jaidee Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Since 4 years, without a single problem, on a retirement visa running out January 2010, today immigration informed me that I am in overstay since 5 days, have to leave the country and reapply for a retirement visa. Can this be true or do I have a nightmare ? Upon my return from my home country vacation on September 1 st., immigration stamped my passport for 30 days, instead of the usually 90 days. I did notice this only this week, October 6 th. (after 30 days), and went immediately to the immigration office to get the entry stamp corrected. However, instead they told me that this can not be done, but that I am in overstay since 5 days, have to leave the country and reapply for a retirement visa ! I have to mention that previous years, I had a multiple entry visa. This year, I didn’t because I will not travel multiple times but only once, and assumed (wrongly ??) this could be done with the one year visa! Question, What steps can I undertake now to correct this problem, without having to go through all the retirement visa process all over again 4 years later. Any sound advice would be highly appreciated as I am totally at a loss and have no clue how to proceed from here. Thanks for your advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossy Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I'm confused, do you have a retirement extension obtained in Thailand or a visa from an embassy overseas? A retirement visa (non-oa from overseas) does not net you a 90 day stamp, you should get a 1 year entry stamp on this visa type, however if the visa was single-entry you would have been stamped for a year but would need a re-entry permit. If you have an extension or single entry visa and left without a re-entry permit everthing is toast, 'Go back to Old Kent Road' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatchamacallit Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 If I read you correctly - you're saying this year when you apply for your retirement renewal (valid for 1 year) you did not apply for the multiple entry visa (cost 3800 baht). So this means that each time you go out of Thailand - you MUST go to immigration to apply for a re-entry visa (1000 baht) before you leave. Apparently you didn't do this therefore you got a 30 day tourist visa when you returned and this is correct!!!! There is no other way out of this!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaidee Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 A retirement visa (non-oa from overseas) does not net you a 90 day stamp, you should get a 1 year entry stamp on this visa type, however if the visa was single-entry you would have been stamped for a year but would need a re-entry permit. If you have an extension or single entry visa and left without a re-entry permit everthing is toast, 'Go back to Old Kent Road' I extend my visa every yar at Suan Plu, since 4 years. I have the one year stamp till January 2010 in my passport. The visa doesn't say single entry..... When I left I was OK with my 90 days reporting.... How can I recover ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywais Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 How can I recover ? As has been mentioned, if you did not have a reentry permit then your visa was canceled when you left the country and will need to apply for a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 If your latest status was on a retirement extension or a single entry retirement visa -- and you failed to get a re-entry permit to allow your return to Thailand after your trip home -- you have indeed killed your status. You do have some choices though. You can return to your home country and go thru the process to obtain a new retirement visa. But, I believe, you could also travel to a nearby country Thai consulate like Ventiane, get preferrably a double-entry tourist visa, and come back into Thailand using that. Then, once back in Thailand on a tourist visa, I believe you can convert that to a retirement extension. You will, of course, have to be able to meet the criteria for a retirement extension, chiefly, being 65K baht per month of documented income (via a consulate letter) or 800,000 baht in deposit in a Thai bank for (I believe since it would be a new extension) two months prior to the time of your application. PS - Single entry visa means just that... the single entry you use to come into the country the first time using that visa. If you later make a trip outside Thailand for any reason and want to return, you MUST have a re-entry permit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 1. You have been using one year extensions of stay and a multi re-entry permit to allow free travel it seem. 2. This year you did not obtain any re-entry permit but did travel - ending your extension of stay. 3. You returned and were provided a 30 day visa exempt entry. 