Tourist To Retirement Visa

[lopburi3]

1. First quote above:

OP makes no mention of not having the funds to extend his stay for retirement - he is asking about obtaining a non immigrant O visa and paying a visa service 25,000 baht would be ludicrous for simple in country conversion. Thus the misunderstanding that this was for a passport travel to obtain a new multi entry visa. I still have not seen OP say that was not the case. But I will accept your explanation as it would help explain the huge fee involved. The OP obviously did have the funds and used them to obtain the non immigrant O visa at 2,000 baht and will obtain the one year extension of stay for 1,900 baht more later.

2. Second quote above:

The money has to be belong to the applicant.

3. Third quote above was not from me.

[sniffdog]

1) Dr.Patpong said this is an illegal option .... I asked him to explain ....

I simply explained that there are companies who can arrange retirement visas if you don't have the funds.

2) The money will always be in my account when needed. It will be my money

The company will arrange both the conversion and the extension ... for a total of 15 months.

3) This was not aimed at you, rather at Kerryd. See my quote ....

[stickyb]

I one again commend this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=84738

and this site

http://www.wpcoe.com/visa/

for some excellent background reading. As far as I know the rules have not changed substantially. since these were made

[WISteve]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this string.

Made it over to US Citizen Services and got my income letter on the morning of 12 May. Fairly quick and easy (cost was 1020 baht for the letter.) and had pages added to my passport at the same time at no charge.

Made it over to the immigration bureau on Sathorn Rd in the afternoon. My first visit ever to the facility and seems a bit of a madhouse, but the lady at the information desk was helpful and directed me to room 303 to convert my tourist visa to a non-immigrant O. Side door in the back corner has information relating to the procedure so I went in and after talking to a clerk I was given a number. 30 minute wait and I'm seated in front of a 50-something officer. Business like but polite. I explained what I wanted to do and he looked over the documents I had prepared and attached my photos to prior. He wasn't happy with one of the pictures of my passport because the departure card very slightly covered a corner of the must depart by stamp so teelack ran out quick and had new copies made with the departure card pulled away. He gave me back all but one copy of each (even though I thought they needed two? ) and asked me when I would be departing and re-entering again. Since I was leaving on June 5th and re-entering 2nd of July he told me I would have to wait until then to get my 12 month permission to stay stamp, but he kept the copy of the income letter after examining the original and handing it back to me. Kept copies, not the originals of the others and had me re-sign a rubber stamp authentication thingy. I paid my 2,000 baht and he had a clerk give me a receipt for the payment.

He commented on all the 30 day stamps in my passport. There are about two dozen of them along with a few tourist visas from Chicago and Denver, as well as a couple other visas from SE Asia in the old pages of the passport spanning the last seven years.

The next part surprised me. He talked like it was a done deal, but told me to come back on 23 May to get my non immigrant O visa. One or two days I was expecting because I was there mid-afternoon, but eleven days to process the request? I was planning to leave Bangkok on the 15th and not be back until the 27th of May so I guess I will check-in then?

He also asked the teelack in thai how she had come to know me and where she worked but she was cool about it and gave him the truth (she's not a bargirl).

Is it typical to wait eleven days for a tourist to non immigrant O conversion in Bangkok? Should this be something of concern?

I did notice they had a sign up that you should have at least 21 days left on your present visa and another one read:" Today is 12 May 2008. Your present visa should not be expired before 1 June 2008."

~WISteve

[lopburi3]

You really should have informed them you would not be here on the 23rd as normally these dates are not flexible once assigned. If you do manage to obtain the visa be sure you obtain a re-entry permit for your next (Jun 5-Jul2) travel or your visa will become invalid.

[WISteve]

You really should have informed them you would not be here on the 23rd as normally these dates are not flexible once assigned. If you do manage to obtain the visa be sure you obtain a re-entry permit for your next (Jun 5-Jul2) travel or your visa will become invalid.

Then it is not just a matter of picking it up on or after the 23rd?

I didn't realize (as is probably obvious) that the process involved meeting with them a second time or any other process.

