Trip Report Visa Exempt to Non-O Retirement - Bangkok

[JerseytoBKK]

I arrived on April 1with a 45 day Visa Exempt status. Did my “7 day quarantine” which means I was released on April 9.

 

Stayed at Anantara Riverside and for those who don't mind the expense, I highly recommend them. I originally paid for “10 days” but promptly received the refund to my credit card after I checked out.

 

Went to CW on Thursday, April 22. Had an appointment for 10:30 but arrived early so asked at front desk and they gave me a ticket. Waited 25 min and was called in at 10:10. Once again I had another very nice and helpful Immigration officer.

 

Had a new passport because mine expired while in the US. Naturally the retirement extension also expired same day as the passport.

 

Made copies of:

1. Old passport info page

2. Last extension

3. Final statement from foreign currency account that I used for the last extension

4. Copy (expired) of certificate of the foreign currency account. I canceled the account 2 days before I went back to the US and converted to Baht and transferred the money to my passbook savings account
    

5. TM 87 form filled out

6. New passport info page

7. New visa exempt stamp showing stay allowed until May 15

8. New 1 year lease for my condo

9. Copy of first payment on the lease (1 month deposit and first month's rent)

10. Copies of front page and last 2 pages of passbook saving acct.

11. Bank statement and bank letter.

12. Map of condo location
     

Things I needed to get copies of after taking to the IO.
 

13. The rest of the pages in my passbook. Fortunately it was only an extra 3 pages

14. Copies of the 1^st non-O and 1^st renewal from the old passport

15. Documentation of payment for the lease

 

The lease payment turned into a potential serious problem. The page with the required documentation that you can download has on the bottom in RED that they want a receipt of 3 months of rent payment. I explained that I just arrived 3 weeks ago and only had a “receipt” for deposit and 1 month's rent. Also showed my old expired lease and I'm returning to the same condo. IO said since I have been in Thailand a long time that she would accept the payment. The problem occurred that I had wired my girlfriend the money and she paid the landlord. So I was asked to provide proof that I wired the money to my girlfriend.

 

I couldn't access the Chase area where I wire money on the app and my girlfriend couldn't get the details from her BB bank account. Fortunately when I converted my foreign currency account I transferred a large enough sum to her and took a screen shot. Was able to use Line app at the printer downstairs to print off that transaction and IO accepted that.

 

Last point. The IO asked about the TM30. I explained that the landlord mailed it in on April 9 but hasn't received the acknowledgment. I told her I had previously used the online system to report when I traveled abroad and had a screenshot to show that. If your landlord sent this in, then if you don't have the receipt at least have the tracking information ready to show the IO. I forgot to ask my landlord but have the screenshot now.

 

When the IO said to return in 2 weeks to get the Visa stamp, I was briefly concerned and then remembered that this is the process they used before with my first non-O.

 

[BritTim]

Good report. You seem to have encountered a very good immigration official who ensured the rules were followed, but was flexible in terms of you providing the necessary proof when it was clear there were no shenanigans going on.

[buick]

thanks for the report.  i'm debating whether to do this, get a non O, or non OA right now (from los angeles consulate).  probably return in june or july.  i did the change visa from exempt in 2017 so i'm leaning towards repeating that process.  as i recall, i had a bank letter, bank book plus copies of it.  no bank statement.  i also had a copy of lease but no proof of payment.  the best part was there was zero wait, alot dfferent than three months later when i went for the one year extension.

 

i assume the bank statement is the most recent, either mailed to your apt or obtained at the bank when you got the letter ? (i use a combo of foreign currency account and THB account), it is not a 'year end' or 'last twelve months' type of thing.  i'm still on my original lease so i should be good to go there (easy to show proof of payment).  seems the TM 30 is always a crapshoot.

 

thanks for the hotel tip, i'll take a look at that online.  did you have a microwave in the room, i want to be able to reheat the meals.

