Retirement Visa - Problem

[Brewmaster]

I have been living in Thailand since 2008 I am on an Australian passport.

I renewed my Non Immigrant O-A visa last year and obtained a Multi Entry Visa; I renewed again this year, however, on travelling overseas I noticed that this year’s renewal was not a Multi Entry one and that there is a requirement for me to visit the immigration in Thailand before leaving Thailand. This is a Retiremnt Visa which expires in May 2011. Dumb I know but I did not see this until now.

Currently I am in the Kingdom of Tonga where there is no Thai Embassey.

What action do I need to take to be able to return to Thailand and continue my retirement, I wish to return before the end of this month (August)?

[Lite Beer]

Moved to Visa forum.

[Lite Beer]

It looks like you have a 12 month extension of stay and did not apply for a re entry permit.

If this is correct then your extension is now dead and you will have to start all over again.

You would need a Non Imm O Visa to start the process again. If you cannot get one it would be possible with a 30 day Visa Exempt entry or a Tourist Visa.

[lopburi3]

As there is no such thing as a multi entry extension of stay and obtaining a multi re-entry permit is a separate function/form/payment not at all sure what you have.

Did you receive this from an Embassy/Consulate? Or did you receive inside Thailand at an Immigration office?

[Brewmaster]

As there is no such thing as a multi entry extension of stay and obtaining a multi re-entry permit is a separate function/form/payment not at all sure what you have.

Did you receive this from an Embassy/Consulate? Or did you receive inside Thailand at an Immigration office?

Received in Thailand at the immigration Dept in Jontien

[Brewmaster]

Attached,I hope, isa copy of the Visa.

[Lite Beer]

That looks like a 12 month extension of stay (not a Visa).

With no Re Entry Permit that would have died on the day you left Thailand.

[Mario2008]

that is an extension of stay from immigration. No re-entry permit means that your permission to stay in Thailand has expires when you left the country. You will need to get a new non-O visa. Don't apply for a OA-visa, that you can only apply for in your home country. A non-O visa also leads to an extension of stay based on retirement and doesn't need a doctors certificate or police check.

[Brewmaster]

that is an extension of stay from immigration. No re-entry permit means that your permission to stay in Thailand has expires when you left the country. You will need to get a new non-O visa. Don't apply for a OA-visa, that you can only apply for in your home country. A non-O visa also leads to an extension of stay based on retirement and doesn't need a doctors certificate or police check.

Thanks guys for your assistance; can I get this upon returning to Thailand if I get a return ticket, then a Tourist Visa and then a trip to immigration?

[Lite Beer]

It can be done with a Tourist Visa or a Visa Exempt stamp but it is much easier if you get a Non Imm O Visa from a Thai Consulate and start with that.

[lopburi3]

As long as you can meet the financials upon your return (it seems a visa is not an option in your current location) you should go to Immigration to convert your visa exempt entry of 30 days to a 90 day non immigrant entry and obtain a new extension of stay (this time be sure to obtain a re-entry permit at the same time). Costs will be 2,000 baht for entry change to non immigrant; 1,900 baht for one year extension of stay; 1,000 single or 3,800 multi re-entry permit.

[Brewmaster]

As long as you can meet the financials upon your return (it seems a visa is not an option in your current location) you should go to Immigration to convert your visa exempt entry of 30 days to a 90 day non immigrant entry and obtain a new extension of stay (this time be sure to obtain a re-entry permit at the same time). Costs will be 2,000 baht for entry change to non immigrant; 1,900 baht for one year extension of stay; 1,000 single or 3,800 multi re-entry permit.

Thanks - Sounds like the way to go; will I still need a ticket out of Thailand when I return?

[Mario2008]

That depends on the airline. Officially you will need a ticket out of the country and the airline can refuse to take you with them. Immigration normally leaves it up to the airline to check if you have indeed a ticket out of the country. Most airlines will indeed refuse you, while others don't seem to check at all.

Instead of the ticket out you can make a stop in Vientiane or elsewhere where you can get a non-O.

[Rama]

Immigration gives retirement visas on a tourist visa, but not a visa on arrival visa. Get a 60 tourist visa (free, other visa categories are not free) at any Thia embassy or consulate. once in Thailand, 4 weeks before the expiration of your tourist visa, go get a new retirement visa, same paperwork as before when you got your retirement visa.

[Jingthing]

Immigration gives retirement visas on a tourist visa, but not a visa on arrival visa. Get a 60 tourist visa (free, other visa categories are not free) at any Thia embassy or consulate. once in Thailand, 4 weeks before the expiration of your tourist visa, go get a new retirement visa, same paperwork as before when you got your retirement visa.

Nope. The immigration offices that do change of visa status for this purpose will change a 30 day stamp entries (which I assume is what you actually meant by visa on arrival visa). Nope. Immigration does not give retirement visas to anyone in Thailand. They will do change of status to O visa (never O-A retirement visa) and they will also do annual extensions of O visas (including of course retirement visas obtained from your home country for those who have those) based on retirement.

