Switch From Non-Immigration Visa To Retirement Visa, Possible?

[wariya]

German , over 50 yers old, has been in Thailand more than 4 years. Don't want to work anymore but want a long stay in Thailand.

1. How long can I stay in Thailand after work permit expired?

2. Any possibility to swithch from Non- Im VISA to Retirement VISA, and How?

Or apply for retirement VISA when I'm still in Thailand.

I called One stop Service center at jamjuree square, but nobody pick the phone.

Thank everyone,

[lopburi3]

If you have an extension of stay for work it ends the day your work ends and you are required to immediately cancel it in your passport and leave the country unless you apply for extension of stay normally (seven days). But if you are served by One Stop Center (BOI) you seem to get the seven days without need to cancel or pay. But if you want to extend for retirement you would have to do that at Chiang Watanna and expect you would have to make application immediately or obtain the 7 day extension. If you can meet the retirement requirements you should check for doing that and if not (you need time for getting the financials) you can exit and return on a single entry non immigrant O visa for a 90 day stay and extend during the last 30 days.

[tracy3eyes]

If you have an extension of stay for work it ends the day your work ends and you are required to immediately cancel it in your passport and leave the country unless you apply for extension of stay normally (seven days). But if you are served by One Stop Center (BOI) you seem to get the seven days without need to cancel or pay. But if you want to extend for retirement you would have to do that at Chiang Watanna and expect you would have to make application immediately or obtain the 7 day extension. If you can meet the retirement requirements you should check for doing that and if not (you need time for getting the financials) you can exit and return on a single entry non immigrant O visa for a 90 day stay and extend during the last 30 days.

Lop

I recently got a new non-visa - spouse at CW after having to do a conversion because I forgot re-entry permit on a 3 day trip out. They have stamped my passport until 31 July.

I was told that I could do either a non-o extension for spouse or retirement to get the other 9 months. Well I went to Chiangmai immigration this morning with all the necessary paperwork and more. The Immig officer said I could only extend for staying with spouse and not retirement which I though was odd? She said if I wanted to do for retirement I would need to leave the country and get a new Non-o for retirement. Was she correct?

appreciate your input asap

[lopburi3]

I suspect you obtained that immigration issued visa on basis of marriage extension of stay and they feel this can not be change (having been issued by Bangkok) so yes that is what you must do if that is what they say - or obtain a new entry/non immigrant O visa entry to do for retirement. Why not extend for Thai wife this time and then when next do change to retirement if that is what you want. Am sure Chiang Mai will be happy with that plan. But if Chiang Watanna specifically said you could later extend for either reason you should point that out and ask them to check - that might get an OK. Am sure they would prefer to use retirement if they feel Bangkok would not object.

[tracy3eyes]

I suspect you obtained that immigration issued visa on basis of marriage extension of stay and they feel this can not be change (having been issued by Bangkok) so yes that is what you must do if that is what they say - or obtain a new entry/non immigrant O visa entry to do for retirement. Why not extend for Thai wife this time and then when next do change to retirement if that is what you want. Am sure Chiang Mai will be happy with that plan.

Yes I did but it would have actually been far easier to do the retirement at CW. No she said that I would have to get a new non-o from outside the country if I did the spouse extension this time. So it looks like you cannot change your mind or convert from one to the other for extension at CW or CM. Strange?

[lopburi3]

Believe Chiang Mai can do the conversion for retirement so the fact you used Chiang Watanna means it was for Thai Wife and thus they are holding to that I suspect. Did you try to do at Chiang Mai?

[tracy3eyes]

Believe Chiang Mai can do the conversion for retirement so the fact you used Chiang Watanna means it was for Thai Wife and thus they are holding to that I suspect. Did you try to do at Chiang Mai?

Yes I tried to do at CM. But they said nothing about conversion there!

What is the rule on this though? Is holding me to something the rules or is it possible to extend for either? I would love to know the law/rules on this one.

[lopburi3]

The policy is you must apply at the immigration office serving your location for any extension of stay. The conversion is only done as a first step in the process after providing evidence that you qualify. Not all locations will do this conversion - they will then send you to Bangkok for that step. In the case of Chiang Mai they will do the conversion (in the case of retirement) I believe so that is where you should have done it if for retirement.

[Mario2008]

By all reports CM will converse for reason of retirement, but not for reason of being a family member of a Thai national. At most, if not all, immirgation offices they will send you to BKK for that.

[tracy3eyes]

By all reports CM will converse for reason of retirement, but not for reason of being a family member of a Thai national. At most, if not all, immirgation offices they will send you to BKK for that.

Mario

I currently have a non-o spouse visa but not yet done the extension. CM immigration mentioned nothing about being able to convert from spouse visa? Just said I had to do spouse extention and that if I wanted retirement I would have to leave the country to do! Should I go back and ask them to do conversion? Then submit retirement visa application? Your thoughts?

