Tourist Visa into Retirement Visa

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

So... does that mean that once I have extended my O visa for a year I will have to leave Thailand and go to home country to apply for OA because I won't be able to extend the O any further?

In other words, an O visa has a limited timespan of 90 days + 1 year?

 

No and No

Once you have the one year extension of stay you can apply for a new extension every year after that.

[canerandagio]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

No and No

Once you have the one year extension of stay you can apply for a new extension every year after that.

OK, so... what is the difference between an O extended year on year and and OA?

Sorry if I sound dumb...

[Sambotte]

Must be A for Alien... Go home E.-T. (Extra-Thaï) :)

 

Maybe there is a difference for re-entrys ? Maybe a need of re-entry permit with Non-O, and no need for the non-OA ? Juste speculating here, will have to do the research for this re-entry thing too.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, canerandagio said:

OK, so... what is the difference between an O extended year on year and and OA?

Sorry if I sound dumb...

The big difference is where you can apply for them.

A OA visa allows unlimited one year entry for a year from the date it issued. You can get almost 2 years of total stay from one by doing an entry just before it expires. Requirements are here: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, canerandagio said:

OK, so... what is the difference between an O extended year on year and and OA?

Sorry if I sound dumb...

The OA is a multi-entry visa obtainable only in one's passport-country, offering 1-year of "permission of stay" is granted for each entry made until the visa dies at its "enter before" date (1 year from date-of issue).
An "O" (no "A") single entry  - use once for a 90-day permission-of-stay.  The visa is "dead" upon first use.  Often obtained as the 1st step to applying for a 1-year permission-of-stay based on marriage or retirement.

An "O" (no "A") 1-year multi-entry  - 90-days "permission of stay" is granted for each entry made until the visa dies at its "enter before" date (1 year from date-of issue).

Edited March 30, 2017 by JackThompson

[Sambotte]

Hé hé... was sure it was not the end :)

But the last one, the O 1 year would require to go out and come back every 3 months or less so ?

 

So, for me, better the O 3 month, but no exit, and what you call "to applying for a 1-year permission-of-stay based on marriage or retirement. ", to be sure, is the extension of 1 year right ? But then again, no exit ? Or you lose it ?? Since it's a extension of a single entry O...

 

Must be a way to get one year based on retirement with re-entry, not from your original country though no ?

[canerandagio]

I am giving up...

Does it mean that once I have my one year extension for my O visa I will have to leave the country every 90 days?

 

I can't believe that's the case...

 

If that's not the case, I really don't see the difference other than sophism...

An O visa allows you to stay in the country for 1 year without need to exit. If you have a multi-entry re-entry permit you can go in and out as you please.

An OA visa allows you to stay in the country for 1 year without need to exit. It is multiple entry by default.

Both require 90 days police report.

Both require extension after one year.

Both can be extended indefinitely.

 

Still don't see the practical difference, other than to get the OA one needs to spend 5000 baht, get police clearance, medical certificate and apply in own country, whereas for the O you pay 2000 + re-entry permits if required.

I am no expert, but I am still in the dark, thanks for the patience...

 

Straydog

 

Edited March 30, 2017 by canerandagio

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, Sambotte said:

Hé hé... was sure it was not the end :)

But the last one, the O 1 year would require to go out and come back every 3 months or less so ?

 

So, for me, better the O 3 month, but no exit, and what you call "to applying for a 1-year permission-of-stay based on marriage or retirement. ", to be sure, is the extension of 1 year right ? But then again, no exit ? Or you lose it ?? Since it's a extension of a single entry O...

 

Must be a way to get one year based on retirement with re-entry, not from your original country though no ?

You would have leave the country every 90 days with a multiple entry non-o visa.

You would need a re-entry permit to to keep your one year extension valid if you want to travel. You can get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) or a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht) that will be valid for the length of your extension.

[canerandagio]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You would have leave the country every 90 days with a multiple entry non-o visa.

