Visa report : extension and Non-O, Jomtien, 3 July 2014

[MrWorldwide]

For some, this will be a case of 'big woop' - those folk should probably go back to whatever they were doing : there are people here who are very keen to sort a legal means of staying in Thailand with August 12 fast approaching. I'm happy to report that after 3 trips out to Jomtien from my digs in Pattaya Klang, I now have two large stamps in my passport. Not really sure how they arrived at an 'effective until' date of mid-September 2015 on the 'Retirement' stamp but given that my funds arent even seasoned yet I'm going to hold off on the 30K party till that first 90-day is out of the way. Technically, I believe that all I have at this stage is an extension, but the 'Retirement' Non-O stamp is right there in my passport alongside it - I just have to keep jumping through those hoops each 90-days or so. I'll pester ubonjoe at the appropriate time

The only real stumbling block for me was that I underestimated their requirement for proof that I live where I say I live in Thailand, but a letter from the Manager here was enough to tick that box. The other advice I would give everyone contemplating applying is:

- check every single photocopy you are handed by the people at the nearby copy place and dont be afraid to ask for more copies

- if you think you need two copies of everything, get four - just make sure you sign the first two. I dont know if there is a requirement to sign them in front of the Immigration Officer, but they want all the photocopies signed and they want your Thai contact number on at least one of those copies. The guy next to me seemed surprised by this too, but he could well have been another newbie.

- dont let them staple anything - Immigration will just remove the staples anyway

- be prepared to fill in two forms that are virtually identical if you indicate that you intend retiring in Thailand. I went there thinking I was only applying for the extension of stay till I qualified for the seasoning rule - when she told me the fee was 3900 baht I realised they werent just getting me to fill in the other doco for shits and giggles.

- Jomtien will happily accept your deposit in a currency other than THB as long as it's deposited in a Thai bank (ie FCD account) and accompanied by a letter from your bank. My bank manager assured me that those letters - even if you have the 800K in THB - are valid for a week from the date on the letter. Anyone who wants to debate the vagaries of foreign exchange can take it up with the manager of KrungThai Bank in Central Festival - I wish you every success but they showed me a hoop and I jumped through it without having to put all my eggs in THB.

- dont expect any handholding at any stage of the process - they are brutally efficient at getting as many people out of those doors as possible and that starts from the instant you have to deal with Mr Personality on the front desk.

Absolutely no idea how this compares to Bangkok or any other Immigration office in Thailand, but I got the distinct impression that they were keen to get the over-50s sorted : no real surprise when you look at the faces in the crowd. For those who have the funds and are still on the fence about applying, I believe you should give it a go if you want to stay in this country.

Just to be clear - this is a report from one person applying at one Immigration Centre - its not a discussion of Thai Immigration rules and procedures. Happy to answer on-topic questions, not so happy to engage in the debates currently raging in several other threads at the moment. Hope this helps someone currently contemplating this route to a longterm stay in Thailand. Best of luck.

(massive thank you to ubonjoe and the others who give so much of their time providing genuinely valuable information in this forum)

[MrWorldwide]

Just wanted to add that I have no problems leaving Thailand - I suspect that my OP may have given the opposite impression - I just want to give myself a better chance of being allowed back in than I believe I would have done with another Tourist Visa. No hard evidence to support that opinion - I guess we'll all find out from August 12.

[ubonjoe]

Glad it all worked out.

Party time

[Suradit69]

Trying to figure out what it was you were trying to accomplish that required so many copies and forms and Baht 3900.

Did you convert to a Non-Imm O entry stamp and apply for the extension of stay at the same time? Presumably your Non-Imm allowed you to stay until mid September 2014 and then your extension of stay added on the additional year to Sept 2015.

Normally anything photocopied requires a signature. which you can do before arriving at the desk to speed things up and the telephone number goes on the back of the application form. Everyone appreciates it if you have everything organized before being called so that you can be sorted out in a few minutes ... but inevitably I am behind the guy who has to be sent back to the photocopy shop and then hands this folded wad of papers to the intern to organize.

Anyway it's nice that things worked out. In a few years, with additional experience, you'll get through the process even more quickly and without all the drama. In future you should manage to do the single annual extension that normally only requires one copy of everything.

Taking a one week old letter from the bank manager might be pushing it. I've always used one that was no more than a day old and I think others have said that no more than a couple of days was acceptable ... although maybe they're more relaxed about it all these days.

Don't forget to get a re-entry permit if you plan to travel out of the country.

Edited July 3, 2014 by Suradit69

[ubonjoe]

Since his money had been in the bank for more than 60 days they did the change of visa status to get the non immigrant visa entry and the extension all at one time. That is why there was a total fee of 3900 baht. It also explains the extra copies and two application forms.

[MrWorldwide]

Whatever I thought I was trying to achieve when I went in there, the end result exceeded my expectations. I'm just happy to have that little thorn in my side sorted.

[KhunBENQ]

One of the first investments of an expat: a cheap B/W laser printer/scanner/copy machine to make your own copies

(and scan everything important to save on your computer)

I always have at least two copies of about everything in my wrapper.