If Non-O retirement extension expires during ASQ quarantine? Repat flights only?

[BigStar]

My apologies if these questions have been asked and answered. I did do a search.

 

1. Friend of mine in the USA has a Non-O retirement extension (and re-entry permit) set to expire in the next month. It may expire while he's in quarantine, depending on what flights back he can get. He can meet all the requirements for a new extension. Can he extend while in quarantine, or what?

 

2. The repatriation flights won't be announced until the beginning of next month. However, he's not required to take only one of those, is he? Evidently he can take a "semi-commercial" flight and this is what other posters here have been doing. Correct?

 

3. From another thread, the consensus is that the pre-flight COVID-19 PCR test results just need to be available within the 72-hour window before the first flight. We still agreed on that?

 

Thanks! He's gettin' down to the wire now, having postponed at length hoping for an easier entry.

[ubonjoe]

1. He would not be able to apply for the extension while in quarantine.

   If it expired during quarantine he could apply after it by paying a 500 baht a day overstay fine.

2. He can travel on a semi commercial flight.

3. The certificate for the covid test must be done with 72 hours of departure.

 

He could enter visa exempt instead of using his re-entry permit to get a longer stay than it since he would get a 45 day entry now that can be extended for 30 days. Then apply at immigration for a 90 day non-o visa entry and then a new one year extension near the end of it.

[DrJack54]

The last part of Ubonjoe post is the way to go imo.

He has everything in place for his extension so if he enters visa exempt (45 day) he can obtain new non o at immigration and then his 12 month extension. No stress no wondering about the calendar etc.

[BigStar]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

1. He would not be able to apply for the extension while in quarantine.

   If it expired during quarantine he could apply after it by paying a 500 baht a day overstay fine.

2. He can travel on a semi commercial flight.

3. The certificate for the covid test must be done with 72 hours of departure.

 

He could enter visa exempt instead of using his re-entry permit to get a longer stay than it since he would get a 45 day entry now that can be extended for 30 days. Then apply at immigration for a 90 day non-o visa entry and then a new one year extension near the end of it.

You're a lifesaver! One last question then: if his re-entry permit is still valid, can he just "tell" the IO to ignore it and let him enter visa-exempt?

[Skeptic7]

Took 3 weeks to get response from Thai Embassy Washington DC. Friend is also going on 3 weeks and counting. At that ???? pace, he'll still be waiting for a reply when his extension expires. Would love to know how long they take on his. Good luck. Gonna need it. 

[ubonjoe]

18 hours ago, BigStar said:

You're a lifesaver! One last question then: if his re-entry permit is still valid, can he just "tell" the IO to ignore it and let him enter visa-exempt?

Leave the visa number space blank is the first thing to do. The if the officer sees the re-entry permit tell the officer he does not want to use it and he should do the visa exempt entry since it will allow a longer stay than the re-entry permit does.

[shopaholic]

I just want to share my experience with Non-O Thai wife.  My husband's Non-O visa had expired on May but he is still in Switzerland until now. He's been holding Non-O which we applied in Thailand and yearly extension type, and 90 days report at the immigration for 12 years.    He plans to come back to Thailand soon.  I thought that Thai government would have an exception and let him use re-entry and enter Thailand by using 30 days visa exemption then show expired Non-O due the Covid situation that could not be extended in time and apply new yearly Non-O in Thailand as usual.  There is no reply from Thai Embassy, no one answer on immigration hotline,  then I received not confirmed answer from Immigration office in BKK airport.  So I drove to Immigration office in Chaengwattana.  Got the answer that any visa is not allowed to change to Non O in the country.  So he needs to apply a new Non-O visa Thai wife 3 months type from Switzerland to enter Thailand if he wants to apply a new Non-O yearly as usual later on. 

[ubonjoe]

37 minutes ago, shopaholic said:

I just want to share my experience with Non-O Thai wife.  My husband's Non-O visa had expired on May but he is still in Switzerland until now. He's been holding Non-O which we applied in Thailand and yearly extension type, and 90 days report at the immigration for 12 years.    He plans to come back to Thailand soon.  I thought that Thai government would have an exception and let him use re-entry and enter Thailand by using 30 days visa exemption then show expired Non-O due the Covid situation that could not be extended in time and apply new yearly Non-O in Thailand as usual.  There is no reply from Thai Embassy, no one answer on immigration hotline,  then I received not confirmed answer from Immigration office in BKK airport.  So I drove to Immigration office in Chaengwattana.  Got the answer that any visa is not allowed to change to Non O in the country.  So he needs to apply a new Non-O visa Thai wife 3 months type from Switzerland to enter Thailand if he wants to apply a new Non-O yearly as usual later on. 

