Early retirement visa, how I did it 2019

[Ebumbu]

12 hours ago, WhatupThailand said:

Also don't forget, Everything is up to the IO, where if he/she does not like your face.

You gotta provide hand drawn map to your Residence, Photos of you in Front of your house,

many more copies of anything all signed, along with a moon rock, ect.

Bottom line is that it's all about the MONEY.

 

I will secure the "moon rock" the morning of my extension, after coffee.   ????

[edwardflory]

15 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

Filled in the required forms at the immigration office, handed in the application and paid 2000 baht. Got a retirement visa for three monts.

Never heard of a retirement"""visa""" or extension for 3 months

[HarryAbel]

4 minutes ago, edwardflory said:

Never heard of a retirement"""visa""" or extension for 3 months

My memory may be letting me down, but in my passport I have a NON-O-RETIREMENT stamp for three months.

[Bentley333]

Well done. You can relax now!

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, HarryAbel said:

I got the impression by what the IO told me that there where no need to keep any money at any bank account, once the extension was approved, I even asked about this specifically. Of course, I do not have this in writing. 

Ask @UbonJoe > he will be able to tell you the actual requirements.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

I got the impression by what the IO told me that there where no need to keep any money at any bank account, once the extension was approved, I even asked about this specifically. Of course, I do not have this in writing. 

Perhaps an officer not familiar with the new rules (March 1st) for extensions based upon retirement.

You have to keep 800k baht in the bank for 3 months from the date you apply and then 400k baht until you top up your account for the next extension.

[Elzear]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

He is writing about getting a OA long stay visa (NON-OA) at a embassy or official consulate in your home country.

You have to show the financial proof when you apply for it there and show the money in a bank there.

See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

The Thai immigration site makes it feel as arduous to obtain that visa. I think I’ll for Harry’s way .. get to meet the locals and get first hand experience with this process circumvolutions ???? Gives you time to learn basic Thai as well 

[rwill]

5 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

Probably because of inexperience, ignorance and stupidity. You are telling me I could have a one year visa ... err permission to stay, without showing the 800k? I am not married.

 

Edit: I remember I had to meet up in person at the embassy to apply for a retirement visa, and that was a no-go, because of distance and time. Only option available through snail mail was the tourist visa.

You would not need the money in a Thai bank account for it.  But there are additional hurdles too.  Like you have to get notarized health statement, notarized police clearance, and notarized bank statement.

[KhunFred]

Got my extension directly from Chonburi Immigration by presenting proof of all my income (in an American bank ONLY) and a fee which was on the low end of what is asked by many agents. I STILL get expats warning me of possible "dire" consequences down the road. I was interviewed by an apparently high-ranking Immigration Officer who spoke very good English and only asked me if I had any plans to travel out of the country. I didn't, and after examining my documents from Social Security, State Teacher's Retirement and a private annuity, he told me I could pick up my passport in three days. Officer's discretion comes into play here. Call it whatever you like but I have another year in Thailand. My interview was arranged by a Thai national. I am told that the same procedure may be available next year, as well. If not, I am prepared to move to the Philippines or Vietnam. I am tired of drama. The fee was more than I wanted to pay, but it bought me time, if nothing else. I simply can't move all my funds to a Thai bank because I pay credit card bills in America which will not accept transfers from Bangkok Bank. One card representative I talked to on the phone acted as if I were involved in some sort of "money laundering" scheme. She told me they "absolutely" would not accept a payment from a Thai bank. The constant effort to make things more difficult, without recourse, is bound to backfire at some point. I rather doubt that they care. I spend a fair bit of change here every month and most Thais seem to think I am "well off". I think it's obvious that other things are at play, here. They had a system which worked fine and they broke it. Hope the Chinese and the Indians can make up the loss of income.????

[stat]

6 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

Those requirements are not exactly the same as those I had to follow. For instance, I had to submit documentation for a hotel booking that covered my entire stay in Thailand, and I did not have that.

Which embassy did require the hotel booking? I had the same problem whilr applying at Frankfurt consulate. However the thai embassy in Berlin did not require a year long rental or hotel contract.

Edited September 25, 2019 by stat

[gk10002000]

6 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Yes, but don't feel stupid that you were not aware of that option.  The thai Visa jungle is difficult to navigate, and I admire how you managed it.