You would need a re-entry permit to to keep your one year extension valid if you want to travel. You can get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) or a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht) that will be valid for the length of your extension.

Clarity at last... but that's a pain... 

So here I am doing visa runs...

I assume visa run on a Non-O is a safe thing, no questions at the border, right?

Also, I won't need a police check every 90 days right, since I am never in the country for more than 90 days... right?

 

Thanks ubonjoe for the patience...

 

 

 

[Sambotte]

Thanks for patience,

 

Looks finally good to me the O 3 months, with extension 1 year combined with re-entry.

 

Could be good for you too Straydog nop ?

Easy Thailand, believe me, i have been travelling in many countries :)

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

Also, I won't need a police check every 90 days right, since I am never in the country for more than 90 days... right?

 

You don't need a police check every 90 days. You just do a report of staying longer than days to immigration. You can do it in person, by mail or online (if working then).

[canerandagio]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

You don't need a police check every 90 days. You just do a report of staying longer than days to immigration. You can do it in person, by mail or online (if working then).

A report on staying longer than?

 

If you mean 90 days, I wonder how I could, if my maximum stay is only 90 days...?

[Sambotte]

Since the subject is hot, and experts here are very good :)

 

I could think about :

- New passport 26 april+2 weeks (i think)... 10 may, i run immediately at immigration BKK to ask for the non-O

- Must have it before the 21 may (end of extension of exemption previous passport) but that's a short 11 days. Or second extension of 7 days possible maybe if necessary.

 

Would save me a travel, and most importantly the risk of having a document missing like bank related, outside Thailand...

 

Good idea or bad ? :)

[buick]

1 hour ago, canerandagio said:

If you mean 90 days, I wonder how I could, if my maximum stay is only 90 days...?

 

your current stay is 90 days with the non imm O.  then comes your 12 month extension.  which you can do every year, over and over (assuming you meet the terms).  if you want to leave the country during your 12 month extension, you'll need a re-entry permit, you can get a single or a multiple.  you have a choice at the end of 90 days during your 12 month extension.  do a 90 day report and stay in country, or leave the country and return later (using re-entry permit).  re-entry permits can be obtained at CW (right next to section C where you did conversion) or at the airport.

[buick]

1 hour ago, Sambotte said:

- New passport 26 april+2 weeks (i think)... 10 may, i run immediately at immigration BKK to ask for the non-O

- Must have it before the 21 may (end of extension of exemption previous passport) but that's a short 11 days. Or second extension of 7 days possible maybe if necessary.

 

that is a pretty tight timeframe.  i went to CW on a friday and my return date was a monday, 12 business days later.   if you aren't planning to stay for awhile in bangkok, it probably makes more sense to get the non imm O in penang or one of the laos locations. 

[canerandagio]

1 minute ago, buick said:

 

your current stay is 90 days with the non imm O.  then comes your 12 month extension.  which you can do every year, over and over (assuming you meet the terms).  if you want to leave the country during your 12 month extension, you'll need a re-entry permit, you can get a single or a multiple.  you have a choice at the end of 90 days during your 12 month extension.  do a 90 day report and stay in country, or leave the country and return later (using re-entry permit).  re-entry permits can be obtained at CW (right next to section C where you did conversion) or at the airport.

Buick, thank God you exist :), as you always write the stuff that I want to hear (this should be of interest to Sambotte as well). 

Now... ubonjoe clearly is very knowledgeable and knows his stuff, but I think in this case he is not completely right.

Buick is suggesting that with a Non immigrant O one has a choice to stay in the country with the 90 day report or leave and get another 90 days later.

 

The statement below from Ubonjoe is different.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You would have leave the country every 90 days with a multiple entry non-o visa.

 

It makes sense to me that one can choose to stay in the country with a police report or leave, as it reflects what I heard from others too, so I assume Buick's version is correct, which means I don't have to do visa runs... just go to immigration every 90 days with my O visa.

