Arriving On 90 Day Tourist Visa.

[JimGant]

I thought I had read here about being able to go straight from a tourist visa to a retirement extension just thru one visit to the local immigration office -- not the two-step process you describe.

You did. But not all allow this. Bangkok apparently still does not allow "one-day shopping," as Parvis (above) and several others have reported. And, to add agony to having to come back in the last 30 days of your new 90-day permission period, several have reported that you have to obtain a new "income statement," as the one you used initially is kept by Immigration -- thus requiring a new income statement 60 days or so later.... (Parvis?)

Now, others have reported "one-day shopping" at Jomtien, Phuket, and Chonburi. And, CMBob also got same-day treatment at his Immigration office over a year ago. He doesn't say what office, but assuming "CM" in his name means something, I guess we can assume Chiang Mai (?).

The extension of stay based on retirement is good for one calendar year from the date of issue,

Actually, not from the date of issue, but from the expiration date of the 90-day permission period being used as your starting point for your initial one-year retirement extension. So, whether you enter on a Non Imm visa, thus getting a 90-day stamp at the airport -- or converting to a Non Imm O at Immigration -- which also gets you a 90-day stamp -- your one-year extension period begins at the expiration of the 90-day stamp.

This can make planning for subsequent retirement renewals problematic -- as this will be 15 months down the road, possibly a month of the year when you'd planned to be away. A few years back, your initial one-year extension began on the date you last entered Thailand on a Non Imm visa. (In the days before TM86/87 in-country conversions.)

So, if the OP plans to convert a Tourist Visa in Bangkok, it might pay to call-up the honorary consulates to see if any will issue a Non Imm O based on being retirement eligible. As mentioned, Houston won't. And I asked the same question to Portland a few weeks back. They never responded (which means what?).

And if contemplating a Non Imm O-A visa, forget LA -- they'll only issue a single-entry variety, which severely cuts the utility. The others (NY, DC, and Chicago) that will issue O-As still, I believe, issue multiple entry varieties.

But, a Tourist Visa, with conversion in Thailand, looks to be the way to go in most scenarios.

[jfchandler]

Parvis, your terms are a bit off here below...

You did not apply for a retirement visa here in Bangkok... You applied for an extension of stay based on retirement.

Extensions of stay based on retirement do not have any provisions about single or multiple re-entry when you apply. You get the extension here in Thailand period. Then, if the person wants to leave Thailand at any point during the year, they need to purchase a separate re-entry permit in order to avoid having their extension lapse when they travel outside Thailand...

As stated above, the re-entry permit, which can be purchased at the time you do your extension or at a later time, can be single use or multiple/unlimited re-entries during the duration of that year's extension.

It is the actual visas people obtain OUTSIDE Thailand, not once you're already here, that can have single or multiple/unlimited entry provisions.

Finally I decided to go for my retirement Visa right here in Bangkok. You need your proof of income certified by the US Consulate (which amounts to a sworn statement by you signed by Consulate Official) - for the price of 1100 baht - if I remember correctly. You will initially get a "3 month Visa" from Thai Immigration - which thereafter can be extended for a year each time - by supplying again your newly certified proof of income.

It is easy - simple - uncomplicated.

If you want to have a "multiple entry visa" - you will have to specify this. Otherwise - you can just each time get a "re-entry permit" whenever you need it - which I do.

[jfchandler]

Jim/Typhoon, I'm very clear on what occurred in my case, and it did NOT involve any 90 day interim visa prior to the start of my retirement extension.

As stated above, I had a multiple entry B visa that had an expiration date of mid 09. I made a final entry into Thailand on that visa just before its expiration, and got a 90 day permission to stay stamp at the airport that ran thru mid September 09.

Then in early September 09 prior to the end of my stamp, I went to Suan Phlu (the BKK immigration office at the time) and walked out the same day with my first extension of stay based on retirement.

I can't profess this same one-step process would work for someone starting with a tourist visa. Keep in mind, I was going in with what already was a non-immigrant visa (B-business). But it certainly worked in my case, with the consulting help of one of TV's well-known sponsors.

