extend/renew annual retirement visa abroad?

[triffid]

greetings.

 

i've had a retirement non imm visa for 12 years.  the next renewal is due in march. but i foresee being in europe around that period and if possible would like to delay my return to thailand to a few months after march.  

 

what are my options to renew-retain-extend my retirement visa if i am not in thailand at the current renewal date in march?  can i do something at the thai consulate at paris?  is it better to return on a tourist visa and apply afresh once here?  would appreciate advice on which could be my best option.  

 

many thanks.

[DrJack54]

You could return visa exempt or setv and obtain (conversion) to non o at immigration. You could not doing anything from o/s. Where do you obtain extensions. Some offices allow up to 45 days prior to expiry of current stay.

[Jingthing]

You can't get an extension outside Thailand so your only options are

-- starting all over
-- extending early in Thailand. For example it might be possible to extend as early as two months with a special request and proof of travel. I assume you already know that extending up to one month early is allowed at all offices.

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[ubonjoe]

I assume you are on a one year extension of stay based upon retirement not a visa. You can only apply for a new extension at a immigration office here.

You have two options.

1. Apply for a OA long stay visa at the embassy in Paris if you are French or a legal resident there.

   Requirements are here: http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/les-types-de-visa-et-les-documents-necessaires/visa-o-long-stay/

2. Apply for a tourist visa and then apply for change of visa status at immigration to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) at immigration and then during the last 30 day of the 90 day apply for a new extension of stay.

[triffid]

thank you for responding.

 

option of applying early is no good to me because i'll be leaving a few months ahead.

 

option of getting the long stay visa at paris embassy is feasible - but docs list is cumbersome.

 

option of coming as tourist and then changing status here seems worth looking into.  

- i have a uk passport.  would i get a 60 day visa at arrival suvarnabhumi or do i need to apply in

  paris? (i have paris residency). i don't see anything on embassy site specifically about arrival visa.

- are the formalities to switch my status - during the 60 day period - back to my usual retirement

  annual extension etc straightforward and relatively routine?  (I'd be using the korat immigration

  office). obviously i don't want any uncertainty about this. 

 

many thanks

[DrJack54]

You cannot get visa on arrival. You can obtain setv 60 days as ubon mentioned.

I'm surprised he did not mention just arriving and obtaining visa exempt stamp. 30 day. In that time attend immigration and "convert" to non o then in turn apply for your 12 month extension. Perhaps I'm wrong about obtaining non o from visa exempt entry if not it would save time stuffing around with setv in Paris.

[Jingthing]

thank you for responding.
 
option of applying early is no good to me because i'll be leaving a few months ahead.
 
option of getting the long stay visa at paris embassy is feasible - but docs list is cumbersome.
 
option of coming as tourist and then changing status here seems worth looking into.  
- i have a uk passport.  would i get a 60 day visa at arrival suvarnabhumi or do i need to apply in
  paris? (i have paris residency). i don't see anything on embassy site specifically about arrival visa.
- are the formalities to switch my status - during the 60 day period - back to my usual retirement
  annual extension etc straightforward and relatively routine?  (I'd be using the korat immigration
  office). obviously i don't want any uncertainty about this. 
 
many thanks

When you say you are leaving a few months ahead how many days exactly? If it's about 60 days or less there might be a chance they would make an exception for you on request and showing proof of travel? If it's 70 days early could you adjust to 45 days early and then ask them if that would be acceptable?

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[triffid]

i shall be leaving 3-4 months before current extension date, so prior extension is not possible.

 

what is setv?

 

i am willing to get the 30-day airport visa and go to immigration for conversion to retirement etc if that's would pose no problems or uncertainty.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, triffid said:

i shall be leaving 3-4 months before current extension date, so prior extension is not possible.

 

what is setv?

 

i am willing to get the 30-day airport visa and go to immigration for conversion to retirement etc if that's would pose no problems or uncertainty.

Its not airport visa. You be allowed entry given a 30 day visa exempt stamp. 

Setv is a single entry tourist visa that you could obtain in Paris.

[Jingthing]

i shall be leaving 3-4 months before current extension date, so prior extension is not possible.
 
what is setv?
 
i am willing to get the 30-day airport visa and go to immigration for conversion to retirement etc if that's would pose no problems or uncertainty.

That's more than a few.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[sandyf]

On 8/22/2019 at 9:02 AM, triffid said:

thank you for responding.

 

option of applying early is no good to me because i'll be leaving a few months ahead.

