Retirement Visa

[JimGant]

They now are allowing a 30 day transit stamp to be converted to a non immigrant visa inside Thailand. As long as 21 days remain on the stamp.

Sunbelt,

I'm taking you literally when you say 30 day "transit stamp," i.e., you don't mean the '30-day entry stamp, no visa required,' but mean getting a 'transit visa?' Big difference.

From the Thai Embassy website, US:

Transit visa................... US $20.00 per entry. Purpose of visit: TRANSIT (require copy airline ticket or itenery), SPORTS or CREW (require business letter and invitation from Thailand)

(Maximum stay 30 days, extension of stay may be applied in Thailand.)

Why go to all the trouble to get a 'transit visa' when for $5 dollars more, you can get a 'tourist visa,' which is good for 60 days and also can be converted to an 'O' for retirement extension purposes?

Better yet -- as has been harped on for years on this forum -- use an honorary consulate to get your Non Imm O visa. They're a lot more service oriented than the Thai Embassy or MFA consulates; and have the added benefit of being staffed by locals, so, for one thing, there's no language barrier.

Phone numbers and addresses for all these honorary consulates can be found on the Web. In my experience, I've used email and the phone to clarify matters with my favorite honorary, and they've been extremely helpful and prompt in getting my Non Imm O (I gave up on the Thai Embassy, even tho I live in DC and have a Thai wife -- too many hoops that changed from year to year). Now, the last time I did this was 10-months ago, so maybe the honoraries have gotten some new guidance on issuing Non Imm visas........ But a phone call would quickly clarify.

One other advantage of a Non Imm O is no need to have an airline reservation 'out' of Thailand, which could be troublesome if you're coming here open ended to retire. United Airlines, for one, periodically enforces this rule -- usually when there's a new agent that has to get on the computer to check the regulation when you have no visa -- and the reg is quite definitive about having an 'out' ticket from Thailand.

[SunbeltAsia]

Our visa lawyers have been very excited, saving a number of people visa trips. So will check what is up with that. Because your point is taken. Just as well get a tourist visa for $5.00 more. Won’t be before Wednesday though because of the Holidays.

As for the "O" visa, this poster brought it up several months ago, being rejected for a "O" visa. This was in Houston, one of the most liberal Consulates

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/lofiversion/...php?t64664.html

We then had the same thing happen to one of our clients in Houston and then also in New York. When we e-mal The embassy/Consulate. They responded it was from instructions In Thailand, not to issue "O" visas for retirement anymore. All Thai embassies/Consulates got this letter.

[Maestro]

When we e-mal The embassy/Consulate. They responded it was from instructions In Thailand, not to issue "O" visas for retirement anymore. All Thai embassies/Consulates got this letter.

This is hot news! It looks like a crack-down on the issuance of non-O visas for any purpose other than “visit family”, and for this purpose the marriage certificate and wife’s Thai IC card, respectively copies thereof, are usually required.

This new directive given to consulates world-wide may explain the post of another member very recently (can’t find it anymore) who said after getting multiple-entry non-O visas for two consecutive years form the Thai consulate in Zurich, Switzerland he was refused it a third time now. As I remember it, the applicant was a Swiss national, living in Thailand on a disability pension, and he cannot meet the financial requirements for an extension for retirement, nor does he have a Thai wife.

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Maestro

[Maestro]

the post of another member very recently

Now I have found that other post again. It is here.

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Maestro

[JimGant]

We then had the same thing happen to one of our clients in Houston and then also in New York. When we e-mal The embassy/Consulate. They responded it was from instructions In Thailand, not to issue "O" visas for retirement anymore. All Thai embassies/Consulates got this letter.

Hmmm. "Retirement" per se has never been a valid reason for issuing a Non Imm O, at least according to Thai Embassy/Consulate websites -- and from what a clerk at the Thai Embassy in DC told me. And, accordingly, I've never heard of, nor seen anything on this forum, showing anyone getting anything other than an O-A visa from the Thai Embassy or official (MFA) Consulate (which doesn't mean it hasn't happened).

But honorary consulates (at least Yankee ones) have historically been pretty casual in their strictness. In fact, earnie's posting on page one of this thread shows that, at least up to the beginning of the year, Denver allowed retirement as a valid reason for an 'O' visa. Actually, the reason was more akin to something like investigating retirement opportunities, not just plain retirement -- so maybe Denver was using some wiggle room, if indeed they'd already been instructed not to allow "retirement" per se as a valid reason.

Maybe this will all pass. Or maybe you'll have to use another reason for visiting Thailand. At one time, "studying religion" would get you an "O" at a Texas honorary consulate. Now, if the consulates get instructions about "studying religion" as a no no, then we'll know who the guest readers are on this forum (as if there was any doubt).

Or just call an honorary consulate and ask them what you can do to get a Non Imm O. You might just be surprised.

[eugengeri]

the post of another member very recently

Now I have found that other post again. It is here.

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Maestro

Yes "maestro" that's till now true.

But more correct, I getting multiple-entry non-O visas for about 4 consecutive years form the Thai consulate in Zurich before. That was the reason, why I emigrated. Stupid story.

And now you can see in other posts I already married with my long-term GF since January 2006.

[Maestro]

I already married with my long-term GF since January 2006.

Thanks for your follow-up, and belated congratulations on your marriage.

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Maestro

[eugengeri]

I already married with my long-term GF since January 2006.

Thanks for your follow-up, and belated congratulations on your marriage.

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Maestro

Thank you, I appreciate it.

[VegasVic]

My understanding is US does not allow dual.

They most surly do; as a good percentage of the posters here can attest. A quick Google search should settle your mind on that point.

I can certainly confirm that not only can Thai nationals become U.S. citizens and keep their Thai passport, but at the swearing in ceremony that my wife went through 3 months ago the gentleman from immigration-homeland security who was doing the swearing in, actually encouraged us to keep her Thai passport current so that if she went back to Thailand to visit it would be easier for her.