Converting From Non-b In Bkk

[inu]

Hi,

My wife and I (Australians) are currently in Thailand on a single entry 90-day Non-B visa with 5 weeks to go. We would like to extend our stay for another 60-days when the Non-B expires to explore the possibility of retiring here.

Do we have to leave Thailand to do this- or is it possible to convert to, say, a 60 day Tourist or some other type of Visa while here in BKK? Or get an extension on our Non-B, even though it was single entry?

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Richard

[ubonjoe]

Extending for anything less than one year is not possible. Sometimes they give a 7 day extension and that is all.

If you can meet the 65,000 baht per month income requirement to get a letter from the Australian consulate you might want to consider a one year extension. You could get the one year extension of stay and have as much time as you want to make your decision with no obligation to stay for the full year of the extension.

Since you are on a non-b visa you have to file for a change of visa status (2000 baht each) and at the same time apply for an extension.

For more info go to the immigration website using the following link and click on change visa and then retirement.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...p?page=service#

Note:If link does not work by clicking. Do a copy and paste.

Edited October 4, 2008 by ubonjoe

[inu]

Extending for anything less than one year is not possible. Sometimes they give a 7 day extension and that is all.

If you can meet the 65,000 baht per month income requirement to get a letter from the Australian consulate you might want to consider a one year extension. You could get the one year extension of stay and have as much time as you want to make your decision with no obligation to stay for the full year of the extension.

Since you are on a non-b visa you have to file for a change of visa status (2000 baht each) and at the same time apply for an extension.

For more info go to the immigration website using the following link and click on change visa and then retirement.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...p?page=service#

Note:If link does not work by clicking. Do a copy and paste.

Thanks ubonjoe,

Would an alternative be to leave Thailand and come back in on a 30-day non-visa and then extend for another 30-days? I'm not sure of we could re-organise our finances in time to meet the one year extension requirements.

Richard

[astral]

Yes you can do 2 x 30 day visa exempt runs, or do one run and get a 60 day tourist visa.

[inu]

Yes you can do 2 x 30 day visa exempt runs, or do one run and get a 60 day tourist visa.

Thanks Astral,

Richard

[inu]

Thanks Astral,

Richard

[ubonjoe]

Consulates will also issue 90 day non-o if over 50. If you can get that no need to change visa status just go straight to an extension.

[inu]

Consulates will also issue 90 day non-o if over 50. If you can get that no need to change visa status just go straight to an extension.

Thanks Ubonjoe,

I am over 50 but my wife is 48- I guess this would complicate things?

You also mentioned that I could get a letter from the Australian consulate stating I can meet the 65K PM. I don't have a regular income/pension but have sufficient money in my bank in Australia so it would have to be the 800,000 Baht route. Does this mean all I have to do is prove I have sufficient funds in my Australian bank account at the moment or do I have to have the money in a Thai bank for 3-months prior to applying?

Richard

[ubonjoe]

Consulates will also issue 90 day non-o if over 50. If you can get that no need to change visa status just go straight to an extension.

Thanks Ubonjoe,

I am over 50 but my wife is 48- I guess this would complicate things?

You also mentioned that I could get a letter from the Australian consulate stating I can meet the 65K PM. I don't have a regular income/pension but have sufficient money in my bank in Australia so it would have to be the 800,000 Baht route. Does this mean all I have to do is prove I have sufficient funds in my Australian bank account at the moment or do I have to have the money in a Thai bank for 3-months prior to applying?

Richard

No problem for the wife since you are over 50. The money has to be in a bank in Thailand for 3 months prior to extension appliccation.

If you go to the following link and click on visa extension and then to spend the remainder of life. It gives the requirements for the visa extension. Your wife will need to apply for an extension that is based upon your visa extension. Same requirements except for the income plus proof of marriage. Certified means signing the copy of passport and copy of proof of marriage.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...hp?page=service#

[inu]

Consulates will also issue 90 day non-o if over 50. If you can get that no need to change visa status just go straight to an extension.

Thanks Ubonjoe,

I am over 50 but my wife is 48- I guess this would complicate things?

You also mentioned that I could get a letter from the Australian consulate stating I can meet the 65K PM. I don't have a regular income/pension but have sufficient money in my bank in Australia so it would have to be the 800,000 Baht route. Does this mean all I have to do is prove I have sufficient funds in my Australian bank account at the moment or do I have to have the money in a Thai bank for 3-months prior to applying?

Richard

No problem for the wife since you are over 50. The money has to be in a bank in Thailand for 3 months prior to extension appliccation.

