Converting a tourist visa

[samster]

I arrived back in Thailand 60 days ago on a tourist Visa 55 days ago and visited KK immigration today with the intention of getting an extra 30 days and to investigate how I could change to a non O based on retirement.

The IO said I could only change to an O by putting £800k in a bank 15 days before the extension to my tourist Visa expired.

I had read online that, it was possible to get an O issued easily based on the fact that overseas embassy (in my case UK) had already verified that I was solvent. Given this, I had been intending to transfer 65k a month over ( in reality more) to fulfill next years extension.

Anyone got any views? I'm going back to the UK at Xmas and, looks like I'll have to start the whole Visa process again.

[maaka]

I got my first Non O at the embassy in NZ last month, before I flew out, as they said I couldnt change from a Tourist Visa once in country...I showed my bank account..They said it didnt matter if money in a NZ bank or Thai bank to get the Non O..but ah haa, once in country, and going for your first 90 day check in, you need the ruddy 800000bt in a Thai bank for 2 months prior, so I was told..there are many stories and many ways around the pigs arse. Others might have better ways, but i suggest you wait until you head back to the UK and restart there..

[tamada]

Agent.

[samster]

Not using an agent. I dont need to. Would rather do it correctly.

[marcus1]

Samster..
UK validations are no longer accepted by Thai immigration for retirement extension's.
Has been this way for some years now..Same for Australia and USA.
You could get a 90 day Non O in the UK when there...And then convert once in Thailand to 12 month retirement extension.
If using the income option...
You have to show 2 months of 65K deposited into a Thai bank account prior to applying before your 90 day NON O expires and then 65K per month for the next year to renew.
Bangkok bank is the best for that and it shows it is an oversea's transaction.
I am no expert but for more advice I suggest you go the ASEAN NOW website and go to immigration forums...
UBON JOE is the absolute expert on all immigration matters...you will see many posts by him and you can ask direct to him.

[sometimewoodworker]

Not using an agent. I dont need to. Would rather do it correctly.

I arrived back in Thailand 60 days ago on a tourist Visa 55 days ago and visited KK immigration today with the intention of getting an extra 30 days and to investigate how I could change to a non O based on retirement.

The IO said I could only change to an O by putting £800k in a bank 15 days before the extension to my tourist Visa expired.

It is very likely that there has been a degree or two of misunderstanding between yourself and the immigration officer you spoke to.



The correct information is that you need ฿800k (not £800k) in a Thai bank on the day you apply for the non-O visa.

You must have at least 15 days on your current permission to stay to apply. (The ฿800k does not need to be in the bank any number of days before applying)

Many offices require that the ฿800k be provably transferred in from overseas (see 5.3 in the attached document) some offices do not apply that requirement if you have had an 800k deposit in a Thai bank for a long time

In the cases of not being British, American or Australian you can get the required certificate of proof of income from your embassy, however the British, American or Australian embassies will no longer issue the certification that Thai immigration requires it is quite likely that the possibility of income being accepted by many offices is zero and can only use the 800k deposit option.

Any certification not issued in Thailand is irrelevant to immigration, so your U.K. proof is only of value to the U.K. Thai embassy

So if you can get a 30 day extension and have the ability to transfer ฿800k in then you can apply for the Non-O in Thailand

Unfortunately if you can’t do both of those it’s unlikely that KK immigration will issue a Non-O.

There is a slight possibility that an international transfer of ฿65,000 (quite likely with other documents proving that it a pension transfer) may be accepted, for that you will need to talk to an immigration officer.

You may be better advised to take a trip or 3 to Bangkok as the immigration officers there are far more familiar with issuing Non-O visas. It’s almost certainly less expensive than doing it through a Non-O visa from the U.K.

[papafarang]

And this year no requirement at all ,I didn't even have to prove I even had a bank account, nothing ,Nadda. What ever they say can change.up to them as they say. This year all I needed was my passport . no other paperwork was asked for.

[marcus1]

Hey sometimewoodworker...
Samster has said he is going back to UK anyway for Xmas...
Surely easier if he got his 90 day NON O there and then convert using the 65K method 2 months prior to expiry of NON O.
Best option I think...!!!!

[maaka]

Sometimeswoodworker./ samster.....I see on the document you uploaded in your previous post ( top right ) something about a form to fill out if you are wanting to change from Tourist to Non O..

aslo where did the document you uploaded come from, as I interested in it as a guide, and I note right down the bottom it says ' next page '

[samster]

Thanks all and STWW for detailed response (Yes THB 800,000. It was a misprint on my part!)

