Can you convert a Tourist Visa, or a 30-day visa stamp (exemption), into a 90-day Non Immigrant O Visa?
Yes. Well, not so much convert, but immigration will cancel your current visa, or stamp, and issue the Non O, if you meet the requirements.
This visa can be issued on the basis of marriage to a Thai national, having Thai children, retirement or education purposes.
In this post, I'll list the documents for those applying on the basis of being married to a Thai national, and for those applying on the basis of retirement.
After you submit the application, you must stay in Thailand for 15 days to await approval.
Please note: This is a 90-day, single entry visa (you have already entered). If you leave the country without a re-entry permit, your visa will automatically be cancelled. This is not a multiple entry visa, meaning you cannot come and go as you please.
It is also NOT a 1-year extension. This 90-day Non Immigrant O visa is the pre-cursor to the 1-year extension of stay. If you want to apply for that extension, you need to do so during the last 30 days of your 90-day Non Imm O Visa stay.
The main difference in applying for the 1-year extension is that you have to secure the financial requirement in a Thai bank account 60 days prior to applying, which you will already have done, if you choose to leave those funds in place after applying for the 90-day visa we're going to cover here.
+ Read information on the 1-year retirement visa extension
This is not an immigration officer.
How & When to Apply
This process needs to be undertaken when you have at least 15 days stay left in the country. If you have less than 15 days, you will need to first apply for a 30-day extension of stay, which can be done at a local immigration office at a cost of 1,900 Baht.
Similarly, you will apply for your 90-day Non O Visa at a local immigration office. It is more complicated than a short-term extension, though, and requires numerous documents.
Once the immigration officer has verified your documents, he or she will issue a receipt, specifying a return date for visa collection, typically two weeks later. Upon your return, a 90-day stamp and a Non-Immigrant “O” Visa will be affixed to your passport, granting you a 90-day stay from the date of your application.
Required Documents Based On Marriage:
1. Form TM.86: For foreigners holding Tourist or Transit Visas intending to apply for a change of visa type (from Tourist or Transit to Non-Immigrant Visa).
Form TM.87: For foreigners entering Thailand without a visa but allowed to stay for 30 or 90 days with a permit, seeking to apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa.
2. Copy of passport pages, including personal information, last entry stamp, visa sticker, extension stamp (if any), and departure card (Form TM.6).
3. One 4×6 cm or one 2-inch size photograph.
4. Application fee of Baht 2,000.
5. If the applicant's spouse is a Thai citizen:
- Copy of national ID card.
- Copy of house registration papers.
- Copy of employee’s or government officer’s ID card.
Marriage:
6. In case of marriage registered in Thailand:
- Marriage certificate (Form Kor Ror.2).
- Marriage certificate (Form Kor Ror.3).
- A copy of the letter certifying marital status before registration of marriage (a copy of the letter certifying that the applicant is single). In the absence of such letter, a copy can be obtained from the District Office where the marriage was registered.
In case of marriage registered in a foreign country:
- Family status registration (Form Kor Ror.22) and marriage certificate registered in the overseas country.
- Letter from a government office, embassy, or consulate certifying that the applicant is a member of the referred family.
*All documents pertaining to marriage registered in a foreign country must be translated into English and certified by the local or overseas Embassy or Consulate of the foreign national and by the Legalization Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Financial:
7. If the husband is a foreigner, the following evidence of income must be submitted:
- A letter of guarantee from the local or overseas Embassy or Consulate, proving the monthly pension of the applicant not less than Baht 40,000/month and showing the source of income.
OR
- A letter of guarantee in Thai language from a commercial bank in Thailand (Attention: Immigration Commissioner) and a copy of all entries of the applicant’s passbook showing that the applicant has a saving or fixed deposit account of not less than Baht 400,000.
*Documents must be issued and updated to be the same date as the application, and all documents must be in the applicant’s name.
Accommodation:
- Rental Agreement between the Applicant and The Landlord, with a copy of ID card and House Registration of the Landlord (certified true copy by the Landlord).
- Condo or House purchase agreement, Location of the house or condo map, and a rental receipt for the past three months.
Required Documents Based On Retirement:
1. Form TM.86: For foreigners with a Tourist or Transit Visa seeking to apply for a change in visa type (from Tourist or Transit Visa to Non-Immigrant Visa).
OR
Form TM.87: For foreigners entering the Kingdom of Thailand without a visa but permitted to stay for 30 or 90 days, desiring to apply for a non-immigrant visa.
2. Copy of passport pages (e.g., personal information page, last entries stamp, visa sticker, extension stamp if any, and departure card – Form TM.6).
3. One photograph sized 4×6 cm or 2 inches.
4. Application fee of Baht 2,000.
Financial:
- Present passbook and deposit certificate from banks in Thailand (in Thai language, Attention: Immigration Commissioner).
- Copy of all entries in the applicant’s passbook, demonstrating a savings or fixed deposit account of at least Baht 800,000 (all documents must be in the applicant’s name).
- Evidence of foreign currency funds transferred to Thailand.
(Note: These documents must be issued and updated on the same date as the application, and all documents must be in the applicant’s name.)
OR
Choose one of the following financial options:
A letter of guarantee from the local or overseas Embassy or Consulate, proving the monthly pension of the applicant not less than Baht 65,000 per month (together with reference documents showing the source of the monthly pension).
OR
Evidence of deposited money under Clause 5 and evidence of income under Clause 6 (for one year), demonstrating a total amount not less than Baht 800,000.
Accommodation:
- Rental Agreement between the applicant and the landlord.
- A copy of house registration.
- Location map of the house.
- Rental receipt for the past three months.
A Note About Variations in Requirements
Please bear in mind that requirements may differ slightly between immigration offices across the country. The variations in required documents can be attributed to several factors, including regional policies, legal interpretations and the discretion granted to local authorities.
Additionally, changes in government regulations or evolving interpretations of immigration policies can take time to filter through and be understood by regional offices.
The requirements listed here are the official requirements published by the immigration bureau.
Going to the Immigration Office
If you are married, you will need to go to the immigration office closest to your Thai wife's place of residence. If you are completing the process based on retirement, just go to your closest immigration office.
Do bear in mind that not all immigration offices will complete this process and may direct you elsewhere.
The most popular place for converting a 30-day exemption stamp or a Tourist Visa to a Non-Immigrant O Visa is Chaeng Wattana Immigration.
Based at Chaeng Wattana Soi 7, the most straightforward route involves taking the BTS to Mo Chit, exiting through gate 1 and then jumping in a taxi.
The fare for the taxi ride to the office is approximately 100-110 Baht, and the return journey may cost slightly more, ranging from 120-140 Baht due to a marginally longer route necessitated by the one-way system.
- TEL: 0-2141-9889, 081-412-9180
- Office Hours: Mon – Fri (08.30 – 12.00 hrs , 13.00 – 16.30 hrs) Closed on Public Holidays
In Summary
Remember:
- Ensure that your existing visa validity exceeds 15 days prior to application.
- Make sure you have the financial requirement in place before you apply.
- Obtain the necessary documents.
- If married, attend the immigration office with your wife. She will need to make sure she has the correct documents, too.
- Do not leave Thailand during the visa processing period.
- Once the visa is granted, get a Re-Entry Permit before exiting the country.
- Extend your visa to one year before its expiration for a longer stay. Do this in the last 30-days of your 90-day visa.
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