Difficulty obtaining O non-immigrant visa

[mluberti]

I did a search but no clear answers have been posted lately. I hope to move to Chiang Mai in December from Ecuador. I have residency in Ecuador and an American passport. Have been in Ecuador for 3 years. It appears as if obtaining an O non-immigrant visa before i arrive may be more complicated than I expected. Closest embassy is in Chile, several hundred dollars away and I may at that point not be legal to leave Ecuador and return to pack my things. Ecuador visa will expire 2 months before I leave, so timing is complicated.

I may be able to get one quickly in the US on my way to Thailand, although it will add time and costs.

Have read that it is possible to get 30 day single entry at airport upon arrival, then get 90 day O visa in country, then apply for retirement visa. Has anyone had experience doing this?

Also, for retirement visa will do combo pension/money in bank. I have 3 different pensions, 2 from Canada and I US, direct deposited into a US account. What is acceptable confirmation of income. Getting hard copy from Canadian govt to Ecuador before i leave once again difficult. Will months of bank statements printed off computer showing regular deposits be acceptable? Does income need to be deposited in a Thai bank? I know the balance to complete 800,000 does need to be.

Your experiences would be most helpful.

[lopburi3]

If you can not obtain visa prior to arrival you can change the normal 30 visa exempt entry with 15 days or more remaining but will cost 2,000 baht and several visits to immigration and setting up bank account and getting letter of pension income from US Embassy prior to doing so. So you might have to extend or visit Laos to obtain the non immigrant O visa and then do during the last 30 days of that 90 day entry.

[4evermaat]

So to clarify, you are looking to obtain a non-o or non- O-A visa based on retirement (> 50 years old).

Then upon entering thailand, you would then EXTEND one of those non-o entries for 1 year to obtain retirement EXTENSION of stay. for the financial proof, you can use:

a) 800k in Thai bank, seasoned for 60 days the first extension, and then 90 days for each subsequent extension.

b.) affidavit of income notarized by the embassy of your passport. 65,000 baht monthly. Some embassy officials want to see some proof of income (bank or pension statement), others may not. (USA embassy does not ; but it is USD

$50 a notary signature.)

c) combo of 'a' and 'b' to prove you can bring in 65k/mo.

Have you been to thailand before? When was the last time you've been?

Edited May 27, 2016 by 4evermaat

[ubonjoe]

There is a honorary Thai consulate in Quito Ecuador where you could get a single entry non-o visa. FYI the embassy in Peru is reponsible for Ecuador.

Thai Honorary Consulate General in Quito, Ecuador

Robles 653 y Amazonas

Edif. Proinco Calisto, Of. 805

Quito

Ecuador

TELEPHONE(+593) 2 2563-053

(+593) 2 2542-165

FAX(+593) 2 2560-937

EMAIL [email protected]

OFFICE HOURS10.00-12.00 and 16.00-18.00

HEAD OF MISSIONMr Luis Garcia Jara, Honorary Consul General

If you don't get the visa you could enter on a 30 visa exempt entry and do a conversion to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry. You would probably need a onward ticket to board your flight if you don't have a visa for entry.

If you have an income of 65k baht you would do a income affidavit at the US embassy in Bangkok to apply for the conversion and/or the extension.

[ubonjoe]

So to clarify, you are looking to obtain a non-o or non- O-A visa based on retirement (> 50 years old).

Then upon entering thailand, you would then EXTEND one of those non-o entries for 1 year to obtain retirement EXTENSION of stay. for the financial proof, you can use:

a) 800k in Thai bank, seasoned for 60 days the first extension, and then 90 days for each subsequent extension.

b.) affidavit of income notarized by the embassy of your passport. 65,000 baht monthly. Some embassy officials want to see some proof of income (bank or pension statement), others may not. (USA embassy does not ; but it is USD

$50 a notary signature.)

c) combo of 'a' and 'b' to prove you can bring in 65k/mo.

Have you been to thailand before? When was the last time you've been?

He is asking about a single non-o visa that would allow a 90 day entry. He would probably have to apply for a OA visa in the states that allows a one year entry not 90 days.

[mluberti]

I'll make it a simple question.

Has anyone arrived in Thailand on a tourist visa, converted it to a non-immigrant visa and then a retirement visa without leaving Thailand?

That is all the info i require right now. Due to my rather complicated situation obtaining a non Immi visa before I arrive will be difficult.

[mluberti]

ubonjoe:

Thai consul email in Quito bounces back non-valid address.

Lima Embassy has not answered my e-mail in over a week and their website will not load over the last two days.

