Where is the best place to get a 3 Month Non-Immigrant Visa?

[wayne07836]

I am relatively new to this forum so please forgive me if this question has been answered many times as I am sure it has.

I plan to retire to Thailand early next year, I have been working overseas for the past 6 years or so and I am presently in Afghanistan, I understand that I will need a 3 month non-immigrant visa that I can then turn into a retirement visa after I arrive in Thailand subject to having the correct amount of money in a Thai account.

My question is do I have to go back to the UK to get the initial non-immigrant visa? I will be travelling through Dubai from Afghanistan and the Thai Consulate in Dubai said they could not help me, I was trying to avoid going back to the UK if at all possible. Could I arrive on a 30 day tourist visa and then get a non-immigrant visa in Lois or Cambodia perhaps? What would be my options if any.

I would appreciate constructive comments to help me plan my best way around obtaining a retirement visa, or 1 year visa exemption as I am sure someone will point out it’s not really a visa per say.

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

You can apply for a conversion from a 30 day visa exempt entry (it is not a tourist visa) to a non immigrant visa entry at Bangkok immigration but you need 15 days remaining on your entry to apply.. You will need to show the financial proof needed to apply for an extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement. You will need 800k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

You can also apply for a non-o visa at a nearby embassy or consulate. You would need to show the same financial proof as the conversion.

After you have the 90 day entry from either the conversion or the non-o visa you could apply for an extension of stay during the last the 30 days of it at the designated immigration office for where you are living. The 800k baht would then need to be in the bank for 60 days on the date you apply.

[wayne07836]

So what your saying, if I understood correctly, is that I can convert my 30 day on arrival visa exempt to a non immigrant visa entry as long as I do it quickly and before 15 days from its validity, and I can do this at Bangkok Immigration office? If this is the case, how long would my new non immigrant visa entry allow me to stay? would it give me enough time to convert to the extension of stay for retirement?

I already have a Thai Bank Account and there will be sufficient funds to cover the requirements.

I was bowled over really with the response from the Dubai Consulate, I thought I could get a non-immigrant visa from any Thai Embassy or Consulate but obviously not. I don't want to go back to the UK as this is heading in the opposite direction, but I would not mind taking a trip to Cambodia, or Lois or any close country for that matter to get a 3 month non-immigrant visa to kick start my retirement plans.

[ubonjoe]

If you cannot do the conversion within 15 days of arrival you can apply for a 30 day extension at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

The conversion gives you the same 90 day entry that a non-0 visa does. Then during the last 30 days of the entry you can apply for the extension of stay. You will have plenty of time since you already have a bank account.

The decisions on whether to apply for the conversion or go out for a non-o visa will depend upon where you live. You have to make 2 trips to immigration in Bangkok 15 days apart. If you are not living in or near Bangkok going out for the visa would be the best choice.

Vientiane Laos or Penang are the best places to go for the non-o visa.

Dubai will not do a visa unless you are not a resident of the UAE. Or if you were a resident they probably would only do the OA visa.

[nzexpat]

Suggest you read ubonjoes very helpful and informative post again.

[wayne07836]

Ubonjoe,

You have been very helpful and I would like to thank you for this information, I will be based in Pattaya for a little while which is only a couple of hours from the Immigration Office, I have actually extended my 30 day on arrival to an extra 30 days once before and I have to say it was not as painful as I expected.

From what you have told me, I feel safe now to arrive on a 30 day exemption and will then go for either a quick trip for the conversion or extend for another 30 days and then convert. If all else fails I will take a trip to Vientiane Laos now that I know that is also an option. I will be in no particular hurry now I know what my options are and as this will be the start of my retirement I will have time. I just did not want to go back to the UK if I could avoid it.

Thanks for you advise cheers.

[ubonjoe]

Bangkok immigration has recently authorized Jomtien to accept the applications for the non immigrant visa. They will accept it and then send it to Bangkok for approval. Then you go back to get the visa/entry stamps in about 20 days.. So no need to go to Bangkok.

[wayne07836]

Thanks for that info Ubonjoe,

But I think I would rather make the trip to Bangkok, I have never had any issues at immigration there, Jomptien on the other hand is usually full of very inpatient and impolite farrangs (from all countries) and it only makes the staff more irritable and less helpful.

But it is good to know thanks, I have also been looking at the Laos Embassy web-site and might consider a road trip for a few days as I have never been there, do you know if I can take my truck into Laos or do I have to leave it at the boarder? is there some paperwork that I can get that will allow me to drive over the boarder into Laos so that I can have a little tourist trip?

[Suradit69]

So what your saying, if I understood correctly, is that I can convert my 30 day on arrival visa exempt to a non immigrant visa entry as long as I do it quickly and before 15 days from its validity, and I can do this at Bangkok Immigration office? If this is the case, how long would my new non immigrant visa entry allow me to stay? would it give me enough time to convert to the extension of stay for retirement?

