Good luck UE - it certainly looks like immigration looked at the spirit/intention of the law when dealing with your application, which should be welcome news for every one dealing with them....

Went to NK immigration to apply for my second extension based on marriage. All went smooth on their part. I dealt with the female official, second from the window (not the pudgy one). I handed her two copies of the requested documentation, she went through it without asking for any of the originals (ie marriage cert, birth cert, etc). No mentioned of requiring any documentation with Ministry of Foreign Affairs notarization and she accepted my 14 month old income letter notarized by the Embassy. Even the bank letter was accepted without a problem, because it only stated that I had the required income and nothing about it coming from outside of Thailand (which another poster apparently had problems with). Bit worried there because my income is withdrawn via ATM and my bank book doesn't show transactions codes from money transferred in from outside of Thailand.

The not so smooth part was my doing. I received a call later in the afternoon from the official who processed my doc's (to my surprise she spoke English fairly well) apparently I didn't give her the original bank letter, I accidentally gave her 2 copies keeping the original...oops), so I have to return to NK tomorrow to giver her the original bank letter.

Glad that it all seems to have run smoothly for you.When I went last month there was no request for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorisation although it was on the typed list of requirements they gave me.
The staff,generally,seem to be quite friendly and laid back nowadays.I think they have a newish boss who sits at the side,adjoining where the customers sit.
I think the "pudgy one" just deals with the 90 day address reporting

I recall the that the Ministry of Immigration having introduced a change to the order to have certain documents notarized by the MOFA last year sometime, a few months later it was rescinded. I don't know why it was rescinded, but some posters on Thaivisa speculated it had to do with certain Embassy(s) protesting the order. I don't why NK immigration continues to publish this, especially if they don't enforce the rule.

Zidane wrote:Glad that it all seems to have run smoothly for you.When I went last month there was no request for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorisation although it was on the typed list of requirements they gave me.
The staff,generally,seem to be quite friendly and laid back nowadays.I think they have a newish boss who sits at the side,adjoining where the customers sit.
I think the "pudgy one" just deals with the 90 day address reporting

She also has a name plate on her desk ''squad leader''.She isn't the most personable staff member!She is the one that ''flung'' my passport back to me on a 90 day report!It could have been a ''bad hair'' day!

Slightly off thread but I am a sprightly 49 year old and therefore qualify for the Retirement Visa next year (May) but my current Non-Imm expires in October and thus NK won't extend (not married either)

Do I HAVE to obtain another Non-Imm from overseas prior to applying for the Retirement Visa or can I just waltz in with a Tourist Visa and all the cash credentials (no worries there as I am very, very wealthy)

Apologies if this has been covered before

I believe that it is not possible to convert from a tourist visa to a retirement visa.

Try looking at this - it seems pretty clear you can only go with a Non-O

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2n ... p606EN.pdf

I converted from a 60 day tourist visa issued in Los Angeles to a retirement visa in Bangkok!They extended my tourist visa while waiting for approval.

The Thai consulate lady recommended that I do it that way because the tourist visa got instant approval and I would have had to wait for the ''O'' visa!

Unless you are trying to avoid depositing money or showing income for the retirement visa for 15 months,this is an easy way to go!
An English friend of mine says the the Hull consulate is very easy to deal with for '')'' visas!

Thanks Bob and Stan, I'll see if they'll do an "O" in Doha, doubt it though, might have to go back to UK aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggg

Well they do actually do an O visa in Doha. But I have no idea how easy to get (Hull is VERY simple )

http://www.thaiembqatar.com/eng/main/co ... y=25&id=67

A little off topic but Papaguido and I visited Nong Khai Immigration today. Rito had his problem from yesterday sorted out very quickly and my Re-entry and 90 day report went smoothly. A 20 baht charge for some passport copies but in and out very quickly.

John

BobHelm wrote:Well they do actually do an O visa in Doha. But I have no idea how easy to get (Hull is VERY simple )

http://www.thaiembqatar.com/eng/main/co ... y=25&id=67

To Hull and back it is then

I went to extend my non-immigrant "o" visa last month for the 18th time and for the first time I had a little problem: Last year an officer asked me to consolidate my bank accounts and just show one account for simplicity. I did that just a month before applying for my extension. It didn't meet the 2 month minimum requirement. In Nong Khai they don't have the authority to waive the requirement and there wasn't sufficient time to request from Korat. So, they did the best they could: they gave me a 60 day extension. I also found that I can no longer use a joint account, the money must be soley in my name. Live and learn.
On another note: I had been notifying the local police department every 90 days. NK gave me a slap on the wrist and told me to come to NK every 90 days.

BobHelm wrote:I believe that it is not possible to convert from a tourist visa to a retirement visa.

Try looking at this - it seems pretty clear you can only go with a Non-O

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2n ... p606EN.pdf

It can be done but I had to go to Vientene and do it there they gave me and O an it was coverted in Nong Khai when it ran out. But, that was seven years lot could have changed since then.

git wrote:

BobHelm wrote:I believe that it is not possible to convert from a tourist visa to a retirement visa.

Try looking at this - it seems pretty clear you can only go with a Non-O

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2n ... p606EN.pdf

It can be done but I had to go to Vientene and do it there they gave me and O an it was coverted in Nong Khai when it ran out. But, that was seven years lot could have changed since then.

In Feb. I had my tourist visa converted to a non-immigrant "O" good for 90 days. This past Thursday, the 23rd, I applied for and received a one year extension based on retirement. I am only required to report every 90 days to immigration my address (or change of). Technically it is not a " retirement visa" but for all practical purposed it gives you the same thing, the ability to stay in country a year at a time without having to make visa runs to Laos. Originally I was told at Nong Khai that they could not issue a non-imm "O", which is true. But when I explained that they could convert and showed them information I had printed from various web sites they said ok. They sort of acted like they had never converted tourist to non-imm "O" before. Anyway everything worked out for me.