Non Immigrant O Extension Refused

[mrjohn]

There I was all ready to extend my Non Imm O visa as per the info recieved on this board and advice previously given by police in Songkhla. I have recently moved to Phuket and made the mistake of not keeping up with the shifting of the goalposts. Yesterday I was told by Phuket police that I could not extend the visa because I had not had the funds in my account for three months. The same officer told me to transfer the 800000 bht and then leave the country returning on the 30 day entry permit until the money had been in my account for the required period. He informed me that I could then apply for a non imm O here in Phuket which I find hard to believe.

I then went to see a Thai lawyer/visa consultant who suggested that I go to Kuala Lumpur where obtaining the visa was easy. I find this hard to belive as well. I have the money sitting in my UK account but have been screwed by the rule change. Any help please.....my visa expires at the end of Dec.

[Sunbelt Asia]

There I was all ready to extend my Non Imm O visa as per the info recieved on this board and advice previously given by police in Songkhla. I have recently moved to Phuket and made the mistake of not keeping up with the shifting of the goalposts. Yesterday I was told by Phuket police that I could not extend the visa because I had not had the funds in my account for three months. The same officer told me to transfer the 800000 bht and then leave the country returning on the 30 day entry permit until the money had been in my account for the required period. He informed me that I could then apply for a non imm O here in Phuket which I find hard to believe.

I then went to see a Thai lawyer/visa consultant who suggested that I go to Kuala Lumpur where obtaining the visa was easy. I find this hard to belive as well. I have the money sitting in my UK account but have been screwed by the rule change. Any help please.....my visa expires at the end of Dec.

Before the "O" visa expires. Cross the border and get a 30 day tourist visa exemption stamp. Then change this 30 day stamp into a 90 day 'O" visa inside Thailand. Before the 90 day visa expires, you then do the extension of stay with the money being in the bank for 90 days.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[mrjohn]

Before the "O" visa expires. Cross the border and get a 30 day tourist visa exemption stamp. Then change this 30 day stamp into a 90 day 'O" visa inside Thailand. Before the 90 day visa expires, you then do the extension of stay with the money being in the bank for 90 days.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Sorry can't quite follow this. How do I change the 30 day stamp into a 90 day O ??

I should add that my original visa "expired" on 4 Oct so I am now on the last three month period having reentered Thailand on 3rd Oct

[lopburi3]

You can not obtain an extension of stay with the money not here so even if rule had not changed you would have had to wait for it to be deposited in a Thai baht account. Once that is done you can exit the country as Sunbelt said, and as Immigration also said, and obtain a 30 day permitted to stay stamp. During the first week of that you can have immigration convert you to a non immigrant visa for 2,000 baht under the old rules (no 3 month in account requirement) and then when you have met the 3 month requirement you can extend your stay with the normal TM.7/1,900 baht per year routine.

Be aware that the conversion may also be subject to the 3 month rule at some point so if that happens before you convert you may have to obtain a tourist visa if not a non immigrant visa from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur to see you though during your wait.

[Mahout Angrit]

Sorry can't quite follow this. How do I change the 30 day stamp into a 90 day O ??

It seems that Sunbelt is telling you exactly the same as what you say the immigration officer in Phuket told you (EDIT: and now also Lopburi as he beat me to it!) so if it were me I'd go into immigration in Phuket and ask them to change the 30 day stamp into a 90 day 'O' visa

Edited December 7, 2006 by Mahout Angrit

[Sunbelt Asia]

Sorry can't quite follow this. How do I change the 30 day stamp into a 90 day O ??

It seems that Sunbelt is telling you exactly the same as what you say the immigration officer in Phuket told you (EDIT: and now also Lopburi as he beat me to it!) so if it were me I'd go into immigration in Phuket and ask them to change the 30 day stamp into a 90 day 'O' visa

He has a 90 day "O" visa now. He does not meet the criteria of having 800K in the bank for 90 days.

If he had a tourist visa exemption stamp. He would not have had a problem today. He would have been able to change this stamp to an "O" visa. The funds only have to be in the bank for one day unlike the extension of stay regulations. When this 90 day visa expires around Jan 1st. He crosses the border to get the 30 day tourist visa exemption stamp. Changes this over to a new 90 day "O" visa and then by that time in 90 days, he qualifies for the extension.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[lopburi3]

He could not have done anything today - no money was in the bank here.

I have the money sitting in my UK account

[Sunbelt Asia]

He could not have done anything today - no money was in the bank here.

I have the money sitting in my UK account

Spoke to him on the phone. He is clear now. I couldn't understand why he wrote

Non Immigrant O Extension Refused

as the title of the post.

You are right, the $ is not in the bank to begin with so he would of been denied no matter what. He's transferring the funds now and then doing a visa run to get a 30 day tourist visa exemption stamp.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[ProThaiExpat]

lopburi3 and Sundbelt: Do I have reason to be concerned?

As previously posted elsewhere, I was overseas when my retirment extention expired, so re-entered Thailand on a tourist visa and got a change of visa class to non-imm O, which is scheduled to be extended to a one year retirement based on a pension.

My concern is that while I had sufficient long term funds in my account that bridged the pension shortfall, that amount dwindled and when I go into immigration in Janruary, my account will show an infusion of funds from overseas to top off the account to be in excess of the shortfall requirement.

However, the top off was this week, so there is no way it will be in the account for 90 days when I attempt to get the extention.

It is clear from your posts how the 90 day in the bank rule applies to 800K deposits for retirees, but does that rule apply to pension shortfalls as well?

Can I expect a problem when I try to extend and if so, what is your advice to solve it? Visa run re-entering as a tourist and then change of visa again to non-imm O, and then extention again, making sure the 90 day rule is followed?

[lopburi3]

From the English text you should not require a 3 month record but only Sunbelt can answer as to practice:

Having annual income

combined with the saving

money in the Bank not less than

800,000 Baht from on the date

submitting the application.

[bdenner]

Here inlies another question.

A friend is due for his third extension in a few weeks. In mid Nov when finding out about this 3 month thing he immediatly topped up his 800k (only about 120K short). Will he have a problem, concider he was due for renewal less the 3 months from Oct 1st.?

I know of one guy having his application accepted under the same circumstances at Nong Khai.

[lopburi3]

He should not have a problem. So far it seems to be the new applicants that are being turned down until meeting the 3 month rule.