Info for a 45 day visa exempt entry is here on the embassy in Bern website. 

https://www.thaiembassy.ch/Content/Embassy/57.html

Immigration gave you wrong info about applying for a non-o visa with a visa exempt entry. Info is in this PDF file on immigration website. https://bangkokimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/06-edit_NON-O.pdf

He could also apply for a single entry non-o visa at the embassy and enter the country. 

https://thaiembassy.ch/files_upload/editor_upload/VISA/1608048239_3instructions-coe-thai-spouse-children---15-dec-coesystem.pdf

[Tbone999]

37 minutes ago, shopaholic said:

I just want to share my experience with Non-O Thai wife.  My husband's Non-O visa had expired on May but he is still in Switzerland until now. He's been holding Non-O which we applied in Thailand and yearly extension type, and 90 days report at the immigration for 12 years.    He plans to come back to Thailand soon.  I thought that Thai government would have an exception and let him use re-entry and enter Thailand by using 30 days visa exemption then show expired Non-O due the Covid situation that could not be extended in time and apply new yearly Non-O in Thailand as usual.  There is no reply from Thai Embassy, no one answer on immigration hotline,  then I received not confirmed answer from Immigration office in BKK airport.  So I drove to Immigration office in Chaengwattana.  Got the answer that any visa is not allowed to change to Non O in the country.  So he needs to apply a new Non-O visa Thai wife 3 months type from Switzerland to enter Thailand if he wants to apply a new Non-O yearly as usual later on. 

That's true, some offices won't allow it, others will. I tried that in Phuket years ago and they flatly refused to convert a visa-exempt to a non-o even though it's supposed to be allowed. I think Pattaya immigration do it. You'll be attempting to get back into Thailand on an unknown set of criteria, so I would be trying to get back early on a semi-commercial flight and be sure to get out of quarantine before the visa expires to be on the safe side.

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, Tbone999 said:

That's true, some offices won't allow it, others will. I tried that in Phuket years ago and they flatly refused to convert a visa-exempt to a non-o even though it's supposed to be allowed.

Maybe that was before they were allowed to do them. At one time only Bangkok could issue non immigrant visa and then later a few others. Now all offices are allowed to do them.

[Sheryl]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

 

He could enter visa exempt instead of using his re-entry permit to get a longer stay than it since he would get a 45 day entry now that can be extended for 30 days. Then apply at immigration for a 90 day non-o visa entry and then a new one year extension near the end of it.

 

Joe, I have been wondering about this (entering visa exempt when one already holds a permission of stay for retirement & re-entry permit), OP's situation is a bit different in that his permission of stay will expire while in quarantine. But what would be the situation for someone whose stay was still valid but entered VE? Does leaving and re-entering VE cancel an exisiting permission of stay?

 

Does the COE specify the type of visa? I am wondering about this as they apparently now require O-A type insurance for re-entering on a re-entry permit based on an O, and that is at best an unnecessary expense and for some, an insurmountable barrier.

[ubonjoe]

26 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

But what would be the situation for someone whose stay was still valid but entered VE? Does leaving and re-entering VE cancel an exisiting permission of stay?

Yes it would due to have a new permit to stay in the country. That would invalidate a extension and the attached re-entry permit.

26 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Does the COE specify the type of visa? I am wondering about this as they apparently now require O-A type insurance for re-entering on a re-entry permit based on an O, and that is at best an unnecessary expense and for some, an insurmountable barrier.

That depends upon which embassy a person deals with. Most do not require the insurance unless applying for a non-o visa based upon retirement now.

For example this from embassy in the US.

"( If you already have a valid visa/re-entry permit, please request the Certificate of Entry – COE at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/ )"

If you do not have a visa or re-entry permit they direct you to a online application to apply for a visa and then mail in your passport to get it.

"1. If the applicant does not have a valid visa or re-entry permit, the applicant must request a visa, at least 15 working days before the intended date of travel, by filling in the information and upload all required documents online here"

Source: https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/17/nonoretirement/

It is about the same on the London embassy website.

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/119247-requirements-for-certificate-of-entry-during-travel-restriction?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

[Sheryl]

7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it would due to have a new permit to stay in the country. That would invalidate a extension and the attached re-entry permit.

