Changing From Imm O To Retirement Visa

[ubonjoe]

If you want to get a single entry non immigrant O visa based upon retirement you will have to apply for it an honorary consulate in the states. Contact info here: http://www.visetkaew.com/wp/directories/

The embassy and official consulates in NY, LA and Chicago will not issue them because they can issue the OA visa.

[smo]

He said "last year" so must be a question of can I do again.

No it was not a visa but a visa exempt entry. Yes you can convert with 15 days or more remaining to a non immigrant entry of 90 days with proof of meeting financial conditions/age for retirement but as mentioned above you may not get on flight so would be better to pay that 2,000 baht fee for a single entry non immigrant visa prior to travel.

Right on! Following is the scenario/timeline I have for my next trip to Thailand:

a.

Within the first week of my arrival, I go to the US embassy in bkk applying for an affidavit confirming that I have 65k baht or more coming in each month. I don’t have to show any supporting docs, they would only have me swear under oath that Im telling the truth and that is all that required, plus 1500 baht.

b.

I then go to thai immigration and ask for a conversion from my “visa exempt entry into Thailand” to a non-immigrand type O visa, the fees are 2000 baht. The new visa is good for 90 days. I don’t need to show the income affidavit at this point yet.

**** But if I have gotten a “single entry non immigrant visa prior to travel” as many here have suggested then I can skip this step.****

c.

during the last 30 days of my visa I then apply for a retirement extension (or extension for the purpose of retiring) that is good for one whole year, this will cost I another 2000 baht. I will need to show the income affidavit for this application. I understand that they might ask to see the bank book/statement at this point. Other than that what else would they ask for? __________

d.

Eventually I will also need to apply for a multiple-re-entry permit which will cost me

(how much? ________) and good for (how long? ________) and what supporting docs ___________are required?

e,

If all the above steps are fulfilled I can stay in Thailand for one year and at the same time can go in and out of the country with unlimited re-entries and no harm to my retirement extension. I understand that I won't be allowed to work (except for freelancing, ESL tutoring for ex, done in a hush-hush manner). Each succeeding year I will have to repeat steps a, c and d.

Please correct me if I’m wrong at any step - and fill in the blanks (missing info) if you could.

Thank you all so much for all the good advice so far.

Ps-

Hope the op doesn’t feel that I’m hijacking his thread. I could start a new thread but didn’t want to leave the folks who have given me helpful advice so far.

[Mario2008]

B. You have to show the income affadavid, and might be asked for supporting documents regarding your income.

C. They will ask for a new income affadavid and again might ask for additional proof of income.

They also might want to see some proof of address, such as a rental contract or utillity bill.

D. Cost for a multiple is 3,800 baht. It is valid for the same period as your current permission to stay. Documents needed are passport photo and maybe copy of passport and arrrival card.

[WilliamCave]

You asked in the title 'changing from imm O to retirement visa'.

There is no such animal as a retirement visa. If you changed the reason for extending an O from child support to retirement it would still be an 'O'. However you are unlikely to get a work permit with a 'for retirement purposes' extension whereas you could for child support or marriage.

(if you return to your home country and get an O-A, that is a pre approved long stay visa still not a 'retirement visa')

You have more detail about he O-A visa would like to know please

[Mario2008]

More about O-A visa here:

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

[smo]

Per above that was not a visa, but you can transform it into a non-immirgant visa and get an extension of stay based on retirement on that. You would need proof of 800,000 in a bank in Thailand or an embassy letter confirming you have an income of 65,000 baht a month, or a combination of both totaling 800,000.

However, if flying from the US you might not be allowed to board the plane with a one way ticket. So best is to get a visa to start with. Many consulates allow you to apply by mail.

So what type of visa should I apply that would allow me to board the plane with a one way ticket? I have always travelled with round trip ticket in the past, so the concept of boarding the plane with just a one way ticket makes me uneasy - what if at check-in the airline staff insist on a round trip ticket and say they don't care what kind of visa I have with me? (can't expect the airline people to be up to date on visa matter.)

[lopburi3]

Any kind of visa. It is there job to be up to date on visa matters and they consult the IATA database and will see the same information you can see for yourself in this link.

http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/

[smo]

If you want to get a single entry non immigrant O visa based upon retirement you will have to apply for it an honorary consulate in the states. Contact info here: http://www.visetkaew.com/wp/directories/

The embassy and official consulates in NY, LA and Chicago will not issue them because they can issue the OA visa.

So I should apply to a Thai consulate in the USA for a single-entry non-immigrant type O visa. I understand that this is the "easiest" type of visa to apply for. It doesn't require medical or police check. A couple of questions:

1) can I just say "tourism or visiting friends" when asked about the purpose of the trip? I can give a thai friend's home address in bkk. Do I have to tell the consulate of my intention of getting a retirement extension when I get to Thailand? If I have to tell them then will they ask for supporting document regarding my finances already?

2) how much time would this visa give me for my stay in Thailand (during which I will have a lot to do regarding getting the retirement extension on the visa and a place to stay so I can give proof of rental, address, etc..) I guess 3 months?

[Mario2008]

1. Tell them "exploring retirement options".

2. 90 days, you can apply for an extension during the last 30 days of your stay.

[smo]

1. Tell them "exploring retirement options".

2. 90 days, you can apply for an extension during the last 30 days of your stay.

thank you all for all the good advice given, much appreciated ;-)

[itchybum]

Well, job done.

Relatively harmless, easiest visa renewal extension I have ever done.

All over in under an hour, retirement, 90 day and re-entry.

Did not have all the documents they wanted, but had all that they say you needed.

They wanted house owners ID, phone number, current lease etc.

I did not have any of that, only an old lease. They also wanted my bank account, but not statement. I used the embassy letter.

Strange thing though and my fault for not checking and asking, my 90 day was from 31st march, so due circa end of June, but after leaving I checked it and they only gave me until 9th July ??

No biggy, luckily as will be out of country prior, but otherwise could be ploblem.

[itchybum]

Double Entry visa's....classic name.