The Retirement Visa – Questions

[lopburi3]

You can get a new extension next year with your current passport, they will extend you till the date the paspsort expires. Once you have a new paspsort you go back to immirgaiton and get the rest of the 1 year extension for free.

But passport would be almost useless for any travel and if getting re-entry permit would only be valid for the remaining 5 months so if was me I would obtain that new passport before making the extension application next year and save extra trip.

[rijb]

I'll do that. Thank you!

[Traveling Sailor]

Thank you Jingthing and ubonjoe for your responses back on 4 & 5 March.

Although the stamp in my passport says "RETIREMENT", I am sure you are correct in saying it is an "O" one year extension.

To make sure I am understanding you both correctly: To stay in the country until November 2013 I should renew my "O" extension prior to August 2013. Then, if I don't plan to return, I can just purchase a 1-way ticket and leave. If I change my mind while in the USA, I must obtain a new "TR" visa to return and then convert again to an "O" before my "TR" visa expires.

Am I correct here? Or, did I miss-read something?

[lopburi3]

You arrived in May on a tourist visa and converted to non immigrant O entry in June. Two months later in August you obtained a one year extension of stay for retirement allowing you to remain until September this year?

So 30 days or less before that September date you visit immigration with the same paperwork you had last year for the one year extension of stay (financials and passport copies - TM.7 form) and if using bank deposit it will need to be in account three months this time. If you do not plan to stay you can leave at any time - if you want to leave and return for remainder of current permitted to stay (September 2013) you would need a re-entry permit prior to leaving.

If you leave and then decide to repeat you can obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa from a Consulate instead of a tourist visa and return using that for a 90 day stay and with 30 days or less remaining do the extension of stay process again.