HELP Needed to Change TR Visa to Non-O/1 Year Retirement Extension in Udon Thani ....

[UdonJP]

Hi All,

 

I arrived on a 60-day tourist visa on Feb 15 and just got out of quarantine yesterday; now back with my significant other in Udon Thani.  I lived here for many years on Non-O/retirement visa terms, but it expired in early 2020 and I got caught out of the country when I left to take care of some family business back home in the USA and was stuck there for over a year.

 

I want to change my tourist visa to a 90-day non-o, and then get the year extension when possible.  I am a bit clueless as to how to go about doing this; can anyone point me in the right direction?  I figure a thousand others have asked this question ....

 

One more thing:  I just opened my bank account today at Krungsri Bank.  A friend told me that Udon Immigration will only accept accounts at Bangkok Bank; this sounds ludicrous and I can't believe it would be the case.  Before I start the process of getting money transferred in, I want to make sure that banks other than Bangkok Bank are acceptable!  Also, is proof that the funds came from out of the country (for the 800K baht in my Thai account) necessary?  My partner (a Thai) has enough money here that we could move it in easily.  Also, do the funds have to come from a bank with MY name on it in the USA if Ihave to prove transfer of funds from outside?

 

Thank you so much for any help or assistance in this matter!

 

Cheers, James

 

[ubonjoe]

immigration will accept all Thai bank accounts.

You will need to prove the 800k came from abroad to apply for the 90 day non-o visa at immigration. It only has be in the account on the day you apply. As far as I know there is no requirement for the sending account to be in your name.

Requirements are here. https://bangkokimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/08-edit_NON-O.pdf

Then after getting the visa the 800k baht will have to be in the bank for 2 months when you apply for the one year extension of stay.

 

[Peter Denis]

Hi, I did PM you a Guideline document on how to stay long-term in Thailand when over +50 years of age. 

The two issues you mentioned - and which have been correctly answered by UJ as usual - are described in more detail in that document, as well as addressing other aspects of possible relevance for you.

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

[UdonJP]

Big Thank You's going out to UbonJoe and Peter Denis for your assistance!  You guys are super stars for providing the help you give so freely....

[gearbox]

7 minutes ago, UdonJP said:

Big Thank You's going out to UbonJoe and Peter Denis for your assistance!  You guys are super stars for providing the help you give so freely....

HI UdonJP,

 

Much appreciated if you report back how long it takes to do the visa change in Ubon. I applied on Feb 16 for change of visa TR->Non-O retirement in Samui, and was told need to wait up to 1 month. In  hindsight I should have applied earlier, I thought it would take only one day.

My advice is to apply ASAP.

 

[Issanman]

29 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi, I did PM you a Guideline document on how to stay long-term in Thailand when over +50 years of age. 

Hello Peter. Please PM the long-stay information, based on retirement, to me also.

Thanks!

[toolpush]

22 minutes ago, Issanman said:

Hello Peter. Please PM the long-stay information, based on retirement, to me also.

Thanks!

Hello Peter

Please PM it to me as well.

Thanks in advance

[Peter Denis]

27 minutes ago, Issanman said:

Hello Peter. Please PM the long-stay information, based on retirement, to me also.

Thanks!

Hi Issanman,

As requested I did sent the Guideline document to you PM, and you are welcome.

[Peter Denis]

5 minutes ago, toolpush said:

Hello Peter

Please PM it to me as well.

Thanks in advance

Hi Toolpush,

As requested I also did sent the Guideline document to you PM, and you are welcome.

[Peter Denis]

39 minutes ago, gearbox said:

HI UdonJP,

 

Much appreciated if you report back how long it takes to do the visa change in Ubon. I applied on Feb 16 for change of visa TR->Non-O retirement in Samui, and was told need to wait up to 1 month. In  hindsight I should have applied earlier, I thought it would take only one day.

My advice is to apply ASAP.

UdonJP will be applying for the 'change of Visa process' in Udon Thani, not in Ubon (Ratchathani).

It has to be done when he has still at least 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on his permission to stay which he received on entry with this 60-day TR Visa (or on the 30-day extension if he applied for that). 

