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Can I apply for a Non-imm O Retirement visa in Thailand after entering as a tourist with a new passport?

visa rules immigration Non-imm O Retirement visa tourist entry passport renewal Thailand visa policies expat information

Jan 2, 2021

4 years ago

Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi and a Happy New Year to you all.

I'm a Swedish national, currently stranded  in Sweden. 

I've held a Non-imm O Retirement visa for some time now.

I have to renew my passport as it expires soon. My visa will consequently be cancelled as it cannot be transferred to my new passport I was told by the Thai embassy in Sweden 

Rather than applying for a new visa in Sweden, I'm thinking of returning home to Thailand as a tourist since there is currently no visa requirement for Swedish tourists.

Does anyone know if I after arriving in Thailand as a tourist without a visa, can apply for a new Non-imm O Retirement visa in Thailand without having to leave the country?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A Swedish national currently in Sweden needs to renew their passport, which will cancel their Non-imm O Retirement visa because it cannot be transferred to a new passport. They are considering entering Thailand as a tourist, as Swedish tourists currently have no visa requirement. The community advises that after entering Thailand as a tourist, they can apply for a new Non-imm O Retirement visa within Thailand without needing to leave the country. It's also suggested to carry both the old and new passports when entering Thailand, as immigration can recognize the valid extension in the old passport.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

Padraig **********

Yes my wife has a OA visa in her old pp, COE issued and told to carry old and new on entering Thailand

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Padraig *********

Thanks

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Tod *********

As people pointed out there is NO problem flying in to the country with new passport while having a valid extension/re-entry permit in your old passport. You hand over both passports when you stamp in.

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks

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Michael ********

You don't have a visa. You have a year long extension of stay with a multiple re-entry permit. When does your passport expire? If you have enough time, use your current passport and extension to get the COE and enter Thailand. Get the stamp moved to your new passport when you arrive. Continue with your yearly extensions......But if not, and you don't have enough time, then get a new passport, enter with both, and then get the stamp gransferred over in thailand. There is also nothing stopping you from entering as a tourist and then getting a NON O in Thailand, and then continue with your yearly extensions after that. But it would be a waste of your current extension.

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Michael *******

Thanks Michael.

Also other group members have mentioned the same as you so I feel more at ease now.

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George ******************

I got a new passport in Canada, my last trip. I came into Thailand and showed them the old passport with the reentry permit, no problem entering. I then went to immigration and had everything transferred to my new passport.

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Benjamin ******

>My visa will consequently be cancelled as it cannot be transferred to my new passport I was told by the Thai embassy in Sweden

Getting a new passport in Sweden will *NOT* go through the Thai embassy, and your visa will *NOT* be expired or invalidated.

>can apply for a new Non-imm O Retirement visa in Thailand without having to leave the country?

Yes you can. Once you enter Thailand on a tourist or visa exempt, you can get an extension of stay based on retirement, assuming you meet the requirements.

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Benjamin *****

Thanks.

That's great news if that works.

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Adri ********

Immigration will do

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Adri ********

Your old pasport not destroy pages with your visa on return in thailand they move it to your new pasport.

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Ok. Thanks.

They won't transfer the visa to my new passport at the Thai embassy is Sweden but hopefully they will do so at Immigration in Thailand

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Adri ********

@Thomas *******

yes they have to mention your old pasport belong to the new one and keep the visa pages .Go to immigration and they will transfer to your new pasport.Happen to me to

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Adri ********

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James ********

Get a new passport NOW.

When does your current extension of stay for retirement end?

Do you have a reentry permit?

Yes...once you get your new passport...

Get the CoE permission to enter Thailand from your Thai Embassy.

If the current permission to stay has expired...

Then get the tourist visa...

enter Thailand...

Do your 15 days quarantine in Bangkok

Then meet with your local immigration office and ask for their list of requirements for the Non O retirement and one year extension of stay.

You can carry both passports if needed if your current extension stamp is in it.

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks James.

My current O-Retirement visa expires in May 2021.

Yes I have a multiple reentry permit.

I fulfill all the COE requirements.

Should be easy to obtain with the new passport which I will apply for on Monday.

The question is if I can skip the visa altogether and just go for a COE as a tourist?

Swedish nationals apparently don't need a visa for short stay tourist purpose at the momentet.

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James ********

@Thomas *******

the important question is really ...

Will the Thai Embassy issue you a CoE for visa exempt on arrival with an existing retirement based extension in your passport.

And /or...

Will Thai immigration admit you on a CoE based on visa exempt entry...as they know you have the current valid extension in yoor old passport.

The moment you step in front of the Thai immigration officer facial recognition and fingerprinting software in use will disclose your history on the screen along with matching your old and new passports.

Was your current retorement baaed extension obtained from an OA based retirement visa ?

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi James.

My current retirement extension is based on an initial O-retirement visa which i got after ending a work assignment in Thailand and at which time I had a regular work permit.

I'm hoping the Thai Embassy will now grant me a COE based on the new passport that I will apply for next week.

Does that make sense?

My old passport will be cancelled when I receive the new one however I'm allowed to keep the old one and will bring this with me to Thailand however to pass Immigration at Suvarnabumi I will use the new clean passport with no visa.

After ASQ in Thailand I'll go to Chaengwattana Immigration and hopefully I'll be able to then get a new O-Retirement visa with an extension and multi entry permit stamped into my new passport.

I fulfill all retirement requirents including 800,000 THB which have been in a Thai savings account for the past 8 months.

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James ********

@Thomas *******

while your old passport is cancelled upon issue of a new one...the retirement extension of stay is not cancelled.

It will appear on the immigration computer screen upon arrival.

What is the real reason you do not want to use your current valid extension of stay with reentry permit to enter Thailand?

What you are wanting to do makes no sense.

Get a new passport...

Carry both old and new passport with you to Thailand...

Enter Thailand on your current extension of stay goo to May 2021.

Get the CoE from your Thai Embassy to do this. EASY TO OBTAIN.

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Benjamin ******

@Thomas *******

>I'm hoping the Thai Embassy will now grant me a COE based on the new passport that I will apply for next week.

No, your old visa/ extension of stay based on retirement with a re-entry permit is still valid. You will use both your old and new passport to enter Thailand. You will enter on your existing "retirement visa". Once you arrive in Thailand, you'll go to your local immigration office and get your extension of stay based on retirement transferred to your passport OR if you have a visa ("the sticker") continue using both passports.

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Thomas ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Benjamin *****

Thanks

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