Non Immigrant O Visa Extension

[clemine]

Hi, Hope someone can help with this very complicated visa system. I am confused as to how I can extend my visa. It is a 90 day single entry visa issued at a Hon Consul in Australia. Issued on 28 April and stamped at BKK "Admitted until 28th July". I am here with my Thai wife waiting for her spouse visa to Australia which we hope will be issued before the 28th. If not I will need to extend my visa. What are my options? Thanks in advance....

[lopburi3]

Visit Immigration with marriage certificate/wife and 1,900 baht and current 4x6cm photo to obtain a 60 day extension of stay to visit wife.

Edited July 17, 2009 by lopburi3

[Mario2008]

If you only need a short time, immigration will extend your visa with 60 days for 1,900 baht if you go there together with your wife and marriage certificate. (Bring along the wife's household book, but probably isn't necesarry).

Don't wait till the very last day, but extend a few days before, in case they need some extra documents.

[clemine]

If you only need a short time, immigration will extend your visa with 60 days for 1,900 baht if you go there together with your wife and marriage certificate. (Bring along the wife's household book, but probably isn't necesarry).

Don't wait till the very last day, but extend a few days before, in case they need some extra documents.

No worries we will go early next week. Thanks very much for the replys...

[Lite Beer]

The Rule.

2.24 In the case of an alien

visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission

will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time

(1) Proof of relationship.

(2) In the case of a spouse, their marital relationship shall be de

jure (legitimate) and de facto.

[opalhort]

The Rule.

2.24 In the case of an alien

visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission

will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time

(1) Proof of relationship.

(2) In the case of a spouse, their marital relationship shall be de

jure (legitimate) and de facto.

"de facto" meaning that you will also have to provide photos of you and your wife in and around the home and a map to home.

I had to provide the above for a 60 days extension recently. Office: Suan Plu, BKK

opalhort

[lopburi3]

Did you have the wife with you? Normally that should do the trick I believe.

[opalhort]

Did you have the wife with you? Normally that should do the trick I believe.

Yes of course my wife came along. I've been on annuals for ten years but had to opt for the 60 days because Imm had a problem with the bank account after change from combined to only my account (seasoning of funds for THREE months! - I was short by two weeks).

And yes they did ask for photos and map even though they have all this stuff on file (we could see the past submissions in the big bundle of papers).

opalhort

[mca]

I recall my first extension at Nong Khai as a newly wed using my wife's salary to extend I had more photos than in the Hello Magazine archives. Bedroom, in front of the house, clothes etc. Plus a map to my house that a cartographer would have been proud of.

The officer in question asked what was in the envelope and when I replied "Photos and a map" said "Don't need them"

Compare this to the guy and his wife at the next officer who was going through the pics with a fine tooth comb. Found out from him later it was his 7th extension through marriage.

Go figure.

[SantiSuk]

I have been on a one year non-immigrant O visa from the UK, which will expire early next year. I got married to Thai girlfriend a couple of weeks ago. I come and go to Thailand, but will now be staying longer periods in future.

As I understand it, if I enter Thailand on the last day of the visa's validity period I will get entry for a further 90 days. Shout if I am wrong.

The link to this thread is my real question - can I apply for an extension in the manner suggested above at (near the) end of this further 90 day period, so that my visa in reality becomes a one year plus 3 months plus 2 months right to be in Thailand?

What advice would you cognoscenti give about the pros and cons of ultimately renewing the visa onto either (a) a replacement non-immigrant O visa, ( a marriage visa or © a retirement visa - am 58? I know that (a) may become trickier following the problems with honorary consulates and that © requires me to have money in Thailand (not particularly an issue for me). My main concern would be to get the most secure and longest right to be in Thailand, so presumably (a) is not a runner. And, yes - I do appreciate that the future is unpredictable.

Are there any current circumstances that suggest that there is any reason to switch to a marriage or retirement visa sooner, rather than wait until the date I have to renew my non-immigrant O?

If this is dealt with on some existing thread am happy to be referred - but it's a bugger to find any kind of comparative analysis using the search engines.

[Lite Beer]

Correct. Do a border run the day before the Visa expires and you get another 90 days. You can apply for the 60 day extension a few days before the 60 days finish.

You can apply for the Marriage or Retirement Extension within the final 30 days of any permission to stay.

The Retirement Extension is a little easier to do but requires more money in the bank or income.

Up to you.

[lopburi3]

The retirement extension of stay is probably your only option as the marriage requires a 30 day under review period and you have to be here at the end of that period to obtain the extension of stay so if you travel often it would not work. The retirement is done the same day.

But if you do frequent travelling the multi entry non immigrant O visa is fine and you do not have to worry about a re-entry permit or forgetting 90 day report. Once every 12-15 months you have to obtain another but that is it.

[clemine]

If you only need a short time, immigration will extend your visa with 60 days for 1,900 baht if you go there together with your wife and marriage certificate. (Bring along the wife's household book, but probably isn't necesarry).

Don't wait till the very last day, but extend a few days before, in case they need some extra documents.

No worries we will go early next week. Thanks very much for the replys...

Well we went in today and filled out the form, forgot the photo so across the street fixed that. Sat for about 1 1/2 hours and was then told we need - my passport copies of main page and visa page, - copy of wifes house book tabien baan, - copy of wifes id card, - copy of marriage cert (it is in english was OK). Lucky I carry all documents (for our visa application) on a memory stick so back across the road for printing and then all was OK. The officer said I could have had 365 days if I wanted but hopefully 60 days will see the visa behind us! Thanks again...

