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Can I switch from a tourist visa to an extended yearly visa in Thailand?

Thailand immigrationVisa optionsNon-O visaTourist visaVisa extensionExpat adviceVisa regulations
Jan 21, 2025
a month ago
Colin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Can I go to Thailand on a tourist ex visa then turn it into extended yearly visa
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Yes, you can enter Thailand on a tourist visa (specifically a tourist-exempt entry of 60 days) and then convert it to a Non-O visa from which you can apply for a yearly extension. However, you will need to meet certain conditions, including applying for a Non-O visa within the appropriate timeframe, having sufficient funds (like 800,000 THB for a retirement visa), and going through the necessary processes at the immigration office. Several comments highlight the benefits of getting the right visa upfront instead of converting later.
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Will *******
Hey guys

Can I do visa completely,in Thailand to bring my Thai girlfriend out for holiday,

Or do I have to complete part in Australia
a month ago
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Simon ********
Yes
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Colin ********
 works out pretty much like this to do an in country Non-O and then a year extension

Buy a single entry tourist visa in your country ONLINE using the eVisa webportal before you come here

OR enter visa exempt an get stamped in for 60 days

1 - Come in get stamped in for 60 day

2 - open a bank account in your name only

3 - get 800K baht transferred in

4 - go to your immigration office and apply for a 90 day Non-O visa based on being over 50 for 2000 THB

READ THE pdf from the Link I forwarded to you, change to Non-O “retirement” is the number 9 on the list

***wait the under review time frame (2 - 3 weeks depending on your office)

5 - go back and get the Non-O visa and new 90 days stamp inked in

***wait until your funds are seasoned in the bank for 2 months and you have 30 days or less left on that new 90 day stamp

6 - go to your immigration office and apply for a year extension based on retirement for 1900 THB
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Colin ********
 in case you can't read that on your phone, use your computer and visit the website and click on number 9 which is for retirement purpose
*******************************************
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Colin ********
 and here the second page of the requirements pdf sheet:
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Colin ********
 Here are the requirements to do the "change of visa type" from a visa-exempt 60-days stay permit, to a 90-days Non-im-O retirement visa. And from this visa you go to the "1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on Retirement". You need minimum 800,000 THB in a Thai bank account, among a few other requirements
a month ago
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Kina **********
yes pls message for more details
a month ago
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Jacalyn ***************
We live in Samui and the immigration office refused to convert our visa. Our option was to pay the school a giant fee to apply from here.

We had to leave the country and start over. Because it was cheaper than the fee.

I was told this type of thing is common in “the southern islands”.

Net/net, it is cheaper to get the non-O before you leave if you are coming here.
a month ago
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Stian *********
Why does this topic have a Facebook page. And why do I have to read it.

Go to Thailand. Be nice..

Problems solved!
a month ago
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Bill ********
No....
a month ago
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Rolf *********
YES
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
oh my god . . . this thread is a dead train . . should delete everything and ask the question again
a month ago
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Gregory ********
Yes
a month ago
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Bart **************
In principle you can do that, but obviously switching to a new type of visa comes with conditions.

Why not get the visa that you need upfront?
a month ago
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Colin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bart *************
 asked for documents which are in Thailand
a month ago
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Bart **************
@Colin ********
 ah right.

Then either have it mailed or go for the switch.
a month ago
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Bart **************
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James *******
No you should get a normal visa if you know you want to be there a year
a month ago
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James *******
@Kev ********
 because it's responsible and correct
a month ago
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Kev *********
@James ******
 there are other perfectly legitimate avenues James.
a month ago
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James *******
@Kev ********
 name them
a month ago
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Bart **************
@James ******
 the one referred to in the opening post, for instance.
a month ago
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James *******
@Bart *************
 not my post
a month ago
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Bart **************
@James ******
 so you can't read it? How did you reply to it then?
a month ago
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James *******
@Bart *************
 I read just fine. can you read? not my post
a month ago
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Bart **************
@James ******
 are you playing stupid? Dude you ask someone if there are other ways to obtain a visa except getting one upfront, even though the whole damn topic is about one. It's in the opening post which you replied to. It's not your post, so what? It's still written, it answers your question, but somehow you can't read it. Fine. I'm afraid you may have more defections than just reading issues.
a month ago
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James *******
@Bart *************
 Are you playing stupid?