And Jim, re your comment about the date/duration of the extension of stay, I checked my own documents to see/confirm.

When they issued my retirement extension, they dated it as one year from the end of the 90 day entry stamp I had received at the airport. So even though I did my paperwork at Immigration in early Sept 09, the one-year extension stamp was marked one year from middle Sept. 09 to mid Sept. 2010.

[lopburi3]

If you meet the conditions for retirement extension of stay (money in bank 2 months or 65k income letter) Immigration may do both in one step. If you do not have the 2 months the extra time of the new 90 day stay allows that to happen.

As said you apply with a TM86 or TM87 form for the non immigrant 90 day stay at 2,000 baht and then with a TM7 form and 1,900 baht for the one year extension of stay.

[JimGant]

I'm very clear on what occurred in my case, and it did NOT involve any 90 day interim visa prior to the start of my retirement extension.

Jfc, understood. You already had a Non Imm visa from which to implement your retirement extension from ("O" or "B" suffix irrelevant). Thus, no need to for an in-country conversion to a Non Imm visa (your so-called "90-day interim visa"), obtained by either converting from a 30-day visa exempt entry (form TM87) or converting from a Tourist Visa (form TM86).

I can't profess this same one-step process would work for someone starting with a tourist visa. Keep in mind, I was going in with what already was a non-immigrant visa

Again, understood. When going to Immigration for an initial retirement extension, after having entered Thailand on a Non Imm visa, that should always be a simple one-step process (for retirement extensions, anyway; marriage extensions get more complicated). Only when entering on a 30-day stamp, or tourist visa, would the two-step process come into play, since the first step involves getting an in-country Non Imm visa. But, as said, some immigration offices will do the conversion -- and extension -- same day. Only Bangkok comes to mind as requiring a two-step route.

When they issued my retirement extension, they dated it as one year from the end of the 90 day entry stamp I had received at the airport. So even though I did my paperwork at Immigration in early Sept 09, the one-year extension stamp was marked one year from middle Sept. 09 to mid Sept. 2010.

Right. As I said, your retirement extension started from "the end of the 90 day entry stamp" -- not from the "date of issue." Thus, you now have to deal with your next retirement renewal 15 months down the road -- which may or may not coincide with your travel plans in and out of Thailand.

I think we're saying the same thing. It just that terminology on this subject has gotten so convoluted.

[jfchandler]

Good comments, Jim... Yes, you're right, and I agree with you...

I was wrong originally in thinking my one year extension began with the date of issue. You were correct, in that it begins with the ending date of whatever your latest "permitted to stay until stamp" is... In my case, that meant only about a two week difference from the underlying one year extension.

As for the OP's original question, I'm not sure we've clearly answered him as yet.. He is planning to come to Thailand from the U.S. on a tourist visa...not a non-imm visa. And he's planning to seek his extension based on retirement, if he goes thru with it, at the BKK Immigration office.

As explained above, my experience was a bit different because I already had a non-imm visa status when seeking my extension.

But for him or others who want to convert from a tourist visa to a retirement-based extension in BKK at Chaeng Wattana, can they expect to accomplish it there in one visit, or is it more likely to be a two visit/step process, as has been described above???

It's already been stated above that the tourist-to-retirement extension process can be a one-step process at least at some of the other/outlying Immigration offices... But what about BKK???

[JimGant]

If you meet the conditions for retirement extension of stay (money in bank 2 months or 65k income letter) Immigration may do both in one step. If you do not have the 2 months the extra time of the new 90 day stay allows that to happen.

This is where I question Bangkok's lack of accommodation.

The examples I saw were for folks going the "income" route. Thus, no need to say 'come back' after your money has aged 2 months (a la money in the bank, vice income, route). Nevertheless, they had these folks come back 2 months later. Maybe just falling back into old habits of 'no extension until last 30 days of your 90-day permission period.'

Would be helpful if others could report their results of 'conversions to Non Imm visas' at their particular Immigration office.

