Incredibly Stupid Of Me But I Forgot To Renew Visa! Help.

[Maestro]

I have removed an off-topic post.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Mario2008]

Check with Samui immigration if they are willing to do the conversion. Some immigration offices will send you to Bangkok to do that. The conversion will give you 90 days and during the last 30 days you can extend for 1 year.

[lopburi3]

So unless they are able to do both the conversion and extension in one visit (used to be done but most seem to have stopped) you would also need to obtain a re-entry permit for your return trip from Maldives.

[ubonjoe]

You both could get single entry non-o visas in Singapore or the Maldives since you are both over 50 instead of Tourist visas.

[Powder]

12 Month Extensions for retirement require 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank for a period of 2 months before applying.

OR 65,000 Baht monthly income.

OR a combination of the two.

The fee is 1,900 Baht.

This might be worth considering if you qualify.

This 65000 baht, is this bruto or a netto monthly income??????

Thats what i ment : gross income. sorry for using the wrong words Thanks for the quick answer

[Fleetcat]

For simplicity was facing doing run to Singapore and getting 60 days then same from Maldives utilising the option to extend for an additional 30 days BUT on the Singapore site it says that if you get the 60 day visa you can only stay for any 90 days in the next six months. This seems to contradict everything said thus far - or is it me again? Gosh complicated.

[Mario2008]

For simplicity was facing doing run to Singapore and getting 60 days then same from Maldives utilising the option to extend for an additional 30 days BUT on the Singapore site it says that if you get the 60 day visa you can only stay for any 90 days in the next six months. This seems to contradict everything said thus far - or is it me again? Gosh complicated.

That is incorrect information. There is no time limit within a certain time frame.

[tropo]

Final plan. Unless someone says otherwise. I would love to go to Laos as we haven't been but to go under duress is a negative and we came back to Samui to rest after long travels so just not in the zone.

We plan to head to Singapore and get a single entry 60 day visa within the next couple of weeks (but within 60 days of going to the Maldives) so we are covered for now.

Immediately on return from Singapore we will go to immigration in Samui and apply for a retirement visa. If successful (can't see why not unless you tell me otherwise) then game over.

If not we will go to Maldives and get a second 60 day visa for return and extend when back.

If we can't swing it in the Maldives (in Male on weekends) we will come back to Samui for 30 days on waiver and do another visa run for 60 day tourist visa.

In October back to the UK and immediately renew,

I think this works but if there are any flaws please advise.

Again thanks.

You don't need a tourist visa to get a retirement visa. You can do it now, straight from your 30 day visa free entry... you buy the non-O for 2000 baht and get the retirement extension for 1900.

There could be a complication with your wife. If she is piggybacking on your retirement visa as a dependant, then she will need a non-O from a consulate. If you can both get one independently she won't need that.

If you get a single entry tourist visa from Singapore, it will be used if you return to Thailand before flying out to Maldives. (are you coming back to Thailand and flying to Maldives from here, or from Singapore?).

Edited May 2, 2013 by tropo

[Fleetcat]

OK been to the Immigration Office. Things are clearer but still totally confused (and I'm not stupid honest) about what to do next. Answers to any of questions under would be valuable.

Firstly I'm female and both my husband and I are over 50 and UK citizens.

We were advised absolutely the only extension assistance we could get with the visa waiver was 7 days which doesn't work for us so I am very curious how you can buy an upgrade? Any advice appreciated as what I was told at Immigration Office seems to contradict a lot of the above.

The retirement visa seems like a sledgehammer to crack a nut and moving funds etc. will take time to qualify and we don't have time. We have had a Thai bank account for years and moved well over the monthly income required every year for the past five years but seemingly this is not sufficient! Also they said we needed an O visa (not tourist) from Singapore or Malaysia to get the upgrade to retirement but I don't have the police proofs needed to get this.

So I'm back to getting 60 day tourist visas in either Laos, Singapore or the Maldives.

Best scenario looks like Ventiane but again on the site the application offers a transit, tourist or non immigrant visa. Would love to just get the non immigrant but don't have the aforementioned police proofs here (happy to get a medical) so it looks like the tourist visa but it appears to be a single entry only. If anyone can tell me how I can make certain this a dual or multiple entry I would be appreciative as if I am only going to get one lot of 60 days I'd rather go to Singapore.

I emailed a company of consultants in Pattaya but haven't heard back. Am happy to pay a modest premium to get this resolved with less hassle and of course legally.

I seem to be making this complicated but I can't seem to get clarity and I don't want to spend money on flights and hotels without being certain of a successful outcome.

Sigh. And thanks again in anticipation.

[tropo]

I'm not surprised you came back from the Immigration office with no useful information. This is where you find the useful information.

My wife and I have both scored 6 double entry tourist visas from Vientiane in the past. It's very easy. You just go to the Thai consulate and apply. You tick the box on the application form for double entry. As this is your first one, there should be no problems getting one.

You don't need any fancy documents. Just the application form filled out. 2 photos and a photocopy of a few pages of your passport (ID page and last entry).