I had seen somewhere that I could convert easily. Cant find it anywhere now but, looks like it was old info.

As you say Maaka, I think the only sensible option is to start again when I go back for Xmas. Only negative is, given the holiday period, the documentation process might be slow and I need the visa to sort all the other paperwork and get back. My fault though, I should have investigated more thoroughly for this trip!

[sometimewoodworker]

Sometimeswoodworker./ samster.....I see on the document you uploaded in your previous post ( top right ) something about a form to fill out if you are wanting to change from Tourist to Non O..

Correct that is form TM86

From a visa exempt entry it is TM87

aslo where did the document you uploaded come from, as I interested in it as a guide, and I note right down the bottom it says ' next page '

It is an immigration department document. I have another for those who wish to get a Non-O for marriage. I didn’t bother to post that as it’s not relevant to @samaster.
The information on the ’next page’ was not posted as it is unimportant. However just for you.

[sometimewoodworker]

I had seen somewhere that I could convert easily. Cant find it anywhere now but, looks like it was old info.

As you say Maaka, I think the only sensible option is to start again when I go back for Xmas.

It was easier until the 4 embassies stopped issuing (1 started again) income certificates.

It is still easy if you apply early enough and can bring in ฿800k.

it only requires 2 visits to immigration and ฿2,000 for the Non-O
Then a single visit to immigration and ฿1,900 for the Extension.

As you delayed beyond the application window to visit, it is dependent on applying for, and being given, an extension to your current permission to stay so the application period is available.

The easiest, not very easy, (possibly only way if you want to use the income option) is to get a Non-OA visa from the London embassy. The London embassy will not issue a Non-O visa for retirement. However this locks you into getting insurance every year for your extension, and you must get an expensive 1year insurance to allow entry to Thailand.

If you do not want the added cost of insurance (about ฿12,000 per renewal) then the only sure way (at the moment with land borders closed) is to get the Non-O in Thailand with an ฿800,000 bank deposit from the U.K.
Then while keeping the ฿800,000 deposit for the next full year (just in case something goes wrong with the money transfer) using a different bank account (the preferred bank is Bangkok bank) immediately start transferring in over ฿65,000 per month every month.
So at the end of the first extension you have a minimum of 12~13 months of ฿65,000+ transfers this will allow you to transfer to the income method for subsequent renewals.

So in short the least expensive easiest way is; Now
฿1,900 extension
Bring in ฿800,000 then ฿2,000 for non-O + ฿1,000 for a re entry permit
Then ฿1,900 for an extension.

The re entry permit is to allow your your U.K. visit.
This is assuming you don’t need to fly before the 20th December and will not stay more than a month or 2 in the U.K.

[sometimewoodworker]

Hey sometimewoodworker...
Samster has said he is going back to UK anyway for Xmas...
Surely easier if he got his 90 day NON O there and then convert using the 65K method 2 months prior to expiry of NON O.
Best option I think...!!!!

He can’t get a Non-O in the U.K. as the London embassy will only issue a Non-OA for retirement. So good idea but no cigar, sorry. They specifically will NOT issue a Non-O for retirement

Some embassies/consulates will do the Non-O for retirement Laos in Savannakhet is one. But at the moment you can not get there from here

[sometimewoodworker]

And this year no requirement at all ,I didn't even have to prove I even had a bank account, nothing ,Nadda. What ever they say can change.up to them as they say. This year all I needed was my passport . no other paperwork was asked for.

While I am happy that what you got, and where you got it, was easy your post contains too little information to be of any use.

[sometimewoodworker]

Getting any extension is easy if you have the correct paperwork.
Getting a Non-O visa is easy if you have the correct paperwork, apply at the correct time and have the correct bank balance from the correct source.

But if your paperwork is incorrect, you apply late and don’t have/want to have the money transferred in. It is not simple.

Important note. TIT YMMV
Because someone somewhere got lucky doesn’t mean anything to you.

[papafarang]

And this year no requirement at all ,I didn't even have to prove I even had a bank account, nothing ,Nadda. What ever they say can change.up to them as they say. This year all I needed was my passport . no other paperwork was asked for.

