LTR Visa is Now available for Long Term Residency

[Pib]

Thanks, Misty.  I guess what it boils down to is an LTR Visa allows the issue of a work permit where some types of visas do not like a Non OA Retirement visa, an Elite Visa, etc,.....and a LTR visa removes the 4 Thais to 1 foreigner work permit requirement which can be a real plus.  And of course the BoI One Stop Service Center being able centrally process the work permit.    

[Misty]

27 minutes ago, Pib said:

Thanks, Misty.  I guess what it boils down to is an LTR Visa allows the issue of a work permit where some types of visas do not like a Non OA Retirement visa, an Elite Visa, etc,.....and a LTR visa removes the 4 Thais to 1 foreigner work permit requirement which can be a real plus.  And of course the BoI One Stop Service Center being able centrally process the work permit.    

Yes, all that, and as I understand it even more:  for example, if you have an LTR visa you can be a so-called "digital nomad".  You can work without a work permit. The digital work permit only comes into play if you want to work for a Thai company.

 

That is my understanding, at least. 

[tai4de2]

Thanks all. I rolled the dice and submitted for the eVisa at the LA consulate. Hopefully it will be issued in time and also will include canceling my non-O. My most recent eVisa experience with LA was issuance in 12 calendar days. I have almost double that before my next entry.

 

In case anyone is wondering, the fee is $1600 US. Reasonably close enough to 50K THB at a reasonable exchange rate, IMO, so I’m not losing any sleep over it.

 

Im going to look into what I need to be totally legal for any kind of work. At a high level, it seems like I might be able to create an Amity company I can own fully, and issue myself a work permit since I’ll be exempt from needing any Thai employees. A few months ago when I poked at this I had the sense that the usual facilitators of Thai companies for foreigners aren’t up on this visa and how to best take advantage of its benefits, so I feel the need to tread carefully. 

[Misty]

3 hours ago, tai4de2 said:

Thanks all. I rolled the dice and submitted for the eVisa at the LA consulate. Hopefully it will be issued in time and also will include canceling my non-O. My most recent eVisa experience with LA was issuance in 12 calendar days. I have almost double that before my next entry.

 

In case anyone is wondering, the fee is $1600 US. Reasonably close enough to 50K THB at a reasonable exchange rate, IMO, so I’m not losing any sleep over it.

 

Im going to look into what I need to be totally legal for any kind of work. At a high level, it seems like I might be able to create an Amity company I can own fully, and issue myself a work permit since I’ll be exempt from needing any Thai employees. A few months ago when I poked at this I had the sense that the usual facilitators of Thai companies for foreigners aren’t up on this visa and how to best take advantage of its benefits, so I feel the need to tread carefully. 

That's great, best wishes to you.  Not sure if you can draw a direct comparison, but my NY consulate LTR e-visa was turned around in one day last October.

 

I'm not sure what happens to your existing visa, as I didn't have an existing visa at that point, had let my former NonB e-visa expire.

 

I do own and work for my own Amity treaty company.  The type of work I do requires Thai licensing, so I definitely need a Thai company.  However, there is a huge and increasing amount of bureaucracy involved, not to mention specialized US tax filing (my form 5471 filing runs 50+ pages).  If I didn't need it for my line of work, I'd look into working for an entity established outside of Thailand - perhaps in the US (although self-employment tax may kick in then).

[tai4de2]

Thank you @Misty...

 

I will post back with results from my eVisa application when I have an update: how long it took, and what happened to my existing 1 year multiple-entry non-O based on marriage.

[oldcpu]

On 7/18/2023 at 6:08 PM, nglodnig said:

And you, like all the others have replied have ignored my question and focussed on my "aside" in brackets - WHAT GOOD is the LTR that justifies the cost? For a retiree (not talking about under-fifty)

 

And my financial situtation is none of your business

Some of which I note below was ALREADY pointed out by others ... but since you asked ...

 

The LTR visa (for Wealthy Pensioners who travel every year) over a 10 year period, is about the same price as a type-O visa.  A type-O visa with a multiple re-entry permit, costs about 5700 THB a year (1900 THB + 3800 THB multiple re-entry permit).  Over 10 years that is 57,000 THB for a Type-O with multiple re-entry.  The LTR Wealthy pensioner costs 50,000 THB for the 10 years. 

