Return to Thailand, recent experience

[Robin]

Arrived back in Thailand this week, and others might be interested in my experience, as rules do not seem to be clear.

I originally wanted to get a Non Imm. O at London RTE, but i was discourage by the amount of paperwork required to be posted with application.

I flew on TG 911 and turned up at LHR with no visa.  Check -in was no problem, I was only asked to show my Covid vaccinations.  I have a Thai yellow book vaccination certificate.

ON arrival at BK , I have never seen Immigration so empty, I went straight to head of line and presented my passport.  No TM6' had been given out on the flight. I had to provide my boarding pass.  (NB, lucky I still had it.  What would have happened if i had thrown it away on  the flight?) 

I/O correctly told me that my retirement visa had expired and gave me 30day entry.

Next day went to my local I/O at Phayao and showed visa to I/O there and sked if i could convert this to a Non O retirement visa.

This was possible, but only as a "special service".  I have been given an appointment for net Wed to bring the normal Retirement visa paperwork, bank statements etc. and told the it will take 'some time' to issue me with Retirement visa, as my passport will have to go to Chiang Rai for approval.  I will have to pay for this service, as well as the normal 2000B visa fee.  

I/O was unusually (for I/O) helpful and pleasant, so I'll wait to see how I get on next Week.  

OP the face of it, this seems to be far less fuss than the 'correct' procedure of getting non O from RET and the simply applying fro retirement extension.

AT LHR or on arrival , there was no requirement for onward flight, even thought I was flying on a 1 way ticket.

 

[BigStar]

11 hours ago, Robin said:

I had to provide my boarding pass.  (NB, lucky I still had it.  What would have happened if i had thrown it away on  the flight?) 

Then you'd have failed the minimal cognitive fitness test required to enter the Kingdom. You'd need to catch the next flight right back to LHR and notify your caregiver. 

[bikestorm]

I was in the same situation about returning but decided differently than you even though I had troubles with the paper for the Non O visa based on retirement too.

 

My different decision was based on two things:

1. I was worried about having problems when I want to change to from visa exempt to Non O within Thailand. Even having all requirements correctly I fear that (fabricated) problems might arise and I refuse go for special solutions.

2. I have to travell about 100 km to immigration which consumes money and a lot of time.

 

So I decided to apply for the visa in Europe.

If I was lucky everything would be fine (and I got my eVisa already now).

If I wasn't lucky I still have the visa exempt as fall back solution.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

On 8/26/2022 at 12:01 PM, Robin said:

Next day went to my local I/O at Phayao and showed visa to I/O there and sked if i could convert this to a Non O retirement visa.

This was possible, but only as a "special service".  I have been given an appointment for net Wed to bring the normal Retirement visa paperwork, bank statements etc. and told the it will take 'some time' to issue me with Retirement visa, as my passport will have to go to Chiang Rai for approval.  I will have to pay for this service, as well as the normal 2000B visa fee.  

You are being conned. There is no "special service" requirement there is no fee other than the 2,000 baht required 

[BusyB]

OP I'll be doing the same soon for the same reasons. Thanks for mentioning they didn't want onward flt, but I'll be doing that as well as the 20k baht cash on me, just to preclude any hiccups.

 

I always keep my boarding cards as souvenirs 555

 

I think immi will be less 'complex' where I'm going. The requirements are straight forward as SometimeWW has posted.

[Balance]

14 hours ago, bikestorm said:

I was in the same situation about returning but decided differently than you even though I had troubles with the paper for the Non O visa based on retirement too.

 

My different decision was based on two things:

1. I was worried about having problems when I want to change to from visa exempt to Non O within Thailand. Even having all requirements correctly I fear that (fabricated) problems might arise and I refuse go for special solutions.

2. I have to travell about 100 km to immigration which consumes money and a lot of time.

 

So I decided to apply for the visa in Europe.

If I was lucky everything would be fine (and I got my eVisa already now).

If I wasn't lucky I still have the visa exempt as fall back solution.

 

My wife (Thai national) and I are returning to Thailand next month.  I tried to get a STV 90 day tourist visa from the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles.  However, the e-visa application required a field for my departure date, and I do not have a departure date or a ticket out since we are relocating semi-permanently.   So, I am going Visa exempt and will get a marriage visa when we get there. 

[heybuz]

have returned from thailand a few weeks now, i found where i usually stay that the vibrancy that was present a few years ago was gone and appeared depressed which spread to me unfortunately and after visiting friends in chang rai i was glad to go home, maybe im getting to old but things i turned a blind eye to i began to notice more and more" rubbish ect". Shall return though just to see if it was all me and nothing else, i caught covid while there which didn't help after avoiding it for years in my home country 55. T HE Iimmigration at swampy was the most helpful i can remember polite and helpful in suggestions on extending my stay, but it just didn't feel right to me ,maybe in a couple of months when half of Thailand is high on wacky bakky and smiling again .