I'm accustomed to consulates where I fill out the form, mail it to them with the required fees and they mail it back without the back and forth hassle.

So if I want any hope to actually get this visa I throw away the prepaid tickets I've got for the 20th and arrange my schedule for a few petty bureaucrats in Bangkok?

So I'm stupid and didn't realize they were making an appointment for me apparently.

Discussions I've had with others mentions same day or next day service at foreign consulates.

Any thoughts on my original question? Is this typical at Bangkok Immigration?

Yes, I realize I will need a re-entry permit. I brought that up with the officer but he seemed uninterested in taking my application which was already completed with the picture attached, saying I should get it at the airport before I depart. So I dropped the matter. I know how to be polite with government employees who can make life difficult for me. I deal with them back in the west on a regular basis.

~WISteve

[lopburi3]

You appear to still be here on your original visa entry so you do not need a re-entry permit until you obtain the 90 day stay that is scheduled for the 23rd. From reporting I would assume that most people obtain the visa on the day requested by have no personal knowledge. But waits seems to be more common lately and have been reported for address verification letter recently.

[astral]

I brought that up with the officer but he seemed uninterested in taking my application which was already completed with the picture attached, saying I should get it at the airport before I depart. So I dropped the matter. I know how to be polite with government employees who can make life difficult for me. I deal with them back in the west on a regular basis.

There is an art to being insistant without being rude.

I would point out that getting the re-entry at the airport is difficult as immigration queues alone can take 1+ hours.

It he is still reluctant, then ask politely to see the senior officer.

[warriors]

i've heard rumors...

No comment on your rumour.

For the facts, please read this extract from the currently valid rules:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...st&id=55033

--

Maestro

Where on this form does it say that it has to be NEW money 800,00 into the country every year? It only says that you should be able to show that you have had 800,000 in your Thai bank account for over the 3 months just before you re apply for say your 2nd or 3rd Retirement extention.

Example:

Say you have been living here for 4 to 5 years and over this time you have sent money in each year and it has accumulated to say 1.5 million bhat. Seeing you have had less expensers this year than years before. Where does it say that you NEED to now bring yet again a new 800,000 bhat. Does not the 1.5 million bhat that has sat in your bank acount for way over the 3 months requirement matter? Do not the officer look at your bank records to see that you have not spent all of the money that you had in before ( or do they automaticaly think you are working underhand) As you can see over the years your money will or maybe accumalate. You could have made money on the thai share market or pay your thai expenses via visa in a certain year and not use all your cash. So once again were does it say it must be NEW MONEY??

Can some one in the know enlighten me and not 2nd quess as some people seem to do on here.

[Maestro]

...Where on this form does it say that it has to be NEW money 800,00 into the country every year?

Who said that it says so on the form? Neither of the two posts from which you quoted says so.

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

I have checked every post in this thread and can not find any such statement. That said there are infrequent reports of strange requirements being asked for some applicants at some locations at some times so it is almost impossible to rule anything in or out 100%. But no; the 800k does not normally need to be remitted new each year.

[WISteve]

I brought that up with the officer but he seemed uninterested in taking my application which was already completed with the picture attached, saying I should get it at the airport before I depart. So I dropped the matter. I know how to be polite with government employees who can make life difficult for me. I deal with them back in the west on a regular basis.

There is an art to being insistant without being rude.

I would point out that getting the re-entry at the airport is difficult as immigration queues alone can take 1+ hours.

It he is still reluctant, then ask politely to see the senior officer.

Showed up on 23 May and after a short meeting with a different senior officer than the one on the 13th (he saw me with receipt in hand reading the number machine and just waved me over to desk 5) I have a non immigrant O visa. The interesting part: I entered Thailand on the 7th of May on a tourist visa from Chicago, made application on the 13th of May and my non immigrant O is dated 13 May to 10 August.

I brought up the fact that I would be exiting Thailand on 5 June and re-entering on 2 July and pulled out my signed application for a multiple re-entry permit with picture duly attached. He acted like he was swatting flies and told me to get it at the airport. I inquired about the 12 month permission to stay stamp and he told me to stop by at Silom Rd immigration about ten days prior to the expiration date of my non O. I was there at 8:30 am and out of there before 9:00 am.

