Converting Non OA to Non O Visa

[nightbird]

My 13th year holding a Non OA with extension of stay coming up in January. My wife, who is also American holds a Non O with extension of stay. My question is two-fold. Can I simply leave Thailand in January, go to Vientiane and get a Non O visa. Then, return to BKK and get an extension of stay based on retirement for subsequent years?

 

The 2nd question is, if the above is possible, will my conversion to Non O effect my wife's Non O status? Recently, I met an American woman who told me that she and her husband had to show separate financials for their extension of stays. I only have to show my bank account which takes care of both of us, 800,000thb. I had never heard of this requirement for both husband and wife. 

 

Thanks for all informative replies, in advance.

[Maestro]

1. Yes, if you meet the consulate's criteria for for a non-O visa.

 

2. It will depend not on your visa category, but on the reason for which you get a one year extension of stay at your local immigration. If this extension is for the reason of retirement, under clause 2.22 of the extension rules, your wife qualifies for a so-called dependent extension under clause 2.20

 

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by Maestro
added links

[nightbird]

2 minutes ago, Maestro said:

1. Yes, if you meet the consulate's criteria for for a non-O visa.

 

2. It will depend not on your visa category, but on the reason for which you get a one year extension of stay at your local immigration. If this extension is for the reason of retirement, your wife qualifies for a so-called dependent extension.

Maestro,

 

Do the requirements for a Non O visa change from consulate to consulate? Can you elaborate on what requirements are looked for?

 

Regarding #2, I was also under the impression that my wife qualified as a dependent. But why would the couple that I mentioned have to show separate financials? She told me that she was never asked about being a dependent. There was no alternative that she was made aware of and all the couples she has met here have the same status that she has. 

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, nightbird said:

Do the requirements for a Non O visa change from consulate to consulate? Can you elaborate on what requirements are looked for?

They do vary in their requirement to apply for a single entry non-o visa based upon being 50 or over for retirement.

For example Vientiane want to see 800k baht in the bank, a medical certificate and a police clearance certificate. Savannakhet wants the 800k baht in the bank and proof of retirement.

Your wife will need to get a new non-o visa since her extension will end when yours does as soon as you leave the country to cancel it.

 

23 minutes ago, nightbird said:

Regarding #2, I was also under the impression that my wife qualified as a dependent. But why would the couple that I mentioned have to show separate financials? She told me that she was never asked about being a dependent. There was no alternative that she was made aware of and all the couples she has met here have the same status that she has. 

Not sure why she did not apply for an extension based upon being her husbands wife. Perhaps she did not have a non-o visa entry so she used the retirement option to apply for a non immigrant visa at immigration.

She could change to that type of extension instead of retirement.

[mosan]

I would just say that those couples are misinformed.  When I first moved here I applied for an extension and showed financials for myself only.  My wife is an American citizen and she only piggy-backed on my financials.  She had to file an application but no financials were required. 

 

I don't think the rules have changed...

[nightbird]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

They do vary in their requirement to apply for a single entry non-o visa based upon being 50 or over for retirement.

. For example Vientiane want to see 800k baht in the bank, a medical certificate and a police clearance certificate. Savannakhet wants the 800k baht in the bank and proof of retirement.

Your wife will need to get a new non-o visa sine here extension will end when yours does as soon as leave the country to cancel it.

 

Not sure why she did not apply for an extension based upon being her husbands wife. Perhaps she did not have a non-o visa entry so she used the retirement option to apply for a non immigrant visa at immigration.

She could change to that type of extension instead of retirement herself.

Thanks, Joe. This is exactly what I wanted to know about my wife's status and what will be required of me. Basically, I am trying to avoid the less than stellar health insurance requirement here. A pittance of coverage for an exorbitant amount. But I now see that this route is not the one that I will take as it will be too much of a disruption to our yearly pilgrimage to CW. 

 

 

[nightbird]

Just now, mosan said:

I would just say that those couples are misinformed.  When I first moved here I applied for an extension and showed financials for myself only.  My wife is an American citizen and she only piggy-backed on my financials.  She had to file an application but no financials were required. 

 

I don't think the rules have changed...

Same for me, Mosan.

[AAArdvark]

Is it ฿800,000 baht in a Thai bank or is it anywhere?  Do all local consulates require the 800k?

[nightbird]

3 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Is it ฿800,000 baht in a Thai bank or is it anywhere?  Do all local consulates require the 800k?

