Can I convert a 45-day visa exemption to a Non-Immigrant O visa for retirement and then apply for an extension?

October 21, 2022
2 years ago
Jurgen ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Can you go to immigration with 45 exemption for a non immigrant O and then an extension retirement?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Yes, if you meet the requirements for a Non-O visa based on retirement and still have days left on your stay, you can convert the visa exemption into a Non-O visa. After holding the Non-O visa for at least two months, you can then apply for a one-year extension. It's important to check with your embassy for specific documentation requirements and ensure you have sufficient days left on your current visa.
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Peter ****************
@Jurgen **********
, Dutch and Belgian Embassy, still provide an Affidavit (income statement). 2030€ is more than enough. Look/ask y'r Embassy how to get it. I am Dutch and need to send a pension statement and 2 month copies of my (Dutch) bank statement with exactly that amount deposited from my pension fund. Don't know for Belgium. Maybe smart to ask TWO ? This because many times they take/want the original. So 1 for the Visa, and later 1 for the extension. I am in Korat, and here that letter is SIX months valid.

I don't know how many days you must have left on your stamp but at least 15 I thought. Ask your imm. If not enough time left, then you can ask an extension of 30 days first.

Good luck 🙏
Peter ****************
@David *******
. Yes, but as said before, better to ask your imm. office. I read there are some who not accept this. You can use the same 400k in the Thai bank together with the affidavit.

Bit painful, but should your (officialy married) partner die, you still can use the existing extension of stay based on being married to a Thai partner. Not a new one I think 🤷‍♂️ "you signed for it" on the STM.2 if used. (item 2).
David ********
@Peter ***************
thanks Peter, as you suggested I'll eventually check with the immigration office (Chiang Mai) since I've read somewhere that Chiang Mai might be one of the ones that might not accept combinations.
Peter ****************
Sorry to hijack y'r post a bit
@Jurgen **********
.

Only now I read you are a Canadian, sry 🙄
@ *************
y.

You also can get an affidavit from y'r embassy. Not need to lock y'r money in a Thai bank. And indeed MOST (not all, just ask) imm. offices accept the combination method. This also because you can get an affidavit. The embassies of the 4 countries I mentioned, don't provide an affidavit anymore, so sometimes difficult to prove the income part of a combination method.
David ********
@Peter ***************
thanks Peter... just to clarify since it's not always clear if the 'original application' and 'extension process' have the same requirements.

are you saying for retirement you can use the 'combination' of bank account and salary affidavit for both the application and the extension process?

I ask as right now I'm on a marriage visa and use the 400K bank account method, but as someone who had been widowed once already (in Canada, had nothing to do with Thailand other than to teach me to prepare for the worst,) I'm wondering about the conversion process if my marriage status goes away?

can I convert to retirement status with minimal effort just by continuing to use the 400K and an income verification letter to make up the rest of the 800K, or will I need to watch out for some 'gotcha' in the conversion in either the application process or extension process?
Jurgen ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
It's net 2030€ which is about 75.000 Thb

And I can go to the Belgian embassy for an affidavit for the immigration service
Peter ****************
Well, not sure indeed, but I presumed it is 2.030€ net
@David *******
. Don't have to be foreign deposits for us. Just an income statement (Affidavit) from the Dutch or Belgian embassy. It's different only for 4 countries. (US,UK, Australia and Denmark). Is het netto
@Jurgen **********
?
David ********
is 2030€ enough? If I understand correctly you need to have foreign *deposits* of 65,000 Baht into your Thai Bank account. I'm Canadian so of that were my 2030€ equivalent then I would lose 15 to 25% for withholding tax which would not leave me enough for the 65,000 Baht deposit depending upon exchange and transfer fees ... not sure how that works in the EU, but I thought I'd make you aware of the possible issue so if necessary you can be ready with some creative solutions (maybe combination of a 'permanent' lump sum deposit and monthly income?)
Peter ****************
Aha
@Jurgen **********
, dus je hebt je visum al gekocht in België. Dus als je nu Thailand binnen komt voor de einddatum van je visum, krijg je 90 dagen verblijf. Na 60 dagen (soms 45) kun je je verlenging kopen. Suc6
Peter ****************
Je hebt helemaal gelijk
@John *********
🙈. Sry
@ *****************
n. 2 maanden vantevoren alleen voor de jaar extensie 😨

"Jeugdig enthousiastme" zal ik het maar op houden 🙄
Jurgen ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ***************
heb via e-visa aanvraag gedaan voor non immigrant O (pensioen) van 90 dagen, na 3 is het reeds goedgekeurd en heb ik de mail ontvangen.

Moet zeggen vroeger 2016 was het toch gemakkelijk via het consulaat te Antwerpen. Ja ik heb daaar reeds vier jaar gewoond, en weet wel dat immigratie soms vervelende vragen stellen.
Peter ****************
Nee
@Jurgen **********
idd, geen visum nodig. Je kunt in Thailand (Maar niet bij alle !!!) bij je imm. kantoor een 'incountry' non imm o visa kopen. WEL even navragen of zij dat doen ! Je moet 2 maanden vantevoren je 800k฿ (retirement) of 400k฿ (mariage) op een thaise bank zetten alleen op jouw naam, als international transfer. OF, en daar hebben we het over, een inkomens verklaring van je ambassade. Voor NL heet dat ding 'visumondersteuningsbrief'. (Tja ze konden geen betere naam vinden denk ik 😉). Als je die inkomensverklaring hebt, kun je daarmee (en nog andere documenten zoals een TM7 (aanvraag formulier), TM30 (Verblijfs adres) etc. etc. ) een visum non O kopen. 2,000฿ dacht ik. Verstandig om alles vantevoren (Ze hebben altijd een 'handout' wat je nodig hebt), bij je imm. kantoor. Dan kun je dus 90 dagen blijven. Na b.v. 60 dagen, ga je (met je 2e inkomensverklaring) weer naar je imm. kantoor, met nagenoeg dezelfde documenten, en koop je je jaarverlenging voor 1,900฿. That's it dacht ik. Suc6 !!
Jurgen ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ***************
dankuwel voor de info
John **********
@Peter ***************
I may have misunderstood due to this not being in English but to apply for the initial 90 day Non-O visa inside Thailand the money only has to be in the bank. It doesn't have to be there for 2 months, that's only for the extension.
Jurgen ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ***************
dankuwel voor de info

Dus ik heb geen visum nodig van de thaise ambassade in Brussel?
Brandon ************
If you meet the requirements for a non-O visa based on retirement (90 days), and also have enough days left on your stay, you can convert a visa exempt to non-O visa. Then after at least 2 months you can apply for the 1 year extension.
Jurgen ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
What are the requirements I have 2030 euro pension and I am 58 years old
Brandon ************
@Jurgen **********
You either need 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account in your name only with proof that it was transferred to Thailand from overseas, or you need your embassy to certify that your pension is at least 65,000 baht per month.
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