Retirement Visa

[joez]

Couple of questions for first time applying. I'm only worried about the initial Visa and the 1st year, because i'm not sure if ill stay after that. So I apply in the US at an Embassy. I receive a monthly government pension well above the required amount. So I submit my US Bank statements etc... to show I meet the requirements. Now once in Thailand do I have to open a Thai Bank account? Or can I keep my direct deposits going into my US Bank account? And secondly with this 90 day reporting to show your address. If I bounce around the whole time in different cities or hotels with different addresses, will they have a problem with this?

 

Thanks in advance, Joe

[asiaexpat]

If u get a Multi-entry Non-O visa and do a visa run (leave Thailand and return) every 90 days u will never need to make any reports. If u opt for a single Non-O and extension of stay then u do not need to do visa runs but must do a 90 day report every 90 days to the office where u get the extension of stay regardless where u are at that time.

[DrJack54]

What suits you best is a non O-A. Obtained in own country. No need Thai bank ac etc. You can get 2 years out of that. Its multi entry first 12 month. Perfect for your requirements. After 2 yr can obtain extensions based on retirement if so suits. At that point you would money in Thai bank or income option.

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

If u get a Multi-entry Non-O visa and do a visa run (leave Thailand and return) every 90 days u will never need to make any reports. If u opt for a single Non-O and extension of stay then u do not need to do visa runs but must do a 90 day report every 90 days to the office where u get the extension of stay regardless where u are at that time.

Multi entry o ? I thought that was for based on marriage? OP states he is in USA

[SEtonal]

1 hour ago, joez said:

You Couple of questions for first time applying. I'm only worried about the initial Visa and the 1st year, because i'm not sure if ill stay after that. So I apply in the US at an Embassy. I receive a monthly government pension well above the required amount. So I submit my US Bank statements etc... to show I meet the requirements. Now once in Thailand do I have to open a Thai Bank account? Or can I keep my direct deposits going into my US Bank account? And secondly with this 90 day reporting to show your address. If I bounce around the whole time in different cities or hotels with different addresses, will they have a problem with this?

With a 1-year Non-Immigrant OA visa obtained from a Thai Embassy or Consulate in the United States, you do not need to open a bank account in Thailand.  Keep your direct deposits in your US bank account.   The OA visa can be stretched to nearly two years if you leave and reenter Thailand shortly before the end of the 1st year of the visa.   Airport/Border Immigration will stamp you in with an additional year of permission to stay.  If you want to travel outside of Thailand during that second year, you need to first go to an Immigration Office and get a reentry permit.  So with the OA visa you can stay up to two years in Thailand and your money stays in your US bank account and you do not need to open a Thai bank account.

 

You need to report to the nearest Immigration Office every 90 days that you are physically in Thailand.   The 90 day report is different from the TM30 - which Thais have to submit to let Immigration know a foreigner is staying with them.  If you stay in a hotel, the hotel will submit a TM30 to the local Immigration Office.  

[SEtonal]

1 hour ago, asiaexpat said:

If u get a Multi-entry Non-O visa and do a visa run (leave Thailand and return) every 90 days u will never need to make any reports. If u opt for a single Non-O and extension of stay then u do not need to do visa runs but must do a 90 day report every 90 days to the office where u get the extension of stay regardless where u are at that time.

The 1 year Multi-entry Non-Immigrant O visa for people over 50 is not available in the United States.   OP is talking about the OA visa.

[joez]

Ok, thanks. So the 1st year I won't need a Thai bank account.  Then with the 90 day reporting, I just give them the address of where i'm staying at that time and if I move I give the new address at the next 90 day report. Sounds good.

[Peckerhead]

Dr Jack & Seonal,

 

Thanks very much,  am i correct in thinking that the procedure is the same for a UK resident?

 

Every 90 days present yourself and passport to an Immigration Office?  

 

If I rent a condo the TM30 is sorted by the person/company  I rent from?

 

Thanks

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Peckerhead said:

Dr Jack & Seonal,

 

Thanks very much,  am i correct in thinking that the procedure is the same for a UK resident?

 

Every 90 days present yourself and passport to an Immigration Office?  

