I am the unmarried father of a thai child currently about to relocate back to the UK permantly following a number of years of living between the two countries.

I am currently in the UK and I am about to renew my non O visa based on the above but the rules have now changed for unmarried fathers and the Thai Consulate at Cardiff will only allow me a 6 month tourist visa.

I needed the Non O visa primarily to sell my car. Just like when I bought the vehicle I understand that in order to sell I must produce a ''proof of residency'' form obtainable from immigration ...but only if you have a non O visa in your passport !

So basically I bought a car under Thai Government rules in the first half,only for the Thai Government to change the rules at half time and consequently stop me from legally selling my car in the second half.

I have read these forums and think there might be ways around this but would be grateful if someone could advise regarding the following:-

I am over 50....I have a Thai Bank account...so based on this could I transfer 800,000 Thb to my Thai bank a/c from the UK now and then enter Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa,then visit an immigration office and get the visa changed to a 90 day O retirement visa ?

If so is there any time limit the money has to be in the Thai bank? If not a visa on arrival change could I get a 6 month tourist visa obtained in Cardiff changed ?

Is there any other way around this aside from giving Thai tea money at the immigration office ? I would rather not have to send £16,000 pounds to Thailand only probably to run into more Thai inflicted suffering in transferring the money back together with the estimated £15,000 proceeds from my car.

I have asked Cardiff for a single entry Non O just to sort out my affairs but they will not budge. They also tell me that to get a retirement visa from them I need to deposit both 800,000 thb and produce proof of retirement income of £1200 per month.

The other option is I could slip over the border into Laos with my partner and child and hope that they might issue me the Non O...I hear that some Thai Visa unmarried fathers have had some success with this.

The trouble you have to go to just to sell your flaming car! .....there are at least some things I won't miss about Thailand...

What is the best option/way round this ?

Any news or advice from anybody would be very much appreciated.

You could do that. For the conversion a minimum time in the account.

But first contact the consulate in Hull and see if they will issue a single non-O based on retirement.

There is this recent topic, started two days ago, about the certification of residence. From the way I read that topic, the first choice to apply would be the immigration office, if you can't get it there, go to the amphoe office, and as a last resort, because expensive, your embassy or consulate, where you will definitely get it.

You could do that. For the conversion a minimum time in the account.

But first contact the consulate in Hull and see if they will issue a single non-O based on retirement.

Thank you Mario.

Apart from the obvious requirement of being over 50 what are the other requirements for the 90 day retirement single to be issued?

There is this recent topic, started two days ago, about the certification of residence. From the way I read that topic, the first choice to apply would be the immigration office, if you can't get it there, go to the amphoe office, and as a last resort, because expensive, your embassy or consulate, where you will definitely get it.

Thanks for the link Maestro,

If I am unable to get the retirement 90 day visa as per Mario then I guess this will be the next step.

Do not believe you would have any problem getting at least a single entry non immigrant O visa with money in the UK from Hull or even from a Consulate in the immediate area of Thailand. Get it based on retirement plans rather than parentage.

Do not believe you would have any problem getting at least a single entry non immigrant O visa with money in the UK from Hull or even from a Consulate in the immediate area of Thailand. Get it based on retirement plans rather than parentage.

Thanks for that info lopburi3.

I have just been informed by Hull that they can issue a non O visa for people over 50 providing you can produce evidence that you have at least £20,000 in a UK savings or bank a/c or can prove you have £1200 or more income each month. No problem whether you want a single or multiple entry visa. .... this differs from Cardiff who insist you must have proof of monthly income.Lump sum savings do not count for them. Different consulates seem to have been given different instructions from those that be it would seem. Nothing new there I suppose.

Apply to the Hull consulate for a 90 day visa and on arrival you can change over to a non O you cannot get a non O on a tourist visa make sure that you have your 800 k in the bank for a minimum of 3 months before you apply for your non O Good Luck !!!!!!!!!