Here in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Is it ฿800,000 baht in a Thai bank or is it anywhere? 

They would prefer to see the 800k baht in a Thai bank.

 

3 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Do all local consulates require the 800k?

They all require financial proof. Either the 800k baht in the bank or proof of 65k baht income or it could be both totaling 800k baht.

[nightbird]

1 minute ago, nightbird said:

Here in Thailand.

AAArdvark, Non O will require you to be connected with Thai family or child or volunteer work. Are you aware of that?

[Tracyb]

Is it possible to convert from a Non O-A to a Non-O if one is single, has no ties to a Thai family, and is retired? 

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, nightbird said:

AAArdvark, Non O will require you to be connected with Thai family or child or volunteer work. Are you aware of that?

That is not what I have been writing about.

What a I stated has been for being 50 or over for retirement.

If married to a Thai no financial proof would be needed to get a single entry non-o visa.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Tracyb said:

Is it possible to convert from a Non O-A to a Non-O if one is single, has no ties to a Thai family, and is retired? 

It is not really be a conversion. It is simply applying for a non-o visa after you cancel your extension by leaving the country without a re-entry permit.

 

[Tracyb]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is not really be a conversion. It is simply applying for a non-o visa after you cancel your extension by leaving the country without a re-entry permit.

 

Thanks, ubonjoe.  I was not aware that a Non-O could be issued strictly for over fifty and retirement with no ties to Thai family or married to a Thai.

 

 

[nightbird]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is not really be a conversion. It is simply applying for a non-o visa after you cancel your extension by leaving the country without a re-entry permit.

 

Sorry, I should have been more precise. Is it true that you can apply for a Non O strictly for over 50 and for retirement? I did not see that listed in the requirements for Non O visa. Can you point me to a full description of this so I can be clear about all of this? Thanks. 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, nightbird said:

Sorry, I should have been more precise. Is it true that you can apply for a Non O strictly for over 50 and for retirement? I did not see that listed in the requirements for Non O visa. Can you point me to a full description of this so I can be clear about all of this? Thanks. 

Here on the Savannakhet consulate's website. 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/savannakhet/th/services/9736/106949-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O"-(For-the-purpose.html

Note that number 5 is an error in translation. In Thai it states proof of retirement.

[GeorgeCross]

1 hour ago, Maestro said:

1. Yes, if you meet the consulate's criteria for for a non-O visa.

 

2. It will depend not on your visa category, but on the reason for which you get a one year extension of stay at your local immigration. If this extension is for the reason of retirement, under clause 2.22 of the extension rules, your wife qualifies for a so-called dependent extension under clause 2.20

 

 

 

if the wife applied would the husband qualify as a dependent? ** serious question **

 

 

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

if the wife applied would the husband qualify as a dependent? ** serious question **

Yes he would. The police order only states spouse (not husband or wife).

[nightbird]

16 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Here on the Savannakhet consulate's website. 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/savannakhet/th/services/9736/106949-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O"-(For-the-purpose.html

Note that number 5 is an error in translation. In Thai it states proof of retirement.

You would think the requirements would be the same throughout the embassies worldwide. I never saw the mention of non O for retirement on foreign embassy sites that I looked at, hence my confusion. 

 

What would constitute proof or retirement?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, nightbird said:

You would think the requirements would be the same throughout the embassies worldwide. I never saw the mention of non O for retirement on foreign embassy sites that I looked at, hence my confusion. 

There are a few embassies and consulates that will issue the non-o visa. For example he London embassy will.

 

7 minutes ago, nightbird said:

What would constitute proof or retirement?

Proof of a pension and etc. Or a statement done at your embassy stating you are retired. A proof of income letter from your embassy showing any amount of income would also be accepted.

[PETERHOF]

19 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There are a few embassies and consulates that will issue the non-o visa. For example he London embassy will.

 

Proof of a pension and etc. Or a statement done at your embassy stating you are retired. A proof of income letter from your embassy showing any amount of income would also be accepted.

I plan to apply to a "O Visa" for people over 50 yo at Penang Consulate (I live in Koh Samui). I am 58 years old, not yet retired so no have any pension and no have any income too in my country...So I can't get a retirement/income letter from my embassy. Is there another way to solve this issue ?

[AAArdvark]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

They would prefer to see the 800k baht in a Thai bank.

