Obtaining Visas In France

[wedders]

Just a brief word on my experience of obtaining a non-immigrant "O" multi-entry visa (retirement) recently in France.

Not the slightest criticism - I first rang the Thai Consulate in Lyon, who asked for an email from me explaining the type of visa to be applied for, motives, etc. They promised an email by return with a form to complete and details of the formalities, supporting documents needed. Their reply duly turned up two hours later.

There were three visas applied for, the retirement visa for myself and two tourist visas for my kids. I sent the completed applications by post on a Thursday afternoon. The following Monday the Consulate phoned me saying that there was a copy of a travel document missing. I faxed it to them the same day. The next day, the passports turned up in the post at lunchtime, complete with visas.

Don't know how this compares with the system in other countries in Europe, but I was impressed.

[lopburi3]

Did you receive multi entry non immigrant O visa or OA visa. The OA is the retirment visa and provides a one year stay on entry. The O visa only provides 90 day stays. Unless you included a medical report and police clearance you obtained the non immigrant O visa and can stay for 90 days on each entry.

[wedders]

Did you receive multi entry non immigrant O visa or OA visa. The OA is the retirment visa and provides a one year stay on entry. The O visa only provides 90 day stays. Unless you included a medical report and police clearance you obtained the non immigrant O visa and can stay for 90 days on each entry.

Thanks for that, I was puzzled - the passports arrived this morning and I've only just checked them. I certainly applied (and paid for) the longer stay multi-entry, but it is an O visa (multiple entries), not an OA.

It also states that the visa (dated 9 June 2008) must be used before 8 June 2009, if that's relevant.

[lopburi3]

You can use your entries, with exit every 90 days - or at any time you can extend your stay during the last 30 days of any entry with TM.7 forum/photo/proof of 65k pension or 800k in Thai bank account for previous 3 months or a combination. Once you have that children can obtain non immigrant O visas and obtain the same extension of stay that you have. Cost for extension of stay will be 1,900 baht. There in no medical or police report required for the extension of stay; but once you have it you must obtain re-entry permit for any travel out of Thailand.

[wedders]

Thanks.

I did supply the clean police record, proof of retirement income, proof of residence in Thailand, proof of 800k in bank, etc, by the way. But no medical certificate was asked for. Sent off my 120 euros and assumed that was for the year.

[bledu]

Sorry for my poor English…

Are you French citizen or not ?

If you are French citizen as me, it seems to me that you did not get the right visa.

You wanted a retimement visa but get the O visa instead.

You should have get an OA visa with multiple entries. As I got one four months ago from consulate in Paris. I just had to give along a prove of an equivalence of 800 000 baths on a french bank account, a medical certificate and an non-condemnation certificate from the french administration.

I got an OA visa of one year, multiple entries. I have just to report every 90 days to the local immigration office – if I stay in Thailand longer than 90 days.

If I need to get a prolongation of one year, I can do that in Thailand with necessary prove of revenues. Or, as I travel a lot, just ask in France for an another genuine OA visa.

[lopburi3]

You can also exit and make a new entry just before your one year visa data expires and get a new stamp for one more year. During that additional year you will need re-entry permits for travel.