Apply to the Hull consulate for a 90 day visa and on arrival you can change over to a non O you cannot get a non O on a tourist visa make sure that you have your 800 k in the bank for a minimum of 3 months before you apply for your non O Good Luck !!!!!!!!!

The 800 k should be in your thai bank account and once again a 90 day entry can be converted to a O visa at any time during the ninty day period !!!!

Your information is not correct.

If he arrives with a non immigrant O visa he can directly go to retirement extension of stay after 60 days using 800k in bank 2 months or 65k per month income of a combination to meet 800k.

If he arrives on a tourist visa he can change that to non immigrant visa entry at a cost of 2,000 baht by show of having 800k in bank or 65k per month income of a combination of meet 800k and then after 60 days extend as normal for retirement.

I have basically been told by a lady at Hull that they will issue me with a one year Multiple Entry Non O visa based on the fact that I am over 50 if I can provide evidence that I have at least £20,000 in a UK savings account. She said a retirement visa is something that you get in Thailand. I was only asking about the retirement visa route since I am now over 50 and Cardiff would nolonger issue me with a Non O based on being the unmarried father of a Thai child.

If I can still obtain a Non O due to my age and savings then that is great. I just have to apply for the Non O based on the fact that I am at retirement age.

However the visa I get will not be a retirement visa but a regular non O visa...basically the same as I got previously for being the father of a Thai child.

I don't really want to send 800,000 thb to my Thai bank account since all I want to do is sell my car and get back to blighty for my daughters education.

If what I have been told is correct then my prayers have been answered and a headache removed. I can sell my car,keep my money in the UK and I will still have the Multiple Entry O visa to use on family visits to Thailand during my daughters school holidays.

Yes for your use the multi entry non immigrant O visa should be fine and you will have freedom to travel at any time for stays of up to 90 days each. But if you want to save a bit and do not plan to stay longer than 30 days after car is sold a single entry would be fine and then just travel on visa exempt entry for vacation visits.

I am currently in the UK and I am about to renew my non O visa based on the above but the rules have now changed for unmarried fathers and the Thai Consulate at Cardiff will only allow me a 6 month tourist visa.

Sorry what has changed and when?I'm also unmarried father,and extend my non O visa every yr here in Thailand without any problems so far.I'm 49 yrs old,I have to show proof of income, and birth certificate,and a document from family court

I am currently in the UK and I am about to renew my non O visa based on the above but the rules have now changed for unmarried fathers and the Thai Consulate at Cardiff will only allow me a 6 month tourist visa.

Sorry what has changed and when?I'm also unmarried father,and extend my non O visa every yr here in Thailand without any problems so far.I'm 49 yrs old,I have to show proof of income, and birth certificate,and a document from family court

For you nothing has changed.

The post was about getting a new visa based on having a Thai child, not about extensions of stay like you get every year from immigration. The change is that one must have proof of being the legal father, which you have with your court docuement. The birth certificate alone is not enough anymore.

I am currently in the UK and I am about to renew my non O visa based on the above but the rules have now changed for unmarried fathers and the Thai Consulate at Cardiff will only allow me a 6 month tourist visa.

Sorry what has changed and when?I'm also unmarried father,and extend my non O visa every yr here in Thailand without any problems so far.I'm 49 yrs old,I have to show proof of income, and birth certificate,and a document from family court

For you nothing has changed.

The post was about getting a new visa based on having a Thai child, not about extensions of stay like you get every year from immigration. The change is that one must have proof of being the legal father, which you have with your court docuement. The birth certificate alone is not enough anymore.

Thanks a lot for clarification,was looking around to find any change

You should listen to the Global Moderator's advice above; which is correct.

The easiest least expensive option, is to arrive on the free 30-day Visa Exempt entry.

Then obtain an Affidavit from UK Embassy/Consulate verifying your monthly income +2200 GBP;

go to closest Thai Immigration Office with Affidavit, Passport, Photo, and complete TM87 Application,

pay fee (2000THB); and you leave with your Passport stamped with the Non-Imm. "O" Visa good for 90 days.