 

Am I correct that your question "that justifies the cost ? " also applies to those who go for a Type-O visa?  What justifies the cost for a Type-O visa. Is that also your question?  .... < puzzled > ...

 

Now as to the advantages for the LTR Visa ?  There are many ... if one travels a lot, it has a nice airport perk (and remember - the LTR Wealthy Pensioner has about the same cost as Type-O visa) one has access to a much faster "fast-track" line at immigration.  Stand in line for an hour at Bangkok airport with hordes of tourists, and you will appreciate that benefit.  Again - no extra cost over a Type-O visa.

 

With an LTR visa, one 'officially' (stated very openly in official Thai documents) does NOT have to pay ANY Thai income tax on foreign income from outside of Thailand.  Its VERY easy to point this to other people.  I have had people (and foreign banks) question me about my foreign tax (when on Type-O and Type-OA) and it was MUCH more difficult (on a Type-O/OA visa) to find an official Thai government statement noting it was not necessary in Thailand to pay Thai tax on foreign income.

 

Not having to do a 90-day report is handy.  Very much so.  My experience when on the Type-O and Type-OA visa making (over the years) of about 15 attempts (ie for each of the many 90-day reports I have done) with the on-line 90-day report system:  it worked for me 3 out of 15 times, and failed 12 out of 15 times.  12 times I had to go to immigration in person.  I could go on more about this (and what I tried and failed to have 'addressed" but I think my point was made). A one year report (which I may never have to do as I typically leave/re-entry Thailand a couple times per year), and the one-year is automatically extended for a year each time one enters Thailand.

 

Not having to go to immigration every year to get an extension on my Type-O visa (previous going to immigration every year also with my Type-OA visa) is a major benefit of the LTR visa.  On a Type-O/OA visa, by the time I add up the time to put together (at home) the paperwork, the time to go to the bank, get the paperwork from them, and to go to the immigration in Phuket (and wait with the hordes of tourists/expats of various nationalities in Phuket immigration), ... in constrast with an LTR visa having to only prove my finances once every 5 years, and go for a new Visa in 10 years, is a major advantage.  

 

Also, the LTR paper work can be submitted online, while sitting on my condo balcony with a laptop computer, over looking the sea, and sipping a drink.  I can NOT sip a drink from my balcony and submit my paperwork  with a Type-O  or Type-OA visa (which requires I go to immigration and wait for hours with the crowded hordes).

 

Further, previous when I had a type-OA visa, my superior European Health insurance was not accepted by immigration - which drove me to get Double health insurance one year, and then on the next year leave the country and re-entry to change to a Type-O visa. For the Type-OA visa, here were no other options for insurance (other than the Thai branch of a health insurance company).  For the LTR wealthy pension visa, I can simply point to the specified amount of money in a Bank account ANYWHERE in the world.  Too simple.

 

I suspect others can think of other advantages - but those are the one's that come to my mind.

 

So - for some of us, there are VERY BIG advantages for the LTR visa.    Advantages for everyone ? Of course not. Not everyone has the money to make it easy.

 

... and you also asked " if somebody had that much money for a pension why would they choose Thailand over another country?) " 

 

Why ?  Why not another country?   Because we like Thailand.  OK?  We like Thailand.  Because our spouse has family in Thailand.  Because our money goes massively further in Thailand.  The condo I have here (on the beach) in Thailand would cost me easily 5x to 15x as much money in some cities in North America and in Europe.

 

If the LTR visa does not suit you, then go for other Visa options, as Thailand does offer others.  Many of us did that in the past, but when the LTR Visa became available, it was quick for us to see it had big advantages for our situation.    Why rain on us, when it is good for us?

Edited July 20, 2023 by oldcpu

[nglodnig]

6 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Why rain on us, when it is good for us?

If it's good for you go for it. But I don't see any advantage for me. Each to his or her own.