In my passport it takes up a full page for the NON IMMIGRANT VISA and half of a second page with NON "O" and retirement in thai script above admitted 13 May and depart by 10 August.

Anyone making bets on what date my 12 month permission to stay stamp will be dated?

~WISteve

[lopburi3]

made application on the 13th of May and my non immigrant O is dated 13 May to 10 August.

Correct - it is a 90 day entry from issue/entry.

I brought up the fact that I would be exiting Thailand on 5 June and re-entering on 2 July and pulled out my signed application for a multiple re-entry permit with picture duly attached. He acted like he was swatting flies and told me to get it at the airport.

That is done at another desk on ground floor - you can email them information (procedure on Immigration web site) and quickly pickup at desk without the normal wait. If you do at airport be sure have photo and allow extra time.

Anyone making bets on what date my 12 month permission to stay stamp will be dated?

Current policy seem to be one year from expiration of current visa entry (10 August) so you do not lose anything even on first application anymore.

[lioness]

Have I missed something here. You are over 50 and wanting a retirement visa, yet you are working 4 months of the year and intend to show this income as part of your 800,000 requirement. Interesting.

[pagallim]

You should be able to do so - the reason for extension is retirement; not the visa.

Very interesting reading the various correspondence on this issue, as I have recently gone through the minefield of obtaining a Retirement Visa myself. What is clear, are the variances in both interpretation and application that are being applied, and individual experiences have to be treated as a 'guide' only. My own experience was:

1. For the past year, I've been returning to Thailand (Phuket) every other month or so, as my employment is of a rotational type. During this period, I have bought a car, plus Company/house whilst always being on a Tourist visa (always a 30 Day on entry type).

2. Having decided to obtain a Retirement Visa, I reviewed the requirements posted on the Thai Embassy (several countries, just to cross-reference). What was consistent was that I must obtain a 90 day O-A Visitor visa from an external country, before being able to apply for my Retirement Visa.

3. I last entered Thailand on the 11th April, and was required to leave on or before the 11th May. My plan was to travel from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur, and obtain a 90 day visa there. I researched the KL Embassy website and also phoned them personally, to confirm the documentation requirements. I had planned to travel to KL from Phuket on the 7th May, returning with the new visa on the 9th.

4. On the 6th May, I phoned the Immigration Office in Phuket, explained what I planned to do, and again asked for verification of documentation required. I was told 'why are you going to KL? You can do everything here!'. I immediately gathered my paperwork (certificate letter from my bank, copies of my bank book), and went to the Immigration Office.

5. 45 minutes later, I had a 90 day O-A Visa in my passport, valid until 3rd August, and a Retirement Visa valid until 3rd August 2009! Cost was 2000 baht for 90 day, 1900 baht for 1 year, total 3900 baht, less than half the cost of flying to KL alone! It was stressed to me that I must report to either the Immigration Office or Police station every 90 days to confirm my address had not changed. Also, I must obtain a re-entry visa should I leave the country.

6. All of the websites detail criteria such as medical and police report certification required, none of which was asked for.

Don't know if Phuket Immigration is typical, but there were several 'Farang' uniformed Immigration Officers (I believe that they are volunteers), who's role is to assist people with queries and form filling.

[Lite Beer]

6. All of the websites detail criteria such as medical and police report certification required, none of which was asked for

.

Most websites are out of date.

Medical Certificate and police report are not needed when extending within Thailand.

[lopburi3]

Thanks for your report but there are a number of terms that could cause misunderstanding - below is keyed to your report numbers:

1. There is no such visa as 30 day on entry type - you obtained a 30 day visa exempt entry - not a tourist visa.

2. A Long Stay (retirement) visa is a one year entry OA non immigrant visa that you must obtain in your country of residence. It is not a requirement for retirement extensions of stay inside Thailand.

3. There is no way KL could issue you an OA visa. The best you could hope to obtain would be a single entry non immigrant O visa valid for a 90 day entry.

