Misinformation about visas on Thai Gov't Websites

[sydneyboy]

I got a Non immigrant O- retirement issued at Pattaya immigration on 12 December 2008

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718266-retirement-visa-extension-cost-increase/?p=7689292

Discussion is about a OA visa which you certainly cannot get here.

You did a conversion to a non immigrant visa entry. You did not get a real non-o visa.

On the Visa it says clearly " O " and in the right hand top corner retirement.

You didn't get an O-A visa because that's not possible to get in Thailand. The conversion to O that you got is not actually a retirement visa either. With that, you then got an annual extension based on retirement. You've never had a retirement visa.

The O-A visa "Long Stay" (one year stay) obtained in home countries is a very specific thing, different than conversions in Thailand, and different than retirement extensions,.

It is possible to get a 3 month O visa in Pattaya with a 12 month Retirement extension all in one go if you go through certain visa agencies. I did it myself 3 years ago. Now I just do the extension myself. They also got the bank letter for me.

[cooked]

According to the dictionary there are 'entry' visas (and sometimes 'exit' visas). You can't get a visa inside a country (unless it is an exit visa). You can change the nature of your visa or extend it. Or of course get a residence permit or get a new nationality.

[NoshowJones]

I don't know about government websites so much, but the boss in every Thai Immigration office seems to be able to make up any rule they want, some will allow this and some will allow that etc. The same applies to banks, schools, government offices etc etc etc.

[diyer]

Talk about contradictions!!!

I've been planning my move to Thailand for the last 3 months.

I've been absorbing much of the information about Visa's, extensions etc from TV and government websites.

Confusing to say the least for the newbie with no experience.

Anyway last week I made an appointment with the Liverpool Consulate to make my application for a Non Imm 'O' Visa.

First question was are you over 65............No

Second question was are you married to a Thai..........No

Then I can't issue you an 'O-A' Visa unless you meet that criteria.

I don't want an 'O-A' Visa (my application clearly stated 'O')

No problem and within 10 minutes I'm leaving with my Single Entry Non Imm 'O' Visa.

But I'm handed an information form to explain the newly adopted rules.

It makes some interesting and controversial reading if anyone is interested.

Having just been verbally told that an 'O-A' Visa can only be issued to someone over 65 or married to a Thai

The last paragraph of the information form reads, and I quote:

"Retirement Visa 'O-A' (only issued in London and Thailand and valid for a period of 1 year) is available to anyone over the age of 50 who can prove they have 800,000 baht per person in a bank (and that it has been in the bank for 3 months). If it is a UK bank account, then you must visit the British Embassy in Bangkok to get a letter confirming you have these funds.

You must also supply a report from your doctor on your health and a police report to show if you have a clean record or not. You must report to Immigration every 90 days to have your passport stamped"

Thank god for TV to iron out these inconsistences.

[thepool]

Just as a matter of interest on what basis was the single entry Non "O" visa issued ?

[Jingthing]

O-A visa age minimum is definitely 50.

That also applies to retirement extensions in Thailand, also age 50.

[diyer]

Just as a matter of interest on what basis was the single entry Non "O" visa issued ?

On the basis of Retirement

Although no basis or reason is on the Visa, just the application form.

Edited April 15, 2014 by diyer

[diyer]

O-A visa age minimum is definitely 50.

That also applies to retirement extensions in Thailand, also age 50.

O-A Visa can only be issued by London now (no postal applications) and they will only issue to those over 65 or married to a Thai.

You can make applications at Hull or Liverpool for an O-A but these will be forwarded to London.

The Consulates can longer issue this Visa directly.

Whilst you may disagree, I can only tell you what we are told by the Consulates and Embassy in the UK.

It really is quite a shambles, so I can understand why so many get confused.

[thepool]

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Just as a matter of interest on what basis was the single entry Non "O" visa issued ?

On the basis of Retirement

OK !

Thank you for responding

So you are past the big 50 !

Helpful for others to know a single entry "non O" visa for the purpose described, is still easily available in the UK

edit

typo!

Edited April 15, 2014 by thepool

[diyer]

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Just as a matter of interest on what basis was the single entry Non "O" visa issued ?

