bruceamstutz Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 I have a friend who is a US Citizen. He has worked in Taiwan for the past 30 years and he wants to retire in Thailand. Can he apply for a retirement visa if he flies in to the LOS on a 30 days visa exempt stamp. I say no he needs to apply and get a Retirement Visa at a Embassy, but no sure so I'll put it to the experts.....Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 He need to be able to meet financial requirements which is 800k baht in Thai account 2 months (for actual extension) or income of 65k per month or a combination to meet that requirement. These are one year extensions of a non immigrant O visaentry (which provides a 90 day stay by itself) and cost 1,900 baht. So he might be able to do if can get money into Thai account during first 2 weeks of his 30 day stay but much better to arrive with a tourist visa to allow more time and then convert to non immigrant O entry at immigration here - if he can not obtain a non immigrant O visa for initial entry (in which case the conversion and 2,000 baht fee would not be required). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 He could change a visa exempt entry at an immigration office to a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry based upon qualifying for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. He would need at least 15 day remaining on his entry or the 30 day extension of it to apply. He would need 800k baht in a Thai bank (60 days for the extension application) or proof 65k baht income or a combination of the two totaling 800k baht. If he is a legal resident of Taiwan he may be able to apply for a OA long stay visa there. The OA visa allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date of issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruceamstutz Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 Thanks all for the info..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpcoe Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 @bruceamstutz: A possible hitch in the plan could be flying to Thailand for a 30-day visa-exempt stamp. Technically he would need to show a ticket departing Thailand within the 30-day period before the airline in Taiwan could check him in. I don't know how strict the airlines in Taiwan are, though. In the USA it's policed pretty sternly. If he has a visa of any sort, including the Non-Immigrant O and Tourist visas as mentioned above, there is no need to show a ticket out of Thailand before checking in for a flight to Thailand. Only on a 30-day visa-exempt entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyL Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Where does the OP's friend plan to live in Thailand? Not every province's Immigration office is able to convert a tourist exempt entry or a tourist visa into an O visa in-country and even some that can make it difficult. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 8 minutes ago, NancyL said: Where does the OP's friend plan to live in Thailand? Not every province's Immigration office is able to convert a tourist exempt entry or a tourist visa into an O visa in-country and even some that can make it difficult. That changed recently. All offices can do them now but there are few that will make it difficult to do. Bangkok immigration has turned people away since it is policy now that all offices can accept the applications that are then sent to the division headquarters for where the office is located for approval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackThompson Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 (edited) If he has 'residence' in Taiwan, the ideal solution would be for him to obtain a Non-O Single-Entry Visa based on retirement there. Unfortunately, we do not have many (any?) reports of people doing this, so it would be an exploratory attempt. If that was not possible, he should be able to get a Tourist Visa (since he is a resident there), which would give more time for the next step(s) upon arrival. If he arrives without a Non-O Visa, so has to do a Conversion to Non-O, but is served by an immigration-office that won't do them (even though they are supposed to do them now), then he would have to go out to a nearby Thai consulate to get the initial Non-O (as I did). If he will be living in Bangkok, the Conversion is no problem - as well as some (most?) other offices. Post the area where he will be living, and maybe someone can report (or has reported) on how "friendly" they are to doing conversions. Edited September 24, 2017 by JackThompson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Actually it seems highly unlikely that the office issuing visas in Taiwan would provide a normal non immigrant O visa as retirement is not listed as a criteria for such issue. If he has PR in Taiwan that would open the non immigrant O-A visa however. http://www.tteo.org.tw/main/th/services/5202 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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