 

option of getting the long stay visa at paris embassy is feasible - but docs list is cumbersome.

 

option of coming as tourist and then changing status here seems worth looking into.  

- i have a uk passport.  would i get a 60 day visa at arrival suvarnabhumi or do i need to apply in

  paris? (i have paris residency). i don't see anything on embassy site specifically about arrival visa.

- are the formalities to switch my status - during the 60 day period - back to my usual retirement

  annual extension etc straightforward and relatively routine?  (I'd be using the korat immigration

  office). obviously i don't want any uncertainty about this. 

 

many thanks

It may be better to return on a single entry Non O, if possible, In France i believe you now need to do visas online. There would be no need for any conversion with a Non O and at the end of the 90 days just apply for the extension as normal.

[OJAS]

5 hours ago, sandyf said:

It may be better to return on a single entry Non O, if possible, In France i believe you now need to do visas online. There would be no need for any conversion with a Non O and at the end of the 90 days just apply for the extension as normal.

Looks like it would, indeed, be possible for the OP to obtain a non-O from the Paris Embassy on the grounds of being aged 50 or over:-

 

http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/les-types-de-visa-et-les-documents-necessaires/visa-non-immigrant-o/

 

And you are correct in that visas now need to be applied for online:-

 

http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa-rdv/reglementprise-de-rdv/

 

[triffid]

Am reviving this thread for reasons explained below..

 

Given the potential crisis over coronavirus epidemic, and unless there is a dramatic improvement, I will probably postpone my return to Thailand beyond the coming expiry of my visa extension date.  I don't want to risk coming under restrictions or difficulty for return to Europe while the epidemic persists.

 

I therefore accept that I will need to start from scratch to apply for a retirement visa when I do go back.  On current rules will it still be possible to enter on a 30-day tourist entry at airport under visa exemption for UK passports, and then go to an immigration office to apply for conversion to retirement visa? (I realize there will be the normal requirements of fees, forms, bank statements.

 

Thank you very much in advance for your comments, advice, suggestions.

[jacko45k]

7 hours ago, triffid said:

I therefore accept that I will need to start from scratch to apply for a retirement visa when I do go back.  On current rules will it still be possible to enter on a 30-day tourist entry at airport under visa exemption for UK passports, and then go to an immigration office to apply for conversion to retirement visa? (I realize there will be the normal requirements of fees, forms, bank statements.

Yes, you could also use a Tourist Visa. 

You would again need to show, for example, 800,000 in a Thai bank came in from overseas to get the 'conversion'.  

[steve187]

8 hours ago, triffid said:

Am reviving this thread for reasons explained below..

 

Given the potential crisis over coronavirus epidemic, and unless there is a dramatic improvement, I will probably postpone my return to Thailand beyond the coming expiry of my visa extension date.  I don't want to risk coming under restrictions or difficulty for return to Europe while the epidemic persists.

 

I therefore accept that I will need to start from scratch to apply for a retirement visa when I do go back.  On current rules will it still be possible to enter on a 30-day tourist entry at airport under visa exemption for UK passports, and then go to an immigration office to apply for conversion to retirement visa? (I realize there will be the normal requirements of fees, forms, bank statements.

 

Thank you very much in advance for your comments, advice, suggestions.

would be easier to get a non imm 'O' visa in the UK, if possible

[Jip99]

48 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, you could also use a Tourist Visa. 

You would again need to show, for example, 800,000 in a Thai bank came in from overseas to get the 'conversion'.  

I thought Retirement visas could only be obtained outside of Thailand - he is not looking for an extension.

[jacko45k]

15 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

I thought Retirement visas could only be obtained outside of Thailand - he is not looking for an extension.

A tourist Visa Entry, or a Visa Exempt Entry can be converted in Thailand to a non-Imm-O  (90 day) Entry. The OP is probably on an Extension (although refers to it as a Visa), but will not be in Thailand when he needs to renew. He is looking to let the current extension expire, and get a new one, and a new Non-Imm-visa will be required to start that process. 

[Jip99]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

A tourist Visa Entry, or a Visa Exempt Entry can be converted in Thailand to a non-Imm-O  (90 day) Entry. The OP is probably on an Extension (although refers to it as a Visa), but will not be in Thailand when he needs to renew. He is looking to let the current extension expire, and get a new one, and a new Non-Imm-visa will be required to start that process. 

 

Thanks.... didn't know how easy (or costly) it might be to go visa exempt/Non-Imm O/Extension. I am interested because I will be in that position in July.

