Retirement visa

[tprender]

I have a long-term partner in Thailand and I am now retired hence want to sell up and move in new year. I know that this topic is asked often but I am still confused. To get a visa in London I am supposed to have 800,000 baht in Thai bank account or show income >= 65,000 baht. Because of the crap rate right now I am about 10,000 short per month.

 

So the question is, how can I get a Thai account outside Thailand or will they accept proof if the money is in a UK deposit account?

 

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[JackThompson]

33 minutes ago, tprender said:

I am supposed to have 800,000 baht in Thai bank account or show income >= 65,000 baht

... or a combination of the two totaling 800K Baht / year.  You would need to show some money "in the bank" to make up the shortfall. 

If you are 10K under 65K ...

55,000 * 12 = 660,000

So need 140,000 Baht worth in the bank, plus proof of the income, to qualify.

 

36 minutes ago, tprender said:

can I get a Thai account outside Thailand or will they accept proof if the money is in a UK deposit account?

If applying for a visa outside of Thailand, at a consulate abroad, the money does not need to be in Thailand.  Otherwise, it does need to be in Thailand.

[Tanoshi]

By partner, if your legally married to a Thai you can obtain a Non Imm O Visa from London without any proof of funds.

 

If your officially retired and in receipt of the state pension, again you can obtain a Non Imm O Visa with just proof of being in receipt of the state pension.

 

Once in Thailand, within the last 30 days of the Non Imm O Visa you can apply for an extension based on retirement (not a Visa) from Immigration (this is when the funds need to be in a Thai bank).

 

The financial requirement for the extension is;

800,000 baht deposited in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the date of the first application (3 months thereafter), OR

A monthly income of 65,000 baht per month (requires proof of income letter from your Embassy), OR

A combination of funds in a Thai bank and a monthly income totalling 800,000 baht annually.

[nicolas65]

Just to be clear--if an applicant for an extension of visa (retirement) has a pension of 65,000 Baht or more and one of the U.S. Consulate's fully-attested affidavits stating that, do you still have to have a Thai bank account?  While I am sure there are many good reasons to open a Thai bank account, is it absolutely a requirement for this?

 

thanks much,

N

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, nicolas65 said:

Just to be clear--if an applicant for an extension of visa (retirement) has a pension of 65,000 Baht or more and one of the U.S. Consulate's fully-attested affidavits stating that, do you still have to have a Thai bank account?  While I am sure there are many good reasons to open a Thai bank account, is it absolutely a requirement for this?

If you have proof of 65k baht income by way of an affidavit done at the US embassy in Bangkok or the consulate in Chiang Mai you don't have to have a Thai bank account. 

[nicolas65]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If you have proof of 65k baht income by way of an affidavit done at the US embassy in Bangkok or the consulate in Chiang Mai you don't have to have a Thai bank account. 

Thanks much!

[lamyai3]

On 11/9/2017 at 12:03 AM, tprender said:

So the question is, how can I get a Thai account outside Thailand or will they accept proof if the money is in a UK deposit account?

If you're applying for a non O/A (on basis of retirement) you don't need to show funds in a Thai bank account at all. Proof of the UK equivalent £18k or so needs to be provided and can be in a UK current account with no seasoning required. 

 

The Thai bank account requirements and seasoning will not apply until you make an extension, which can be nearly two years later if you use the visa prudently. 

[Jim P]

On 08/11/2017 at 5:41 PM, JackThompson said:

... or a combination of the two totaling 800K Baht / year.  You would need to show some money "in the bank" to make up the shortfall. 

If you are 10K under 65K ...

55,000 * 12 = 660,000

So need 140,000 Baht worth in the bank, plus proof of the income, to qualify.

 

 

Does pension + rental income count if combined they total 65000thb or more? Therefore just keeping a nominal amount in the Thai bank.

[berybert]

19 minutes ago, Jim P said:

Does pension + rental income count if combined they total 65000thb or more? Therefore just keeping a nominal amount in the Thai bank.

Yes that counts.

How do you intend to live with a nominal amount in a Thai bank account ? 

 

[Tanoshi]

On ‎09‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 12:03 AM, tprender said:

To get a visa in London I am supposed to have 800,000 baht in Thai bank account or show income >= 65,000 baht. Because of the crap rate right now I am about 10,000 short per month.

You've misunderstood what you've read:

 

For the single entry Non Imm O Visa.

A copy of Pension statement if the applicant is a pension earner or a copy of 1 month bank statement showing your income from pension. 

 

For the multi entry Non Imm O Visa.

A copy of marriage certificate, a copy of Thai passport/a copy of Thai ID of spouse and (3 months bank statement showing monthly income of more than £1,400 annually.) They don't enforce this financial requirement, no proof of income is required.

 

For the Non Imm 0-A Visa.

Copy of bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately £18,000.00 / annum) or a deposit account plus a monthly income totalling not less than 800,000 Baht. If you send a copy of bank statement, the original reference letter from the banking concerned is necessary.

(You show an amount equal to 800,000 baht in £'s, or a monthly income equal to 65,000 baht in £'s, using your UK bank statements)

[tgeezer]

I have a long-term partner in Thailand and I am now retired hence want to sell up and move in new year. I know that this topic is asked often but I am still confused. To get a visa in London I am supposed to have 800,000 baht in Thai bank account or show income >= 65,000 baht. Because of the crap rate right now I am about 10,000 short per month.
 
So the question is, how can I get a Thai account outside Thailand or will they accept proof if the money is in a UK deposit account?
 
