Anyone actually succeeded in O-A to O (retirement) conversion trip recently?

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, AussieBob18 said:

Got a mate that is too old for insurance so during his last visit to Australia (also does once a year) he applied for and got a non-O 90 day Visa based on Marriage (Sydney Consulate via the mail). He has re-entered Thailand and he/Thai wife have spoken to KK Immigration and been advised he can apply for a 12mth Non-O without insurance - they were given all the details and documents etc needed.  Their plan is to go back in the last month of the 90 day Visa and apply for the full 12 mth Non-O Visa based on Marriage.  That will be next month - remind me if I forget to post an update on what happened.  I have been doing all his paperwork etc. - too old to do himself and wife cannot read/write English.

Thanks for sharing the info.

You write > Their plan is to go back in the last month of the 90 day Visa and apply for the full 12 mth Non-O Visa based on Marriage.

I presume that you mean that he will apply for a 1-year extension of stay at his local IO based on the 90-day Non Imm O - marriage Visa he got in Australia.

And that he already queried at KhonKaen IO and was confirmed that there will be no problem when applying for the extension (and obviously no health-insurance required as it is a Non O - marriage Visa).

 

I only wonder why he converted to a Non O Visa, because he could also have applied for an extension of his OA Visa for reason of MARRIAGE, and in that case there is also no need for health-insurance.

Or is Khon Kaen one of those rogue offices that incorrectly also insist on health-insurance when extending for reason of marriage? 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, RocketDog said:

Just to be clear, this next permission to stay will be after your first year on the original O-A visa. So you assume the 2nd year, first permission to stay, will not require proof of insurance. I hope that is true but am skeptical given the way each office plays so loose and free with their interpretations

I do not read it that way... he will leave and re-enter just prior to the expiry of his O-A Visa, and obtain a new one year Permission to Stay (second one on this Visa), issued at an airport or land border. It should not require insurance since the visa was issued pre October 2019.

[gearbox]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

 

At the end of that 2nd year when my permission to stay almost expires, I can do 2 things:

a) Apply for an extension of stay based on that Non Imm OA Visa. 

> Since I am not married to a thai national, I can do that only for reason of retirement and that would invoke the mandatory health-insurance requirement.

b) Exit Thailand, re-enter and apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa at my local IO, and then apply in its last month for an extension of stay based on the new 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa.

> The requirements and conditions for an O - retirement or OA - retirement extension are the same, except that when applying from an original O Visa that NO thai health-insurance is required.

From the above it will be obvious what will be my choice!

 

 

 

I'm exactly in the same boat as you, but my permission to stay expires September 2020.  I'm not married and don't intend to marry, and don't need the useless for me Thai health insurance. I plan to do the same conversion as you, but a few things are not quite clear to me:

 

* Would the "Non-O" extension to stay (past the initial 90 days Non-O) be valid for more than 90 days,  also with multiple reentry permit available? I may have next year a continuous stay in Thailand for up to 6 months, and may be fairly difficult to do a border run. 

 

* Is there a nearby consulate which can issue longer than 90 days "Non-O" which is NOT based on marriage?

 

* If I have 800k for "Non-O" extension to stay do I need to prove I transferred them from abroad depending where the application is done...e.g Penang doesn't need it but Samui IO would need it? I had a look at the link https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80 which ubonjoe provided in earlier forum threads, but I'm not sure whether 5.1,5.2,5.3 all apply to the 800k deposit. I'm trying to avoid to move money from Australia and my gf agreed to fork 800k for visa purposes, if I need a proof that money was wired from abroad need to bite the bullet and open a foreign currency account to transfer funds here.

[sandrabbit]

My wife went as a witness for a German guy and his Thai wife yesterday  to Rayong immigration to see if he could convert from an OA retirement to an O marriage visa/extension and apparently the application was approved (ie being allowed to apply), there was some confusion about his pension and he has to go back today with further proof from his bank. My wife also said the application was quicker than usual and the office quieter than normal possibly due to the corona virus.