[MPoll]

14 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Not having to do a 90-day report is handy.  Very much so.  My experience when on the Type-O and Type-OA visa making (over the years) of about 15 attempts (ie for each of the many 90-day reports I have done) with the on-line 90-day report system:  it worked for me 3 out of 15 times, and failed 12 out of 15 times.  12 times I had to go to immigration in person.  I could go on more about this (and what I tried and failed to have 'addressed" but I think my point was made). A one year report (which I may never have to do as I typically leave/re-entry Thailand a couple times per year), and the one-year is automatically extended for a year each time one enters Thailand.

 

When looking at the LTR visa I couldn't help but also consider all the times I had to file my 90 day report in person. Pre-Covid the flaky online system worked for me 2x. During Covid it didn't work for me at all. Finally the new system seemed to be better but I only got to use it once before I got my LTR. At least psychologically, not having to do 90 day reports is a bit of a relief for me.

[tai4de2]

I called the LA consulate and to my pleasant surprise was able to talk to a real person. I was told

1. My existing non-O wouldn't be canceled automatically and that it does not need to be canceled at all because it's a different category than an LTR visa. I could simply not use the non-O, until it expires. This surprises me because I thought it's a basic rule of the system that I can't have two visas simultaneously
2. Processing time would be "15 business days" -- which mirrors what the standard guidance on the web site says, so who knows really. From date of filing for the eVisa I have exactly that, so I hope it comes through on time or early
3. If I enter Thailand with the LTR eVisa application in process, they would not be able to issue the LTR because I'd have to do it in Thailand. And an emphasized "fee is non-refundable".

I take points 2 and 3 to mean that really I must not enter Thailand until my LTR is issued! Unfortunately I was planning on flying into Thailand non-stop from Europe as I will be on vacation there the week before. So avoiding entering Thailand would be disruptive. But I don't want to risk derailing my LTR issuance.

[Pib]

@tai4de2

   Interesting info you provided above.  Regarding the issue of not having two active visas at the same time from reading numerous AseanNow posts/experiences over many years it does seem the general rule is a person shouldn't (or can't) have two active Thailand visas at once except it did seem to be OK sometimes like when one visa was within 30 days or so of expiring when a person was applying for a certain other type of visa outside of Thailand, etc....but these posts/experiences sometimes left a person with more questions in their minds as to exactly what the Thai immigration regulations allow since we are not privy to a lot of regulations/policies/memorandums that Thai Immigration and Embassies follow.

 

   And regarding not entering on another visa or visa exempt before you evisa application is approved, definitely don't do that as some quick googling led me to the below Thai Embassy websites in the Netherlands and U.S.  which basically say the evisa will be rejected/disapproved if the Thai Embassy sees you are currently in Thailand....I expect they can check your passport number/name against the Immigration database to see if you happen to be in Thailand on any type of visa or visa exempt.  If in Thailand then the evisa will be rejected and no application refund...and I'm sure you don't want to lose the $1600/Bt50K LTR evisa application fee you have already paid.

 

 

Snapshot from Thai Embassy in Netherlands

https://hague.thaiembassy.org/th/publicservice/e-visa-general-conditions

 

Snapshot from Thai Embassy Washington D.C.

https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

 

 

 

[JackGats]

1. If I enter Thailand with the LTR eVisa application in process, they would not be able to issue the LTR because I'd have to do it in Thailand. And an emphasized "fee is non-refundable".

Am I right in taking "LTR eVisa application" here to mean "LTR-visa issuance at a consulate outside Thailand", as opposed to issuance at the one-stop center in Bangkok?

 

So the take-home point is, if you opt to get your LTR stamp outside Thailand, do not travel to Thailand in the meantime lest by doing so you abort your LTR process. On the other hand, if you opted to get your LTR stamp in Bangkok, do travel to Thailand asap in order to be able to get your LTR stamp within 60 days of the notification of endorsement.

[Pib]

4 hours ago, JackGats said:

1. If I enter Thailand with the LTR eVisa application in process, they would not be able to issue the LTR because I'd have to do it in Thailand. And an emphasized "fee is non-refundable".

