Howiehotspur

So as I've only just got my O-A m visa , with a current end date for renewal of Feb 9th 2016 ..

I arrive in Thailand on the 6th March 2015 ..

I need still to go to immigration shortly before the end of my first 3 months , say shortly before 6th June .. And show them what ?

As I believe I don't need 800k in any bank account yet , nor do I until I go for my renewal in feb next year ?

As that correct ?

Really , anywhere ? .. Cambodia or London ? .. How many times can I do that for

Yeah , I got my 0-A multi on Tuesday .. From London too ..

It seems as though there is no urgency for me to get the 800k into a Thai account , as I have until December to do that .

So I'm guessing if that's the case when I go to immigration every 3 months to ' check in ' that's all I do ? . Just show them where I reside ?? .

So I arrive in March 6th .. And shortly before June 6th .. I report to immigration in ( in this case jontiem ) . With what , just my passport ?

Thanks OJAS

This is sounding better by the the minute .

I was under the impression that I had to get a bank sorted out straight away ( I will anyway , as ofcourse it will be a benefit on transactions as you say ) .. I guess getting a re entry permit is easy , you just ask at immigration on arrival back in ?

Or not so easy . ?

A special thankyou to all you guys who helped me take the right moves in obtaining my O-A mutli visa which I collected this morning

Ubonjoe , Nbarch, lite beer , esp .. You've been a great help ..

Game on ..

Not surprisingly I do have another question , the girl who gave it to be me this morning , really really friendly , she even let me collect early , called me over on my arrival , remembering me from the day before I guess .. " there you can go anytime between now and February 2016 ..and you can come and go as you please " , I said what ten times a year if I want , " sure if you rich man come and go fly home every week , hahaha " .. Then I said now I must make bank account in Thailand with80000 bht within first month of arrival yes ? .. " o it's ok don't worry about that " .. And then turned to next customer ..... Have I miss heard that ,

I do need to open account now within first month don't i ... ? ..

Since last October .. What visa was he allowed to have ?

The address in Thailand on the application is not all that important.

There is no doubt that she can travel on her passport to Thailand without a problem. As I wrote before she can even do it with an expired passport.

It is up to you whether your girl friend goes with you or not.

I'll let you know how I get on Tuesday pm ... ( wether you like it or not lol )

Right guys , I've ' finally ' got my police record , health form completed as given by the embassy site , , bank statements showing how much cash I have in the banks , ( I have more in esavings but I cannot for some crazy reason get statements , only yearly it would seem . Still I certainly have double the amount required( £17 k ) in my two statements they don't have forwarding letters which the web site states you need , but I called the London embassy and asked them what that meant because my banks never supplied them . All she said was " you have to get it Notar'd " .. To which I replied , yes I have . " ok then "she said . Also the address I'll be staying at I've put down my girlfriends family address , ( she wrote on the form for me in Thai ) . Now I'm not sure that was a good idea , I have it on a post it in English too , and I also want to explain that I won't be staying there perminant , as I want to rent an apartment part of the time too but ofcourse I've not chosen one yet . Do you get the chance to discuss this or do I just leave it ? So I guess / hope I'm good to go .. Off to the London embassy on Monday . Fingers crossed ...

On a side note my girlfriend ( Thai , been in uk with me 12+ Years ) passport has run out and she went to book an appointment which the web site saying you have do for a renewal , the next available date is March 13th . ( we are flying out 5th ) , I told her she can travel home on an out of date passport I think . She was hoping to come with me to the embassy to do at same time But would she be any use to me anyway , ( for assistance I mean ) ?

Sorry to keep on asking so many questions all the time , I just don't want to cock this up .

And the three months that the money is supposed to be in a bank account??? I fear the answer to that question.

sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but why are you going for a retirement visa when you could have got a married to Thai spouse visa. you could have got a single entry non imm 'O' , extended in thailand Thai spouse 60 days and then had plenty of time to deposit money and then get a one year extension either for retirement or marriage.

Anyway i hope all goes well with the route you have chosen.

Don't forget the 90 day address reports if going the non imm 'O' 'A' route

The embassy would not do a non-o they would only do a tourist visa.

Only one of the consulates would do the non-o.

I'm currently in Sussex , I understand I could post it , but on the website it only refers to London for all visas now ? ..

I very sent to Hull before for example but that to have closed , refer to London now .

I think I'll go into the bank and ask for a forwarding letter to confirm my statements . And cancel my notary meeting for now . I still have time .. Hopefully .

You can only do applications by post to the embassy in London.

Hull is open but you have to apply in person. Same for all the other consulates.