Getting my ninety day non-immi visa just before I leave Ecuador will be a logistical nightmare, as my legal residency will expire 2 months before i leave. Staying in Ecuador until I leave will have no dire consequences.

I either do everything in Thailand, so that is why I asked my question, or spend a few extra days in the US. I may fly out of Seattle to Bangkok, so a side trip to Portland consul office may be in order.

[ubonjoe]

I'll make it a simple question.

Has anyone arrived in Thailand on a tourist visa, converted it to a non-immigrant visa and then a retirement visa without leaving Thailand?

That is all the info i require right now. Due to my rather complicated situation obtaining a non Immi visa before I arrive will be difficult.

I posted info about doing a conversion to get a non immigrant visa without leaving the country in the same post about the consulate in Quito.

People do the conversion all the time.

[jacksam]

OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay.

You can obtain you non imm o by conversion in bkk or by travelling to nearby country such as laos (AirAsia now fly direct to Vientiane 1800baht return) . You could even fly in to Thailand visa exempt. Obtain income statement from USA embassy. You could have flight booked to somewhere like Vientiane within 30 days of arriving in los to satisfy airline.

That avoids any dealing with consulate where you are.

In last 30 days of your 90 day on the non o you apply for 12 month extension. Easy.

Edited May 27, 2016 by jacksam

[ubonjoe]

ubonjoe:

Thai consul email in Quito bounces back non-valid address.

Lima Embassy has not answered my e-mail in over a week and their website will not load over the last two days.

Getting my ninety day non-immi visa just before I leave Ecuador will be a logistical nightmare, as my legal residency will expire 2 months before i leave. Staying in Ecuador until I leave will have no dire consequences.

I either do everything in Thailand, so that is why I asked my question, or spend a few extra days in the US. I may fly out of Seattle to Bangkok, so a side trip to Portland consul office may be in order.

Try contacting the consulate in person or calling them. Another website shows a different number than the one I posted. Try this one if the others don't work. (571) 2576004

I had the same problem with embassy website. Doing a search for more info on the consulate showed a page on the embassy website with info for the consulate..

[mluberti]

Thanks ubonjoe and everyone who replied.

Can conversions be done in Chiang Mai?

I will need income affidavits from Canada and the US. I might be able to obtain them from the Ecuador based consuls offices before I leave. Do they need to be notarized?

If so will Ecuadorean notaries be valid?

[Eclipse]

You are over complicating this.

All you need is a letter from the U.S Embassy in Bangkok.

You tell them your income and they provide the document.

Proof is not needed as they believe you.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Eclipse

[ubonjoe]

Thanks ubonjoe and everyone who replied.

Can conversions be done in Chiang Mai?

I will need income affidavits from Canada and the US. I might be able to obtain them from the Ecuador based consuls offices before I leave. Do they need to be notarized?

If so will Ecuadorean notaries be valid?

I have seen some posts saying they are doing the conversions in Chiang Mai now.

You will only need an income affidavit from the US embassy or the consulate in Chiang Mai. You can show total income from any source when you do the affidavit. Immigration will not accept an affidavit done at a consulate outside of Thailand.

Keep trying to get in contact with the Thai consulate in Quito. I am sure they will do the visa for you.

[lopburi3]

You have an American passport so you will require an income affidavit from the US Consulate (and there is one in Chiang Mai) stating your total income. You should have documentation of this income from source in the event Immigration asks for additional paperwork but normally it is not asked. The paper you sign at Consulate is a legal document subject to federal prosecution if false.

[mluberti]

Thanks ubonjoe,

I just sent an email to the embassy in Santiago Chile and asked for contact details for the Quito consul.

If I can get a 90 day from within Ecuador it makes everything easier.

I have dual Canadian/American citizenship but currently only have a US passport. haven't lived in Canada since 1997 and US since 2013.

Posters keep saying just get income verification from US embassy. 2/3 of my income is Canadian pension deposited in US bank. Will US officials give me a letter confirming that income?

[mluberti]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks ubonjoe,

I just sent an email to the embassy in Santiago Chile and asked for contact details for the Quito consul.

If I can get a 90 day from within Ecuador it makes everything easier.

I have dual Canadian/American citizenship but currently only have a US passport. haven't lived in Canada since 1997 and US since 2013.

Posters keep saying just get income verification from US embassy. 2/3 of my income is Canadian pension deposited in US bank. Will US officials give me a letter confirming that income?

The US embassy does not ask where the income comes from. You complete an income affidavit form, sign it in front of a consular officer and swear that it is true and correct.

