Procedures/Requirement/Restrictions for retirement visa

[DipStick]

Forgive me for the depth of this post, but I wish to lay on the line my situation in full to enable those in the know to respond with the correct information from the details given.

I am a 70 year old British passport holder, married for 15 years to my Chinese wife who is now nearing 50 years old. We own three properties, one villa of 5,000 SqM in South China and two adjoining condos in Nonthaburi. My wife runs a very successful fire fighting equipment company, the head office being in China, with a sub office in Nonthaburi, she also holds a Thai work permit.

we are both comfortably well off, with assets of over 65m Thai Baht, unfortunately, my health is in decline, the cold winters in china not assisting, coupled with the many steps /stairs in the Villa. We have decided to split our time between China and Thailand, where by the way, facilities for disabled are extremely good.

i have in the past looked into the Tha Elite visa, but the financial outlay and my declining health have made me rethink. If the grim reaper should come knocking, sooner than expected, then the Thai Elite payment would be lost, yet with the required 800k for the retirement visa would not.

a few questions if I may.

1). To apply for a retirement visa, what form of visa would I need on my next thailand entry.

2). If granted a retirement visa, could my wife be issued a spouse visa off my retirement visa and be allowed to be with me.

3). Is there any way my wife could retain her work permit.

4). How arduous is the actual issuing of the retirement visa, would I have to spend hours at Chaeng Wattana.

5). Is CW wheelchair friendly  or do they have special procedures for disabled.

6). What proof do I need to show that the required 800k has been in my account for the required 3 months. Is a bank deposit book acceptable.

 

i thank you for your positive responses, as I have previously stated, I have placed my cards on the table to show my full position and financial standing. No doubt a number will comment on this.

[ubonjoe]

1. You would be applying for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement not a visa.

It would be best if you could obtain a single entry non-o visa before entering the country. If not possible then a single entry tourist visa that could be changed  to a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration.

2. She could get a one year extension based upon your extension as your spouse. She would need a non-o visa entry to apply for it which cannot be applied for at immigration. If she had a non-b visa entry it could also be used.

3. That would depend upon the work permit office where she applied for the renewal of her work permit. 

4. It depends upon the the time your arrive at immigration and the number of people there. Reports of doing it in a couple of hours to all day.

5. Yes

6. For the first extension the 800k baht only has to be in the bank for 60 days. You will need a letter from your bank confirming your account and copies of your bank book that has been updated on the date you apply.

 

[OJAS]

@DipStick If you and your wife are planning to settle in 1 of your condos in Nonthaburi, then please note that the local immigration office with which you will need have dealings in due course is the one there rather than Chaengwattana.

 

@ubonjoe If he has formal Chinese residency I wonder whether his best course of action initially would be to obtain an OA visa - which would certainly appear to be a possibility on the basis of this download from the website of the Thai Embassy in Beijing:-

 

http://www.thaiembbeij.org/thaiembbeij/pdf/visa_requirement_eng.pdf

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

@ubonjoe If he has formal Chinese residency I wonder whether his best course of action initially would be to obtain an OA visa - which would certainly appear to be a possibility on the basis of this download from the website of the Thai Embassy in Beijing:-

No sure how easy that would be since the embassy and consulates in China are very strict on their requirements.

I suspect getting the police clearance might also be a problem

[ChouDoufu]

i had a residence permit in china last year, and was considering

getting the visa there. 

 

had contacted the consulate in nanning who at first recommended

i try the consulate in guangzhou as they covered hainan province.

horrendous commute for multiple trips to guangzhou, in the end

they did say i could use any consulate that was convenient.

 

they did require a police check from chinese police where resident,

and a medical certificate.  both had to be translated into englilsh

and notarized AND legalized.  did not need police check from

home country.

 

in the end was simpler to get a visa waiver on arrival, and then

apply for the O visa at immigration.

 

here is the text of an email from the nanning consulate:

 

Please kindly check the following information for your Non-Immigrant O-A visa application.

 

This type of visa may be issued to applicants aged 50 years and over who wish to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 1 year without the intention of working. 

 

Holder of this type of visa is allowed to stay in Thailand for 1 year.  Employment of any kind is strictly prohibited.

 

1. Eligibility

            1.1 Applicant must be aged 50 years and over (on the day of submitting application).

            1.2 Applicant not prohibited from entering the Kingdom as provided by the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).

            1.3 Having no criminal record in Thailand and the country of the applicant’s nationality or residence.

            1.4 Having the nationality of or permanent residence in the country where application is submitted.

            1.5 Not having prohibitive diseases (Leprosy, Tuberculosis, drug addiction, Elephantiasis, third phase of Syphilis) as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 B.E. 2535.

             1.6 Employment in Thailand is prohibited.

 

2. Required Documents

- Passport with validity of not less than 18 months.

- 1 completed visa application form.

- 1 passport-sized photos (4 x 6 cm) of the applicant taken within the past six months.

- A personal data form. (Please see attachment)

- A copy of bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht.

- In the case of submitting a bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank (an original copy) is required.