 

If I rent a condo the TM30 is sorted by the person/company  I rent from?

 

Thanks

Yes to both questions. To add...if you take a trip outside of Thailand....the 90 day "report clock" is reset. For example I have been living bkk several years and never done a 90 day report because I exit los regularly.

Also, you can do report online. 

UK procedure will be similar for O-A.

Enjoy your stay in los. Added note...as your a UK passport holder Vietnam gives you 15 day visa exempt stamp. Nice for short breaks from los.

[joez]

I'm looking to go in November, is it too early to apply for the Visa? 

[fishtank]

1 hour ago, joez said:

I'm looking to go in November, is it too early to apply for the Visa? 

Yes because the Visa becomes valid on the day it is issued.

[joez]

Ok thanks, so how do I time it? This means I would need the Visa to become valid on the same day I arrive in November in order to get the full year? So if I do it in October and it starts when its issued and I arrive in November, I only get the remaining 11 months?

[SEtonal]

2 hours ago, Peckerhead said:

Dr Jack & Seonal,

 

Thanks very much,  am i correct in thinking that the procedure is the same for a UK resident?

 

Every 90 days present yourself and passport to an Immigration Office?  

 

If I rent a condo the TM30 is sorted by the person/company  I rent from?

 

Thanks

The procedure is the same for UK residents with a Non-Imm OA visa.   (Unlike in the US, UK residents also have the option of getting a Non-Imm O visa based on retirement from the Thai Embassy in the UK. So don't get the two confused.  A 1-year O Multiple-Entry requires exiting Thailand every 90 days, so no need to report to Immigration every 90 days.)

 

With an OA visa, if you do not leave Thailand for 90 straight days, must report to local Immigration Office with passport.

 

No matter what visa type you have, the person/company that you rent a condo from must report you but sometimes they don't.   Immigration may or may not check to see if your address of stay is on file when you do your 90 day report. 

 

[jacko45k]

6 minutes ago, joez said:

Ok thanks, so how do I time it? This means I would need the Visa to become valid on the same day I arrive in November in order to get the full year? So if I do it in October and it starts when its issued and I arrive in November, I only get the remaining 11 months?

The Visa is valid the day it is issued. You could always bring the flight forward. 

[SpokaneAl]

Know that if the reports are correct, you could be required to show that you have medical insurance if you buy your non imm o-a after June 30, in that the medical insurance requirement supposedly goes into effect on July 1.


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[joez]

I'm getting conflicting information here, 1 person said they stamp your passport good for 1 year when you arrive at the airport. So is it 1 year from the date you arrive or 1 year from when the Visa is issued?

[jacko45k]

Just now, joez said:

I'm getting conflicting information here, 1 person said they stamp your passport good for 1 year when you arrive at the airport. So is it 1 year from the date you arrive or 1 year from when the Visa is issued?

If you arrive with a live Non-Imm-OA Visa, you would get stamped in for a full year from the date you arrive. If you arrive with a Re-Entry permit, you will be stamped in until the date that Permit is based on. (Eg, the duration of an Extension of a Permit to Stay).

Clear as mud.

[joez]

So I can get the Visa now, It will still be good in November and I get 1 year from then?

[jacko45k]

12 minutes ago, joez said:

So I can get the Visa now, It will still be good in November and I get 1 year from then?

Yes, for a Non-Imm OA Visa it will be valid (Enter before date) until June 2020. You would get a permission to stay until  November 2020 if arriving in November. A trip out before June 2020 and back would give you a further 12 months permission to stay. Let us say to June 2021.

If you wished to leave Thailand temporarily after June 2020 and return, the June 2021 permit could be be retained using a Re-Entry Permit, obtained in Thailand at Immigration or the airport before you leave. 

More mud!

[joez]

Ok thanks, the other guy said it was too early to get it, that's why I was confused. Thanks

[Olmate]

3 minutes ago, joez said:

Ok thanks, the other guy said it was too early to get it, that's why I was confused. Thanks

Why not wait,doing it now you lose 5 months

[jacko45k]

Just now, joez said:

Ok thanks, the other guy said it was too early to get it, that's why I was confused. Thanks

For some Visa types which have a shorter life, yes. Some are 3 months validity which would not work for you. Getting it closer to your travel date would give you more potential time living in Thailand.

