Retirement Visa Renewal

[dustybooky]

For O-A you need money in your home country bank account and the amount is 800k baht regardless of your marriage status. I would advise you to forget doing it there and take care of the process in Thailand after your arrival.

Thanks Lopburi3

I don't doubt what you are saying about the cash in "home country bank account" but it is the first time I hear that. I was told that proof of income was sufficient (ie. my work contract).

You may well be right also about doing it there but that means I would need to make a special trip to BKK after my Background check arrives from Canada. This is starting to look like the best option.

Thanks once more

dustybooky

[lopburi3]

You are in a 3rd country so trying to do the O-A via the Embassy is problematic. Once you arrive in Thailand you can convert a normal non immigrant O visa entry to retirement extension of stay very easily for a cost of 1,900 baht at any immigration office. What you will need is proof of bank deposit or income or combination. If you use bank deposit the requirement is 3 months of 800k baht or more on deposit prior to application. If you use income/pension it will be a letter from your Embassy that confirms income and supporting papers (which normally will be the same things you show your Embassy for letter). The longest delay will be the hour or day for your Embassy to get letter ready.

[JimGant]

Dusty,

Listen to Lopburi. Your best option is to get a retirement extension in Thailand, where you won't need a background check nor medical (the two things that seem to spook you). Plus, it sounds like you qualify on income alone (your Qatar contract), so you won't need a 3-month, 800k baht bank account in Thailand.

We will be going to Thailand in May or June but I can only stay about 50-60 days and then must get back here for work

Ok. Before you go, get a tourist visa (or, try and sweet talk a Non Imm O -- Thai Embassy in Qatar may be 'soft'). Then, when you hit Thailand, have the Canadian Embassy certify that you meet the 65k baht/mo income requirement. With that, and all the other paper/photo requirements needed, as pointed-out on this forum, head for Immigration, where you'll be able to convert your tourist into a Non Imm O, plus apply for your extension and re-entry permit (needed for your forays to Qatar). In most cases, this can be accomplished in one day.

You may well be right also about doing it there but that means I would need to make a special trip to BKK after my Background check arrives from Canada.

Why a special trip? You're still apparently confused between O-A and in-country extensions. Reread the above.

A few other observations:

- You might want to establish a bank account in Thailand when you get here, as Immigration likes to see that, even tho you meet the income requirement. Amount is not hard-wired, although one Immigration office (CM) had mentioned that 200k was a nice figure. Also, no 3-month requirement.

- Don't know the specifics of Canadian Embassy income certification, but it would seem the Qatar work contract should be the most it needs to certify your income -- unless contract doesn't meet the 65k/mo requirement, in which case you might need some other documentation (but if like the US, no documentation is needed -- but you'll need a fellow Canadian to answer this question).

- It's possible that one-day shopping will turn into "come back in 60 days to apply for extension." If so, be armed with your return ticket to Qatar and be prepared to plea. No real good reason for this 60 day rule -- and it's not enforced too much for retirement extensions. So, a return ticket precluding waiting 60 days should do the trick.

Oh, you are over 50, right?

[dustybooky]

Dusty,

Listen to Lopburi. Your best option is to get a retirement extension in Thailand, where you won't need a background check nor medical (the two things that seem to spook you). Plus, it sounds like you qualify on income alone (your Qatar contract), so you won't need a 3-month, 800k baht bank account in Thailand.

We will be going to Thailand in May or June but I can only stay about 50-60 days and then must get back here for work

Ok. Before you go, get a tourist visa (or, try and sweet talk a Non Imm O -- Thai Embassy in Qatar may be 'soft'). Then, when you hit Thailand, have the Canadian Embassy certify that you meet the 65k baht/mo income requirement. With that, and all the other paper/photo requirements needed, as pointed-out on this forum, head for Immigration, where you'll be able to convert your tourist into a Non Imm O, plus apply for your extension and re-entry permit (needed for your forays to Qatar). In most cases, this can be accomplished in one day.

You may well be right also about doing it there but that means I would need to make a special trip to BKK after my Background check arrives from Canada.

Why a special trip? You're still apparently confused between O-A and in-country extensions. Reread the above.