 

They all require financial proof. Either the 800k baht in the bank or proof of 65k baht income or it could be both totaling 800k baht.

I am 9 months into my O-A.  I do not have 800k in the bank since I was planning on not needing it for 14 or 15 months but I will be exiting and re-entering this month.  I do have proof of 100K per month but obviously not for 12 months.

[kurtmartens]

On 11/6/2019 at 7:33 PM, ubonjoe said:

There are a few embassies and consulates that will issue the non-o visa. For example he London embassy will.

 

Proof of a pension and etc. Or a statement done at your embassy stating you are retired. A proof of income letter from your embassy showing any amount of income would also be accepted.

Joe.

 

The proof of income letter, can this be a letter from the bank (Bangkok Bank, letterhead etc) confirming my parents have 65,000 deposited every month into their account?  Or do they need that silly (waste of time) letter from the Consulate?  Or I am guessing a statement from the Social Security Administration?

 

My parents only need a Non 0 / Single entry / 90 days.  

Edited November 8, 2019 by kurtmartens
more info

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

My parents only need a Non 0 / Single entry / 90 days.  

Where would they be applying at?

[soisanuk]

On 11/6/2019 at 6:07 PM, mosan said:

I would just say that those couples are misinformed.  When I first moved here I applied for an extension and showed financials for myself only.  My wife is an American citizen and she only piggy-backed on my financials.  She had to file an application but no financials were required. 

 

I don't think the rules have changed...

The rules haven't changed, but in answer to the spouse being required to also meet the financial/age requirements, that under the rules could be a yes or a no.

 

In order to "piggyback", the spouse must have entered Thailand using a Non-Immigrant (usually "O") Visa receiving their 90 day permission to stay, they cannot apply for the Non-O from inside Thailand although the retiree can. If the spouse did not enter using the Non-Immigrant Visa, then it is most likely the Immigration Officer would have told them they both need to qualify as retirees (financial/age) in order for both to get one year extensions of stay.

 

In such cases, it is most likely the Immigration Officer would not mention that it could be done IF the retiree obtains the retirement extension, then the spouse leaves Thailand, obtains the Non-Immigrant O Visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate using their spouse's approved extension and showing marriage license as the basis for getting it.  The spouse would then return to Thailand using the Non-O Visa, get 90 day permission to stay, and then go to Immigration to apply for a long stay extension based on their spouse's approved retirement extension (piggy backing as dependent, in which case Immigration would not require they age or financial requirements).     Of course, in the above scenario, if the retiree want to accompany their spouse outside of Thailand when the get their Non-O Visa, they need to be sure they get a Re-Entry permit to keep their long stay permission valid.

Edited November 8, 2019 by soisanuk

[kurtmartens]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Where would they be applying at?

Savannakhet.  Was going to take them with me when I go next week.

[beddhist]

So, with the "proof of retirement" requirement it is not possible to obtain a non-O visa until one is eligible for a pension somewhere? That effectively raises the age limit to whatever one's entitlement age for the pension is, right?

Edited November 8, 2019 by beddhist

[LRimmler]

Isn't it still possible to apply for a Non-O over 50 (basically retired), will not work in Thailand, 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, visa while in Thailand at Bangkok Immigration?   In the past all my friends changed their tourist visa to a Non-O in Bangkok for reason of retirement.  Now it seems like people are going to Laos.  Can't it still be done in Bangkok and wouldn't that mean the having Thai Insurance 400,000/40,000 THB would NOT be required? 

[soisanuk]

1 hour ago, LRimmler said:

Isn't it still possible to apply for a Non-O over 50 (basically retired), will not work in Thailand, 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, visa while in Thailand at Bangkok Immigration?   In the past all my friends changed their tourist visa to a Non-O in Bangkok for reason of retirement.  Now it seems like people are going to Laos.  Can't it still be done in Bangkok and wouldn't that mean the having Thai Insurance 400,000/40,000 THB would NOT be required? 

Yes, it is still possible to apply for the Non-O (purpose of retirement) in Thailand - no need to leave.  Also, being a Non-O and not an O-A, there is no health insurance requirement.  You can also apply at other Immigration Offices, e.g., Chonburi (Pattaya) which send it to Bangkok for approval. In all cases, you will need at least 15 days remaining on your permission to stay when you apply (if on the initial 30 or 60 day stay granted by a Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa, respectively, and you have less than the 15 days remaining, you can apply for a 30 day extension to allow time for the approval process.