 

Eager to hear more :)

 

Straydog

 

 

 

 

 

[buick]

2 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

Buick is suggesting that with a Non immigrant O one has a choice to stay in the country with the 90 day report or leave and get another 90 days later.

 

example, you do your extension in may 2017 and that puts you through to april 2018.  you have the non imm O with a re-entry permit (or multiple).  after 90 days, you have a choice, report or depart.  when you return, you still have until april 2018 (but get the choice each 90 days, stay or leave).  i haven't done any reports as i just got the non immo O so not sure how cumbersome that is.  i do leave from time to time so i'm guessing i won't make more than one of those a year.

 

 

[canerandagio]

Just now, buick said:

 

example, you do your extension in may 2017 and that puts you through to april 2018.  you have the non imm O with a re-entry permit (or multiple).  after 90 days, you have a choice, report or depart.  when you return, you still have until april 2018 (but get the choice each 90 days, stay or leave).  i haven't done any reports as i just got the non immo O so not sure how cumbersome that is.  i do leave from time to time so i'm guessing i won't make more than one of those a year.

 

 

Perfecto... makes sense :)

 

Now... can I please ask again the question which bogs me... what would I get from the OA visa which I am not getting from the O visa aside from the trouble of needing to fly back home, get police clearance, medical certificate and pay a solicitor to notarise the lot?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[buick]

5 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

what would I get from the OA visa which I am not getting from the O visa aside from the trouble of needing to fly back home, get police clearance, medical certificate and pay a solicitor to notarise the lot?

 

there is really no difference.  some feel getting in the home country (OA) is easier than doing it in thailand or a nearby embassy/consulate (O).  that is not how i feel about it but there are others that prefer the home country option.  using money in your home country (for an OA) rather than thailand is best for some.  but once you are on the extensions of these two items, it is really the same thing (both will require money in a thai bank for an extension).

 

when i first heard about the OA, i thought you had to go back to the USA approx every two years to get another one.  i thought 'how does one offer a retirement visa that requires a trip home every two years ??!!'.  but the folks on TV explained the whole 12 month extension part, so i got that figured out.

[berybert]

That's what I love about these threads, just when you think you have half a clue, you realise you don't.

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, canerandagio said:

The statement below from Ubonjoe is different.

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You would have leave the country every 90 days with a multiple entry non-o visa.

 

It makes sense to me that one can choose to stay in the country with a police report or leave, as it reflects what I heard from others too, so I assume Buick's version is correct, which means I don't have to do visa runs... just go to immigration every 90 days with my O visa.

 

You are confusing things, First you mention you want a multiple entry non-o visa and now you are back talking about an extension of stay.

Not sure where you would get a multiple entry non-o visa based upon retirement but if you got one it only allows a 90 day entry and you have to leave at the end of that 90 days. You cannot go to immigration to get another 90 days.

If you apply for a one year extension at immigration based upon retirement you never need to leave the country unless you want to. You will do reports to immigration every 90 days that you have stayed longer than 90 days. You do not get a police check every 90 days.

 

[Sambotte]

I think Ubonjoe makes more sense :) The O 3 months would be the standard one, like the student visa i think, you get 3 months and then a extension. The O one year would be for special cases of kind of intermitents, foreigners who are sure they have to spend not more than 3 months in Thailand, but many times a year, and maybe with no extension (witch extension would makes no sense before one year).

 

What do you think of my option Ubon ? Too tight ? Whith a possible (or not possible) second extension of 7 days after the 30 days extent ? (for the exemption)

I just would have to come back in BKK after initial process, so i could stay in Chiang Mai or Phuket waiting for the O 3 months, insteed of having to wait for it in Laos with the stress of the  "missing document"...

Would make the 800K in bank for almost 2 months, a few days only near, at the time of the initial process (around 10 may).