[Texpat]

I came on a multiple-entry 1-year marriage non-imm O in '06.

Had to leave into Laos every three months until the first annual renewal.

Expect them to make up any sort of rule they can imagine.

Be happy if they don't.

[lopburi3]

You seem to have had a multi entry non immigrant O visa if you were making new 90 day stay trips and you could have extended for one year at Immigration during the last 30 days of any of those entries with the required financial/paperwork proof. There is no such thing as a marriage visa. And if you meet requirements for extension of stay there is no reason to have more than a single entry visa.

[mca]

The retirement extension of stay is probably your only option as the marriage requires a 30 day under review period and you have to be here at the end of that period to obtain the extension of stay so if you travel often it would not work. The retirement is done the same day.

Lopburi could you explain why the marriage extension has to be reviewed but the retirement can be approved on the same day? Thanks

[lopburi3]

The marriage has to be approved by committee in Bangkok that meets every week or two. The requirement is that there is proof of living together as husband and wife and that may require additional police reporting to prove. The retirement can be approved by the office handling the application as only requires paper proof.

[jacobus]

You seem to have had a multi entry non immigrant O visa if you were making new 90 day stay trips and you could have extended for one year at Immigration during the last 30 days of any of those entries with the required financial/paperwork proof. There is no such thing as a marriage visa. And if you meet requirements for extension of stay there is no reason to have more than a single entry visa.

I would like to post a couple of follow-up questions here.

I have a multi entry 1-year non-imm O visa which I obtained from a Thai consulate in the U.S.A. on the basis of being a condo owner. Can I also get a one-year extension at Immigration during the last 30 days of an entry by presenting proof of money in the bank and the chanoot for one of my condos?

If so, at the end of that one-year extension can I get another 1-year extension through the same process? And can I continue to do these 1-year extensions indefinitely?

Final question: my understanding was that I am allowed 3 entries (in my one year) with my multiple entry visa. Is that correct or is there actually no limit on the number of entries I can make with a multiple entry visa?

Edited August 9, 2009 by jacobus

[Lite Beer]

You cannot get a twelve month extension based on owning a Condo.

You can apply if you are over 50 or have a Thai Wife.

You can do these extensions indefinitely if you qualify. But I do not think you do.

With your current Visa you can make as many entries as you want. Each entry has a maximum of 90 days.

Make your last entry a day or 2 before the Visa expires and you will get another 90 days. Giving a total of 15 months.

EDIT.

If your condo cost more than 10 Million Baht you may be able to, have a look at 2.5

[jacobus]

You cannot get a twelve month extension based on owning a Condo.

You can apply if you are over 50 or have a Thai Wife.

You can do these extensions indefinitely if you qualify. But I do not think you do.

With your current Visa you can make as many entries as you want. Each entry has a maximum of 90 days.

Make your last entry a day or 2 before the Visa expires and you will get another 90 days. Giving a total of 15 months.

EDIT.

If your condo cost more than 10 Million Baht you may be able to, have a look at 2.5

Thank you for responding, Lite Beer.

I'm single, but I am over 50. I do not have pension income and I don't want to have 800,000 baht tied up in the bank for 2 or 3 months every year. My condos are not worth over 10M baht.

What other options do I have for extended stay? Can I go to Vientiane or Penang and get another 1-year non-imm O visa based on condo ownership or do I have to go back to my home country for that?

[Lite Beer]

3 Options.

1. Vientienne Laos will issue a Double Entry Tourist Visa . This would give up to 6 months stay with extensions and a border run in the middle.

2. Perth Australia will issue a Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa on grounds of visiting friends.

3. Go back to the USA and apply where you did before. I must admit that I have never heard of a Visa being issued on the grounds that you described.

[jacobus]

3 Options.

1. Vientienne Laos will issue a Double Entry Tourist Visa . This would give up to 6 months stay with extensions and a border run in the middle.

2. Perth Australia will issue a Multi Entry Non Imm O Visa on grounds of visiting friends.

3. Go back to the USA and apply where you did before. I must admit that I have never heard of a Visa being issued on the grounds that you described.

Thanks 'Lite Beer' for explaining all of my options.

If I go to Vientiane for a tourist visa, do I just go to the Thai embassy or is there a consulate there?

I'm probably just going to bite the bullet and apply for the 'retirement visa'.

So, if I understand it correctly, I can do a border run a day or two before my current non-imm O visa expires and they will give me another 90-day extension. By that time I need to put 800K baht in my bank account and then a couple of weeks before my 90-day extension expires, I need to apply for the retirement visa at any immigration office in Thailand. Is any immigration office more recommended than the others?

[Lite Beer]

So, if I understand it correctly, I can do a border run a day or two before my current non-imm O visa expires and they will give me another 90-day extension. By that time I need to put 800K baht in my bank account and then a couple of weeks before my 90-day extension expires, I need to apply for the retirement visa at any immigration office in Thailand. Is any immigration office more recommended than the others?

Correct.

You have to apply at the office that is designated to the area in which you live.

Here is the list.

[jacobus]

So, if I understand it correctly, I can do a border run a day or two before my current non-imm O visa expires and they will give me another 90-day extension. By that time I need to put 800K baht in my bank account and then a couple of weeks before my 90-day extension expires, I need to apply for the retirement visa at any immigration office in Thailand. Is any immigration office more recommended than the others?

Correct.

You have to apply at the office that is designated to the area in which you live.

Here is the list.

Ok, well, thanks again, Lite Beer. You're the man.