Most IOs will do it starting from 2 weeks before final application date (see higher).  Indeed, it is well advised not to wait till last day that it can be done.

[toolpush]

A question for you Peter regarding the PM you sent me:

"

Where you say (or apply in-country for an extension) I beg to differ. I have had many Non-immigrant O visas based on retirement in the past. Under the visa stamp it said clearly in English "extension not allowed". I always understood that to mean that you could not get an extension to the 90 day stay. 

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, toolpush said:

Under the visa stamp it said clearly in English "extension not allowed". I always understood that to mean that you could not get an extension to the 90 day stay. 

I have not heard of that worthless stamp being done for a long time. Only a few odd consulates did that.

That stamp really never meant anything to immigration when you applied for a extension of stay.

There is certainly no such restriction that exists. Many people have extended their 90 day entry from a non-o visa.

[Peter Denis]

17 minutes ago, toolpush said:

A question for you Peter regarding the PM you sent me:

"

Where you say (or apply in-country for an extension) I beg to differ. I have had many Non-immigrant O visas based on retirement in the past. Under the visa stamp it said clearly in English "extension not allowed". I always understood that to mean that you could not get an extension to the 90 day stay. 

First time I hear of such an 'Extension not allowed' stamp!

There are countless reports of Non Imm O Visa holders that did exactly that > applying for an extension when the permission to stay of their Non Imm O Visa was due to expire. 

[toolpush]

1 minute ago, Peter Denis said:

First time I hear of such an 'Extension not allowed' stamp!

There are countless reports of Non Imm O Visa holders that did exactly that > applying for an extension when the permission to stay of their Non Imm O Visa was due to expire. 

Ok, I was not implying that a person cannot do so. I was simply stating what was stamped in my passport. I am currently stuck in quarantine in China and only have my current "new" passport with me. When I return home sometime in the summer, I will dig out some old passports and send you a scan.

[Peter Denis]

3 minutes ago, toolpush said:

Ok, I was not implying that a person cannot do so. I was simply stating what was stamped in my passport. I am currently stuck in quarantine in China and only have my current "new" passport with me. When I return home sometime in the summer, I will dig out some old passports and send you a scan.

Hi, UJ - as expected - did know about that stamp < see his post higher > , but it seems that stamp was an oddity and never enforced as Immigration regulations clearly allow to apply for extensions when the permission to stay of your Non Imm O Visa is due to expire.

[UdonJP]

One more question.  I am planning on traveling (inter-provincial) for a few days during the next couple of months.  When I am applying the initial change of visa from a TR to the 90-day Non-O, and am told that this all has to be done in Bangkok and will take 15 days, does immigration keep physical control of my passport during that period, which would make it nearly impossible to travel?

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, UdonJP said:

One more question.  I am planning on traveling (inter-provincial) for a few days during the next couple of months.  When I am applying the initial change of visa from a TR to the 90-day Non-O, and am told that this all has to be done in Bangkok and will take 15 days, does immigration keep physical control of my passport during that period, which would make it nearly impossible to travel?

 

You can do it all at Udon immigration.

No need to do it in Bangkok and if you did it there you would have to change your address to there and then do the extension application in Bangkok. The extension has to done at the same office that issued the visa.

Immigration will give your passport back to you after the non-o visa application is done.

[UdonJP]

37 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can do it all at Udon immigration.

No need to do it in Bangkok and if you did it there you would have to change your address to there and then do the extension application in Bangkok. The extension has to done at the same office that issued the visa.

Immigration will give your passport back to you after the non-o visa application is done.

UJ, I phrased my question completely wrong!  I do know that I have to do it at Udon immigration.  To clarify, what I read somewhere is that "it takes up to 15 days for the Non-O visa to be completed, because these changes from TR to Non-O are all done at Bangkok" .  So my REAL question is:  will I be without my passport for 15 days when I apply for the Non-O in Udon; ie do they physically send it to Bangkok?  Or will they hand it back to me in Udon after I apply and then I bring it back for the stamp?  Sorry for the confusion!

