O-Visa expired and Retirement Visa

[AlbionThailand]

I'm leaving for LOS this weekend and just noticed my O-Visa expired a few days ago and, now, no time to renew. Therefore I will enter Thailand on a Tourist Visa.

I intended to apply for a retriement visa on this trip as I meet all requirements (Thai wife/child, over THB 800K in bank, over 50, etc).

I read somewhere that I can get a 90-day extension of stay at Immigration and then make my retirement application. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance for your advice.......

[Mario2008]

if you can apply for a tourist visa you should have time to apply fro a non-O visa, or do you mean that you will enter without a visa? In that case the airline can refuse to let you board without a ticket out within 30 days of arrival.

You can convert to a non-immigrant visa in Thailand, with at least two weeks of stay left. That will give you 90 days and during the last 30 days you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay. (If money seasoned for 2 months in the bank in Thailand, they might give you the 1 year extension in 1 go).

[AlbionThailand]

To clarify: I am an American citizen and my 1-year "O" expires December 08.

I arrive December 10 and so will enter with 30-day visa on arrival as no time to renew by Visa before departure.

I intend to say about 2 months with several business rateled trips during that time outside Thailand.

I'd like to be able to extend either my expired "O" or my Visa-on-Arrival in Thailand - whatever necessary just to be able to obtain a retirement visa.

[Sceptict11]

You will not enter with a Visa !

You will receive a 30 day "visa exempt entry " if your airline is willing to board you in the absence of a confirmed flight out of country within that 30 days.

If you succeed in arriving without a visa you will be granted a 30 day visa exempt entry .

You can then apply for a conversion to a NON "O" visa if you meet the requirements.

An extension of stay may then be possible if the requirements are met.

[wayned]

AS said, if you plan on coming with no visa and entering with a 30 day "visa exempt" entry some airlines will not let you board your flight unless you have a ticketing exiting Thailand during the 30 days. You might have to purchase a last minute cheap ticket to a neighboring country unless you current return tickey can be cost effectively changed.

If you arrive on the 30 day visa you then go with all of your documentation to immigration and apply for a No-O visa. This has to be done with at least 15 days left on your permission to stay. It costs 2000 baht and the 800k doesn't have to be seasoned, just in a Thai Bank in your name only. You will get 90 days permission to stay. If you plan several business trips outside of Thailand you also need to purchase a multiple entry re-entry permit to keep your permission to stay "alive", cost 3800 bah (single entry, 1000 baht).

During the last 30 days (some places 45) you apply for the 1 year retirement extension. The money has to be seasoned 2 months since this is your first extension, 3 thereafter. The cost is 1900 baht.

I'm not sure that this fits with your plans as you stated that you only plan to stay 2 months. If you are planning several business trips during your 2 month stay, maybe, you should just get "visa exempt" entries each time that you enter. You now get 30 days by land, air or sea!

[MYKTHEMIN]

surely you can only ger a non o visa outside thailand and NOT within thailand!

[Sceptict11]

surely you can only ger a non o visa outside thailand and NOT within thailand!

What is being discussed is a "conversion" only possible as part of a two step path to obtaining an extension of stay. Conditions must be met.

[Mario2008]

You can convert to a non-immigrant visa in Thailand.

[OJAS]

To clarify: I am an American citizen and my 1-year "O" expires December 08.

I arrive December 10 and so will enter with 30-day visa on arrival as no time to renew by Visa before departure.

I intend to say about 2 months with several business rateled trips during that time outside Thailand.

I'd like to be able to extend either my expired "O" or my Visa-on-Arrival in Thailand - whatever necessary just to be able to obtain a retirement visa.

Will your first business-related trip be taking place within this 30-day window, and, if so, have you already made a confirmed airline booking for it? If you have, that should be one way of avoiding possible airline boarding hassle on Tuesday.