90-Day Check-In And New Retirement Visa

[MrE]

I just moved to CR after ten years in Phuket. I have a retirement visa which is due for a 90-day check-in in June. I think I read that it can be done by mail in CR. Is that correct? How, when,what, where?

What is the easiest way to get a new retirement visa, which I will need in September? Or would it just be easier / cheaper to go to the border every 90 days instead to get a tourist visa (I don't have a vehicle)?

Thanks for your help.

[villagefarang]

If you have already been doing this for ten years in Phuket, the only thing that should have changed is your location. Here you do the same things, except you do them at Mae Sai Immigration Office. If the timing is right you can also do most visa business at Central Plaza on the first Saturday of each month.

There is an entire visa forum dedicated to these kinds of questions and they have all your answers. The guys who moderate that forum are very knowledgeable.

Edited May 16, 2013 by villagefarang

[Mario2008]

You want a new visa (from a Thai consulate) or a new extension of stay? As you are doing 90 day reports and are already staying 10 years in Thailand I think you mean an extension of stay.

The rules are no different than in Phuket, but be sure to have some form of proof of address, so they can see you are now living in CR. Take that with you when you do your 90 day report and ask them about the requirements for an extension of stay when you visit them.

Only a few immigration offices don't accept mail-in reports, not heard that CR/Mai Sai is one of them.

[villagefarang]

I mail in my 90 day report to Mae Sai, and have not had any problem. A note of warning, however, I did see a stack of 90 day reports at immigration one time, where the senders forgot to include a self addressed stamped envelop. The immigration officer shrugged his shoulders and asked "What am I supposed to do with these?" in a sign frustration and disbelief.

Edited May 16, 2013 by villagefarang

[sunholidaysun1]

MrE

Not sure you even know yourself what you actually want ? You state you have been in Phuket for 10 years and now here in Chiang Rai . You have a retirement visa that is due for the 90 day reporting . Then in Septmeber your retirement visa is up for renewal , why would you even consider wanting a tourist visa if you have a retirement visa ?

You cannot get a tourist visa from the border .

To renew your current visa , take all of your documents to the Immigration office before your current visa expires and if all of your documents are in order for the retiremnet visa , then the renewal will be issued . If you dont have the requirements and cannot get a renewal of your current visa , then you will only a couple of options. 1. Do the 15 day border run(3times) 2. Get a bus to Nong Kai from Chiang Rai , cross into Laos and visit the Thai consulate and apply for a double entry tourist visa . 3. Leave Thailand and fly back into Thailand for a 30 day stamp in your passport .

As others have said, there is the VISA FORUM to get all the information you need.

[MrE]

Thanks for the input. What I want is the easiest and cheapest way to stay. What I had read was that I have to go to Chiang Mai to get a new retirement visa with the two days' time lost and additional expense of hotel and so forth. So if it was just as easy to do 90-day check-ins or tourist visas at MS, I could avoid the CM trip. I didn't know they only give 30 days now. They used to give 90 days tourist visas at Phuket Airport.

Can I get a new retirement visa at Central Plaza?

I could not not find the procedure for mailing in the 90-day check-in. Do I just mail the old check-in slip from my passport and the new form with a self-addressed envelope (plus a change of address form)? In Phuket, they change the requirements every time you go. Sometimes they want photocopies of passport pages, sometimes not.

Again, thanks for the help.

[villagefarang]

Passport Copies

• Passport page with photo
  
• Date of Arrival (Last Entry Stamp)
  
• Permit to Stay Up Until (Last Visa Stamp or Extension)
  
• TM.6 (Arrival/Departure Card)

5. Last receipt of Notification (Original)
6. Completed form TM 47 (Download Here - pdf format) (Word Format)

There is no fee or charges of any kind for 90 day address reporting other then if you are late.

I copied this from the CM forum but they say mail in notification is no longer acceptable in Chiang Mai. Below is information from the Immigration website. There are phone numbers so you can call and check for the latest. Barring that, I believe June 1st is the first saturday of the month so you could go ask them at Central Plaza.

Obviously one would not mail to the address in this image but to Mae Sai instead.

If you live in Chiang Rai there would be no need to go to Chiang Mai unless you need something from your own embassy.

One more image.

Edited May 19, 2013 by villagefarang

[villagefarang]

I am an advocate of going to the source and not believing hearsay, so my recommendation as always, would be to contact immigration yourself.