I've only dealt with the Embassy staff once before - once you get through security its a fairly painless if somewhat impersonal experience but I can only assume there is more to a Police check than my previous errand. I need it for the Non-Imm O-A visa - hoping someone who's been to South Sathorn Road in the last 12 months can give me some feedback re timelines. Perfect world, computers would make this a case of 'enter passport number, get printout of any past misdemeanours' but sadly that's rarely the case. I lived in 4 states at various times and I think it's only recently that they've gotten their respective acts together.

Also working on the assumption that I can just go to a Thai doctor, tell him I need a medical certificate for the retirement visa and he'll know what to check ?

Thanks in advance.

Why are you trying to get a criminal records check for a OA visa here. You can do it in OZ when you go back to apply for the visa there.

Or are you thinking you need it to get an extension of stay at immigration here. You don't need it or the medical to do this.

Why are you trying to get a criminal records check for a OA visa here. You can do it in OZ when you go back to apply for the visa there.

Or are you thinking you need it to get an extension of stay at immigration here. You don't need it or the medical to do this.

Thank uj - cant I get the OA in Savannaket ? I admit to some confusion here.

What type of via do you currently have?

If you have either a tourist visa or 30 day visa exempt entry and you meet the financial requirements, either 800k in a Thai bank in your name only, 65k/month from overseas or a combination of both, you can convert you current permission to stay yo a non-o at immigration as long as you have 15 days left, cost 2000baht. The money does not have to be seasoned. You will get 90 days permission to stay an during the last 30 days you apply for 1 year permission to stay foe retirement purposes, the money has to be seasoned in the account for two months.

Or you could get a single entry Non-O in Savannaket and extend once back in Thailand.

No medical or criminal checks are required for either. Non- O?A visa are only available in your home country or country of permanent residence and you do need yhe medical and criminal checks.

What type of via do you currently have?

If you have either a tourist visa or 30 day visa exempt entry and you meet the financial requirements, either 800k in a Thai bank in your name only, 65k/month from overseas or a combination of both, you can convert you current permission to stay yo a non-o at immigration as long as you have 15 days left, cost 2000baht. The money does not have to be seasoned. You will get 90 days permission to stay an during the last 30 days you apply for 1 year permission to stay foe retirement purposes, the money has to be seasoned in the account for two months.

Or you could get a single entry Non-O in Savannaket and extend once back in Thailand.

No medical or criminal checks are required for either. Non- O?A visa are only available in your home country or country of permanent residence and you do need yhe medical and criminal checks.

Thanks wayned - appreciated. The reason I'm confused is that the guff I read on the Thai websites claims that the standard 'O' visa is for people wishing to stay in Thailand to be with family and I'm not married to a Thai. I do have the 800K in a Thai FCD account (equivalent in AUD and ubonjoe confirmed earlier that this will be OK) and I'm over 50. I'm confident that I can get the extension on my current Tourist Visa from Jomtien but I'd also like to be able to leave Thailand for a trip I've been planning for some time. I guess I cant have it all ways and if something has to give it will be said trip.

If I understand the rules - and so far that seems tenuous at best - eventually I wont be able to stay here under that initial non-O and will be forced to fly to Australia and get the O-A anyway ? Thanks again for your help.

The info on the Vientiane and I suspect the Savannakhet is for Lao citizens getting a OA. It is an error that it does not mention the non-o visa for being over 50.

I never mentioned an OA visa. You can only get that in your home country or country of legal residence.

You can get a single entry non-o in Savannakhet but you will need to show that you have the money in the bank.

If you have 15 days left on current tourist visa entry (or 30 day extension) you could do a change of visa status at immigration that would give you a 90 day non immigrant visa entry. You will a letter from you bank confirming you balance in AUD and the amount in baht it would be equal to on that date.

You could get a re-entry permit for that 90 days for your trip. Then apply for your extension when you return.

If your money has been in the bank for 60 days Jomtien immigration would probably do it the change and extension at the same time.

Thanks again ubonjoe - my money hasnt been in the bank for 60 days but as I mentioned in another thread I'm going to make the trip to Jomtien today and try to get this sorted. I'll ask about the re-entry permit too.

Once you have the 90 day entry getting the re-entry permit will not be a problem. They often do them.