Visa exempt to Non-immi O time frame

[ross163103]

I entered Thailand on visa exempt; just curious when I can apply for Non-immi O visa. Can I apply anytime within the 30 days or do I have to wait until closer to it expiring? I know when renewing the Non immi O they want you to wait until 2-3 weeks--depending on the office, before it expires. Sorry if this has been asked before; couldn't find it in the search. Thanks in advance.

[DrJack54]

You can apply for the non O anytime now but need to do it 15 days prior to expiry and longer at some offices.

 

Do you have Thai bank account in place with required funds. 

[ross163103]

47 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Do you have Thai bank account in place with required funds. 

Yes, more than enough and has been in there for years.....just for the visa. Thanks

[DrJack54]

Just now, ross163103 said:

Yes, more than enough and has been in there for years.....just for the visa. Thanks

You haven't mentioned if the non O is based on retirement or marriage.

If based on retirement the funds need to be shown to come from abroad.

That requirement is generally overlooked if funds have been in the bank for "some period of time" .

Recent report where someone with funds in the bank for long time was being asked to show evidence (bank statement) to show funds from abroad. 

 

[KhunBENQ]

Get your file ready and off to immigration.

No wait!

I did border run on Sunday, off to immigration on Tuesday.

[Fore Man]

While visiting Thailand recently with my Thai wife, we visited Nan Immigration to obtain a 30-day extension to my original 30-day visa on arrival.  That was no problem. My wife also has an excellent relationship with this particular office. But when she asked the IO if I could convert to a Non-O if I desired, the female officer on duty at this small office explained that this was not possible there and advised us that I’d need to apply for the Non-O back at a Thai consulate in the USA where we live. To do so requires a very costly trip to our nearest consulate which is In Washington, DC (we live 400:miles away in South Carolina). I was really hoping to avoid that scenario by converting to the Non-O in Thailand. We have the requisite bank account already set up and ready to make the required international transfer of THB 800K into it.  This may or may not be legitimate but that’s what we were told.  Any sage advice would be appreciated.  

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, Fore Man said:

But when she asked the IO if I could convert to a Non-O if I desired, the female officer on duty at this small office explained that this was not possible

 

The female io is wrong.

You can obtain a non O marriage from your visa exempt entry.

 

[Fore Man]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The female io is wrong.

You can obtain a non O marriage from your visa exempt entry.

 

Thanks, Dr Jack54.  It’s possible we didn’t bring up this distinction with the IO.  We lived in Chiang Mai for 16 years previously under annual extensions of stay based on retirement. I considered converting to an extension based on marriage during that period but then saw an elderly close friend and golf partner lose his Thai wife due to heart failure, and he had to leap through hoops to convert his extension from marriage to retirement-based. But if this is the only way to avoid the hassles of applying for the Non-O at an overseas Thai consulate then I suppose it’s worthwhile.  Unlike my friend, my wife is also considerably younger and healthier which probably improves the odds that she will outlive me, making an extension based on marriage more attractive.  

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, Fore Man said:

Thanks, Dr Jack54.  It’s possible we didn’t bring up this distinction with the IO.  We lived in Chiang Mai for 16 years previously under annual extensions of stay based on retirement

You can obtain a non O based on marriage or retirement from your visa exempt entry.

The based on marriage option has less onerous financial requirements than based on marriage however involves more paperwork and possibly home visit..

The choice is yours.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Fore Man said:

But when she asked the IO if I could convert to a Non-O if I desired, the female officer on duty at this small office explained that this was not possible there and advised us that I’d need to apply for the Non-O back at a Thai consulate in the USA where we live.

She was certainly wrong. See this from the Immigration website.

https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

Edit: Same for retirement: https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/9.FOR-RETIREMENT-PURPOSES-50-YEARS-OLD-NON-O.pdf

 

1 hour ago, Fore Man said:

To do so requires a very costly trip to our nearest consulate which is In Washington, DC (we live 400:miles away in South Carolina).

The embassy in Washington and the 3 official consulates are using the e visa site. It is entirely done online. You upload your passport and etc to do the application and you get the visa by email.

[Fore Man]

On 8/10/2022 at 8:50 PM, ubonjoe said:

She was certainly wrong. See this from the Immigration website.

https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

Edit: Same for retirement: https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/9.FOR-RETIREMENT-PURPOSES-50-YEARS-OLD-NON-O.pdf

 

The embassy in Washington and the 3 official consulates are using the e visa site. It is entirely done online. You upload your passport and etc to do the application and you get the visa by email.

Ubonjoe, sorry, I am just now seeing your response,,,a year after you posted it.  I returned to the USA and missed your reply as well as others due to PC crash and the litany of repair issues in its aftermath.  Thank you for taking your time to advise me!  

[transam]

4 minutes ago, Fore Man said:

Ubonjoe, sorry, I am just now seeing your response,,,a year after you posted it.  I returned to the USA and missed your reply as well as others due to PC crash and the litany of repair issues in its aftermath.  Thank you for taking your time to advise me!  

UbonJoe, has sadly passed away.....????

[Fore Man]

16 minutes ago, transam said:

UbonJoe, has sadly passed away.....????

So sorry to learn this!  What a fine man he was to have assisted thousands of fellow expats all his years of service.  RIP Joe!