[johnatong]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

Your "research" has led you to a mistaken conclusion !

There really is NO Thai "retirement" visa that you can obtain in Thailand or anywhere else

You can get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement providing you can meet the requirements.

[lopburi3]

1. Thai long stay (non immigrant O-A visa) is issued for retirement by Embassy and allows one year stay on entry.

2. Non immigrant O visa is issued by Embassy in single and multi entry versions allowing stay(s) of 90 days each.

3. Any 90 day stay for retirement can be extended one year at immigration by meeting required conditions.

[mluberti]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

Your "research" has led you to a mistaken conclusion !

There really is NO Thai "retirement" visa that you can obtain in Thailand or anywhere else

You can get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement providing you can meet the requirements.

I googled "Thai retirement visa" and it gave 466,000 responses.

Edited May 27, 2016 by mluberti

[Evilbaz]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

Your "research" has led you to a mistaken conclusion !

There really is NO Thai "retirement" visa that you can obtain in Thailand or anywhere else

You can get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement providing you can meet the requirements.

This last statement is wrong.

The Non-Immi OA (Retirement) Visa is a Visa valid for one year from entry and remains a Visa until it expires.

It is not cancelled on entry - it is not an extension the first year

It can be extended for another year if you exit the Kingdom and return just before the expiry date but to leave and return in the second year you need a Re-entry permit from your local Thai Immi office (not necessary for the first year as it is multi-entry ).

There is no need to leave the Kingdom at all except the one time just before the end of the first year.

Just reports every 90 days to your local Thai Immi office.

This OA Visa is only available from your Thai Embassy in your home country.

I know this because I am staring at one in my passport.

[NancyL]

I'm in Chiang Mai and up-to-date on what's going on with retirement visa extensions and visa conversions here. Yes, it's possible to come into Chiang Mai with a 30-day visa exempt entry stamp, but it's a PITA to do the conversion in Chiang Mai -- by design. There are two Immigration offices and if you go to one with questions they'll just tell you to go to the other office. They want you to use a visa agent for the process and not bother them.

As suggested, do anything you can to get that 90 day O visa from the Honorary Consul in Quito before you come. Then you can go to the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai and obtain an "Income Letter". It doesn't matter if some of your income if from an non-U.S. source, you are attesting to your TOTAL monthly income. Then you can use that Income Letter to apply for a "12 month extension due to retirement" at CM Immigration's office at Promenada Mall during the last 30 days of your permission to enter stamp.

You'll totally avoid all the hassle of trying to do a "conversion" in-country.

Once you have that "retirement extension", you'll have what most people call a "retirement visa". It really isn't a "visa", but rather a 1-year extension due to retirement, but oh well, even the Immigration people call it a "retirement visa". There is no need for you to leave the country every 90 days. All you have to do is file a "90 day report" if you don't leave. The 90 day report isn't much of a hassle. It's free and can by done by mail, on-line (most of the time; the Imm. computer system isn't very user-friendly) or in person but they don't hassle people much when they report in person.

Chiang Mai has the worst Immigration office in all of Thailand when it comes to long queues and wait times and lack of anyone available to explain the rules to customers. Do everything you can to avoid any contact with them.

[jacksam]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

Your "research" has led you to a mistaken conclusion !

There really is NO Thai "retirement" visa that you can obtain in Thailand or anywhere else

You can get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement providing you can meet the requirements.

I googled "Thai retirement visa" and it gave 466,000 responses.

There is an non imm OA visa (sometimes referred incorrectly by some as retirement visa)

There is non imm O that allows 90 day permission of stay. When at some point you obtain a 12 month extension, they have a stamp that does have the word retirement. Hence some people say they have a retirement visa. They don't even have a visa. They have 12 month permission of stay (based on retirement).

Edited May 27, 2016 by jacksam

[mluberti]

Thank you NancyL,

You are confirming most of what my computer has spit back at me. Some personal experience such as yours is most helpful.

I am on still trying to establish contact with Quito consul. That would be the easiest.

Income confirmation looks easier than i thought it would be.

Including this move to Thailand it will be my 4th immigration. Moving to Canada from The Netherlands at age 3 was my easiest. Parents took care of everything.

1999 move to the United States was the longest and hardest. Got it thru a marriage which "seemed like a good idea at the time!". Did it for love, but didn't get that, got citizenship instead. American immigration officials were the rudest, most brusque of any I have encountered and sometimes incompetent and unaware of their own rules. Thank God my lawyer was at my final hearing for my green card because the woman behind the desk was clueless and we had to call for a supervisor to straighten her out.

