Hi Everyone, 

I enter Thailand using a tourist visa at the end of April and I checked myself to the hospital after the quarantine and was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage. Subsequently I changed my tourist visa to a medical visa with the help from the hospital. I recently went to the immigration office in Chang Wattana Bangkok to ask about changing my medical visa to a Non O but was told it’s not possible and that I’ve to get out of Thailand to do that. A bit of info: I already transferred over 800k+ baht to my bank (SCB Thailand), am over 50 and I’m a Canadian passport holder. 

My questions:

1) Is it true that I can’t change from a tourist visa to a medical visa then to a Non O?

2) Any suggestions on what to do if that’s really the case?

FYI I asked various agents and was quoted from 30000 to 40000+ baht to help me with that. 

Thanks a lot for everyone in advance!

You did not change your tourist visa to anything. You extended the 60 day permit to stay it allowed for medical treatment.

You are still on a entry from a tourist visa that can be changed to non-o visa.

Did immigration look at your passport to see what you actually had in it. You might of confused then when you told them you had a medical visa.

Yes, they did look at it and I was too weak to extend the tourist visa myself 

15 minutes ago, LLLL said:

Yes, they did look at it and I was too weak to extend the tourist visa myself 

You need to go back to immigration and ask them again. There is no reason for them not to do the change to a non-o visa since you are still on a permit to stay from a tourist visa.

How many days do you have left on the extension of stay for medical treatment.

It’s not an extension of stay from my original tourist visa. It’s another visa begins with letter M and it’ll expire on early October 

3 minutes ago, LLLL said:

It’s another visa begins with letter M and it’ll expire on early October 

There is no change from a tourist visa to one for medical treatment possible. The visa for medical treatment would be a non-o visa.

11 minutes ago, LLLL said:

It’s not an extension of stay from my original tourist visa. It’s another visa begins with letter M and it’ll expire on early October 

It might be helpful if you'd post photos of your stamps.

For your reference...

Well, there is a visa type "MT" for medical tourism, and there is also a Non Immigrant O for medical treatment. I have never heard of those being issued within Thailand itself, but if there is really a stamp that says "visa" that was done by immigration in Thailand, it would be very interesting to see it. Usually, as @ubonjoetold you, you would just get a medical extension of up to 90 days on whatever permission to stay you were already using. Assuming you entered using a regular tourist visa or visa exempt, you would be in Thailand on a regular tourist permission to stay that is eligible for conversion to a Non O visa. Is it possible you entered Thailand using an STV (special tourist visa)?

 

EDIT: Just saw your stamps. You are still on an extended tourist entry. There should be no problem with conversion to a Non O visa at immigration.

3 minutes ago, LLLL said:

For your reference...

You have gotten 2 extensions of stay. A 30 day extension as a tourist. And another one for medical treatment valid until October 6th that is for 70 days.

My first stamp marks TR and then I had an tourist extension which was done by myself (from 22 June to 28 July) and then the next photo shows the visa the hospital got for me which begins with M.

No I am very sure I didn’t enter thru STV nor medical tourism. 

Thx ubonjoe, the immigration worker at the info window actually called an officer and the officer told me explicitly that the visa cannot be converted to a NonO and that I should trust his words, not the hospital, not any agents...

So do you know if M is the same as MT visa? 

27 minutes ago, LLLL said:

So do you know if M is the same as MT visa? 

The M stands for the reason the extension was issued which was under clause 2.25 of the immigration order that is for a extension for medical treatment.

"2.25 In the case of receiving medical treatment, attending rehabilitation, or taking care of a patient"

Your stamp states it was a extension of stay not a visa.

To avoid the possibility of meeting the same immigration officer, get into an argument and he “lose face”. Any suggestions as to what shall I do in this case?

Thx!!

3 minutes ago, LLLL said:

To avoid the possibility of meeting the same immigration officer, get into an argument and he “lose face”. Any suggestions as to what shall I do in this case?

Thx!!

All you can do is try again to apply for the non-o visa. Go to immigration with all the required documents to do the application. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

OP, your current immigration office obviously knows you by now and you'll most likely keep getting the same answer when you try with them again.   If you're not tied down with a long term lease, I wonder if moving to a different part of the country and trying a new immigration office will get you your desired result.   Just a thought.

2 hours ago, LLLL said:

Thx ubonjoe, the immigration worker at the info window actually called an officer and the officer told me explicitly that the visa cannot be converted to a NonO and that I should trust his words, not the hospital, not any agents...

So do you know if M is the same as MT visa? 

You are currently on an extension of your permission to stay based on medical reasons. Since you are on a tourist entry (this has not changed) you are eligible for a "conversion" to a Non O visa based on the intention to retire in Thailand. I appreciate that you have a problem if you have a mentally defective official who says "no can". Nevertheless, I would follow @ubonjoe's suggestion to turn up with the proper documents and try again. If still rejected, you may need to come along with an agent/lawyer to get them to follow proper procedure.

Thx BritTim. Just wonder if anyone can provide any reliable lawyer/agent who know their stuff and is not a rip-off?

25 minutes ago, LLLL said:

Thx BritTim. Just wonder if anyone can provide any reliable lawyer/agent who know their stuff and is not a rip-off?

Many agents will charge a lot since they will do it at a different office and arrange the financial proof even if you have the money in the bank.

I suggest you to Chaeng Wattana prepared to do the application and request a queue number for the visa application.

You went to the information desk the last time and I suspect the officer that told you it was not possible did not have a clue about what you were wanting to do.

Thx! Do you know if the forms can be downloaded from online? Save the trouble of asking the info desk...

13 minutes ago, LLLL said:

Thx! Do you know if the forms can be downloaded from online? Save the trouble of asking the info desk...

You can download this form. TM86 Change Of Visa Status140.95 kB · 465 downloads (print it 2 sided)

They will give you some other forms to complete that are not available for download that you can complete while you wait.

Before going to immigration will need to get the bank letter and have your bank book updated and have copies of it. Also proof the 800k baht was transferred from abroad.

Have you look at the link I posted previously that has the required documents listed.

Yes, I’ve downloaded the pdf you passed to me. Thx!

@ubonjoe, do you know if I can get the visa within the same day or the immigration will need more time? Thx!!

4 minutes ago, LLLL said:

@ubonjoe, do you know if I can get the visa within the same day or the immigration will need more time? Thx!!

The visa will be issued about 2 weeks after you apply. It has to be approved by the division headquarters.

Thx! Will it mark NonO immigrant on Type of visa on the new visa?

5 minutes ago, LLLL said:

Thx! Will it mark NonO immigrant on Type of visa on the new visa?

The will do a visa stamp stating it is a non-o and then do a new entry stamp with a 90 day permit to stay.

Thank you!