Retirement Visa extension until March 2015 but back to Aus on 21/12/14.

[carlyai]

I have a retirement visa extension due for renewal in March 2015.

I have multiple re-entry permit.

I will be going back to Australia on the 21/12/14 and may not be back before March 2015.

Do I need to renew my retirement visa before I leave Thailand?

What do I have to do so that I can continue my retirement visa extension when I return?

[Diplomatico]

If it were me, I'd just obtain a new O-A visa back in Australia before coming back.

[ubonjoe]

The earliest you can apply for the extension is 45 days before it ends. You would be trying to do it about 90 days early.

If you are not back here before your extension ends you will have to start all over again. The best thing to do would be to get a single entry non-o visa from Brisbane or one of the other honorary consulates and do the extension during the last 30 days of the 90 entry the visa would give you.

[Suradit69]

Do I need to renew my retirement visa before I leave Thailand?

What do I have to do so that I can continue my retirement visa extension when I return?

You have an extension of stay based on retirement, not a visa. If you're not in Thailand when it expires, you have to start over again with a non-Imm O visa at an embassy or consulate and apply for a new extension of stay near the end of your visa entry permission to stay. Your re-entry permit will expire at the same time as your extension, so it too will cease to be of any use.

You could start out with a non-imm O-A, instead of the non-imm O, when you're in Australia which, if you work it right, would give you nearly 2 years before applying for another extension of stay, but most people seem to think applying for the O-A is too much hassle and you would still need a re-entry permit during the second year.

[carlyai]

Thank you for your replys. I will try and get back here before the 15 th of March 2015 if my new knee lets me.

[jacksam]

The guys above are experts and OP you have good advice. I'm going back to au DEC 30 for 4 weeks. The o-a seems bit of stuffing about but isnt as bad as it seems. Police check online or post office . Med certificate is just simple form. Funds ..tick.

The one put me off was the notorized bit. Canberra tells me I can just go to JP. These are free....Post it all to Canberra embassy....easy peasy.

Or as ubon suggests just get the non imm o. Again just post it. Brisbane does them and Sydney. Not so Melb.

Edited December 14, 2014 by jacksam

[carlyai]

When I came here last I had: my medical cert, the police check, funds, etc all I needed for the visa that the Thai embassy in Aus told me I had to have to get my retirement visa in Thailand.

I ran out of time and just came on a tourist visa.

Thought I would try my luck, so i went to the Pattaya Immigration with all my bits of paper and the lovely policeman that is a permanent fixture at the door, just dropped his mouth and waved me on to the Farang.

I then went round the side and met this other lovely lady and 'hey presto' ......

I didn't need any of the paper work from Aus after all.

That's another reason I love Thailand.

[MUSTYJACK]

The earliest you can apply for the extension is 45 days before it ends. You would be trying to do it about 90 days early.

It might still be worth asking at your local immigration office if it possible to extend your permission to stay early, immigration offices can be very flexible if a polite approach and valid reason given for the request is used with the right officer.