On the basis of Retirement

OK !

Thank you for responding

So you are past the big 50 !

Helpful for others to know a single entry "non O" visa for the purpose described, is still easily available in the UK

edit

typo!

I'm past the big 60 (just)

Passport, two passport photos, application form and a copy of your last bank statement.

For a single entry 90 day 'non O' Visa your bank must show funds of at least £3,500

I have no idea where they pluck that figure from, but ironically if your intention is to retire in Thailand then your going to have funds of at least £18,000 in order to meet the requirements for the extension of stay.

[thepool]

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<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Just as a matter of interest on what basis was the single entry Non "O" visa issued ?

On the basis of Retirement

OK !

Thank you for responding

So you are past the big 50 !

Helpful for others to know a single entry "non O" visa for the purpose described, is still easily available in the UK

edit

typo!

I'm past the big 60 (just) width=20 alt=laugh.png>

Passport, two passport photos, application form and a copy of your last bank statement.

For a single entry 90 day 'non O' Visa your bank must show funds of at least £3,500

I have no idea where they pluck that figure from, but ironically if your intention is to retire in Thailand then your going to have funds of at least £18,000 in order to meet the requirements for the extension of stay.

Enjoy your retirement in the LOS

[ubonjoe]

O-A visa age minimum is definitely 50.

That also applies to retirement extensions in Thailand, also age 50.

O-A Visa can only be issued by London now (no postal applications) and they will only issue to those over 65 or married to a Thai.

You can make applications at Hull or Liverpool for an O-A but these will be forwarded to London.

The Consulates can longer issue this Visa directly.

Whilst you may disagree, I can only tell you what we are told by the Consulates and Embassy in the UK.

It really is quite a shambles, so I can understand why so many get confused.

The info the consulate gave you is wrong.

Multiple entry non-o visas are only being approved by the embassy if 65 or over and getting a government pension. But the embassy does not issue them only the consulates can do it.

The embassy still does OA visas if 50 or over.

[brian1314]

Three years ago I was staying in Thailand on a TR60 visa obtained in Loas. Prior to the end of the visa I went to CW and applied for and received a 90 day O visa (19/04/11 - 17/07/11), Prior to the expiry of this visa I returned to CW o 21/06/11 and changed the 90 day O visa into a one year O retirement visa valid until 17/07/12 and have been extending on a yearly basis ever since.
At no time after obtaining the TR60 did I leave Thailand, everything was done in the immigration office at CW.

[ubonjoe]

Three years ago I was staying in Thailand on a TR60 visa obtained in Loas. Prior to the end of the visa I went to CW and applied for and received a 90 day O visa (19/04/11 - 17/07/11), Prior to the expiry of this visa I returned to CW o 21/06/11 and changed the 90 day O visa into a one year O retirement visa valid until 17/07/12 and have been extending on a yearly basis ever since.

At no time after obtaining the TR60 did I leave Thailand, everything was done in the immigration office at CW.

People do this all the time. You do not have to wait until the end of your visa or 60 day entry it can be done up to the last 15 days of the entry.

It is called doing a change of visa status from a tourist visa entry to a non immigrant visa entry.

You then applied for an extension of stay based upon retirement (it is not a retirement visa).

[lopburi3]

As said that Consulate was talking about multi entry non immigrant O visas for retirement - which they used to issue, then were restricted to only those over 65 with pension and now are only approved at Embassy. The non immigrant O-A is another type of visa/extension of stay which the Embassy will issue to those over age 50 meeting the conditions as outlined on there web site:

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

[diyer]

O-A visa age minimum is definitely 50.

That also applies to retirement extensions in Thailand, also age 50.

O-A Visa can only be issued by London now (no postal applications) and they will only issue to those over 65 or married to a Thai.

You can make applications at Hull or Liverpool for an O-A but these will be forwarded to London.

The Consulates can longer issue this Visa directly.

Whilst you may disagree, I can only tell you what we are told by the Consulates and Embassy in the UK.

It really is quite a shambles, so I can understand why so many get confused.

The info the consulate gave you is wrong.

