Retirement Visa

[m_right 0]

I'm not going to be able to get my retirement visa before arriving. I have been scanning the net and consulates and the information is confusing and contradictory.

Here is what I want to do if possible:

Arive Pattaya next two weeks on tourist visa.

Apply for retirement visa while in country instead of in the U.S.

 

Questions:

Can I apply for the retirement visa while in country?

 

If I deposit the 800,000 bhat in Thai bank will that satisfy the requiremnet. I have the money now in U.S. accounts but can't verify it has been in for three months.

 

 

I would get non-imigrant visas but I can't quailfy for the stated purposes such as research.

 

 

 

 

This visa stuff is a pain in the .....

[PattayaPete 530]

While anything is possible, I don't think your plan will work.

 

What you need to do is get a Non-Immigrant Type "O" visa before you arrive. Stated purpose of the visa is to apply for a retirement extension once you are in Thailand.

 

All you need to qualify is 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account and to be over 50 years of age. Then once you get here you go to immigration to apply for a one year extension.

 

The problem here is that you do not have the cash in a Thai bank account. You may be able to talk your way past this by showing the money in an account in your home country. It's going to depend on the official at the embassy.

 

If that fails then get a multi entry tourist visa. That will enable you to stay for three months and get another 3 months after that by doing a visa run (leaving the country). While on your tourist visa, move your 800,000 into a Thai bank account. After it's been there for three months, head off to Penang or Singapore with proof of the money and apply for the non-immigrant "o" there. Then return to Thailand and apply for the visa extension.

 

Easy peasy, and welcome to the bureaucratic world of the expat.

[Emil 0]

I did it back in Sep and wasn't even planning on doing it when I arrived. About 2 weeks into my trip they came up with that new rule that you couldn't have 3 entry stamps in your passport within a 6 month period as they wanted to curb the monthly visa runs to Cambodia. I had been staying in LOS for anywhere between 4 to 6 weeks before returning home for 3 to 4 weeks for the past 2 years and this was going to impact me so I decided to get the retirement visa. Went to the US Embassy 2 days after the coup and get the pension verification paper stamped (cost 1200 baht) and returned that afternoon to Pattaya and opened an account at Bangkok Bank. The next morning I got some passport photos and made copies of my passport, went to Bangkok Bank and got a statement from them that I had an account, then went to Dr Belem office to get certified that I was alive (been told this Dr Cert is longer required) then headed to immigration at Jomtien with TGF.

 

I fond out that first I had to apply for the non immigrant "O" visa after I went to the retirement visa counter. So I filled out that application and gave them 2000 baht. It was issued and then used in about 5 minutes. Then went to the retirement visa counter again, gave them all my paperwork and 1900 baht and they told me to come back after lunch. TGF and I went and got a bite to eat and returned in abpout 30 minutes (didn't have to wait in line again) and talked to an immigration officer. She wanted to see 3 months of activity in my bank passbook, I told her I just opened it yesterday and she said ok. This was on a Friday and she told me to come back Monday morning and again come directly to her desk. Came back Monday morning and picked up my passport and was given a piece of paper and told to report back in 90 days. I then went to another counter after filling out another application and applied for the multiple entry. Paid them 3800 baht and was out of there in another 5 minutes. I thought the whole process was rather painless but I did have TGF with me who was answering some of the questions that were directed to her in Thai.

 

Total cost for everything including transportation to Bangkok was about 10,500 baht. When I get it renewed I won't have to pay that 2000 baht for the non immigrant "O" visa. Also if you don't plan to leave the country don't get the multilple entry. If you do leave then it will cost you 1000 baht each time, so if you leave 3 or less times your baht ahead.

[m_right 0]

While anything is possible, I don't think your plan will work.

 

What you need to do is get a Non-Immigrant Type "O" visa before you arrive. Stated purpose of the visa is to apply for a retirement extension once you are in Thailand.

 

I will try this but do you think they will buy that reason? Has anyone gotten "O" for other then the reasons like research, school, etc?

[pattysteve 34]

I get an O visa every year,absolutely no problem.If you need to give a reason say you are visiting friends.

 

There have been a few guys in the States that use a certain consulate,try a search.Guys in the UK just use the consulate at Hull.

[Emil 0]

I will try this but do you think they will buy that reason? Has anyone gotten "O" for other then the reasons like research, school, etc?

 

Like I posted earlier, if you want the retirement visa, just get it. When I got the "O" just prior, I didn't tell them anything because they were the ones who told me to get it before they would process the Retirement request.

