Renewal of one year Retirement Visa when not in Thailand

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Yes you must get an O-A visa in your home country but at the end of the first year you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay while in Thailand. 

No need to apply for a one year extension for about 2 years with OA long stay visa. All that needs to done is to get a new one year entry just before it expires.

 

[steve187]

some new ideas being put to the Thai government to help those stuck abroad that have yearly extension that will run out.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, steve187 said:

some new ideas being put to the Thai government to help those stuck abroad that have yearly extension that will run out.

The only thing I have seen is for those that have permanent residency that cannot enter before their non quota visa/re-entry permit expires that would cause them to lose it. Nothing about one year extensions of stay.

 

[Old Croc]

If you are not a citizen nor a permanent resident of Thailand your status can only be that of temporary.

Extensions of stay can only be issued to temporary visitors in country. It would be nonsensical to extend stays that are not in existence. When you depart the country your extension ceases. A visa allows a new entry and a new stay.

To state that travel restrictions stop you coming to start a new temporary stay so the government should extend anyway, is idiotic!  Where does it start and end? Should they give everyone outside the country, including tourists with multiple entry visas, ghost extensions?

Just start again when able to travel, life is hard for all of us at the moment. We are all being greatly inconvenienced.

[Martyp]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No need to apply for a one year extension for about 2 years with OA long stay visa. All that needs to done is to get a new one year entry just before it expires.

 

Yes. There is no need. You can get the extra year but at this time with the borders closed that might not be the best thing to try to do. Some people (not you) seem to to think you have to do the 2nd year. Like it is some kind of personal failure to not do it.

 

[ubonjoe]

43 minutes ago, Martyp said:

Yes. There is no need. You can get the extra year but at this time with the borders closed that might not be the best thing to try to do. Some people (not you) seem to to think you have to do the 2nd year. Like it is some kind of personal failure to not do it.

 

Your post implied that you can only get a one year stay from a OA visa so I posted a clarification that it was not correct.

[michel7752]

There seems to be some confusion with what is possible in the US and what is possible elsewhere.

I have a 1 year retirement visa. The first application was done at the Thai embassy in an European country (not US!). The Thai embassy asks for and checks various proofs and then gives you a 3 month visa only. With that 3 month visa you then have to enter Thailand, and during the third month go to the local immigration in Thailand which then adds the remaining 9 months in your passport (3 + 9 = 12 months). After one year, you are required to extend your one year visa personally in Thailand at the immigration. This is what applies for most countries.

No way to renew the visa in your home country, and furthermore, there is nothing like the "two years" which applies to US citizens.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Edited April 6, 2020 by michel7752

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, michel7752 said:

I have a 1 year retirement visa. The first application was done at the Thai embassy in an European country (not US!). The Thai embassy asks for and checks and various proofs and then gives you a 3 month visa only. With that 3 month visa you then have to enter Thailand, and during the third month go to the local immigration in Thailand which then adds the remaining 9 months in your passport (3 + 9 = 12 months). After one year, you are required to extend your one year visa personally in Thailand at the immigration. This is what applies for most countries.

No way to renew the visa in your home country, and furthermore, there is nothing like the "two years" which applies to US citizens.

You apparently got a single entry non-o visa that allows one 90 day entry not a OA long stay visa.

Here is the requirements for a OA visa on the London embassy website. http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#7

 

[michel7752]

19 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You apparently got a single entry non-o visa that allows one 90 day entry not a OA long stay visa.

Here is the requirements for a OA visa on the London embassy website. http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#7

 

Correct.

At the Thai Embassy in Switzerland they give you a non-O visa (90 days) "for foreigners who wish to retire in Thailand". This is the prerequisite for the retirement visa which will be given to you later during the third month by immigration while you are already in Thailand (an additional 9 months).  And when one year has passed, you can only renew for another year while being personally in Thailand.

 

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, michel7752 said:

Correct.

At the Thai Embassy in Switzerland they give you a non-O visa (90 days) "for foreigners who wish to retire in Thailand". This is the prerequisite for the retirement visa which will be given to you later during the third month by immigration while you are already in Thailand (an additional 9 months).  And when one year has passed, you can only renew for another year while being personally in Thailand.