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, buick said:

i assume the bank statement is the most recent, either mailed to your apt or obtained at the bank when you got the letter ? (i use a combo of foreign currency account and THB account), it is not a 'year end' or 'last twelve months' type of thing.  i'm still on my original lease so i should be good to go there (easy to show proof of payment).  seems the TM 30 is always a crapshoot.

A bank statement is not normally required if using the 800k baht in the bank option. Just a bank letter and your updated bank book or books.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, buick said:

.  i did the change visa from exempt in 2017 so i'm leaning towards repeating that process

IMO, good idea. 

If you use money in bank then you will not need statements at CW. 

You need to show money came from overseas to obtain non o.

Note that there is appointment system available for extensions (retirement). Not compulsory but highly recommended.

The money in the bank method is best option if possible for you.

Link for appointment

http://203.151.166.132/immigrant_queue/booking/

 

ps. OP thanks for clear detailed report.

Edited April 27, 2021 by DrJack54

[JerseytoBKK]

59 minutes ago, buick said:

thanks for the report.  i'm debating whether to do this, get a non O, or non OA right now (from los angeles consulate).  probably return in june or july.  i did the change visa from exempt in 2017 so i'm leaning towards repeating that process.  as i recall, i had a bank letter, bank book plus copies of it.  no bank statement.  i also had a copy of lease but no proof of payment.  the best part was there was zero wait, alot dfferent than three months later when i went for the one year extension.

 

i assume the bank statement is the most recent, either mailed to your apt or obtained at the bank when you got the letter ? (i use a combo of foreign currency account and THB account), it is not a 'year end' or 'last twelve months' type of thing.  i'm still on my original lease so i should be good to go there (easy to show proof of payment).  seems the TM 30 is always a crapshoot.

 

thanks for the hotel tip, i'll take a look at that online.  did you have a microwave in the room, i want to be able to reheat the meals.

The reason I didn't go the O-A route in 2017 is because of the physical and lab tests (my doc wouldn't sign the physical form without the tests) which I would have had to pay for because my work insurance wouldn't cover that as a necessary medical expense. Doubt my Medicare would cover that this year.

 

I don't think I needed the bank statement but since I was in the bank that morning and the teller asked if I wanted a statement I said yes to both. As others have mentioned in previous posts, make sure you can show that the funds came from outside the country. With the foreign currency account that's no issue but if the Baht account is large and there were substantial funds added to it lately, may or may not become an issue depending on the IO.

 

No microwave in the Anantara regular rooms but I think the suites have them. Contact them about possibly ordering one for your room. I didn't need one. I'm a foodie (owned a gourmet deli and worked in the gourmet food industry for a decade) and the food ranged from good to WOW. Plenty of food, incredible range of choices and almost always on time. You have a range of times you chose for delivery and it was delivered very warm or hot 20 out of 21 times. 

Edited April 27, 2021 by JerseytoBKK

[buick]

thanks for the addtl info and input.  it looks like the online appointment site now works with browsers other than explorer, not sure that was the case last time i was looking into it.  having the appt service is a huge improvement.  it looks like quarantine is back to 14 days, but that still gives me two weeks to do the exempt to non O process.  have bank account already and money is in there.  so probably down to choosing an ASQ hotel and flight.  saw some low prices on roojai.com for the covid insurance (much lower than a quote i got from another entity). 

[JerseytoBKK]

On 4/30/2021 at 11:18 PM, buick said:

thanks for the addtl info and input.  it looks like the online appointment site now works with browsers other than explorer, not sure that was the case last time i was looking into it.  having the appt service is a huge improvement.  it looks like quarantine is back to 14 days, but that still gives me two weeks to do the exempt to non O process.  have bank account already and money is in there.  so probably down to choosing an ASQ hotel and flight.  saw some low prices on roojai.com for the covid insurance (much lower than a quote i got from another entity). 

Visa exempt was changed to 45 days about 6-7 weeks ago to allow people more free time after they get out of Quarantine jail. This was back when  14 days was still required for everyone. I came in on April 1st and was stamped in with a stay until date of May 15.