All retirement visa applications must now be made outside of Thailand?

[bluesofa]

Immigration will only issue a Visa if it is part of a conversion culminating in a 12 month extension of stay.

That does sound a very rational statement.

Although in my case when I changed from a TR to a Non O, I was never asked why, or that I was expected to request an extension of stay - even though that was my reason for doing so.

I am certain you were asked for the financial proof needed for an extension of stay application.

Also on the application form you filled in this line "I Wish to apply for a non-immigrant visa" and "reason (s) for application"

Yes,and as always you're quite correct about those points Ubonjoe.

But, while I said I wanted to stay longer to be with my girlfriend, there was never any mention about requesting/expecting me to apply for, a 12 month extension as someone in an earlier post mentioned (although that was my aim).

Edited October 10, 2014 by bluesofa

[Tolley]

That doesn't make any sense, hence the request for showing a scan of the stamp so we can advice you better.

I looked at the passport this morning over coffee and that is what it had on it.

Forgot to bring my iphone with me so don't have a pic but will do it when I see him again later.

He is going down to Jomtien to get clarification on the requirements.

I didn't think you need to leave the country either.

[gzu88bv]

Would somebody please enlighten me and hopefully others. Sorry, if already covered somewhere.

I understand, if you come to LOS with i.e. a Tourist Visa and want to stay longer you need that « so-called » conversion to a Non-O-Visa for the extension.

Now, can immigration make me sit out the 90 days of that conversion before they grant me the extension or can I ask them that conversion and extension takes place the same day ?

Furthermore, should a regional immigration office refuse me such an extension as above and especially that same day execution, can I ignore my regional office and go straight to Bangkok to have it done ?

[wpcoe]

Okay, folks, here's what I was told at Cholburi (Jomtien) Immigration this afternoon when I attempted to convert a 30-day visa-exempt stamp to the "special" Non-Immigrant O visa for the purpose of obtaining a retirement extension:

Cholburi (Jomtien) Immigrations can no longer do the conversion to the Non-Immigrant O. I was directed to go to Chaeng Wattana to do that, then return to Jomtien to get the retirement extension.

This was told to me by the girl working the front desk, and again when I further inquired with the senior officer who sits at the desk behind the Retirement Extension desk. Apparently it changed 01-Oct-2014.

My scanner is acting wonky, but if I can get it to work, I'll attach a scan of the notice they gave me.

After I got home, I realized I have more questions: Will Chaeng Wattana keep my US Embassy letter so that I need to get a new one for Jomtien? Will I need to wait until the last 45 days of the Non-Immigrant O to apply for the extension? (Jomtien used to do the whole process in one day if you met the criteria.)

[Edited to add:] The notice they gave me was just a generic page with the address/hours of Chaeng Wattana with a map, but nothing specific to the 01-Oct change to conversions to Non-Immigrant O.

But to be clear, Cholburi Immigrations informed me they no longer can convert 30-day visa-exempt extensions to Non-Immigrant O visas, but Chaeng Wattana can and will, and that's where folks from Pattaya must go now.

Edited October 10, 2014 by wpcoe

[Jingthing]

OK. Thanks. Interesting.

Which begs the question ... can they do a conversion if you've got a TOURIST visa?

[ubonjoe]

Okay, folks, here's what I was told at Cholburi (Jomtien) Immigration this afternoon when I attempted to convert a 30-day visa-exempt stamp to the "special" Non-Immigrant O visa for the purpose of obtaining a retirement extension:

Cholburi (Jomtien) Immigrations can no longer do the conversion to the Non-Immigrant O. I was directed to go to Chaeng Wattana to do that, then return to Jomtien to get the retirement extension.

This was told to me by the girl working the front desk, and again when I further inquired with the senior officer who sits at the desk behind the Retirement Extension desk. Apparently it changed 01-Oct-2014.

My scanner is acting wonky, but if I can get it to work, I'll attach a scan of the notice they gave me.

After I got home, I realized I have more questions: Will Chaeng Wattana keep my US Embassy letter so that I need to get a new one for Jomtien? Will I need to wait until the last 45 days of the Non-Immigrant O to apply for the extension? (Jomtien used to do the whole process in one day if you met the criteria.)

[Edited to add:] The notice they gave me was just a generic page with the address/hours of Chaeng Wattana with a map, but nothing specific to the 01-Oct change to conversions to Non-Immigrant O.

