InterestedObserver

Freezing in Michigan asked for the easiest way to spend his "winter months" in Thailand, adding that he doesn't like visa runs. Most of the respondents, some having first hand experience with the various visas, suggested that some form of Tourist visa would be appropriate for his needs. Hopefully, from all the information provided in this topic, Freezing in Michigan will get an idea of what his options are. Bananas don't enter into the equation.

If you miss renewal time, add one more trip to immigration to the above -- plus sending your passport out for a tourist visa -- if you won't have a return ticket to Michigan.

One might interpret this advise to mean sending your passport, using a passport agent or broker, to a Thai embassy outside Thailand to obtain a visa. That would be illegal and thus certainly not recommended.

I think we should take the OP's statement that he prefers not to do border runs at face value and give advice on the relevant options available on this basis, ie either a non-OA visa from a consulate every year, which lets him keep the money in a US account, or a single-entry non-O visa (or failing that, a single entry tourist visa and in Thailand change to non-O at an immigration office) plus annual extensions of stay, which requires a certain amount of money in a Thai bank account to arrive at an annual total of minimum 800k together with his pension on the date of application. This money can then be used and needs to be topped up only prior to the subsequent application date.

It really depends on the intended length of stay but for stays longer than 90 days every winter the above two options satisfy the OP's declared needs.

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Maestro

I can't believe anybody would recommend getting a non-OA every year just to become a "snowbird". That makes no logical sense whatsoever. Once you've actually had to round up all the non-OA documentation, you will know what I'm talking about.

If I was a snowbird like you, I wouldn't even think of bothering with O visas and retirement extensions.

Why?

Once a year get the extension and do 1 or 2 90 day reports.

No need to get a visa every time you want to travel. You just buy a oneway ticket and jump on a flight any time you want.

Seems to me that there are a lot of advantages.

Because he would be somewhat constrained by his extension renewal date each year plus the money and documentation issue(s). I would think it easier to get a double entry Tourist visa from his friendly Thai consulate before travel, then buy his one-way ticket and jump on the plane. If he were to miss his annual winter sabbatical to Thailand, for whatever reason, then he could kiss his retirement extension goodbye.

However, if he absolutely refuses to do visa runs then it sounds like a plan, until immigration says that retirement extensions are for living in Thailand. After all, staying in Thailand for the "winter months" each year, without establishing some roots in Thailand, makes him a Tourist.

If he is talking about getting an "O-A" retirement visa in the US, then I'll let somebody else clue him in.

Thanks I.O. This is probably the most concise and to the point answer I've seen in a while. Can anyone tell me that they have done this procedure recently as I.O. relates and at what immigration office did this take place. Thanks again.

I managed to get it all done in one day at Pattaya but I had to return 3 days later for my passport (should have been next day but it was over the weekend) just took all the paperwork for changing to "O" Visa and for the extension to the "O" Visa did not ask for it to be done just give the Immigration officer all the paperwork in a folder and let him decide what to give me That was on 4th Dec 2008 extension good to 4 March 2010

For those of you scratching their head:

1. Non-Immigrant "O" visa, good for 3 months, validity 4 December 2008 - 4 March 2009.
   
2. Retirement extension, good for 1 year, validity 4 March 2009 - 4 March 2010.
   

EASY, NOTHING TO IT!

1. You must have enough time remaining on your "Admitted Until" stamp to allow immigration and yourself to go through the process, should be at least 21 days.
   
2. If you are going to use the 800K route, the money has to be on deposit in a Thai bank for at least 60 days before you visit immigration (90 days for subsequent extensions).
   
3. Bank book and letter from bank stating account balance must be current (within a few days) and the balance shown on both must match. Must also be provided if monthly pension does not meet the minimum requirement. [Monthly pension, converted to baht, times 12] plus Thai bank account balance, must equal at least 800K THB annually.
   
4. If using pension funds, your embassy must provide a letter verifying the pension income. Trip to Bangkok usually needed and maybe financial data shown, depending on your embassy.
   
5. You are going to need to first show the immigration officer that you meet the requirements for a retirement extension. The immigration officer will then issue you with a Non-Immigrant visa and "Admitted Until" stamp good for 90 days. After about 70 days, you return to immigration and get the one year "Extension of Stay" for retirement stamp. You could be asked for current bank account info again; i.e., do you still have the requisite 800K on deposit, or other amount as appropriate.
   
6. You could get lucky and immigration does it all in one visit if all your documentation is in order and the immigration officer is feeling magnanimous.
   
7. Remember to get a Re-Entry Permit if you plan to leave the country (I always get a single entry just in case).
   
8. Caution, everything is at the discretion of immigration and never loose your cool.
   
   

Above assumes a Tourist visa per tutone's post.

You can only obtain the Non-Immigrant "O-A" retirement visa from a Thai embassy in your home country. You can obtain a one year Extension of Stay for retirement from immigration once your are actually inside Thailand. You will have to have a Non-Immigrant "O" or "B" visa already in your passport, plus meet all the other required conditions for retirement (age, income and/or bank balance etc.).

You can also start with a Tourist visa or Exempt Entry stamp, again once inside Thailand, and proceed from there, but this involves an extra step to convert to a Non-Immigrant visa thus more $ paid to immigration.

In summary, once you are actually inside Thailand with a legal entry stamp in your passport, immigration can usually convert what you have to a Non-Immigrant visa and then to a one year Extension of Stay for retirement, if you meet all the other requirements (beware, the fine print requirements can bite you on the a**).

Search this forum, there are multiple threads on the subject.

Company ownership of a condo is exactly that, company ownership. The foreigner is limited to 49% ownership of the company, his or her Thai partners would own the remaining 51%. Thus the foreigner does not really "own" the condo. The foreigner would be the occupant, just like any other renter would be.