2?

If your single don't wait go but if your handcuffed with a family things get a whole lot more difficult, bordering on the now impossible for me   

56 minutes ago, elliss said:

800K , in the bank , good farlang , welcome.

  However that said the amount could increase tommo..

    Mounthly income nah , too much work for immi.

    The writing is on the wall..

 

 

 

Of course it’s going to change. Raising it by only 200k doesn’t make sense but 700k more for 1.5 million or even 2 million would be logical to weed out more of you.

 

Whatever the case, count on the goal post being moved again and again and again. That’s simply no way to live.

54 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

How many years has the income method been valid?  So, you think it's going to stop?  Based on what?  52 Immigration offices and some problems at 2?

You are obviously unable to see the larger picture and piece together what’s happening nationwide. Don’t worry, they will get to you soon enough.

 

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

I was uner the impression you could never get a non immigrant o in the country?

You can if you qualify for certain extensions of stay.

 

They allow you to apply for a visa, issue a visa and immediately use the visa to give you a 90 day non-immigrant stay. Then towards the end of the 90 days you can apply for an extension of stay or leave.

4 minutes ago, dcnx said:

Of course it’s going to change. Raising it by only 200k doesn’t make sense but 700k more for 1.5 million or even 2 million would be logical to weed out more of you.

 

Whatever the case, count on the goal post being moved again and again and again. That’s simply no way to live.

stop spreading unfounded stupid conspiracies 

2 hours ago, FaFaHead said:

Went to Immigration today with two packets with EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO GET NON Immigrant O visa. Was told that the law had been changed and I cannot use proof of 65k every month (which i had), and that I needed 800,000 in the bank. I was then told that I needed to go to Thai Embassy in Vientiene and get the Non Immigrant O and then before 90 says are up I can get retirement visa here in Chiang Mai. This sound right?

They clearly don’t want the hassle of arranging the visa. And if they won’t do it you’ll have to go out for a Non O visa. 

 

The only alternative would be to try one of the visa agents.

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

Yes you can get a Non Imm Visa at Immigration with an income of 65k a month.

Providing it is part of the process to apply for a 12 month extension.

 

Is your Wife Thai?

It doesn’t have to be part of the process of a 12 month extension. That happens after the visa is issued and is a separate application.

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

How many years has the income method been valid?  So, you think it's going to stop?  Based on what?  52 Immigration offices and some problems at 2?

 

      How many years do you think the aged income method will continue .?

        With  weekly downward trends in the value of dollar , euro , gbp , etc .

       This method is now becoming not viable for immi,  800K better.

 Time will tell.

        Plan B , i have one , do you?.

 

 

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by elliss

2 hours ago, FaFaHead said:

Back home to the states. I’m in a 3 year lease and that’s a consideration. I live in a great neighborhood and have a nice house here in Doi Saket. This Immigration stuff sucks. As I scooped up my papers I told the Thai officer that they didn’t want Falangs and this Immigration attitude was bullshit and walked out. The wife and I spend some pretty good BHt every month here. Really pisses me off.  Coming here was a mistake I think. Breaking the lease, etc., is going to be a hassle. Damn Thailand!

Whilst I understand your frustration it may not have been a good idea to air your thoughts to the immigration officer, I have seen quite a few people tossed out of Jomtien immigration office and told never to return, where would that leave you ?? 

 

Many on here, myself included, have gone down the 800,000 Baht route only to be thwarted by an obnoxious IO wanting you to go down the agent route so that they can up their monthly salary, we all get sick of their antics trust me, except for the chosen few that for some unknown reason have never ever had a problem at immigration & I can assure that they will be along soon enough to tell us all about it.

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

They clearly don’t want the hassle of arranging the visa. And if they won’t do it you’ll have to go out for a Non O visa. 

 

The only alternative would be to try one of the visa agents.

I think he went for an annual extension based on retirement (not a Visa) and his income was refused because it wasn't enough monthly transfers in his sole name, or the transfers weren't coded as International.

54 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

I think he went for an annual extension based on retirement (not a Visa) and his income was refused because it wasn't enough monthly transfers in his sole name, or the transfers weren't coded as International.

No, he stated in the original post (although not exactly worded this way), that he is currently on a tourist visa issued by Vientiane, went to CM Immigration to convert to non O, they refused and sent him back to Vientiane to get his non O from there, then come back to them after 90 days to get his annual extension.

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by lkv

3 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

How many years has the income method been valid?  So, you think it's going to stop?  Based on what?  52 Immigration offices and some problems at 2?

Many things have been valid for many years.  Yes I do think there is a very finite possibility the income method may go away or be modified in even different and more challenging ways than it recently was.  I think the current implementation is nutty and almost a Draconian response to what was a relatively minor issue.  Now immigration offices are inundated with more paperwork to deal with than a simple declaration letter from a foreign embassy