But to be clear, Cholburi Immigrations informed me they no longer can convert 30-day visa-exempt extensions to Non-Immigrant O visas, but Chaeng Wattana can and will, and that's where folks from Pattaya must go now.

It seems they have pulled Jomtien's ability to do non immigrant visas.

You will need 15 days remaining on your entry to do it at Chaeng Wattana. And it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp.

They will keep your income affidavit. You will need to get another one to get the extensions.

[Jingthing]

Hmm. Very interesting indeed.

So if true no more CONVERSIONS in Pattaya ... and only at Bangkok ... do you think this is a THAILAND WIDE change also effecting other offices like Chiang Mai who have been doing the conversions?

Edited October 10, 2014 by Jingthing

[OJAS]

Okay, folks, here's what I was told at Cholburi (Jomtien) Immigration this afternoon when I attempted to convert a 30-day visa-exempt stamp to the "special" Non-Immigrant O visa for the purpose of obtaining a retirement extension:

Cholburi (Jomtien) Immigrations can no longer do the conversion to the Non-Immigrant O. I was directed to go to Chaeng Wattana to do that, then return to Jomtien to get the retirement extension.

This was told to me by the girl working the front desk, and again when I further inquired with the senior officer who sits at the desk behind the Retirement Extension desk. Apparently it changed 01-Oct-2014.

My scanner is acting wonky, but if I can get it to work, I'll attach a scan of the notice they gave me.

After I got home, I realized I have more questions: Will Chaeng Wattana keep my US Embassy letter so that I need to get a new one for Jomtien? Will I need to wait until the last 45 days of the Non-Immigrant O to apply for the extension? (Jomtien used to do the whole process in one day if you met the criteria.)

[Edited to add:] The notice they gave me was just a generic page with the address/hours of Chaeng Wattana with a map, but nothing specific to the 01-Oct change to conversions to Non-Immigrant O.

But to be clear, Cholburi Immigrations informed me they no longer can convert 30-day visa-exempt extensions to Non-Immigrant O visas, but Chaeng Wattana can and will, and that's where folks from Pattaya must go now.

It seems they have pulled Jomtien's ability to do non immigrant visas.

You will need 15 days remaining on your entry to do it at Chaeng Wattana. And it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp.

They will keep your income affidavit. You will need to get another one to get the extensions.

So does this mean that there is now NO provincial office who can do non-O conversions? If so, rather then having to endure 2 return trips on manically-driven boneshakers of clapped-out buses to sunny Bangkok from wherever we live in Thailand followed by endless waits at Chaengwattana while front-line staff there spend hours picking their noses or whatever, we would probably be better off in practice getting a single-entry non-O at a consulate in an adjoining country which does not require any financial proof. In that way only 1 Embassy income confirmation letter would, of course, be needed: at extension of stay time.

[Jingthing]

As before, I assume people over 50 can simply take a pleasant visa holiday to Laos or Malaysia to obtain a single entry O visa if they wish to avoid the Bangkok experience.

[ubonjoe]

I suspect it is only Jomtien that has had the ability to do non immigrant visas pulled.

It might have something to do with all those high cost retirement extensions we have heard about.

[wpcoe]

It seems they have pulled Jomtien's ability to do non immigrant visas.

You will need 15 days remaining on your entry to do it at Chaeng Wattana. And it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp.

They will keep your income affidavit. You will need to get another one to get the extensions.

Two trips indeed. My 30-day permission of stay is until 28-Oct-2014, so the latest I can do it is Monday (13-Oct). Earliest appointment available for ACS at US Embassy to get the letter is on 15-Oct.

What do you mean "it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp" -- by stamp do you mean the Non-Immigrant O? If so, why would two trips be needed? If you mean two trips to get the extension, then that I comprehend: one trip to get the Non-Immigrant O at Chaeng Wattana, and another trip to get the extension at Jomtien.

[Jingthing]

You are under an incorrect impression.

Jomtien and Bangkok are certainly not the only offices that do this.

As a generality, the larger offices tend to offer that service, and it is less likely to be offered at smaller offices.

People interested in this option need to find out about their specific office.

If their specific office doesn't offer it, then the option is to do it in Bangkok ... but if your office DOES do it, it should be done at your local office.

I will correct correct my previous response as new credible and more current information has come in.

Now conversions are not possible at Jomtien.

They are still done at Bangkok.

Still assuming they are being done at the other offices in which they have been done, until further notice!

[ubonjoe]

It seems they have pulled Jomtien's ability to do non immigrant visas.

You will need 15 days remaining on your entry to do it at Chaeng Wattana. And it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp.