Ecuador likes to tell you that that "i" wasn't dotted. Could you do the whole form again and return tomorrow at 7AM and do the whole process again(with a smile).

My visa is held by a term deposit and when it renews it requires various forms and visits to at least 5 different offices. Do you think I could just bring in the new certificate of deposit? Nope!

Just last year they moved the immigration office out of Cuenca to a small town 25 miles away. The taxi lobby must be powerful here!

So i am preparing for the Thai immigration experience. I'm battle scarred and ready.

[steelepulse]

Off topic to the OP, but i know Cuenca has been bandied about here in the forum as an alternative to Thailand, so when you have time OP would be good to hear your experiences and frustrations with Ecuador besides the red tape hassles you've experienced.

[mluberti]

It is 1 in the morning here and I am getting blurry eyed.

Can't think of anything better to do than have several discussions about whether a passport with a visa is stamped with the word "retirement" but is not a retirement visa. 555

[johnatong]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

Your "research" has led you to a mistaken conclusion !

There really is NO Thai "retirement" visa that you can obtain in Thailand or anywhere else

You can get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement providing you can meet the requirements.

This last statement is wrong.

The Non-Immi OA (Retirement) Visa is a Visa valid for one year from entry and remains a Visa until it expires.

It is not cancelled on entry - it is not an extension the first year

It can be extended for another year if you exit the Kingdom and return just before the expiry date but to leave and return in the second year you need a Re-entry permit from your local Thai Immi office (not necessary for the first year as it is multi-entry ).

There is no need to leave the Kingdom at all except the one time just before the end of the first year.

Just reports every 90 days to your local Thai Immi office.

This OA Visa is only available from your Thai Embassy in your home country.

I know this because I am staring at one in my passport.

Post a scan of this visa with the word "Retirement " highlighted please

[Eclipse]

There is no such thing as a Retirement Visa.

What the op is aiming for is a 12 month extension of stay based on retirement.

Very easy to obtain as Immigration deal with this every day they are open.

No big deal and I just think the op is over complicating matters.

Immigration love you to apply for this option as it is the most easy one for them to deal with.

It needs little effort on there part, so they encourage it as long as you qualify.

[Eclipse]

"OP you don't obtain a "retirement visa". After you have your non imm O then in last 30 days you obtain 12 month extension of permission of stay."

jacksam, my research indicates that a 1 year non-immigration visa requires re-entry every 90 days.

There is such a thing as a retirement visa and it does not require leaving every 90 days as it appears to be with a 1 year non-immigrant visa.

I want the retirement visa. There is such a thing.

Your "research" has led you to a mistaken conclusion !

There really is NO Thai "retirement" visa that you can obtain in Thailand or anywhere else

You can get a one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement providing you can meet the requirements.

This last statement is wrong.

The Non-Immi OA (Retirement) Visa is a Visa valid for one year from entry and remains a Visa until it expires.

It is not cancelled on entry - it is not an extension the first year

It can be extended for another year if you exit the Kingdom and return just before the expiry date but to leave and return in the second year you need a Re-entry permit from your local Thai Immi office (not necessary for the first year as it is multi-entry ).

There is no need to leave the Kingdom at all except the one time just before the end of the first year.

Just reports every 90 days to your local Thai Immi office.

This OA Visa is only available from your Thai Embassy in your home country.

I know this because I am staring at one in my passport.

A Visa cannot be extended for another year.

What you can do is leave and return just before the Visa expires and get a 12 month permision to stay.

Giving a total of almost 2 years permision to stay

[Estrada]

I'll make it a simple question.

Has anyone arrived in Thailand on a tourist visa, converted it to a non-immigrant visa and then a retirement visa without leaving Thailand?

That is all the info i require right now. Due to my rather complicated situation obtaining a non Immi visa before I arrive will be difficult.

Yes. I arrived on as a tourist on a 30 day Visa exempt permission to stay. I had B800K in a Thai Bank, went to immigration Bangkok and they issued me with a Non-O Visa stamped "Non O - for the Retirement (written in Thai). I then went to another desk and it was stamped "USED" and they gave me a 90 days permission to stay on the basis of Retirement whist the B800K was further aging in the bank and told me to come back in 30 days when the money had aged 60 days. I then returned and the gave me 12months permission to stay back dated from my original application. Whatever some clowns say in this forum, a Non-O Visa on the basis of retirement is issued in country by Thai Immigration. I have posted photos of this Visa several times before, it clearly says VISA and Type "O" is entered on the line which says type of visa.