[Mario2008]

I can't give you any other advise then Lopburi gave. it seems that since you converted based on having a thai wife, CM immigration feels that you have to extend based on having a Thai wife. Probably the next time they will be willing to extend based on retirement.

If you really want to extend based on retirement, it seems you have 4 options:

- ask again nicely and ask them to confirm with BKK that it is allowed

- go and try to extend at BKK for reason of retirement

- apply for a new non-O visa abroad and take it from there

- go to a neighbouring country (Mai Sai/Chaing Rai crossing) without a re-entry permit and return to apply for a new conversio, this time for retirement. (but confirm first with CM immigration that they will do this)

[lopburi3]

By all reports CM will converse for reason of retirement, but not for reason of being a family member of a Thai national. At most, if not all, immirgation offices they will send you to BKK for that.

Mario

I currently have a non-o spouse visa but not yet done the extension. CM immigration mentioned nothing about being able to convert from spouse visa? Just said I had to do spouse extention and that if I wanted retirement I would have to leave the country to do! Should I go back and ask them to do conversion? Then submit retirement visa application? Your thoughts?

This is about someone not having the original visa from a Consulate. You seem to have the Consulate issued non immigrant O visa so no conversion is required (that is from a visa exempt or tourist visa) so if above age 50 and you can meet retirement extension of stay financials they will be happy to have you extend for that reason.

[Mario2008]

What is it that you have?

I recently got a new non-visa - spouse at CW after having to do a conversion because I forgot re-entry permit on a 3 day trip out. They have stamped my passport until 31 July.

or

I currently have a non-o spouse visa but not yet done the extension.

Did you get a visa from abroad, or did you arrive in thailand without a visa and converted to a non-immigrant entry at CW?

[tracy3eyes]

What is it that you have?

I recently got a new non-visa - spouse at CW after having to do a conversion because I forgot re-entry permit on a 3 day trip out. They have stamped my passport until 31 July.

or

I currently have a non-o spouse visa but not yet done the extension.

Did you get a visa from abroad, or did you arrive in thailand without a visa and converted to a non-immigrant entry at CW?

Mario

I got my original visa from Thai embassy London in 2004 and renewed my extension every year since. In march this year I forgot to do a re-entry permit on an 3 day trip out to HK and only granted 30 days on my return. I then went to CW and they allowed me a 60 day conversion. I then put in a new non-o spouse visa at CW with my wife in attendance. I collected my 90 day stamp on 17 May. So I then had a stamp till 31 July.

So I still needed to do an extension to get the remaining 9 months. I was told that I could extend either for marriage or retirement because of my age.

So when I as at our other home in chiangmai I went to CM immigration to extend for retirement but was told by the IO that I could only extend for spouse which I thought was strange when you concider I have a non-o visa and the requirements for retirement are more. I was told that the only way I could do for retirement is if I left the country and got a new non-o visa for retirement first and I could then extend for retirement.

What is the true rule/law on this? Or is it yet another example of IO's deciding for themselves rather than follow the rule to the letter?

Appreciate your input on this because it soes need to be clarified. And where do you go to get the definative?

Thanks

[Mario2008]

See my post number 11.

What the rule is, is ultimately decided by immigration head quarters, but currently CM immigration seems to think you can this time only extend based on marriage.

You can call the immigration hotline through 1111 (government information line) to see if it is allowed. if they say it is allowed you can go back to CM-immigration and ask again. If they refuse you politely tell them you checked with the immigration information line and they said you could, so if they could please consult with head quarters if it is allowed or not.

[tracy3eyes]

See my post number 11.

What the rule is, is ultimately decided by immigration head quarters, but currently CM immigration seems to think you can this time only extend based on marriage.

You can call the immigration hotline through 1111 (government information line) to see if it is allowed. if they say it is allowed you can go back to CM-immigration and ask again. If they refuse you politely tell them you checked with the immigration information line and they said you could, so if they could please consult with head quarters if it is allowed or not.

I just spoke with 1111 and they said I should be able to extend my non-o spouse visa based on retirement and they didnt understand the reason she gave. They said that maybe she worried you wont continue to support your children maybe. I said thats both ridiculous and im material to what the law states is the rule. They took my name and number and said they will call the CM office on monday to find out about the reason given. 1111 were surprised I was told that I would have to leave the country to get a new non-o visa for retirement. I said thats a waste of peoples time and money if the law states different!

I told 1111 my CM IO queue number and time I was there and described the lady.

1111 said they will call me back on Monday after speaking with the IO CM.

There appears to be a lack of understanding or adherence to the big rues.

Lets see what happens. I will update........monday...

[osiboy]

they are so welcoming,pay your money n' take your chances, when/if you dont meet the criteria,....bye bye,..............no ''good hearts here !.....................only money talks,.......welcome to the 3rd world !

[Mario2008]

they are so welcoming,pay your money n' take your chances, when/if you dont meet the criteria,....bye bye,..............no ''good hearts here !.....................only money talks,.......welcome to the 3rd world !

What do you think that immigration in Europe or the US would do if you don't meet the criteria?