Is it possible or worth trying to apply for retirement while in thailand with two week border stamp?

I heard before that you have to have 21 days left on your tv to apply but Im not sure if that is an absolute requirement?

Pretty sure that as the 15 stamp on arrival is not a visa of any kind you would be unable to get an extension based on retirement, as this is an extension to a visa.

Agree. You need an actual non-immigrant visa in your passport before you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement. You also must meet the financial and age requirements.

Yep. You need at least 21 days left on your stay to convert to a Non Imm Visa as part of the Extension process.

You can apply for conversion from a visa exempt stamp or a tourist visa but both require 21 days remaining and there are no exceptions allowed. As you need to obtain a visa best to obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa and after 60 days do the extension of stay.

Pretty sure that as the 15 stamp on arrival is not a visa of any kind you would be unable to get an extension based on retirement, as this is an extension to a visa.

That is incorrect as one can also apply for an extended stay if entered on visa exempt but in OP's case it wouldn't work as he needs 21 day left if he arrived on a visa exempt. Hence, he must enter by air or enter with a visa.

No he can not - but he can apply for a non immigrant visa entry to replace either a tourist visa entry or a visa exempt entry if there are 21 days or more remaining and he meets the requirements for an extension of stay - the extension of stay would come after the non immigrant entry.

Wonder why they would require 21 days remaining since it just takes a few minutes?

You can apply for conversion from a visa exempt stamp or a tourist visa but both require 21 days remaining and there are no exceptions allowed. As you need to obtain a visa best to obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa and after 60 days do the extension of stay.

I just finished this process yesterday. I don't think "conversion" is the correct terminology.

I arrived on a 30 day visa exempt entry stamp. 5 days later I applied for a non-immigrant visa with form TM 87 and applied for a one year retirement extension using form TM 7 all at the same time. The whole process took 10 minutes. I was given a stay of 15 months from the day I applied.

Note: this was done at Chonburi Immigration in Jomtien. Total cost 3,900 baht.

Considering the process is instant, you would think that they could do the same with a 15 day entry stamp.

Edited April 29, 201016 yr by tropo

It is called conversion if entry was a tourist visa and you use TM86. If entry visa exempt you use the newer TM87 for non immigrant visa.

The process may be done in one sitting or you may be asked to return in 60 days to do the extension of stay process. If different offices are involved there will always be a wait (some offices send you to Bangkok for the conversion process).

You can apply for conversion from a visa exempt stamp or a tourist visa but both require 21 days remaining and there are no exceptions allowed. As you need to obtain a visa best to obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa and after 60 days do the extension of stay.

Why is it best to get a type O how would it be any different than a TV which is going to be free again soon?

Because you need a non-immigrant visa in your passport before you can apply for a retirement extension of stay. Conversion/change of your TV into a Non "O" visa by immigration is not free.

Edited April 29, 201016 yr by InterestedObserver

Getting the Non Immigrant now would save one step - if you only have a tourist visa you must convert to Non Immigrant before doing the extension of stay and that will cost you a trip/paperwork and 2,000 baht.