Hi ,

My two friends both have tourist visa but want to stay in Thailand long term is it possible for them to convert their tourist visa to a non - immigrant visa to apply for the retirement visa . Has anybody done this recently ?.and where did you do it .

I don't think that is possible.

Moving to the visa forum

They can do a change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at CM immigration based upon qualifying for an extension of stay based upon retirement.

They will need to have 800k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

They will need at least 15 days remaining on their 60 day entry or 30 day extension to apply.

Short answer is yes.

We came over on tourist visa <removed promotion of a company>

All sorted and we are now on a retirement Visa.Just done our first 90 Day report.

Keith.

Edited December 19, 201411 yr by ubonjoe

Yes i arrived on a Tourist visa , Now on my extension of stay based upon retirement.

Easy to do it yourself , Just make sure you get you paperwork in order.

And assuming your two friends are age 50 years or over...

Short answer is yes.

We came over on tourist visa <removed promotion of a company>

All sorted and we are now on a retirement Visa.Just done our first 90 Day report.

Keith.

"All sorted and we are now on a retirement Visa."

No, you're on an extension of stay. It's not a visa. If you want to cross borders in and out of Thailand you'll need a re-entry permit because what you now have is not a visa.

Short answer is yes.

We came over on tourist visa <removed promotion of a company>

All sorted and we are now on a retirement Visa.Just done our first 90 Day report.

Keith.

Just figured out that Keith did this before the apparent change in rules in Chiang Mai on December 1, where now the conversion from a tourist visa to a 90-day O visa has to occur in Bangkok. He said he's now on a retirement extension and just did his first 90 day report, so the conversion would have occurred before the December 1 rule change.

Got in under the wire, Keith!

Dario77, have your friends made inquiry at CM Immigration as to whether they can convert their tourist visas to non-immigration O visas?