Double checking the procedure for 3 month visa renewal

[Seraphina]

Hi, I came in to Thailand on a three month non-immigrant, O retirement visa. My passport says, "Permitted to stay until 12th October, 2016". I'd like to check two things, if I may.

 

i) I intend to travel to Malaysia and then return to Thailand. The last time I was on this forum, someone wrote that if I left Thailand before the three months was up and then returned, I would only be granted the unused time on my visa - in my case, it'll be four days. I'm confused because from what I've read, it seems a person is normally granted another three months upon re-entry with this type of visa. Which of these scenarios is the correct one?

 

ii) I keep seeing advice on this forum that a person on a three month visa has to report after 60 days and then extend for a month to make use of the three month stay. However, there is nothing on my visa or in my passport that tells me to do this. Have I picked up the wrong end of the stick?  

 

If I have to get to the immigration bureau in BKK, would I take the skytrain to Mo Chit and then a taxi. The buses to this place seem convoluted.

 

Thanks in advance.

[ubonjoe]

1. If you get a re-entry permit to keep the 90 day entry from your visa you will get the remainder of the 90 day entry when you enter the country. It is not to the date your visa expires. A single entry visa only allows one 90 day entry. Perhaps you read about a multiple entry visa which allows unlimited 90 day entries for a year.

2. You cannot apply for a 30 day extension. You can only apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. You will need to show 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht by way of a income letter from your embassy or a combination of the two totaling 800k baht. You could apply for the extension during the last 45 days of your 90 day entry. Once you get the extension you can apply for a single or multiple re-entry permit,

Taking the sky train to Mochit and then a taxi to Chaeng Wattana is a good way to do it. The MRT (subway) also goes to Mochit. Map and other info is here: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/location1.html

[Seraphina]

Many thanks for your rapid response. I have indeed picked up the wrong end of the stick as I have a single entry visa.

 

To obtain a three month multiple entry visa, would I have to return to my country of origin? Or would it be possible from here? Is there a website I can go to for information?

 

Is it then impossible to apply for a one year OA retirement visa from one's country of origin? It looked possible on-line, but the agent who did my visa said it would be too difficult - I think for them, rather than me.

 

Here, I would fall down on the government or private pension income requirement, but this isn't actually a requirement in France (my country of residence). I did find it a bit odd that their requirements are different...I would have to triple check that part as it might be that they forgot to insert it on the French website!

 

 

[Seraphina]

Addendum:

 

Hi Unbonjoe, I've just stumbled across your post about applying for an O visa in Penang, the place of my birth - I hold a British passport having been naturalised at age 2.

 

I'm going to Penang in October. I'll look up the immigration place if you suggest I might try there. I have no itinerary so I can stay for as long as the paperwork requires, but all my banking stuff will be in French!

 

It would be irksome having gone through the paperwork exercise, to have to return to my country of origin or try and do the 30 day renewal thing, which I understand is limited anyway.

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, Seraphina said:

Many thanks for your rapid response. I have indeed picked up the wrong end of the stick as I have a single entry visa.

To obtain a three month multiple entry visa, would I have to return to my country of origin? Or would it be possible from here? Is there a website I can go to for information?

Is it then impossible to apply for a one year OA retirement visa from one's country of origin? It looked possible on-line, but the agent who did my visa said it would be too difficult - I think for them, rather than me.

Here, I would fall down on the government or private pension income requirement, but this isn't actually a requirement in France (my country of residence). I did find it a bit odd that their requirements are different...I would have to triple check that part as it might be that they forgot to insert it on the French website!

You might be able to get a multiple entry non-o in Penang but you would have meet the same financial requirements needed for the extension.

If the income is less than 65k baht you could put some money in the a Thai bank to make up the difference. It would be your annual income plus the money in the bank totaling 800k baht.

It does not have to be only pension income you show. Most embassies will accept any income for a income letter to be issued. Immigration does not care where the income comes from as long as it is not earned here.

Just read your last post: See here for info on getting a income letter from the UK embassy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration  They will accept any income to do the letter. You could have your bank and other info translated to English from French.

Not sure what you would be able to accomplish at the Thai consulate in Penang.

 

[Seraphina]

In fact, I have no income, period. That's why I would stumble if I tried to apply from the UK.

 

I have simply retired early, but have no pension as I'm too young to draw one. I have no intention of working here, not least of all because it's illegal. Too long in the tooth for this type of shenanigans.

 

I'm assuming then, my options are rather limited?

Edited August 12, 2016 by Seraphina

[BritTim]

I think your plan of action should be:

• Transfer 800,000 baht into a Thai bank.
• Get a single entry O visa from a consulate in the region. Penang, I believe, is a viable option.
• During the last 30 days of your entry on the single entry Non O visa, apply for a one-year extension of stay. If you travel regularly, add a multiple re-entry permit to your extension of stay.