While I am happy that what you got, and where you got it, was easy your post contains too little information to be of any use.

well everyone has a different experience , they simply didn't want to see any bank account. don't ask me why as i have no idea, i don't work in immo they simply said it was not needed this year. my only guess was they didnt want people going into a bank and then immo. but that's only a guess and i wasn't about to start questioning them about it either, not my job .

[sometimewoodworker]

And this year no requirement at all ,I didn't even have to prove I even had a bank account, nothing ,Nadda. What ever they say can change.up to them as they say. This year all I needed was my passport . no other paperwork was asked for.

While I am happy that what you got, and where you got it, was easy your post contains too little information to be of any use.

well everyone has a different experience , they simply didn't want to see any bank account. don't ask me why as i have no idea, i don't work in immo they simply said it was not needed this year. my only guess was they didnt want people going into a bank and then immo. but that's only a guess and i wasn't about to start questioning them about it either, not my job .

That still doesn’t give any information that may be useful to @samester, he is looking to convert a tourist entry to a Non-O visa on the way to a retirement extension.

He went to KK immigration. He can certainly go to another office as long as he is staying (even 1 night is enough) within their area to start the process.

You haven’t said which office you used, neither what you were doing as far as extension from visa entry, extension from extension or getting a Non-O visa.

As to looking a gift horse in the mouth or asking for its pedigree, nobody suggested that useful or a good idea.


People post here who use many different immigration offices, immigration offices and immigration officials within the offices have different requirements, sometimes the same IO may have different requirements for different people, so the more information given the more helpful it becomes while always remembering TIT YMMV

[maaka]

Thanks STWW for the follow up, and the helpful ideas and opinion.
Nice to have someone steer us novices in long stay visa's around.

[samster]

So in short the least expensive easiest way is; Now
฿1,900 extension
Bring in ฿800,000 then ฿2,000 for non-O + ฿1,000 for a re entry permit
Then ฿1,900 for an extension.

The re entry permit is to allow your your U.K. visit.
This is assuming you don’t need to fly before the 20th December and will not stay more than a month or 2 in the U.K.

Yes. Thanks STWW. Useful information, clearly stated.

I've done the 30 day extension already to 21/12/21

Two clarification points if you dont mind though.

- Why do you state "if I dont need to fly before 20/12". My flight is booked for 18/12. The IO said I needed to transfer 15 days before expiry so, should be ok sending the cash any time this month with leeway to spare or was there another reason for your comment that I'm not comprehending?

- Why will I need a 2nd extension at THB 1900?

Thanjs again.

[sometimewoodworker]

So in short the least expensive easiest way is; Now
฿1,900 extension
Bring in ฿800,000 then ฿2,000 for non-O + ฿1,000 for a re entry permit
Then ฿1,900 for an extension.

The re entry permit is to allow your your U.K. visit.
This is assuming you don’t need to fly before the 20th December and will not stay more than a month or 2 in the U.K.

Yes. Thanks STWW. Useful information, clearly stated.

I've done the 30 day extension already to 21/12/21

Two clarification points if you dont mind though.

- Why do you state "if I dont need to fly before 20/12". My flight is booked for 18/12. The IO said I needed to transfer 15 days before expiry so, should be ok sending the cash any time this month with leeway to spare or was there another reason for your comment that I'm not comprehending?

- Why will I need a 2nd extension at THB 1900?

Thanjs again.

Unfortunately with a flight before the 21st/22nd you may run into problems

You absolutely must go and talk to immigration urgently as they are the only ones who will be able to give reliable advice (make sure that you help the name of the agent you talk to.

Do not delay, do not think you have plenty of time, you do not.
The process of issuing a Non-O visa takes 15 days if you delay your application you will leave before the visa is issued then the fee and application is dead.

The thing you need to be sure of is exactly when the visa will be issued, if they will not issue it before your current extension is finished then you can’t apply as you will be out of the country. Also be absolutely sure how long the re-entry
Permit is valid for.

Your difficulty is that you are leaving 3 days prior to the finish of your extension so unless you can get immigration to cancel that extension when they issue a Non-O visa your re-entry permit is probably only valid to 21/12 not 20/03/2022

Your situation is anything but simple unless you can persuade immigration to do something they usually do not do. They may be persuaded to do it. This is a situation where a brown envelope of appreciation is likely to be helpful, also explaining exactly why you are making the request may also help, dying family, needing to support parents etc.

The final/2nd extension at THB 1900 it for the 1 year extension of the Non-O