ronthai Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi, My ED-Visa (done for 3 years) ends this February and I don't want to continue with school anymore for another year. In April I will turn 50 and can get a Retirement Visa of course. My question is: Could I just do a Laos Visa run to cover the 2-3 months (60+30 days) Visa period? Before I started 3 years ago with school, I also did Laos Visa runs. I have not left the country at any point. I know they now limit the amount of tourist visa's a farang can get, which I probably had, before I started school/ED-Visa 3 years ago. Would that still matter in my case? I probably should ask for a visa type needed to get my Retirement Visa also end April, beginning May? Which is that? O or non-Immigrant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Yes, you could go and get a single entry tourist visa to cover the time and then go back in April and get a single entry Non-O to investigate reirement and then extend that for 1 year near the end of your 90 day entry. Or, you could get a double entry Tourist visa, do a border run at the end of 60 days , convert that to a Non-O and extend that for 1 year near the end of the permission to stay. Only a Non-O can be extended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcbruk Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 What is this about a limit on the number of Tourist Visas issued? I have been coming for five years (from UK) on six-month triple entrys and had hoped to continue that way ad infinitum. I would like a retirement visa but I don't have the funds for the required bank account. An Ed-visa is also a possibility but the courses don't come cheap. Is there something I should be aware of? Thankyou for advice or opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 The limit is only for getting tourist visas at nearby embassies and consulates. You can probably get them forever in the UK. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthai Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Thank you @wayned, I understand I can just do a standard Laos Visa run for a standard tourist visa, like I used to do before I started with the ED-Visa. A double Visa is 60+30 (extended at immigration) and then I need to do another run (Cambodia probably is closet from Pattaya) and there I change the Tourist Visa to a Non-O, which probably gives me then again 60+30 and after (well before) that I arrange for my Retirement Visa. Question: Does Cambodia convert a tourist visa to Non-O and if yes, what are the costs for that? Or is it better I just get a Non-O directly at Vientiane/Laos, which I know also is possible? I need at least 60+30 or 60+60 days time to get to the age of 50, since my current ED-Visa runs out beginning February and my birthday is end April. Edited January 17, 2014 by ronthai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sceptict11 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thank you @wayned, I understand I can just do a standard Laos Visa run for a standard tourist visa, like I used to do before I started with the ED-Visa. A double Visa is 60+30 (extended at immigration) and then I need to do another run (Cambodia probably is closet from Pattaya) and there I change the Tourist Visa to a Non-O, which probably gives me then again 60+30 and after (well before) that I arrange for my Retirement Visa. Question: Does Cambodia convert a tourist visa to Non-O and if yes, what are the costs for that? Or is it better I just get a Non-O directly at Vientiane/Laos, which I know also is possible? I need at least 60+30 or 60+60 days time to get to the age of 50, since my current ED-Visa runs out beginning February and my birthday is end April. "Or, you could get a double entry Tourist visa, do a border run at the end of 60 days , convert that to a Non-O and extend that for 1 year near the end of the permission to stay." What @wayned was suggesting is that a double entry tourist visa is obtained. The first entry will provide a 60 day stay toward the end of that time leaving the country and returning will activate the second permitted entry again giving 60 days! During the second 60 day stay the tourist visa can be converted at a Thai Immigration office to a Non "O" entry for the purpose of retirement. This conversion will permit a stay of 90 days. After 60 days an extension of stay can be applied for again at Immigration. You will need to ensure you meet the financial requirements for both the "conversion" and the extension of stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 You can do a change of visa status from a tourist visa to a non immigrant visa entry at immigration (not Cambodia). You need at least 15 days remaining on your visa entry. To do it you need to meet the financial requirements for an extension of 800k baht ing the bank (seasoning not required) or 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 to reach a total of 800k. After getting the 90 day entry from the change you would go back to immigration after 60 days to do the extension of stay. You could also go back to Laos for single entry non-o visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcbruk Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 The limit is only for getting tourist visas at nearby embassies and consulates. You can probably get them forever in the UK. Phew...thank you so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Let's assume that your ED visa is finished 1 Feb and your birthday is 30 April. You travel to Laos on 1 Feb and get a double entry Tourist visa, 2000 baht. When you enter you get 60 days permission to stay, must exit around 1 April. Exit and return, no 30 day extension, you will get another 60 days permission to stay, until around 1 June. You turn 50 on 30 April. You go into immigration with at least 15 days left on your permission to stay and convert your tourist visa to a Non-O, cost 2000, baht. You will get 90 days permission to stay. During the last 30 days you go to immigration and extend your permission to stay for 1 year for retirement, cost 1900 baht. The total cost 5900 baht + travel. This assumes that you have 800000k in a Thai bank in your name only. It does not have to be seasoned for the conversion but has to be seasoned for at least 2 months prior to the extension. The other options are a letter from your Embassy stating that you are receiving at least 65000 baht/month from overseas or a combination of both totaling 800000 baht/year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthai Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 OK, Thanks everybody, it is clear to me now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disparate Dan Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Pardon me asking, but I am interested to know if "a letter from your Embassy stating that you are receiving at least 65000 baht/month from overseas or a combination of both totaling 800000 baht/year" works. How does the embassy satisfy itself? (By looking at a bank statement?). And if you have a Thai a/c, what about printed-out online statements? Or a letter from the bank itself stating income - would that suffice? I seem to recall getting the latter once before - it cost about 100 baht and needs to be done about one day before your application, but this may all have changed now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Pardon me asking, but I am interested to know if "a letter from your Embassy stating that you are receiving at least 65000 baht/month from overseas or a combination of both totaling 800000 baht/year" works. How does the embassy satisfy itself? (By looking at a bank statement?). And if you have a Thai a/c, what about printed-out online statements? Or a letter from the bank itself stating income - would that suffice? I seem to recall getting the latter once before - it cost about 100 baht and needs to be done about one day before your application, but this may all have changed now! The income letter from embassy would state your actual income. You would then get a letter from a Thai bank confirming the balance of your account. Balance would have to be enough to make up for the difference between your annual income and 800K baht. You would use copies of your bank book at immigration showing the balance. You then show income letter, bank letter and bank book to immigration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 The documentation required to get the letter from your Embassy depends on your nationality and your Embassy's requirements. The US Embassy does not require any documentation, it is a sworn statement and you must do it in person. The UK Embassy allows you to do it by mail but hey require backup documentation. In any case, Thai immigration might require backup documentation in addition to the latter, some offices do some don't, TIT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disparate Dan Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thanks. So as far as we know, in all cases income verification has to be done by one's embassy regardless of other proofs? "The UK Embassy allows you to do it by mail but they require backup documentation" - I assume that means the bank letter? As I said, the (Thai) bank's official letter would once have sufficed, but as you say, TIT.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thanks. So as far as we know, in all cases income verification has to be done by one's embassy regardless of other proofs? "The UK Embassy allows you to do it by mail but they require backup documentation" - I assume that means the bank letter? As I said, the (Thai) bank's official letter would once have sufficed, but as you say, TIT.... He was asking about doing a combination of income and money in the bank. For which a Thai bank account is needed to do. The embassy might allow you to show money in a bank in the UK along with income for the income letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soblue2001 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Ronthai thank you for asking this question as I'm in the same boat. Ed visa expires April and I turn 50 in July. I too was wondering what my options are. Also thank you to the posters who replied with good sensible advice. I will re-read the thread several times till it finally sinks in!! Thai Visa aint all bad!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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