Stamps With Date Past Extension Of Long-stay (retirement) Visa

[Larry]

I have a long-stay/retirement visa that expires in September 2009. In April when I returned through BKK, I was given a stamp until April 2010. In other words, far past the expiration date of my visa. I figured this was a mistake until I returned from a trip abroad last week, and got a stamp until August 2010!!! This time, I asked the immigration officer at the airport, and he told me I didnt have to go to renew my visa until August 2010, and that this was a new full service policy. Does this have something to do about the free visa deal? Has this happened to others? What do our resident gurus have to say?

[lopburi3]

A multi entry non immigrant O-A visa, as you apparently have, allows a one year stay from any entry made during the visa validity period. So if you enter again before the visa expires in September you will have until September next year. What does change is for any exit after the visa expires (next month) you must obtain a re-entry permit to keep your current permitted to stay until date alive.

[Mario2008]

You have a multiple O-A visa, valid for 1 year. A multiple entry visa is nothing more then a permit to travel to Thailand an unlimited number of time during the validity of the visa. Each time you arrive in thailand you will get a pemission to stay for 1 year. This permisison to stay is a seperate thing.

If you leave and re-enter just before the visa expires you will get a full new 1 year permission to stay.

After your visa expires you will need to get a re-entry permit if you want to travel outside of Thailand, otherwise your permission to stay expires and you will need to get a new visa.

[Lite Beer]

It appears you have a Multi Entry Non Imm O-A Visa. Up to its expiry date in September 09 you will receive an entry of 12 months every time. So do a border run a day or 2 before it expires and you will get another 12 months.

If you leave Thailand after September 09 you will need a Re Entry Permit from Immigration to keep your permission to stay date alive. These cost. 1,000 Baht for a single and 3,800 Baht for a Multiple.

[Larry]

Thanks!

So, I dont have to get a bank letter, show the funds, etc?

[lopburi3]

Not until next year within 30 days of your permission to stay until expiration. That will be your first extension of stay. You should be making 90 day reports to Immigration any time you stay that long without leaving however.

[Sophon]

Agree, of course, with what everyone else has said.

...and that this was a new full service policy. Does this have something to do about the free visa deal? Has this happened to others?

No, there is nothing new about this and it has nothing to do with any "new full service policy" or "free visa deal" (only tourist visas are free anyway). This is the way multiple entry visas works.

Sophon

[OKIE24]

Made a 90 day visit to the Koh Samui Immigrant office today (August 11th) and was told the same information. I arrived back from USA this past May and was granted a stay until May 2010. The staff was very helpful with all my questions. Took 10 minutes and out the door until November.

OKIE

[SCARLETIBIS1]

Hello.

I have a one year visa that expires on Nov 19th. Are you all saying that if I leave Thailand a week or so before the expiration date that upon my return I get an automatic one year renewal. I don't have to show that I have 800000 in the bank?

Regarding the bank deal I started putting 65000 in the bank each month but do you have to have the whole 800000 or just a letter from the bank showing that you are depositing 65000 a month.

This is all very confusing to me now? Thanks

[stgrhe]

I have a one year visa that expires on Nov 19th. Are you all saying that if I leave Thailand a week or so before the expiration date that upon my return I get an automatic one year renewal. I don't have to show that I have 800000 in the bank

Provided you have a visa as you say and not an extension of stay you can leave Thailand and return on the 18th of November and get a one year permission to stay stamp in your passport. However, if your visa is a single entry you will need to purchase a re-entry permit from the immigration. The cost is 1,000 baht for a single entry and 3,800 baht for a multiple entry permit.

You will not need to show the 800,000 baht until it is time to submit your application for an extension of your stay.

Hello.

Regarding the bank deal I started putting 65000 in the bank each month but do you have to have the whole 800000 or just a letter from the bank showing that you are depositing 65000 a month.

This is all very confusing to me now? Thanks

You will need to have the whole amount of 800,000 in your account at least two months before you submit the extension of stay application. This applies for the first time only and for each time thereafter the money must have been in the account for at least three months. The bank account must be in your name only and cannot be a joint account.

As an alternative to the 800,000 baht in the bank, and if you can verify a monthly income of 65,000 baht (if from outside of Thailand it should be verified by your embassy), you have a choice and do not need money in the bank. Also you can use a mix of income and money in the bank provided only that your visa is a Non-Immigrant O-A type.

