Issuing Non O Visa at Jomtien Immigration

[darjockey]

Hello

I have read many conflicting reports regarding Jomtien Immigration issuing Non O Visas

Can someone please confirm if Jomtien Immigration are now issuing Non O Visas or is this still required to be done in Bangkok. Would appreciate any experiences within the last 2 weeks

Thanks In Advance

[beano2274]

no immigration office within Thailand gives out Visas, they give out extensions to a present valid visa.

[mahjongguy]

Are there conflicting reports? As far as I know, Jomtien stopped doing upgrades to Non-O a couple of months ago, and no one has reported any change since then.

[OJAS]

OP - are you talking about converting an existing permission of stay and/or tourist visa to a non-O visa? If so, only Chaengwattana Immigration in Bangkok process such conversions these days, irrespective of where you are based in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

There was a report that Jomtien could accept the application and they would send it to Bangkok for approval. But I have not seen a further confirmation of that report.

[Jingthing]

no immigration office within Thailand gives out Visas, they give out extensions to a present valid visa.

That is incorrect.

The OP is talking about a CHANGE OF STATUS process from a 30 day stamp or tourist visa to a single (90 day stay) O VISA for the purpose of later applying for an annual extension of stay based on retirement. The change to O VISA is indeed the first step and has previously been WIDELY done in Thailand, including Jomtien.

I see UJ has provided current information on the service offered at Jomtien in this regard. Better ask them directly I suppose.

[darjockey]

Thanks for the advice, looks like BKK is the go for conversion

[paz]

Thanks for the advice, looks like BKK is the go for conversion

Check with the Jomtien office first, because if the reports from Bangkok are confirmed, you will be sent back there for your application.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for the advice, looks like BKK is the go for conversion

Check with the Jomtien office first, because if the reports from Bangkok are confirmed, you will be sent back there for your application.

Indeed.

The takeaway from this thread really is that Jomtien might be ready to accept your application there, even if it means they might need to send it on to Bangkok as part of the process.

So you should DEFINITELY go to Jomtien immigration and ask about this.

It will be about doing a Change of Status to an O visa as the first step before the retirement extension.

If they say no, THEN do the Change of Status step in Bangkok.

You will need to show financial qualification for the Change of Status step.

There may be language issues asking about this. Do not accept a quick answer from a junior intake clerk there.

[Smokin Joe]

Bump

Any confirmation if a conversion from a visa exempt (or Tourist visa) entry van be converted to Non-O at Jomtien as 1st step for a one year extension ?

[nzexpat]

Bump

Any confirmation if a conversion from a visa exempt (or Tourist visa) entry van be converted to Non-O at Jomtien as 1st step for a one year extension ?

I have seen no recent reports of "conversions" being done at Jomtien

​Would suggest a direct inquiry to the Jomtien office may be more productive of reliable information .

[Jingthing]

Yes also useful to know if they will send the application to Bangkok for you!

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Smokin Joe]

I may take a friend to Jomtien try it Friday (12 Jun). He will get the Embassy letter for income Thursday. I'll post results.

Worst case, I send him to BKK but no harm trying, it also gives a reason to go to Jomtien to have biscuits and gravy at Pastrami and Rye.

[Smokin Joe]

Went to Immigration 12 Jun 2015 (helping a friend). Want to convert 30 day visa-exempt entry to Non-O visa (1st step for one year retirement extension)

US Citizen

30 day visa-exempt entry

Over 50

TM87 & TM7 (Visa Application & Extension Application)

Embassy income letter (with supporting docs)

No Thai bank account

rental contract

Jomtien still CAN NOT do the conversion to Non-O directly but they can send the Non-O visa application to Bangkok for you IF everything is in order. We had an issue with the acceptability of the rental contract but once that is sorted it should work out OK.

It will save a trip (or two) to Bangkok but won't save any time. They said when it is sent to BKK they it will be 2-3 weeks before it was approved.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks for the report.

Don't bother taking the TM7 form with you the next trip. That will not be needed until a least 45 days days after the visa application is accepted and the 2000 baht fee is paid.

It would also be a good idea to ask if they will accept a copy of the income affidavit or she will need a new one when you applies for the extension of stay.

[Smokin Joe]

Thanks for the report.

Don't bother taking the TM7 form with you the next trip. That will not be needed until a least 45 days days after the visa application is accepted and the 2000 baht fee is paid.

It would also be a good idea to ask if they will accept a copy of the income affidavit or she will need a new one when you applies for the extension of stay.

We took the TM7 just in case, and also to show the intent to apply for the extension. A long time ago Jomtien used to do the conversion to Non-O and the one year extension at the same time. I fill the forms out and print them at home and leave the block for Immigration office and the date blank so they can be filled in when appropriate. We also had a TM28 and TM30 but they didn't care about those.

I forgot to ask about doing it with only one income affadavit once everything was focused on the proof of residency. Worst case my friend now knows how to get the income affadavit along with being shown where the embassy is and knows where to catch the bus to BKK and got a lesson in using the skytrain. I went along with him this time and used the opportunity to get extra passport pages added.

[Smokin Joe]

Final update on this:

I took a friend to Jomtien to apply for a Non-O Visa as 1st step to apply for a one year extension for retirement. He arrived on a 30 day visa-exempt entry.

Jomtien accepted the application but said it would have to go to BKK for approval. He got to keep his passport but was given a ticket to return in just over two weeks time (just before his 30 day entry was to expire)

We returned after two weeks and BKK had approved the Non-O. Jomtien entered a Non-O in the passport (marked as "Used"). They also accepted the TM7 for the one year extension and entered that in the passport at the same time. The extension of stay expires late Sep. He got 3 months for the Non-O and they set the start day for the extension to begin at the expiration of the Non-O. He effectively got approx 15 months stay permitted.

Only one Income Affadavit was necessary since the Non-O and extension were done at the same time. If they had said to come back in two months to apply for the extension I don't know if they would have used the same income statement or required a new one.

And as a trivia point they put a 90 report notice in his passport that has the report date as 90 days from the date of the Non-O not from his initial entry date. I had told him he would need to do the 90 day starting from his initial entry date so it changes that by a couple of weeks.

[paz]

Final update on this:

Thanks for the report, now it would be interesting to know what other offices do.

It seems too logical to think that if Jomtien can do this, other offices, at least in the same division can ?