Non-0 To Non-o-a

[grassroots]

After 5 years of Non-O (married to Thai National) Extension of Stays I am ready to move on to a less complicated and less time consuming Extension of Stay....Retirement (Non-O-A).

Having the embassy letter of income certification letter in my possession I am now ready for the Immigration Office visit to make the change. Before I trek off I would like to make sure I have everything, and (as little as possible) that I will need.

Here is what I have:

(1) My Passport (with a copies of front page, most current extension of stay and TM6)

(2) TM6 (arrival/departure)

(3) Income of 65,000+ Baht certification letter from Embassy.

(4) Visa Photo

(5) Thai House Book and Map to my residence.

(6) Six year (Thailand Bank) Passbook for Savings account.

(7) Loving wife to accompany me and sign off on the change from (non-o to non-o-a)

.....and a my questions are....

(A) Is ONE COPY of each document sufficient?

( Will I need the my Thai Bank to certify my current account balance? (which s less than 800,000 Baht... I have enough income to meet the 65,000 baht monthly requirement).

© Will I need 'proof' of my 65,000 Baht income other than the Embassy certification when "making the CHANGE" from non-o to non-o-a?

I will be using the new Sakon Nakhon immigration office which I have read mixed reviews on.

Thanks in advance to all for your opinions.

[Jingthing]

O-A visas are only available from your home country. They are never available in Thailand. So don't ask for an O-A in Thailand. Rather, ask for an annual extension based on retirement. Some offices require to see a bank book and very recent bank letter (even a small amount) even when you do qualify based on income alone (as you do). Some do not. Its hard to know your exact office policy about that unless you ask them directly or have a poster here with recent experience there tell you. On the income proof question, reports over the years show usually immigration officers are satisfied with the embassy letter. However, they have the legal right to require more proof of that income at their discretion.

Timing is an issue here. Generally most immigration offices welcome applications for annual extensions based on retirement when you have about one month remaining on your current permission to stay. I think you will be able to change your permission to stay reason to retirement based on the old O visa you have been using to get extensions based on marriage. In other words, you won't be needing a new O or O-A visa obtained outside Thailand or even a change visa status done in Thailand (as you already have that old O you have been continuously using).

[lopburi3]

You are making a change to your extension of stay - it will be for retirement. It is not a visa and not OA. It is an extension of stay for retirement.

You should have something as proof but it is not normally asked - your bank book would likely prove enough.

There should not be any need for bank letter. Number of copies is up to the office - in Bangkok it is always one.

[Jingthing]

To clarify to the OP, I agree with Lopburi, so you are getting the same information written different ways. He is sure you won't need the bank letter in your situation. I wasn't because I don't know about your office, that's all. Good luck.

[thaiphoon]

Remember that if you plan to travel abroad during the period of the extension you will need to obtain a re-entry permit from immigration to keep your permission to stay alive. Fee 1,000 baht single entry; 3,800 baht multi entry.

[bellste]

O-A visas are only available from your home country. They are never available in Thailand. So don't ask for an O-A in Thailand. Rather, ask for an annual extension based on retirement. Some offices require to see a bank book and very recent bank letter (even a small amount) even when you do qualify based on income alone (as you do). Some do not. Its hard to know your exact office policy about that unless you ask them directly or have a poster here with recent experience there tell you. On the income proof question, reports over the years show usually immigration officers are satisfied with the embassy letter. However, they have the legal right to require more proof of that income at their discretion.

Timing is an issue here. Generally most immigration offices welcome applications for annual extensions based on retirement when you have about one month remaining on your current permission to stay. I think you will be able to change your permission to stay reason to retirement based on the old O visa you have been using to get extensions based on marriage. In other words, you won't be needing a new O or O-A visa obtained outside Thailand or even a change visa status done in Thailand (as you already have that old O you have been continuously using).

You are correct. You need a guarantee-letter from the bank. You must take your passport + one copy of page one, and the bank-book. You must then sign a form. They have to send it to the bank head office, as the local branch is not allowed to issue them anymore. It takes about three weeks before you get it.

You also need a heatlh ceritificate from a reputable hospital.

I changed my O-Visa to a retirement visa, without leaving the country.

[Jingthing]

For my retirement extensions I do get a bank letter that shows the balance to be the same as shown in my passbook. Offices want those letters to be very recent, sometimes even the same day. I am lucky to be able to get that letter locally at my home branch. Often people do have problems getting the letter if their home branch is in another city. I use the 800K in the bank method so of course I need the bank letter (as would those using the combo method, pension plus account). For those using the pension only method, they may not need any bank letter, and Lopburi has said it won't be needed. I had heard at Pattaya immigration they DO require the bank letter even for those using pension only to qualify, which is why I am uncertain about the policies at other offices on this.

For extensions of retirement in Thailand, there is no requirement for a health form or criminal record form. Those are required for people applying for O-A visas in their home countries. There may still be some non-conforming offices asking for the health form but that would be unusual.

I changed my O-Visa to a retirement visa, without leaving the country.

Um. No, you didn't. That is impossible. A retirement visa (O-A) is only available from your home country. You changed the way you get your EXTENSIONS to be based on retirement, that's all.

[InterestedObserver]

You also need a heatlh ceritificate from a reputable hospital.

I changed my O-Visa to a retirement visa, without leaving the country.

No need for a health certificate for an extension of stay based on retirement. An extension of stay is not a visa.

[lopburi3]

1. There should be no requirement for a bank book - much less a bank letter - if you have Embassy letter of 65k income.

2. There should be no medical certificate required. Believe one or two small officers have never gotten the word however.

[wpcoe]

I think Pattaya (Cholburi) Immigrations is one of the places that wants to see a bank book and a bank letter even when the applicant is using an Embassy letter of B65k income. I go to the Pattaya office, as I believe Jingthing does, but not sure what office the OP would be using.

[redwood13]

I think Pattaya (Cholburi) Immigrations is one of the places that wants to see a bank book and a bank letter even when the applicant is using an Embassy letter of B65k income. I go to the Pattaya office, as I believe Jingthing does, but not sure what office the OP would be using.

Yes, both have been required for the past few years no matter what method of qualifying for the extension is used.

-redwoood