I already have a Thai Bank Account and there will be sufficient funds to cover the requirements.

I was bowled over really with the response from the Dubai Consulate, I thought I could get a non-immigrant visa from any Thai Embassy or Consulate but obviously not. I don't want to go back to the UK as this is heading in the opposite direction, but I would not mind taking a trip to Cambodia, or Lois or any close country for that matter to get a 3 month non-immigrant visa to kick start my retirement plans.

"I was bowled over really with the response from the Dubai Consulate"

I obtained a non-imm O-A at the consulate in Dubai, but it was only available because I was legally resident in and working in the UAE. I needed supporting documents from my UAE employer, police and medical reports issued by UAE government offices and a copy of my UAE residence visa.

Not sure about tourist visas, but the non-imm visas are only possible for legal residents of the UAE unless something has changed since the time when I got mine.

Pretty sure the O-A is only on offer at any Thai embassy or consulate if you are legally resident in the country where the embassy is located.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks for that info Ubonjoe,

But I think I would rather make the trip to Bangkok, I have never had any issues at immigration there, Jomptien on the other hand is usually full of very inpatient and impolite farrangs (from all countries) and it only makes the staff more irritable and less helpful.

But it is good to know thanks, I have also been looking at the Laos Embassy web-site and might consider a road trip for a few days as I have never been there, do you know if I can take my truck into Laos or do I have to leave it at the boarder? is there some paperwork that I can get that will allow me to drive over the boarder into Laos so that I can have a little tourist trip?

There is a very good chance that if you go to Bangkok they will turn you away and tell you to go to Jomtien for the application.

The Venetian embassy has some misleading info on it's website for getting a non-o for retirement. It shows info for a Lao citizen to get a OA visa. All you will need is your passport and your bank book showing 800k baht.

To take you truck into Laos you will need a passport for it that you have to apply for at the Department of Land Transport office where it is registered and the original green book. On entry to Laos you have to get Lao insurance. Most people going for just a few days to get a visa choose to park their vehicles rather than than dealing with the paperwork.

[nithisa78]

Thanks for that info Ubonjoe,

But I think I would rather make the trip to Bangkok, I have never had any issues at immigration there, Jomptien on the other hand is usually full of very inpatient and impolite farrangs (from all countries) and it only makes the staff more irritable and less helpful.

But it is good to know thanks, I have also been looking at the Laos Embassy web-site and might consider a road trip for a few days as I have never been there, do you know if I can take my truck into Laos or do I have to leave it at the boarder? is there some paperwork that I can get that will allow me to drive over the boarder into Laos so that I can have a little tourist trip?

There is a very good chance that if you go to Bangkok they will turn you away and tell you to go to Jomtien for the application.

The Venetian embassy has some misleading info on it's website for getting a non-o for retirement. It shows info for a Lao citizen to get a OA visa. All you will need is your passport and your bank book showing 800k baht.

To take you truck into Laos you will need a passport for it that you have to apply for at the Department of Land Transport office where it is registered and the original green book. On entry to Laos you have to get Lao insurance. Most people going for just a few days to get a visa choose to park their vehicles rather than than dealing with the paperwork.

Thanks for this. All this time I thought my friend was just looking for me to pay his friends for parking. It was okay. My friend is up the food chain. His English is UK and India English and it often takes my US english days or weeks to understand him. WE don't talk about football. We discuss life and better ways to live it. Or should we go eat ice cream at which BigC.

Mr. Joe you're doing a lot of good in the world.

Thank you,

Gus

[Fairynuff]

So what would you do if you had plans to travel out of Thailand during the time you've applied for the conversion?

[FarangFB]

I was planning to open a thread about this, but my case is quite similar:

- I am on a 90 day exempt entry, got 1 month left

- I am planning to get married and get the marriage extension, but didn't get all the paperwork done (I got the 400k in bank for that, sitting there for over 3 months)

- I assume I need the non-o visa, I didn't know it was possible to make this conversion

So, here are my questions:

- can it be done for me without leaving the country? (unlike the OP, I'm on a 90 day visa exempt entry, not 30 day)

- can it be done at Jomtien immigration instead of the Bangkok immigration?

- how many days will I get? another 90?

- will they require the actual marriage certificate? I haven't got married yet but got some documents and the money in the bank

Thank you in advance

[ubonjoe]

I was planning to open a thread about this, but my case is quite similar:

- I am on a 90 day exempt entry, got 1 month left

- I am planning to get married and get the marriage extension, but didn't get all the paperwork done (I got the 400k in bank for that, sitting there for over 3 months)

- I assume I need the non-o visa, I didn't know it was possible to make this conversion

So, here are my questions:

- can it be done for me without leaving the country? (unlike the OP, I'm on a 90 day visa exempt entry, not 30 day)

- can it be done at Jomtien immigration instead of the Bangkok immigration?