Thanks Joe , you and the many of the others on here are a great help .

The embassy would not do a non-o they would only do a tourist visa.

Only one of the consulates would do the non-o.

I very sent to Hull before for example but that to have closed , refer to London now .

I think I'll go into the bank and ask for a forwarding letter to confirm my statements . And cancel my notary meeting for now . I still have time .. Hopefully .

OP - I can well sympathise with your concerns since I had similar feelings when I applied for my original OA visa at the London Embassy 6 years ago. However, based on my experience then, you should have nothing to worry about provided your ducks are all lined up in accordance with the guidance on their website.

Just beware, though, that you might have to wait an hour at the Embassy before you can submit your application. But I found this to be ideal preparation for the similarly lengthy waits which I have experienced at Immigration, banks and hospitals since moving out here!

The costs of your subject access disclosure request and medical check which you have quoted sound a little steep, though. I paid £10 for each 6 years ago. My medical check was pretty basic, though - it merely consisted of the doctor moving her eyes from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet before signing the Embassy certificate!

Now the notary will be £135 , but he said possibly more depending on. How many documents .. Also a quick question on the documents , do you have to have 2 sets made up or only one ?

Cheers .. Getting there ..

What it means is that the medical and police certificate cannot be more than 3 months old.

I think you should get a letter from you bank to confirm your bank balance or at least have them stamp and sign your statement.

If they rejected accepting your application because of your paperwork you could try again before you leave.

If it fails for some reason you could get a tourist visa at the embassy or single entry non-o visa at one of the consulates.

Thanks Joe , so if for example they do refuse based on ' what ever ' , I could then say there and then , ok just give me a single entry non O for 3 months then , and they will do that ? .

Ok guys

So I've got my ACPO Police record cert , got my doctor to complete and stamp the medical form issued by the London embassy , I have 2 bank statements , which show I have excess of 800.000 . In there ...

I'm off to see the Notary tomorrow afternoon to ask him to bundle and seal etc ( quoted £135 ) ..

But I'm still a little bit concerned the way on the application requirements on the Thai embassy web site says word for word ., the health record and police record quote ' with a validity of at least 3 months ' ... Is this lost in translation because it makes no sense why would they need to be at least 3 months old ? I could have contracted one of the illnesses listed or killed somebody since then .. ( I haven't ) ..

Also it says bank statement ' the original reference letter from the bank ' is necessary .. But my was just a statement sent out with 3 months on it .. Do I need to go into my bank to type something up ? .. All a little late as I've booked the notary , but I could always cancel .. I've booked to fly out on 5th March , 3 month open ..hopefully not on a 30 day exempt .. If I fail to get my O-A visa .. Could I just say ok give me a 3 month one instead .. I guess not .

Any body put my mind at rest regarding these issues ?

M or multiple

Retirement

They will review your application when you hand it in. If there are questions about it they ask you.

Hi Howiehotspur,

Glad I could help you; I have found this Visa forum extremely useful also.

Yes a Multi-entry visa is a good plan if you have elderly relatives back home. I had to fly back within 2 months of arriving in Thailand due to a sick relative. Also Thailand is a good base to explore SE Asia and flights are cheap.

Lite Beer has accurately summed up your options when you get here.

Cheers

Sorry I just dint want any mistakes .. Do you actually get to talk to somebody or just hand it in .

Cheers Howie .

Hi Howiehotspur,

Glad I could help you; I have found this Visa forum extremely useful also.

Yes a Multi-entry visa is a good plan if you have elderly relatives back home. I had to fly back within 2 months of arriving in Thailand due to a sick relative. Also Thailand is a good base to explore SE Asia and flights are cheap.

Lite Beer has accurately summed up your options when you get here.

Cheers

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

A single entry Non Imm O Visa will give a stay of 90 days.

It is not that difficult to open a bank account in Thailand. You might have to try one or two but you will get one to give you a savings account.

You send the cash from your account in UK by Swift transfer.

Should be able to do this online with your UK bank.

Takes a day or two.

Immigration in Thailand will require a letter from your Thai bank showing the balance.

An up to date bank book showing the same balance.

Proof of address in Thailand.

Passport size photo.

1,900 Baht fee.

thanks very much , that's really helpful , I can easy if I have this bank sorted , and then easily change a Non O Imm visa to a pension visa ,so jontiem can still do this too .. Not a trip to Bangkok ?

There is no such thing as a pension visa and you will not be changing anything.

You would be applying for a 12 month extension of your permision to stay.

Yes you can apply at Jontiem Immigration.