A few other observations:

- You might want to establish a bank account in Thailand when you get here, as Immigration likes to see that, even tho you meet the income requirement. Amount is not hard-wired, although one Immigration office (CM) had mentioned that 200k was a nice figure. Also, no 3-month requirement.

- Don't know the specifics of Canadian Embassy income certification, but it would seem the Qatar work contract should be the most it needs to certify your income -- unless contract doesn't meet the 65k/mo requirement, in which case you might need some other documentation (but if like the US, no documentation is needed -- but you'll need a fellow Canadian to answer this question).

- It's possible that one-day shopping will turn into "come back in 60 days to apply for extension." If so, be armed with your return ticket to Qatar and be prepared to plea. No real good reason for this 60 day rule -- and it's not enforced too much for retirement extensions. So, a return ticket precluding waiting 60 days should do the trick.

Oh, you are over 50, right?

Thanks to both of you Lopburi3 and Jim,

Yes, I am over 50, I'm married to a Thai and we have an adopted son (also Thai). I'll bring my work contract with me, I also have a BKK acct. with more than half of that 800K which has been deposited since last year. On top I have my Qatari acct. and an offshore acct. (jersey) which is more than 3 mths. deposited already. The contract is way more than 65K/mth and ends in August 2008 but is renewable.

We are on good terms with people at the Thai Embassy and last year the First Secretary told me that while he could not give me an O-A, I could get an O easily. It was those 2 things that prevented him from giving me the O-A. He had seen all my papers (marriage certificate, contract, etc.) and told me that giving out an O-A without those papers wou;ld cause him trouble in BKK.

I guess I'll follow your advice, thanks again.

DB

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[lukamar]

- Don't know the specifics of Canadian Embassy income certification, but it would seem the Qatar work contract should be the most it needs to certify your income -- unless contract doesn't meet the 65k/mo requirement, in which case you might need some other documentation

I needed an income certification a few years ago. I got it at the Canadian consulate in CM. Took 24 hours as the counsel was playing golf the day I arrived...LOL otherwise it would have been done right away. They just took my word for the amount I put on this form they gave and I picked it up the next day and they even made me tee as i read the latest Canadian newspaper.. It was totally painless, but they may have changed things since I did it, send them an email that's what I did asking if they can do it there, if not they can probably send it off to Bkk saving you a trip. The lady that makes up the entire staff.. is very helpful.

[JimGant]

Dusty,

Nice to see someone posting with *all* the options, vice the usual poster who's either too young, too poor, or too single -- or all the above.

We will be going to Thailand in May or June but I can only stay about 50-60 days and then must get back here for work

If the above quote is indicative of your future visits to Thailand -- at least while you're working in Qatar -- you may want to consider just getting an annual multi entry Non Imm O's in Qatar. If you're going to be here for less than 90 days at a pop, no need to go thru the hassle -- and time -- of getting a retirement extension until you do plan to stay longer.

One more thing to consider: The date you enter Thailand this 'May or June' will be the date you'll need to be here annually for -- with several days to spare -- in order to renew your extension. If this could prove problematic, going the annual Non Imm O route becomes more attractive.

But, of course, if getting to the Thai Embassy in Qatar is a week's camel ride, well.........

[BWPattaya]

Nice update. Thanx.

Couple questions:

You mention that the Embassy uses an exchange rate... So, is the Affidavit of Income reported in both dollars and baht (using, in this case, the 38-to-1 ratio you mentioned)? And, presumably, the US Embassy still doesn't require supporting documentation(?).

Your experience apparently is that you need a new Affidavit of Income every year? Did you also have a copy of the Affidavit -- but they insisted on the original?

Did Immigration want to see any supporting documentation in reference to the Affidavit?

Cheers.

1) Actually, the Embassy gave me a blank form, which I completed (I entered my pension in $USD) then returned to them for notarization.

2) Yes, new form every year. Yes, I had a copy Ugh!

3) No, immigration accepts the Affidavit with out supporting docs.

Lance

When I renewed my retirement visa last year I was told, by the immigration officer here in Pattaya, not to waste money by going to the British Embassy every year for an affidavit about my pension, "Just give me a photocopy". So I did last year and again this year.

With regards to the requirement for a medical certificate I was told this week, in Immigration, that the rules do not require one nowadays.