[Robin]

Big Star wrote:-  "Then you'd have failed the minimal cognitive fitness test required to enter the Kingdom. "

 

Please be so kind as to explain this new requirement for entry to Thailand so that I might avoid any problems when I come again.

[Robin]

Yesterday visited local (Phayao) Immigration.  As instructed, took all the ank documents needed fro Retirement visa.  I/O had writen a list for me to show my bank.  All issued smoothly for 200Baht.

At immigration, I was expected, and presented with a pile of forms, already filled in by I/O.  I had to signe in about 30 places, mainly copies of pages from my passport, wife's ID card, wife's Tambien Ban.

All a bit of a blur, and forms presented too quickly to be able to read what I was signing.

Following this, all signed form were taken ino the 'office' for examination.

I/O returned with my passport and told me that my request to change from 30day non-visa entry to Non Imm. O had been approved, and I should return to I/O on 22/9, when my 30 entry expired, and then I would be given a Non Imm visa.  Then i should follow the normal procedure to extend this  visa for  retirement visa, ( Come in the last 30 days of non O and follow the normal procedure for a retirement visa.

I was charged a fee of 10,000 Baht for the Non Imm, and given a receipt for this, and then told that there would be another normal fee of 1,900 Baht for Retirement visa.

 

Not quite a various T/V pundit have suggested, but, apar from the cost, the outcome I was hoping for.

I will be happier when I see the Non O in my passport.

With hindsight, it might have been cheaper and quicker to have used a visa agency to either get me a Non O or to go straight to a Retirement visa, so I am posting thsi thread so that any other Forum members can know what might happen when they come into Thailand.

Positives from this are :-

No visa 30 entry easy, with no demands for onward ticket, or hotel booking.

Change from 30 day no visa entry to Non im is possible and I/O appear to be aware of requirements.

There might be information available that says i should not be paying  any fee for this, but I am not going to risk upsetting I/O by showing this and arguing the point.  If I get my retirement visa for what I am told, I will be happy.

 

[DrJack54]

41 minutes ago, Robin said:

I was charged a fee of 10,000 Baht for the Non Imm, and given a receipt for this, and then told that there would be another normal fee of 1,900 Baht for Retirement visa.

You paid 10k for io to fill in forms.

A non O is 2000 baht. 

 

The retirement visa you refer to is actually a 12 month extension to your permission of stay.

Be aware of the financial requirements for the next 12 months in order to obtain next extension in 12 months time.

Be aware that if you wish to exit Thailand and keep your extension alive you would need to purchase reentry permit prior to exit. 

Edited September 1, 2022 by DrJack54

[Robin]

I should have guessed that I/O would not fill in the forms for nothing, but still I don't care, as I would have paid the money to ensure that I got my visa.

I know that "retirement visa" is a 365 day extension of stay for retirement, and that I need to keep the money in the bank.  No objections to this, as it is an easy way of living in LOS.

Yes, I will get a re-entry permit when the visa is issued, just in case I have to leave in an emergency.

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, Robin said:

I know that "retirement visa" is a 365 day extension of stay for retirement, and that I need to keep the money in the bank.

Good.

You no doubt are aware that the 800k balance can be taken down to minimum 400k three months after the application then back up to 800k two months prior to your next application.

 

Some folk prefer to just keep the 800k+ all year round and this avoids possible slip ups.

 

Also good idea is to have a dedicated bank account for immigration purposes. 

 

 

[The Hammer2021]

On 8/27/2022 at 2:30 PM, BusyB said:

OP I'll be doing the same soon for the same reasons. Thanks for mentioning they didn't want onward flt, but I'll be doing that as well as the 20k baht cash on me, just to preclude any hiccups.

 

I always keep my boarding cards as souvenirs 555

 

I think immi will be less 'complex' where I'm going. The requirements are straight forward as SometimeWW has posted.

Boarding cards for air miles and evidence at PPC.

[BusyB]

On 9/1/2022 at 1:01 PM, The Hammer2021 said:

Boarding cards for air miles and evidence at PPC.

PPC?

 

I was paying with airmiles this time round ????

Edited September 2, 2022 by BusyB

[Maestro]

2 hours ago, BusyB said:

PPC?...

My guess is that PPC is this poster's way of referring to Passport Control, without any concern whether the readers know or can guess what he means with it.

[Lemsta69]

On 8/30/2022 at 11:23 AM, Robin said:

Big Star wrote:-  "Then you'd have failed the minimal cognitive fitness test required to enter the Kingdom. "

 

Please be so kind as to explain this new requirement for entry to Thailand so that I might avoid any problems when I come again.

pretty sure he was implying that you should already know not to leave your boarding pass on the plane like in the old days. best to tuck it inside your passport so you don't forget it.

 

a couple of reasons that I can think of...

 

1) the barcode contains sensitive personal information that can possibly be used by "hackers" to scam you etc

 

2) immigration may ask for it as you experienced

 

3) airport security could potentially ask for it whilst you're in transit to Immi although I suspect that would only occur in extreme circumstances