Non-immigrant "o" Visa Extension

[Asmerom]

I'm Britsh, aged over 65.

My Non-Immigrant "O" Visa, obtained in HULL, expires 29th January 2009.

My last Visa run has admitted me until 15th December 2008.

I live in Chiang Mai and have leased a house for one year hoping to get a Retirement Visa round about 29th January 2009 when my "O" Visa expires.

I cannot apply earlier because I must rely on the 800,000 baht in the bank and that will not have been in the bank for three months until 29th January 2009.

Questions ;

1. Do I just do a Visa Run to Mae Sai for the period 15th Dec to 29th January 09?

2. Can I apply for the Retirement Visa in Chiang Mai or do I have to apply " from a Consulate outside of Thailand?

[Lite Beer]

I'm Britsh, aged over 65.

My Non-Immigrant "O" Visa, obtained in HULL, expires 29th January 2009.

My last Visa run has admitted me until 15th December 2008.

I live in Chiang Mai and have leased a house for one year hoping to get a Retirement Visa round about 29th January 2009 when my "O" Visa expires.

I cannot apply earlier because I must rely on the 800,000 baht in the bank and that will not have been in the bank for three months until 29th January 2009.

Questions ;

1. Do I just do a Visa Run to Mae Sai for the period 15th Dec to 29th January 09?

2. Can I apply for the Retirement Visa in Chiang Mai or do I have to apply " from a Consulate outside of Thailand?

On 14 th December do a border run and get another 90 days.

Within the last 30 days of that stay go to Immigration in Chiang Mai and apply for a 12 month extension for Retirement.

Take your passport. A letter from your bank certifying your balance. Up to date bank book showing the same balance. 1,900 Baht and this form. They will give you a 12 month extension from when your Non O Visa stay expires.

You will then only have to report your address to Immigration every 90 days.

Do the same next year.

[ubonjoe]

Do another border/visa run and get another 90 days.

Then apply for an extension at immigration in Chiang Mai during the last 30 days of your permit to stay.

You could even do the border run early to where the last 30 days is close to when you will have your funds in bank for 3 months.

[Asmerom]

On 14 th December do a border run and get another 90 days.

Within the last 30 days of that stay go to Immigration in Chiang Mai and apply for a 12 month extension for Retirement.

Take your passport. A letter from your bank certifying your balance. Up to date bank book showing the same balance. 1,900 Baht and this form. They will give you a 12 month extension from when your Non O Visa stay expires.

You will then only have to report your address to Immigration every 90 days.

Do the same next year.

Many thanks Lite Beer for those wonderfully concise, clear, simple- to- follow instructions in answer to what I was thinking would be a very complicated problem. Especially the bit about extending my "O" Visa while being in the Thailand. A great relief to have it all joined up so satisfyingly. Thanks a lot. I have downloaded the form even though it doesn't appear to show. Now it does show.

And thanks also to "ubonjoe" who took the trouble to emphasise the message.

What a wonderful Resource this Thai Visa Board is with and all its immense branches. Its so useful and popular that any post is quickly relegated to the bottom of the page and soon consigned to History. Long May it Continue to Thrive.

Edited November 27, 2008 by Asmerom

[Greenside]

Before spending the time and money going to do a border run, I'd go see immigration and explain the situation. I had a 90 day tourist visa at the time I was preparing my retirement extension application and they were very helpful and changed it for a non-imm O which they extended when I had the paperwork available. It may not work but it's worth a try.

[Lite Beer]

There was a time when the changing up to a Non O Visa was first introduced that the 21 day rule was not enforced. In most cases it is now.

However no harm in asking. Ask them for their advise. They can be very helpful.