dutch

The so-called 'O-A' retirement visa is hugely overrated and not worth the extra effort in your home country. Arrive in Thailand with a plain Non-Immigrant 'O' visa and your finances in order, then get a 1 year retirement extension of stay within the first 90 days. End result is the same, with less grief. Yes, I know that some embassies will try to talk you into the 'O-A' visa first.

Not to me it wasn't.

I found the O-A process to be simple and expedient, and well worth the effort - with the advantages of:

1. leaving my money where I chose

2. have multiple re-entries in the 1st year

3. gaining an effective 2 years for the price of 1.

The same for me.

I did my O-A at the Jakarta embassy without any problem.(I was residing in Indonesia)

Quite convenient to have your passport stamped with 365 days stay on arrival in Bangkok

My signature will need to be notarized on a USA property deed and it sure would be nice if there is a notary public who can do that for me in Khorat. Otherwise, I know, it's the American Embassy in BKK.

I guess that the Thai notary seal/signature must be legalised with the Thai Ministry of Foreign affairs and the US-Embassy.

At least, that is how I had to do it for a deed validation for the Netherlands.

So maybe the Thai part can be eliminated to go to the US-Embassy directly?

I used the service of Isaanlawyers in Korat on many occasions.They work together with a Thai notary/lawyer(K.Terdpong Fuangfoovongrath).

The notary seal and signature were accepted by notary from The Netherlands to handle the will.

I also use the notary services for certifying live certificates (did two just 3 weeks ago)

Lots of discussion, but no one responded on the question I posed below... Any answer???

I don't mean what exact 33.XX or 34.XX amount. I mean, what yardstick source/date for U.S. $-baht exchange rate does Thai immigration use for making that determination.

If you apply for retirement extension using the 65,000 baht per month income criteria, and you apply this August, how would Immigration calculate the exchange rate??

PS - As a side issue, I remember this question being posed elsewhere here, but not clearly answered as far as I could see.

If you're getting a U.S. Embassy letter and listing/reporting your monthly income in U.S. $, what source of exchange rate should you (the applicant) use to know you're meeting the 65,000 baht requirement. Or more to the point, what source of exchange rate will Thai immigration use in making THEIR calculation???

They usually ask you if it is close. Expect they would use the 33/34 figure when they run it. But they seem to accept a reasonable rate if you have one that is slightly different. AFAIK they do not have an exchange rate calculator on the wall but expect they could call up such from internet if required.

I suppose there is such a thing as a government exchange rate.They use it for customs and tax purposes.

(at least that is the case in Indonesia)

Hi Dutch

What is "safe" or "reality" is surely subjective and each has different circumstances. A poor man in the West may be comfortably well off here even if not meeting your suggested minimums.

By your definition, my reality is that I am not safe having only a regular income of 600,000 Baht per annum (after tax) (with current GBP-Baht Exchange rates) and needed to cover Thai wife and stepson. To be fair my income will increase in 8 years time when my UK State Pension is due to kick in.

Tell you what though Dutch. Try living on that in the UK. Here I can easily and with a much higher standard of living.

We live here in our fully paid for own home and have few costs. We have no loans, no mortgage and no Visa card debts and neither of us work . How many in the West can say that BUT many would consider themselves richer or better off than us. Are many of them, in reality??

few living in the West are as financially secure as the the levels you suggest all retires should have for living here in Thailand

I admit without Health insurance which would be unavailable to me (and too costly) that I worry about an unexpected Health issue, but the UK NHS is not a great as it used to be.

e.g I saw a report today of those diagnosed with Prostate cancer

In the US 100% are alive 5 years later

In Canada 85% are alive 5 years later

In the UK only 77% are alive 5 years later.

ADDITIONALLY if one must find funds for medical treatment I think few would argue it is cheaper in Thailand than many other countries (especially leading Western countries).

JMHO

Regards, Dave

Hi Dave,

My simple point is that if....for whatever reason your money is not enough,they will send you home.

Most common reason (as we grow old and need health care) is health costs and no insurance.

I know people around me who are left with no bank account balance because of health costs.

If.........the euro will exchange for less baht or.......the monthly amount (by immigration law)will be increased,they are lost !!

Don't retire (here) without a retirement PLAN.

A plan should be

*A load of money and I mean a big load

or

*A regular retirement income (state pensions and so on) and an healthinsurance cover.

or

*a regular retirement income and a big sum of money (to cover health issues).

The regular income should cover at least 800.000 baht a year.

Without above,I would not really feel safe to retire in Thailand.

Sorry,but that is reality

So....is your name false and your passport OK or....is your name OK and your passport false or.....???

Very difficult to have two different last names in one's home country,I suppose.

Strange story

Plus Hull cannot issue O-A Visas. Only the Thai Embassy in London can.

or any other Thai embassy outside UK if in that country is where you reside.

(As a Dutch national, I got mine in Indonesia)

Due to my US company closing the factory that I worked in for 22 years, I accepted a job in Thailand. That was in 1991. I worked here until the economy crashed in 1997. I had enough money saved to stay but decided that my luck and savings would eventually run out. I returned to the US and worked an additional 5 years at well paying jobs in order to top up my social security and my savings in addition to contributing the maximum into my 401K pension plan.

