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Can I apply for an in-country 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa at any immigration office in Thailand?
Non-Immigrant O VisaVisa ExtensionImmigration Office ProceduresRetirement VisaVisa Application Process
Jul 15, 2023
3 years ago
Carsten ******
ORIGINAL POSTERHello everyone. I am currently on my 2nd extension of stay, based on a Non-Immigrant O-A visa (retirement), valid until 1st October. However, to get rid of the insurance requirement, I want to switch to a 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa (retirement). To do so, I plan to go to Laos in August without buying me a re-entry permit, and apply for the new visa there. Then return to Thailand and apply for a 1-year-extension at my ‚home‘ immigration office in due time.
My questions however center on a possible plan B I need to consider, if I were not issued the visa in Laos for any reason. In such a case I would plan to re-enter Thailand on visa excempt and apply for an in-country 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa (retirement). But I already found out that my ‚home‘ immigrant office in Mukdahan, where I do my regular 90-day-reporting, does not issue such visa. So my question is, am I free to choose any immigrant office in Thailand (that offers this service) to apply for an in-country 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa? E.g go to Ubon Ratchathani or Bangkok for it?
If yes, would I need to apply for the 1-year-extension of stay on my new visa also there, or can I do this in my ‚home‘ immigration office (as I did in the past for my old/current visa)?
And finally, will it be sufficient to invalid my current extension of stay by just leaving the country without a re-entry permit or is it advisable to officially and actively cancel my current extension of stay at my ‚home‘ immigration office before I leave the country? Especially as the original expiry date is 1st October, i.e. later as when I plan to apply for my new visa and return with it to Thailand.
Many thanks in advance, Carsten
My questions however center on a possible plan B I need to consider, if I were not issued the visa in Laos for any reason. In such a case I would plan to re-enter Thailand on visa excempt and apply for an in-country 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa (retirement). But I already found out that my ‚home‘ immigrant office in Mukdahan, where I do my regular 90-day-reporting, does not issue such visa. So my question is, am I free to choose any immigrant office in Thailand (that offers this service) to apply for an in-country 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa? E.g go to Ubon Ratchathani or Bangkok for it?
If yes, would I need to apply for the 1-year-extension of stay on my new visa also there, or can I do this in my ‚home‘ immigration office (as I did in the past for my old/current visa)?
And finally, will it be sufficient to invalid my current extension of stay by just leaving the country without a re-entry permit or is it advisable to officially and actively cancel my current extension of stay at my ‚home‘ immigration office before I leave the country? Especially as the original expiry date is 1st October, i.e. later as when I plan to apply for my new visa and return with it to Thailand.
Many thanks in advance, Carsten
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user seeks advice on switching from a Non-Immigrant O-A visa (retirement) to a 90-day Non-Immigrant O visa while considering options for potential visa application hurdles in Laos. Key concerns include the freedom to choose an immigration office for the in-country application, the ability to apply for a one-year extension at a different office, and whether leaving Thailand without a re-entry permit suffices to invalidate the current extension. The conversation highlights that users can apply for the in-country visa at another immigration office, but must ensure they meet accommodation requirements and may need to update residency paperwork.
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Nigel *******
Related question, as I'm also considering switching to Non-O. Are there any differences or advantages to applying for the Non-O in-country versus out-of-country? Are the requirements the same either way?
Tod *********
@Nigel ******
don't confuse Thai Embassies outside the country with Thai Immigrations INSIDE the country, they are two completely different governmental agencies and have nothing much to do with each other Requirements for the O visa differ by consulate and country, so check the website of the thai embassy/consulate in your country.
And if you're going to do the Non-O visa inside the country go to your immigration office make sure they can issue it and get the hand out listing the requirements (as you see, not all offices in the country can issue in country Non-Immigrant type visas)
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Carsten ******
ORIGINAL POSTERThank you both so much for your quick and detailed reply! I really appreciate! And will check with Mukdahan immigration on Monday. And if not finding a solution there and failing with plan A, I still have a plan C to go back to Germany to apply for the new visa there (although I definitely would like to avoid this costy option)!
Ellie *******
You cannot just 'shop' an immigration office. To apply for your retirement visa in another province, you need to move there properly (with TM30, and TM28 in some provinces). Also, you need to provide long-term lease agreement or equivalent as proof of accommodation in that province, the same address as TM30. Just a hotel booking or receipt for a few nights is not acceptable for a retirement visa.
Follow Tod's advice.
Follow Tod's advice.
Tod *********
𝗦𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀, 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 (𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲) 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻-𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝟵𝟬-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗢 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮? 𝗘.𝗴 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁?
I would certainly go to the immigration office you use for your 90 day reporting and ASK them what office you should use. I'd imagine it's the closest "real" office to your province, and they'll know what one to send you to..
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 ‚𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲‘ 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗮𝘀 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗹𝗱/𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮)? You should be able to get your year extension after a Non-O from inside or outside the country at your primary immigration office (in your case Mukdahan)
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 ‚𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲‘ 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆?
Totally okay to just stamp out on your current extension without a re-entry permit. That will get you OFF this stay and then either get the Non-O in Lao or come back in visa exempt and get it in country at an office that can issue it.
The reason I say talk to your immigration office is that you can't be the first foreigner wanting to get an in country Non-Immigrant type visa. Mukdahan will know which nearby province does it and will let you use your current address
I would certainly go to the immigration office you use for your 90 day reporting and ASK them what office you should use. I'd imagine it's the closest "real" office to your province, and they'll know what one to send you to..
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 ‚𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲‘ 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗮𝘀 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗹𝗱/𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮)? You should be able to get your year extension after a Non-O from inside or outside the country at your primary immigration office (in your case Mukdahan)
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 ‚𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲‘ 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆?
Totally okay to just stamp out on your current extension without a re-entry permit. That will get you OFF this stay and then either get the Non-O in Lao or come back in visa exempt and get it in country at an office that can issue it.
The reason I say talk to your immigration office is that you can't be the first foreigner wanting to get an in country Non-Immigrant type visa. Mukdahan will know which nearby province does it and will let you use your current address
Mario *********
@Tod ********
i just moved to Amnat Charoen province and i checked with immigration office in the city Amnat and officer told me to go to Laos accross Mukdahan to savanhaket and get my 90 days O visa at this embassy and come back to Amnat Charoen city office after 6 weeks to have my extension. I stay in Chanuman. Hope this can help, i will do this in a few weeks.Roger ********
@Mario ********
look up and go on the day when it’s not so busy at the Savanhaket Thai Embassy. I stood in line 5 hours last Monday.Tod *********
@Roger *******
that was just bad luck on your part showing up on a monday, 😕 ALL the visa run companies from bangkok and pattaya go there that day. You could have showed up on a Thursday and I bet there wouldn't have been 20 people in line. OR went on a Friday (where you stay over the weekend and get your passport Monday afternoon) and you might have been the only person in line 😛
Roger ********
@Tod ********
yes I found out the hard way. But your advise worker perfectly. Thanks.Reply to
Roger ********
Reply
Tod *********
@Mario ********
then that's what you should do.. Look on the thai consulate in Savannakhet website and read the requirements for the Non-O 90 day single entry visa based on being over 50 (retirement)Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
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