1 year visa turns out to be only 6 months (must extend)

[dblaisde]

Ranong Immigration tells me my normally-good-for-1-year visa is only good for 6 months. I've only used the visa 3 months so far (entering 30/9/16) and did my second entry on the visa today. Immigration told me my next entry on the visa must be as an extension for 1900B, as if it's only for 6 months. I've had 4 of these visas in the last 4 years and they've always been good for a full year. And on my visa form in NYC I said I wanted a full year.

 

What's up? Is Ranong just plain stupid since it says "Enter before 18 Sept 2017". When I asked, they wouldn't/couldn't explain it and just said "This last time".

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2016 by dblaisde

[Briggsy]

You just need to go in and out at any border crossing to obtain another 90 days' permission to stay. There is no 1900 Baht fee.

[LivinLOS]

Clearly thats not an METV.. 

 

You have a 1 year non imm O.. You must leave the country every 90 days, or must extend it annually.. 

[freedomnow]

You can also stretch about 9 months out of the METV. On face value it looks like only 6 months BUT...

1 member posted 3-4 variations on doing border runs or extension with a METVand they could go up to about 269 days if I remember....key point being doing a exit and re-entry before it expires and extending that last 60 days by 30 at immigration...

 

EDIT : LivingLOS is correct in stating the obvious - Non IMM O is what you have.

Edited December 27, 2016 by freedomnow

[Briggsy]

This wouldn't be Ranong border checkpoint, would it?

[lopburi3]

As suggested above believe they are saying they will only allow two border crossings per year (regardless of visa or not) in that case - as your visa is valid for one year from date of issue.  Just use another form of exit/entry and you will get the normal 90 day permission to stay.  

[dblaisde]

7 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

As suggested above believe they are saying they will only allow two border crossings per year (regardless of visa or not) in that case - as your visa is valid for one year from date of issue.  Just use another form of exit/entry and you will get the normal 90 day permission to stay.  

 

So please tell me what is another form of exit/entry that doesn't require a border crossing?

 

Yes, this all happened in Ranong. I've read of *others* problems there but never for me.

 

It *is* a 1 year visa, as can be seen by the "use before date". I presume it's an METV as well. I've gotten 3 of these things before with no problem. Either Ranong is wrongong or Immigration has changed to rules.

 

Thanks for any further clarification.

 

[lopburi3]

You use a border that does not apply such a rule or you fly out and back.  

 

Hard to say what will happen in the future - so perhaps best to plan on obtaining financial requirements for extensions of stay if it is possible.  

 

Edit:  but I do not know that (only two) was his intent - perhaps he just believed it was a 2 entry visa and did not check the dates.  But I would not risk using that crossing next time.  

Edited December 27, 2016 by lopburi3

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

 

So please tell me what is another form of exit/entry that doesn't require a border crossing?

 

Yes, this all happened in Ranong. I've read of *others* problems there but never for me.

 

It *is* a 1 year visa, as can be seen by the "use before date". I presume it's an METV as well. I've gotten 3 of these things before with no problem. Either Ranong is wrongong or Immigration has changed to rules.

 

Thanks for any further clarification.

 

Just a different border crossing or fly out and back.

Ranong has made problems before recently telling a person the cannot do a out in there anymore with a multiple entry non-o visa.

You have a non-o visa not a multiple entry tourist visa (METV). They are no where near the same.

Ranong is wrong.

[dblaisde]

ubonjoe--

 

Thanks!

 

So the problem is Ranong it seems, not the rest of Thailand or the visa itself--it seems the visa gives me the right to enter and leave the country till the expiry date, no matter where despite what Ranong says. Jesus H. Christ this is annoying.

 

Or perhaps what the Ranong people were *trying* to say is that I'm limited to 2 land border crossings a year. (but what's this shit about a 1900B extension).

 

I sometimes fly up to Cambodia so I guess this is how I should do my next visa run.