But indeed with a Non Imm OA retiree Visa there is no need for up to 2 years to park 800.000 THB in a thai bank-account.

And after that time you can simply re-apply for such a Visa in your home-country, so there will never be a need for the money-in-bank method or the complex proof-of-income method. 

An additional minor advantage is that with such a Visa, there is also no need for re-entry permits during the 1 year validity of the original Visa.

Maybe something to consider when you make a trip to your home-country?

Wait, is it really true that re-entry permits are not needed with the Non Imm OA retiree?  One can come and go from Thailand as often as one wants without having to get reentry permits?  

 

   Also don't forget to mention some of the other things that are needed to get the non imm OA visa at home before going to Thailand:  Local police or FBI clearance letter thing, Medical certificate, etc.

[mahjongguy]

Non O-A visas are now always Multiple Entry. During their one year of validity from date of issue you can enter Thailand and receive a one year Permission To Stay. After the expiration of the visa, up until the expiration of the Permission To Stay, you must obtain a single or multiple Re-Entry Permit before exiting the country.

[Peter Denis]

43 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Wait, is it really true that re-entry permits are not needed with the Non Imm OA retiree?  One can come and go from Thailand as often as one wants without having to get reentry permits?  

 

   Also don't forget to mention some of the other things that are needed to get the non imm OA visa at home before going to Thailand:  Local police or FBI clearance letter thing, Medical certificate, etc.

Yes, during the validity of your Non Imm OA Visa (1 year) you can leave/enter Thailand as you please without any need for a re-entry permit.  You only have to do your 90 day reports when you stay 90 consecutive days in Thailand.

If you re-enter Thailand at the end of the 1 year Visa validity, you are stamped in for an additional year.  But during that 2nd year when leaving Thailand you would need a re-entry permit to keep the permission to stay valid. 

And it is only at the end of the 2 year period that the financial requirements for an extension of stay as retiree would start. 

So if you do not like to park 800.000/400.000 THB in a thai bank-account or start with the complex +65.000 THB monthly income-method, you could simply make a trip to your home-country and apply once again for a Non Imm OA Visa.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Peter Denis

[HarryAbel]

Thanks for all the useful information! Attached is a photo I took with my phone at Government Complex the other day ...

[BertM]

3 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

My memory may be letting me down, but in my passport I have a NON-O-RETIREMENT stamp for three months.

Congrats on your extension. I'm sure you're relieved. Just so you know, you could also have flown in without a tourist visa and got a 30-day visa exempt stamp at airport and then applied for the 90-day non-O visa. That's what I did. Also, in the past when the embassies were issuing income affidavits, you didn't need to xfer the 800k. You just needed the income affidavit to apply for the 90-day non-O & 12 mth extension based on income. That's what I did also, and was granted both the 90-day & 12 mth extension at the same time. Enjoy your retirement...

[Elzear]

9 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

Thanks, the visa-stamp in my passport says RETIREMENT, and the re-entry stamp says NON-IMM, what should I call my visa to be correct?

 

Thanks, I went to the ampoe in my neighborhood to get a yellow book, but they did not accept my rental contract. If I change address to my girlfriends condo, I can have a yellow book at her ampoe, but I won’t do that.

Did not have any photos of me in front of the condo, nor was it requested

How long did that take you to do all those formalities ? Also I guess they can only be done in Bangkok, no ? 

[HarryAbel]

21 minutes ago, Elzear said:

How long did that take you to do all those formalities ? Also I guess they can only be done in Bangkok, no ? 

It took some time, and several dreaded trips to Government Complex, that is located quite far away from city centre. I used Skytrain to Victory Monument and the bus #166 from there to GC (make sure to check that the bus goes to GC, since some of the #166 busses goes to other areas).  I don’t know if the process can only be done in Bangkok, I would not think so.

[BertM]

1 hour ago, Elzear said:

How long did that take you to do all those formalities ? Also I guess they can only be done in Bangkok, no ? 

I flew in with 30-day visa exempt stamp from airport and did my 90-day non-O visa & 12-mth extension in Jomtien, Chonburi. I'm sure other offices do it also. Just need to check with your local office to make sure...

