What Visa Next & How? Came In On Voa

[seeker108]

I just posted this in the visa area, but wanted to get any local insights into this that you are willing to share. One thing being is there someone locally, who for a reasonable fee can help advise on this better than what our resident sages here on Thaivisa can do (blasphemy. ). Or the ease or feasability in dealing with either the local imm office in CM for such things or at Mae Sae (and is that still the preferred place t go, if necessary?)

I lived here off and on from 12 until 6 years ago and used several different methods for continuing my stay during those years. Heck, I used to be one of those who knew all the ropes (as much as this is possible anyway) and advised others. But things change here quickly and 6 years is a long time (would be shocked if things had not changed in that time).

Basic Facts: I am from USA. I came in this time from Bali with VOA at BKK airport as no time to arrange visa from outside. I am 59.

Health reasons now prevent me from doing too much research on computer and so any help in thinking this through will be greatly appreciated.

I would like to get into some category where I only need worry about extension no more than once every 90 days (if that) and if possible with only need to go to local immigration office and not make border run. I think I had attained to that level of simplicity last time I was here and I don't think I had gotten a retirement visa (but maybe I did). Maybe OK to get it this time if not too much paper work and expense. I think I had however always just gone with some B or O visa in the past. Sorry, but memory right now not what it used to be. I will look through my passport to see if this shows anything.helpful. OK, would love to hear your suggestions on the long term picture with the above in mind. Is retirement visa not too complicated or expensive? Can i get this without needing to go out again to first obtain some other visa?

For the short term, one thing that a close friend had done in the past and knew of numbers of others who did as well was to FedEx his passport to his home in USA and had them FedEx to local honorary Thai consulate representative who sent it back to his home and then they sent back to him with a proper 90 day visa in it. Can't remember the logistics of what he did next, but I think he went to the Burma border by land and got stamped out with his then current VOA and then came back in showing the new 90 visa and so extension was not needed. Can something like this still be done? Or what other methods do you suggest for getting a proper 90 day visa or whatever it is I need to get to my more permanent status?

Thanks so much to those who are currently "in-the-know" and willing to post some of your knowledge even though I am sure much of this is already in some thread.

[seeker108]

For great replies to this issue in general see the following topic posts:

[onthedarkside]

No need to have 2 same topics running. This on closed.