Birmingham uk Consulate now not issuing 90 day non immigrant visa

[flossiebear]

Have just phoned Birmingham Thai consulate and have now been told they are no longer issuing 90 non o immigrant visa for over 50. This has changed since June when I was told I needed to provide 3 month bank statements showing income of over £1400 a month I could apply. Only way now I have been told by them is to get tourist visa and then get 90 day non o visa in Thailand and the apply to extend with usual finance requirements.

Please could anyone let me know how I can do this?I do NOT have Thai wife as we are a British married couple both over 50. We have lived in Thailand before when we both had 90 day non immigrant O visa and extended it to one year with requisite funds in my husbands Thai bank account after 2 month seasoning.

[oncearugge]

Are you sure ?

This is what Birmingham's website says.

"With immediate effect all Non-Immigrant visas cannot be issued on the same day, as we require authorisation from the Royal Thai Embassy in London. PLEASE ALLOW AT LEAST 1 WEEK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE."

[flossiebear]

Yes I was told about 1 hour ago. I think I will phone again and double check as never know may have been give wrong info, which will not be the first time.

[elviajero]

I've no personal experience, but I thought a Non 'O' (retirement) was only given to those receiving state pension.

I believe you need to apply for a Non 'O-A'.

[flossiebear]

I have just phone again and spoke to a different person who told me exactly the same. If you are not married to Thai national you cannot have 90day non immigrant O visa. Only triple entry tourist visa.

[oncearugge]

I've no personal experience, but I thought a Non 'O' (retirement) was only given to those receiving state pension.

I believe you need to apply for a Non 'O-A'.

That is in relation to a multi-entry NON O for those in receipt of a State Pension.

If single entry NON O visas issued on the basis of being 50+ are now not available from UK Hon.Thai consulates this would indeed be a change.

[flossiebear]

You can only get O A visa if you are over 65. Which I am not, I'm 56.

[elviajero]

You can only get O A visa if you are over 65. Which I am not, I'm 56.

You only need to be over 50 to get an 'O-A' from London.

[oncearugge]

You can only get O A visa if you are over 65. Which I am not, I'm 56.

You are mistaken.

An O/A visa is available to those aged 50+

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

[ubonjoe]

This is not the first report of the consulate not doing a single entry non-o visa for those under 65.

You only need to get a single entry tourist visa. It would give you plenty of time to apply for a change to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry.

Unless you are going to be living in or near Bangkok you may find it best to go to Vientiane or Penang for the non-o visa.

Bangkok is the only office that can do the change now. But they have authorized a few nearby offices (Jomtien is one) to accept the application. It requires 2 trips to immigration to get the visa/entry stamps.

Also unless both of you are applying for an extension based upon retirement doing the change is not a good option. If one plans on getting a dependent extension they would have to get a non-o visa from one of the locations I mentioned. Immigration will not do the change for a dependent extension. In this case it would be best for both of you out for the non-o visas at the same time.

[CharlieH]

Why not get the triple entry tourist visa, each entry extendable by 30 days, would give you 9 months if timed correctly.

[oncearugge]

Just to add to UJ's comment.

If you wish to convert a tourist visa entry to a non "O" entry or to obtain an "O" visa from Laos or Penang one of you would have to be able to demonstrate 800,000 Bht in a Thai Bank or an income, certified by a letter from the British Embassy in Bangkok, of 65,000 Bht/month.

[flossiebear]

Hi

Just to be clear. If we both get single entry tourist visa we both have to change it to a non O Visa in Bangkok or Vientiane or Penang. We would both have to show 800000 baht in ? Thai bank account? If this is correct we don't have enough funds for 2 lots of 800,000 baht. Also we will find it hard to open bank account with tourist visa. The only way I can see is getting OA visa in Uk, thanks I did check and you are correct need only be over 50. However only one of us qualify regarding funds, and it says spouse will be issued 90 day non visa only. I suppose we could do this route, as my husband will have 1 year Long stay O A, I will the have 90 day non 0, so can open Thai bank account, season with 800000 baht for 2 months to get my extension. Not sure what would happen to our visa situation after 12 months if we can only season again one bank account?

[LivinLOS]

I have just phone again and spoke to a different person who told me exactly the same. If you are not married to Thai national you cannot have 90day non immigrant O visa. Only triple entry tourist visa.

Try another office as some immigration offices incountry refuse to convert a tourist visa entry into a retirement category and require 2 trips to bangkok to do it..

