Visa query

[Figglymiggly]

Hi all and particular thanks to those who can guide me on this question. My current Non Imm O visa (based on Irish state pension) expires next mth, Apr 4th and as most of us know, the Thai authorities have discontinued this type of Visa. Im booked for travel back to Ireland on Mar 11th and return to Thailand on Mar 31st. Questions: 1/. Arriving back into LOS before expiry on Apr 4th, will i get an additional 90 days on this visa, and if so... 2/. Does this additional 90 days still retain its Non O status and if so 3/. Is it ok to apply for a retirement visa during this additional 90 days and if so 4/. At what stage during this 90 days should i apply?

Thanks to all for taking the time to read this. Henry

[Peter Denis]

Hi Henry,

 

Maybe you wrote it correctly, but I think you are confusing a Visa, its permission to stay and an extension of stay.

>> A Visa (the sticker in your passport) is your 'entry-ticket' and on entry it will provide you with a permission to stay (as stamped in your passport) for the number of days that Visa entitles you.  When the permission to stay almost expires, you can apply for an extension of stay at a local Immigration Office.

 

Also thai authorities have not discontinued the 90-day Non Imm O Visa.  You can apply for reason of retirement (being +50 years), or for reason of marriage (to a thai national), or for other reasons.

Application can be done in your home-country (at a thai embassy/consulate), in a thai embassy/consulate of a neighboring country, and in-country at the local Immigration Office of the place you want to stay.

 

When the Visa validity date has expired, and you leave Thailand the permission to stay you got from that Visa will be voided.  However you can before exiting Thailand buy a Re-Entry Permit and that permit will keep your permission to stay alive. 

 

In your questions 3/4 you are probably referring to the possibility to apply for a 1-year extension of stay based on the 90-day Non Imm O Visa that you have. 

[Figglymiggly]

Hi Peter, many thanks for taking the time to respond. No doubt im confusing the terminology of the various categories and probably didn't explain correctly in my original post, confusion is just one of the downsides of getting on in yrs lol. Im not 100% sure of some elements of your reply, so i'd be grateful if you would pls bear with me while i clarify.

My current visa is a 12 mth Non O type based on state pension, issued by the Thai Embassy in London and with the usual requirement of leaving the country every 90 days. This visa (12 mths) expires on Apr 4th. My understanding is, if i leave Thailand and re-enter before the expiry date on Apr 4th, i will be stamped in again for a further 90 days, (effectively getting 15mths), at least that is what i understand from friends, would you agree? As it happens im booked for Ireland on Mar 11th, returning on 31st Mar. So pls clarify Peter, given that i will be stamped in for the additional 90 days, are those 90 days still considered to be part of a Non O category? 

My understanding is that an application for a 12 mth extension of stay (based on retirement), is made while holding a current Non O type?

Hopefully i haven't added to the confusion, thanks for your patience. Henry 

 

[Peter Denis]

Hi Henry,

Thanks for your response, and it's fully clear now.

Your understanding is fully correct.

When you exit Thailand and re-enter before April 4 (validity date of your present Visa, as printed on your Visa sticker), you will be provided once again with a 90-day permission to stay stamp in your passport.

At the end of those 90 days you would have to either

- apply for a 1-year extension of stay based on that Visa at the local IO of the place where you want to stay, OR

- exit Thailand and apply for a Non Imm OA Visa in your home-country (but that would have the dreaded health-insurance requirement); OR

- exit Thailand and apply for a new Non Imm O Visa in a thai embassy/consulate of a neighboring country.

Note: It has been recently confirmed that you can still get the 1-year MultiEntry Non Imm O retirement Visa at the Savannakhet consulate.  Alternatively you can also apply for the 90-day Non Imm O retirement Visa, and subsequently apply for an extension of stay at your local IO.

 

[steve187]

op in the final 30 days of the new 90 day permission to stay stamp you can apply for a 1year extension at local immigration office 1,900 baht, financials will apply of 65,000 baht per month or 800,000 baht in an account in your name within Thailand for 2 months prior to the application, and yes it will be based on a non imm 'O' visa.

 

only single entry non imm 'o' visas are available local to Thailand

[Figglymiggly]

Peter, thank you once again for your patience and excellent replies/explanations, we are fortunate to have people such as you to make the load that little bit lighter for the rest of us. Thanks again and take care

[Figglymiggly]

Thanks to you too Steve 187, you guys have great patience!...

[Peter Denis]

10 minutes ago, steve187 said:

only single entry non imm 'o' visas are available local to Thailand

Correct if you refer to Non Imm O Visa applied for in Thailand.

But the 1-year MultiEntry Non Imm O - retirement Visa the OP is referring to is still being issued in the Savannakhet consulate.

Note: There is as good as no info available on that specific Visa neither on the Forum or on the consulate website, but last week a UK applicant successfully applied for that 'mystery' Visa.