[Lite Beer]

As said above, it depends if you have a Visa or an extension of stay.

Did you get it from a Thai Consulate or from Immigration?

[lopburi3]

If you have a single entry visa it is not good for obtaining a second year of stay - regardless of having a re-entry permit. Only the multi entry provides a new one year stamp on entry, and only during its one year of validity.

So if you have a multi entry non immigrant O-A visa valid for use until 19 November you can return on 18 November and receive another one year stamp.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

Thanks for the replies; however, it seems there is still some confusion here.

First, this will be my second one year renewal. A year ago Nov I applied for the one year extension I guess you call it. I was supossed to have either 800k in the bank or show an income of 6500K a month. I went to the Embassy and had them verify a form letter. I brought it to IMMIGRATION and they stamped my passport for one more year ending in Nov on 2009. I only had a single entry visa. So my question still stands if I leave Thailand during the month prior to Nov and return do I get an automatic one year extension of stay like that other guy?

I would also point out that no one asked to see my bank book to verify income. I did show the letter. And what if you have say 200000 in a bank account and open up another bank account and start transfering 6500 a month to the other acct. Would that justify the requirement? Who wants to put up 800K in a Thai bank anyway?? Thanks to all for the replies.

PS: What is the difference between a one year visa and a one year extension of stay??? You get to stay one year regardless, right? If you have a visa vs the extension do you have to report quarterly? And how would one go about getting one year visa? I have to report every quarter so maybe it is not a visa but an extension of stay.

Edited August 12, 2009 by SCARLETIBIS1

[lopburi3]

No you do not - you do not even have a visa. Any exit without a re-entry permit will end your extension of stay.

Bank letter of 65k per month income is the only accepted proof of income. If you want to use just bank deposit(s) it must be 800k for three month prior to application.

Visas allow entry to country - extensions of stay allow you to stay longer. You have to make 90 day report when you stay 90 days. The one year nonimmigrant O-A visa is only issued at a consulate in your home country.

Edited August 12, 2009 by lopburi3

[Lite Beer]

You have a 12 Month Extension of your temporary permission to stay in the Kingdom to be precise.

A one year Visa would mean having to leave every 3 months while you have to report to Immigration.

If you left the country and returned you would get 30 days as your Extension would have expired.

If you got a Re Entry Permit from Immigration it will keep your stay alive. It will not add days.

Cost 1,000 Baht for a single and 3,800 for a multi.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

You have a 12 Month Extension of your temporary permission to stay in the Kingdom to be precise.

A one year Visa would mean having to leave every 3 months while you have to report to Immigration.

If you left the country and returned you would get 30 days as your Extension would have expired.

If you got a Re Entry Permit from Immigration it will keep your stay alive. It will not add days.

Cost 1,000 Baht for a single and 3,800 for a multi.

Okay, I think I got it. I have a one year permission to stay extension. But just to let you all know I was told by Immigration to get a lettter from the Consulate verifying my income. The joke is the letter is a form letter that you yourself fill out and swear is accurate. The Consulate does not even bother to verify the income. You then simply take it back to Immigration and show it to them. I do not recall needing a letter from the bank. It's a joke really. Of course if Immigration asks to see your bank book you would have to show it. I also believe the law was changed to having to show the money in acct 'two' not three months prior but stand corrected if wrong. Thanks again to all replies.

[Lite Beer]

You must be American. Immigration do realise that The US Embassy do not require proof and sometimes ask for further evidence of income.

When using the money in the bank route it has to be there for 2 months for the first application and 3 months from then on.

[thaiphoon]

I was told by Immigration to get a lettter from the Consulate verifying my income. The joke is the letter is a form letter that you yourself fill out and swear is accurate. The Consulate does not even bother to verify the income. You then simply take it back to Immigration and show it to them.

This is the process at the US embassy only as far as I am aware and other embassies require full documentation

Edited August 12, 2009 by thaiphoon

[lopburi3]

Other Embassies require documents but there is unlikely to be any check so it is essentially the same - your signature holds you responsible - in the case of the US it is done in the presence of an appointed official and notarized. Any false information could have consequences.

[thaiphoon]

double post due software saying my post was a bad request????

