A question for Ubon Joe: non O extension and 90 day report

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Joe

I have recently converted a tourist visa to a non O without leaving Thailand.

The current permission to stay if for 90 days.

Could you please answer the following questions:

1. How soon can I return to immigration to apply for a 12 month extension based on retirement? I have read conflicting information. Some says I can only apply in the last 30 days of my visa. Some says I can apply after 45 days. So to be clear, when is the soonest I can apply and when is the latest I can apply.

2. I wasn't required to do a ninety day report when I converted my tourist visa to a Non O. When am I required to make a 90 day report, or is my conversion of the tourist visa to a non O counted as a report?

Thanks for your help.

FDS

[ubonjoe]

1. It depends upon the office where you apply for the extension of stay. Some allow you to do it 45 day early and most others only 30 days.

2. Your first 90 day report will be due 90 days from the date you apply for the extension.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Thanks

[jacksam]

Thanks

The patience of the mods amazes me. Those two basic questions have been answered numerous times. Avatar seems accurate

[Swiss1960]

1. It depends upon the office where you apply for the extension of stay. Some allow you to do it 45 day early and most others only 30 days.

2. Your first 90 day report will be due 90 days from the date you apply for the extension.

As I was in the same situation as the OP just few days ago, please allow me to comment, Joe, on your second point.

While the Thai immigration website clearly states that the first extension is equal to the first 90d report, it is VERY important that when you pick up your passport, you have to check for the "Receipt of Notification" which will outline your next 90d reporting day.

If you do NOT have such a paper in your passport, then you do NOT have a 90d report made together with your first extension and you have to do the 90d report separately.

This is what just happened to me in Jomtien with my retirement extension. As I stated in my post, i have no idea why I did not get the notification and only found out about it the next day, but it happens and you must be aware of that. Jomtien immigration was clear, it is not an automatic feature, so check for the notifiction.

No "receipt of notification" equals no 90d report equals do it yourself.

[ubonjoe]

1. It depends upon the office where you apply for the extension of stay. Some allow you to do it 45 day early and most others only 30 days.

2. Your first 90 day report will be due 90 days from the date you apply for the extension.

As I was in the same situation as the OP just few days ago, please allow me to comment, Joe, on your second point.

While the Thai immigration website clearly states that the first extension is equal to the first 90d report, it is VERY important that when you pick up your passport, you have to check for the "Receipt of Notification" which will outline your next 90d reporting day.

If you do NOT have such a paper in your passport, then you do NOT have a 90d report made together with your first extension and you have to do the 90d report separately.

This is what just happened to me in Jomtien with my retirement extension. As I stated in my post, i have no idea why I did not get the notification and only found out about it the next day, but it happens and you must be aware of that. Jomtien immigration was clear, it is not an automatic feature, so check for the notifiction.

No "receipt of notification" equals no 90d report equals do it yourself.

Some immigration offices put slip of paper in your passport advising you when you when your 90 day report is due when doing the first extension.. They never so a receipt for doing a 90 day report. If they do not put the slip in your passport you have to count the 90 days yourself.

[RogerW7799]

I googled and searched . . . and couldn't find the answer to this question . . . .

A friend suggested I ask Ubon Joe:

I just got my 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa, and I plan to apply for the Retirement Extension a week or two before the 3-month deadline.

However, I would like to visit a friend in the Philippines for a a couple of weeks. To do so, I thought all I have to do is get a Reentry Permit before I leave, and just make sure I'm back a week or two before the 3-month deadline.

But a couple of friends are now saying that if I leave and return to Thailand anytime in the next 3 months, it could somehow prevent me from getting the Retirement Extension . . . and worse case I'd have to start the whole process again.

That doesn't make sense to me, because the purpose of a ReEntry Permit is to allow travel. It's even stamped under my Thai O visi -- "Please get a ReEntry Permit before leaving the country".

So I would like to hear from someone experienced and knowledgeable that I'm not doing something stupid.

I've heard that Ubon Joe is the man to ask . . . .

Thanks !!!!!!

[ubonjoe]

A re-entry permit would keep the 90 day entry your non-o visa allowed valid. You could apply for the extension after using the re-entry permit.

If you did not get a re-entry permit you would loose the 90 day entry and have to get a new visa before you could apply for the extension.