[nightbird]

18 hours ago, david_je said:

Were you converting from O-A based on retirement to O, to get around the insurance requirement? Or did you not already have O-A? Thanks.

 

Already had an OA and many extensions.

[Peter Denis]

6 minutes ago, gearbox said:

 

I'm exactly in the same boat as you, but my permission to stay expires September 2020.  I'm not married and don't intend to marry, and don't need the useless for me Thai health insurance. I plan to do the same conversion as you, but a few things are not quite clear to me:

 

1. Would the "Non-O" extension to stay (past the initial 90 days Non-O) be valid for more than 90 days,  also with multiple reentry permit available? I may have next year a continuous stay in Thailand for up to 6 months, and may be fairly difficult to do a border run. 

 

2. Is there a nearby consulate which can issue longer than 90 days "Non-O" which is NOT based on marriage?

 

3. If I have 800k for "Non-O" extension to stay do I need to prove I transferred them from abroad depending where the application is done...e.g Penang doesn't need it but Samui IO would need it? I had a look at the link https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80 which ubonjoe provided in earlier forum threads, but I'm not sure whether 5.1,5.2,5.3 all apply to the 800k deposit. I'm trying to avoid to move money from Australia and my gf agreed to fork 800k for visa purposes, if I need a proof that money was wired from abroad need to bite the bullet and open a foreign currency account to transfer funds here.

Hi gearbox,

I have PM-ed you a comprehensive roadmap with full detail/options on how to convert to a Non Imm O - retirement Visa and subsequent 1-year extension on basis of that Visa.

To access your PM-messages just click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum.

= = = = =

The answers to your questions are fully addressed in the Roadmap-document, but here already a short response.

1. Yes, the 1-year extension of that 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa allows you to stay 1 year in Thailand, and when exiting Thailand a Re-Entry Permit will keep the remaining permission to stay alive on return.

2. You can apply for the 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa in your home-country (if they issue them), in a thai Embassy/consulate of nearby countries, or - easiest solution - returning VisaExempt and applying at the local IO of the place where you want to stay.

3. Yes, it depends where you apply for the 90-day Non Imm O - retirement Visa whether the issuing authority requires proof of the foreign origin of the funds.  When applying in a nearby country it is typically not required, but it is required when applying in-country at your local IO.  However, when the funds have been seasoned already a long time before doing the application, your local IO might accept that (so better query beforehand).

[Peter Denis]

8 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

My wife went as a witness for a German guy and his Thai wife yesterday  to Rayong immigration to see if he could convert from an OA retirement to an O marriage visa/extension and apparently the application was approved (ie being allowed to apply), there was some confusion about his pension and he has to go back today with further proof from his bank. My wife also said the application was quicker than usual and the office quieter than normal possibly due to the corona virus.

Thanks for sharing.

Question > Did he convert from an OA - retirement extension to an O - marriage Visa and subsequent extension?

Reason I ask is that it would also have been possible for him to apply for an extension of his OA Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.  The requirements/conditions for an OA - marriage extension or an O - marriage extension are EXACTLY the same.  So strange and unnecessary to exit Thailand, apply for an O - marriage Visa and then extend it (unless the Rayong office for one reason or another refuses to extend OA Visas for reason of marriage).

[flexomike]

20 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

My wife went as a witness for a German guy and his Thai wife yesterday  to Rayong immigration to see if he could convert from an OA retirement to an O marriage visa/extension and apparently the application was approved (ie being allowed to apply), there was some confusion about his pension and he has to go back today with further proof from his bank. My wife also said the application was quicker than usual and the office quieter than normal possibly due to the corona virus.

just got back from there, it was packed today

[sandrabbit]

15 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Question > Did he convert from an OA - retirement extension to an O - marriage Visa and subsequent extension?

My understanding is yes what you asked although as it's a marriage extension it will take 30 days to process which is why I said the application was approved. 

 

He wanted an O marriage extension because of the insurance requirements for the OA visa and at his age he was quoted something like 120,000 baht.

