Retirement Visa

[MrPlum]

I am a Brit currently on an Multiple O business visa which expires in August. I have been in Thailand for nearly 2 years. I am 50 this month and thinking of closing/selling the business and transferring to a retirement visa.

I have a UK pension of 49,000 THB per month and investments abroad of well in excess of 800,000 THB invested in Stocks.

Some questions

1. I understand I need 65,000 pension to qualify for the retirement visa OR 800,000 in a savings account. Can I have a mix of pension and savings. i.e. my 49,000 pension + 100,000 or 200,000 THB savings in a Thai savings account?

OR

2. Would the British Embassy allow me to aggregate the pension of 49,000 and add interest from savings to make up the balance to 65000. i.e. 16,000. Does anyone have any experience of obtaining the certification from the British Embassy? Are they a help or a hindrance?

(The idea of having 800,000 THB sat in a Thai bank not performing is unappealing to say the least.)

3. Is it better to use an agency such as Sunbelt Asia or DIY to process the application?

4. Is there a Multiple and single entry visa distinction for retirement visas. i.e If I wished to travel outside Thailand?

Thanks.

[lopburi3]

1. Yes

2. Suspect not as stocks are not secured.

3. Up to you. Retirement is quite simple. For business I would have used an agency.

4. They are extensions of stay for retirement and to travel you require a re-entry permit in either single (1,000 baht) or multi (3,800) baht.

[AmeriThai]

1. Yes

4. They are extensions of stay for retirement and to travel you require a re-entry permit in either single (1,000 baht) or multi (3,800) baht.

1. Good to hear that.

4. If you have to leave the coumtry for a couple of weeks or a month and you need to obtain a single or multi re-entry permit, does that have any effect on your extention of stay for retirement? Do you have to reapply?

[lopburi3]

You have to re do it every year but as long as you are here to do that you can be away as much as you like. Just be sure to have a re-entry permit prior to leaving.