They will keep your income affidavit. You will need to get another one to get the extensions.

Two trips indeed. My 30-day permission of stay is until 28-Oct-2014, so the latest I can do it is Monday (13-Oct). Earliest appointment available for ACS at US Embassy to get the letter is on 15-Oct.

What do you mean "it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp" -- by stamp do you mean the Non-Immigrant O? If so, why would two trips be needed? If you mean two trips to get the extension, then that I comprehend: one trip to get the Non-Immigrant O at Chaeng Wattana, and another trip to get the extension at Jomtien.

The 2 trips are just to get the the visa and entry stamp done. There have been several reports of CW telling people to come back in 2 weeks while their application is being approved before getting the visa and entry stamps.

You should be able to get a 30 day extension of your 30 day exempt entry and then do the conversion.

It not unusual for ACS appointments to be not available unless you can get them a week or so ahead of time.

[Jingthing]

Wouldn't it be more convenient for many (or most) to just go to Laos or Malaysia and get a single entry O visa based on being over 50 and planning on a retirement extension application in Thailand? I was under the impression that financial evidence is not needed for that, just being over 50 with the stated intention. Then you need the financial evidence later at time of application of the extension.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Jingthing

[wpcoe]

It seems they have pulled Jomtien's ability to do non immigrant visas.

You will need 15 days remaining on your entry to do it at Chaeng Wattana. And it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp.

They will keep your income affidavit. You will need to get another one to get the extensions.

Two trips indeed. My 30-day permission of stay is until 28-Oct-2014, so the latest I can do it is Monday (13-Oct). Earliest appointment available for ACS at US Embassy to get the letter is on 15-Oct.

What do you mean "it may mean 2 trips to get the stamp" -- by stamp do you mean the Non-Immigrant O? If so, why would two trips be needed? If you mean two trips to get the extension, then that I comprehend: one trip to get the Non-Immigrant O at Chaeng Wattana, and another trip to get the extension at Jomtien.

The 2 trips are just to get the the visa and entry stamp done. There have been several reports of CW telling people to come back in 2 weeks while their application is being approved before getting the visa and entry stamps.

You should be able to get a 30 day extension of your 30 day exempt entry and then do the conversion.

It not unusual for ACS appointments to be not available unless you can get them a week or so ahead of time.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. For me, coming from Jomtien for a couple day trips to Bangkok is no big deal since I'm retired and don't have a life. But, for folks living out in the Isaan hinterlands to make two treks into Bangkok could be a bit daunting.

Do you have any idea what is being approved before getting the visa/entry stamps? They can approve a one-year retirement extension on the spot, but need to do two weeks worth of research before issuing a 90-day visa???

[ovenman]

I thought that one had to deal solely with their local immigrations office, i.e. the one with jurisdiction over where they reside?

[ubonjoe]

The 2 trips are just to get the the visa and entry stamp done. There have been several reports of CW telling people to come back in 2 weeks while their application is being approved before getting the visa and entry stamps.

You should be able to get a 30 day extension of your 30 day exempt entry and then do the conversion.

It not unusual for ACS appointments to be not available unless you can get them a week or so ahead of time.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. For me, coming from Jomtien for a couple day trips to Bangkok is no big deal since I'm retired and don't have a life. But, for folks living out in the Isaan hinterlands to make two treks into Bangkok could be a bit daunting.

Do you have any idea what is being approved before getting the visa/entry stamps? They can approve a one-year retirement extension on the spot, but need to do two weeks worth of research before issuing a 90-day visa???

Getting a conversion done up here in Isaan is already difficult to get done. I suggest people make a trip to Laos for a non-o instead of making a trip to Bangkok.

For a non immigrant visa it requires an officer of a higher rank to sign off on the application than an extension based upon retirement. Bangkok is already the only place to get them for marriage, working, education and etc.

I think they do the two weeks because they present several approvals at one time to the officer.

[Maestro]

Given that the terminology is already riddled with acronyms, why not 'EOS-R' for an extension of stay based on retirement ? It would make life a whole lot simpler for all concerned.

For heaven's sake, no! Anybody too lazy to type "retirement extension" should please stay out of this forum.

[VBF]

Wouldn't it be more convenient for many (or most) to just go to Laos or Malaysia and get a single entry O visa based on being over 50 and planning on a retirement extension application in Thailand? I was under the impression that financial evidence is not needed for that, just being over 50 with the stated intention. Then you need the financial evidence later at time of application of the extension.