That depends upon which embassy a person deals with. Most do not require the insurance unless applying for a non-o visa based upon retirement now.

For example this from embassy in the US.

"( If you already have a valid visa/re-entry permit, please request the Certificate of Entry – COE at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/ )"

If you do not have a visa or re-entry permit they direct you to a online application to apply for a visa and then mail in your passport to get it.

"1. If the applicant does not have a valid visa or re-entry permit, the applicant must request a visa, at least 15 working days before the intended date of travel, by filling in the information and upload all required documents online here"

Source: https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/17/nonoretirement/

It is about the same on the London embassy website.

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/119247-requirements-for-certificate-of-entry-during-travel-restriction?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

So entering on a re-entry permit from US does nto require insurance other than the COVID specific policy?  Great news if so but  though I had seen reports of people in the US having to get the 400/40k policy to come in on re-entry permits?

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

So entering on a re-entry permit from US does nto require insurance other than the COVID specific policy?  Great news if so but  though I had seen reports of people in the US having to get the 400/40k policy to come in on re-entry permits?

When they first put the info on the embassy website it was wrong and they have now corrected it. I think maybe the MFA informed them of the error or revised the first info that was sent out.

[BigStar]

Tnx again for the helpful responses. Armed w/ this info that cleared away the logjam, my old friend has now successfully booked a semi-commercial flight (2 stops ????) towards the end of this month, planned for the pre-flight COVID-19 PCR test, and got enough COVID insurance to last until extension expiration. So that clears the way for the COE application at the LA Consulate. I'll report back as requested re: the response time. Fortunately the visa exempt can serve as Plan B now.

[pe747]

On 1/7/2021 at 3:00 PM, ubonjoe said:

1. He would not be able to apply for the extension while in quarantine.

   If it expired during quarantine he could apply after it by paying a 500 baht a day overstay fine.

2. He can travel on a semi commercial flight.

3. The certificate for the covid test must be done with 72 hours of departure.

 

He could enter visa exempt instead of using his re-entry permit to get a longer stay than it since he would get a 45 day entry now that can be extended for 30 days. Then apply at immigration for a 90 day non-o visa entry and then a new one year extension near the end of it.

 

ubonjoe, to clarify:

 

now, that you get VE 45 days, you will get out of quarantine and still have more than 15 days to stay in Thailand. so you could right away apply for a Non O at immigration after terminating quarantine.

Correct?

[Tbone999]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Maybe that was before they were allowed to do them. At one time only Bangkok could issue non immigrant visa and then later a few others. Now all offices are allowed to do them.

That's some useful info, when did they start allowing it nationwide?

 

[fleur3]

On 1/7/2021 at 2:36 PM, BigStar said:

My apologies if these questions have been asked and answered. I did do a search.

 

1. Friend of mine in the USA has a Non-O retirement extension (and re-entry permit) set to expire in the next month. It may expire while he's in quarantine, depending on what flights back he can get. He can meet all the requirements for a new extension. Can he extend while in quarantine, or what?

 

2. The repatriation flights won't be announced until the beginning of next month. However, he's not required to take only one of those, is he? Evidently he can take a "semi-commercial" flight and this is what other posters here have been doing. Correct?

 

3. From another thread, the consensus is that the pre-flight COVID-19 PCR test results just need to be available within the 72-hour window before the first flight. We still agreed on that?

 

Thanks! He's gettin' down to the wire now, having postponed at length hoping for an easier entry.

. From another thread, the consensus is that the pre-flight COVID-19 PCR test results just need to be available within the 72-hour window before the first flight. We still agreed on that?

 

Yes and to be more specific, was a lot of discussion about that. 72 hours window. The starts from the time and date of the testRESULT not of test TAKEN  !! Was a lot of discussion about. It is from time and date of result !! 

[BigStar]

3 minutes ago, fleur3 said:

. From another thread, the consensus is that the pre-flight COVID-19 PCR test results just need to be available within the 72-hour window before the first flight. We still agreed on that?

 

Yes and to be more specific, was a lot of discussion about that. 72 hours window. The starts from the time and date of the testRESULT not of test TAKEN  !! Was a lot of discussion about. It is from time and date of result !! 

Right. Good point that bears reiterating.

[ubonjoe]

31 minutes ago, Tbone999 said:

That's some useful info, when did they start allowing it nationwide?

 

About 5 years ago.

