Converting A Tourist Visa

[Dayka]

I am French (55) and will get married in a few days in Thailand with a Thai lady I have now known for many years. Having lived part-time in France and part-time in Thailand for several years (on 30 days entry-visas and tourist visas without ever having any overstay fine), we are now planning to live in Thailand. Before coming over I applied for a non-immigrant O or O-A visa in Paris and was turned down despite the fact that I had all documents qualifying for a retirement visa (Bank statement + letter, etc.). Mentionning that I was going to marry did not help, so I was told to take a Tourist Visa, marry, then convert it into a Non-immigrant Visa in Thailand at the Bangkok immigration office.

What is the exact denomination of such a marriage Visa (O, O-A?) What is the exact procedure to follow in this case and what documents have to be submitted? Can this be done in any immigration office or does it have to be Bangkok? Can the tourist visa be converted into a multiple entry non-immigrant Visa marriage?

I found bits and pieces of information on this board, but with ever changing rules I would appreciate receiving updated information. Thank you.

[lopburi3]

1. You don't know if you applied for an O or OA visa? If you did not submit a police report it must have been an O visa and that could have been refused and you told to covert in Thailand.

2. To extend your stay for marriage you require 40k monthly family income. That would be an extension of stay from a non immigrant O visa.

3. To extend your stay for retirement you would require 800k in Thai bank account for 3 months or 65k pension or combination. That would be an extension of stay from a non immigrant O visa.

4. A multi entry non immigrant O visa can only be obtained from a Consulate outside of Thailand. Currently Singapore will issue with proof of marriage/copy of Thai ID card and evidence of 400k in a bank account somewhere.

5. After marriage you can extend your tourist visa 60 day entry for 30 days and there is a provision to extend one time for 60 days so you could find time to get the 800k into a Thai bank account for 3 months if you want to use that option for eventual one year extensions of stay.

[Dayka]

1. You don't know if you applied for an O or OA visa? If you did not submit a police report it must have been an O visa and that could have been refused and you told to covert in Thailand.

2. To extend your stay for marriage you require 40k monthly family income. That would be an extension of stay from a non immigrant O visa.

3. To extend your stay for retirement you would require 800k in Thai bank account for 3 months or 65k pension or combination. That would be an extension of stay from a non immigrant O visa.

4. A multi entry non immigrant O visa can only be obtained from a Consulate outside of Thailand. Currently Singapore will issue with proof of marriage/copy of Thai ID card and evidence of 400k in a bank account somewhere.

5. After marriage you can extend your tourist visa 60 day entry for 30 days and there is a provision to extend one time for 60 days so you could find time to get the 800k into a Thai bank account for 3 months if you want to use that option for eventual one year extensions of stay.

Thank you lopburi3.

The deposit of 800k in a Thai bank account has been done several months ago. No problem with that. But what I am still unclear about whether or not the Tourist Visa can be converted into a marriage Visa inside of Thailand. You suggest Singapore .. does it mean I would have to leave the country to apply for a non-imm O.

The Thai embassy in Paris said I cold convert Tourist into non-imm O and simultaneoulsy into 1 year marriage stay with a 400k deposit in a Thai bank.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Maestro]

So you’ve got 800k in a Thai bank account already for over 3 months? And you are in Thailand at the moment on a tourist visa.

1. You do not have to wait until you get married to change your visa status to non-immigrant O. you can apply for it already now at the immigration office.

2. After you get the non-O, you can apply for an annual extension of stay for the reason of retirement. Some offices accept this application during the same visit when you change your visa status, other offices ask you to come back about two months later for the application for extension.

--

Maestro

[elektrified]

So you've got 800k in a Thai bank account already for over 3 months? And you are in Thailand at the moment on a tourist visa.

1. You do not have to wait until you get married to change your visa status to non-immigrant O. you can apply for it already now at the immigration office.

2. After you get the non-O, you can apply for an annual extension of stay for the reason of retirement. Some offices accept this application during the same visit when you change your visa status, other offices ask you to come back about two months later for the application for extension.

--

Maestro

Hello Maestro, I have a similar situation. I'm here on a 2 entry tourist visa; still on the first entry. I have a bank account at Kasikorn. 800k will be in there shortly in order to apply for the extension of stay (retirement) after three months of having the funds on deposit. My question is how do I convert my tourist visa to a non-immigrant visa when the tourist visa runs out? Aren't there specific requirements in order to get the non-immigrant visa such as marriage or something else? Thanks in advance.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

So you've got 800k in a Thai bank account already for over 3 months? And you are in Thailand at the moment on a tourist visa.

1. You do not have to wait until you get married to change your visa status to non-immigrant O. you can apply for it already now at the immigration office.

2. After you get the non-O, you can apply for an annual extension of stay for the reason of retirement. Some offices accept this application during the same visit when you change your visa status, other offices ask you to come back about two months later for the application for extension.