 

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, UdonJP said:

So my REAL question is:  will I be without my passport for 15 days when I apply for the Non-O in Udon; ie do they physically send it to Bangkok?  Or will they hand it back to me in Udon after I apply and then I bring it back for the stamp?  Sorry for the confusion!

The non-o visa application will be approved at immigration division 4 in Khon Kaen not Bangkok.

Only the paperwork will be sent to division 4. Your passport will be given back to you when the application is accepted in Udon Thani. After the application is approved Udon immigration will do the visa and entry stamps in your passport,

[UdonJP]

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The non-o visa application will be approved at immigration division 4 in Khon Kaen not Bangkok.

Only the paperwork will be sent to division 4. Your passport will be given back to you when the application is accepted in Udon Thani. After the application is approved Udon immigration will do the visa and entry stamps in your passport,

Comforting to hear.  I hear scary things about the Udon office these days so hope this all goes smoothly.

 

[herwin1234]

On 3/3/2021 at 3:52 PM, UdonJP said:

Hi All,

 

I arrived on a 60-day tourist visa on Feb 15 and just got out of quarantine yesterday; now back with my significant other in Udon Thani.  I lived here for many years on Non-O/retirement visa terms, but it expired in early 2020 and I got caught out of the country when I left to take care of some family business back home in the USA and was stuck there for over a year.

 

I want to change my tourist visa to a 90-day non-o, and then get the year extension when possible.  I am a bit clueless as to how to go about doing this; can anyone point me in the right direction?  I figure a thousand others have asked this question ....

 

One more thing:  I just opened my bank account today at Krungsri Bank.  A friend told me that Udon Immigration will only accept accounts at Bangkok Bank; this sounds ludicrous and I can't believe it would be the case.  Before I start the process of getting money transferred in, I want to make sure that banks other than Bangkok Bank are acceptable!  Also, is proof that the funds came from out of the country (for the 800K baht in my Thai account) necessary?  My partner (a Thai) has enough money here that we could move it in easily.  Also, do the funds have to come from a bank with MY name on it in the USA if Ihave to prove transfer of funds from outside?

 

Thank you so much for any help or assistance in this matter!

 

Cheers, James

 

hello James,

 

to get the correct information just visit the immigration office, with your Thai speaking better half, at Udon Thani, always nice and helpfull thai officials there.

 

also could visit a visa agency. i always visit a visa agency right behind the Prisa Market in front of the train station in Udon Thani.

 

Only Bangkok bank? sounds odd and not very logical. Forums and friends can have valuable information but sometimes especially about details like this dont depend on it. 

 

Good luck.

 

[herwin1234]

3 hours ago, UdonJP said:

Comforting to hear.  I hear scary things about the Udon office these days so hope this all goes smoothly.

 

oh in case you want to contact the visa agency (very nice and helpful people) their LINE number is 0818736755

[UdonJP]

1 hour ago, herwin1234 said:

oh in case you want to contact the visa agency (very nice and helpful people) their LINE number is 0818736755

Yes, friends have recommended the woman who heads this agency.  I may contact her and forgo the headaches of dealing with Thai Immigration directly.

 

[Pattaya80]

Please advise 

I as well will apply for the 90 day non o

In udon , after the retirement extension

Will be coming from US, tr or exempt in April

After quarantine, moving to kumpawapi

I just completed several transfers to my K BANK savings account using transferwise

Recently I've read these transfers may not show as foreign transfer???

Has anyone have experienced this situation

I've read that no proof needed when using the 800,000 as opposed to the income method

Is it possible to provide my transfers with transferwise to match amounts in k bank

Or ? Suggestions?

Also PETER would appreciate the guideline doc!

MAHALO from Hawaii

In advance i appreciate all replies

[sometimewoodworker]

On 3/3/2021 at 3:52 PM, UdonJP said:

One more thing:  I just opened my bank account today at Krungsri Bank.  A friend told me that Udon Immigration will only accept accounts at Bangkok Bank; this sounds ludicrous and I can't believe it would be the case.

As @ubonjoe has said you have been given incorrect information, I use Udon immigration, my deposit is also now in Krungsri Bank initially it was in a Mee Tae Dai Deposit account that today gets 1% interest, it is now in a 48 month Time Deposit Account. Udon immigration is perfectly happy with both of those accounts.