Am I right in taking "LTR eVisa application" here to mean "LTR-visa issuance at a consulate outside Thailand", as opposed to issuance at the one-stop center in Bangkok?

Correct.

[ThailandRyan]

Looks like we are coming up on that first full year window and it will be time for the Annual report to be done.  My date to do mine was initially October 6th, but with flying out and back in in November it is now November 15th.  However, I will be headed out to the US in October and will not return until well after the Report date, so my 1st year full year report will be washed.  

 

For those of you coming up on the reporting date keep us up to date as to how you did it and how it went.

[Pib]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Looks like we are coming up on that first full year window and it will be time for the Annual report to be done.  My date to do mine was initially October 6th, but with flying out and back in in November it is now November 15th.  However, I will be headed out to the US in October and will not return until well after the Report date, so my 1st year full year report will be washed.  

 

For those of you coming up on the reporting date keep us up to date as to how you did it and how it went.

You completely forgot to talk about the annual renewal of your LTR.  Oh, oh, I just remembered there is no annual renewal....just renewal in 5 years with no fee for that renewal.  ???? ????????   Yeap, a 5 year (vs 1 year) LTR permitted to stay stamp is nice. 

 

Enjoy your upcoming trip to the U.S.  

[Cocon]

I have a question, if you have an LTR Visa, and you live in your own condo in Thailand, do you have to make TM 30 again every time you leave the country and come back to Thailand or is that not necessary because you stay on the same address?

[Pib]

When you are coming back to the same address a TM30 is not required regardless of visa type...that is, Non O, Non B, LTR, etc.   But unfortunately some immigration offices still want to see a new TM30 before accomplishing certain tasks like applying for a extension if the address they see in the TM30 system doesn't match your current address like you stayed at a hotel where they submitted a TM30 on you, etc.

Edited July 27, 2023 by Pib

[Cocon]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

When you are coming back to the same address a TM30 is not required regardless of visa type...that is, Non O, Non B, LTR, etc.   But unfortunately some immigration offices still want to see a new TM30 before accomplishing certain tasks like applying for a extension if the address they see in the TM30 system doesn't match your current address like you stayed at a hotel where they submitted a TM30 on you, etc.

understand thanks Pib

[JimGant]

Here's an observation that lends itself to getting an LTR eVisa, or an LTR Visa sticker, rather than an LTR stamp at BoI/IMM OSS, Bangkok:

 

If you've got an LTR Visa sticker, it's good for 10 years, period, independent of the passport's expiration date. So too with an LTR eVisa. But if you've got an LTR stamp from Immigration at OSS, it expires with the passport -- and has to be renewed (transferred) at IMM OSS.

 

Quote

-- In case of a transferable stamp, you need to transfer a LTR Visa to a new passport, you must apply to have your LTR Visa transferred at the Immigration at One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit (OSS).

-- A LTR Visa sticker in the passport (cannot be transferred to a new passport, the visa holder must hold both former and new passports when traveling)

https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/transferring.html

Ugh. Since most of us have passports with a 10 year lifetime , this means that at some point during our visa's 10 year duration, we'll have to make a visit to Bangkok to obtain a transferred LTR stamp to our new passport. [There's a trip report earlier in this thread on this transfer process -- several hours and four pages of blank passport required.] Now, if I had a visa sticker, or an eVisa, this trip wouldn't be necessary.

 

Here's a good example of the limitations of a stamp. I believe I got this example from this thread (but forgot to note its author):

stamps from a forum member, with only two years allowed.pdf

 

Note that his passport apparently expires 22 Oct 2024 -- and that the boilerplate language in the stamp says his visa is only good for the duration of the passport (this is further emphasized with the red stamp at the top). Thus, his visa expires on 22 Oct 2024. And since permissions of stay, in the LTR situation, must apparently coincide with active visas (vice active passports), so too expires his permission of stay on 22 Oct 2024.

 

Wow! We saw with Misty, who has an eVisa, that she was stamped in for 5 years even tho' her passport expired in just a couple of years. Saw something similar with someone entering on an LTR visa sticker. What an advantage of never having to go to Bangkok when your passport expires, as is the case with a visa stamp. Why couldn't they just have left off the boilerplate language on the stamp tying visa validity to passport validity.....? This, at least, would have equated the three methods of obtaining an LTR visa. Oh well.

