After 1-Year Cat 'o' Ends, Can I Get A 90-Day Non-Immigrant Visa ?

[crazydrummerpauly]

When a Non-Immigrant Category 'O', 1-Year, Multiple-Entry Visa comes to an end - by 'End' i mean at the end of the very last visa-run which takes it out to a total of 15 Months - can i get a new Cat 'O' Non-Immigrant Visa by going out of Thailand, for example to the Vientiane consulate which is my nearest ? If so, what is the Maximum length of time to remain in Thailand that can be got by that method ? And what Rules apply ? In particular, when obtaining the Non-Imm Cat 'O' from the UK, AS A PENSIONER receiving a State Pension, there is no need to show one's financial position - is that also true when trying to get the same visa at an out-of-Thailand consulate ? - i.e., that they would just need to see proof of one's pensioner status ? Or...? Finally, if this type of visa is available by this method, is there a special form for it, and is it downloadable ? THANKS in advance.

[beano2274]

Why not get an extension from within Thailand at your local immigration office, just need the letter from the British Embassy to prove that you are getting the pension.

[Mario2008]

A multiple non-O is unlikely. The norm is a single non-O as they expect you to extend it in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

Have read a report of a person getting a multiple entry O for retirement in Penang by showing 800K baht in the bank.

But if you have that much money you should get an extension of stay.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Hi - can someone give a considered, full and detailed answer please - the four answers offered at this stage are brief notes which would only be helpful to someone who is already very knowledgeable about the whole visa process, which i am not. (Note - not married).

[lopburi3]

Actually you do need to show financials for that type of visa issue in the UK. Hull lists them as below:

1) Visiting Thailand as Pensioner aged 65 and over.

Evidence required:

a) Bank Statement or Pension Statement showing receipt of State and/or Private Pension.

Either a single or multiple entry visa can be granted in these circumstances.

or

2) Visiting Thailand as Retired Person aged between 50 and 64 years

Evidence required:

a) Copy of Bank Statement showing income of minimum £1200 per month or lumpsum

of minimum £20,000

Either a single or multiple entry visa can be granted in these circumstances.

As said you are not likely to get more than a single entry visa from a Consulate in the area without meeting the full extension of stay requirements of 800k in bank account or 65k per month income proof. We have suggested application for extension of stay for retirement using normal TM.7 form and financial proof. What more can we say?

[crazydrummerpauly]

Why not get an extension from within Thailand at your local immigration office, just need the letter from the British Embassy to prove that you are getting the pension.

I would get an extension (how long ?) - with just a letter saying i was in receipt of a UK State pension ? What kind of extension - i mean, how is it labelled ? Thanks.

[beano2274]

Hi - can someone give a considered, full and detailed answer please - the four answers offered at this stage are brief notes which would only be helpful to someone who is already very knowledgeable about the whole visa process, which i am not. (Note - not married).

Sorry but I was not knowledgeable when I first started the visa stuff, I got on here, read through posts, asked questions, read the replies and if I was still not sure asked more questions.

If you are retired and want to save messing around, first go to the British Embassy and prove your pension, you pay for a letter around 2500baht, with this letter and copies of your passport and arrival card, you go to the Immigration office for your local area with 1900 baht and the correct form.

[Mario2008]

You need a letter from your embassy, stating that your iincome.

If your income is at least 65,000 a month you can get an extension of stay for 1 year. Another option is to show 800,000 baht in a bankaccount in Thailand for at least 2 months. The third option is to show a combinaiton of yearly income and money in the bank in Thailand together totaling 800,000 baht.

[beano2274]

Why not get an extension from within Thailand at your local immigration office, just need the letter from the British Embassy to prove that you are getting the pension.

I would get an extension (how long ?) - with just a letter saying i was in receipt of a UK State pension ? What kind of extension - i mean, how is it labelled ? Thanks.

as per my post above, this would give you an extension of 1 year, every 90 days you would have to go to your local Immigration dept and fill out a form and give them some copies of your passport. The extension is based on retirement, you might have to show that you have money in Thailand, using bank books but it does not have to physically show the 800,000baht as the letter from the Embassy is good enough for that.

I use this means and get my letter from the Embassy and show under 50,000baht in my bank here, but with movement in and out to show I use it.

If you got a multi from somewhere like the UK, you would have to leave Thailand every 90 days, more costly to you.

[crazydrummerpauly]

My title-question :

After 1-Year Cat 'o' Ends, Can I Get A 90-Day Non-Immigrant Visa ?

Has it been answered ? Reading down the thread, i don't think it has - at least not in simple terms. I actually stated i did not want to go the TM.7 - form retirement route (with all the complications of a letter from the embassy and money in the bank etc) - i only want to learn what many guys also need to learn - and that is what the title asks. If i go out of LOS, can i get a single-entry 90-day Non-Immigrant visa, and if so, since my original Cat 'O' from Hull only needed evidence that i was a UK State Pensioner, could i get it by showing evidence i am in receipt of the State Pension (original letter from HM Gvt, bank statements showing pension), without the whole British Embassy-letter trouble. ? Thanks.

