Any recent ED to Retirement conversions? How did it go?

[Furryman]

Hey folks, I am looking for some reassurance that things with ED to Retirement conversions are still happening as I understand them to have been.

I am currently here in Pattaya on an ED visa, and I am just starting my third and last 90 day extension. Luckily for me, I turn 50 just 10 days before this new extension will expire, ticking off the last box to make me eligible for a retirement extension.

The plan is, on the Monday after my birthday, to head into Jomtien Immigration with the paperwork needed to convert my Non-Imm ED visa to a Non-Imm O visa and then requesting a retirement extension.

There may be a kink in this plan however, due to the one year cap on extensions that was placed on the ED visa a little over a year ago. Currently, an ED visa cannot be extended further than one year after it's use.

As I under things, the extension cap would become moot when the visa is converted to an O visa, and then the extension should be no problem, but TiT, and I have learned to expect the unexpected.

Has anyone done this conversion and extension process during the last year since the cap on ED visa extensions was implemented? How did it go? Any advice?

Secondary question: I have never used a visa agent to help me with stuff like this. Outside of my school preparing their part of my paperwork, I have always done this stuff on my own. I'm thinking that this conversion might be a tricky enough deal to make it worthwhile to get an agent to help me navigate this paperwork adventure. Thoughts?

[ubonjoe]

I have not seen a successful report of a person being able to change the reason for an extension based upon education to retirement in a long time. Immigration has been refusing to do them.

Your best choice will be to go out for a single entry non-o visa in Vientiane. You will just need you passport and a bank book showing 800k baht in the account (60 days not needed) or proof of 65K baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

[Furryman]

I have not seen a successful report of a person being able to change the reason for an extension based upon education to retirement in a long time. Immigration has been refusing to do them.

Your best choice will be to go out for a single entry non-o visa in Vientiane. You will just need you passport and a bank book showing 800k baht in the account (60 days not needed) or proof of 65K baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

OK. While it is not the news I was wanting to hear, It's better to hear it sooner than later. I guess I should get to work on getting some kind of criminal record report from back in the US. Income letter from US Embassy is in hand.

Damn, I thought I had done my last trip to Vientiane already.

[nowretired]

I have not seen a successful report of a person being able to change the reason for an extension based upon education to retirement in a long time. Immigration has been refusing to do them.

Your best choice will be to go out for a single entry non-o visa in Vientiane. You will just need you passport and a bank book showing 800k baht in the account (60 days not needed) or proof of 65K baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

OK. While it is not the news I was wanting to hear, It's better to hear it sooner than later. I guess I should get to work on getting some kind of criminal record report from back in the US. Income letter from US Embassy is in hand.

Damn, I thought I had done my last trip to Vientiane already.

A criminal record report is not a requirement for obtaining a single entry Non O visa from Vientiene

[ubonjoe]

A back ground check is not needed. I wrote exactly what you will need to get the single entry non-o visa in my previous post.

Be sure you just attach a copy of your income affidavit to the visa application and show them the original. That way you can use the original when you a apply for the extension.

[Furryman]

It's extra fun right now that the Vientiane consulate website is in the midst of a reconstruction and the English language visa info pages are not up.

[Furryman]

A back ground check is not needed. I wrote exactly what you will need to get the single entry non-o visa in my previous post.

Be sure you just attach a copy of your income affidavit to the visa application and show them the original. That way you can use the original when you a apply for the extension.

Awesome. That makes it much easier, I have my income letter from the US Embassy in Thailand. That will work for applying in Laos right? Or will I need to get a new income letter from the Embassy in Laos?

Edit: looking at the website for the Vientiane Consulate via Google translate and my mediocre Thai skills, that they are asking for a medical certificate and a background check for retirement visas.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Furryman

[Furryman]

Would it be possible to do a border run to Cambodia to get off of the ED visa, then come back in on an 'on arrival' exempt entry, then go to Bangkok Immigration and get that entry converted to a 'retirement' visa?