--

Maestro

Hello Maestro, I have a similar situation. I'm here on a 2 entry tourist visa; still on the first entry. I have a bank account at Kasikorn. 800k will be in there shortly in order to apply for the extension of stay (retirement) after three months of having the funds on deposit. My question is how do I convert my tourist visa to a non-immigrant visa when the tourist visa runs out? Aren't there specific requirements in order to get the non-immigrant visa such as marriage or something else? Thanks in advance.

Your tourist visa's can be extended for a further 30 days each at an Immigration Office.

[Lite Beer]

1. You don't know if you applied for an O or OA visa? If you did not submit a police report it must have been an O visa and that could have been refused and you told to covert in Thailand.

2. To extend your stay for marriage you require 40k monthly family income. That would be an extension of stay from a non immigrant O visa.

3. To extend your stay for retirement you would require 800k in Thai bank account for 3 months or 65k pension or combination. That would be an extension of stay from a non immigrant O visa.

4. A multi entry non immigrant O visa can only be obtained from a Consulate outside of Thailand. Currently Singapore will issue with proof of marriage/copy of Thai ID card and evidence of 400k in a bank account somewhere.

5. After marriage you can extend your tourist visa 60 day entry for 30 days and there is a provision to extend one time for 60 days so you could find time to get the 800k into a Thai bank account for 3 months if you want to use that option for eventual one year extensions of stay.

Thank you lopburi3.

The deposit of 800k in a Thai bank account has been done several months ago. No problem with that. But what I am still unclear about whether or not the Tourist Visa can be converted into a marriage Visa inside of Thailand. You suggest Singapore .. does it mean I would have to leave the country to apply for a non-imm O.

The Thai embassy in Paris said I cold convert Tourist into non-imm O and simultaneoulsy into 1 year marriage stay with a 400k deposit in a Thai bank.

Thanks for clarifying.

That is wrong. You need an income of 40,000 Baht a month.

If you cannot do this it would be much easier to get the extension based on retirement as you already have the 800,000 in the bank.

[lopburi3]

I was providing all your options - there is no need to use multi entry visas if you have 800k in a bank account here. You had not mentioned that in your first post. But you do need 21 days remaining to use the in-country visa conversion options.

Actually to convert from Tourist to non immigrant for the purpose of extension of stay for marriage can probably still be done with 400k in bank account - but to get the actual extension of stay will require 40k per month family income.

As you seem to have 800k on deposit and are 55 years old there is no reason to fool around with the marriage extension as you qualify now for retirement extension of stay. If you have 21 days or more remaining on your entry you can convert to a non immigrant O visa entry at Immigration by filling out a form and paying 2,000 baht. Then, when you have 3 months record of 800k or more in bank account you can take passbook/bank letter of account balance/passport-copies/arrival card-copy/4x6cm photo within last six months/1,900 baht/TM.7 form filled out (download or at office) to obtain the one year extension of stay for retirement.

[Dayka]

All clear now. Thanks for your help!

[cigar7]

I was providing all your options - there is no need to use multi entry visas if you have 800k in a bank account here. You had not mentioned that in your first post. But you do need 21 days remaining to use the in-country visa conversion options.

Actually to convert from Tourist to non immigrant for the purpose of extension of stay for marriage can probably still be done with 400k in bank account - but to get the actual extension of stay will require 40k per month family income.

As you seem to have 800k on deposit and are 55 years old there is no reason to fool around with the marriage extension as you qualify now for retirement extension of stay. If you have 21 days or more remaining on your entry you can convert to a non immigrant O visa entry at Immigration by filling out a form and paying 2,000 baht. Then, when you have 3 months record of 800k or more in bank account you can take passbook/bank letter of account balance/passport-copies/arrival card-copy/4x6cm photo within last six months/1,900 baht/TM.7 form filled out (download or at office) to obtain the one year extension of stay for retirement.

I'd like to get a retirement visa too. I am 54, had 800K in a Thai bank in Thailand for more than 3 months. Currently I am in Canada. Can I just get a visa on arrival and 2 days after arriving, go to the immigration office with the passbook/bank letter of account balance/passport-copies/arrival card-copy/4x6cm photo within last six months/1,900 baht/TM.7 form filled out and get a retirement visa?

[lopburi3]

There is an extra step involved that costs 2,000 baht to convert your entry into a non immigrant visa and they may want you to use 60 days of that visa stay before the extension of stay for retirement. There have been exceptions and all done the same day so really can't say for sure.

[cigar7]

There is an extra step involved that costs 2,000 baht to convert your entry into a non immigrant visa and they may want you to use 60 days of that visa stay before the extension of stay for retirement. There have been exceptions and all done the same day so really can't say for sure.

Does it make a difference based on the immigration office? Is the probability of same day service, greater in Bangkok or Pattaya/Jomtien or some other location?