 

I'm getting old anyway so it's time for a **retirement visa**, which most of my friends have anyway. I've got the cash and I'm too old for visa runs! :)

 

Thanks for clarifying.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2016 by dblaisde

[ubonjoe]

33 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

Or perhaps what the Ranong people were *trying* to say is that I'm limited to 2 land border crossings a year. (but what's this shit about a 1900B extension).

I think he was suggesting a one year extension of stay based upon ,marriage or retirement.

[JackThompson]

You should also avoid Poipet, which has the same "made up" rule.  So far, those are the only two border-checkpoints which seem to be ignoring the law and making up their own rules.

 

There is a new "only two times" rule for border crossing for visa-exempt entries, but that does not apply to those who have valid visas, such as yourself.

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, dblaisde said:

 

So please tell me what is another form of exit/entry that doesn't require a border crossing?

 

Yes, this all happened in Ranong. I've read of *others* problems there but never for me.

 

It *is* a 1 year visa, as can be seen by the "use before date". I presume it's an METV as well. I've gotten 3 of these things before with no problem. Either Ranong is wrongong or Immigration has changed to rules.

 

Thanks for any further clarification.

 

Why do so many posters agree with all the Immigration rules in Thailand? To me it seems they go out of their way to mix people up with them always having to ask "what do I do with this visa? what do I do with that visa? One Immigration office says this, the other says that, why can't they simplify what you can and cannot do? Why can't immigration offices all have the same rules? Don't answer that, this is Thailand.

Edited December 28, 2016 by possum1931

[sometimewoodworker]

19 hours ago, dblaisde said:

ubonjoe--

 

Thanks!

 

So the problem is Ranong it seems, not the rest of Thailand or the visa itself--it seems the visa gives me the right to enter and leave the country till the expiry date, no matter where despite what Ranong says. Jesus H. Christ this is annoying.

 

Or perhaps what the Ranong people were *trying* to say is that I'm limited to 2 land border crossings a year. (but what's this shit about a 1900B extension).

 

I sometimes fly up to Cambodia so I guess this is how I should do my next visa run.

 

I'm getting old anyway so it's time for a **retirement visa**, which most of my friends have anyway. I've got the cash and I'm too old for visa runs! :)

 

Thanks for clarifying.

 

 

 

 

Apart from  the fact that you won't get, and your friends don't have a "**retirement visa**"

 

The visa you have now can be converted into a "1 year extension of stay for the purpose of retirement"  any time you have 30 days (some offices permit 45 days) left on any entries  "permission to stay"

 

So so depending on when is best for you, you have until about December 2017 to apply.

[ldiablo72]

Clearly it's not a METV. No s**t when the photo clearly shows it's a Non-Immigrant O. I would assume that the geniuses at Ranong immigration are confusing the new visa exempt rule coming into effect and applying it to other visas. Clowns....

[SaintLouisBlues]

 
 
Apart from  the fact that you won't get, and your friends don't have a "**retirement visa**"

Do you reckon it would be possible for you to pop over to the offices of Siam Legal and set them straight on this? Their web site has numerous references to a "retirement visa". And while you're at it, could you let them know it's not a "renewal" but an "extension". I think we owe it to the Thai immigration legal fraternity to set them right on these Thai immigration issues, don't you?

[Suradit69]

18 hours ago, JackThompson said:

There is a new "only two times" rule for border crossing for visa-exempt entries, but that does not apply to those who have valid visas, such as yourself.

 

Yes, that was what I was thinking. Maybe they are (deliberately?) confusing the ruling about two land border entries using visa exempt entries and allowing only two land entries for everyone.

 

20 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

You have a 1 year non imm O.. You must leave the country every 90 days, or must extend it annually.. 

"It," the visa, cannot be extended.

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Enoon said:

 

This is not a country where the "logic" of your home country, in the West?, applies.

 

That's the way it is.

 

The pressure group that I formed and my representations to the UN have, so far, had no effect upon their attitude.