Edited February 5, 2020 by sandrabbit
additional info

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

My understanding is yes what you asked although as it's a marriage extension it will take 30 days to process which is why I said the application was approved. 

Thanks for confirming.

Reason I asked is that it would also have been possible for him to apply for an extension of his OA Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.  The requirements/conditions for an OA - marriage extension or an O - marriage extension are EXACTLY the same. 

So why the unnecessary steps to exit Thailand, apply for an O - marriage Visa and then extend it (unless the Rayong office for one reason or another refuses to extend OA Visas for reason of marriage).

[billsmart]

21 hours ago, JimGant said:

What documentation did you provide? Any snags with this documentation, i.e., not exactly the info and format they desired? Thanx.

There were a few snags, but none serious, and none that I couldn't remedy right there at the consulate. There were the type of photos I had (blue vs white background), and I needed some copying done. 

Here is the URL of the Thai embassy there... https://thaivisavientiane.com/

[billsmart]

19 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

 

For your info > Bill is married to a thai national, but was staying in Thailand on a Non Imm OA Visa based on retirement.  With the new HI-requirement for OA retirement-extensions, he wanted to extend his permission to stay based on his original OA but this time not for reason of retirement, but for reason of marriage (which does not require health-insurance).

However, his rogue Petchabun IO insisted - incorrectly - that he also needed to meet the HI-requirement when extending for reason of MARRIAGE.  They are blatantly wrong, but the IO always has the last word so Bill was forced to exit Thailand (to kill his present OA Visa) and decided to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - marriage Visa in Vientiane (which he successfully got).

Bill > please add the link to the very well laid out and detailed report you posted on how got it.

Note: He did not apply for a Multi-Entry 1-year Non Imm O - marriage, because

a) he intends to apply for an extension of stay at his local IO based on that 90-day Non Imm O - marriage Visa;

b) Vientiane does ONLY issue ME Non Imm O - marriage Visa to Lao residents (however, the consulate in Savannakhet does issue them)

Here's the link to my full story... https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1138695-my-trip-to-vientiane-to-get-an-o-visa/

 

[crazygreg44]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

Thanks for sharing.

Question > Did he convert from an OA - retirement extension to an O - marriage Visa and subsequent extension?

Reason I ask is that it would also have been possible for him to apply for an extension of his OA Visa for reason of MARRIAGE.  The requirements/conditions for an OA - marriage extension or an O - marriage extension are EXACTLY the same.  So strange and unnecessary to exit Thailand, apply for an O - marriage Visa and then extend it (unless the Rayong office for one reason or another refuses to extend OA Visas for reason of marriage).

it NEVER was possible to receive a Non-Imm-O/A or an extension from it, based on a marriage to a Thai !

 

ANY Immigration Office which would allow this to happen, is doing so illegally and wrongly, contrary to the existing police order.  Chaeng Wattana has urged & reminded every IO nationwide to report immediately, should any holder of an O/A extension based on marriage show up.

 

The Rayong IO is acting correctly based on the police order = NO extension possible for O/A based on marriage

 

The Non-Imm-O/A and its extensions was introduced mainly and ONLY for application of a Longstay, based on being over 50 years old 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by crazygreg44

[sandrabbit]

15 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

it NEVER was possible to receive a Non-Imm-O/A or an extension from it, based on a marriage to a Thai !

 

ANY Immigration Office which would allow this to happen, is doing so illegally and wrongly, contrary to the existing police order.  Chaeng Wattana has urged & reminded every IO nationwide to report immediately, should any holder of an O/A extension based on marriage show up.

 

The Rayong IO is acting correctly based on the police order = NO extension possible for O/A based on marriage

 

The Non-Imm-O/A and its extensions was introduced mainly and ONLY for application of a Longstay, based on being over 50 years old 

 

 

 

 

I did say in my original post that his application to convert from an OA retirement visa to an O marriage visa/extension has been accepted, but he won't know if he has been approved for 30 days.