4. With 21 days or more remaining on a visa exempt or visa entry you can obtain the required non immigrant O visa entry from Immigration at a cost of 2,000 baht if you have proof of retirement ability (financial).

5. You had a single entry non immigrant O visa issued which provided you a 90 day stay. They then provided you a one year extension of stay for retirement at 1,900 baht (this is not a visa and does not allow entry). Most times you will be requested to return later to obtain the extension of stay from current reports at other offices.

6. You did not obtain a Long Stay (OA) visa, which is what the web site talk of police check/medical refers to. You obtained a non immigrant visa entry and extended that entry for one year on the basis of retirement.

[WISteve]

Have I missed something here. You are over 50 and wanting a retirement visa, yet you are working 4 months of the year and intend to show this income as part of your 800,000 requirement. Interesting.

If you read the linked requirements in this string it's explained well. A retirement visa requires income/assets in a thai bank or a combination of along with being 50 +.

In my case I really enjoy my work when it's only half time and I've found a place up country that I enjoy staying the other half of the year.

The best of both worlds. My retirement assets continue to grow tax free and I'm happy this avenue is open to us.

When I tire of the travel I'll toss in the hat and make it permanent.

This along with other strings has been very helpful to me.

~WISteve

[lioness]

Wlsteve

Retirement is just that, you have retired from the workforce. Income/assets that you mention would usually be in the form of a pension or cash in the bank or a combination of both.

The person concerned is not a genuine retiree at all, so why should he be granted a retirement visa?

[WISteve]

Wlsteve

Retirement is just that, you have retired from the workforce. Income/assets that you mention would usually be in the form of a pension or cash in the bank or a combination of both.

The person concerned is not a genuine retiree at all, so why should he be granted a retirement visa?

Because they don't have a semi-retired visa?

Don't wish to argue semantics with you or the reasoning behind it. I expect the thais wish to discourage persons without the financial means to support themselves in some fashion from staying in their country, but I would only be speculating. Working within the rules to reach an objective (in my case spending substantial amounts of time in Thailand in preparation of full retirement) is all I am doing.

Sorry if you personally object to that. If it's acceptable to the thais, why should you care?

~WISteve

[JimGant]

pagallim,

You indicate you're in and out of the country frequently. So, don't forget to obtain re-entry permit stamp from Immigration (1000 baht single, 3800 baht multiple). If you forget, your new Non Imm O visa and one-year extension will be null and void (and you'll be stamped back into the country on a 30-day visa exempt stamp).

Sounds like Phuket is user friendly. Not only did they waive the 21-days remaining on entry permit (a nonsensical requirement anyway), but they were one-day service for everything (which not only is nice but makes complete sense -- why create extra work by having you come back in a couple of weeks to continue the process...........).

Sounds like the experience others have also had at Phuket when converting to a Non Imm O and retirement extension (wpcoe comes to mind).

edit: whoops, wpcoe's experience was in Pattaya. But, nice to know two seaside Immigration sites can be accommodating.....

[pagallim]

Thanks Lopburi3,

Yes, for a year I have commuted monthly between Thailand and Angola, each time entering via a Tourist Visa Exempt entry (30 days only, and like many others, I refer to it as a 'Tourist Visa'. You are also correct on the Visa that I'd originally planned to obtain in KL, a 90 day visa, which I was informed was a prerequisite to obtaining a Retirement Visa. I had also enquired previously if I could extend a 30 day Tourist Visa Exempt entry, and had been told no. At no point have I been informed or read about needing a minimum of 21 days further validity of current visa to be able to get an extension, and certainly in my case, my transactions were done with only 5 days prior to needing to leave the country.

I agree that in August 2009, when I need to extend my visa for a further year, it could well be a different set of rules, but will deal with that at the time. Also the Phuket Immigration Officer did stress to me that should I leave the country, I must obtain a Re-entry visa prior to departure, to continue the validity of my current visa (Re-entry was the largest queue in the Immigration Office!).