 

I think the OP actually has a visa...... but I will stand corrected.

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, Jip99 said:

Thanks.... didn't know how easy (or costly) it might be to go visa exempt/Non-Imm O/Extension. I am interested because I will be in that position in July.

Not difficult. The conversion to a Non-Imm-O costs 2000 baht, and the extension costs the usual 1900 baht. 

[Jip99]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Not difficult. The conversion to a Non-Imm-O costs 2000 baht, and the extension costs the usual 1900 baht. 

 

 

Cheaper than getting a single entry Non-Imm O in the UK - which was my initial option.

[triffid]

On 2/8/2020 at 1:22 AM, steve187 said:

would be easier to get a non imm 'O' visa in the UK, if possible

 

Thanks.  i'll certainly look into that - ie on the thai embassy's uk website (which I hope exists and is clear on the requirements etc).  

[triffid]

On 2/8/2020 at 12:56 AM, jacko45k said:

Yes, you could also use a Tourist Visa. 

You would again need to show, for example, 800,000 in a Thai bank came in from overseas to get the 'conversion'. 

 

What's a tourist visa as distinct from the visa exmpt entry?  Where is it obtained?  What are its pro s and con s as against the visa exmpt 30 day entry?

 

I've had the 800k in Thai bank maintained all the while; presumably they won't want a fresh transfer from overseas.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, triffid said:

 

What's a tourist visa as distinct from the visa exmpt entry?  Where is it obtained?  What are its pro s and con s as against the visa exmpt 30 day entry?

 

I've had the 800k in Thai bank maintained all the while; presumably they won't want a fresh transfer from overseas.

A Tourist Visa is obtained from a Thai Embassy or Consulate. It is placed into your passport whereas a Visa Exempt is not. It allows for a 60 day permission of Stay, as opposed to 30 days. A return flight  is not obliged at check in, but is to obtain the Visa. 

The requirement is to prove the money came from overseas, (for the conversion) if you were able to do that once before, you should be able to do it again. 

[triffid]

23 hours ago, jacko45k said:

A tourist Visa Entry, or a Visa Exempt Entry can be converted in Thailand to a non-Imm-O  (90 day) Entry. The OP is probably on an Extension (although refers to it as a Visa), but will not be in Thailand when he needs to renew. He is looking to let the current extension expire, and get a new one, and a new Non-Imm-visa will be required to start that process. 

This describes my situation, so if I understand the Jacko's information above, I can enter on one of those entry visas - is the tourist visa available only at overseas Thai embassy, not at the airport?  Then apply in Thaialnd at immigr office to convert it into non-imm-O (90 day); then apply to change it to retirement.  

[triffid]

20 hours ago, Jip99 said:

I think the OP actually has a visa...... but I will stand corrected.

I have the retirement visa extension but that will have expired in March, ie before I'm before I go back to Thailand.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, triffid said:

This describes my situation, so if I understand the Jacko's information above, I can enter on one of those entry visas - is the tourist visa available only at overseas Thai embassy, not at the airport?  Then apply in Thaialnd at immigr office to convert it into non-imm-O (90 day); then apply to change it to retirement.  

If you qualify for Visa Exempt entry yes, that is the choice and a Tourist Visa would be obtained at a Thai Embassy or Consulate.... 

An entry on a Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa (or an extension of same) can be converted to a Non-Imm-O at a domestic Immigration Office. 

[triffid]

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

A return flight  is not obliged at check in, but is to obtain the Visa. 

I'm not sure what you mean exactly by that, could you please spell this out?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, triffid said:

I'm not sure what you mean exactly by that, could you please spell this out?

The requirements to obtain a Tourist Visa sometimes need you to show a return booking ... 

A Visa Exempt, at check in, the carrier is likely to ask you to show you have a flight or travel booking out of Thailand within the 30 days. 

[Jip99]

1 hour ago, triffid said:

I have the retirement visa extension but that will have expired in March, ie before I'm before I go back to Thailand.

In which case you will be in exactly the same situation as me.

 

My extension expires 19 June but I leave Thailand, for European travel, in April and do not return until the end of June.

 

I will enter on a visa exempt and then go to my local immigration office to apply for the extension.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

I will enter on a visa exempt and then go to my local immigration office to apply for the extension.

You will first have to a apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration before applying for the extension.

There are a few embassies and consulates that would issue a single entry non-o for being 50 or over if you are citizen of the country where they are located. A honorary consulate would be the best choice since they are normally more flexible.