If you go to the following link and click on visa extension and then to spend the remainder of life. It gives the requirements for the visa extension. Your wife will need to apply for an extension that is based upon your visa extension. Same requirements except for the income plus proof of marriage. Certified means signing the copy of passport and copy of proof of marriage.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...hp?page=service#

Sorry Ubonjoe but I'm confused. As my non-b expires on 24/11 I won't have time to have the money in the bank for 3-months prior to extension application. (I followed the link but 'remainder of life' didn't work.)

In a nutshell, I have to have the money in a Thai bank for 3-months before making any application for any retirement related visas or extensions? The fact that I have the money in my bank in Australia is not relevant?

Because of this it seems that my only option is to leave on 23/11 and come back in on a 60 tourist visa. I was hoping to find a way to stay without leaving Thailand as I thought, wrongly, that the 3-month requirement was only for the actual retirement visa application and not a change of visa extension.

Would you agree the tourist visa is my only option at this point?

Thanks for your patience,

Richard

[Mario2008]

Money in a foreign bank doesn't count. It has to be in a Thai bank account.

getting a 60 tourist visa and aplly for a change of visa after you have the money in aThai bank for 3 months is a solid option for you and your wife.

Edited October 6, 2008 by Mario2008

[ubonjoe]

Sorry Ubonjoe but I'm confused. As my non-b expires on 24/11 I won't have time to have the money in the bank for 3-months prior to extension application. (I followed the link but 'remainder of life' didn't work.)

In a nutshell, I have to have the money in a Thai bank for 3-months before making any application for any retirement related visas or extensions? The fact that I have the money in my bank in Australia is not relevant?

Because of this it seems that my only option is to leave on 23/11 and come back in on a 60 tourist visa. I was hoping to find a way to stay without leaving Thailand as I thought, wrongly, that the 3-month requirement was only for the actual retirement visa application and not a change of visa extension.

Would you agree the tourist visa is my only option at this point?

Thanks for your patience,

Richard

Sorry I thought we were talking about the 90 day non-o option.

You can still do the change of visa status. You will still need to move the funds into Thailand prior to the change of status application. The requirements are basicly the same as the extension information I gave you. The proof of having the money in the bank is a little different but you don't need it to be in the bank for 3 months. Your wife will file for the change of status also. The proof or marriage will also be needed.

Just use the same link and go to change visa and then retirement. Did you click the little white box beside the text when you tried to follow my previous instructions.

Sorry for the confusion.

Edited October 6, 2008 by ubonjoe

[ubonjoe]

Just in case you can't get to the info on the website.

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)

For your Wife

1. Application form

2. Copy of the applicant's passport

3. Copy of the passport of alien

who has been granted temporary

stay

4. Proof of family relationship,

e.g., marriage certificate

Edited October 6, 2008 by ubonjoe

[thaicbr]

Richard if all you are doing is to say a while longer to 'explore retirement' options then by far the easiest thing to do is take a 3-4 day trip to Laos and get a double tourist visa (x2).

they are 1,000 baht each 60 day so 2,000baht for a double and that will entitle you 60 days on each visa, note you do have to do a border run after 60 days to activate the 2nd visa (or mess around in bangkok immigration getting an extension. no thanks lol).

so have a trip to nice quiet scenic Laos then after 60 days a nice daytrip to the cambodian border. lovely.

then when you go back to OZ where all your paperwork is get a 12 month multi entry non 'o' or 'b' from a consulate NOT the Embassy.

if you are going to come back to live make sure you open a Thai account now while you have the non'b' its a lot easier. some banks will say can not then just go from bank to bank (kasikorn and bank ayyuttha are ok )

so there you go, have fun.

Allan

Edited October 6, 2008 by thaicbr

[inu]

Richard if all you are doing is to say a while longer to 'explore retirement' options then by far the easiest thing to do is take a 3-4 day trip to Laos and get a double tourist visa (x2).

they are 1,000 baht each 60 day so 2,000baht for a double and that will entitle you 60 days on each visa, note you do have to do a border run after 60 days to activate the 2nd visa (or mess around in bangkok immigration getting an extension. no thanks lol).

so have a trip to nice quiet scenic Laos then after 60 days a nice daytrip to the cambodian border. lovely.

then when you go back to OZ where all your paperwork is get a 12 month multi entry non 'o' or 'b' from a consulate NOT the Embassy.

if you are going to come back to live make sure you open a Thai account now while you have the non'b' its a lot easier. some banks will say can not then just go from bank to bank (kasikorn and bank ayyuttha are ok )

so there you go, have fun.

Allan

Thanks Allan/Mario,

That would seem to be the best option for the moment as we have to be back in Australia in January.

Thanks Ubonjoe, it all makes sense now!

Kind Regards,

Richard

[thaicbr]

Richard if you go to Laos there's a nice hotel called the Sengprachanh hotel

tel: 856-21-251-761 or www.sengprachanh-hotel,com it was 600 baht a night for a double last time i stayed about 6 months ago.

hope it helps.

Allan