Feel for you. I believe the incompetence of immigration staff, and that they dont want to know.

You can't really blame immigration for this. To get the right answers, you need to know enough to ask the right questions. As foreigners here on short leashes, it's on us to be responsible enough to be aware of the technicalities of our visa situations. We weren't invited here for the most part; this isn't a nanny state for alien foreigners.

Edited January 29, 201511 yr by Jingthing

Looks like the OP could get an income letter from his embassy and go to Savanakhet for a non-imm O visa which would give him plenty of time to get the extensions sorted out at his local immigration office.

As a retiree you will have plenty of time on your hands to read through a few of the threads on this issue. The rules have not changed for a long time, just some tweaks to the mechanics of the system, such as Bangkok becoming the only place that will convert an existing visa to a non-imm O. As a few others here have said - it's up to you know the rules and work out how you're going to comply. Going to the immigration office for "advice" probably is not a good idea since a lot of them don't actually know all the possibilities, or they're too busy to take the time to walk you through the regulations.

Looks like the OP could get an income letter from his embassy and go to Savanakhet for a non-imm O visa which would give him plenty of time to get the extensions sorted out at his local immigration office.

Not Savannakhet for the non-o for being 50 or over for retirement. They have been turning people away and asking for a letter from your embassy stating you are retired.

Vientiane will just want a bank book showing 800k baht or a an income letter.

Looks like the OP could get an income letter from his embassy and go to Savanakhet for a non-imm O visa which would give him plenty of time to get the extensions sorted out at his local immigration office.

Not Savannakhet for the non-o for being 50 or over for retirement. They have been turning people away and asking for a letter from your embassy stating you are retired.

Vientiane will just want a bank book showing 800k baht or a an income letter.

I assumed that the letter of proof of retirement was always in the package of required papers. I use my UK state pension award letter and a US friend uses his social security letter, both of which say something along the lines of "you are retired and receiving a pension" (albeit in English). The amount of the pension is immaterial since that aspect is covered by the Embassy letter of income or your bank's letter with statement of balance -- or both if you're doing the combo method.

If the requirement is an Embassy letter confirming retirement, an additional paragraph in the income letter stating that fact would suffice....

Edited January 29, 201511 yr by jpinx

With an income letter they have asked to see the money in the bank as well.

After the 1st of February there is no advantage in going to Savannakhet because the same day visas end.

Looks like the OP could get an income letter from his embassy and go to Savanakhet for a non-imm O visa which would give him plenty of time to get the extensions sorted out at his local immigration office.

As a retiree you will have plenty of time on your hands to read through a few of the threads on this issue. The rules have not changed for a long time, just some tweaks to the mechanics of the system, such as Bangkok becoming the only place that will convert an existing visa to a non-imm O. As a few others here have said - it's up to you know the rules and work out how you're going to comply. Going to the immigration office for "advice" probably is not a good idea since a lot of them don't actually know all the possibilities, or they're too busy to take the time to walk you through the regulations.

I'd love to get an income letter, the problem is I don't have an income.

I do agree you never get the whole thing when you go to immigration for advice, Thai Visa is good, but then if you look through this thread there is some info that doesn't match.

Also replying to someone else, you don't necessarily need to be "retired" to get a retirement visa, just over 50 years. And obviously not working here in Thailand. I know a few people that work on the Internet from Thailand and 2 of them earn fantastic money, and Yes, they are on retirement visa here.

With an income letter they have asked to see the money in the bank as well.

After the 1st of February there is no advantage in going to Savannakhet because the same day visas end.

Not wanting to labour the point - - but - - -

Does this mean the requirement for an income letter is no longer sufficient for a new non-imm O visa?

I recently renewed my retirement extension with an income letter only -- no Thai bank account info.

Or is this just an outside Thai embassy/consulate rules?

With an income letter they have asked to see the money in the bank as well.

After the 1st of February there is no advantage in going to Savannakhet because the same day visas end.

Not wanting to labour the point - - but - - -

Does this mean the requirement for an income letter is no longer sufficient for a new non-imm O visa?

I recently renewed my retirement extension with an income letter only -- no Thai bank account info.

Or is this just an outside Thai embassy/consulate rules?

We were discussing getting non-o visas at Savannakhet not getting extensions of stay at immigration.

Actually Mr Beechguy I am not trying to blame anybody, just stating the facts.

" but you know the story you can never get anything across that they don't want to hear."

" I firmly believe they put the incorrect dates in the passport,"

It seems to me you do.

Steve

I went to the Kanchanaburi/Myanmar border. once through departure, a car picks you up for the 5 minute drive to the other side, you don't even get out of the car, it took 2 minutes and then we drove back. The whole experience costs 910 Baht, that includes the Mynmar stamps and the car and driver. I had an elderly Canadian guy in the car with me, and when we got back, he just stood in the middle of the road and said "Is that it?" he couldn't work out how it could all be done so quickly.

I did notice an increase in Departures since I last went there so it might be better to get there early. I was there at 7am and apart from wasting about 35 minutes trying to pay the 20,000 overstay it all went quickly.

Many thanks, as your localish, anywhere to stay close or close-ish to the border