[LivinLOS]

Hi

Just to be clear. If we both get single entry tourist visa we both have to change it to a non O Visa in Bangkok or Vientiane or Penang. We would both have to show 800000 baht in ? Thai bank account? If this is correct we don't have enough funds for 2 lots of 800,000 baht. Also we will find it hard to open bank account with tourist visa. The only way I can see is getting OA visa in Uk, thanks I did check and you are correct need only be over 50. However only one of us qualify regarding funds, and it says spouse will be issued 90 day non visa only. I suppose we could do this route, as my husband will have 1 year Long stay O A, I will the have 90 day non 0, so can open Thai bank account, season with 800000 baht for 2 months to get my extension. Not sure what would happen to our visa situation after 12 months if we can only season again one bank account?

You wouldnt 'change' it in Vientiene or Penang you would be applying for a new non imm O 90 day single entry as those places currently do issue it if you have 800k in a Thai bank (in the name of the applicant IIRC not a joint) so due to timing you would need 800 x 2 simply to show.

If you can get a non imm OA first, you can arrive, get your bank account (not that hard on a tourist visa to be honest) send over the money to season.. One person can extend the year.. Move the money to the second person for their own independent extension or start the process of a dependent application. Both ways should work I think.

Theres quite a few ways to skin this but it would be FAR easier if you arrived into the country with a non imm class (O or OA) first.. And built up from there.. Using a tourist visa just adds another layer of complexity or travel costs.

[ubonjoe]

Hi

Just to be clear. If we both get single entry tourist visa we both have to change it to a non O Visa in Bangkok or Vientiane or Penang. We would both have to show 800000 baht in ? Thai bank account? If this is correct we don't have enough funds for 2 lots of 800,000 baht. Also we will find it hard to open bank account with tourist visa. The only way I can see is getting OA visa in Uk, thanks I did check and you are correct need only be over 50. However only one of us qualify regarding funds, and it says spouse will be issued 90 day non visa only. I suppose we could do this route, as my husband will have 1 year Long stay O A, I will the have 90 day non 0, so can open Thai bank account, season with 800000 baht for 2 months to get my extension. Not sure what would happen to our visa situation after 12 months if we can only season again one bank account?

You both do not have to show the money in the bank or income. Only the one getting the extension based upon retirement needs to show the money. The other get a dependent extension based upon the other extension which does not need financial proof.

As I wrote before if only one of you are getting extension based upon retirement you both should go out of the country and get the non-o visa. The embassy would do one as a dependent when the other applies by showing the financial proof.

Dependent where you are going to be living it will not be that hard to open a bank account.

To do the change to a non immigrant visa and to get the non-o visa only requires the money to be in the bank on the date of application. The 60 days is only for the extension.application.

You have 60 days from the tourist visa to get the visa and then 90 days from the non-o visa total you would have to get the extension done.

One of you could get the OA visa and the other a single entry non-o visa. The one with the non-o visa would then get a dependent extension at immigration based upon the others OA visa entry with no financial proof.

[ubonjoe]

Hi

Just to be clear. If we both get single entry tourist visa we both have to change it to a non O Visa in Bangkok or Vientiane or Penang. We would both have to show 800000 baht in ? Thai bank account? If this is correct we don't have enough funds for 2 lots of 800,000 baht. Also we will find it hard to open bank account with tourist visa. The only way I can see is getting OA visa in Uk, thanks I did check and you are correct need only be over 50. However only one of us qualify regarding funds, and it says spouse will be issued 90 day non visa only. I suppose we could do this route, as my husband will have 1 year Long stay O A, I will the have 90 day non 0, so can open Thai bank account, season with 800000 baht for 2 months to get my extension. Not sure what would happen to our visa situation after 12 months if we can only season again one bank account?

You wouldnt 'change' it in Vientiene or Penang you would be applying for a new non imm O 90 day single entry as those places currently do issue it if you have 800k in a Thai bank (in the name of the applicant IIRC not a joint) so due to timing you would need 800 x 2 simply to show.

If you can get a non imm OA first, you can arrive, get your bank account (not that hard on a tourist visa to be honest) send over the money to season.. One person can extend the year.. Move the money to the second person for their own independent extension or start the process of a dependent application. Both ways should work I think.

Theres quite a few ways to skin this but it would be FAR easier if you arrived into the country with a non imm class (O or OA) first.. And built up from there.. Using a tourist visa just adds another layer of complexity or travel costs.

You are wrong.

Only one needs to show the money to get a non-o visa. The other can get a non-o as the dependent of the one showing the money.

Again wrong about both showing the money to get extensions. One can get a dependent extension with no financial proof needed.

Only one would need to get the OA visa which would give a total stay of almost 2 years before an extension would be needed. The other one would get dependent extensions.

[flossiebear]

Thank you that makes perfect sense now. As always you are very helpful in these matters. Thanks for everyone's contributions on what is a complex situation.

[MyThaiYou]

I am single man UK citizen 56 years old. My previous non-O for retirement expired while I was out of Thailand so need to apply for new one.