Edited February 5, 2020 by sandrabbit

[crazygreg44]

6 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

I did say in my original post that his application to convert from an OA retirement visa to an O visa/extension has been accepted, but he won't know if he has been approved for 30 days.

Hello sandrabbit

 

I was replying to the post by Peter Denis. Peter also stated in another post before, that an extension for a Non-O/A based on marriage was wrongfully refused by the Petchabun IO.  As this simply cannot be true - an O/A or an Extension out of it CANNOT and NEVER been handed out based on marriage, but only based on being over 50,  I felt the need to explain that is was a rightful decision of these Immigration officers

 

Peter's remark was:

 

For your info > Bill is married to a thai national, but was staying in Thailand on a Non Imm OA Visa based on retirement.  With the new HI-requirement for OA retirement-extensions, he wanted to extend his permission to stay based on his original OA but this time not for reason of retirement, but for reason of marriage (which does not require health-insurance).

However, his rogue Petchabun IO insisted - incorrectly - that he also needed to meet the HI-requirement when extending for reason of MARRIAGE.  They are blatantly wrong, but the IO always has the last word so Bill was forced to exit Thailand (to kill his present OA Visa) and decided to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O - marriage Visa in Vientiane (which he successfully got).

 

Only Non-Imm-O's can be had based on marriage 

 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by crazygreg44

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

ANY Immigration Office which would allow this to happen, is doing so illegally and wrongly, contrary to the existing police order.  Chaeng Wattana has urged & reminded every IO nationwide to report immediately, should any holder of an O/A extension based on marriage show up.

You are wrong. There is nothing stating what category of visa is required to apply for any extension. It only states it has to a non immigrant visa.

FYI Chaeng Wattana immigration if not over any other immigration office in the country. The Immigration Bureau in over all immigration divisions and the offices under them.

[crazygreg44]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You are wrong. There is nothing stating what category of visa is required to apply for any extension. It only states it has to a non immigrant visa.

 

this doesn't make it any better: there is no Non-Imm-O/A based on marriage.  This reason is not allowed

 

Only Non-Imm-O  allow reason marriage

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by crazygreg44

[crazygreg44]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

FYI Chaeng Wattana immigration if not over any other immigration office in the country. The Immigration Bureau in over all immigration divisions and the offices under them.

sorry, I mixed up

 

I meant Immigration Bureau

I got this info from an insider who spoke with the Immigration Bureau on this matter

 

the reason "based on marriage" is not allowed for Non-Imm O/A  and never was

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by crazygreg44

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

this doesn't make it any better: there is no Non-Imm-O/A based on marriage.  This reason is not allowed

 

A non-oa visa is still a non immigrant visa and that is all that is required to apply for any extension.

The is what police order 327/2557 states.

 

4 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

Only Non-Imm-O  allow reason marriage

I aware of people that have extensions of stay based upon marriage there were on non-b, non-ed, non-oa visas and etc.

[crazygreg44]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I aware of people that have extensions of stay based upon marriage there were on non-b, non-ed, non-oa visas and etc.

if they have been granted marriage reason on a Non-Imm-O/A, it would not be rightful. The O/A only allows based on being over 50

 

You just need to read websites of Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Nowhere you can get a Non-Imm-O/A showing a marriage certificate with a Thai

 

This reason is only available on Non-Imm-O. Showing a marriage with a Thai certificate, will only get you a Non-O 

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by crazygreg44

[crazygreg44]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I aware of people that have extensions of stay based upon marriage there were on non-b, non-ed, non-oa visas and etc.

I believe there are people out there, with an Extension based on marriage, granted out of a Non-O/A

 

But this doesn't mean that they were rightfully granted.  They all are based on an error

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

You just need to read websites of Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Nowhere you can get a Non-Imm-O/A showing a marriage certificate with a Thai

We are discussing extensions of stay issued by immigration not visas issued by an embassy or consulate.

Every visa has different requirements to be issued.

