Tourist Visa Or Visa Exempt Entry Better To Convert To Non-O

[bkkguy1970]

I was staying in Bangkok with a non-o visa and yearly retirement extensions based on money in a thai bank. Just before last extension had to make an urgent trip home to Australia for family reasons and did not have time to get the next extension and a re-entry permit. The Thai Consulate in Sydney will not issue me (an Australian citizen) a non-O visa to do 1 year retirement extensions in Thailand based on money in Thai bank - they do not recognize this as a valid reason to get a non-o, will only offer a tourist visa.

as soon as I get to Bangkok I want to convert the visa to non-o at the main immigration office then do the retirement extension (money is already in the bank) at appropriate time

is it better to enter the country on the tourist visa and convert that, or ask airport immigration to not use the tourist visa but just give a visa exempt 30 day permission to stay?

thanks for advice,

bkkguy

[lopburi3]

Us the tourist visa for entry. Then fill out both TM.86 and TM.7 for the conversion and extension of stay. 2,000 and 1,900 baht plus two photos and normal financial proof. Best to also have some form of residence proof also in case asked.

[bkkguy1970]

thanks for the reply

if I remember correctly the conversion can be done any time up to 21 days before end of permission to stay? if I leave it till then the extension could possibly be doable at the some time?

bkkguy

[lopburi3]

Conversion has recently been reported with as little as a week remaining but no firm word - but is less than the 21 days now.

As for doing both at same time believe that is normal if you qualify and done in same office. If using bank deposit only there is the two month rule so if money just put into account you would convert and then be able to do the extension later.

[bkkguy1970]

I finally went to do this with a month remaining on my permission to stay on the tourist visa. the money had been in the bank for years and I still had the documents showing the transfer was from overseas etc so was hoping maybe to get the visa, extension and multi-re-entry on the same day as I will be traveling again soon and wated to avoid multiple trips all the way out there!

however on the day, after some games about petty problems with the supporting documents (eg photocopy of the passbook was not clear, but the copy from his machine was no better so he finally gave up!), they gave me a receipt for the application and told me to come back in two weeks.

when I went back two weeks later they stamped the non-o visa into my passport with a new permission to stay of 90 days from the date of issue of the non-o and said I could not do the extension till at least 30 days before the expiry of the new permission to stay! so I got a single re-entry and will do the extension when I get back again!

bkkguy

[Somnambulist]

Conversion has recently been reported with as little as a week remaining but no firm word - but is less than the 21 days now.

As for doing both at same time believe that is normal if you qualify and done in same office. If using bank deposit only there is the two month rule so if money just put into account you would convert and then be able to do the extension later.

I'm almost nine months into my first Non Im O for marriage and I've been under the impression that 400,000 baht had to be in the bank for three months prior to applying for an extension but a friend recently told me it's only two months. Is this true? Did the rule change recently or am I having a premature senior moment?

[lopburi3]

First time it is two months - thereafter it will be three months.

[JimGant]

they gave me a receipt for the application and told me to come back in two weeks.....when I went back two weeks later they stamped the non-o visa into my passport with a new permission to stay of 90 days from the date of issue of the non-o and said I could not do the extension till at least 30 days before the expiry of the new permission to stay!

Why the jerk-around, I wonder....? Three trips to Immigration, even tho' you had all the requirements up-front for the one-year extension...? Others in the same situation have had it all accomplished with a single visit (this was Bangkok Immigration, right?).

And, what is this 'come back in two weeks for your conversion' all about? (Mario has seen this before, but I sure haven't.) And if this is becoming common-place, sure says you'd better have at least 14 days left on your last permission of stay -- even if they have relaxed the 21-days left requirement.

[Mario2008]

It all depends on where you apply for the conversion and for which reason.

[Somnambulist]

Conversion has recently been reported with as little as a week remaining but no firm word - but is less than the 21 days now.

As for doing both at same time believe that is normal if you qualify and done in same office. If using bank deposit only there is the two month rule so if money just put into account you would convert and then be able to do the extension later.

I'm almost nine months into my first Non Im O for marriage and I've been under the impression that 400,000 baht had to be in the bank for three months prior to applying for an extension but a friend recently told me it's only two months. Is this true? Did the rule change recently or am I having a premature senior moment?

Hey, much obliged.

[lopburi3]

It is two months by Police Order 777 for marriage but some will want to see three months for anything but the first extension of stay (as is in Police Order 777 for retirement).