DTV & ..question..

[Dezmo]

My O retirement visa (1 year extension) expires in Jan 2025. I don't think I can easily renew it as I didn't have the 800k in my bank account for the first few months.

I read about the DTV visa and it might actually be better for me (I'm working).

My question is can I apply for that now while my O visa is still active?

I'll be back in Thailand in January for maybe 1-2 months and guess I could just exit when my O expires and come back in just after,  and get the 60 day exemption stamp, and later apply for the DTV when back in the USA.

Thx.

[BlueSphinx]

I presume that you bought a Re-Entry Permit prior to exiting Thailand, otherwise the 1-year extension of your Non Imm O Visa for retirement became invalid the moment you left Thailand.

When you re-enter Thailand on that Re-Entry Permit you will be stamped in by Thai border immigration for the remainder of your Permission to stay. 

So when you only plan to stay 3 months, it would be easier for you to ask border immigration on your return to ignore that Re-Entry Permit, and simply stamp you in Visa Exempt which will provide you with a 60 days Permission to stay stamp which can be easily extended for an additional 30 days at any Thai provincial Imm Office (costs 1.900 THB and is delivered on the spot).  

The DTV can ONLY be applied for when in your home-country, but afaik that Visa has not yet become available (it was planned to be rolled out in July) and so the requirements for an application from the Thai embassy/consulate in US are not clear yet.  It might involve having Thai-approved Health-Insurance.  

Note that you can only do online work for non-Thai customers with that DTV and that you must have evidence of a 'cultural' reason to apply for it (e.g. learning Thai language, Thai cooking, muay thai, or likewise).

[Dezmo]

I do have a ME Permit.   It may be easier to ask for the 60 days Permission and then apply once back in the USA after my O visa expires. Though I was curious if it mattered if I applied for the DTV when I still had the O and if they would care?

I thought I read a few folks mentioning that they got the DTV in the USA but I may be mistaken. I would hope the requirements are standard but I know interpretation can vary. Ha!

I think your last paragraph is an "or" condition :)

Thought I could apply here once an account is created..

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

 

[Liquorice]

9 hours ago, Dezmo said:

My question is can I apply for that now while my O visa is still active?

Your O visa is already invalid, but you have Non Immigrant status and valid permission of stay, which is a permit, not a visa.

10 hours ago, Dezmo said:

I'll be back in Thailand in January for maybe 1-2 months and guess I could just exit when my O expires and come back in just after,  and get the 60 day exemption stamp, and later apply for the DTV when back in the USA.

As your extension is due for renewal in Jan 2025, if you enter prior to your valid permission of stay, then you'll be stamped in until the renewal date. If you enter after your permission of stay expires, you'll receive the 60 day visa exempt entry stamp.

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

The DTV can ONLY be applied for when in your home-country, but afaik that Visa has not yet become available (it was planned to be rolled out in July) and so the requirements for an application from the Thai embassy/consulate in US are not clear yet.  It might involve having Thai-approved Health-Insurance.  

Incorrect.

1. Only certain nationalities may have to apply from their home Country. Most nationals can apply at most Thai Embassies, as the DTV is classed as a Tourist visa type.

2. The DTV was rolled out on 15th July and has already been issued to multiple applicants.

 

3. The requirements from the Thai Embassy DC for the DTV are clear to me.
https://washingtondc.thaiembassy.org/en/page/dtv-visa

4. Health Insurance is not a requirement.

[Dezmo]

48 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Your O visa is already invalid, but you have Non Immigrant status and valid permission of stay, which is a permit, not a visa.

As your extension is due for renewal in Jan 2025, if you enter prior to your valid permission of stay, then you'll be stamped in until the renewal date. If you enter after your permission of stay expires, you'll receive the 60 day visa exempt entry stamp.

I am confused... how can my O Visa be invalid (in my Passport says it is good until Jan 21, 2025)? ... and from what I read on legal sites: " A Thailand Retirement Visa is often known as an “Extension of Stay based on Retirement.” This is because the Thailand Retirement Visa is an extension of a non-immigrant O visa Thailand or a non-immigrant OA visa Thailand, " 

[Liquorice]

A visa cannot be extended.
A single entry Non O visa valid for 3 months, is 'USED' on entry.
A multiple entry Non O visa valid for 1 year, becomes invalid on the 'enter before' date.
Neither can be used again for entry to Thailand.
You wouldn't need a re-entry permit if you had a 1 year Non O visa, it would be multiple entry, and it certainly wouldn't have been issued by Thai Immigration.

On entry to Thailand using a Non O visa, you are granted a period of stay, the stamp will state  'permitted to stay' until (90 days). At Immigration, you then apply to extend that period of stay, which is a permit.

From Thailand Ministry of Foreign Ministry of Affairs;
https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/general-information?menu=5e1ff6d057b01e00a6391dc5
 

7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay.  Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand.  In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years.  The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker. 

8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa.  For example, the period of stay for a transit visa is not exceeding 30 days, for a tourist visa is not exceeding 60 days and for a non-immigrant visa is not exceeding 90 days from the arrival date.  The period of stay granted by the immigration officer is displayed on the arrival stamp.  Travellers who wish to stay longer than such period may apply for extension of stay at offices of the Immigration Bureau 

To apply to extend your period of stay in Thailand at Immigration, you complete form TM7:
APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY STAY IN THE KINGDOM.
(Extending your period of stay that was initially granted on entry).

You're then required to sign a couple of other forms;
Acknowledgement of the Overstay rules and form STM2, acknowledging the terms and conditions for permit of temporary stay in the Kingdom of Thailand, which clearly states;
'I do hereby acknowledge the terms and conditions applicable to this permit'.

Permits extending your permission of stay do not allow entries to Thailand as a valid visa would, which is why you have to purchase a separate re-entry permit to keep any permission of stay already granted, valid on re-entry.

Read your stamps carefully and understand their meanings.
Even though a single entry Non O visa is 'USED' on first entry, your Immigration status remains as 'Non Immigrant' provided you consecutively extend your period of stay.