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, crazygreg44 said:

if they have been granted marriage reason on a Non-Imm-O/A, it would not be rightful. The O/A only allows based on being over 50

 

You just need to read websites of Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Nowhere you can get a Non-Imm-O/A showing a marriage certificate with a Thai

 

This reason is only available on Non-Imm-O

You are correct that you can only APPLY for a Non Imm OA (long-stay) Visa in your home-country when over 50.

You are wrong about the next part.

Once you have that OA Visa and are applying for an extension of stay of the OA Visa at your local IO, you need to state the REASON why you want to extend.

When married to a thai national you can then apply for your OA extension for reason of MARRIAGE (and in that case no health-insurance is required).

 

[crazygreg44]

9 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

When married to a thai national you can then apply for your OA extension for reason of MARRIAGE (and in that case no health-insurance is required).

 

also with O/A's handed out after October 30, 2019 ?

[saengd]

56 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

it NEVER was possible to receive a Non-Imm-O/A or an extension from it, based on a marriage to a Thai !

 

ANY Immigration Office which would allow this to happen, is doing so illegally and wrongly, contrary to the existing police order.  Chaeng Wattana has urged & reminded every IO nationwide to report immediately, should any holder of an O/A extension based on marriage show up.

 

The Rayong IO is acting correctly based on the police order = NO extension possible for O/A based on marriage

 

The Non-Imm-O/A and its extensions was introduced mainly and ONLY for application of a Longstay, based on being over 50 years old 

 

 

 

 

Last month in Chiang Mai I successfully converted my reason for stay from retirement to marriage, on a long standing (15 years) O-A extension, the cost was THB 1,900.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, crazygreg44 said:

also with O/A's handed out after October 30, 2019 ?

After the visa has expired and the one year entry from it is near expiring it would be possible.

[IraqRon]

31 minutes ago, saengd said:

Last month in Chiang Mai I successfully converted my reason for stay from retirement to marriage, on a long standing (15 years) O-A extension, the cost was THB 1,900.

 

33 minutes ago, saengd said:

Last month in Chiang Mai I successfully converted my reason for stay from retirement to marriage, on a long standing (15 years) O-A extension, the cost was THB 1,900.

just for info, was  your non imm o issued at a consulate or converted from a tourist visa in thailand?

[saengd]

6 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

 

just for info, was  your non imm o issued at a consulate or converted from a tourist visa in thailand?

My non-imm. O-A (2004) was issued at the Royal Thai Embassy in London and the conversion made at Immi. in Chiang Mai.

[JimGant]

51 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

Last month in Chiang Mai I successfully converted my reason for stay from retirement to marriage, on a long standing (15 years) O-A extension, the cost was THB 1,900.

saengd, from previous threads, I understood that you never got a CONVERSION, i.e., they issued you a Non Imm O before allowing a marriage extension -- but instead they just allowed you to switch to an extension based on marriage, not retirement. Thus, yes, your latest extension, now being based on marriage, emanates from the same long-expired Non Imm O-A visa. Correct? Or do you now have a Non Imm O visa stamp in your passport, same as one would get with a TM86 or TM87 application?

[saengd]

Just now, JimGant said:

saengd, from previous threads, I understood that you never got a CONVERSION, i.e., they issued you a Non Imm O before allowing a marriage extension -- but instead they just allowed you to switch to an extension based on marriage, not retirement. Thus, yes, your latest extension, now being based on marriage, emanates from the same long-expired Non Imm O-A visa. Correct? Or do you now have a Non Imm O visa stamp in your passport, same as one would get with a TM86 or TM87 application?

It's a tricky and convoluted subject, the answer is slightly different based on who answers!

 

But yes, my present extension (now based on marriage) emanates from my long standing O-A visa (2004).

No I do not have a new O visa stamped in my passport.

 

BUT

 

Some tell me that an O-A based on marriage in Thailand is not possible.

Others tell me that once a visa, be it an O or an O-A expires and goes into extension territory, they both become the same beast.

 

Who knows, all I care is that I'm good for another year and I don't have to buy their silly health insurance....I feel a headache coming on.