[Markus700]

Hey together, could i also do the retirement process if i have a tourist visa? I already have thai account, thai driver lisence, yellow housbook. I have build already my house (land is on usufruct) and have a car on my name and i`m over 50 years old.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Markus700

[Schtrick]

Excellent Job Harry, I copied it and emailed to myself for future reference or for anyone struggling with the process.

Seems like you just went and "done it" !! Great Job, and great for posting, cheers.

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

Thanks, the visa-stamp in my passport says RETIREMENT, and the re-entry stamp says NON-IMM, what should I call my visa to be correct?

Call it what it says on the stamp, an 'Extension of Stay'  (based on retirement).

[ubonjoe]

35 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Call it what it says on the stamp, an 'Extension of Stay'  (based on retirement).

The OP has not applied for an extension yet.

He only has a non immigrant visa issued by immigration and the 90 day entry it allowed.

[Max69xl]

On 9/25/2019 at 3:07 AM, WhatupThailand said:

Also don't forget, Everything is up to the IO, where if he/she does not like your face.

You gotta provide hand drawn map to your Residence, Photos of you in Front of your house,

many more copies of anything all signed, along with a moon rock, ect.

Bottom line is that it's all about the MONEY.

What are you rambling about? You're just another paranoid whiner. 

[Max69xl]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The OP has not applied for an extension yet.

He only has a non immigrant visa issued by immigration and the 90 day entry it allowed.

His 90 days Non-Immigrant O Visa is based on retirement. Period. 

[mercman24]

so what do you want, a medal,  or someone with a brain will pay 12,500, to an agent and save 787,500 and no 400,00  in the bank,  gets exactly the same as you, wake up,  the whole country is corrupt its just a commodity, imagine you see  a CAR it costs 800,000 baht but you can get it for 12,500, now let me ponder a while, NO i am going to pay 800,000 as it makes me feel better , lol  best of luck with that one.

Edited September 26, 2019 by mercman24

[Peter Denis]

16 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

so what do you want, a medal,  or someone with a brain will pay 12,500, to an agent and save 787,500 and no 400,00  in the bank,  gets exactly the same as you, wake up,  the whole country is corrupt its just a commodity, imagine you see  a CAR it costs 800,000 baht but you can get it for 12,500, now let me ponder a while, NO i am going to pay 800,000 as it makes me feel better , lol  best of luck with that one.

Some of us prefer to do it the legal way (which agreed is often complex and strenuous).

 

[Peter Denis]

4 hours ago, Markus700 said:

Hey together, could i also do the retirement process if i have a tourist visa? I already have thai account, thai driver lisence, yellow housbook. I have build already my house (land is on usufruct) and have a car on my name and i`m over 50 years old.

Simple answer is YES.

The main requirement is that you are +50 years of age.

The application process is different when you are already in Thailand or apply from your home-country.

In the present thread you will find already many pointers of how to go about doing it.

[mirtl]

12 hours ago, BertM said:

I flew in with 30-day visa exempt stamp from airport and did my 90-day non-O visa & 12-mth extension in Jomtien, Chonburi

Is it possible to come in with the 30 day exempt and convert to non Imm O retirement in Jomtien.  How many days before expiry of 30 day can you do this?  Is it straightforward or complicated?

Edited September 26, 2019 by mirtl

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, mirtl said:

Is it possible to come in with the 30 day exempt and convert to non Imm O retirement in Jomtien.  How many days before expiry of 30 day can you do this?  Is it straightforward or complicated?

Yes it can be done at Jomtien. 

You need at least 15 days remaining on your 30 day entry or the 30 day extension of it when you apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry at immigration.

Not complicated if you already have the 800k baht in the bank with proof it came from abroad or proof of 65k baht income. It requires 2 trips to immigration about 2 weeks apart to get the visa and entry stamps.

[tgeezer]

15 hours ago, HarryAbel said:

Thanks for all the useful information! Attached is a photo I took with my phone at Government Complex the other day ...

My first impression on seeing the picture was, “the documentation that I had to take” good joke !

I suppose our bank details and personal information is contained there, so it is gratifying to see that it is being kept securely. I wonder how it is disposed of when the time comes.