Maybe you are working that new laptop of yours too hard

[Sophon]

Bank letter of 65k per month income is the only accepted proof of income. If you want to use just bank deposit(s) it must be 800k for three month prior to application.

Just to avoid further confusion, I'm pretty sure that lopburi meant to say embassy letter.

Sophon

[lopburi3]

Sure did.

[wpcoe]

You must be American. Immigration do realise that The US Embassy do not require proof and sometimes ask for further evidence of income.

I was told by Immigration to get a lettter from the Consulate verifying my income. The joke is the letter is a form letter that you yourself fill out and swear is accurate. The Consulate does not even bother to verify the income. You then simply take it back to Immigration and show it to them.

This is the process at the US embassy only as far as I am aware and other embassies require full documentation

Other Embassies require documents but there is unlikely to be any check so it is essentially the same - your signature holds you responsible - in the case of the US it is done in the presence of an appointed official and notarized. Any false information could have consequences.

I was told in a post in another thread that the Australian Embassy in Bangkok also requires no supporting documentation. Is that incorrect?

[astral]

I have a long-stay/retirement visa that expires in September 2009. In April when I returned through BKK, I was given a stamp until April 2010. In other words, far past the expiration date of my visa. I figured this was a mistake until I returned from a trip abroad last week, and got a stamp until August 2010!!! This time, I asked the immigration officer at the airport, and he told me I didnt have to go to renew my visa until August 2010, and that this was a new full service policy. Does this have something to do about the free visa deal? Has this happened to others? What do our resident gurus have to say?

You are confusing the Visa Validity with the Entry Stamp expiry date.

You are entitled to a one year Entry Stamp each time, as long as the Visa is still valid.

Even if you had come in one day before the visa expires in Sept 2009, you would still have got a one year entry stamp

until Sept 2010.

BTW there is nothing "new" about this.

[ignis]

Do I read this correct?

A Multi Entry Non Imm O-A Visa = you can get another 1 year stamp if you leave before the expiry date...

what about

A Multi Entry Non Imm 'O' Visa = do you also get another 1 year stamp? or is it only on the O-A Visa.?

[hardy1943]

I have a long-stay/retirement visa that expires in September 2009. In April when I returned through BKK, I was given a stamp until April 2010. In other words, far past the expiration date of my visa. I figured this was a mistake until I returned from a trip abroad last week, and got a stamp until August 2010!!! This time, I asked the immigration officer at the airport, and he told me I didnt have to go to renew my visa until August 2010, and that this was a new full service policy. Does this have something to do about the free visa deal? Has this happened to others? What do our resident gurus have to say?

With me the did the opposite and gave me a 30 tourist visa on the same page I had a multiple entry

and had 5 yearly retirement visa O . You figure ...........do not want to mention what I thought about it.

[BlackJack]

You have a 12 Month Extension of your temporary permission to stay in the Kingdom to be precise.

A one year Visa would mean having to leave every 3 months while you have to report to Immigration.

If you left the country and returned you would get 30 days as your Extension would have expired.

If you got a Re Entry Permit from Immigration it will keep your stay alive. It will not add days.

Cost 1,000 Baht for a single and 3,800 for a multi.

Okay, I think I got it. I have a one year permission to stay extension. But just to let you all know I was told by Immigration to get a lettter from the Consulate verifying my income. The joke is the letter is a form letter that you yourself fill out and swear is accurate. The Consulate does not even bother to verify the income. You then simply take it back to Immigration and show it to them. I do not recall needing a letter from the bank. It's a joke really. Of course if Immigration asks to see your bank book you would have to show it. I also believe the law was changed to having to show the money in acct 'two' not three months prior but stand corrected if wrong. Thanks again to all replies.

did it ever enter your head that officials read this!!!!

[jfchandler]

Sometimes it's best to leave things be...and not rock the boat....

Just be glad the system works in OUR favor...sometimes.... Living here, that's certainly more the exception, than the rule.

[lopburi3]

You only obtain a 90 day stay on a non immigrant O visa entry. And yes, you can obtain a new 90 day stay if you enter just before the visa expires.

[pschef]

Yes please be carefull what you write in this forum, as pointed out ( did it ever enter your head that officials read this!!!! )

another post quoted

Sometimes it's best to leave things be...and not rock the boat....

Just be glad the system works in OUR favor...sometimes.... Living here, that's certainly more the exception, than the rule.