Retirement Extension

[daystick]

Hello

My wife and I are moving to Jomtien in the new year and I am a bit confused about the visa process. We originally planned on applying for non immigrant visas(retirement) in Oz before we leave but I read a recent post where the consensus seemed to be it would be much simpler and cheaper to apply once in country. The how and wherefore of actually doing that is the part that is confusing me. Any corrections to the process that I think I will be following would be most welcome.

1. Arrive by air and pass through immigration like any other tourist. Question, what about the requirement for a valid departing flight ? 

2. Open a bank account and deposit 1.6 million baht. Question, what sort of account is acceptable at Jomtien immigration? For obvious reasons, some sort of fixed deposit would be preferable but I have read that a ready access account is a must.

3. Go to immigration and apply for a visa. Question, what type of visa exactly seeing the money needs to be in a bank 2 months before we can apply for the retirement extension?

4. After money is seasoned, go back to immigration and apply for the retirement extension. Questions, do we still need police checks and medicals to apply in country and if so, do you still have to have everything in triplicate, bound and notorized?

We plan on doing a bit of travelling while living in Thailand. Question, do we get the original visa as a  multi entry visa or is the multi entry part sorted out at the retirement extension stage?

[ubonjoe]

Getting single entry non-o visa to apply for the one year extension based upon retirement is not possible in Australia now.

You could apply for the OA visa at the embassy in Canberra or the consulate in Sydney. The OA visa allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date of issue. It is possible to get a total stay of almost 2 years by getting a new one year entry just before the visa expires. If you get the visa your wife would get a non-o visa as your dependent and then an extension of stay. If you did it that way only one set of supporting documents and proof of the equivalent of 800k baht in a bank in Australia or proof of 65k baht income would be needed.

 

1. It would be best to get single entry tourist visas before starting your trip. The visa would allow a 60 day entry and there would be no need for a ticket out of the country within 30 days if you entered without a visa.

2. You don't need 1.6 million in the bank unless you both get extensions based upon retirement. You could get the extension based upon retirement and your wife one as your dependent.

Some offices do not allow joint accounts which would mean you would need 2 bank accounts with 800k baht in them. Immigration will accept fixed term accounts if the are of the type that allows immediate withdrawal of the funds with no penalty other than loss of interest.

3. You would apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration based upon qualifying for an a retirement extension.

4. No police check or medical certificate is needed to apply for an extension. That is only needed for the OA visa applied for at an embassy or consulate.

After getting the extension you would have to get re-entry permits to keep it valid if you want to travel. A single re-entry permit costs 1000 baht and a multiple 3800 baht.

 

[steve187]

 

 

someone will be along with requirements for yearly extensions. the extension is made in the last 30 days of the 90 days permission to stay stamp that you will get on arrival, if you arrive with the non imm 'O' visa. giving the cash in bank time to season for the required 60 days.

 

edit due to Ubons post above

Edited September 19, 2017 by steve187

[daystick]

ubonjoe and steve187 thanks for the replies. We should be able to muddle our way through now, it never occurred to me to start with a tourist visa. Also very good info about the strife being counted as a dependant and halving the cash requirement :-) 

[JackThompson]

21 hours ago, daystick said:

...moving to Jomtien ...

"Because Jomtien" (desk #7 lady has zero intention of actually working) a Non-O Conversion from Tourist may be next to impossible.  She wants the money in the bank AND seasoned to consider doing a conversion (even though this, and many of her other requirements, contradict the rules issued by Bangkok).   Expect new rules to be added each time you reach the threshold of the previous set.

 

It will likely be easier to go to Savanakhet, Laos to get your initial Non-O.  Check other threads for what they require (better choice than Vientiane, currently).  In fact, it would likely be easier to move to Bangkok for a month, just to do the conversion there, than to deal with Jomtien for this service.

It is insane that Australia will not issue single-entry Non-Os for Retirement, any more.

Edited September 20, 2017 by JackThompson

[daystick]

Starting to fee l a bit adventurist, if I wanted to go down the combined income/deposit path, where do you get the proof of income letter from? I am assuming the embassy in Bangkok ? 

[JackThompson]

5 hours ago, daystick said:

Starting to fee l a bit adventurist, if I wanted to go down the combined income/deposit path, where do you get the proof of income letter from? I am assuming the embassy in Bangkok ? 

Your embassy in Bangkok, yes. 

In addition to its use at Immigration Offices in Thailand for extensions, that letter can also serve the purpose of "showing retirement" (an odd, but now required thing) when applying for a Non-O Single-Entry based on retirement in Savanakhet or Penang.