O Visa Processing Times

[ZL1DD]

Hello,

I am a New Zealander 71 years old. Been six months in Thailand, seriously considering retiring here.

Not quite ready to put up the 800,000 for a retirement visa.

Had been advised to go home, get O visa, work things out over the next 12 months.

Problem: Am going home for Xmas, now hear that Thai Consulate in Auckland needs three weeks to process O visa. With Xmas break this could mean over one month.

Had hoped to meet up with my daughter in Thailand in mid January (she lives in London, do not see her that much) so would not want to hang around in NZ for over a month.

Question: What alternatives do I have?

Maybe go for one of the longer term tourist visas?

Have heard that O Visas issued quite promptly in Kuala Lumpur, is this true, and would Thai embassy in KL (or Singapore) accept O Visa application from a New Zealand citizen?

Realise that there may be no precise answers, just wanting a steer on the question.

Thanks for your time,

Barry

[lopburi3]

Believe the 3 weeks would be to process a retirement O-A visa which allows you a one year permitted to stay stamp on entry into Thailand and to qualify you have to provide 800k in NZ bank and police report/medical.

What you probably wanted was a multi entry O visa to check if you would like to retire which would allow you 90 day visits. Have no idea if they will issue or not but do not believe any local Consulates will issue these days unless you have a Thai wife.