Options After End of Non-Immigration Cat 'O' ?

[crazydrummerpauly]

Hi all. I don't think this will be too difficult - i have got out of touch with all the changes to visas in recent years so need to ask a simple question - when a Multiple Entry 1-Yr Non-Imm Cat 'O' visa runs out (acquired on basis of being UK OAP) what are my options for staying on in Thailand a bit longer ? As i remember it, i can do a visa-run just before the 12-months runs out, and get another 90 days - is that still correct ? And then what - when that 90 days is finished would i still need to go to a Thai Consulate to apply for Tourist Visas or ... ? And what is the bang up-to-date position on Tourist Visas ? - are Multiple 60-days being issued or has that all changed ? Is it still possible to get 2 x 60 day tourist visas and then stick 30-Day extensions on to the ends of each of the 60-day periods ? If it is relevant, my usual visa-run bridge is the Nong Khai one, and the Vientiane consulate of course. Many thanks.

[sunnyjim5]

Once your ME "O" visa has expired the only option you have to stay is to apply at a nearby Thai Embassy/Consulate for a single entry tourist visa which is all that is now available.

The visa provides a 60 day stay which can be extended (1900 Bht) for 30 days at an immigration office.

[elviajero]

• Yes, if you do a border hop just before the end of the 12 months ('enter before' date printed on your visa) you will get a new 90 day permit to stay on re-entry.

At the end of that 90 days you need to exit or you could apply for a 1 year extension of stay. You would need 800k in a Thai account for two months OR a certified (by your embassy) income of 65k pm OR a combination of the two.

If you don't want an extension of stay you can go to a nearby Thai embassy/consulate and get a tourist visa. The only tourist visa available locally is a single entry (SETV). That would give you 60 days on entry and can be extended by 30 days at an immigration office for 1,900 baht.

The final choice would be to exit/re-enter under visa exempt entry. You'll get a 30 day stay that can also be extended by 30 days for 1,900 baht.

[DaamNaam]

Once your ME "O" visa has expired the only option you have to stay is to apply at a nearby Thai Embassy/Consulate for a single entry tourist visa which is all that is now available.

The visa provides a 60 day stay which can be extended (1900 Bht) for 30 days at an immigration office.

You can still get multiple entry visas not just single as you are saying. Just hunt around. Suvannaket and Singapore are just two i know of that do them still.

[sunnyjim5]

Once your ME "O" visa has expired the only option you have to stay is to apply at a nearby Thai Embassy/Consulate for a single entry tourist visa which is all that is now available.

The visa provides a 60 day stay which can be extended (1900 Bht) for 30 days at an immigration office.

You can still get multiple entry visas not just single as you are saying. Just hunt around. Suvannaket and Singapore are just two i know of that do them still.

Really !

You know more than most !

Multiple Entry Tourist visa are only available from ones home country.

In Laos and Singapore METV'S are only issued to citizens of those countries.

[DaamNaam]

Once your ME "O" visa has expired the only option you have to stay is to apply at a nearby Thai Embassy/Consulate for a single entry tourist visa which is all that is now available.

The visa provides a 60 day stay which can be extended (1900 Bht) for 30 days at an immigration office.

You can still get multiple entry visas not just single as you are saying. Just hunt around. Suvannaket and Singapore are just two i know of that do them still.

Really !

You know more than most !

Multiple Entry Tourist visa are only available from ones home country.

In Laos and Singapore METV'S are only issued to citizens of those countries.

Rubbish. I've been getting them in Singapore for years. They are still doing them too. Suvannaket is doing them too, a mate of mine just got another one. Do your homework. I am talking about non imm O spouse visas BTW...lol

Edited March 4, 2016 by DaamNaam

[sunnyjim5]

Once your ME "O" visa has expired the only option you have to stay is to apply at a nearby Thai Embassy/Consulate for a single entry tourist visa which is all that is now available.

The visa provides a 60 day stay which can be extended (1900 Bht) for 30 days at an immigration office.

You can still get multiple entry visas not just single as you are saying. Just hunt around. Suvannaket and Singapore are just two i know of that do them still.

Really !

You know more than most !

Multiple Entry Tourist visa are only available from ones home country.

In Laos and Singapore METV'S are only issued to citizens of those countries.

Rubbish. I've been getting them in Singapore for years. They are still doing them too. Suvannaket is doing them too, a mate of mine just got another one. Do your homework. I am talking about non imm O spouse visas BTW...lol

I was talking about TOURIST VISAS !

Check the thread !

