Problem transitioning from OA to O Non-Immigrant Retirment Visa

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

So I had to go to the bank and spend an hour getting proof that the funds for my 4 years of fixed deposit account 800k had ALL come from America.

Don't know why you thought the io was in the wrong (she wasn't) 

You were obtaining a new visa. 

Namely Non O retirement and for that you need to show funds came from abroad.

Note for ongoing 12 month extension the funds do not need to be shown to come from abroad using money in bank method. 

 

6 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Otherwise I know for a fact that converting from OA to O is done by lots of folks without a hitch every year.

Yes but understand you are converting nothing.

You killed off your Non O-A and from visa exempt entry obtained a Non O.

Nothing to do with your previous Non O-A. 

[oldcpu]

I am a Canadian, I live in Phuket,  and I was on the type-OA visa for a while.

 

One advantage you gained by entering Thailand on the Type-OA was it allowed you to open a bank account in Thailand.  If instead you had entered Thailand visa exempt and tried to get a bank account ( necessary for a type-O) you may have failed getting such an account on a Visa exempt entry to Phuket. Possibly if visa exempt one might find an agent in Phuket to facilitate opening a bank account in Phuket,  but I don't know of any in Phuket.

 

Now that you have a bank account in Phuket,  exiting Thailand ( with no reentry stamp) to kill off your type-OA is the way to proceed. You have been given excellent advice by others on this IMHO.

 

Malaysia, Cambodia,  Vietnam, Laos are all inexpensive to go to for a short hop outsideThailand, and they have great places to visit. 

 

Keep your records of your 800k in your Thai account  coming in to Thailand ( in case asked when applying for type O). When I switched from type OA to type O ( by method suggested in this thread), I had my records handy. Fortunately Phuket Immigration did not ask me for that proof ( that 800k thb came from abroad), but things can change in Thailand so be prepared. You might be asked.

 

My switch from type OA to type O ( reason on application being for retirement) went relatively smooth.  It did thou take Phuket Immigration a long time to process the paperwork.  

 

So as soon as you reenter visa exempt  ( having killed off the type-OA)  go to Phuket Immigration to apply for the 90 day type O Visa. Then when 45 days left in type O permission to stay in Thailand,  go to Phuket Immigration to apply for the one year extension of your permission to stay.  

 

My experience with Phuket Immigration is that it is better to apply as soon as you can.

 

I am now on an LTR visa so my experience is a bit dated, but I assume no major changes since with Phuket Immigration. 

[RocketDog]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't know why you thought the io was in the wrong (she wasn't) 

You were obtaining a new visa. 

Namely Non O retirement and for that you need to show funds came from abroad.

Note for ongoing 12 month extension the funds do not need to be shown to come from abroad using money in bank method. 

 

Yes but understand you are converting nothing.

You killed off your Non O-A and from visa exempt entry obtained a Non O.

Nothing to do with your previous Non O-A. 

You are right. Semantics and I forgot. From my perspective I traded in one for the other but not from theirs.

 

I studied the forum intently before I left to get sure I had all my ducks in a row for return. Somehow I never saw the catch.

 

However please note that the underling person that reviews  paper before they let you go into the office told me that under no circumstances could I use the 'same' money again. I would have to open a new account and COULD NOT simply transfer the 'old' money to the new account. She was wrong of course.

 

I knew this could not be right so I did the bank things and then went back the the IO and marched right past her into the office and got it done.

 

Thanks for the assurance about this years extension in September. But I never touch my fixed account and because I have ALL  the bank docs in stunning detail of the provenance of the account balance, except for the interest earned, I am sure I won't take that merry go round ride again.

 

So you are correct, and I didn't know about it, but she too was definitely wrong. It was NOT a language issue as my Thai GF engaged her at length after I claimed it made no sense.

 

These folks can definitely steer you wrong either through malice or ignorance or both.

 

I must dispute you on one point. I got my first OA visa in 2017. I extended it every year after that until last year's and nobody ever questioned me about the funding source. Maybe I was lucky or maybe things have changed. On my first OA application the officer suggested I put the 800k in a fixed deposit account so would never worry about it again. She even met me at the bank and helped me open the account.

 

Knowing the laws and being armed with the correct information is necessary to success but as my story proves, is not always sufficient to win.

I have never used an agent and never will because I treat each IO visit as a learning experience.

 

In any event the OP has a full picture now that I didn't have.

 

Thanks for your help.

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

I must dispute you on one point. I got my first OA visa in 2017. I extended it every year after that until last year's and nobody ever questioned me about the funding source.

First up good reply.

Now to your first Non O-A in 2917.

That visa would have been applied for in home country.

There is not proof regarding funds in Thai bank. 

In fact the funds can be in home country bank. 

As I stated earlier the funds using money in bank method for extensions does not require proof of where funds came from.

 

By way of contrast...if someone obtains a Non O in Thailand from visa exempt or tourist visa entry then the 800k needs to be shown to have come from abroad.

 

You had a harsh deal at your immigration office as most offices given your application for Non O would have accepted that the funds had been in Thailand "for some time" 

A matter of several months would be sufficient.

Also no way a new bank account should have been required. 

[RocketDog]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

First up good reply.

Now to your first Non O-A in 2917.

That visa would have been applied for in home country.

There is not proof regarding funds in Thai bank. 

In fact the funds can be in home country bank. 

As I stated earlier the funds using money in bank method for extensions does not require proof of where funds came from.

 

By way of contrast...if someone obtains a Non O in Thailand from visa exempt or tourist visa entry then the 800k needs to be shown to have come from abroad.

 

You had a harsh deal at your immigration office as most offices given your application for Non O would have accepted that the funds had been in Thailand "for some time" 

A matter of several months would be sufficient.

Also no way a new bank account would have been required. 

Agreed on all Jack.

It's a jungle out there and knowledge is our only weapon.