Tourist Visa To Non-immigrant O-a With Retirement

[elektrified]

Hi everybody, I need some clarification. I'm here on a two-entry tourist visa issued in Prague. I'm a U.S. citizen. My first entry is up on the 25th of this month. At some point during my 2nd entry (including the proposed 30 day extension), I want to change my tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa. The 800K needed for the retirement visa will be in my account at Kasikorn the next 15 days or so...

I've read most of the posts here as well as the information on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and there is some conflicting information.

My questions are:

(1) Do I apply to change the Tourist Visa to Non-Immigrant O-A here in Chiang Mai or do I accomplish this outside the Kingdom - say in Vientiane? At what point should I do this?

(2) What if it has not been quite 90 days since the 800K is deposited in the bank when the 2nd entry runs out, can I apply for the Non-Immigrant O-A (retirement extension) with a 30 day stamp? Or does changing from tourist to Non-immigrant O-A add additional time? Or is the retirement extension an altogether different matter from the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa?

(3) Do I need the letter verifying that I don't have a criminal record issued at the U.S. Embassy as well as a medical certificate? I saw a few posts about applying in Chiang Mai and these two documents were not mentioned.

It's all so confusing, so thanks in advance for your help.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The O-A visa is only available in your home country, and cannot be applied for anywhere else. You can change your actual tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O visa at any Immigration Office in Thailand. Do it sooner rather than later. You will run out of time for the 3 month 'seasoning' of your banked funds, so you will probably have to leave Thailand and get another Non-Immigrant O visa, and then apply at Immigration for a one year extension when your funds have been in your bank in Thailand for the full 3 months. You do not require a medical certificate or a police clearance for the O visa extension. That is only a requirement for the O-A visa.

[lopburi3]

1. As said you apply for an extension of stay from Immigration inside Thailand during the last 30 days of your permitted to stay time. As you first must change your tourist visa to a non immigrant visa (2,000 baht) you should have plenty of time to meet the 3 month rule (as you will have up to 90 days after change).

2. You can apply for visa change as long as you have 21 days or more remaining. From a tourist visa or a visa exempt stamp.

3. No.

And as said this is not an OA visa. You will obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa entry when you make the change at Immigration and then you will receive the one year retirement extension of stay from that.

[Barin]

According to some sources the requirements for Non-Immigrant Retirement Visa "O-A" have been relaxed now.

• You can enter Thailand on any type of visa including the tourist one.
  
• While in Thailand you can apply for Non-Immigrant Retirement Visa "O-A" on the spot.
  
• You need to be over 50 years old.
  
• No medical certificate, no any proof of funds, no police clearance.
  

Can someone throw more light on this? Is this really working?

Source: http://www.samuiforsale.com/visa-b4.htm

[Maestro]

Some people erroneously call an extension of stay for the reason of retirement a retirement visa O-A.

Only a Thai embassy/consulate can issue the non-immigrant visa category O-A.

After entering Thailand on a tourist visa, or even without a visa, you can apply at the immigration office for a visa change to non-O, then apply for an extension of stay for the reason of retirement (“retirement extension”). If you enter with any type of non-immigrant visa, you can at the immigration office directly apply for the retirement extension.

--

Maestro

[Lite Beer]

According to some sources the requirements for Non-Immigrant Retirement Visa "O-A" have been relaxed now.

• You can enter Thailand on any type of visa including the tourist one.
  
• While in Thailand you can apply for Non-Immigrant Retirement Visa "O-A" on the spot.
  
• You need to be over 50 years old.
  
• No medical certificate, no any proof of funds, no police clearance.
  

Can someone throw more light on this? Is this really working?

Source: http://www.samuiforsale.com/visa-b4.htm

That information is totaly wrong.

Read Lopburis post for the correct information.

[sostanov]

<So when you change a tourist to a non-O, how long is that new non-O valid until? Is it valid for 90 days from the date of the change?>

edit.

OK, I think Lopburi answered that one - "(as you will have up to 90 days after change)."

Could you tell me what documents you need to apply for the visa change?

TIA

Edited January 20, 2008 by sostanov

[lopburi3]

The normal proof of age over 50 and financial requirements. The official requirements have never been updated for the new laws of 2006 but seem to remain:

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR VISA OR VISA STATUS ALTERATION (NON-O): FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES.

In case of overstaying in Thailand, application could not be submitted.

Application for Visa Status Alteration. (TM.86)

Application for visa. (TM.87)

Copy of passport entries.

4 X 6 cm. Photograph.

Application fee of 2,000 baht.

• A guarantee letter from bank in Thailand showing that the applicant has an account of not less than 800,000 baht, and

• Copy all pages of bank passbook and

• A document proving foreign remittance(SWIFT) Or

A guarantee-letter from The Embassy or Consulate, proving the monthly pension or income of the applicant not less than 65,000 baht per month. Or

The total amount of money from the pension and bank account as stated above not less than 800,000 baht.

[JimGant]

Some people erroneously call an extension of stay for the reason of retirement a retirement visa O-A.

Yes, and what makes this so confusing, one such entity is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) -- *THE* authority on visa issuing. To their credit, they at least updated their website to reflect the requirements that Immigration requires before issuing a Non Imm O and a subsequent extension stamp (mainly, NO need for a police or medical report). But it appears MFA still assumes Immigration is issuing a Non Imm O-A visa to retirees. Why? Probably because to MFA, as the visa issuing authority, this is the only way to get a 'long stay' in their experience. An 'extension of stay' stamp in conjunction with a Non Imm O is not in their training manual. Perhaps a one-hour cross training trip is in order........

I wonder if MFA will discover consistency and drop the requirement for medical and police reports for actual Non Imm O-A visas at their embassies and consulates abroad.........?

[Savanna]

What is the difference between a Non-immigrant type O visa and a Non-immigrant type O-A visa??

If you have a 60 day tourist visa what do you have to do once you get to Thailand to extend it?

[lopburi3]

O = Other - normally issued for marriage to a Thai or a Thai child.

OA = Other/approved - a long stay (retirement) that has been approved for a one year stay by meeting police clearance/medical/over 50/financial conditions in home or residence country.

[ProThaiExpat]

Tweaking some of the information:

(1) While you will be required to show all the documents and qualifications for visa extension based on retirement when you change your visa status from tourist or entry permit to non-imm-O in Thailand, the 90 day seasoning of the funds in the bank to qualify only applies to the extension not to getting the non-imm-O, so as Lopburi3 said, plenty of time to season the funds if there are here when you begin the visa status change.

Non-imm-O-A are MFA Consulate or Embassy visas issued only overseas. Non-imm-O is the same visa issued in Thailand by the Immigration Department.

[lopburi3]

Not quite the same - the non immigrant O visa is a single entry 90 day stay - you extend for one year later. The OA visa issued overseas is a pre-approved one year stay on entry into Thailand.

[ProThaiExpat]

Excellent point as usual!!!

[elektrified]

Having started the thread, I am glad that I am not the only one who was confused by the Non-Immigrant Type O and O-A visas. I got good information here (thanks!) but was thrown off course by the MFA website which only refers to Type O-A and furthermore states that it can be applied for either in applicant's home country or in Thailand.