 

You are talking about non o based on retirement. Yes it's 90 day permission of stay from date you enter Thailand. In the last 30/45 days prior to your until date you apply for extension based on retirement. When you do you will be granted 12 month permission of stay from date you apply. 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, michel7752 said:

At the Thai Embassy in Switzerland they give you a non-O visa (90 days) "for foreigners who wish to retire in Thailand". This is the prerequisite for the retirement visa which will be given to you later during the third month by immigration while you are already in Thailand (an additional 9 months).  And when one year has passed, you can only renew for another year while being personally in Thailand.

The embassy in Bern will issue a OA long stay visa also.

https://thaiembassy.ch/Content/Embassy/160.html

 

[michel7752]

Yes, exactly.

And in my case the year is over on May 14th, but I am in Switzerland and can not fly to Thailand to renew the retirement visa personally as requested.

 

However, since this thread has been started, the Thai government has apparently waken up and it seems that there will very soon be a solution for this and many other similar visa renewal problems: automatic extension until the Corona crisis is over.

[Mulambana]

On 3/31/2020 at 7:27 PM, ubonjoe said:

That would not be possible since the passport will show he is not in Thailand. I don't care how good the agent might be it would not be possible.

Every agent I know wants the applicant to show up in the office for at least for 5 minutes to take a picture as a proof that you visited the office. Also, as you said, the passport will indicate that he has exited Thailand and there is no entry stamp. 

[ubonjoe]

17 hours ago, michel7752 said:

However, since this thread has been started, the Thai government has apparently waken up and it seems that there will very soon be a solution for this and many other similar visa renewal problems: automatic extension until the Corona crisis is over.

None of what has been proposed will help you.

The extensions are only for those that are here in the country and cannot leave.

[michel7752]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

None of what has been proposed will help you.

The extensions are only for those that are here in the country and cannot leave.

Look at the Bangkok Post article of April 6th ("Immigration Bureau pursues visa relief for foreigners"). In that proposal, foreigners are divided in 3 categories. The 1st category are foreigners with resident visas who normally reside in Thailand but cannot return to Thailand due to the Covid-19 crisis. (The proposal still needs cabinet approval.)

 

Does this not apply to my case of renewing the expiring one year retirement visa?

 

 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, michel7752 said:

Does this not apply to my case of renewing the expiring one year retirement visa?

No

It is only for those that have been granted permanent residency in Thailand.

[Awinkl]

On 4/1/2020 at 6:40 AM, DrJack54 said:

OP, you can enter on tourist visa or visa exempt and obtain non o at immigration.

But then - one cannot enter with a ONE WAY flight ticket?

[Awinkl]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No

It is only for those that have been granted permanent residency in Thailand.

I am currently "stuck" in Oz. Usually, when renewing a Retirement Visa "IN" Thailand, this can be done ONE MONTH before the Expiry date - is there also a 1 month time period for "AFTER" the expiry date available? My Expiration date is 20th July, but if travel restrictions still are in place by June/July, I will not be able to get back to LOS before the expiry date? A possible 1 month AFTER timeframe would give me more leeway?Can anyone advise?

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Awinkl said:

I am currently "stuck" in Oz. Usually, when renewing a Retirement Visa "IN" Thailand, this can be done ONE MONTH before the Expiry date - is there also a 1 month time period for "AFTER" the expiry date available? My Expiration date is 20th July, but if travel restrictions still are in place by June/July, I will not be able to get back to LOS before the expiry date? A possible 1 month AFTER timeframe would give me more leeway?Can anyone advise?

There is no automatic extension of your re-entry permit. When you re-enter Thailand, if you lack a visa, you will be given a visa exempt entry. Even if you were in Thailand and going a month late to request your extension of stay, it would be very unlikely to be allowed, even if you paid the one month overstay first.

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, Awinkl said:

But then - one cannot enter with a ONE WAY flight ticket?

You could buy a low cost one way ticket to a nearby country that will be accepted.

Or if you were in a country where there are embassies and consulates that will issue a single entry non-o visa could apply for one to use for entry and then apply for a new extension.

[michel7752]

Ubonjoe - many thanks for your precious help and advise during these confusing times!