Then, within final 30 days you can get your 1-year Ext. of Stay with same documentation (except use Form TM7),

and fee of 1900 THB (+ 1000THB for single reentry stamp). Depending on Imm.Office and the whims of the Officers,

you might even be able to get the 1-year Ext. of Stay at same time.

Brizzle

One thing to be sure of. If you go for retirement (O Visa) the 800,000 Baht needs to be (On Deposit) for a minimum of 90 days. I have applied every year and this time I had forgot to take the funds out of Gold and redeposit it. so I needed 45 days to get me to the minimum. right now Gold pays more then Bank Interest) so I had to go to mesi and cross over every 15 days o get me to the 90 day mark.

Also I believe it was either a certain level of income.... OR.... the 800,000 Baht being on deposit in Thai Bank for minimum of 90 days. This is what my paperwork is saying.

The following is true:

""You should listen to the Global Moderator's advice above; which is correct.

The easiest least expensive option, is to arrive on the free 30-day Visa Exempt entry.

Then obtain an Affidavit from UK Embassy/Consulate verifying your monthly income +2200 GBP;

go to closed Thai Immigration Office with Affidavit, Passport, Photo, and complete TM87 Application,

pay fee (2000THB); and you leave with your Passport stamped with the Non-Imm. "O" Visa good for 90 days.

Then, within final 30 days you can get your 1-year Ext. of Stay with same documentation (except use Form TM7),

and fee of 1900 THB (+ 1000THB for single reentry stamp). Depending on Imm.Office and the whims of the Officers,

you might even be able to get the 1-year Ext. of Stay at same time.""

I m not diputing this. I am rebutting the depost and income information, thats all. I just went through this as of last monday.

David

There is no requirment for money to be in account for any period of time for conversion to non immigrant visa entry for later retirement extension of stay.

There is a 60 day requirement for money to be in bank account for first retirement extension of stay if using only bank deposit.

There is a 3 month requirement for money to be in account for subsequent extensions of stay for retirement if using only bank deposit.

I have basically been told by a lady at Hull that they will issue me with a one year Multiple Entry Non O visa based on the fact that I am over 50 if I can provide evidence that I have at least £20,000 in a UK savings account. She said a retirement visa is something that you get in Thailand. I was only asking about the retirement visa route since I am now over 50 and Cardiff would nolonger issue me with a Non O based on being the unmarried father of a Thai child.

If I can still obtain a Non O due to my age and savings then that is great. I just have to apply for the Non O based on the fact that I am at retirement age.

However the visa I get will not be a retirement visa but a regular non O visa...basically the same as I got previously for being the father of a Thai child.

I don't really want to send 800,000 thb to my Thai bank account since all I want to do is sell my car and get back to blighty for my daughters education.

If what I have been told is correct then my prayers have been answered and a headache removed. I can sell my car,keep my money in the UK and I will still have the Multiple Entry O visa to use on family visits to Thailand during my daughters school holidays.

Very interesting info. from Hull Brizzle......If I obtain a 1yr multiple entry non-imm 'O' visa from Hull this way showing £20000 savings in UK and expressing intention to retire in Thailand, does anyone know if once I enter Thailand is there any compulsion to actually convert to the Thai retirement visa? Is there anything on the passport visa stamp to distinguish it from an ordinary 1yr non-O mult.-entry visa stamp? I used to get a non-O visa annually for my usual 6 months Winter visit to Thailand using annual sponsorship letter from a teaching school I TEFL trained with 6 yrs ago. Hull stopped this last yr, so I've needed a triple 60 day entry tourist visa since then. I would prefer the 1yr non-O though as I often returned mid Summer for 5 weeks or so. But now a visit would be limited to the 30 day voa.

There is no requirement to extend or notation that you intend to do so.

There is no requirement to extend or notation that you intend to do so.

Thanks for that Lopburi.......Great news....It would also give me the option to stay on in Thailand beyond 6 months if necessary.