[ThaiVisaCentre]

He could try contacting a visa agent, and have a courier pickup the documents from the lobby, and have them apply for his extension.

Or like others have suggested entering on visa exempt, and trying to start the process after quarantine.

[harpman88]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

Joe, I have been wondering about this (entering visa exempt when one already holds a permission of stay for retirement & re-entry permit), OP's situation is a bit different in that his permission of stay will expire while in quarantine. But what would be the situation for someone whose stay was still valid but entered VE? Does leaving and re-entering VE cancel an exisiting permission of stay?

 

Does the COE specify the type of visa? I am wondering about this as they apparently now require O-A type insurance for re-entering on a re-entry permit based on an O, and that is at best an unnecessary expense and for some, an insurmountable barrier.

Hi Sheryl,I just checked my COE (used for entering Thailand from the US on Nov.22) ,it does not specify the visa type (Non Imm O, in my case.) It only formally states that the holder is eligible to enter/reenter Thailand ,along with the flight details and date of arrival, also listing the required ASQ reservation location. I'm not sure about this "OA type insurance" thing.but ASFAIK,one still needs the specific Covid-19 coverage (minimum 100K USD) for the duration of the initial stay allowed when entering.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, harpman88 said:

Hi Sheryl,I just checked my COE (used for entering Thailand from the US on Nov.22) ,it does not specify the visa type (Non Imm O, in my case.) It only formally states that the holder is eligible to enter/reenter Thailand ,along with the flight details and date of arrival, also listing the required ASQ reservation location. I'm not sure about this "OA type insurance" thing.but ASFAIK,one still needs the specific Covid-19 coverage (minimum 100K USD) for the duration of the initial stay allowed when entering.

 

Thanks. Did you enter on a re-entry permit? And not required to have insurance other than the 100k COVID insurance? 

[harpman88]

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it would due to have a new permit to stay in the country. That would invalidate a extension and the attached re-entry permit.

That depends upon which embassy a person deals with. Most do not require the insurance unless applying for a non-o visa based upon retirement now.

For example this from embassy in the US.

"( If you already have a valid visa/re-entry permit, please request the Certificate of Entry – COE at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/ )"

If you do not have a visa or re-entry permit they direct you to a online application to apply for a visa and then mail in your passport to get it.

"1. If the applicant does not have a valid visa or re-entry permit, the applicant must request a visa, at least 15 working days before the intended date of travel, by filling in the information and upload all required documents online here"

Source: https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/17/nonoretirement/

It is about the same on the London embassy website.

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/119247-requirements-for-certificate-of-entry-during-travel-restriction?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

Hi Joe,your reply to Sheryl's question at the top is just the info I've been seeking,as I entered Thailand on a Non-Imm O/COE from the US on Nov,22 ,while still holding a valid OA extension/re-entry permit expiring Feb.11 . So,it looks like I won't have to formally cancel the OA at TI (I'm in C.Mai) when I go for my 365 day extension using my new O entry.(valid till Feb.19). I sold my condo here in 2019,and since then Ive had well over 800K baht in my Thai bank acct.. The O visa ,however, was issued based on my being the parent of a Thai child (the only option available to me at the time). I'd prefer to just start a new retirement extension based on the O visa,since it would be much simpler than going the parent/guardian extension route( having to get the certificate of fathership,and all the rest) Would the fact that the O visa was issued based on me being the parent of a Thai child (not retirement) somehow be a roadblock to getting the retirement extension.Thanx,harp88

[harpman88]

13 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Thanks. Did you enter on a re-entry permit? And not required to have insurance other than the 100k COVID insurance? 

No,I entered on a Non-Imm O,(even tho I had a valid OA re-entry permit) issued at the Thai Embassy in DC based on my being the parent of a Thai national.(the only option available at the time),thus ridding me of the OA extension I so desperately wanted to dispense with.

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, harpman88 said:

No,I entered on a Non-Imm O,(even tho I had a valid OA re-entry permit) issued at the Thai Embassy in DC based on my being the parent of a Thai national.(the only option available at the time),thus ridding me of the OA extension I so desperately wanted to dispense with.

It appears you are set to be able to apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement if you will have 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months.

The only problem you might have is with your local immigration office.  Some may incorrectly say you cannot apply for it if your non-o visa states it was based upon being the parent of a Thai.

If your child is 7 years old or older your could get your parenthood legalized at a Amphoe to get a Kor Ror 11 form that is needed to apply for an extension based upon being the parent of a Thai.