[stouricks]

On 4/6/2020 at 5:10 PM, michel7752 said:

(3 + 9 = 12 months)

Thanks for that!      PML

[michel7752]

On 4/7/2020 at 3:50 PM, ubonjoe said:

No

It is only for those that have been granted permanent residency in Thailand.

From the Pattaya City Expats Club website: "Retirees and others with long stay extensions presently outside of Thailand whose renewal date will or has expired - good news! Immigration will allow return and renewal when situation improves."

 

Does this apply to my one year retirement visa (based on non O visa) expiring May 14th?

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, michel7752 said:

From the Pattaya City Expats Club website: "Retirees and others with long stay extensions presently outside of Thailand whose renewal date will or has expired - good news! Immigration will allow return and renewal when situation improves."

 

That is certainly incorrect info. It is only for those with permanent residency.

This is what the ministerial order states.

"Article 1 Aliens permitted for a stay in the Kingdom under Section 48 of the Immigration Act  B.E. 2522 and have made an evidence of leaving the Kingdom for a re-entry within one year under Section 50 of the same Act are permitted for an extension of re-entry to the Kingdom more than one year. When the epidemic situation is eased, the aliens should travel to the Kingdom without delay as required by the Immigration Bureau."

This is section 48 of the immigration act under "Chapter 5
Entering to take Residence in the Kingdom" 

Section 48 : A residence Certificate is of permanent validity, but it expires when the holder leaves the
Kingdom , unless prior to departing , the holder has his departure for return document endorsed by a
competent official in accordance with Section 50. In such a case , if the certificate holder returns to the
Kingdom within one year from the date of endorsement and he is not excluded from entry according to
Section 12 or 44 , a Residence Certificate shall be considered still valid.

 

[Jesse123]

My extension based on retirement expires 1 June. There is a lockdown where I am and the only flight into London is a few times a week to Southampton. I would still need a COVID-19 certificate and doctor's note before getting a boarding card in Heathrow and can see this requirement being in place for many months. If I am able to travel back and, as I have all the requirements to renew my extension I assume it is still possible to arrive and be given a 30 day tourist visa (UK Citizen) and then apply for the 90 day O. Then before that expires obtain an extension of the O based on retirement.

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, Jesse123 said:

My extension based on retirement expires 1 June. There is a lockdown where I am and the only flight into London is a few times a week to Southampton. I would still need a COVID-19 certificate and doctor's note before getting a boarding card in Heathrow and can see this requirement being in place for many months. If I am able to travel back and, as I have all the requirements to renew my extension I assume it is still possible to arrive and be given a 30 day tourist visa (UK Citizen) and then apply for the 90 day O. Then before that expires obtain an extension of the O based on retirement.

You could also apply for a single entry non-o visa online and mail the application and passport to the embassy.

Requirements are here. http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#6

Not sure what the requirements will be for entering Thailand after they start allowing flights into the country again. Before it was a health certificate and a $100,000 US of covid 19 insurance coverage.

Check here for the latest requirements.  https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm

[Jesse123]

36 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could also apply for a single entry non-o visa online and mail the application and passport to the embassy.

Requirements are here. http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#6

Not sure what the requirements will be for entering Thailand after they start allowing flights into the country again. Before it was a health certificate and a $100,000 US of covid 19 insurance coverage.

Check here for the latest requirements.  https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm

I assume the Non-O granted by the Embassy can then be extended at an IO in Thailand for one year without leaving Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, Jesse123 said:

I assume the Non-O granted by the Embassy can then be extended at an IO in Thailand for one year without leaving Thailand.

Yes it can be extended during the last 30 day of the 90 day entry it allows.

You could apply for it early since it will be valid for entry for 3 months from the day it is issued.

[Jesse123]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it can be extended during the last 30 day of the 90 day entry it allows.

You could apply for it early since it will be valid for entry for 3 months from the day it is issued.

Thanks for the information. I will have to gauge when to apply so it is valid for when I travel.

[soisanuk]

17 hours ago, michel7752 said:

From the Pattaya City Expats Club website: "Retirees and others with long stay extensions presently outside of Thailand whose renewal date will or has expired - good news! Immigration will allow return and renewal when situation improves."

 

Does this apply to my one year retirement visa (based on non O visa) expiring May 14th?

The Pattaya City Expats Club has corrected that information and now notes only that it applies only to those with a resident book.