You can fly directly to Vientiane from Bangkok, or if you want to do it more cheaply, fly to Udon Thani and then take a minivan to the border and cross the Friendship Bridge.

If you need further details, you'll find lots of threads on this forum covering this topic.

[Maestro]

It has been my experience with government officials, also in my home country, that the information I get depends on how I formulate my question. I wonder what answer Fleetcat would have received at the Chaeng Watthana immigration office if she had gone to the desk for change of visa and had asked "If I get the embassy letter certifying that I have a monthly income of 65,000 Baht, can I get a change of visa to non-immigrant O visa and then a one-year extension of stay?"

Not all immigration offices do this change of visa from a visa-exempt entry but I believe Chaeng Watthana has been doing it routinely.

[tropo]

It has been my experience with government officials, also in my home country, that the information I get depends on how I formulate my question. I wonder what answer Fleetcat would have received at the Chaeng Watthana immigration office if she had gone to the desk for change of visa and had asked "If I get the embassy letter certifying that I have a monthly income of 65,000 Baht, can I get a change of visa to non-immigrant O visa and then a one-year extension of stay?"

Not all immigration offices do this change of visa from a visa-exempt entry but I believe Chaeng Watthana has been doing it routinely.

There's a slight complication here though. They are a married couple. In my case my wife had to get a non-O visa from Laos whereas I converted a 30 day entry to a non-O at immigration. They will probably have to go to a consulate anyway, to get one non-O unless they can independently establish 800K or 65K per month. The 800K will require seasoning (2 or 3 months?). The income method may require documents from their home country that they don't currently have in their possession. I think they will also require a Thai translation of their marriage certificate??

The retirement extension is too complicated and too much work at this stage considering that they only want to stay in Thailand until the end of September.

IMO, the double entry tourist visa is a no-brainer. A 2 day trip to Vientiane and problem solved.

Edited May 3, 2013 by tropo

[Maestro]

You're right, tropo, Fleetcat mentioned her account in a Thai bank, not income,

Fleetcat, neither "police proofs" nor a medical certificate are required neither for an extension of stay for the reason of retirement nor for an application for a non-immigrant visa category O for the purpose of travelling to Thailand to obtain extensions of stay for the reason of retirement in that country. You probably were faced with those requirements when you applied for a non-immigrant visa category O/A in your home country.

For the requirements for the retirement extension, please see paragraph 2.22 of Thai Police Order 777/2551

[ubonjoe]

OK been to the Immigration Office. Things are clearer but still totally confused (and I'm not stupid honest) about what to do next. Answers to any of questions under would be valuable.

Firstly I'm female and both my husband and I are over 50 and UK citizens.

We were advised absolutely the only extension assistance we could get with the visa waiver was 7 days which doesn't work for us so I am very curious how you can buy an upgrade? Any advice appreciated as what I was told at Immigration Office seems to contradict a lot of the above.

The retirement visa seems like a sledgehammer to crack a nut and moving funds etc. will take time to qualify and we don't have time. We have had a Thai bank account for years and moved well over the monthly income required every year for the past five years but seemingly this is not sufficient! Also they said we needed an O visa (not tourist) from Singapore or Malaysia to get the upgrade to retirement but I don't have the police proofs needed to get this.

So I'm back to getting 60 day tourist visas in either Laos, Singapore or the Maldives.

Best scenario looks like Ventiane but again on the site the application offers a transit, tourist or non immigrant visa. Would love to just get the non immigrant but don't have the aforementioned police proofs here (happy to get a medical) so it looks like the tourist visa but it appears to be a single entry only. If anyone can tell me how I can make certain this a dual or multiple entry I would be appreciative as if I am only going to get one lot of 60 days I'd rather go to Singapore.

I emailed a company of consultants in Pattaya but haven't heard back. Am happy to pay a modest premium to get this resolved with less hassle and of course legally.

I seem to be making this complicated but I can't seem to get clarity and I don't want to spend money on flights and hotels without being certain of a successful outcome.

Sigh. And thanks again in anticipation.

Why are you stuck on getting tourist visas. As I have posted previously you both can easily get a single entry non-o visas with no problem that would give you a 90 day entry that can be extended at immigration for one year.

The cost in Vientiane would be 2000 baht for each visa.

[Fleetcat]

Hi ubonjoe. I think I'm hung up on tourist visa as original strong plan included that and not O one. I also thought for the O one that you needed the police stuff and medical. But are you are saying all I need are the application, photos and payment and I can get an O in Vientaine? If that is the case I should just go for bust and get the multiple entry one which would be the same as issued in the UK and save me a trip when there?

Thanks to all again. This is a brilliant resource. Have now (more or less) decided to extend visa here for seven days then head to Laos for a mini holiday - might as well make sure every cloud has a silver lining.

[lopburi3]

You will not get a multi entry non immigrant O in Vientiane.

[Fleetcat]

lopburi3

But would I get a single entry O visa per ubonjoe?

