Penang

[baboon]

Has anyone recently had any trouble obtaining Mutiple entry Non imm o visas?Last year was simple.Any changes?

[Crossy]

Has anyone recently had any trouble obtaining Mutiple entry Non imm o visas?Last year was simple.Any changes?

A couple of people have reported that they are only handing out singles 'to people getting their first O visa in Penang'.

May be prudent to buzz down to KL, no problems there (as of start March when I was there).

[Patong Bob]

I had no problems in Penang, but this was my fourth visa there. I believe that this makes a difference.

[roiet]

Has anyone recently had any trouble obtaining Mutiple entry Non imm o visas?Last year was simple.Any changes?

As from now they are only handing out singles 'to people getting their first O visa in Penang'.

I have been told so and another 6 people I talked to. All has refusals for multiple entries 1 year because they used Penang the first time. The consular officer said : This office does not issue any multiples the first time you turn up here, this is the new rule of this office. . I met one lucky man, he obtained a multiple Non O 1 year, because he used Penang for the second time.

[Likethai]

On 2 May I applied for a Type O visa (retirement purpose) at the Penang consulate. This was my first application for such a visa, and I was turned down. I then applied for a triple entry tourist visa and was granted this.

I am 64 years old, an American citizen, with a pension of 1 million baht per year, which I declared and notarized at the US embassy in Bangkok. I have a Bangkok Bank savings account with 120,000 baht in it. In Penang I used the services of Manaff (Man), who has been recommended by people on this board. When I first called Man he said there would be no problem obtaining the O visa which I wanted: 3-month, single entry, Type O. In fact, he said that in the previous week he had handled a case similar to mine and the O visa was granted. When I was turned down, Man was very surprised and attributed it to a new consul who was "cracking down", and telling people that they should apply for this type of visa, in the first instance, in their home countries. I understand that the consulate is granting O visas to those who have had them in the past--they are just turning down first-timers.

[lopburi3]

I suspect because they feel you should/would have obtained it in your home country; unless there was a problem with the police check.

You should be able to convert that real tourist visa to a non immigrant at the cost of 2,000 baht at immigration and then extend for retirement so all is not lost.

[Likethai]

Lopburi3's point about my being able to convert my real tourist visa (obtained in Penang) to a non-immigrant O is exactly right.

This morning I applied for the Type O (retirement purpose) at Pattaya Immigration (Soi 5, Jomtiem). Using the same type of documents that I submitted in Penang (pension statement, bank book, bank letter, passport with tourist visa) plus 2000 baht I was granted the O visa. Then, immediately afterwards with the help of the immigration officer, I submitted copies of the same documents, together with the standard medical certificate and 1800 baht, and was granted the "extension" to the O visa, which is the retirement visa itself.

After explaining the 90-day reporting requirements to me the immigration officer asked me if I'd like to apply for either a single or multiple re-entry visa. I chose the multiple re-entry at a cost of 3800 baht and this was stamped in my passport together with the retirement visa. Altogether the whole process, including waiting time, took about five hours.

[siamaloha]

I have a real double entry 60-day Tourist Visa from the Thai Consulate in Zurich. I want to convert to Non-O (retirement) and would like to avoid travelling to Penang. Do I need to show 800k THB bank balance if I go to Immigration at Suan Phlu? And I assume I'll need all kinds of other documentation, right?

56yo American living here over a year. I was under the impression that I could get non-o on my holiday in Switzerland last month, but Thai Consulate in Zurich informed me that they could do that only if I were a Swiss resident. Oooops. Hence, the Tourist 60.

[lopburi3]

You need the 800k/bank letter/medical certificate and 4x6cm photos. You apply for change of visa at 2,000 baht and then extend your stay for 1,900 baht.

Normal copies of everything are also required.