Age 50, Not Possible To Go From Tourist Visa To One-Year Retirement Extension In One Day?

[SmokeandIce]

After recently turning 50, I arrived at Chaeng Wattana Bangkok Immigrations hoping to go from a double entry tourist visa to a one-year extension based on retirement all in one day.

However, once I got there, I was advised that I would need to have the tourist visa changed (altered). The Thai immigration officer there was very nice, but she advised that it would take two weeks to get this done. She did take my income verification as support to have the visa changed along with a THB 2,000 fee. Because I wasn't expecting this process time, I did ask her if it could not be done in one day; she said no.

I have two questions.

1). Is this normally a two week process? I haven't seen this issue addressed before in any other posts about retirement extensions.

2). Does this start as the retirement extension process and can I get the one-year retirement extension with the same income verification letter the thai immigration staff collected? or do I need a new letter?

Thanks as usual for all your help in understanding this process.

By the way, I did enquire about where I could find this process on the internet and she gave me the address: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th

[Tod Daniels]

I have personally seen it go both ways out at Changwattana. Sometimes they'll do the visa conversion (2000baht), AND the yearly extension (1900baht) in one felled swoop.

However more times than not, they do the visa conversion (tourist to non-o single entry 90 day) and tell you to come back when there's a month left to secure the yearly extension of stay.

It seems to be a crap shoot, and I can find abso-tively posi-lutely NO rhyme or reason on why sometimes it'll fly and other times it won't.

FWIW: I'm not quite sure about your 'two week' time frame dealy, but as I have pointed out, it is always a two STEP process from a tourist visa; first to a Non-O, then to the yearly extension of stay.

Did they issue you a Non-Immigrant Type-O visa with a 'permitted to stay' stamp of 90 days or what?

[PoorSucker]

1. Yes normal, you need to have a non-immigrant visa for 1 year extension of stay.

2. New paperwork.

[SmokeandIce]

Did they issue you a Non-Immigrant Type-O visa with a 'permitted to stay' stamp of 90 days or what?

No, I got only a receipt, she advised me that when I returned I would get a 90 day permision to stay and then I could apply for the retirment extension.

[Mario2008]

Believe it used to be one week, but the officer would know best. Now most offices send people to Bangkok to convert, so it might take some extra time.

Mostly it is a two step process, first you are converted to a non-immigrant and after about 60 days you can apply for the 1 year extension. (Some immigration offices seem willing to do both at the same time, suspect Bangkok will do it by the book).

That means you will need a new letter, unless you get to keep the original one and gave them a copy. You will need to show an original letter on your 1 year extension.

[Digitalbanana]

However more times than not, they do the visa conversion (tourist to non-o single entry 90 day) and tell you to come back when there's a month left to secure the yearly extension of stay.

I got the same and now at the Non O 90 day stage but for marriage not retirement from C.Wattana. It comes with a paper insert saying "At least 30 days before visa expiration, please apply for 1 year visa". By this wording the applicant could apply for one year visa same day as the 90 day non Imm O visa is issued could they not?

[JimGant]

No, I got only a receipt, she advised me that when I returned I would get a 90 day permision to stay and then I could apply for the retirment extension.

Hopefully that means you'll get both the Non Imm visa *and* the retirement extension on the same day two weeks hence.

And, your original income verification letter, now stapled to your pending file, will certainly suffice in getting the Non Imm conversion. And also the one-year extension, should you be able to do it the same day.

But, if they tell you to come back in 60 days, try and get the original income letter back, because, as Mario points out, you'll need an original income letter for the extension process, as apparently that 60-day wait somehow makes the conversion and the extension two completely unrelated events.....

Hopefully, tho, you'll get it all done same day.

[lopburi3]

However more times than not, they do the visa conversion (tourist to non-o single entry 90 day) and tell you to come back when there's a month left to secure the yearly extension of stay.

I got the same and now at the Non O 90 day stage but for marriage not retirement from C.Wattana. It comes with a paper insert saying "At least 30 days before visa expiration, please apply for 1 year visa". By this wording the applicant could apply for one year visa same day as the 90 day non Imm O visa is issued could they not?

It should say less than 30 days and should say extension of stay rather than visa.

[Digitalbanana]

However more times than not, they do the visa conversion (tourist to non-o single entry 90 day) and tell you to come back when there's a month left to secure the yearly extension of stay.

I got the same and now at the Non O 90 day stage but for marriage not retirement from C.Wattana. It comes with a paper insert saying "At least 30 days before visa expiration, please apply for 1 year visa". By this wording the applicant could apply for one year visa same day as the 90 day non Imm O visa is issued could they not?

It should say less than 30 days and should say extension of stay rather than visa.

Well it says as I quoted and attach herewith. From the English wording suggests I can apply any time from receiving the Non O visa i.e. from day-1 when they give it me to 30 days before it expires? Are you saying I should apply between days 60-90 of the Non Imm O for the years extension. What if I am not around during that time, very likely?

[lopburi3]

Thanks for the copy.

They may be using this to allow time to approve a marriage extension of stay without the normal extension for 30 days as you have just made the first move by obtaining the 90 day entry so it appears they may accept your application as soon as you meet the financial conditions and is a unique procedure now in place for that. The stamp appears to apply countrywide for conversions of entry/visa made in Bangkok rather than specific to Chiang Watanna.

The normal time for extension is within the last 30 days of a permitted to stay so that is what you should expect next year.

[Digitalbanana]

Yes, you could be right, I already met the financial conditions when I got the 90 day Non Imm O, thinking I was going to get a 1 yr immediately rather than 90 days - maybe they need to visit my home. I will try and get the year extension application in next few weeks (2 months before 2Nov) so I can free up my money in bank (perhaps?) but more likely since I will be traveling a lot in the 30 days before 2 Nov.