 

Other option : try to initiate the O 3 month process with my actual passport, the 26 april, and "somehow" having the stamp and reference to my new passport two weeks after. But i think it's not administrative well oriented or ? :)

Edited March 31, 2017 by Sambotte

[canerandagio]

I am satisfied with everything I got from this thread, so I will shut shop and enjoy my 90 days. More questions will come rest assured. :)

Thanks all. Will post updates.

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, Sambotte said:

What do you think of my option Ubon ? Too tight ? Whith a possible (or not possible) second extension of 7 days after the 30 days extent ? (for the exemption)

I just would have to come back in BKK after initial process, so i could stay in Chiang Mai or Phuket waiting for the O 3 months, insteed of having to wait for it in Laos with the stress of the  "missing document"...

Would make the 800K in bank for almost 2 months, a few days only near, at the time of the initial process (around 10 may).

 

They would not accept an application for the non immigrant visa with a the 7 days to leave the country.

I my opinion your be option would be to get the non-o visa in Phuket or the conversion at immigration now. Then apply for your new passport and then when you apply for the one year extension immigration would transfer your stamps to the new passport and do the extension in it.

To apply for the conversion in Bangkok you will need to use an address in Bangkok to do it. You would have have to make two trips to immigration get the visa/entry stamps done. I would not suggest you try to the conversion in Chiang Mai since they tend to give people the runaround when they apply there.

[canerandagio]

A remarkable enough event today on my visa conversion application: immigration office phoned me to tell me that my visa conversion from Tourist to Non-Immigrant O will be possible on 12th April, 5 days earlier than initially communicated, and in line with the two weeks which Buick had also experienced.

Sambotte, please note that Immigration office will be closed on 17th (in CW, and perhaps elsewhere).

 

Cheers,

straydog

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

Sambotte, please note that Immigration office will be closed on 17th (in CW, and perhaps elsewhere).

Who told you that?

The 17th is not a scheduled Thai holiday and I have seen no announcement of it being added  as an additional holiday.

[canerandagio]

 

39 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Who told you that?

The 17th is not a scheduled Thai holiday and I have seen no announcement of it being added  as an additional holiday.

<Phone>Ring Ring

 

<ME>Hello

 

<Other Party>Hello Mr. Straydog, this is the immigration office, about your visa application.

[MR Straydog starts to shiver].

Please come to collect your visa on April 12, not on April 17 [the date originally communicated].

 

<ME>[breathing deeply]Sure, no problem.

 

<Other Party>OK, see you on 12 (sipsong), because on 17 Immigration Office is closed (I clearly understood her saying that).

 

<ME>Sure, no problem, kop khun kap.

 

<Phone>Hangup.

 

More or less it went like that, and I am sure she said that 'Immigration office is closed'. She may not have meant that, but she said it :)

 

Phone number calling me: <contact member by PM for the number> , if it is important to confirm (it could not have been a prank).

 

 

Edited March 31, 2017 by ubonjoe
phone number removed per forum rules

[canerandagio]

40 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

Sambotte, please note that Immigration office will be closed on 17th (in CW, and perhaps elsewhere).

Rephrasing the above: please note that I just received a call undoubtedly from immigration office who told me they will be closed on 17 April. It may not be true, but worth checking.

 

Cheers,

straydog

[Sambotte]

13-18 april look like Songkran hollidays (short search online yesterday) nop ?

And 6 april i don't remember for what.

 

For my "process" i will check in Phuket anyway have to go there a day. Looks like, if i understand, O visa are anyway more to do outside, like tourist visa btw. But you never know :) And except for those with adress in Bangkok.

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Sambotte said:

13-18 april look like Songkran hollidays (short search online yesterday) nop ?

And 6 april i don't remember for what.

 

From this list of holidays. Holidays For 2017.pdf

6 April (Thursday) Chakri Day
13 April (Thursday) Songkran
14 April (Friday) Songkran
15 April (Saturday) Songkran