 

My passport will expire 3 years into my second 5 year permission of stay. Instead of waiting until then to travel to Bangkok, maybe I'll renew my passport early, coinciding with the second 5 year LTR period renewal. If this second 5 year renewal also requires a trip to Bangkok (OSS/IMM), a single trip might just do the trick. Maybe by then agents can be involved, if IMM has no photo requirement....

 

Anyway, sticker or eVisa weren't an option for me, living full time in Thailand. However, for those thinking about an LTR visa, and who still have a foot in the home country, consider initiating the LTR process from the Thai Embassy/Consulate.

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by JimGant

[mudcat]

My passport 2026 expiration date did not sync up well with my hoped for LTR initial visa or renewal so I paid the ~$130 to the U.S. embassy and got a new 10-year passport (and passport card which I carry in my wallet and use when traveling to Canada or Mexico) back in a few weeks.  My wife renewed her U.S. passport as well to sync with her Thai passport (all three due for renewal in 2032 - 10-years now).  

 

I understand some countries have their own renewal criteria and timelines, but we sent off our renewal packages on August 23 and received our passports back on September 14th, transferred my Non-IMM O visa on the 15th, and sent off my LTR WP application the next day.  Approval pending additional documents on October 4th and final approval on October 18th and visa entered into my passport on October 31, Halloween.

 

[Pib]

2 hours ago, JimGant said:

 

Note that his passport apparently expires 22 Oct 2024 -- and that the boilerplate language in the stamp says his visa is only good for the duration of the passport (this is further emphasized with the red stamp at the top). Thus, his visa expires on 22 Oct 2024. And since permissions of stay, in the LTR situation, must apparently coincide with active visas (vice active passports), so too expires his permission of stay on 22 Oct 2024.

 

 

Just a clarification...the LTR "visa" does not expire 22 Oct 2024 as it's still good up to 17 Oct 2032 but the Stay Permit is only good till 22 Oct 2024 since his passport also expires 22 Oct 2024.  The Stay Permit date is limiting factor and not the visa date. 

 

Works a little differently from a Non Immigrant type extension where the extension/permitted to stay date can not exceed the passport expiration date.

 

When the LTR stamp is transferred to the new passport it will still reflect a 17 Oct 2032 date.

 

[Pib]

Regarding the BoI LTR website/login uptime reliability when it would often go down for a few hours on some days, maybe the entire weekend, and/or during holidays I haven't notice any downtime for months.   This was very frustrating to those trying to get LTR info, submit or update an application, or check the latest status of their application.

 

I was kinda expecting it to go down during this long holiday period beginning with the King's Birthday today/28 July like for a similar long holiday period a couple months ago, but as of this post the website and acct login is still working.

 

I doubt the previous low reliability was due to inadequate capacity/too many applications but due to a lot of system glitches, too much maintenance downtime to fix the glitches, and simply shutting down the system on some weekends and holiday periods.  Now I wish they would update the LTR website to show a lot more practical info on LTR management like the sister BoI SMART visa website has.

 

https://ltr.boi.go.th

 

https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/index.html

[JimGant]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

Just a clarification...the LTR "visa" does not expire 22 Oct 2024 as it's still good up to 17 Oct 2032 but the Stay Permit is only good till 22 Oct 2024 since his passport also expires 22 Oct 2024.  The Stay Permit date is limiting factor and not the visa date. 

Visa remains valid until the passport is no longer valid. So, yeah, maybe "expire" is the wrong word, as the visa will be re-validated with a new, valid passport.

 

But the boilerplate language on the stamp says visa remains valid for 10 years (paraphrasing) "if passport remains valid." Red stamp at the top reinforces this, with "permitted for validity of passport." Thus, your visa is no longer valid when the passport is no longer valid.

 

Quote

but the Stay Permit is only good till 22 Oct 2024 since his passport also expires 22 Oct 2024.