You can also get a Re Entry Permit should you need to leave Thailand during that year

1,000 Baht for a single. 3,800 Baht for a Multi re entry.

Hi Howiehotspur,

Just to make clear I applied for a 1 year multi-entry visa.

Yes the Notary bundles ALL the documents up and he wrote a covering letter. He is professionally guaranteeing these documents as genuine. I do not have a pension but just enclosed a bank statement showing I had sufficient UK funds.

It was very straightforward at the Thai Embassy, as you enter the door take a ticket, dont wait in the corridor, go into the big room, sit on the left. Lots of people, but I was seen in about 30minutes, forms checked, carefully, but no questions; then the very important bit hand over 125 quid.

You will be given a receipt, which you NEED to pick up your passport the next day.

When you go the next day to pick up your passport, just wait in the corridor, join any ad-hoc queue, I waited about 15 minute,then I was out with a glossy full page sticker in my passport. Cross the road to the Natural History Museum which has dinosaurs and a nice coffee shop.

On arrival at Swampy airport, I handed my passport to immigration, open at the visa page, and just got an entry stamp and was politely told I could stay for 1 year.

Thanks again you have all been a great help .

Here's the medical certificate, I used this and the went thro it with my Doctor.

http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/forms/medicalcertificate.pdf

hi , yeah I'll be using that one , the same , but the solicitor I spoke to ( refer to 2nd post on here ) said that he would it would seem need to talk to the doctor and get His passport details etc .. Unless I'm reading that wrong , I have no problem I hope getting the documents together , but I sort if understand where he is coming from , I mean this medial ' form ' doesn't look that official , and I guess he would say " how can you confirm this was done by who says it was unless he ( solicitor ) was whiteness or had information on the said GP ? .. ( do you address or contact of the guy you used ? ) thanks .

It seems the solicitor is being a pain, I used a notary in Weymouth, My doctor had signed the form and stamped it with the surgery stamp and it was accepted, try a different Notary there are many about.

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

this does sound so easy , so a single entry visa lasts what , 3 months ? .. So in that first month I must open and deposit the 800k .. ( how easy is that to do from Thailand , I mean how do I transfer such a large sum from one account in the uk to another in Thailand , ? ) ..

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

A single entry Non Imm O Visa will give a stay of 90 days.

It is not that difficult to open a bank account in Thailand. You might have to try one or two but you will get one to give you a savings account.

You send the cash from your account in UK by Swift transfer.

Should be able to do this online with your UK bank.

Takes a day or two.

Immigration in Thailand will require a letter from your Thai bank showing the balance.

An up to date bank book showing the same balance.

Proof of address in Thailand.

Passport size photo.

1,900 Baht fee.

Get a Single Entry Non O Visa before traveling.

2,000 Baht fee.

Arrive in Thailand and open a bank account.

Deposit the 800,000 Baht.

After a couple of months apply for a 12 month extension at Immigration in Jontiem.

Easy to do.

No medical or police reports needed.

No notary needed.

And no agent needed.

Immigration fee is 1,900 Baht.

Fee around 200 Baht to obtain a letter from the bank showing your account deposit.

Then in the last month .. Walk into jontiem , and just ask for a 12 month extension ?

I obtained my 1 year retirement visa from the Thai embassy in London last month and if you follow the instructions and have all those bits of paper it is all straightforward.

I was also not quite sure about the Notary bit but used a local one recommended by my solicitor.

A Notary is not a solicitor and it is a separate part of the law process (appointed by the church). He guarantees, to an embassy for example, that the documents submitted are valid and genuine, his services are a bit over the top for a visa application but that is what is required.

I gave him my paperwork; he bound it up with pretty red tape and sealing wax and made me swear an oath, (in front of a witness), that it was all genuine, then charged me 100quid.

Btw .. Can you just explain to me how it went , at the embassy etc .. What you did , how long , collect , questions they ask , anything you feel good to know , also when you arrived in Thailand , I'm assuming you have just opened or put in your 800k ,

That would be a real help thanks ..

I suggest you contact one of the consulates about getting a single entry non-o visa. Birmingham has been reported as being helpful. You would have to get it person but they do it while you wait.

If you have the non-o visa you could apply for the extension at Jomtien immigration without having to go to Bangkok twice for a visa. Having the non-o would also make it easier to open a bank account.

You don't need an agent you can do everything yourself.

So I just go and get or even post request them for a 3 month mutli ? .. And attempt to change that to a pension when I arrive via an agent .

Sorry this is all very confusing for me , I have the finances , but this visa .. Mutli this , single entry that , for my simple brain , is mind numbing .

I tried to add a copy of the application form from my I pad but can't ..