Multiple Entry O Visa To Retirement Visa

[daveb1]

Hi 2 questions.

1 A friend wants to change from a multiple entry O visa to a retirement visa do they have to leave the country as part of the process or not?

On a separate issue

2 If there current O visa expires before there current 90 day stamp does should they exit the country a couple of days before the visa expires to get another 90 days even though they haven’t used up the previous 90 days. (They were issued there visa a month before they initially travelled.)

Not sure what to advise them anyone know

Cheers

[lopburi3]

1. Apply for extension of stay during the last 30 days or any entry - no need to leave.

2. Yes they need to return with unexpired visa to obtain a new 90 day stay.

[Lite Beer]

As Lopburi said, apply for the extension within the last 30 days of any stay. Providing he meets the financial requirements.

[cpofc]

I tranferred from a Category 'O', Non Immigrant, 12 Month. Multiple Entry Visa, to a Retirement Visa, no problem.

As long as you meet the required criteria. Which is well promulgated elsewhere on this site and others.

I did have to undergo a Thai Police Check though, which the Immigration Office duly sent off. I received my Retirment Visa Stamp about 2 weeks later. (1900 Baht fee of course)

you should do this when you have at least 3 weeks prior to your O Visa Expiring.

As for your 2nd question.

Usually the entry Stamp is the more the important of the two. These differ at times, like mine do. E.G. My 90 day reporting is 'out of synch', for it is not based on my Visa Stamp Date that I get in Suan Plu but the date I pbhysically entered the country, I.E. the date on the stamp I got at Immigration Control at the airport when I entered.

So yes, I would bugger off before the first date came up. You will avoid an problems that way.

[Lite Beer]

I did have to undergo a Thai Police Check though, which the Immigration Office duly sent off. I received my Retirment Visa Stamp about 2 weeks later. (1900 Baht fee of course)

Can I ask where you applied as there is no requirement for a Police Check. Also Retirement Extensions are given instantly. Thanks.

[lopburi3]

Where did you extend your stay that a police report was required? It is not a normal requirement.

For the second part he has to return with a valid visa to obtain a new 90 day stay. There is no question about it.

[cpofc]

I did have to undergo a Thai Police Check though, which the Immigration Office duly sent off. I received my Retirment Visa Stamp about 2 weeks later. (1900 Baht fee of course)

Can I ask where you applied as there is no requirement for a Police Check. Also Retirement Extensions are given instantly. Thanks.

Bangkok, Suan Plu.

Yes, I thought so too. But as I have said in another topic on this forum recently, they made my wife and I 'go through the hoops' when I did my retirment visa. Don't ask me why. i have no reason to tell you fibs.

Actually it near got to the stage of 'calling in' favours from a Thai Brother in law (Major in the Thai Police). But it turned out OK in the end and we didn't have too. I don't like doing that sort of thing, even if it is par for the course in this country should you have the opportunity.

The Thais gave my wife a hard time too, when she got her Thai ID card after 24 years of not having one and getting put back on her mother's house paper.

It pissed me off, because I am a 'clean skin' too. Retired Australian Military and I don't either want to or need to work here. Somehow the lady processing my request didn't like my face, I don't know.

Anyway, I saw the same lady this year when I signed up for another year of sabai sabai, and she was alot friendlier this time around. I guess I got her on a bad day.

On that note, no wonder the people in their get shitty. How would you like to work in an office environment like Suan Plu? It is a shit fight, Cramped and not conducive to conducting good business.

Now wonder the staff get stressed at times.

[cpofc]

oh, one thing was that I had been living on Cat O Multiples for about 5 years, whilst all the time being eligible for a retirement visa. I just never got around to it thats all. Maybe that made her suspicious. I think she thought my wife and I weren't actually married at first meeting and maybe that I was pulling a rort.

Something a farang would never do. right?

[Lite Beer]

If you were applying for a Retirement Extension your Wife would not be involved as it would be nothing to do with your Marriage status.

Are you sure you did not apply for a Marriage Extension?

[lopburi3]

I don't believe any of us would want to work in Suan Plu as it is indeed extremely hectic there. It amazes me that they can keep the people/paperwork straight. I have never heard of a Thai police check except for teacher and don't believe anyone else has mentioned it. But in the past one of the papers they had to sign kind appeared that they were vouching for you being a person fit to stay here so perhaps that was part of it. Also most retirement applicants would probably not have a wife with them.

[cpofc]

If you were applying for a Retirement Extension your Wife would not be involved as it would be nothing to do with your Marriage status.

Are you sure you did not apply for a Marriage Extension?

Ok, let us take it from the top shall we:

I was living here on Cat O Non Imm 12 month Visas. All applied for in the Thai Consulate in Melbourne. Oz. Providing the usual things such as marriage cert, bank account & income info, sponsor info etc.

I then finally got tired of this, especially when airfares went through the roof, got off my arse and decided to do a 'Marriage Retirement Visa' whilst still here in BKK and with a few weeks to go on my Cat O - that's when my wife and I fronted down at Suan Plu with literally a suitcase full of documents and were given the 3rd degree. Even individually 'interrogated'.

Soooooo... when it came to renewing my Marriage Retirement Visa, I decided to leave the wife out of the equation this time and just got it on my own merit with the usual 65k per month caper.

My wife and family in Australia have 3 Thai restaurants running between them so she spends alot of her time there and it was all getting too hard.

[lopburi3]

Didn't read far enough - you answered my question.

FYI: you obtained an extension of stay for marriage (Thai wife) the first time and an extension of stay for retirement the second time. They are not visas and are for different reasons.