Best Approach For In-And-Out A Few Months At A Time

[mangolover]

I tried searching for the info that would answer my questions, but it's not so easy.

I am an American, semi-retired (I have a part-time job online), based on Guam, U.S. territory that is a lot closer to Thailand than to the U.S. I have a 1-room condo in Pattaya, and of late I have been going back and forth between Pattaya and Guam. My next entry into Thailand is in mid-December. This time around, I got a 60-day, single entry tourist visa by mail (I used the Portland, Oregon Thai Consulate, which seems more efficient than the Honolulu one), and I planned my stay to be exactly 90 days, so I will be able to get the one allowable extension and not have to leave the country or pay a high fee to one of the agencies that can get around the rules.

Now comes my question: I would like to be able to enter Thailand for a few months at a time (1) without having to get a new visa by mail each time, and (2) with more flexibility, to be able to stay more than 3 months at a time, and with anywhere from 1 to 6 months between entries.

One option would be to get a multiple-entry tourist visa, but I think there's a time limit (3 months?) on how soon I would have to re-enter after leaving. (Or is it 3 months from the issuance of the visa or from the first entry?)

I have been assuming that the O-A visa is the best way to go, and I am in the process of transferring 800,000 baht + to my Bangkok Bank account with that in mind. However, I am not so clear on the rules and procedures for this. For example:

1. Will I be able to apply at the Pattaya Immigration Office?

2. Will I have to show that the 800,000 baht has been in my account for 3 months? 2 months?

3. Will I have to show that police or court clearance that I haven't been convicted of a crime?

4. Will I have to show a medical statement that I haven't had any of those listed diseases? (Presumably, I should get both of these documents before leaving here.)

5. Will either or both of these documents have to be notarized (as I read somewhere)?

6. With a multiple entry O-A visa, I will still have to get a re-entry permit each time before leaving Thailand, right? Does that cost anything?

6. Is there anything else?

This all seems pretty complicated. Alternatively, is there another option I'm not aware of? The Type O visa seems to have specific requirements that I don't have. I don't think I can apply for a new tourist visa at immigration before leaving Thailand, and even if I could, I think I would have to use it within 3 months, right?

Any information or suggestions will be much appreciated.

Rick

[beechguy]

You need to reveiw what you really want. You will not get an "O-A" Visa in Pattaya, that would have to be obtained in the U.S. You could however apply for a one year "Extension of Stay" based on retirement in Pattaya, no medical or criminal check. You can enter on a Tourist Visa and apply for the extension, there would be a temporary "O" Visa issued as part of the retirement process, that stay would be extended. Just would need to apply for a multi-entry re-entry permit.

[lopburi3]

You seem to be over age 50 but talking about one year extension of stay for retirement rather than O-A visa.

1. Jomtien actually the location.

2. 2 months.

3. No.

4. No.

5. N/A

6. You will get a one year extension for retirement at 1,900 baht. You must obtain re-entry permit to travel at 1k each or 3.9k for multi (same time period as extension).

7. You must have a non immigrant O visa entry to start this process so best to use that for your next entry. If not you must change at Immigration to that type of entry at added cost of 2k.

Be aware you should not be doing any work while in Thailand without a work permit.

[mangolover]

Thank you, guys. I find this all quite confusing as the information seems a little different depending on where you look, but I think the fog is beginning to lift.

To both beechguy and lopburi3:

Yes, I am well over 50. My goal is pretty straightforward. I would like to be able to come and go 2 or 3 times a year for a few months at a time, with as little trouble and expense as possible. Eventually, I might want to stay in Thailand more full-time, but not just yet.

Lopburi3 seems to suggest that I should enter with an O visa next time, but how does one do that? What documentation is required?

More to the point, however, since i didn't do that this time, from what both of you say it seems the logical route is to go to Immigration with my tourist visa and begin the process of changing to an O visa and then applying for the one year Extension of Stay. If the extra 2k you refer to, lopburi3, is the main deterrent to going this route, I can live with that.

Lopburi3, you also say that I will have to show that the 800,000 bt has been in my account for 2 months. Is that for the O visa or for the Extension of Stay or both? In other words, do I wait until it's been there for 2 months before starting the process (roughly 6 weeks after my arrival and 6 weeks before my departure), or do I start it right away?

Is the bankbook sufficient, or will I need a letter from the bank? And is that all the documentation I will need?

You guys perform a great service by helping people out with these things.

Rick

You seem to be over age 50 but talking about one year extension of stay for retirement rather than O-A visa.

1. Jomtien actually the location.

2. 2 months.

3. No.

4. No.

5. N/A

6. You will get a one year extension for retirement at 1,900 baht. You must obtain re-entry permit to travel at 1k each or 3.9k for multi (same time period as extension).

7. You must have a non immigrant O visa entry to start this process so best to use that for your next entry. If not you must change at Immigration to that type of entry at added cost of 2k.

Be aware you should not be doing any work while in Thailand without a work permit.

[lopburi3]

As you are not in Thailand currently and normally do not stay long it may be a problem if this visit is short; as for conversion to non immigrant entry that only requires the money/letter but for extension itself you will have to have money in account 2 months. So if you plan to stay long enough the conversion makes sense - if not just obtain a non immigrant visa entry next time and start the retirement from that. Your age and intent to check on retirement should be enough to get the non immigrant visa from a Consulate. But if you want to do this trip you will need to transfer the money, take passbook with bank letter of account balance and some proof of where you live to immigration for conversion and then do again after money in account 2 months for the extension of stay. Very easy to do.