One thing seems for sure -- conversions for extensions based on marriage have to be accomplished in Bangkok. Not so, however, for conversions related to retirement extensions.

[jfchandler]

Indeed, Jim...

1. In my case, I qualified for the retirement extension based on monthly income and the certification letter from the U.S. Consulate Services folks...so no seasoning period for bank funds involved in my case...

2. When I went to Suan Phlu to apply for my first extension based on retirement, I was within the last 30 days before the expiration of my 90-day permission to stay stamp from the airport...

So I fit into both of the criteria you mentioned... But again, I wasn't working from a tourist visa... And that's the root question being posed here..

PS - Since we're talking about this now, I decided to go to the Immigration Bureau's web site -- http:// www.imm.police.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php or http:// www.imm.police.go.th/ -- to look at some of the TM forms being mentioned.

And, using Firefox, I get the error message saying the site has been reported as a reported "attack page" that steals info and/or installs malicious programs, etc etc... I know I can go around this.... And I know this problem has been mentioned here on TV in the past...

But I'm wondering, is it reasonably safe (or not) to access the Immigration Bureau web site using a PC that has the normal firewall/anti-spyware/router safeguards in place???

[lopburi3]

It should be safe and the problem was long ago. But you can get the forms with direct links from our useful information pinned items at top of page.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-Immigra...loads-cat6.html

[jfchandler]

Thanks for the referral and reminder about the TV site for immigration document downloads, Lop...

I went back to the Thai Immigration web site using Firefox, and could click thru the "AttacK Page" warnings for the upper level pages. But when I got to the pages that contain their documents, I couldn't click past the "Attack Page" warnings.... No matter what I tried, it just kept staying with the big RED warning page...and no content....

They may have resolved the problems before, but Immigration doesn't seem to have cleared their pages with Google or whomever is the keeper of that stuff....

[Tod Daniels]

A friend of mine entered on a single entry 90 day Non-Immigrant Type O visa. He went to the old Immigrations at Suan Plu THREE times before they’d issue him the extension of stay based on retirement.

He went after he was here for a month and was told to return when he had less than a month left.

Not believing them he went again the next month, where they basically said ‘<deleted> are you doing here? We told you before to come back when there was LESS than a month left” . Finally following the ‘rules’ he returned with 25 days left and was promptly issued the year’s extension of stay based on retirement.

In other news, I had about 33 days left on my current extension of stay but needed to do a 90 day reporting out at Changwattana. I tried and succeeded in securing another years’ extension of stay even with 33 days left on the current one. And yes the new extension was stamped from the last day of my previous one for another year, so I lost no days.

As an aside; even I can't get to the forms on the Thai Immigrations website, and wholeheartedly recommend downloading them from T/V..

[jfchandler]

I guess that's a pretty clear sign that when Immigration says....come back when you have a month or less left on your permission to stay....they mean it.... SHOCKING!!!!

He went after he was here for a month and was told to return when he had less than a month left.

Not believing them he went again the next month, where they basically said ‘<deleted> are you doing here? We told you before to come back when there was LESS than a month left” . Finally following the ‘rules’ he returned with 25 days left and was promptly issued the year’s extension of stay based on retirement.

[gudtymchuk]

I must say, it's all very strange and confusing the first time or times you go thru it... But after you've been round the track a few times, it gets to be pretty easy and workable (some would say... )

Thanks JFC, your explanations have been a great help. Only thing is, I will not be staying in Bangkok but will be either in Udon Thani or Sakron Nakhon. I understand the Sakon Nakhon Immigration office is brand new and wondering if they will do the Extension of Stay based on retirement since they are a new office? I would not want to make 2 trips to Bangkok to obtain the extension of stay based on retirement from either Udon or Sakon Nakhon but would it that was what is required. Thanks again for all your help.

[Lite Beer]

All Immigration Offices issue extensions of stay.

However not all will change your stay from Tourist to Non Imm O. Some will send you to Bangkok. You will have to ask Udon or Sakon Nakhon offices.