Non Immigrant O Visa Renewal

[daboyz1]

I currently hold a one year multi entry Non Immigrant O visa based on marriage.  I'm hearing conflicting information on what to do prior to it's expiration.

Can I renew the same visa for another year?  I was told if I ever wanted to apply for permanent residence, that I would need to keep renewing the SAME visa for 3 years

If it's possible to renew the same visa, can I do this within Thailand at the Chaeng Watthana office?

Or do I have to leave Thailand and get an entirely new 1 year multi entry via from a Thai consulate in another country?

[ubonjoe]

You have to be on one year extensions of stay based upon marriage issued by immigration not a visa issued by an embassy or consulate to apply for permanent residency. You also have to be working with a work permit and paying taxes for those 3 years.

You need 400k baht in a Thai bank in your name only for 2 months or proof of 40k baht income to apply for the extension based upon marriage.

You would apply for the extension at your local immigration office,

[daboyz1]

It's not really possible for me to get an extension of stay because I travel almost every week.  I guess I'm more concerned about renewing my existing Non-O.  Is this possible, or do I need to go get a new one outside the country around the time this one expires.

[The Fat Controller]

You need a new visa, obtained from somewhere outside of Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, daboyz1 said:

It's not really possible for me to get an extension of stay because I travel almost every week.  I guess I'm more concerned about renewing my existing Non-O.  Is this possible, or do I need to go get a new one outside the country around the time this one expires.

You can only apply at a embassy or consulate. It cannot be done within the country.

Savannakhet Laos will do the multiple entry non-o without financial proof. Penang with 400k baht in the bank or proof of income.

[daboyz1]

That's what I thought but this barstool expert was telling Mr that if I ever wanted to get permanent residence that I would have to renew the SAME visa for 3 years and not get new a new visa everytime because that resets the clock. This got me thinking "how do you renew the same visa?" I didn't think that was possible and it appears it's not.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, daboyz1 said:

That's what I thought but this barstool expert was telling Mr that if I ever wanted to get permanent residence that I would have to renew the SAME visa for 3 years and not get new a new visa everytime because that resets the clock. This got me thinking "how do you renew the same visa?" I didn't think that was possible and it appears it's not.

People mix-up "visa" and "extension of stay" all the time - but if doing annual extensions, you would need to start with a "Non" Visa of some sort (Non-O, Non-B, etc) - either obtained abroad or converted-to here.  That is probably what he meant by "renewing the same visa," though you are really just "extending the permission of stay," which began with that "Non-" visa (not 'renewing' it).

 

And I suppose he left out the part about (from above), "...working with a work permit and paying taxes for those 3 years."   Without doing that last part, there is no path to Permanent Residency here, even if married and living here for decades - which is counter-intuitive, but true.

Edited May 9, 2017 by JackThompson

[daboyz1]

I bet you're right. He was referring to extension of stay which I can't get because I travel constantly. Well I'll just keep going to Laos every year.

[dsj]

I travel outside of Thailand quite frequently, about 7 times a year, and I have had an extension of stay based on Marriage for the last several years, all you do is get a Visa at an Embassy or Consulate outside of Thailand (either a single or multiply entry) then up to 30 days before the Visa expires, go to immigration and get an extension of stay based on Marriage and at the same time you would go get a multi re-entry permit 3,900 Baht, to keep your extension of stay based on marriage valid.

[daboyz1]

I travel outside of Thailand quite frequently, about 7 times a year, and I have had an extension of stay based on Marriage for the last several years, all you do is get a Visa at an Embassy or Consulate outside of Thailand (either a single or multiply entry) then up to 30 days before the Visa expires, go to immigration and get an extension of stay based on Marriage and at the same time you would go get a multi re-entry permit 3,900 Baht, to keep your extension of stay based on marriage valid.

A couple questions regarding this.

How long does it take, because I travel almost every week?

Can I apply for this in Bangkok?

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, daboyz1 said:

How long does it take, because I travel almost every week?

Can I apply for this in Bangkok?

It only takes a few hours to do the application but you will get under consideration stamp with a report back date 30 days from the date you application is accepted. Then you go back to get the one year extension stamp.

You would have to get a re-entry permit for the under consideration period. And then a multiple re-entry permit after you get the extension stamp.

You can apply in Bangkok if that is where you are living.

It seems the multiple entry non-o visa from an embassy or consulate is the best option for you.

 

[Bredbury Blue]

You apply at your local immigration office. 

 

Application takes a few hours one day, if accepted you get a 30 day 'under  consideration' extension to stay, you go back to the immigration office on the date under consideration was granted until to and get the one-year stamp in your passport (an hour to do) - you get a single-entry or multiple-entry - and you're good to go.

 

 

Woops, didn't see ubonjoe had already posted.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Bredbury Blue

[daboyz1]

So here's my thinking based on the above posts.

My current Non-O expires in mid October. Go to the immigration office at the beginning of October and apply for the extension. While the extension is under review they will give me a stamp that will allow me to leave and re-enter Thailand multiple times until the extension is approved. After the extension is approved I can leave and re-enter as often as I want. This can all be done in Bangkok where I live.

Am I missing anything?

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, daboyz1 said:

So here's my thinking based on the above posts.

My current Non-O expires in mid October. Go to the immigration office at the beginning of October and apply for the extension. While the extension is under review they will give me a stamp that will allow me to leave and re-enter Thailand multiple times until the extension is approved. After the extension is approved I can leave and re-enter as often as I want. This can all be done in Bangkok where I live.

Am I missing anything?

The first concern is that you cannot apply for the extension until the last 45 day of any of the 90 day entries from your visa. If you have to travel then you will need a re-entry permit to keep the remainder of the 90 days valid when you re-enter the country then apply for the extension when your entry is within those last 45 days.

You could get a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht fee) for the 30 day under consideration period.

They may do a home visit during the 30 days but if you make them aware you will be traveling they would schedule it while you are in the country.