Not the primary reason. With an LTR visa, Stay Permit is entirely dependent on validity of visa, not validity of passport. Again, using Misty's five year permitted stamp, which was issued in spite of her passport expiring well before that five year mark -- this five year permit was entirely due to her eVisa being valid for ten years, as it is not affected by passport expiration date.

 

So, in the situation described above, his permission of stay died on 22 Oct 2024 -- due to the death of his visa, not the death of his passport -- although the death of his visa was due to the death of his passport. Sure looks like it died due to passport expiration -- but this was only a secondary cause. 

 

Anyway, bottom line is: If you want your LTR visa to be valid for an uninterrupted 10 years -- get an eVisa or sticker visa, not a stamp from IMM OSS.

[Pib]

Jim,

 

    The LTR stamp says in must be "utilized" before date XYZ (which is a date 10 years from the LTR issue date) if the passport remains valid.   Now the person did utilize it immediately which would "normally" give a Stay Permit date for 5 years but in this case for only 2 years which is when his passport expires 22 Oct 2024.  

 

    Now you saying when he gets a new passport probably in early/mid 2024 and goes to transfer the LTR visa stamp from the old to new passport that BoI Immigration will not transfer the LTR visa stamp "AND also not give him a new Permit Stay date?   

 

    I expect the new Permit Stay date would not be 5 years but probably around 3 years to approx 22 Oct 2027.  Those 3 years added to the 2 years on the old passport would equal 5 years taking the person up to the time he needed to apply for the mid term LTR extension to get the 2nd 5 years of the 5+5 year LTR visa.

 

   The BoI LTR visa stamp transfer procedure is quote below

 

https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/transferring.html

 

Quote

 

Transferring a LTR Visa to a new passport

---

Typically, there are three different formats of LTR Visa depending on LTR Visa issuance location.

1. A LTR Visa stamp in the passport (transferable)

2. A LTR Visa sticker in the passport (cannot be transferred to a new passport, the visa holder must hold both former and new passports when travelling)

3. E-Visa

In case of a transferrable stamp, you need to transfer a LTR Visa to a new passport, you must apply to have your LTR Visa transferred at the Immigration at One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit (OSS). The required documents are as follows;

1. Original former and new passports

2. Transfer stamp to new passport form (Click here to download form)

3. Certificate from embassy (Original one only)

4. Copy of former passport with your photo

5. Copy of new passport with your photo

6. Copy of last arrival stamp in your passport

7. Copy of LTR Visa stamp in your passport

8. Copy of last extended visa in your passport

9. Copy of T.M. 6 Card (If any)

10. Notification letter of qualification endorsement which is addressed to the Immigration Bureau

11. 1-Year notification card

 

 

 

[JimGant]

4 minutes ago, Pib said:

Now you saying when he gets a new passport probably in early/mid 2024 and goes to transfer the LTR visa stamp from the old to new passport that BoI Immigration will not transfer the LTR visa stamp "AND also not give him a new Permit Stay date?   

How'd you get that idea? Why wouldn't they transfer it -- we've already had a forum member report on the transfer drill at IMM OSS for LTR visas. And, sure, the permission of stay will only go to the 5 year demarcation for getting your last 5 year permission.

 

My only point was the fact that, when his passport died, he had to transfer it, and in Bangkok (not his local provincial Imm office). This inconvenience is eliminated with a eVisa or sticker visa.

 

 

[Pib]

1 minute ago, JimGant said:

How'd you get that idea? Why wouldn't they transfer it -- we've already had a forum member report on the transfer drill at IMM OSS for LTR visas. And, sure, the permission of stay will only go to the 5 year demarcation for getting your last 5 year permission.

 

My only point was the fact that, when his passport died, he had to transfer it, and in Bangkok (not his local provincial Imm office). This inconvenience is eliminated with a eVisa or sticker visa.

 

Thanks for the clarification.  Yes, for whatever reason, I was getting the impression you might be saying BoI immigration would not transfer it since the person's first utilization of approx 2 years to the end of his current passport effectively killed the whole LTR visa when his passport expired, therefore, nothing left to transfer to a new passport.