[ubonjoe]

Vientiane wrecked a good website when they updated it.

What is shown on the website is for Laotians to get a OA visa.

The income affidavit you have will be all you need.for the visa and extension application. As I said only give them a copy and show the original when you apply for the visa.

You could do a border hop for a 30 day (G7 country rule) visa exempt entry and apply for the conversion to a non immigrant visa at Jomtien immigration now. You will have to do the conversion within 15 days of entry. They will accept your application and send it to Bangkok immigration. Then you go back in 15 to 20 days to get the visa/entry stamp done in your passport.

[Furryman]

Vientiane wrecked a good website when they updated it.

What is shown on the website is for Laotians to get a OA visa.

The income affidavit you have will be all you need.for the visa and extension application. As I said only give them a copy and show the original when you apply for the visa.

You could do a border hop for a 30 day (G7 country rule) visa exempt entry and apply for the conversion to a non immigrant visa at Jomtien immigration now. You will have to do the conversion within 15 days of entry. They will accept your application and send it to Bangkok immigration. Then you go back in 15 to 20 days to get the visa/entry stamp done in your passport.

I have heard that you cannot turn in the papers for the conversion (Visa Exempt to Non-Imm O Visa) at Jomtien anymore. Supposedly you have to go to the Bangkok office and turn the papers into them directly now. If I could turn those papers in via Jomtien, that would make the whole thing much easier.

A morning border run to Cambo and a few stops at Jomtien Immigration sounds WAY better than another Vientiane trip.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Furryman

[ubonjoe]

They started accepting the application at Jomtien a few months ago. If you went to Bangkok now they would send you back to Jomtien to do it now.

Recent reports are that if you are using the income method they will do the extension of stay when you go back to get your stamps done.

[Furryman]

They started accepting the application at Jomtien a few months ago. If you went to Bangkok now they would send you back to Jomtien to do it now.

Recent reports are that if you are using the income method they will do the extension of stay when you go back to get your stamps done.

Great news, Thanks!

[pjmansions]

Think you will find that you can not change from ed extension to a retirement visa in country. You will either have to do a border run and return on a tourist visa exemption or visit a local Thai embassy or consulate to obtain it. Not sure what country you are from but if not a G7 country you will get only a 15 day entry from a land crossing and this will not be enough time, as in order to change from a tourist to another type of visa you require a full 14 days remaining on the exemption stamp.

[Furryman]

Think you will find that you can not change from ed extension to a retirement visa in country. You will either have to do a border run and return on a tourist visa exemption or visit a local Thai embassy or consulate to obtain it. Not sure what country you are from but if not a G7 country you will get only a 15 day entry from a land crossing and this will not be enough time, as in order to change from a tourist to another type of visa you require a full 14 days remaining on the exemption stamp.

I am lucky enough to be from the US so I can do the exempt entry, but I have not done an exempt entry run for a long time. I thought they had changed the rules on those and all exempt entries were 30 days now, overland and at airports.

[ubonjoe]

Only those from the G7 countries get 30 day visa exempt entries. I had read your earlier posts and new that you were from the US so I did not mention it.

Those that get the 15 day entry can extend it for 30 days and then do the conversion.

[bigt3116]

Think you will find that you can not change from ed extension to a retirement visa in country. You will either have to do a border run and return on a tourist visa exemption or visit a local Thai embassy or consulate to obtain it. Not sure what country you are from but if not a G7 country you will get only a 15 day entry from a land crossing and this will not be enough time, as in order to change from a tourist to another type of visa you require a full 14 days remaining on the exemption stamp.

I am lucky enough to be from the US so I can do the exempt entry, but I have not done an exempt entry run for a long time. I thought they had changed the rules on those and all exempt entries were 30 days now, overland and at airports.

The rules changed to allow people from G7 countries to get 30 days overland, not everyone.