[lopburi3]

Yes you should be able to get single entries - just not the multi entries. All you need is a single entry to start retirement extensions of stay.

[Fleetcat]

Answered my own question. If I get the double tourist visa then I don't need to worry about extending in Samui and I can just renew my Multiple O when back in UK per tropo's original answer.

So Laos. Double entry tourist visa. Extend for 30 days when back from the Maldives to get me to end September. Job done (unless......).

[tropo]

Answered my own question. If I get the double tourist visa then I don't need to worry about extending in Samui and I can just renew my Multiple O when back in UK per tropo's original answer.

So Laos. Double entry tourist visa. Extend for 30 days when back from the Maldives to get me to end September. Job done (unless......).

It seems to be the easiest solution. If you got a single entry O, then it would be used by the time you came back from Vientiane and you'd have no visa for your re-entry from Maldives.

I can't see any reason why you would need to bother with a retirement extension if the non-O's from the UK have been working so easily for you.

Just repeat 10 times - "I will never forget to renew my visa again" and you should be ok.

Edited May 4, 2013 by tropo

[BradinAsia]

Last year, in preparing to come back to Chiang Mai to retire, I read up on all the Immigration

info on TV about requirements and procedures. It was so complicated I nearly had apoplexy.

Maybe the retirement visa process is more difficult for a Brit, but once I arrived here I was

stunned by how quick and easy it was for me (an American) to get my retirement visa.

I'm much obliged to the expert assistance of Assist Thai Visa Service. 'Twas easy as 1-2-3.

1. ATVS made an appointment for me at the U.S. Consulate.

2. At the consulate I obtained a notarized form showing my retirement income amount.

3. ATVS took this form & my passport to Immigration. A few days later I had my passport

back with the retirement visa stamp.

For all of this I paid ATVS a fee of 5,500 baht. Plus 3,000 baht in fees for Immigration office.

Probably the best money I ever spent.

I made no visa run, nor have I ever been to the Immigration Office.

Would highly recommend Assist Thai Visa -- very knowledgeable and very professional.

Hope this is not breaking any rules. Just trying to pass on good info.

[Mario2008]

The extension at immigration costs only 1,900 baht and is very easy to do, especially based on retirement.

[lopburi3]

Making an appointment is a few computer clicks or you just arrive early without and will get served.

Getting the income statement from Consulate you did yourself (paying $50 or local amount).

Visit consulate with that letter, copies of passport data page/visa/entry stamp and departure card and some proof of where staying and filling out a simple extension of stay form (TM.7) with a 4x6cm photo and paying 1,900 baht total. It is issued immediately.

It really is very, very simple.

[Fleetcat]

Update and one more question. I got a seven day extension of my 30 day waiver and am headed to Laos early next month. Looking forward to it actually as have added a few days in LP on so every cloud has a silver lining. Due to extension and staying in Laos longer than anticipated my first re-entry to Thailand will only be for exactly 30 days. When I return from the Maldives it will be for 75 so I will use a 60 day tourist visa and extend for 30 days here. Question (from curiousity rather than need) is do I still need a double entry tourist visa or could I just get one and return to Thailand on my first trip on a waiver? I do like to understand things (as might be apparent!).

[lopburi3]

Normally if you have a visa it must be used - they might allow but you will be out of luck if they do not.

[ubonjoe]

I suggest you get a two entry tourist visa.

Chances are very good you will have to use the tourist visa when you return from Laos.

[NancyL]

Back to Post #51 -- I thought you had to appear in person at the Immigration office to either convert an exempt entry into an O visa or to extend an O visa due to retirement.

Or if you can't come due to medical reasons, then the person making the application on your behalf needs to have a limited power of attorney, doctor's letter that you can't come and photo showing an ill applicant.

Seems that the poster in #51 is perfectly healthy.

[simple1]

Last year, in preparing to come back to Chiang Mai to retire, I read up on all the Immigration

info on TV about requirements and procedures. It was so complicated I nearly had apoplexy.

Maybe the retirement visa process is more difficult for a Brit, but once I arrived here I was

stunned by how quick and easy it was for me (an American) to get my retirement visa.

I'm much obliged to the expert assistance of Assist Thai Visa Service. 'Twas easy as 1-2-3.

1. ATVS made an appointment for me at the U.S. Consulate.

2. At the consulate I obtained a notarized form showing my retirement income amount.

3. ATVS took this form & my passport to Immigration. A few days later I had my passport

back with the retirement visa stamp.

For all of this I paid ATVS a fee of 5,500 baht. Plus 3,000 baht in fees for Immigration office.

Probably the best money I ever spent.

I made no visa run, nor have I ever been to the Immigration Office.

Would highly recommend Assist Thai Visa -- very knowledgeable and very professional.

Hope this is not breaking any rules. Just trying to pass on good info.

Putting aside the legality of obtaining the retirement extension in the manner you describe, what about your 90 day reporting - do you submit by mail?

Edited May 14, 2013 by simple1