Change from Tourist Visa to O/A Retirement whilst in Thailand?

[Bodger22]

Hi

I will be arriving in Thailand shortly on a 60 day triple entry Tourist Visa issued in London.

I want to change my Tourist Visa to an O/A Retirement Visa - preferably without leaving the country.

Please can you tell me if this is possible and if so what is the process.

I already have the required funds in a Thai Bank and they have been there for over 3 months. This was from when I previously worked in Thailand over the last 5 years.

I left in May when my work permit expired but I am now returning.

I cannot get a retirment Visa in London without moving the funds back to England, which I am not prepared to do.

Thank you for your help.

[Lite Beer]

You can only get a Non Imm O-A Visa in your own country.

Your best bet would have been to apply for a Non Imm O Visa in UK and apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Thailand.

If you arrive with a Tourist Visa you have to go to Bangkok and get it changed to a Non Imm Visa.

You can then apply for the 12 month extension.

Take proof of bank deposit.

[JDGRUEN]

You cannot change to an 'O-A' Visa in Thailand - only in your home country. But there is a type of equivalent. You can change to an Extension of Stay based on Retirement ... But first you have to change to a Non Immigrant 'O' Single 90 Day Visa... This is the only Visa you can actually get in Thailand and it is issued for the purpose of migrating to the Extension of Stay based on Retirement.

The Extension of Stay is quite similar to the 'O-A' Visa in some ways - but different in some ways also... You can stay year after year with an annual renewal. While under the Extension of Stay you must report to your local Immigration Office every 90 days... They are now ironing out the kinks for on line 90 days reporting.

Back to the Non Imm 90 day 'O' Visa ... you apply in the main Immigration Office in BKK... with an application form and fees -- you have to show that you have the 800,000 in a Thai Bank - but at this time for this purpose it does not have to be 'aged'. Later when applying for Extension of Stay based on Retirement - for the first time application the money has to be aged in a cash account for 60 days.... 90 days for subsequent annual renewals.

That is it in a nut shell. With a Triple Entry Tourist Visa go for 60 + 30 days extensions each (times 3) you can actually stay up to near 270 days or so it Exit and Entries and Extensions are timed right (all exits and reentries done within the 6 month duration of the 3 Entry Visa). But you can apply for the 90 Day Single Entry Non Immigrant 'O' visa any time during your stay under the Tourist Visas.

Also - you can also obtain the Non Imm 'O' 90 day Single Entry Visa in Vientiane, Laos and in Penang, Malaysia.

There will be others along to explain more and perhaps to tweak my explanation ...

[Bodger22]

Thanks JDGRUEN for your reply

Can you explain the 60 + 30 days extensions each. How does that work?

I though you only could get up to 60 days each time x 3?

Richard

[Lite Beer]

Each stay of 60 days can be extended at Immigration by a further 30 days.

1,900 Baht fee.

[Bodger22]

I have just called the Thai Embassy and I can not apply for a NON O in England unless I am over 65!

Would this apply when it Thailand also?

Looks like I am stuck with Tourist Visa only but don't I dont understand the 60 + 30 days extensions each entry.

Please can you explain.

[Bodger22]

Thanks Lite Beer

So have I got this right:

When I arrive in Thailand I hopefully get 60 days stamp.

Then within Thailand I can extend this by an additional 30 days.

I then have +-90 days and I have to leave the country before it expires.

I come back in to get another 60 days and repeat etc

so thats 90 days x 3 = 270 days give or take?

[ubonjoe]

I have just called the Thai Embassy and I can not apply for a NON O in England unless I am over 65!

Would this apply when it Thailand also?

Looks like I am stuck with Tourist Visa only but don't I dont understand the 60 + 30 days extensions each entry.

Please can you explain.

You can get a single entry non-o at one of the consulates in Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham. They should accept your Thai bank book for financial proof.

They embassy will only do a OA visa in your case.

If you already have a bank account you only need a single entry tourist visa if you don't get the non-o. Then you could apply for a change of visa status at any time during the 60 day entry up to the last 15 days of your entry.

Unless you are going to be living in or near Bangkok it would best to go out to a nearby embassy or consulate for a non-o visa. You would just need to show your bank book with the 800k baht in it,

If you do it change at Bangkok you have to make 2 trips 15 days apart to get visa/entry stamps.

[Bodger22]

I have just called the Thai Embassy and I can not apply for a NON O in England unless I am over 65!

Would this apply when it Thailand also?

Looks like I am stuck with Tourist Visa only but don't I dont understand the 60 + 30 days extensions each entry.

Please can you explain.

You can get a single entry non-o at one of the consulates in Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham. They should accept your Thai bank book for financial proof.