Also been interested in the debate of criteria of retirement. I think that I'm in a similar situation as WISteve, i.e. over 50 with assets in excess of the required amount in Thailand (I also currently have a pension that meets the criteria also), but who continues to work. I think that the whole point of the Thai financial requirements is to ensure that individuals can be self-sustaining during their stay, and will not work in Thailand itself, and nowhere have I read that an individual's sole source of income must be either a pension or a savings amount.

I'm attaching a thread posted by the Head of Phuket Immigration Office in the Phuket Gazette, which is the most informative and plain language guidance from an official organ that I've seen to date, and contradicts some of the requirements detailed by Embassy/Consulate websites:

http://immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

pagallim

Thanks for your report but there are a number of terms that could cause misunderstanding - below is keyed to your report numbers:

1. There is no such visa as 30 day on entry type - you obtained a 30 day visa exempt entry - not a tourist visa.

2. A Long Stay (retirement) visa is a one year entry OA non immigrant visa that you must obtain in your country of residence. It is not a requirement for retirement extensions of stay inside Thailand.

3. There is no way KL could issue you an OA visa. The best you could hope to obtain would be a single entry non immigrant O visa valid for a 90 day entry.

4. With 21 days or more remaining on a visa exempt or visa entry you can obtain the required non immigrant O visa entry from Immigration at a cost of 2,000 baht if you have proof of retirement ability (financial).

5. You had a single entry non immigrant O visa issued which provided you a 90 day stay. They then provided you a one year extension of stay for retirement at 1,900 baht (this is not a visa and does not allow entry). Most times you will be requested to return later to obtain the extension of stay from current reports at other offices.

6. You did not obtain a Long Stay (OA) visa, which is what the web site talk of police check/medical refers to. You obtained a non immigrant visa entry and extended that entry for one year on the basis of retirement.

[lopburi3]

Thanks Lopburi3,

Yes, for a year I have commuted monthly between Thailand and Angola, each time entering via a Tourist Visa Exempt entry (30 days only, and like many others, I refer to it as a 'Tourist Visa'. You are also correct on the Visa that I'd originally planned to obtain in KL, a 90 day visa, which I was informed was a prerequisite to obtaining a Retirement Visa. I had also enquired previously if I could extend a 30 day Tourist Visa Exempt entry, and had been told no. At no point have I been informed or read about needing a minimum of 21 days further validity of current visa to be able to get an extension, and certainly in my case, my transactions were done with only 5 days prior to needing to leave the country.

The 21 day requirement is for issue of a non immigrant visa - you did not require that if you already had a non immigrant visa entry - but it is an option and used by many.

I agree that in August 2009, when I need to extend my visa for a further year, it could well be a different set of rules, but will deal with that at the time. Also the Phuket Immigration Officer did stress to me that should I leave the country, I must obtain a Re-entry visa prior to departure, to continue the validity of my current visa (Re-entry was the largest queue in the Immigration Office!).

Re-entry permit is to keep your extension of stay (it is not a visa) date alive. And yes it is very important as your extension of stay will end if you do not obtain it and travel out of Thailand.

Also been interested in the debate of criteria of retirement. I think that I'm in a similar situation as WISteve, i.e. over 50 with assets in excess of the required amount in Thailand (I also currently have a pension that meets the criteria also), but who continues to work. I think that the whole point of the Thai financial requirements is to ensure that individuals can be self-sustaining during their stay, and will not work in Thailand itself, and nowhere have I read that an individual's sole source of income must be either a pension or a savings amount.

And indeed there is no such requirement. In fact you have the option to use a combination to meet requirement extension of stay.

I'm attaching a thread posted by the Head of Phuket Immigration Office in the Phuket Gazette, which is the most informative and plain language guidance from an official organ that I've seen to date, and contradicts some of the requirements detailed by Embassy/Consulate websites:

Embassy/Consulate requirements are for long stay visa issue (OA). Immigration requirements are for retirement extensions of stay inside Thailand. Two very different things. The link you provided has nothing to do with Phuket - it is the official Immigration web site notice/copy of police order 606/2006.

http://immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

pagallim

Thanks for your report but there are a number of terms that could cause misunderstanding - below is keyed to your report numbers:

1. There is no such visa as 30 day on entry type - you obtained a 30 day visa exempt entry - not a tourist visa.

2. A Long Stay (retirement) visa is a one year entry OA non immigrant visa that you must obtain in your country of residence. It is not a requirement for retirement extensions of stay inside Thailand.