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If you honestly intend to retire to Thailand and have a State Pension, the easiest and cheapest way is to get a Non-Immigrant 'O' visa from London. I believe that you will see from their website that the only document required for this application is the letter you have from the Dept. of Work and Pensions stating you are in receipt of a state pension. With this visa you will be admitted into the country for ninety days during which time, you can open a bank account and deposit an amount of money sufficient when added to your income to total a sum of 800,000 Baht. After two months maturation of funds in a Thai bank you can apply for your extension of stay at the Immigration Office serving the area in which you live.

In my case, this summer, I provided a pension letter showing income of 200,000 Bt per year! However I enclosed photocopies of a Thai bank book showing the 800,000 because I was sure that the pension letter alone wouldn't do but I wish now that I hadn't so that I could say with authority that a State Pension letter is sufficient.



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[kunfish]

How does one prove income? If plan to move to Thailand and draw on your retirement funds?


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[Jim P]

13 hours ago, berybert said:

Yes that counts.

How do you intend to live with a nominal amount in a Thai bank account ? 

 

Originally I was just going to put the 800k in a Thai bank and leave it there for reporting purposes but at current exchange rates of  GBP I would rather not do that.

 

As I’m retiring to Thailand in July on an O-A visa I would rather use income based evidence and keep an account with nominal funds and season it as needs be. As highlighted above I can keep it that way for two years if I use the visa wisely. Hopefully the GBP may be stronger then and for convenience I will deposit the 800k. If it’s weaker or the same  I still have the proof of income and my 800k invested in the U.K as sterling.

[Ubonquest]

How late can you apply for an extension on the last month of a non-o based on retirement visa

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[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Ubonquest said:

How late can you apply for an extension on the last month of a non-o based on retirement visa

In theory, you can wait until the last day of your permission to stay. It would usually be very unwise to leave it so late. The extension is added to your original permission to stay, so you gain no days by leaving it until the last day. If there is any issue with the application, you will regret leaving it so late.

[Ubonquest]

Thanks

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[Jim P]

Just about to apply for my first Non o a visa in London. Is there a requirement to have the proof of funds in my account months in advance or can I just deposit it a few weeks in advance. I know for renewal it needs to be deposited 60 days in advance.


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[Maestro]

See here on the website of the Thai embassy in London:

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html

 

There is no retirement visa on offer but there is the "Non-Immigrant Type O- A (Long Stay) 1 Year per entries/Multiple entries/ 1 year validity" without any indication that the funds must have been in the account for a specific period before the date of application.

[steve187]

4 hours ago, Jim P said:

Just about to apply for my first Non o a visa in London. Is there a requirement to have the proof of funds in my account months in advance or can I just deposit it a few weeks in advance. I know for renewal it needs to be deposited 60 days in advance.


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no visa's from London require seasoning of funds, just proof of income/funds for some and no financials for others

is the visa you are applying for, non imm 'O'  as you are married to a Thai , or a non imm 'O' as a retired person over 65,  or a non imm 'O''A' visa as you are retired over 50

[lopburi3]

4 hours ago, Jim P said:

Just about to apply for my first Non o a visa in London. Is there a requirement to have the proof of funds in my account months in advance or can I just deposit it a few weeks in advance. I know for renewal it needs to be deposited 60 days in advance.


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Noi - funds just need to be in an account and you have proof of that.  For extensions in Thailand the money will have to be in a Thai account and for that the seasoning period will start to be applied.

[Tanoshi]

4 hours ago, Jim P said:

Just about to apply for my first Non o a visa in London. Is there a requirement to have the proof of funds in my account months in advance or can I just deposit it a few weeks in advance

Your proof of funds should be the equivalent of 800,000 baht, which is approx £18,000 in a UK bank account.

I assume your funds are already in a bank account of some kind, so just use that as your evidence.

 

4 hours ago, Jim P said:

I know for renewal it needs to be deposited 60 days in advance.

If you want to renew your O-A Visa you can only do that in the UK, same conditions as now.

 

When your current permission to stay expires (not the validity of the Visa) you can apply for an extension of that permission to stay based on retirement (a permit, not a Visa) at a local Immigration office. (Your original O-A Visa will have expired) For that, 800,000 baht must have been deposited in a Thai bank for 60 days (for the very first application, 90 days thereafter) prior to the date of application, or proof of 65,000 baht PM income, or a combination of the two amounting to no less than 800,000 baht per annum.

[Jim P]

5 hours ago, steve187 said:

no visa's from London require seasoning of funds, just proof of income/funds for some and no financials for others

is the visa you are applying for, non imm 'O'  as you are married to a Thai , or a non imm 'O' as a retired person over 65,  or a non imm 'O''A' visa as you are retired over 50

As in the question O A visa. Retiring and over, 50 thanks.

[Jim P]

4 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Your proof of funds should be the equivalent of 800,000 baht, which is approx £18,000 in a UK bank account.

I assume your funds are already in a bank account of some kind, so just use that as your evidence.

 

If you want to renew your O-A Visa you can only do that in the UK, same conditions as now.

 

When your current permission to stay expires (not the validity of the Visa) you can apply for an extension of that permission to stay based on retirement (a permit, not a Visa) at a local Immigration office. (Your original O-A Visa will have expired) For that, 800,000 baht must have been deposited in a Thai bank for 60 days (for the very first application, 90 days thereafter) prior to the date of application, or proof of 65,000 baht PM income, or a combination of the two amounting to no less than 800,000 baht per annum.

No the funds aren`t already in a UK account, thats why Im asking. Anyhow it appears I can just add the funds prior to my application, thanks.