They embassy will only do a OA visa in your case.

If you already have a bank account you only need a single entry tourist visa if you don't get the non-o. Then you could apply for a change of visa status at any time during the 60 day entry up to the last 15 days of your entry.

Unless you are going to be living in or near Bangkok it would best to go out to a nearby embassy or consulate for a non-o visa. You would just need to show your bank book with the 800k baht in it,

If you do it change at Bangkok you have to make 2 trips 15 days apart to get visa/entry stamps.

Thanks. Are you aware of this age issue for the NON O? It is definetely a restriction in England having spoken to London and Hull.

[nzexpat]

I have just called the Thai Embassy and I can not apply for a NON O in England unless I am over 65!

Would this apply when it Thailand also?

Looks like I am stuck with Tourist Visa only but don't I dont understand the 60 + 30 days extensions each entry.

Please can you explain.

You can get a single entry non-o at one of the consulates in Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham. They should accept your Thai bank book for financial proof.

They embassy will only do a OA visa in your case.

If you already have a bank account you only need a single entry tourist visa if you don't get the non-o. Then you could apply for a change of visa status at any time during the 60 day entry up to the last 15 days of your entry.

Unless you are going to be living in or near Bangkok it would best to go out to a nearby embassy or consulate for a non-o visa. You would just need to show your bank book with the 800k baht in it,

If you do it change at Bangkok you have to make 2 trips 15 days apart to get visa/entry stamps.

Thanks. Are you aware of this age issue for the NON O? It is definetely a restriction in England having spoken to London and Hull.

HULL is not a reliable source of information or visas.

As said apply for the visa at Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham.

There is no "age" restriction for a single entry NON O visa based on being 50+ but it cannot be obtained from the Thai Embassy in London

[ubonjoe]

I have just called the Thai Embassy and I can not apply for a NON O in England unless I am over 65!

Would this apply when it Thailand also?

Looks like I am stuck with Tourist Visa only but don't I dont understand the 60 + 30 days extensions each entry.

Please can you explain.

You can get a single entry non-o at one of the consulates in Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham. They should accept your Thai bank book for financial proof.

They embassy will only do a OA visa in your case.

If you already have a bank account you only need a single entry tourist visa if you don't get the non-o. Then you could apply for a change of visa status at any time during the 60 day entry up to the last 15 days of your entry.

Unless you are going to be living in or near Bangkok it would best to go out to a nearby embassy or consulate for a non-o visa. You would just need to show your bank book with the 800k baht in it,

If you do it change at Bangkok you have to make 2 trips 15 days apart to get visa/entry stamps.

Thanks. Are you aware of this age issue for the NON O? It is definetely a restriction in England having spoken to London and Hull.

It only applies to the UK.

You should note I did not mention Hull. They have there own rules and are under the embassies thumb,. The embassy will only do a OA visa if under 65.

[Bodger22]

I have just called the Thai Embassy and I can not apply for a NON O in England unless I am over 65!

Would this apply when it Thailand also?

Looks like I am stuck with Tourist Visa only but don't I dont understand the 60 + 30 days extensions each entry.

Please can you explain.

You can get a single entry non-o at one of the consulates in Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham. They should accept your Thai bank book for financial proof.

They embassy will only do a OA visa in your case.

If you already have a bank account you only need a single entry tourist visa if you don't get the non-o. Then you could apply for a change of visa status at any time during the 60 day entry up to the last 15 days of your entry.

Unless you are going to be living in or near Bangkok it would best to go out to a nearby embassy or consulate for a non-o visa. You would just need to show your bank book with the 800k baht in it,

If you do it change at Bangkok you have to make 2 trips 15 days apart to get visa/entry stamps.

Thanks. Are you aware of this age issue for the NON O? It is definetely a restriction in England having spoken to London and Hull.

HULL is not a reliable source of information or visas.

As said apply for the visa at Cardiff, Liverpool or Birmingham.

There is no "age" restriction for a single entry NON O visa based on being 50+ but it cannot be obtained from the Thai Embassy in London

Thanks. It seems that only Cardiff offer the Single Non O for under 65 BUT you can only apply in person AND you have to have the bank statement in pounds. So unfortunately not a realistic option. The embassy also said the same about the OA Visa and that the bank statements must be in pounds for that also.

[Upnotover]

Cardiff are very responsive to either phone calls or emails, I'd contact them directly asking specifically about a single non-O.

[nzexpat]

Cardiff are very responsive to either phone calls or emails, I'd contact them directly asking specifically about a single non-O.

No real point in offering assistance to those who "know" and who will contest any informed advice given.

Best allow such people to find their own path.