3. There is no way KL could issue you an OA visa. The best you could hope to obtain would be a single entry non immigrant O visa valid for a 90 day entry.

4. With 21 days or more remaining on a visa exempt or visa entry you can obtain the required non immigrant O visa entry from Immigration at a cost of 2,000 baht if you have proof of retirement ability (financial).

5. You had a single entry non immigrant O visa issued which provided you a 90 day stay. They then provided you a one year extension of stay for retirement at 1,900 baht (this is not a visa and does not allow entry). Most times you will be requested to return later to obtain the extension of stay from current reports at other offices.

6. You did not obtain a Long Stay (OA) visa, which is what the web site talk of police check/medical refers to. You obtained a non immigrant visa entry and extended that entry for one year on the basis of retirement.

[WISteve]

So I have the non-immigrant O in my passport and following the instructions of the officer at Silom Rd office I waited and got a re-entry permit at the airport on the 4th after coming to the airport a little early. Early was at 4 am prior to a 6:40 am departure. And the posters were right in that the immigration officer was asleep and wasn't to be awakened as it turns out.

I mentioned that I would need to get a re-entry permit to one of the airline personnel when I was checking in early and she encouraged me to try before 5 am because the office apparently gets rather busy then. I never noticed it before, but the office area is right next to the large open area in front of the immigration desks at Swampy. I found by inquiring of one of the immigration security people and she laughed and said "but he sleep now!" I smiled and said maybe he would wake up and take my application and walked over and into the office area on my own. There was one lady working on a computer there, and I held up my application with a smile, hoping to convince her that she might attend me. She made a face, walked over to the file cabinet area and called one of the immigration officers over to deal with the falang who had disturbed her. One of the little darlings sat down at a desk with an annoyed look and motioned me in to sit on a small plastic stool in front of the desk she had occupied. She took my application and boarding pass, took my money and motioned me to take a seat on the other side of a set of file cabinets out of view. As I was getting up she motioned to me again to sign the application a second time and told me to wait what I thought she said was 15 minutes. That was at 4:05 am. Shortly after that the security person I had inquired of before took up residence on a chair just outside the office area. I waited. And waited. At 4:50 am a thai man came into view, using a key to unlock a file cabinet and neatly placed his blanket and sleeping bag under lock and key. A few minutes later he walked around the file cabinets that blocked my view and held out my passport complete with re-entry permit stamp in it along with the receipt completed by the other immigration officer. Apparently the cheeky little wench who had behaved with such distain before was willing to write up a receipt and take the application but was telling me I would be waiting 50 minutes (after the immigration officer had completed his nap!) before seeing a re-entry permit.

The re-entry permit is dated to expire on the same date as my non-immigrant O visa so if no one has taken notice before, don't buy a multiple re-entry permit at this point ( like I did!) unless you really will need four re-entries within the 90 days. Jim Gant had mentioned this in a previous post but it escaped me until after the deed was done. I will be applying for my 12 month permission to stay stamp at the end of July and will still be re-entering five times in the 12 months that follow so I'll get to buy another permit from these charming folks!

My multiple re-entry stamp is dated to expire August 10, 2008 the same date as my single entry non immigrant O visa.

I will be back in Thailand on 2 July and heading out on 4-5 August. Can I use the present multiple re-entry stamp or do I need a new one right away since I won't be re-entering Thailand until the end of August?

US immigration is a fair bit more courteous and helpful than these folks (and they are notorious for being rude) and it really is a turn off on Thailand dealing with some of these people.

~WISteve

[lopburi3]

A re-entry permit does not provide you any extra time - if keeps alive your current permitted to stay until date. So you can not enter Thailand after August 10 unless you obtain an extension of stay, obtain a new visa, or enter using visa exempt entry for 30 days. A re-entry permit is of no help once your permitted to stay ends.