 

The confusion comes from those using TransferWise for monthly deposits. The only bank where those deposits can be virtually guaranteed to show as a transfer from overseas is Bangkok Bank and you have to be careful as even then problems may arise.

[sometimewoodworker]

4 hours ago, Pattaya80 said:

 

I just completed several transfers to my K BANK savings account using transferwise

Recently I've read these transfers may not show as foreign transfer???

You have read correctly. As above Bangkok Bank is the only bank were they will probably always show as foreign transactions. Though TransferWise may have managed to allow other banks systems to show as F.T. 

 

4 hours ago, Pattaya80 said:

I've read that no proof needed when using the 800,000 as opposed to the income method

If you are extending the permission to stay from an entry using a Non-O/Non-OA visa you are correct.

 

If you want to get a Non-O visa from immigration for the purpose of retirement  in Udon then the money must be a foreign transfer in.

[sometimewoodworker]

10 hours ago, UdonJP said:

Yes, friends have recommended the woman who heads this agency.  I may contact her and forgo the headaches of dealing with Thai Immigration directly.

 

In my opinion Udon immigration is no problem if you have the correct paperwork and sufficient funds to meet the requirements, I have never had a problem.
 

Using any agent is a waste of money for those people.
 

But some people don’t want to spend any time waiting and prefer to spend thousands/tens of thousands of Baht instead, others who can’t or won’t keep money in a Thai bank have to use an agent.

[Peter Denis]

10 hours ago, UdonJP said:

Yes, friends have recommended the woman who heads this agency.  I may contact her and forgo the headaches of dealing with Thai Immigration directly.

 

Hi UdonJP,

Applying for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement is a relatively simple process, as well as the subsequent application for the 1-year extension based on that Non Imm O Visa (both are described in full detail in the Guideline document I did PM you).

But of course, if money is no objection at all you can make use of an Agent to help you with the process.  However, you should be aware that there are basically 2 types of Agent services.

1 - The 'hand-holding' service, in which your application fully meets the requirements and the Agent just helps you by checking whether it is complete and going with you to Immigration for the actual application.  Such service should cost 5.000 THB max.

2 - The Fixer Agent service, in case you cannot meet the requirements (typically insufficient funds, or not able to prove the foreign origin of those funds for the Visa/Extension application).  The agent will then circumvent that requirement by applying for the Visa or extension at a 'friendly' IO where he/she has connections.  That service should cost somewhere between 15.000 and 35.000 THB (depending on complexity and whether it is a combined or Visa/Extension only service).

Be aware that when making use of such a Fixer Agent service that:

- When your Visa/Extension has been acquired at another Imm Office than the one in the province where you are staying, you would need to relocate back to the address where you are actually staying by filing a TM-30 at your local IO once you get the Extension (otherwise you will not be able to do the required 90-day reports).

- When not starting from the day your Extension was approved with 'maintaining' the required funds on your personal Thai bank-account, you will find yourself in the situation that you won't be able to meet the requirements for your NEXT 1-year extension, which will force you to once again having to make use of the Fixer Agent service.  Alternatively you could also then do a border-run and start the whole process from scratch again, which would allow you to do it yourself. 

[Peter Denis]

5 hours ago, Pattaya80 said:

Please advise 

I as well will apply for the 90 day non o

In udon , after the retirement extension

Will be coming from US, tr or exempt in April

After quarantine, moving to kumpawapi

I just completed several transfers to my K BANK savings account using transferwise

Recently I've read these transfers may not show as foreign transfer???

Has anyone have experienced this situation

I've read that no proof needed when using the 800,000 as opposed to the income method

Is it possible to provide my transfers with transferwise to match amounts in k bank

Or ? Suggestions?

Also PETER would appreciate the guideline doc!

MAHALO from Hawaii

In advance i appreciate all replies

Hi Pattaya80,

I did PM you the requested Guideline document, and you are welcome.

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

 

[rhodie]

15 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi Pattaya80,

I did PM you the requested Guideline document, and you are welcome.

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

 

Peter, could you please PM me a copy of the document. TIA.