Abroad for a few months and will miss renewal of long stay visa

[Larry]

I have had a long-stay (retirement) visa, which I have extended at immigration in Thailand, every year for about eight years.  I am currently abroad and will remain abroad for the entire the renewal period this year.  I still have some time before the deadline, so I wonder whether there is a way (e.g. through a Thai consulate in my home country, for example) to avoid losing my visa and needing to go through it all again.  I want to be as informed as possible beforé I go to the consulate.  Thanks in advance.

[steve187]

you will have to start the process over again with a fresh non immigrant 'o' visa, once back in Thailand

[Here2008]

11 minutes ago, Larry said:

 

I have had a long-stay (retirement) visa,

 

 

I presume you mean you have extension of stay based on Retirement (which is not a visa). This extension of stay can only be renewed in Thailand at an immigration office,  

 

You will need to start again with a Non immigrant O or O-A visa. 

[Suradit69]

12 hours ago, steve187 said:

start the process over again with a fresh non immigrant 'o' visa, once back in Thailand

Assume you mean a fresh non-imm O or O-A from an embassy or consulate outside Thailand and, at the appropriate time, apply again for a new extension of stay once back in Thailand.  Converting your tourist visa entry or visa exempt entry to a non-imm O entry once back in Thailand just adds more hassle to the process.

 

12 hours ago, Larry said:

have had a long-stay (retirement) visa, which I have extended at immigration in Thailand, every year for about eight years.

You have an extension of your permission to stay (and a re-entry permit one assumes). You haven't had a valid, usable  visa in a long time.

[natway09]

It is up to you to arrange  renewal, not them.

If not going to return have to start process over again

[keeniau96]

The only way to continue your extention of stay basis is to return to Thailand. File for the next extension of stay, same as you did for your previous extensions. Failing that you will need new visa.

[Larry]

Thank you.  That's what I suspected. And yes, I do know the difference between my original visa and the extension of my status.

[Capt Rob]

6 hours ago, Larry said:

Thank you.  That's what I suspected. And yes, I do know the difference between my original visa and the extension of my status.

When you return on a tourist visa/on entry you need to initiate 'the process'  within 7 days in order to save some money - recently embarked on similar and was unaware of the 1 week rule.  A process in your original home country might also prove to be worthwhile in both economy and convenience ( certified income letter etc )

 

[Here2008]

5 hours ago, Capt Rob said:

A process in your original home country might also prove to be worthwhile in both economy and convenience ( certified income letter etc )

 

Such an income letter. obtained in the home country.  will be of little or no use in Thailand. Immigration only recognise income statements obtained from foreign Embassy's in Thailand. 

[steve187]

8 hours ago, Capt Rob said:

When you return on a tourist visa/on entry you need to initiate 'the process'  within 7 days in order to save some money - recently embarked on similar and was unaware of the 1 week rule.  A process in your original home country might also prove to be worthwhile in both economy and convenience ( certified income letter etc )

 

is the 'process' you are referring to, a conversion to non imm visa

[Tanoshi]

OP you have two choices.

 

1. Obtain a Non Imm O type Visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate to re-enter Thailand.

Within the last 30 days of any of the 90 day permission to stay entries, apply for an extension based on retirement from Immigration as you did before. You cannot extend a Visa, it is an extension of your permission to stay.

 

2.Re-enter on a Visa exempt or TV, then do a conversion at Immigration to a Non Imm O and subsequent extension based on retirement.

This method is more complex than if you originally obtained a Non Imm O from your home Country in the first place.

[wpcoe]

... or a third choice:

 

3.  Obtain a Non-Immigrant O-A visa in your home country before you head back to Thailand.  It does require a medical certificate and criminal background check, so might not be worth it, time-wise & money-wise.  On the plus side, however, the Non-Immigrant O-A can be stretched to almost two years in Thailand before you need to do an in-country extension.