If your application for one year extension of stay at the end of July is for retirement (approved immediately) you will need to buy a new multi re-entry permit that has your new permitted to stay until date. Even if you have a temporary 30 day extension as for marriage you will still need a new single entry re-entry permit to cover the August travel.

[WISteve]

A re-entry permit does not provide you any extra time - if keeps alive your current permitted to stay until date. So you can not enter Thailand after August 10 unless you obtain an extension of stay, obtain a new visa, or enter using visa exempt entry for 30 days. A re-entry permit is of no help once your permitted to stay ends.

If your application for one year extension of stay at the end of July is for retirement (approved immediately) you will need to buy a new multi re-entry permit that has your new permitted to stay until date. Even if you have a temporary 30 day extension as for marriage you will still need a new single entry re-entry permit to cover the August travel.

So after I go to Bangkok to get my 12 month permission to stay stamp based on retirement I will need to go downstairs and get another multiple re-entry permit as I understand it. I will have the 12 month date on the extension to stay and I will be exiting before the expiration date of the re-entry permit. But I must also re-enter before the expiration of the re-entry permit in order to preserve the use of that 12 month permission to stay stamp.

It's an unusual circumstance.

I assume the re-entry permit is typically dated to expire upon expiration of any visa or permission to stay stamp in the passport, as I discovered?

~WISteve

[Maestro]

Yes. This is the only purpose a re-entry permit serves.

--

Maestro

[russianrobert]

Jesus Christ. I lived and worked in Russia for 8 years and i thought visa regs. were confusing there!

I'm not going ask you what i should do, i'm going to tell you what i have figured out so far and therefore what i plan to do.

Please correct me if i'm wrong.

I'm a Brit. 50 years old. I looking to eventualy obtain a retirement visa.

I entered Thailand and received permission to stay 30 days (non visa)

This expires on 21st June. I have opened a bank account here today and i should have transfered the 800,000 baht into the account and have the confirmation letter from the bank by the end of next week (13/06/08)

On the 20th June i plan to go Laos with completed applications forms, 3 passport photos, bank book and letter from the bank to prove the money was imported into Thailand. I will apply for a Non Immigrant visa "O-A" Multiple entry.

I will then re-enter Thailand and then start to figure out how to get the retirement visa.

Am i mad? :-)

I went to see an agent and they quoted me 35,000 bht. to sort it out.

It's begining to feel like a bargain!

[Lite Beer]

On the 20th June i plan to go Laos with completed applications forms, 3 passport photos, bank book and letter from the bank to prove the money was imported into Thailand. I will apply for a Non Immigrant visa "O-A" Multiple entry.

I will then re-enter Thailand and then start to figure out how to get the retirement visa.

Am i mad? :-)

I went to see an agent and they quoted me 35,000 bht. to sort it out.

It's begining to feel like a bargain!

You will not get a Multi Entry O-A Visa. In Asia.

You should be able get a single entry Non O Imm Visa. This will give you 90 days.

A few days before it expires get your letter from the bank showing the 800,000 Baht together with your updated bank book.

Take it to Immigration and they will give you a year extension based on Retirement.

If you cannot get the Non O Visa, get a Tourist Visa and you can convert it at Immigration.

If you pay an agent 35,000 Baht you must be mad as it is really quite simple.

[lopburi3]

Perhaps. You can only obtain a non immigrant OA visa in your country of residence.

You can attempt to obtain a non immigrant O visa by telling them that you intend to apply for retirement extension of stay after 3 months. They may issue you a single entry 90 day entry visa on that basis, as you are over age 50. Then you can extend your stay at an immigration office inside Thailand after the money has been in account for 3 months (at or above 800k). If you have pension income there are other options but for bank deposit it must be in account for prior three months.

An "agent" can not help you meet requirements that you do not meet. Once you meet the 800k in bank account 3 months/65k monthly income on embassy letterhead/or combination the process is simple.

edit - did not see lite beer answer as ate breakfast - exactly the same information from me.