 

For Non-Imm O Visas:

Single Entry Visa will be valid for 3 months from the date of issue

Multiple Entries Visa will be valid for 1 year from the date of issue.

[joez]

Ok, I didn't mean this second, I can wait a little. But I at least need a 2-3 months cushion to make sure I get it first and then I have stuff to do here before I leave.

[Andrew Dwyer]

I'm getting conflicting information here, 1 person said they stamp your passport good for 1 year when you arrive at the airport. So is it 1 year from the date you arrive or 1 year from when the Visa is issued?

The OA is unique in that you can get up to 2 years from a 1 year visa.

When the visa is issued you will get a “ valid until “ date of 1 year in the future.
Every time you re-enter Thailand during the life of the visa ( 1 year from issue) you will get a stamp in your passport that you have admission to stay for 1 year.
So, if you re-enter just before your visa expires you can obtain 2 years ( less a few days usually ).

The first year you are on a ME OA visa .

The second year you are on permission to stay and need to buy a re-entry permit to keep that alive ( single entry 1000 baht, ME 3800 baht ).

At the end of the second year you apply for extension and then the Thai financial requirements apply ( I.e. money in a Thai bank or monthly transfers to a Thai bank ).

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, SpokaneAl said:

Know that if the reports are correct, you could be required to show that you have medical insurance if you buy your non imm o-a after June 30, in that the medical insurance requirement supposedly goes into effect on July 1.


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Good point. My guess is will take bit longer to implement. However who knows. If that's the case OP may opt for multi non o as outlined by SETonal above. 

Also OP as noted above leave your OA application to few weeks before flight. You will end up with tad under 2 yrs if you need/want it.

[DrJack54]

32 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Why not wait,doing it now you lose 5 months

He will be given 12 months upon entry with oa visa. The wasted 5 months is more about max out the almost 2 yr stay if needed by reenter just before OA expire date.

[Andrew Dwyer]

Ok, I didn't mean this second, I can wait a little. But I at least need a 2-3 months cushion to make sure I get it first and then I have stuff to do here before I leave.

You certainly need to forward plan your application for an OA.
The police check ( ACRO ) online will take a couple of weeks IIRC , the medical certificate can take a few days to get someone to actually sign the form ( due to the obscure illnesses quoted ) although you can actually get this done in Thailand very cheaply if you have opportunity.
Then of course, the mandatory health insurance for the OA may happen in July or may not, nobody knows exactly ????

[DrJack54]

27 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

The OA is unique in that you can get up to 2 years from a 1 year visa.

When the visa is issued you will get a “ valid until “ date of 1 year in the future.
Every time you re-enter Thailand during the life of the visa ( 1 year from issue) you will get a stamp in your passport that you have admission to stay for 1 year.
So, if you re-enter just before your visa expires you can obtain 2 years ( less a few days usually ).

The first year you are on a ME OA visa .

The second year you are on permission to stay and need to buy a re-entry permit to keep that alive ( single entry 1000 baht, ME 3800 baht ).

At the end of the second year you apply for extension and then the Thai financial requirements apply ( I.e. money in a Thai bank or monthly transfers to a Thai bank ).

Andrew, your post should be the go to info for explaining the OA

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

You certainly need to forward plan your application for an OA.
The police check ( ACRO ) online will take a couple of weeks IIRC , the medical certificate can take a few days to get someone to actually sign the form ( due to the obscure illnesses quoted ) although you can actually get this done in Thailand very cheaply if you have opportunity.
Then of course, the mandatory health insurance for the OA may happen in July or may not, nobody knows exactly ????
 

Again good points.

Recent thread of someone obtaining medical check requiring blood tests etc. Mine and other members was just a stamp and sign. Best to shop around for "normal" quack.

The police check in AU can take 14-20 working days. Imagine similar to UK.

[joez]

If the health insurance thing goes through anybody know if they would except my Blue Cross from here? I get lifetime coverage through my retirement. I mean if I needed any prolonged medical treatment I would fly back to the States anyway. I guess unless I got shot or something, lol.