4. You have overstayed that entry and now owe 500 baht a day fine until you exit. 5. You need to immediately travel outside the country and obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa and return for a 90 day entry. During the last 30 days of that entry you go to Immigration with the normal extension of stay documents to start again. Be sure to obtain a single re-entry permit for 1,000 baht extra if there is any chance you will travel. Not the end of the world and you can also do from a 30 day visa exempt stamp in the first week or a tourist visa with more than 21 days remaining - but you save a step if you get the non immigrant visa and you have to leave anyhow so it would get it. KL would probably be a good place to go with discount air fares. Visa should be available next workday afternoon if you apply in morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatchamacallit Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 The visa doesn't say single entry..... This is correct - as it gives you permission to stay for 1 year continuously - but if you leave the country without a re-entry visa it cancels your O-A visa. Again you should have applied for the Multiple Entry which only cost you 3800 baht - NO MATTER WHAT!! Or Go to immigration for a one time re-entry visa each time you leave the country. How can I recover ? You are now on a 30 day tourist visa - you can only apply for your O-A visa outside of Thailand - no other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 He is overstay on a visa exempt entry. He can get legal with a 30 day visa exempt/60 day tourist/or 90 day non immigrant O visa entry and proceed from there - inside Thailand. What he had previously is in great doubt as you do not get stamped in for 90 days with a retirement visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Sorry, no, what you say below is NOT correct... as indicated above by Lopburi and myself. The OP has a variety of options available... And I don't believe the OP is on a 30 day tourist visa.. He's on a 30 day visa exempt entry... no visa involved. The OP, if it was convenient and not expensive, which is probably not the case, could go back to his home country and reapply for a retirement visa.... But, going the other way which is likely to be a lot less expensive, the OP would have closer travel options to Thailand... Ventianne as I suggested for a tourist visa, or Kuala Lumpur as Lopburi suggested. you can also do from a 30 day visa exempt stamp in the first week or a tourist visa with more than 21 days remaining - but you save a step if you get the non immigrant visa and you have to leave anyhow so it would get it. KL would probably be a good place to go with discount air fares. Visa should be available next workday afternoon if you apply in morning. Lopburi, did you mean KL for tourist visa, or KL for a new retirement visa??? Is KL issuing new retirement visas to folks from other countries??? You are now on a 30 day tourist visa - you can only apply for your O-A visa outside of Thailand - no other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Being over age 50 he should be able to obtain a non immigrant single entry O visa at most Consulates so that he can extend inside Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manjara Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 The visa doesn't say single entry..... This is correct - as it gives you permission to stay for 1 year continuously - but if you leave the country without a re-entry visa it cancels your O-A visa. Again you should have applied for the Multiple Entry which only cost you 3800 baht - NO MATTER WHAT!! Or Go to immigration for a one time re-entry visa each time you leave the country. How can I recover ? You are now on a 30 day tourist visa - you can only apply for your O-A visa outside of Thailand - no other way. Yep, I did the same thing after getting a Non-O for a year. I forgot to apply for the multiple entry stamp and went to another country after 2 months in Thailand, when I got back they stamped 30 days. I said, no, I have a 1 year visa, but they pointed to the visa which had been cancelled on my exit. You should always get a multiple entry stamp, and the agency - who I did mine through - should point this out. I also got a work permit through them which also became technically invalid. In the end it was not a huge problem as I had a contract abroad and only came back to thailand once a month for a few days. The immigration were probably a bit confused about why I gave them dirty looks when they pointed out that I had a Thai wife and could get a proper visa instead of just a 30 day stamp. kwai, ngoo mak. gliat muang thai! mai yu! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyuiop Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Being over age 50 he should be able to obtain a non immigrant single entry O visa at most Consulates so that he can extend inside Thailand. No doubt that this has been asked and answered and I apologise in advance but what documents would have to be shown to obtain this single entry "O" visa if retirement was the end desire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 That would largely depend on where you apply for the visa, genarly a honorary consulate is the best. You would need your passport, also as proof that you are over 50, and a lot of consulates now want to see some money in your bankaccount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyuiop Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 That would largely depend on where you apply for the visa, genarly a honorary consulate is the best.You would need your passport, also as proof that you are over 50, and a lot of consulates now want to see some money in your bankaccount. Many thanks for the very quick reply. If I had a letter in English stipulating my pension income would that suffice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 It would depend on where you apply, but I think in most cases it would be ok. In Europe a lot of consulats will issue based only on being over 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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