[mangolover]

This is getting clearer, but just to make sure I understand you:

This stay will be from mid-December until mid-March. The money will be in my account well before I get there. So to be clear,

1. First I go to the bank and get a letter confirming my account balance. (I suppose this is a way to prove I didn't deposit the money, update my passbook, then withdraw the money without updating the passbook again, or something like that).

2. Then I go to Immigration with that letter, my passbook, a copy of my condo unit title (in my name), passport, 2000 baht, a couple of photos just in case, and I apply for conversion to O visa, with the reason that I plan to retire in Thailand in the near future.

3. Once the money has been in the account for 2 months, I get a new letter from the bank (?), go back to immigration and request a one-year multiple-entry extension of stay.

If that's correct, it's plenty of information for now, but just to anticipate, if you don't mind continuing this exchange, what do I do as the end of that one year approaches?

Thanks again.

As you are not in Thailand currently and normally do not stay long it may be a problem if this visit is short; as for conversion to non immigrant entry that only requires the money/letter but for extension itself you will have to have money in account 2 months. So if you plan to stay long enough the conversion makes sense - if not just obtain a non immigrant visa entry next time and start the retirement from that. Your age and intent to check on retirement should be enough to get the non immigrant visa from a Consulate. But if you want to do this trip you will need to transfer the money, take passbook with bank letter of account balance and some proof of where you live to immigration for conversion and then do again after money in account 2 months for the extension of stay. Very easy to do.

[Lite Beer]

If that's correct, it's plenty of information for now, but just to anticipate, if you don't mind continuing this exchange, what do I do as the end of that one year approaches?

You do the whole thing over again but without the need for the Non Imm O Visa.

Just apply for another 12 month extension.

[lopburi3]

go back to immigration and request a one-year multiple-entry extension of stay.

You take the same information and request a one year extension of stay for retirement using a TM.7 form with current 4x6cm photo attached (believe several copies of everything will be required) and once you obtain the extension of stay you request a multi re-entry permit. There is no multiple-entry extension of stay from Immigration. It is a two step process.

[thaihome]

The Op is making the common mistake of using the term visa interchangeably with an extension of a permission to stay stamp.

Once he gets the difference straight in his mind, the process will make much more sense to him.

TH

[mangolover]

TH,

If I am "The Op," please address me directly. I do understand that a visa, strictly speaking, refers to permission to enter a country, and really what we are discussing here are changes in immigration status, extensions of permission to stay, and re-entry permits whose purpose, presumably, is to avoid the need to acquire a new visa before next entering Thailand. That said, I guess you do make a good point, and using terms carelessly does tend to cloud the issues.

If I (finally) understand it correctly, once I have changed my status from Tourist to whatever it's called ("Non-Immigrant"? "Retiree"? "Pre-retiree"? "O-ist"?), all further transactions involve requests for extension of stay and requests for re-entry permits; never again are any visas involved. Am I getting it? May I also assume that, as long as one continues to meet the requirements for further extensions and does not leave Thailand without a re-entry permit, this process can be continued indefinitely? Am I getting close to the heart of the matter?

The one other question that I don't think has been answered is: Is there a limit (3 months? 6 months?) to how long a re-entry permit remains valid?

Seriously, guys. I really do appreciate all your efforts to share information.

Mangolover

The Op is making the common mistake of using the term visa interchangeably with an extension of a permission to stay stamp.

Once he gets the difference straight in his mind, the process will make much more sense to him.

TH

[lopburi3]

A re-entry permit is valid until used (single entry) or until current permitted to stay until date (it gets the same date and allows return until that same date).

[mangolover]

Cool.

Thanks again.

[rmacdon61]

You seem to be over age 50 but talking about one year extension of stay for retirement rather than O-A visa.

1. Jomtien actually the location.

2. 2 months.

3. No.

4. No.

5. N/A

6. You will get a one year extension for retirement at 1,900 baht. You must obtain re-entry permit to travel at 1k each or 3.9k for multi (same time period as extension).

7. You must have a non immigrant O visa entry to start this process so best to use that for your next entry. If not you must change at Immigration to that type of entry at added cost of 2k.

Be aware you should not be doing any work while in Thailand without a work permit.

Thank you lopburi. I had thot I'd done my research affectively, but your explanation cleared it up. I did attend Mae Sai after arrival on a 30 day exemption (BKK) and was confused by what happened as I had gotten extentions before without doing a border run. This time, I applied for a retirement extention (1 year), told I had to cross over and back which never happened before for the extention but now I see I had to get the non O visa first (2000B) then, as she didn't explain why. I re-attend in 2 weeks for the retirement visa and assume I then pay for that at the time.

Again thats, clear info Buddy keep it up.

[jpinx]

Cool.

Thanks again.

I do a similar routine, but not as regular. I arrived at beginning of November, get 30 day permit to enter, go out next week to get a 2-entry TR visa, and that does me until I leave again in March. You can repeat that process a lot -- only depending on how long you stay out between visits so that your passport does not have too many visas in a year.

I considered the retirement visa, but this method is less paperwork, no thai banking hassles, and more flexible for me. I do the visa run as part of a weekend away, so it is a nice experience