If you can help him just do it.

Why are you so attracted to me?This isn't my post talk to the person who made it.
a month ago
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Bart **************
@James ******
 I talk to the one who asked if there are other ways to get visas beside from abroad, and who then stubbornly refuses to even listen to the answer, who somehow reasoned that because somebody else wrote something it cannot qualify as an answer to YOUR question, possibly because it makes you stand corrected on your initial reply.
a month ago
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James *******
@Bart *************
What is your goal here with me?

This isn't my post I don't need your opinion I didn't ask for it
a month ago
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Bart **************
@James ******
 you did ask a question. You forgot. How convenient it was deleted 😅
a month ago
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James *******
@Bart *************
 I never asked you anything besides "What is your goal here with me" did you forget?

There's nothing to delete
a month ago
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Kev *********
@James ******
 done already
a month ago
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Kev *********
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Bart **************
@Kev ********
 "should" is a strong expression, you can switch visa types if that's how things play out. But why not get the visa that you need upfront? That's how it's supposed to work; switching has been made possible for edge cases but you don't seem like one as you already know that you want to stay for longer. If you get your visa upfront, the terms and conditions that you'll encounter along the way are better suited. For instance, for your tourist visa you'd need proof of onward travel, for longer visas you do not. With a tourist visa, it will be hard if not impossible to open a bank account, which you then, depending on the visa you aim to switch to, may need. If you come with the right visa, you can open the account and comply with the extension conditions without trickery.
a month ago
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Kev *********
@Bart *************
 A long stay visa from your own country will be OA requiring health insurance . Equivalent of 800,000 baht in your home account will satisfy the fund aspect for the first year. However onward travel is simply a matter of buying an online bus ticket out of the country. Arrival on 60 day visa exempt and then apply for 90 day extension 3 weeks before visa exempt period expires. Ensure funds are deposited for the requisite time - it can be done. The 90 day extension will start from the end of the 60 days exempt period. As soon as the 90day visa is issued, get a resident's certificate from the immigration department issuing the visa. Take it to the bank to open an account.
@Brandon ***********
 please correct my errors.
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Kev ********
 mistake: you need to open the Thai bank account BEFORE you apply for the "change of visa type" to the 90 days Non-Imm-O visa. Because in to be allowed to apply, the money must already sit in the bank account. So for opening a bank account while being on a 60-days visa exempt, you will need the service of an agent, and you need to do that as soon as you have entered visa-exempt, because you need time to get the account opened and the money transferred from your home country bank AND still have a minimun of 15 workdays left on your 60-days stamp
a month ago
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Kev *********
@Nongnuch *******
 Not true. You do not 100% need an agent to open a bank account. Some banks will permit foreigners to open bank accounts.Also it's not change of visa type because 60day exemption is not a visa.
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Kev ********
 the reason for your confusion and wrong info is, Immigration in their bad English does not draw any difference between a "stay permit" and a "visa". They call an extension of a stay permit "visa extension". Thus, even the visa-exempt 60-days stay permit falls under it being wrongly called a "visa type"
a month ago
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Bart **************
@Nongnuch *******
 you can blame immigrations many things, but not this. Maybe the mistake is to call the visa exemption that, instead of the perhaps more suitable "visa on arrival". The problem is then that that term is already in use. But many more people would understand what is meant if you call it that. Then the term "visa extension" would be slightly more accurate. But even if it's not accurate, I think it's preferred they use this term over some other because everyone would just immediately understand what is meant. Internationally the term is used frequently, whereas if you'd speak of "extension of stay permit", many would think of permanent stayers and the like.
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
A visa is a permit to enter Thailand.

The length of the stay permit you will be allowed in, is determined by the visa class.

After you entered with a visa, you are staying in Thailand not on a visa, you are staying in Thailand on a stay permit.

