Thread: Non-Immigrant -O-

At the consulate in Stuttgart I got the non-immigrant O
for one year without any problems although being less than
50 years of age just by faxing a German bank statement.
Thus there is no need having money on a Thai bank.
For persons above 50 the non-immigrant O is more or less
useless anyway, because a normal tourist visa is sufficient
to extend it here to a pensioner's visa (however not a VoA
visa on arrival stamp for 30 days).
I am wondering now if this kind of non-immigrant O is
available in Asian countries too. Someone told me that
the type of non-immigrant O you can get in Laos is for
60 or 90 days only which makes it quite uninteresting.
Singapore on the other hand would issue it for 180 days
offering a viable alternative then.

Originally Posted by dietmar

At the consulate in Stuttgart I got the non-immigrant O
for one year without any problems although being less than
50 years of age just by faxing a German bank statement.
Thus there is no need having money on a Thai bank.

That's very lucky, not a rule.

Originally Posted by dietmar

For persons above 50 the non-immigrant O is more or less
useless anyway, because a normal tourist visa is sufficient
to extend it here to a pensioner's visa

The pensioner's visa is called an "immigrant -O", so is a marriage visa.

Originally Posted by dietmar

(however not a VoA
visa on arrival stamp for 30 days).

That's not a VoA, but a visa exempt permit to stay, and yes, this is no good for obtaining a non-imm-o in Thailand.

"This kind of non-immigrant O" was available to you because the staff at the Stuttgart consulate were kind enough not to follow the rules strictly.
Don't take for granted that another embassy or consulate will do the same, most of them will not !!

Non-imm O are either 90 days or 365 days visas. You can get a multiple visa, ie 2*90 days, but you have to leave Thailand and re-enter when the first one is due.

Non-imm O for 365 days requires you to have money available in Thailand, either in a bank account or as a monthly pension being transferred to Thailand.
800.000 baht if the visa is based on retirement, 400.000 baht if based on marriage. Again, the Stuttgart consulate was very kind when accepting that you had the money in Germany.

The age requirement for retirement visa is 50 years, some consulates has in the past accepted "near 50". Don't expect all consulates to do that !

Another requirement for 365 days Non-imm O, issued at a consulate or embassy is that you can produce a clean police record.
This is not the case if you extend a 90 days Non-imm O to 365 days in Thailand.

NON-IMMIG O is issued for 90 days, at which time you will have to leave or get it extended to a NON O Retired or married, but for a retirement you will have to be 50 years old, no ifs ands or buts, they will do that here and they do insist on the age and an income of 65,000 baht a month or 800k in a Thai bank.
I have had a non immig O retired for 6 years and it is easy to get if you can meet the requirements and jump thru the hoops.
It is NON Immigrant O, an Immigrant visa is altogether a different bucket of fish, and costs quite a bit of money and you will have to speak and write Thai to the satisfaction of the officer and will be issued a immigration form so you can live here forever I guess, but it is to become a resident.
They make that expensive and do not like to give it, thats why we all remain expats instead of immigrants.

But I have heard that the Embassys are issuing a "A-O Retired visa", you do everything to qualify at your countrys royal Thai embassy and then when you come here it is good for a year instead of 90 days and then extend it, at least that is what a guy that has one told me and he got it in the USA.
But at any length, I would get a NON O before I left home instead of having to go out and obtain it from an embassy in Lao or else where over here because some consulates and embassys are refusing to issue them from what I heard.
You can not depend on any thing immigration here as they change the rules with every officer or office you visit.

Originally Posted by blackgang

But I have heard that the Embassys are issuing a "A-O Retired visa", you do everything to qualify at your countrys royal Thai embassy and then when you come here it is good for a year instead of 90 days

It is called Non-imm O-A, and that is the visa for which you have to show a clean police record.
You will get a 1 year stamp when arriving, and you have to do address reporting every 90 days (as usual), either by post or by visiting an immigration office

Originally Posted by blackgang

...But I have heard that the Embassys are issuing a "A-O Retired visa"..

"O-A" (Long-Stay), mate:




Edit:

lom got in first!

Originally Posted by lom

You will get a 1 year stamp when arriving,

I believe RDN came here on one of those, probably not worth asking him about it though 'cos I doubt if he can remember all the way to his 50th

I could add, after having done another 1 year extension yesterday, that a medical record is no longer required.

In the past, that was a drug test (Mo + Am ) which had to be done at a government hospital.
If I had gone to Immigration first, I would have been saved the hospital visit
Asking my friendly immigration officer how come it's not needed anymore, he responded:
You should have come here first !
Why would we need hospital papers, you look strong

Originally Posted by lom

I could add, after having done another 1 year extension yesterday, that a medical record is no longer required...

Bugger! I could've saved myself 80 baht two weeks ago when I got mine. He didn't say anything about it though.

I'd really like to know what they're going to do when expats reach 80 or 90 years of age and start getting a bit frail... "Sorry, you're too weak, bugger off back to your own country."

Originally Posted by RDN

Bugger! I could've saved myself 80 baht

I feel ripped off, I paid 500 300 for the lab test and 200 for seeing the doctor who wrote the statement.
Last year it was 200 + 100..

Originally Posted by lom

Another requirement for 365 days Non-imm O, issued at a consulate or embassy is that you can produce a clean police record.

that's me fukked then.


Are the rest of you really that lily fukking white?

^Just don't let your visa run out....