Multiple entry non-o visas are only being approved by the embassy if 65 or over and getting a government pension. But the embassy does not issue them only the consulates can do it.

The embassy still does OA visas if 50 or over.

I know the information the Consulate gave was wrong.

Hence my post to highlight how confusing the procedures and conditions of gaining different Visa types can be for individuals who haven't yet found the great advice offered by experienced members on TV.

Lopburi 3............spot on

[Eric Behm]

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I got a Non immigrant O- retirement issued at Pattaya immigration on 12 December 2008

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718266-retirement-visa-extension-cost-increase/?p=7689292

Discussion is about a OA visa which you certainly cannot get here.

You did a conversion to a non immigrant visa entry. You did not get a real non-o visa.

I don´t care much about what some selfnamed experts write here. But - I managed to get an one year O-A visa in Hua Hin. Anybody are welcome to visit me to see it´s real. So just stop writing about what you can do and cannot do in Thailand. because all is about money - and sometimes about knowing right persons.

[thepool]

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I got a Non immigrant O- retirement issued at Pattaya immigration on 12 December 2008

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718266-retirement-visa-extension-cost-increase/?p=7689292

Discussion is about a OA visa which you certainly cannot get here.

You did a conversion to a non immigrant visa entry. You did not get a real non-o visa.

I don´t care much about what some selfnamed experts write here. But - I managed to get an one year O-A visa in Hua Hin. Anybody are welcome to visit me to see it´s real. So just stop writing about what you can do and cannot do in Thailand. because all is about money - and sometimes about knowing right persons.

Delighted about the Success !

Could this remarkable O-A "visa" be scanned and posted so we may all see what can be achieved by "knowing the right people"

Thank you

Edited April 15, 2014 by thepool

[Jingthing]

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I got a Non immigrant O- retirement issued at Pattaya immigration on 12 December 2008

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718266-retirement-visa-extension-cost-increase/?p=7689292

Discussion is about a OA visa which you certainly cannot get here.

You did a conversion to a non immigrant visa entry. You did not get a real non-o visa.

I don´t care much about what some selfnamed experts write here. But - I managed to get an one year O-A visa in Hua Hin. Anybody are welcome to visit me to see it´s real. So just stop writing about what you can do and cannot do in Thailand. because all is about money - and sometimes about knowing right persons.

Sorry. No you didn't. That's impossible. I do believe that you THINK you got an O-A visa in Hua Hin. Does that help?

[NancyL]

Here we go again!

[thepool]

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Here we go again!

I am constantly amazed by the many who do not know the basis upon which their continued stay is permitted !

This latest claim is of course nonsense !

[JimGant]

Whilst you may disagree, I can only tell you what we are told by the Consulates and Embassy in the UK.

Hull has been parroting MFA's misinformation for years. See this thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679414-non-immigrant-o-a-visa-obtainable-where/

Also, see post 18, where I took a stab at trying to understand the misinformation existing between MFA and Immigration.

And here's a quote from Siam Legal:

"We will submit all your documents to the Thai Immigration for the One Year Long Stay Retirement Visa."

sigh.

[Eric Behm]

I - now again - see how clever you all are.

Does anyone here like to scan their passport and publish it on an internet forum ??

No - I didn´t Think so.....

Still - have passed out and in on my visa two times already, and I do not Think I have a OA visa. I have one.

Going to Sweden tomorrow again - and I still think it works...

Coming back in October. Give me a hint about whenm and I´ll buy you a beer in Hua Hin and will show all pages in my passport.....

But maybe I am wrong.but... OA retirement visa is also possible to get at this Company.

Read Point 4 and 5.

http://www.siamese-visa.com/retirement_in_thailand.html

Edited April 15, 2014 by Eric Behm

[JimGant]

It is not possible to apply for any visa directly to the MFA in Bangkok.

Now, that is, indeed, a strange visa. But it was obtained from MFA, presumably directly in Bangkok.

From Maestro's website collection of stamps, here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/100387182891114169875/albums/5659247959924882033?banner=pwa&authkey=CNHlkuSf08rI9QE

[Jingthing]

I - now again - see how clever you all are.

Does anyone here like to scan their passport and publish it on an internet forum ??