The stamp you receive upon entering, is an “admitted until” stamp. This stamp is not a visa

I am fully aware that Immigration in their bad English, don't draw a difference between a stay permit and a visa. Thai Immigration calls the extension of a stay permit a "visa extension". They say “we extend your visa” regardless they are technically not extending any visa, but only extending your stay permit.
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Bart *************
 When you ENTER with a 60 days tourist visa, you receive a 60-days stay permit, and the visa becomes invalid for further use.

The 30-days touristic extension is an extension of the stay permit.

It is not an extension of a visa.

The visa is invalid already and thus can't get extended

A visa is a permit to enter.

The length of the stay permit is determined by the visa class

After you entered with a visa, you are staying in Thailand not on a visa, you are staying in Thailand with a stay permit. The stamp you receive upon entering, is an “admitted stay stamp”. This stamp is not a visa

I am fully aware that Immigration in their bad English, don't draw a difference between a stay permit and a visa.

Thai Immigration calls the extension of a stay permit "visa extension".

This is just another example of WRONG use of English and the ignorance for the basics of understanding what they actually are doing.
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
Buriram Immigration: thank you for listening to me!
a month ago
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Bart **************
@Nongnuch *******
 and at the same time, the entire world keeps speaking of "visa extension", understanding that this also applies to exemption, and in these provinces people can't find their way to it anymore. No, I don't think that was a good call.
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Kev ********
@Bart *************
 . . Immigration actually is able to stick to the correct wording - IF they only want so! If they don't, that is just laziness on their part . . . . . . . . look at the word "or" and read - you can "change the visa type" using form TM87 even if you are inside Thailand on a "stay permit" because you didn't have a visa when you entered
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Bart *************
 the "visa exemption" is clear. . . . . . You enter visa exempt and will receive a 60-days stay permit. Kev Raymond insists that you cannot do a "change of visa type" from an exempt entry to a 90-days Non-imm-O visa, because the "visa exemption" is not a visa. Yes, he is true, the exempt-entry 60 days are not a visa. However he is ignoring the fact that you actually and factually can apply for the "change of visa type" from an exempt entry to a 90-days Non-O visa type. Do you want me to post the police order pdf ?
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Bart *************
 I don't care how you call it, I will always stick to the technically correct wording
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Bart *************
 Oh, I shall keep blaming them for all the msiunderstanding by making no distinction between an stay permit and a visa, as lomng as keep up this BS . . . . . Hua Hin Immigration and Buriram Immigration now use the correct wording for their formerly wrong "visa extension". Now it is called correctly "extension of the temporaray stay (permit)"
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Kev ********
 WRONG! OF COURSE you can do a "change of visa type" from a visa-exempt entry to a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa type (here: Immigration Chiang Mai posted) The 30 days visa-exempt were stepped up to 60 days on July 15, 2024
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Kev ********
 since one year, most banks are refusing to open a bank account if you are on a tourist visa or on a visa-exempt. You can read about these refusals every other day in the FB groups. And the "change of visa type" can be done on a visa-exempt - it is clearly stated on the police order ! Do you want me to post it?
a month ago
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Nongnuch ********
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Brandon ************
@Kev ********
 it makes everything easier and is the way it's meant to be done
a month ago
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Kev *********
@James ******
 why?
a month ago
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Kev *********
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กะลาสี *****
You'll also need to open a Thai bank account and deposit 400,000 Baht for the marriage visa or 800,000 for the retirement visa.
a month ago
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Jan ******************
Yes, but you have to apply for a initial 90 days Non O visa first and then apply for a one year extension of stay. You’ll need at least 15-21 days left on your current stamp. Check with your immigration and get handed over their requirement list
a month ago
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Colin *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jan *****************
 haveing trouble get o visa in uk
a month ago
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Jan ******************
@Colin ********
 Colin Huttley Could you please be a bit more specific. It should be quite straightforward if you’re passed 50 years and can fulfil the financial requirement.

The requirements are the same as in Thailand, but you can only apply and do your first year extension of stay based on funds (800K baht).
a month ago
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Steve *******
@Colin ********
 Why? They usually issue the visa within
***
days
a month ago
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Steve *******
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Brandon ************
If you qualify for a non-O visa based on retirement or marriage, you can apply to convert to one of those visas at your immigration office.
a month ago
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Brandon ************
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