Priority is the money transfer. If you do not yet have a Thai bank account, you may well need to try several branches to find one allowing you to open an account with a single Non O visa.

[Seraphina]

Hi BritTim, thanks for your reply. Your approach is of great interest to me! 

 

To clarify, I was informed on this forum that I would NOT qualify for a one year non-immigrant OA visa - even if I met the 800k baht working account deposit requirement - because I have no pension income and this is a pre-requisite for this type of visa. Indeed, I have no income of any type.

 

I appear to be estopped by the lack of pension/income, so I wouldn't want to waste my time organising the money transfer unless I could be more than 70% certain.

 

However, if you're telling me that the powers that be would overlook this rule in favour of the 800k baht, I would certainly investigate this approach further.

 

Is this what you're saying? I don't disbelieve you, but it does go against what everyone else has told me on this forum - including Ubonjoe, so I'd be foolish not to ask you to clarify....

 

(thanks in advance)

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2016 by Seraphina

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Seraphina said:

Hi BritTim, thanks for your reply. Your approach is of great interest to me! 

 

To clarify, I was informed on this forum that I would NOT qualify for a one year non-immigrant OA visa - even if I met the 800k baht working account deposit requirement - because I have no pension income and this is a pre-requisite for this type of visa. Indeed, I have no income of any type.

 

I appear to be estopped by the lack of pension/income, so I wouldn't want to waste my time organising the money transfer unless I could be more than 70% certain.

 

However, if you're telling me that the powers that be would overlook this rule in favour of the 800k baht, I would certainly investigate this approach further.

 

Is this what you're saying? I don't disbelieve you, but it does go against what everyone else has told me on this forum - including Ubonjoe, so I'd be foolish not to ask you to clarify....

 

(thanks in advance)

 

 

 

I certainly never wrote you still need proof of income if you use the 800k baht in the bank option.

It is money in the bank or income or a combination of the two totaling 800k baht.

From clause 2.22 of police order 327/2557

Quote

(3) Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month: or

(4) On the filing date, the applicant must have funds deposited in a bank in Thailand of no less than Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 60 days prior to the filing date: or
(5) Must have an annual earning and fluids deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht 800,0000 as of the filing date.

 

[Seraphina]

On 15/08/2016 at 1:32 PM, ubonjoe said:

I certainly never wrote you still need proof of income if you use the 800k baht in the bank option.

It is money in the bank or income or a combination of the two totaling 800k baht.

From clause 2.22 of police order 327/2557

 

 

It appears that there's been a miscommunication somewhere because I thought others had told me I wouldn't qualify as I don't have a pensionable income. It would appear that you need either the 800k OR the 65k monthly income or a combo.

 

Interestingly, the rules also say that you must be 'resident in the country of application', so I'm not sure how that works!

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Seraphina said:

 

It appears that there's been a miscommunication somewhere because I thought others had told me I wouldn't qualify as I don't have a pensionable income. It would appear that you need either the 800k OR the 65k monthly income or a combo.

 

Interestingly, the rules also say that you must be 'resident in the country of application', so I'm not sure how that works!

 

I am betting that you are confusing this situation with an application for a multiple Non O aged over 50 specifically in the UK. There is a UK only rule that multiple Non O (but not Non OA) visas are issued to retirees only if in receipt of a state pension. That condition, as far as I know, exists nowhere else.

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, Seraphina said:

 

It appears that there's been a miscommunication somewhere because I thought others had told me I wouldn't qualify as I don't have a pensionable income. It would appear that you need either the 800k OR the 65k monthly income or a combo.

 

Interestingly, the rules also say that you must be 'resident in the country of application', so I'm not sure how that works!

I posted the requirements for applying for an extension of stay based upon retirement at an immigration office.

You are confusing an extension with applying for a OA visa at an embassy or consulate which requires you to to be a resident.

[Seraphina]

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

I am betting that you are confusing this situation with an application for a multiple Non O aged over 50 specifically in the UK. There is a UK only rule that multiple Non O (but not Non OA) visas are issued to retirees only if in receipt of a state pension. That condition, as far as I know, exists nowhere else.

 

Yes, I think so. Thanks for the clarification.

[Seraphina]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I posted the requirements for applying for an extension of stay based upon retirement at an immigration office.

You are confusing an extension with applying for a OA visa at an embassy or consulate which requires you to to be a resident.

 

Yes, I'm getting rather confused. At the time of writing, I was testing the idea that a person could apply for a different visa after the first one had expired and once they were outside Thailand again.

[Seraphina]

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

I am betting that you are confusing this situation with an application for a multiple Non O aged over 50 specifically in the UK. There is a UK only rule that multiple Non O (but not Non OA) visas are issued to retirees only if in receipt of a state pension. That condition, as far as I know, exists nowhere else.

 

My visa was issued in France and I had to prove residency in France even for a single entry, 50+ non-immigrant O visa. The bank attestation about the status of my account had to be less than 15 days old as well. It seems that there are some very slight differences between countries.