Retirement Visa for Americans

[sbaker8688]

I tried to deal with the Embassy in DC a while back regarding a 6 month visa, but they were extreme douchebags.  Even though I had all supporting documentation, they argued that I did not.  They then returned all my supporting documentation, stating that I didn't have any, even though it was right there in the envelope they returned to me.  This was even down to simple stuff like hotel reservations, airline tickets, etc.  So ever since then I've been going to a local consulate and just getting a tourist visa.  However, now I want a retirement visa, so I'm assuming I'll have to go through the much-hated DC for that.

 

Anyway, 3 questions:

 

1) How do you prove that you don't have TB or whatever other diseases?  What constitutes as proof?  A note from the doctor?  How does this work?  What will the DC embassy accept?

 

2) What constitutes as proof of bank account?  For instance, could I log-in to my bank online, and just print out a balance statement?  Would they accept that?

 

3) How do you get proof of no criminal record?

 

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

Everything you need is listged here on the embassy website. http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-category-oa/

1. Is the medical certificate signed by a doctor you can download as mentioned in #4 on the list.

2. See #6. "In the case of submitting a bank statement, a letter of guarantee from the bank (an original copy) is required" It is a letter confirming you account is valid.

3. It varies from state to state. Most have a website with instructions on getting one.

[sbaker8688]

For criminal background check, would this do (Florida)?

 

http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records/Record-Check

[bkk6060]

Dude, fly here and do it much much easier.

If you run into issues hire and agency 15 months stay in one day.  

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, sbaker8688 said:

For criminal background check, would this do (Florida)?

 

http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records/Record-Check

I cannot open the site.

Since it is from the state of Florida it would be accepted but it has to be signed by a official as per the embassy requirements "Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable".

[sbaker8688]

33 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Dude, fly here and do it much much easier.

If you run into issues hire and agency 15 months stay in one day.  

How do I do it there?  You mean in Thailand?

[bkk6060]

19 minutes ago, sbaker8688 said:

How do I do it there?  You mean in Thailand?

Yes in Thailand.  No med.cert or background BS.

The biggest issue for some is showing the seed money or retirement income..

Do you have a retirement income over 65,000 b a month?

 

But like I say, none of this is a problem if you decide to use an agency they will do it all for you for a fee. 

All complete and 15 months (90 plus one year extension) done in one day.

[sbaker8688]

1) I have enough deposit money in US bank account, but no income (from my understanding, if you have enough savings, you don't need the income requirement).

 

2) Where am I supposed to get this done?  Like, seriously, I don't know.  Some kind of immigration office in Bangkok?  Just walk in and apply for the O retirement visa?

 

3) If I go the agency route, do you have one you recommend?  Link to a website?

 

Thanks.

[bkk6060]

12 minutes ago, sbaker8688 said:

12 minutes ago, sbaker8688 said:

1) I have enough deposit money in US bank account, but no income (from my understanding, if you have enough savings, you don't need the income requirement).

 

2) Where am I supposed to get this done?  Like, seriously, I don't know.  Some kind of immigration office in Bangkok?  Just walk in and apply for the O retirement visa?

 

3) If I go the agency route, do you have one you recommend?  Link to a website?

 

Thanks.

This is a link from the page you are on. From a TVF ad.

But if you just do a search on Thai retirement visa many many come up.

Quote

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2018 by ubonjoe
removed advert with a phone number (forum rule)

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, sbaker8688 said:

1) I have enough deposit money in US bank account, but no income (from my understanding, if you have enough savings, you don't need the income requirement).

2) Where am I supposed to get this done?  Like, seriously, I don't know.  Some kind of immigration office in Bangkok?  Just walk in and apply for the O retirement visa?

3) If I go the agency route, do you have one you recommend?  Link to a website?

 

1. You have to have the 800k baht in a Thai bank to for 60 days to apply for a one extension of stay at a immigration office.

2. You would first have to a apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) at a immigration office before applying for the one year extension of stay.  The 800k baht only has to be in the bank on the date you apply.