[Mario2008]

As an Australian, he doesn't qualify for a Visa on Arrival (15 days) bu he does qualify for a visa exempt entry, from which it is possible to convert to a non-immigrant visa.

If he could apply for a tourist visa, the OP could as well apply for a non-O visa to start with.

[Lite Beer]

Immigration gives retirement visas on a tourist visa, but not a visa on arrival visa. Get a 60 tourist visa (free, other visa categories are not free) at any Thia embassy or consulate. once in Thailand, 4 weeks before the expiration of your tourist visa, go get a new retirement visa, same paperwork as before when you got your retirement visa.

No.

It has to be converted to a Non Imm Visa first (2,000 Baht) then you apply for the retirement extension.(1,900 Baht) Sometimes 2 months later. Sometimes you are sent to Bangkok to convert. It can also be done with a 30 day Visa Exempt entry.

Much easier and cheaper to start with a Non Imm O Visa first if possible.

[Rama]

Lite Beer is correct in the details. You can convert, know MANY people that have. Easily done in bkk and cnx

[Jingthing]

Agreed. LB is correct.

[Mario2008]

Lite Beer is correct in the details. You can convert, know MANY people that have. Easily done in bkk and cnx

Bangkok an Jomtien (Pattaya) are the only ones I know that will convert nowadyas, most other immirgation oofices wil send you to Bangkok. That includes Chinag Mai, although there were some recent reports about people being able to convert to a non-O based on retirement there. I have seen reports based on voluntering and marriage to a Thai national being send to Bangkok.

[pauleddy]

I am going to Chang Wattana this week to renew my retirement extension for a second time. Is it enough to take--

Proof of funds letter

TM7 extension of stay form with 1 photo. I can download this form.

Passport with existing extension.

1900b

Anything else needed?

Thanks

Eddy

[lopburi3]

Bank passbook and copies of pages and sign if it is a bank deposit letter. Copies of passport/visa/entry/extension of stay and departure card that you have signed. Index fingers for fingerprinting and photo taken there. Two more forms will need to be signed during process. Go directly to queue desk after security gate if you have form filled out and photo attached. Wait area is directly to the left and queue seems to move quite quickly.

I would have some proof of address available if asked (although it probably will not be if there has not been a change).

[pauleddy]

Thanks. I have changed address.

No bank book---just income letter, which I have.

Eddy

[SunbeltAsiaExpert]

A non-immigrant O-A is a type of visa that is only issued overseas in your home country. It is, in most instances, a multiple entry visa with a stamp of 1 year validity each time you enter Thailand but may be a single-entry visa. A multi entry O-A can serve as your visa for close to two years before needing extension of stay (this is done by leaving/returning near the end of the visa’s one year validity and upon your timely return you will still be permitted to stay for the full 1 year from your date of re-entry into Thailand).

Now assuming you have had this type of visa and it has been extended based on your retirement at the Immigration Office in Thailand, this becomes an “extension of stay” based on retirement and this is usually issued on a single-entry basis. Meaning, that you Extension of Stay gets canceled if you leave the Kingdom without applying for and receiving a “re-entry permit” at the Thai Immigration office in Thailand before you leave the country. If this is your case, then you will need a new visa to return to Thailand and therefore your only resort is to apply again for another visa at the Thai Embassy or Consulate nearest you (a non-immigrant O visa, a Tourist visa, or simply a visa exemption entry stamp and proceed to extend it in Thailand based upon retirement again but note that a Tourist visa or exemption entry will require an extra step/cost to convert into an Extension of Stay based upon retirement). You cannot obtain a new OA visa at Consulate nearest you unless you happen to be in your country of residence.

However, if you had renewed this visa through a Thai Embassy or Consulate not in your home country, most likely, you have been issued on a 3-month single entry visa which will also expire upon leaving the Kingdom if you had not applied for a “re-entry permit”. A re-entry permit allows you to re-enter Thailand based upon the existing visa you have. It is issued for single entries and multiple entries and costs THB 1,000 and THB 3,800, respectively.

You may also enter Thailand under a 30-day visa exemption stamp at the airport being an Australian citizen (or obtain an upon-arrival visa at the Immigration at the airport) and consequently convert this 30-day visa exemption stamp (or upon-arrival tourist visa) into a Non-immigrant O visa based on retirement but you should have at least 21 days left on your visa stamp to do so and provided that you have all the other necessary requirements for retirement visa (e.g. over 50 years of age, proof of income of 65,000 baht per month or a deposit in a Thai bank account of 800,000 baht etc.). There are frequent reports that the requirement of 21 days remaining on your Visa being no longer enforced but it is better to be cautious as there has been no official change to the rules

[sunbeltlegal][/sunbeltlegal]