[Pib]

7 hours ago, JimGant said:

My passport will expire 3 years into my second 5 year permission of stay. Instead of waiting until then to travel to Bangkok, maybe I'll renew my passport early, coinciding with the second 5 year LTR period renewal. If this second 5 year renewal also requires a trip to Bangkok (OSS/IMM), a single trip might just do the trick. Maybe by then agents can be involved, if IMM has no photo requirement....

Jim,

   It sure would be nice if BoI could at least implement some alternate locations in Thailand to have a LTR inked into a person's passport.   

 

   Or, develop an online method probably still managed by BoI but once the online paperwork was blessed by BoI they then allowed a person to go to the immigration office in their province to have photo taken, fingerprints taken, dot the i's & cross the t's.....and then the local immigration makes the entries/stamps into your passport since their system shows BoI has approved visa. 

 

    Heck, maybe even figure out a "via mail" method.   

 

    But I expect there are probably obstacles in just how closely some government agencies can work together, have another agency do some of the workload, etc.  

 

   In a round-about way it already happens in a kinda similar way when a person applies and gets approved for a LTR visa and selects LTR issuance via the evisa system.  Now I've never used the evisa system but I expect a person needs to upload to the evisa system his LTR endorsement (approval) document which the evisa embassy folks probably double check in some system (like how immigration checks for OA insurance in a system when applying for an OA extension) and then a visa via email is issued.....then once arriving at the airport in Thailand airport  Immigration then puts some LTR entry/permitted to stay stamps into your passport.   I guess airport immigration also takes your picture and fingerprints on entry....I haven't entered Thailand in so long I'm not sure of the exact procedure anymore.

 

   Yea, it sure would be nice if BoI and Immigration could work out a way which didn't require "in-Thailand" folks to "have" to travel to BoI in Bangkok for the "inking" part because traveling from Chiang Mai/Phuket/Ubon/Pattaya or just any where a fair distance from Bangkok can be an undesired/possibly challenging trip.  Kinda like having to make a visa run/border hop.   Heck, I live in Bangkok and hate driving to the other side of town due to the typically horrendous traffic.  Time will tell.

 

 

[MPoll]

I got my LTR in January and my new US passport a couple of days ago. I'm planning to go to BOI to get the LTR transferred to the new passport and I am expecting that I will get a permission to stay stamp to 5 years from January.

[JimGant]

4 hours ago, MPoll said:

and I am expecting that I will get a permission to stay stamp to 5 years from January.

I would think so, although stranger stampings have occurred with the LTR's learning curve. For sure, you'll have five years permitted to stay, regardless of "until" date, since now you have a passport whose longevity exceeds five years.

 

Since most of us reading this, with in-country LTR stamps, will have to go through this drill -- could you please report on (assuming you interfaced first with BoI LTR, not Imm): Did BoI LTR folks hold your hand in this process, mainly in the interface with Immigration? Any surprises on paperwork required? Could you just "walk in," or would an appointment, or at least a before hand phone call, be advised? Any photos required during this process by Imm (if not, maybe I could have an agent do all of this for me...). Thanx.

Edited July 29, 2023 by JimGant

[MPoll]

20 hours ago, JimGant said:

Since most of us reading this, with in-country LTR stamps, will have to go through this drill -- could you please report on (assuming you interfaced first with BoI LTR, not Imm): Did BoI LTR folks hold your hand in this process, mainly in the interface with Immigration? Any surprises on paperwork required? Could you just "walk in," or would an appointment, or at least a before hand phone call, be advised? Any photos required during this process by Imm (if not, maybe I could have an agent do all of this for me...). Thanx.

Sure. I can tell you right now that they said I do not need an appointment. I plan to go to the BOI office early Monday morning to figure out what to do. They also have a list of forms & documents/copies needed. 

[JimGant]

29 minutes ago, MPoll said:

They also have a list of forms & documents/copies needed. 

As I'm sure you're aware, this link lists 10 items related to transferring your LTR stamp:

https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/transferring.html

 

Hopefully, the OSS Imm has gotten the word that the US Embassy no longer issues certificates related to transferring stamps from old to new passports. This seems to be a continuing problem at provincial Imm offices.