Extend to O-A from 30-day tourist visa?

[Treetopview]

Looking for advice:  I have already deposited B 1 mill into a Thai bank account I opened on a recent trip.  In early February those funds will have been in the account for 60 days.  I know that I can pass the medical and criminal checks, and I'm over 50.   Is there any reason not to simply enter Thailand from the USA with a 30-day-on-arrival tourist stamp in February and submit the forms for the O-A visa once I'm here?   Thanks in advance.

[Goolabert]

You cannot get an O-A in Thailand, only in your home country.

What you can do if you arrive with only a 30-day stamp is get a one year extension of stay.

[Edge]

3 hours ago, Treetopview said:

Looking for advice:  I have already deposited B 1 mill into a Thai bank account I opened on a recent trip.  In early February those funds will have been in the account for 60 days.  I know that I can pass the medical and criminal checks, and I'm over 50.   Is there any reason not to simply enter Thailand from the USA with a 30-day-on-arrival tourist stamp in February and submit the forms for the O-A visa once I'm here?   Thanks in advance.

You need to go to Jomtien ASAP within the 30 days and apply for a 90 day Non-O...application has to go to Bangkok for approval (or you can go there yourself) and takes up to a week.

Once you have that you can apply for a One Year Extension of Stay (Retirement)....no Medical or CRC involved.

All the above run consecutively (total 16 months) so no need to wait until near expiry.

[Treetopview]

OK, thanks for the good info.  I'm currently back in the US atm btw.

 

Research I've done thus far often mentions extending to a Non-Imm O-A while in Thailand.  However typically they talk about coming BACK with a 90-day stay, in order to allow funds to be deposited and to be there for 60 days.

[Edge]

15 minutes ago, Treetopview said:

OK, thanks for the good info.  I'm currently back in the US atm btw.

 

Research I've done thus far often mentions extending to a Non-Imm O-A while in Thailand.  However typically they talk about coming BACK with a 90-day stay, in order to allow funds to be deposited and to be there for 60 days.

Yes I got where you are.

If you can come come back with a 90 day (not easy) it saves you one conversion (1900 Baht) but for seeding funds you already have that covered.
Certainly you don't want (IMO) to bother getting a Retirement Visa in your home country vs getting an Extension here.

[Treetopview]

I rather prefer being able to do filings, etc while in Thailand as well ... the reason being that if there is anything that I made a mistake on with paper filings it causes many more delays when being done from 13,000 km away.

[Treetopview]

1 minute ago, Treetopview said:

I rather prefer being able to do filings, etc while in Thailand as well ... the reason being that if there is anything that I made a mistake on with paper filings it causes many more delays when being done from 13,000 km away.

 

9 minutes ago, Edge said:

Certainly you don't want (IMO) to bother getting a Retirement Visa in your home country vs getting an Extension here.

 

[Edge]

Especially from a Treetop.   

[Treetopview]

That view is one that generally is hard to attain but one which few others get to see.

[PattayaFanatic]

On 12/9/2017 at 08:44, Edge said:

You need to go to Jomtien ASAP within the 30 days and apply for a 90 day Non-O...application has to go to Bangkok for approval (or you can go there yourself) and takes up to a week.

Once you have that you can apply for a One Year Extension of Stay (Retirement)....no Medical or CRC involved.

All the above run consecutively (total 16 months) so no need to wait until near expiry.

Jomtien requires at least 15 days on your entry stamp or you'll need an extension,to allow turn around time

Also they might nail you for a fine if you didn't  report your address in Thailand within 24 hours of arrival.

I got nailed for ฿1600 last year

I'll stick to ME visas til retirement in 8 years.

[usexpat46]

There is no requirement for medical or criminal check if you apply in LOS.  You have the required amount in a Thai bank for the required amount of time.  You'll need proof of where you're living in LOS, some passport photos, the required forms filled out,  a letter from your Thai bank,  your bankbook and some baht to pay first for the non "O" visa (I paid 2000 baht) and then the retirement extension 1900 baht.