- how many days will I get? another 90?

- will they require the actual marriage certificate? I haven't got married yet but got some documents and the money in the bank

Thank you in advance

You could do the conversion after you get married. You will need at least 15 days remaining on your entry to apply.

Only Bangkok immigration can do do the conversion to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry based upon qualifying for an extension of stay based upon marriage, It will require 2 trips to immigration to get the visa entry stamp. Your wife would need to go with you on the first trip and you will need all the required documents needed for an extension of stay application.

You will need your marriage certificate and a Kor Ror 2 from the Amphoe to apply.

[Liquorice]

I was planning to open a thread about this, but my case is quite similar:

- I am on a 90 day exempt entry, got 1 month left

- I am planning to get married and get the marriage extension, but didn't get all the paperwork done (I got the 400k in bank for that, sitting there for over 3 months)

- I assume I need the non-o visa, I didn't know it was possible to make this conversion

So, here are my questions:

- can it be done for me without leaving the country? (unlike the OP, I'm on a 90 day visa exempt entry, not 30 day)

- can it be done at Jomtien immigration instead of the Bangkok immigration?

- how many days will I get? another 90?

- will they require the actual marriage certificate? I haven't got married yet but got some documents and the money in the bank

Thank you in advance

90 day exempt entry???

Are you sure your not on a 90 day single entry Non Imm O Visa, in which case you don't need to do a conversion.

[ubonjoe]

90 day exempt entry???

Are you sure your not on a 90 day single entry Non Imm O Visa, in which case you don't need to do a conversion.

There is a 90 day visa exempt entries for those form countries that have a bilateral agreement with Thailand for them.

See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/files/services-20150120-100712-551809.pdf

[Liquorice]

Thanks for the link Joe.

Argentina

Brazil

Chile

Korea (ROK)

Peru

90 day visa exempts.

[FarangFB]

I was planning to open a thread about this, but my case is quite similar:

- I am on a 90 day exempt entry, got 1 month left

- I am planning to get married and get the marriage extension, but didn't get all the paperwork done (I got the 400k in bank for that, sitting there for over 3 months)

- I assume I need the non-o visa, I didn't know it was possible to make this conversion

So, here are my questions:

- can it be done for me without leaving the country? (unlike the OP, I'm on a 90 day visa exempt entry, not 30 day)

- can it be done at Jomtien immigration instead of the Bangkok immigration?

- how many days will I get? another 90?

- will they require the actual marriage certificate? I haven't got married yet but got some documents and the money in the bank

Thank you in advance

You could do the conversion after you get married. You will need at least 15 days remaining on your entry to apply.

Only Bangkok immigration can do do the conversion to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry based upon qualifying for an extension of stay based upon marriage, It will require 2 trips to immigration to get the visa entry stamp. Your wife would need to go with you on the first trip and you will need all the required documents needed for an extension of stay application.

You will need your marriage certificate and a Kor Ror 2 from the Amphoe to apply.

Thanks a lot for the info.

In case I can't get married in time (i dont think I will be able to get all the paperwork in 15 days) and need to leave the country, is it possible for me to get a non-o immigrant (tourist)visa even though I could have the bilateral agreement 90 day visa exempt entry? And with this visa (and by getting married once I come back), could I just do the procedure in Jomtien?

[ubonjoe]

You cannot get a non-o visa or do the conversion until you get married. As I said you can only do the conversion in Bangkok.

You can only apply for the extension of stay in Jomtien after you the conversion or get get a non-o visa from an embassy or consulate.

You could get a tourist visa.

Not sure how strict they are now on you doing back to back visa exempt entries to get a new 90 day entry. At one time it was almost forbidden.

[FarangFB]

You cannot get a non-o visa or do the conversion until you get married. As I said you can only do the conversion in Bangkok.

You can only apply for the extension of stay in Jomtien after you the conversion or get get a non-o visa from an embassy or consulate.

You could get a tourist visa.

Not sure how strict they are now on you doing back to back visa exempt entries to get a new 90 day entry. At one time it was almost forbidden.

So in this case, I guess the safest way is to leave the country and get a tourist visa somewhere.

I was planning to do it in Hong Kong, it's a place I've always wanted to visit and I wouldn't mind spending a week there. Do you know if it's easy to get a tourist visa at the Thai embassy there, and what documents should I bring?

Thanks again

[ubonjoe]

You can get a tourist visa at the consulate in Hong Kong. You will need to show a ticket out to the country to get it. They will also do a 2 entry visa if you have tickets out for each entry. You need nothing more than your passport and application form.

Website: http://www.thai-consulate.org.hk/web/3015.php

[FarangFB]

Great! How many days will I get for a single entry one?

[ubonjoe]

Each entry of a tourist visa allows a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 days at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht.

They will also do a 2 entry visa in HK if you have the tickets out of the country..