- A letter of verification issued from the country of his or her nationality or residence stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification shall be valid for not more than three months and should be both notarized by Notary Public office of Qiong Hai and legalized by Hai Nan Foreign Affairs office and the Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou).

- A medical certificate issued from the country where the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No.14 (B.E. 2535) (certificate shall be valid for not more than three months and should be both notarized by the Notary Public office of Qiong Hai and legalized by Hai Nan Foreign Affairs office and the Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou).

- Copy of one-way Flight itinerary to Thailand.

 

3. Channels to submit application

Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located on Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889.

 

4. Visa fee
450 CNY for Single entry

 

5. Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom

 

5.1 Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry.

 

5.2 At the end of the 90-day stay, the foreigner must report to the immigration officer in his or her residence area and report again every 90 days during his or her stay in Thailand.  The foreigner may report to the police station if there is no immigration office in his or her residence area.

 

5.3 Foreigner may report to the competent authority by post and should provide the following:

       - A report form (Tor Mor 47).

       - A copy of passport pages showing the foreigner’s photo, personal details, and the latest arrival visa stamp.  

      -  A copy of the previous receipt of acknowledgement.  

       - A self-addressed envelope with postage affixed.

      Such documents must be sent to the Immigration Division 1, 120 Moo 3, Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210 and must be submitted 7 days before the end of every 90-day period.  A receipt of acknowledgement will be given and should be used for future correspondence. 

 

5.4 Foreigner who wishes to extend his or her stay shall submit a request for extension of stay at the Office of the Immigration Bureau with documented evidence of money transfer or a deposit account in Thailand or an income certificate showing an amount of not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate plus a deposit account showing a total amount of not less than 800,000 Baht.  A one-year extension of stay shall be granted at the discretion of the immigration officer to the foreigner as long as he or she meets the above requirements.

 

[OJAS]

@DipStick If you do decide to follow ChouDoufu's example and "apply for the O visa at immigration" (to quote him literally), then, as already said, you will need to apply for the non-O conversion at the Nonthaburi Immigration Office rather than Chaengwattana (assuming, of course, that you and your wife will be living in Nonthaburi Province). If you Google "Nonthaburi Immigration" you will be presented with a number of photos, some of which would appear to indicate that wheelchair access to that particular office might, indeed, be possible via a ramp to the left of the main entrance as you face it. However, you will also be presented with a number of reports both on here and elsewhere which appear to be rather less than flattering about that particular office!

[ChouDoufu]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

@DipStick If you do decide to follow ChouDoufu's example and "apply for the O visa at immigration" (to quote him literally).....

sorry if i used the incorrect terminology.  i'm still learning!

 

i did not use the TM86 "application for change of visa" at immigration

as i literally did not have a visa that could be changed.

 

i arrived on a visa waiver.   at immigration i used the TM87 "application

for visa" to literally apply for a visa with 90-day stay duration.

 

then later used the TM7 "application for extension of temporary stay

in the kingdom" with "retirement" as the reason for extension to allow

a further 12 months stay.  at the same visit to immigration, used the

TM8 "application for re-entry permit to return into the kingdom" so

that my extension would not be cancelled upon leaving.

 

i believe the version of O visa (or is it O-A?) obtained outside the

kingdom has different rules on duration and when the extension

must be done, but do not know details.  arriving on a visa waiver,

and then applying for the visa here was the easiest method for me. 

YKMMV

 

 

[Farangdanny]

23 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. You would be applying for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement not a visa.

It would be best if you could obtain a single entry non-o visa before entering the country. If not possible then a single entry tourist visa that could be changed  to a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration.

2. She could get a one year extension based upon your extension as your spouse. She would need a non-o visa entry to apply for it which cannot be applied for at immigration. If she had a non-b visa entry it could also be used.

3. That would depend upon the work permit office where she applied for the renewal of her work permit. 

4. It depends upon the the time your arrive at immigration and the number of people there. Reports of doing it in a couple of hours to all day.

5. Yes

6. For the first extension the 800k baht only has to be in the bank for 60 days. You will need a letter from your bank confirming your account and copies of your bank book that has been updated on the date you apply.

 

We are same age and country. Why don't you use the same agent. No hastle, no worries, don't even need to think about 800k. Just sit at home and it comes in post. 

[DipStick]

On 2/23/2018 at 12:10 PM, Farangdanny said:

We are same age and country. Why don't you use the same agent. No hastle, no worries, don't even need to think about 800k. Just sit at home and it comes in post. 

Can you please elaborate

[Farangdanny]

22 hours ago, DipStick said:

Can you please elaborate

I sent you PM

[DipStick]

1 hour ago, Farangdanny said:

I sent you PM

Thanks

[DipStick]

I thank everyone who took the time and effort to "put me right", even the advice to go "illegally" with an agent.

i return to china tomorrow, so decided today to visit Nonthaburi Immigration, with a Thai speaker. I have read that the Nonthaburi Immigration could be diificult, this information was way off the mark, they were as good as txxts on a bull and refused to answer any questions in any form.

decided to go to CW who were extremely helpful, giving out application forms etc etc. Well worth the visit.

when I land in HK tomorrow, will go to my bank and transfer the required sum to my Thai account, ready to apply when I return in May

many thanks again