I think Thailand has got things right where they look after their own, and I agree that they have to stop westerners from working illegally, and protect Thai jobs, but where they go dreadfully wrong is hitting out at ordinary decent tourists instead of hitting out at employers who employ these illegal workers, IMO, I think that a lot of the people who do employ people who work illegally are connected, and make a lot of money out of it, so they will always be protected. There is a lot more I could say about Thai immigration, but a lot of expats are quite well off that they can easily afford 500.000 Bt for an elite visa, or over fifties who can afford to have 800,000 Bt in the bank for  retirement extensions, or 400.000 for marriage extensions, which also has a lot of unnecessary hoops to go through.

Then there is the under fifties who want to stay long term in Thailand and do not want to get married, I know one personally who bought a house while on continuous tourist visas, and has now lost his house and moved to one of the neighbouring countries. A lot of expats who are on the visas and extensions already mentioned, do not give a toss for these genuine under fifties who have to go through some unnecessary hoops to live here long term.

[LivinLOS]

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

"It," the visa, cannot be extended.

 

No but 'it' the permission to stay it generates can be.. 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Do you reckon it would be possible for you to pop over to the offices of Siam Legal and set them straight on this? Their web site has numerous references to a "retirement visa". And while you're at it, could you let them know it's not a "renewal" but an "extension". I think we owe it to the Thai immigration legal fraternity to set them right on these Thai immigration issues, don't you?

So because it's on the web it must be correct 555555

May be because it's on a legal website it must be correct 555555

 

If you want to believe that site you are welcome. 

 

It isn't a retirement visa, and it isn't a renewal of a visa. But you are welcome to think it is. You are welcome to believe in fairytales and that the next president of the USA always tells the truth as well.

[SaintLouisBlues]

If you want to believe that site you are welcome. 

My "beliefs" have nothing to do with it. Every Thai web site (remembering that we are, after all, in Thailand) uses the same language. That's all

[dblaisde]

By **retirement visa**, I meant the visa where you have to be over 50 and put  750,000 (or a bit more) in a Thai bank, get a criminal and health clearance, and some other things. That lets you do your "visa runs" within the country (eg my friends in Ban Saphan go to Hua Hin I believe) or even by mail by sending in a reporting form (every 3 months for both, I guess). You renew it once a year, which seems to be quite easy after you get the first one. My friends are all over 60 and they live here and never have to leave the country unless they want to. THAT'S what I meant by "retirement visa".

 

That's the one I'll try to get THIS year, since traveling from Bangkok to NYC on a visa run is a bit much. :) I expect there are instructions on here about how to go about getting THAT one.

Edited December 28, 2016 by dblaisde

[IMA_FARANG]

You have  ai 1year multip;e Non  immigrant type O ennry visa issued in New York on 19 September 2016 and the  must enter by date says 18 September 2017.

That is the effrctive date of expiration  date of your 1 year mu;tiple entry visa

Each entry on this type of visa gets you a 90 day entry stamp up until the expiration date  which as I said above (the must enter date) is the effective expiration date of the visa.

If you entered  Thailand before mifnight on the 18th of September 2017 you should have recieved your last 90 day  Permision to stay entry stamp at that time.

All that information is on the scan you posted, and the immigration officer at the border when you entered was right..

Let ubonjoe explain what your options are now, he is a much faster typist than I am and he is our visa "Guru".

That should have been until sometime in December.

 

Note: those of us who are here as retirees often began our stay with rhat same visa so we can read the information there and what must be done.

 

Edited December 28, 2016 by IMA_FARANG
corect typos

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, dblaisde said:

By **retirement visa**, I meant the visa where you have to be over 50 and put  750,000 (or a bit more) in a Thai bank, get a criminal and health clearance, and some other things. That lets you do your "visa runs" within the country (eg my friends in Ban Saphan go to Hua Hin I believe) or even by mail by sending in a reporting form (every 3 months for both, I guess). You renew it once a year, which seems to be quite easy after you get the first one. My friends are all over 60 and they live here and never have to leave the country unless they want to. THAT'S what I meant by "retirement visa".

 

That's the one I'll try to get THIS year, since traveling from Bangkok to NYC on a visa run is a bit much. :) I expect there are instructions on here about how to go about getting THAT one.

You seem to asking about an extension of stay based upon retirement.