[Mario2008]

As I said, yes you can get a single non-O in a neighbouring country. Best would be Laos or Malaysia, as Cambodia takes 4 days.

Requirements depend on the consulate.

[beano2274]

My title-question :

After 1-Year Cat 'o' Ends, Can I Get A 90-Day Non-Immigrant Visa ?

Has it been answered ? Reading down the thread, i don't think it has - at least not in simple terms. I actually stated i did not want to go the TM.7 - form retirement route (with all the complications of a letter from the embassy and money in the bank etc) - i only want to learn what many guys also need to learn - and that is what the title asks. If i go out of LOS, can i get a single-entry 90-day Non-Immigrant visa, and if so, since my original Cat 'O' from Hull only needed evidence that i was a UK State Pensioner, could i get it by showing evidence i am in receipt of the State Pension (original letter from HM Gvt, bank statements showing pension), without the whole British Embassy-letter trouble. ? Thanks.

yes you can, but your expenditure every 90 days is gonna be a lot, whilst getting an extension is less expensive and like I said it costs you the letter price and the 1900baht extension costs.

You do not need to show that amount in the bank, the letter from the Embassy will suffice, but they like to see that you have a thai bank account and use that, like I said mine has less than 50,000baht in it, but shows money going in and out.

But it is your decision, as a pensioner I would not want to be traveling to often or too far to get a visa.

[Lite Beer]

Yes you can get a Single Entry Non Imm O Visa locally.

This would give one stay of 90 days.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Ok, thanks guys - in one detail i slipped up - i should have said that at this point in time a single 90-day extra period will be fine, so the cost-comparisons aren't relevant for once. Second - it would be Vientiane, so only the overnight waiting-time. I've got hold of the Vientiane Application for Visa form, and one thing is bothering me. At the bottom-left corner there is the "PURPOSE of VISIT" section, with the choices : Tourism; Transit; Business; Diplomatic; Other (please specify). And at the top-left of the form there is "Please Indicate Type of Visa Required?", with the choices : Diplomatic; Official; Courtesy; Non-Immigrant; Tourist; Transit." Obviously, i tick 'Non-Immigrant' at the top, but WHAT do i tick, or rather fill in, at the bottom, in answer to 'Purpose of Visit' ? I can't put Tourism...or can I ? I'm not a family-relation of a Thai. I'm not on business, or a student, or a Diplomat ! My real purpose is to stay longer with my Thai partner and go back to the UK for a few months when it warms up over there ! So please - what do guys put at that part of the form ? Thanks in advance.

Oh - afterthought : in a way, my thinking behind this post is related to the changes that came in a while back in relation to getting the Non-Imm Cat 'O' in the first place. Many were panicking because it seemed that it had been tightened up a lot, and that a relationship to a Thai and/or a large bank-balance were going to be needed to get the 'O'. But when i went back last time i'd become a UK state pensioner, and to my relief found out that i did not have to have any reason or amount of money at all - could just put 'UK Pensioner' as my sole reason and qualification for going to Thailand. (This was through Hull). So i guess my original post was hoping that the granting of the Non-Imm 'O' on the sole basis of being a UK State Pensioner, would also apply when trying to get one at one of the consulates bordering Thailand.

[lopburi3]

Retirement.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Right, i give up. Nobody has properly read my question, my subsequent posts, or my specific qualifiers - the last comment 'Retirement' just about sums up what a complete waste of time this has been.

[transam]

Right, i give up. Nobody has properly read my question, my subsequent posts, or my specific qualifiers - the last comment 'Retirement' just about sums up what a complete waste of time this has been.

Think our folk are saying, 800,000 bht in bank or pension + cash will secure your stay in LOS.

[Mario2008]

Retirement is the answer to the question what to fill in as reason. That automatically means you are applying for a non-immigrant visa, which question you already answered yourself.

You asked and got your answer.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Ok - i think where this has gone too fuzzy for me, is that i just don't get the difference between getting a Non-Imm 'O' in the UK (Hull) by simply showing them i am a UK state-pensioner; and trying to get just one 90-day Non-Imm 'O' around LOS border consulates. Suddenly it goes from a simple demo that i am in fact a UK state-pensioner, to all the hassle of a letter from the British Embassy showing i have 800,000 in the bank for 2 months (or the combo method of cash & income). This is why i've been lost along the way. Can folks confirm that it really is NOT possible to get a single 90-day Non-Imm Cat 'O' at say Vientiane, in a way that is parallel to the simple procedure (without all the cash or income requirement) at Hull ?

[Maestro]

I have deleted an off-topic rant by the OP and the replies to it. The OP has received the answer to his question and this topic is now closed.