hi,

 

i'm entering thailand in october and going to start a retirement visa based on monthly income, are there implications regarding the visa i enter with, i intend to arrive on a two month tourist visa, or should i enter 30 day visa exempt?

 

thanks for any advice

A tourist visa is better than a 30 day stamp.

A single entry O (if you can get one) is better than a tourist visa.

An O-A visa from your home country is another option altogether. 

Proof monthly income is a bit tricky.

Once I tried and I was asked to provide income slips, working contracts (i am freelancer) and finally I gave up and asked if it would make more sense to show my bank books. 

800.000 baht min required to show.. well I got my stamp without any hassle.

Just be aware that it takes 21 days so be in time before your 30 day stamp expires in the progress.

Then your passport comes back and you have to make a visa run.

 

If you can't show 800k deposited on a saving account go to a Visa Service they may can help

for around 20k you get the 3 month Tourist plus 12 month non O retirement Visa incl re-entry permit. 

5 hours ago, See Will said:

Proof monthly income is a bit tricky.

Once I tried and I was asked to provide income slips, working contracts (i am freelancer) and finally I gave up and asked if it would make more sense to show my bank books. 

800.000 baht min required to show.. well I got my stamp without any hassle.

Just be aware that it takes 21 days so be in time before your 30 day stamp expires in the progress.

Then your passport comes back and you have to make a visa run.

 

If you can't show 800k deposited on a saving account go to a Visa Service they may can help

for around 20k you get the 3 month Tourist plus 12 month non O retirement Visa incl re-entry permit. 

I rang a visa agent and was quoted 30k!

6 hours ago, samsensam said:

i'm entering thailand in october and going to start a retirement visa based on monthly income, are there implications regarding the visa i enter with, i intend to arrive on a two month tourist visa, or should i enter 30 day visa exempt?

As said a tourist visa is the best unless you can get a single entry non-o visa before starting your trip.

The first step will be to get a income letter from your embassy or consulate here to prove the equivalent of 65k baht income.

Next you will do  a change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration. You must have 15 days (21 at some offices) remaining on your entry to do the application. Requirements are here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80 After doing the application you will need to return in about 2 weeks to get the visa and 90 day entry stamps done.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the visa you will apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement at immigration.

 

 

thanks for the advice, i have bank statements showing income just want to be clear on the process.

6 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

thanks for the advice, i have bank statements showing income just want to be clear on the process.

Immigration will only accept a letter from your embassy to prove your income.

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Immigration will only accept a letter from your embassy to prove your income.

 

yea, thanks, i know

Does immigration want the certified stat dec and the letter from my pension supplier stating my income ,certified,ie. Embassy stamp, or just the stat. dec? If both, two embassy fees.

Entering on a 60 day tourist visa, single entry, I can stay for 60 days without having to leave the country and get the one year extension based on retirement during the 60 days, correct?

2 hours ago, cleverman said:

Does immigration want the certified stat dec and the letter from my pension supplier stating my income ,certified,ie. Embassy stamp, or just the stat. dec? If both, two embassy fees.

Only the stat declaration.

 

8 minutes ago, cleverman said:

Entering on a 60 day tourist visa, single entry, I can stay for 60 days without having to leave the country and get the one year extension based on retirement during the 60 days, correct?

You would first have to apply for a non immigrant visa entry at immigration. See info in post #5. You would have to do the application prior to the last 15 days of your 60 day entry.

You would be able to apply for the extension during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry from the visa applied for at immigration.