[crazydrummerpauly]

• Yes, if you do a border hop just before the end of the 12 months ('enter before' date printed on your visa) you will get a new 90 day permit to stay on re-entry.
• At the end of that 90 days you need to exit or you could apply for a 1 year extension of stay. You would need 800k in a Thai account for two months OR a certified (by your embassy) income of 65k pm OR a combination of the two.
• If you don't want an extension of stay you can go to a nearby Thai embassy/consulate and get a tourist visa. The only tourist visa available locally is a single entry (SETV). That would give you 60 days on entry and can be extended by 30 days at an immigration office for 1,900 baht.
• The final choice would be to exit/re-enter under visa exempt entry. You'll get a 30 day stay that can also be extended by 30 days for 1,900 baht.

That last idea - is the 30 day visa-exempt entry only through an airport, or does it apply to land crossings as well ? I remember someone saying that the land crossing entry is only 15 days ?

(The reason i'm dim about these visas is that i've had a long series of Non-Imm O's starting in 2009, acquired in the UK and no messing around with short-term visas.)

Thanks for your input.

[elviajero]

• Yes, if you do a border hop just before the end of the 12 months ('enter before' date printed on your visa) you will get a new 90 day permit to stay on re-entry.
• At the end of that 90 days you need to exit or you could apply for a 1 year extension of stay. You would need 800k in a Thai account for two months OR a certified (by your embassy) income of 65k pm OR a combination of the two.
• If you don't want an extension of stay you can go to a nearby Thai embassy/consulate and get a tourist visa. The only tourist visa available locally is a single entry (SETV). That would give you 60 days on entry and can be extended by 30 days at an immigration office for 1,900 baht.
• The final choice would be to exit/re-enter under visa exempt entry. You'll get a 30 day stay that can also be extended by 30 days for 1,900 baht.

That last idea - is the 30 day visa-exempt entry only through an airport, or does it apply to land crossings as well ? I remember someone saying that the land crossing entry is only 15 days ?

(The reason i'm dim about these visas is that i've had a long series of Non-Imm O's starting in 2009, acquired in the UK and no messing around with short-term visas.)

Thanks for your input.

If you are from the UK you will get 30 days at land borders too. G7 countries get 30 days all others only 15.

• G7 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, USA.

[steve187]

i obtained a visa in Savannkhet in January, and i was speaking to a british oap there, and he was geting a single entry non 'o' he does it every 90 days, i have no further details of what he used to obtain it. maybe someone can shed more light on a single non 'o' at savannkhet

edit he is not married to a Thai

Edited March 6, 2016 by steve187

[sunnyjim5]

i obtained a visa in Savannkhet in January, and i was speaking to a british oap there, and he was geting a single entry non 'o' he does it every 90 days, i have no further details of what he used to obtain it. maybe someone can shed more light on a single non 'o' at savannkhet

He is very unlikely to be obtaining the visa on the basis of age(retirement) because Savannakht does not normally issue such visa.

More likely the visa is being obtained on the basis of marriage or being the father of a Thai child.

[steve187]

i obtained a visa in Savannkhet in January, and i was speaking to a british oap there, and he was geting a single entry non 'o' he does it every 90 days, i have no further details of what he used to obtain it. maybe someone can shed more light on a single non 'o' at savannkhet

He is very unlikely to be obtaining the visa on the basis of age(retirement) because Savannakht does not normally issue such visa.

More likely the visa is being obtained on the basis of marriage or being the father of a Thai child.

no not married or Thai children, if no non 'o' then maybe he was getting a tourist and then doing a 30 day extension, I just know he was going every 90 days.

[jacksam]

If he is obtaining setv which he could get 90 days from with extension, seems unlikely he could just be obtaining back to back from same consulate. Have been that for some consulates 3 in a row about sees you head to another location

[ubonjoe]

i obtained a visa in Savannkhet in January, and i was speaking to a british oap there, and he was geting a single entry non 'o' he does it every 90 days, i have no further details of what he used to obtain it. maybe someone can shed more light on a single non 'o' at savannkhet

edit he is not married to a Thai

Perhaps he has a document of some type stating he is retried.

Most people get turned away because they do not have this which is shown on their website. "A letter of retirement from the Embassy of the individual citizen."

In Thai here: http://www.thaisavannakhet.com/savannakhet/th/consulate-service/inspect/

[steve187]

i obtained a visa in Savannkhet in January, and i was speaking to a british oap there, and he was geting a single entry non 'o' he does it every 90 days, i have no further details of what he used to obtain it. maybe someone can shed more light on a single non 'o' at savannkhet

edit he is not married to a Thai

Perhaps he has a document of some type stating he is retried.

Most people get turned away because they do not have this which is shown on their website. "A letter of retirement from the Embassy of the individual citizen."

In Thai here: http://www.thaisavannakhet.com/savannakhet/th/consulate-service/inspect/

Thinking on and after reading that link, he did say he paid 2000 baht, so somehow he is getting back to back non 'o' s, he lives in ubon and travels by bus, knowing all the routes/hotels etc, he said he has been doing for years. maybe he is on TV, and if so could post details.