But as you yourself asked above Jingthing, does this only affect people arriving on Visa -exempt basis, or can Jomtien now not convert Tourist Visas to "O for retirement extension" either?

Sorry, but this detail does not appear clear at all

Edited October 10, 2014 by VBF

[Jingthing]

Wouldn't it be more convenient for many (or most) to just go to Laos or Malaysia and get a single entry O visa based on being over 50 and planning on a retirement extension application in Thailand? I was under the impression that financial evidence is not needed for that, just being over 50 with the stated intention. Then you need the financial evidence later at time of application of the extension.

But as you yourself asked above Jingthing, does this only affect people arriving on Visa -exempt basis, or can Jomtien now not convert Tourist Visas to "O for retirement" either?

Sorry, but this detail does not appear clear at all

Not 100 percent sure but probably no conversions means no conversions ... PERIOD.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Jingthing

[VBF]

Wouldn't it be more convenient for many (or most) to just go to Laos or Malaysia and get a single entry O visa based on being over 50 and planning on a retirement extension application in Thailand? I was under the impression that financial evidence is not needed for that, just being over 50 with the stated intention. Then you need the financial evidence later at time of application of the extension.

But as you yourself asked above Jingthing, does this only affect people arriving on Visa -exempt basis, or can Jomtien now not convert Tourist Visas to "O for retirement" either?

Sorry, but this detail does not appear clear at all

Not 100 percent sure but probably no conversions means no conversions ... PERIOD.

The expression "Damn and Blast" comes to mind - Hopefully we'll become 100% sure soon but experience suggests that it's just another irritating and pointless change!

Edited October 10, 2014 by VBF

[Jingthing]

I'm not sure it's pointless but maybe you failed to read between the lines.

[Maestro]

...It says retirement visa on the stamp.

Please post a photo or a scanned copy of this stamp, and we all shall believe what we see. I suggest that until you do so, you should stop posting in this topic, because you keep contradicting yourself all the time. I'm sure you are not a troll; you just don't know what you are talking about, which is the reason why we need a picture.

[Maestro]

Karma.

[ubonjoe]

There is another post now about Jomtien not being able to a conversion to a non immigrant visa. Which now confirms that they have lost the ability to do them.

The other topic is here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/767359-how-to-get-retirement-visa-when-in-thailand-on-visa-exemption/?p=8515801

This means if a person wants to do conversion from a visa exempt or tourist visa entry they will have to go to Bangkok to do it.

Please lets continue the discussion about this in the other topic.

[moe666]

There is no such thing as a "retirement visa". You can get a visa (any type) with the aim of getting a years extension for retirement purposes.

You can fly in, get the 30 day visa exemption stamp, then, during the last 14 days, go to immigration, show 800,000 Bt that has been in the correct type of bank account for the required time, and you can get a one year extension that can be extended each and every year dependent on showing the correct amount of money in your bank account.

A person cannot get an extension of stay for one year on a 30 day stamp it has to be converted to a non-0 visa first and then they can get the extension of stay. Many post here on this process.

[Maestro]

Other members who had the same experience at the Pattaya immigration office are invited to post it in this new topic that has been opened for this purpose: http://www.thaivisa....-to-non-o-visa/

This applies to applications for conversion made with the forms TM.86 and TM.87

[wpcoe]

As before, I assume people over 50 can simply take a pleasant visa holiday to Laos or Malaysia to obtain a single entry O visa if they wish to avoid the Bangkok experience.

It's looking more like I want to avoid the Bangkok experience. Can I confirm here that I can get a Non-Immigrant O in Penang or Vientiane solely on the basis of being over 50 years old with "investigating retirement" as the reason, and no other documentation required?

[ubonjoe]

As before, I assume people over 50 can simply take a pleasant visa holiday to Laos or Malaysia to obtain a single entry O visa if they wish to avoid the Bangkok experience.

It's looking more like I want to avoid the Bangkok experience. Can I confirm here that I can get a Non-Immigrant O in Penang or Vientiane solely on the basis of being over 50 years old with "investigating retirement" as the reason, and no other documentation required?

Your passport to prove your age and financial proof if asked for. Just a bank book and copy or income letter and copy for financials.

Savannakhet does visas on the same day applied for.

[wpcoe]

Thanks, as usual, Ubonjoe. I hadn't considered Savannakhet.

After all these years of reading about folks doing visa runs, I've been just vaguely aware of the concept. Now, suddenly I'm considering it myself. Never say never.