3. The fee for an agent will be from 20k baht to as much as 40k baht dependent upon the agent or where you are located here. You don't need an agent you can do it yourself for a lot less money.

[sbaker8688]

1) So I can avoid having money in a Thai bank account if I do the visa over in the USA - is that correct?

 

Thanks.

[mtls2005]

You can substitute an Affidavit of Income in lieu of the 800k deposit, AFAIK. At least that's what I've been doing for ~ six years.

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/income-affidavit/

 

 

I am under the impression that you can convert a 30-visa exempt entry to a 90 day non-imm O-A, which then can be extended for 12 months, each year. This can be done all within Thailand on your own. It is a challenging endeavor, fraught with time-lines, but I think it can still be done. Some recommend getting the 90 day non imm O-A outside of Thailand, in a nearby country.

 

There are a ton of threads on this process here.

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, sbaker8688 said:

1) So I can avoid having money in a Thai bank account if I do the visa over in the USA - is that correct?

 

Thanks.

Yes you can show the equivalent of 800k baht in a US bank.

Another advantage of the OA visa is that you can get almost 2 years of total stay from it by doing a one year enty just before it expires.

 

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

I am under the impression that you can convert a 30-visa exempt entry to a 90 day non-imm O-A, which then can be extended for 12 months, each year. This can be done all within Thailand on your own. It is a challenging endeavor, fraught with time-lines, but I think it can still be done. Some recommend getting the 90 day non imm O-A outside of Thailand, in a nearby country.

A OA visa can only be applied for a embassy or official consulate in your home country and it allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date of issue.

Only a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry can be applied for at a immigration office.

[buick]

my friend is an 'agent' here in bangkok.  but it will cost 30,000thb or more going through him.  i can provide his contact info via private message if you need it.  while he is my friend, etc...  i decided to do it myself and save the money.  once you enter thailand visa exempt or via tourist visa, you go to chaeng wattana immigration's 'change visa' desk.  on your first visit, you apply for the non imm O (long stay visa).  they tell you to come back in two weeks which is when they'll let you know if you've been approved and place the visa stamp in your passport.  it is only good for 90 days.  during the last 30 days of that 90, you go back to immigration to request the one year extension.  getting the 90 day non imm O takes very little time.  it took less than 15 minutes for each of the visits.  but it took several hours to obtain the one year extension (i arrived around 9am and wasn't done until almost 3pm). 

 

i'd been spending 8 months a year in thailand and it wasn't very convenient for me to get all the stuff required to get the O-A in the USA as i didn't really have a home base.  no car, no doctor, traveling from place to place so no address for the consulate to send stuff back to me, etc..   others, who still had a 'life' in USA have said getting the O-A was very easy.  and you keep your money in the USA.

 

you'll have an easier time opening a bank account if you arrive on an O-A.  eventually, you may need bank account.  some go to the USA embassy and get the income letter, even if they don't have the income, as they don't ask for any backup. 

 

 

 

 

[bkk6060]

14 hours ago, buick said:

my friend is an 'agent' here in bangkok.  but it will cost 30,000thb or more going through him.  i can provide his contact info via private message if you need it.  while he is my friend, etc...  i decided to do it myself and save the money.  once you enter thailand visa exempt or via tourist visa, you go to chaeng wattana immigration's 'change visa' desk.  on your first visit, you apply for the non imm O (long stay visa).  they tell you to come back in two weeks which is when they'll let you know if you've been approved and place the visa stamp in your passport.  it is only good for 90 days.  during the last 30 days of that 90, you go back to immigration to request the one year extension.  getting the 90 day non imm O takes very little time.  it took less than 15 minutes for each of the visits.  but it took several hours to obtain the one year extension (i arrived around 9am and wasn't done until almost 3pm). 

 

i'd been spending 8 months a year in thailand and it wasn't very convenient for me to get all the stuff required to get the O-A in the USA as i didn't really have a home base.  no car, no doctor, traveling from place to place so no address for the consulate to send stuff back to me, etc..   others, who still had a 'life' in USA have said getting the O-A was very easy.  and you keep your money in the USA.