No need for a police clearance or medical certificate. Those are required for a OA visa at an embassy or official Thai consulate.

You will need 800k baht in Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

You will need to do a report of staying longer than 90 days in the country to immigration in person or by mail or online.

You can apply for the extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from your non-o visa at immigration.

If you are living in Hua Hin the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing Kanchanaburi would be the closest crossing to get the new entries from your visa.

[dblaisde]

IMA_FARANG: I don't understand what you say at all. The scan says I've have until Sep 17 to use up the visa. That's the last day I can enter on the visa, but Ranong is saying that the visa will be invalid in 3 months, rather than almost 9 months left. They've said in effect "Don't try to get another 3 months on this visa when the current 3 months expire". This has never been the case before with my use of these visas and others here confirm that Ranong is clearly wrong. Why are you saying they're right?

 

The next time I'll simply fly, say, to Phenom Penh and fly back to Bangkok and get another 3 months and a big "<deleted> you" to Ranong Immigration.

 

 

[dblaisde]

18 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You seem to asking about an extension of stay based upon retirement.

No need for a police clearance or medical certificate. Those are required for a OA visa at an embassy or official Thai consulate.

You will need 800k baht in Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

You will need to do a report of staying longer than 90 days in the country to immigration in person or by mail or online.

You can apply for the extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from your non-o visa at immigration.

If you are living in Hua Hin the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing Kanchanaburi would be the closest crossing to get the new entries from your visa.

Thanks for the succinct lucid information. That's just what I needed.

 

I'll be up in Bangkok during the last month of the current 3, so I'm guessing I should head to Bangkok Immigration. Do I need to go to the American Embassy too? Somehow I thought they were involved, but I guess that's when I thought it required a criminal clearance from my home country.

 

What's the official name of this visa, anyway, so I'm understood at Immigration and can also do some research? Leave it to the Thais to create such a labyrinth. 

 

Thanks again much.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

IMA_FARANG: I don't understand what you say at all. The scan says I've have until Sep 17 to use up the visa.

 

I don't know what he was trying to say.

You can do a get a new entry up to the enter before date on your visa. Perhaps you will not need to do it you apply for an extension before then.

What Ranong immigration said is wrong.

 

[dblaisde]

I guess he was just testing my blood pressure. Fortunately it's normal

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, dblaisde said:

Thanks for the succinct lucid information. That's just what I needed.

 

I'll be up in Bangkok during the last month of the current 3, so I'm guessing I should head to Bangkok Immigration. Do I need to go to the American Embassy too? Somehow I thought they were involved, but I guess that's when I thought it required a criminal clearance from my home country.

 

What's the official name of this visa, anyway, so I'm understood at Immigration and can also do some research? Leave it to the Thais to create such a labyrinth. 

 

Thanks again much.

You will apply for the one year extension at your local immigration office. If living in Prachuapkhirikhan province the office in Hua Hin would be where you would apply for the extension

You would only need to go to the US embassy if you wanted to prove your income for the extension application by doing a income affidavit there.

You apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement. You could say retirement extension and they would understand what you want,

[Doiger]

1 hour ago, IMA_FARANG said:

You have  ai 1year multip;e Non  immigrant type O ennry visa issued in New York on 19 September 2016 and the  must enter by date says 18 September 2017.

That is the effrctive date of expiration  date of your 1 year mu;tiple entry visa

Each entry on this type of visa gets you a 90 day entry stamp up until the expiration date  which as I said above (the must enter date) is the effective expiration date of the visa.

If you entered  Thailand before mifnight on the 18th of September 2017 you should have recieved your last 90 day  Permision to stay entry stamp at that time.

All that information is on the scan you posted, and the immigration officer at the border when you entered was right..

Let ubonjoe explain what your options are now, he is a much faster typist than I am and he is our visa "Guru".

That should have been until sometime in December.

 

Note: those of us who are here as retirees often began our stay with rhat same visa so we can read the information there and what must be done.

 

This is only 2016

seems you have your years wrong, his visa does not expire for another 9 months