[gentlemangeoff 16]

I realise that I have come into this discussion at the tail end of the parade. However, what I would like to do is stay in Patts for one year just to see how it goes before applying for a retirement visa. I notice that many boardies are mentioning an 'O' visa. Could I please ask what this is, how one goes about obtaining it and what it entitles the holder to? Can the holder of an 'O' visa remain in Patts for a period of one year without complying with the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank requirement?

 

Thanks.

[pattysteve 34]

Yes Geoff,the O visa allows you to stay for a maximum 15 mnths.You do have to do a visa run every 90 days tho.

 

It can be obtained from the consulate in Hull,either by post or in person,cost £90 by post or £100 in person.Heres the link to the Hull site.

 

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/index.asp

 

Any other Qs pm me.

Edited December 23, 2006 by pattysteve

[gentlemangeoff 16]

Yes Geoff,the O visa allows you to stay for a maximum 15 mnths.You do have to do a visa run every 90 days tho.

 

It can be obtained from the consulate in Hull,either by post or in person,cost £90 by post or £100 in person.Heres the link to the Hull site.

 

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/index.asp

 

Any other Qs pm me.

 

Thanks. Excellent, clear, concise information. Have a good Christmas.

[Gary 4,119]

In the past you could NOT apply for a retirement visa with a visa on arrival or a tourist visa. That has been changed and they will now convert a tourist visa and give you a non Imm visa in Bangkok. After you have that, you can apply for a retirement visa. The three month bank history is a recent thing and so far the guys have either gotten extensions until the three months have passed or the new rule has been ignored.

 

Getting a retirement visa in the US didn't work out for me either. You need a police report saying you have no record, financial statements and what really stopped me was the medical certificate. My insurance wouldn't pay for the required tests and my US doctor wouldn't sign the form without the tests. They were VERY expensive tests. It is much easier to do it here in Thailand. You can go to the US Embassy and get a statement to verify your 65,000 per month minimum income OR you can go the 800,000 baht route. You no longer need the medical statement or the police report.

 

Good luck.

[Emil 0]

[quote name='Gary' date='Dec 23 2006, 12:15 PM' post='413621

 

You can go to the US Embassy and get a statement to verify your 65,000 per month minimum income OR you can go the 800,000 baht route.

Good luck.

 

Getting that statement verifed is very easy but does cost either $30 or 1200 baht. Even though I brought proof that my pension exceeded 65,000 a month they didn't want to see it. All they wanted me to do is affirm that what I had stated on the form was correct.

 

Also the form states pension or other income, so interest income, dividends, rental income or any other counts. If your monthly income is less than 65,000 a month, then the required 800,000 in the bank is reduced. Say your monthly income is 33,000 baht a month, then you would only need 400,000 in a bank.

[jackcorbett 2]

Just prior to my permanently moving to Pattaya I applied for and got my retirement visa at the Chicago Thai Consulate. I simply visited my sister in Chicago staying there for three days. On the third day I went back to the Consulate to get my retirement visa. This consulate was very gracious and cooperative. I needed to prove 1. 800,000 baht in my U.S. bank account, produce the medical certificate, produce the police report I got from the Illinois State Police, fill in the correct forms and that was that. As for the medical certificate, I visited an office manager at the doctor's office. And I just waited for her to come back with the form all filled out by the doctor. Didn't even see him.

 

I renewed (extended) my retirement visa after living in Pattaya for one year. This time I went the "proof of income method". My giflfriend and I took a cab to Bangkok to the American Embassy. We got there before 10 a.m. I paid the 1200 baht to the embassy, got shuffled around a bit and was out of there in less than two hours. I had heard that no proof of income was necessary with the American Embassy but since I believe in Murphy's Law I brought tax returns anyway. The embassy was only interested in getting its money. The gal at the counter merely asked me, "Do you really make this much?" I said that I did and that was enough for her. I could have been a complete pauper and still gotten my retirement visa.

 

When I got to Pattaya Immigration to pay my fees for the retirement visa the immigration officer told me that my letter from the American Embassy attesting to my net income would be valid not only for this year's retirement visa but also for subsequent years until my passport expired.

Edited December 24, 2006 by jackcorbett

[Emil 0]

My giflfriend and I took a cab to Bangkok to the American Embassy. We got there before 10 a.m. I paid the 1200 baht to the embassy, got shuffled around a bit and was out of there in less than two hours. retirement visa but also for subsequent years until my passport expired.

 

Jack,

 

My TGF and I took the bus and skytrain and got their about the same time, we were in and out in about 15 minutes. Good to know that I don't have to get that done when I renew next year.