 

you'll have an easier time opening a bank account if you arrive on an O-A.  eventually, you may need bank account.  some go to the USA embassy and get the income letter, even if they don't have the income, as they don't ask for any backup. 

 

 

 

 

You are suggesting that he commit a federal crime by making false statements to a US government agency reference his income.

Just terrible horrific advice!!

[sbaker8688]

7 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

You are suggesting that he commit a federal crime by making false statements to a US government agency reference his income.

Just terrible horrific advice!!

He just said "some do."  He didn't suggest that I do it.

[buick]

6 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

You are suggesting that he commit a federal crime by making false statements to a US government agency reference his income.

Just terrible horrific advice!!

i think i listed options.  many people get their non imm O's using the methods i described above.  i've yet to hear a report of someone having a problem on the income letter.  i use the money in the bank method myself.

 

 

[allen303]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I cannot open the site.

Since it is from the state of Florida it would be accepted but it has to be signed by a official as per the embassy requirements "Online criminal record without authorizer’s signature is unacceptable".

The only way to get a Criminal Records Check in the state of Fl. is through FDLE in Tallahassee. They have a link on their web page just for that. The Sheriff’s Dept. in the county will no long do it for you (will do Finger Print Card), they refer you to the FDLE web site. I think around $25.00, finger print card and takes about three weeks, all instructions on web site. You will get a certified copy back with Fl. FDLE seal, which will suffice for the Embassy.

[sbaker8688]

Perfect - thanks.

[suave]

 

Google Siam legal, they will do the whole thing for you for around $800, that is what I did a few years back for my first retirement visa.  Did it from the states, they get you a 90  day that is commuted in Thailand after you get there, no hospital no criminal records check.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, suave said:

 

Google Siam legal, they will do the whole thing for you for around $800, that is what I did a few years back for my first retirement visa.  Did it from the states, they get you a 90  day that is commuted in Thailand after you get there, no hospital no criminal records check.

That is no longer possible since the honorary consulates they dealt with no longer issue non-o visa for being over 50 for retirement.

[suave]

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is no longer possible since the honorary consulates they dealt with no longer issue non-o visa for being over 50 for retirement.

Did not know that, been 7 years since I did it that way, have done it on my own since then.

[suave]

16 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is no longer possible since the honorary consulates they dealt with no longer issue non-o visa for being over 50 for retirement.

Don't mean to argue with you ubonjoe, but this link takes you to the page on siam legal it is still valid.

http://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/Thailand-Retirement-Visa-for-US-Citizens.php

 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, suave said:

Don't mean to argue with you ubonjoe, but this link takes you to the page on siam legal it is still valid.

http://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/Thailand-Retirement-Visa-for-US-Citizens.php

 

They may still have it shown on their website but whether it can still be done is a different story.

[suave]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They may still have it shown on their website but whether it can still be done is a different story.

They have a US phone number.  They get you a 90 day to get into Thailand, then after the money is seasoned they get the retirement.  A fairly expensive way of doing it, but for the first time it was worth it to me.

[wgdanson]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can show the equivalent of 800k baht in a US bank.

How is that done please Joe? Money in a UK bank.

Edited May 11, 2018 by wgdanson

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

How is that done please Joe? Money in a UK bank.

He is apply for a OA long stay visa in the US. No need to have it in a Thai bank.

If a person applied for it in the UK that is where the money could be.

[ozmeldo]

9 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Dude, fly here and do it much much easier.

If you run into issues hire and agency 15 months stay in one day.  

I agree but he needs an address. Doubt that can be in US.

 

I think you need to be in country 30 days prior as well but uncertain.

[ozmeldo]

9 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Dude, fly here and do it much much easier.

If you run into issues hire and agency 15 months stay in one day.  

I agree but he needs an address. Doubt that can be in US.

 

I think you need to be in country 30 days prior as well but uncertain.