I have told this little story because it appears that many people staying here in Thailand have given VERY little thought to their futures. People who have very little money and are living hand to mouth are crying about visa problems. The question is what are you going to do when you are getting old and can no longer work for peanuts, scam, steal or beg enough money to survive? Is it possible that the Thai government has considered this and is trying to get rid of people who will become a liability?

Things have changed very little for retirees who HAVE planned for their futures. I worked very hard for what little I have and am quite comfortable. I intend to live the rest of my life here in Thailand in relative comfort because I knew that someday I would get old and would need to depend on my pensions to survive. Young people here need to think about this.

Very well written.

Couldn't agree more

Got mine house insurance with the folks at AIG. There are many companies around the Kindgom. My coverage is for fire, flood, wind, robbery, including PC, cama-coder, accident to visitors in my home, cost Bt7500 per year

Depends on the value of your house and contents

I am using the bangkok Insurance

Since 2004

Immigration is actally more happy to do the extension request based on Retirement than on Marriage.

A friend of mine did it 14 days ago.Ready in 20 minutes.

However be aware of the financial requirements and I would not do it ,if you are borderline with the retirement financial requirements ,given the exchange rates "problems".

I used Asian Tigers also about 5 years ago going into retirement in Thailand.

Very professional and helpful.

In my case my (Thai) wife used her, free of import tax status,as a returning Thai.

So... a forty feet container free of import duties

First of all I wish a very quick and good recovery.

About the relation between money and a healthy life here in Thailand has been said enough.

I completely follow one of the earlier posters:"Why was there no insurance" ??

Again and again I read requests for help and financial assistance for cases like this

We live in a small village in Ubon. Here we have a man that every month between the 20. and 25. go from door to door collecting money for the powerbill. If we are not home he come back. This month he probably been at our house several times because last night when we came home there was a note hanging at our gate saying that we had to go to main office to pay our bill within 3 days and if not the power would be closed and they would take down the meter. So because we not stay home when he come we have to drive a round trip of 100 km to the main office to pay the bill. And we still not got the bill, only this note.

Why cannot this stupid guy just put the powerbill in our mailbox and we will go to his home and pay. Does he expect us to stay home every hour between the 20. and 25. waiting for him to come? Why cant they just give us a bill that we can go to the post office to pay. What about if we somethime goes for a trip for one week? When we come home the power is closed and the meter i gone?

Do you have the same system in your village ore how do you get your powerbill?

We have the same here.

After experiencing this whole circus one time(we were 15 days in Bangkok ),I decided to tip the collector.

He will come back till we're home He simply doesn't want to miss the tip

Next time you make the visa extension (TM7) just make the re-entry (TM8) too.

It is only 1000 baht ( one re-entry) and in case of leaving the country you are covered.

I did the same already 4 times and I only used it once,but it gives me a safe feeling (in case of e.g. emergency)

Since a couple of days I cannot use the function :back to previous page (arrow left above).

Clicking it,will start some action but tje endeffect is that I got the message:Done.However still same page.

I am using Vista

This ONLY happens to Thaivisa.com pages

To-day at Korat immigration, 4th extension long stay(retirement)

TM7 + pic

Bank letter stating balance

Copy bank book (last 3 months)

copy passport

copy TM6 (arrival/derparture card)

1900 baht (gave 200 and received 100 back)

single re-entry

TM8 plus pic

copy passport first page plus the page with the new extension

1000 baht

20 minutes work.

Nice smile and "see you back in 10 days" (that's my 90 days report )

Just fill in your new arrival card upon arrival.

You have to report (or write) 90 days after said arrival date at your local immigration office for the normal 90 days reporting.

If people are sailing so close to the wind financially, that 10-20 percent fluctuations are a problem then they'll always be troubled.

I build my house when the euro was about 37.50 baht.(2003)

During my retirement (since 2004) it was between 44 (mid 2005) till 52 (mid 2008).

I agree with above mentioned post.I wouldn't have left my homecountry to retire here, if being (financially) a borderline case.

May be the registration book of the RED numberplates?

I believe that all of the financial institutes in the USA will very soon lower the creditlimits on all kinds of creditcards.

The lower and middle class will be hit inmediately.

The credit bubble is barsting.

Last week I had my 90 days reporting at Korat Immigration office.

When finished I had a small chat (outside) with a fellow expat.

He was from Chaiyaphum and also told me that more from that area did their business with Korat office

End of last year at Korat Immigration office.

No letter required.

I live in Thailand on an early retirement pension.

Must admit, since I have lived here, I do see my living standards dwindling month by month and finding it difficult to drag out my pension with the continuing galloping inflation, low interest rates and poor exchange rates.

Those who are considering retiring in Thailand should be financially well prepared for the future and not just have incomes or savings based on present costs and bank rates.

Wise words,cannot be repeated enough and enough

I drive a Fortuner.

I change battery at two years.No matter if it still works fine.

I am using the special Toyota maintenance free batteries.

Never had trouble.