[Furryman]

Think you will find that you can not change from ed extension to a retirement visa in country. You will either have to do a border run and return on a tourist visa exemption or visit a local Thai embassy or consulate to obtain it. Not sure what country you are from but if not a G7 country you will get only a 15 day entry from a land crossing and this will not be enough time, as in order to change from a tourist to another type of visa you require a full 14 days remaining on the exemption stamp.

I am lucky enough to be from the US so I can do the exempt entry, but I have not done an exempt entry run for a long time. I thought they had changed the rules on those and all exempt entries were 30 days now, overland and at airports.

The rules changed to allow people from G7 countries to get 30 days overland, not everyone.

Ah OK. Then it's still a viable plan.

[bigt3116]

Think you will find that you can not change from ed extension to a retirement visa in country. You will either have to do a border run and return on a tourist visa exemption or visit a local Thai embassy or consulate to obtain it. Not sure what country you are from but if not a G7 country you will get only a 15 day entry from a land crossing and this will not be enough time, as in order to change from a tourist to another type of visa you require a full 14 days remaining on the exemption stamp.

You need 15 days remaining to do a conversion.

[paz]

You need 15 days remaining to do a conversion.

That is not a problem because a visa exempt entry can be extended for 30 days.

[Furryman]

All reliable sources are telling me that the overland G7 entry is currently 30 days, so it is simply a matter of getting the papers in while you still have the 15 days left.

On the other hand, the idea of doing the entry on a regular visa, and having the whole thing essentially done and dusted, is an attractive thought. But damn it's a long bus ride.

[ubonjoe]

You could fly to Udon Thani and then take a van to the bridge in Nong Khai. Nok Air offers a fly/ride service via Udon to Vientiane.

Sleeper on a train from Bangkok to Nong Khai is not bad either (much better than a bus IMO).

[Furryman]

You could fly to Udon Thani and then take a van to the bridge in Nong Khai. Nok Air offers a fly/ride service via Udon to Vientiane.

Sleeper on a train from Bangkok to Nong Khai is not bad either (much better than a bus IMO).

Yeah as I am crunching out the options, flying up is looking better and better, I had not realized flights were so cheap. Plus I have friends in Udon, that makes things easy, and far more pleasant.

On the other hand, as I read up more, I am becoming more confident in my chances of doing the conversion from exempt entry to O visa on my own.

When you do the conversion, do they put a new visa sticker in your passport, or is it a stamp of some kind?

[paz]

When you do the conversion, do they put a new visa sticker in your passport, or is it a stamp of some kind?

An half-page stamp. Cost, if wasn't said before, Bt 2,000.

[Furryman]

Well you can file this under FWIW, but I was talking to the boss lady at my school about this stuff today and she said not to worry about it, Immigration is loosening up on stuff all the time, and that by October they should be back to just giving out more extensions on the ED visa. She did agree that if her prediction did not come to pass, going to Cambodia and then doing a conversion in Jomtien is the best bet, but her reason for that was sort of odd. She says that as far as she knows you cannot get an O visa in Vientiane for retirement, only for Marriage or to see Thai family.

Then she told me that half the time when she calls immigration with a question they hardly know themselves what today's new rules are.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Furryman

[ubonjoe]

Not sure about things getting easier for the extensions. One year is the limit according to the police order.

She is wrong about Vientiane. They do the non-o.

One thing you could do is check with immigration about changing the reason for your extension to retirement. They could of changed policy.

[Furryman]

Another FWIW: I got the second stamp for the duration of my last 90 days on an ED visa and stopped in at school for them to make a photocopy of the new stamp. They told me one of the guys who was on the ED visa with them just converted his ED to an O at Jomtien and it was no problem. /shrug

[ubonjoe]

As I wrote in my last post you need to check with immigration to see it they will change the reason for your extension to retirement (not ED to O) when you are ready to do it. They seem to be flip flopping on what they will do all the time.