In August I went to Thai embassy in London with my Thai bank passbook showing 800,000 THB fixed deposit for 2 years. I was given 2 options being under 65 years old. (1) complete a set of paperwork including medical certificate and Police record check in order to apply for non-o visa in the UK or (2) take a single entry Tourist visa which can be converted in Thailand to Non-O for retirement assuming other requirements are met.

Hope this helps

[georgemandm]

I have just phone again and spoke to a different person who told me exactly the same. If you are not married to Thai national you cannot have 90day non immigrant O visa. Only triple entry tourist visa.

It is the same in Australia

[georgemandm]

I am single man UK citizen 56 years old. My previous non-O for retirement expired while I was out of Thailand so need to apply for new one.

In August I went to Thai embassy in London with my Thai bank passbook showing 800,000 THB fixed deposit for 2 years. I was given 2 options being under 65 years old. (1) complete a set of paperwork including medical certificate and Police record check in order to apply for non-o visa in the UK or (2) take a single entry Tourist visa which can be converted in Thailand to Non-O for retirement assuming other requirements are met.

Hope this helps

You can't converted to a non-O in thailand tried it last year so when home and did the retirement visa

[oncearugge]

I am single man UK citizen 56 years old. My previous non-O for retirement expired while I was out of Thailand so need to apply for new one.

In August I went to Thai embassy in London with my Thai bank passbook showing 800,000 THB fixed deposit for 2 years. I was given 2 options being under 65 years old. (1) complete a set of paperwork including medical certificate and Police record check in order to apply for non-o visa in the UK or (2) take a single entry Tourist visa which can be converted in Thailand to Non-O for retirement assuming other requirements are met.

Hope this helps

You can't converted to a non-O in thailand tried it last year so when home and did the retirement visa

Wrong!

It is possible to "convert" an entry obtained from a visa exempt entry or tourist visa in Bangkok.

To do so one requires a minimum of 15 days "permission to stay" remaining and the ability to demonstrate the requirements of an extension stay can be met.

[elviajero]

I am single man UK citizen 56 years old. My previous non-O for retirement expired while I was out of Thailand so need to apply for new one.

In August I went to Thai embassy in London with my Thai bank passbook showing 800,000 THB fixed deposit for 2 years. I was given 2 options being under 65 years old. (1) complete a set of paperwork including medical certificate and Police record check in order to apply for non-o visa in the UK or (2) take a single entry Tourist visa which can be converted in Thailand to Non-O for retirement assuming other requirements are met.

Hope this helps

(1) This would have been a Non 'O-A' not an 'O'.

[flossiebear]

We have decided to apply in the uk for a O-A Long Stay visa for my husband and as a spouse I will be given a Non O visa at the the same time. I understand that I will then need to apply in Thailand at immigration to then extend this on the back of my husbands OA visa. In reality has anyone done this, and have there been any problems with this route? Many thanks

[ubonjoe]

We have decided to apply in the uk for a O-A Long Stay visa for my husband and as a spouse I will be given a Non O visa at the the same time. I understand that I will then need to apply in Thailand at immigration to then extend this on the back of my husbands OA visa. In reality has anyone done this, and have there been any problems with this route? Many thanks

I am sure many people have gotten the dependent extension since it went into effect a little over a year ago.

The were a few posts of some people having problems when they were first allowed but I am sure that has been sorted out now.

[flossiebear]

Thanks and I Didn't realise it only came in a year ago. Definitely the way to go for us, as we can sort everything this end and no rush to open bank account and transfer loads Of baht. We still have our old Bangkok Bank account with a few baht in from 18 months ago, but I guess it will be closed by now, also have shredded our bank book and cards. Well we thought we weren't returning!

[OJAS]

We have decided to apply in the uk for a O-A Long Stay visa for my husband and as a spouse I will be given a Non O visa at the the same time. I understand that I will then need to apply in Thailand at immigration to then extend this on the back of my husbands OA visa. In reality has anyone done this, and have there been any problems with this route? Many thanks

Possible useful info for your husband in his OA visa quest in this recent thread:-

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/857491-application-for-thai-non-imm-oa-based-on-retirement-at-british-thai-embassy/

[flossiebear]

Great thanks. The link is most helpful

[Jonmarleesco]

I've no personal experience, but I thought a Non 'O' (retirement) was only given to those receiving state pension.

I believe you need to apply for a Non 'O-A'.

Qualification is to be over 50.

[oncearugge]

I've no personal experience, but I thought a Non 'O' (retirement) was only given to those receiving state pension.

I believe you need to apply for a Non 'O-A'.

Qualification is to be over 50.

Being over 50 is no guarantee that an "O" visa can be obtained in the UK.

An O/A visa can be applied for by those aged 50+