No - I didn´t Think so.....

Still - have passed out and in on my visa two times already, and I do not Think I have a OA visa. I have one.

Going to Sweden tomorrow again - and I still think it works...

Coming back in October. Give me a hint about whenm and I´ll buy you a beer in Hua Hin and will show all pages in my passport.....

But maybe I am wrong.but... OA retirement visa is also possible to get at this Company.

Read Point 4 and 5.

http://www.siamese-visa.com/retirement_in_thailand.html

This O-A visa that you think you have and think you obtained in Thailand, is it currently within it's validity period and also is it a MULTIPLE ENTRY "M" O-A visa?

Yes because your claim is so IMPOSSIBLE, nobody is really going to believe you unless you scan your visa page, and even then if it shows an O-A obtained in Thailand, people will probably think it's a Photoshop job anyway.

What I reckon you have is actually very common -- a conversion to O done in Thailand and then an annual retirement extension. You also must be using single or multiple REENTRY PERMITS to keep your current permission to stay date valid upon reentering Thailand. An O-A visa is a very specific thing obtained only in home countries or sometimes countries of permanent residence outside of Thailand.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Jingthing

[larsjohnsson]

O-A visa age minimum is definitely 50.

That also applies to retirement extensions in Thailand, also age 50.

O-A Visa can only be issued by London now (no postal applications) and they will only issue to those over 65 or married to a Thai.

You can make applications at Hull or Liverpool for an O-A but these will be forwarded to London.

The Consulates can longer issue this Visa directly.

Whilst you may disagree, I can only tell you what we are told by the Consulates and Embassy in the UK.

It really is quite a shambles, so I can understand why so many get confused.

The info the consulate gave you is wrong.

Multiple entry non-o visas are only being approved by the embassy if 65 or over and getting a government pension. But the embassy does not issue them only the consulates can do it.

The embassy still does OA visas if 50 or over.

I don't know but I would expect the rules are the same in UK and Sweden. Multiple entry non-o visas have over 50 years in Sweden. And you don't have to be 65. You don't have to get a government pension either. But you need a pension. I applied for that visa last week i Stockholm. And ny friend already got it. He is not 65 year.

Are the rules different in UK and Sweden?

Edited April 15, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[ubonjoe]

The rules can be different from embassy to embassy or consulate to consulate.

The 65 or over thing is specific to the UK and is a rule set by the embassy in London and they can only be obtained at one of the honorary consulates the embassy will only do a OA visa.

[ubonjoe]

It is not possible to apply for any visa directly to the MFA in Bangkok.

A1368d02.jpg

Now, that is, indeed, a strange visa. But it was obtained from MFA, presumably directly in Bangkok.

From Maestro's website collection of stamps, here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/100387182891114169875/albums/5659247959924882033?banner=pwa&authkey=CNHlkuSf08rI9QE

That is some kind of special arrangement for a re-entry visa. It is certainly is not normal. A person cannot just walk into the MFA offices and apply for a visa.

The non-f is "to perform official duties (Category "F")" so that might explain things a bit.

[Langsuan Man]

The rules can be different from embassy to embassy or consulate to consulate.

The 65 or over thing is specific to the UK and is a rule set by the embassy in London and they can only be obtained at one of the honorary consulates the embassy will only do a OA visa.

Just like the police report, medical, and financial notary requirements for the Thai Consulate in Chicago or Los Angeles that is not required in New York or Washington

Eric Behm here is my O-A Visa and "admitted until" stamp, does your Hua Hin "visa" look the same

[NancyL]

Thanks, Langsum Man, I was about to paw thru our safe and find the old passport from my Handsome Man, Hubby, to locate his ancient O-A visa, figure out how to scan and post it onto this thread so Eric Behm could see what a "real" O-A visa looks like. Saved me the work!

Aside: why save old passports? Aside from the sentimental value of the memories of your travels, it can be valuable to have old passports when you're trying to unwind your life in Thailand, like when you're trying to repatriate funds you brought in and a troublesome bank manager asks to see the passport used to open the account. I've seen it happen when I've helped elderly folks get their affairs in order to return to their home country.

Edited April 16, 2014 by NancyL