Visa Question

[Shotime]

Hi. I am new to the forum, and I need a little help. I returned from Thailand on 6 March after going without a visa. I had the 30 day entry which I renewed twice. Without a visa, I am supposed to wait 6 months before I can return. The embassy in D.C. says that I can apply for 1 year retirement visa (I am 61) and can return before the 6 months. However, they also say that immigration could deny me entry at the airport in Bangkok. Is this true?

Other than that, the requirements for the 1 year non-immigration visa are close to impossible. Especially the criminal background check. There is a minimum of 4 months waiting period from the FBI. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Maestro]

In theory, the Immigration officer at the point of entry can refuse entry to anybody, even to somebody with a valid visa, but obviously he would do so only if you were on a blacklist.

If you do not want to go through the procedure of getting a retirement visa from the Thai consulate, ie a non-immigrant visa type O-A, there is a simpler way, without police check and health certificate. You can get any type of visa, enter Thailand, and in Thailand apply for an annual extension for the reason of retirement. The complication here is that for your application for extension you must show evidence of minimum 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account for at least three months prior to your application.

This brings me to the question: do you already have a Thai bank account in your name? If yes, bring the balance to over 800k now, get a single-entry non-O visa, purpose of visit “to explore retirement possibility”, fly to Thailand and apply for your extension when you have 3-4 weeks left of your 90-day permission to stay.

If you don’t have your Thai bank account yet you have to arrange it so that you will have time to open an account and get your money into it three months before applying for your extension. I suggest you get a multiple-entry non-O visa, not non-O-A, “to explore retirement possibility”, fly to Thailand, open your account and transfer the money into it, do one border run before the first 90 days are over, when the money has been in the account for 3 months apply for your annual extension of stay.

--

Maestro

[Krub]

In theory, the Immigration officer at the point of entry can refuse entry to anybody, even to somebody with a valid visa, but obviously he would do so only if you were on a blacklist.

If you do not want to go through the procedure of getting a retirement visa from the Thai consulate, ie a non-immigrant visa type O-A, there is a simpler way, without police check and health certificate. You can get any type of visa, enter Thailand, and in Thailand apply for an annual extension for the reason of retirement. The complication here is that for your application for extension you must show evidence of minimum 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account for at least three months prior to your application.

This brings me to the question: do you already have a Thai bank account in your name? If yes, bring the balance to over 800k now, get a single-entry non-O visa, purpose of visit “to explore retirement possibility”, fly to Thailand and apply for your extension when you have 3-4 weeks left of your 90-day permission to stay.

If you don’t have your Thai bank account yet you have to arrange it so that you will have time to open an account and get your money into it three months before applying for your extension. I suggest you get a multiple-entry non-O visa, not non-O-A, “to explore retirement possibility”, fly to Thailand, open your account and transfer the money into it, do one border run before the first 90 days are over, when the money has been in the account for 3 months apply for your annual extension of stay.

--

Maestro

If you do not want to show the 800k for 3 months, you can repleace this requirement with a letter from your Embassy in bangkok stating that you have a monthly income in excess of 65k per month. This will give you plenty of time to sort out your bank account if needed before your next extension in a years time if you want to go the bank route

[lopburi3]

As said you have a number of options:

1. Obtain a multi entry non immigrant O visa from an small Consulate being 61 and looking a retirement prospects - this could cover up to a 15 month stay with only 90 day visa runs required (a lot less than those 30 day runs you were making).

2. Obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa and then extend for retirement using 65k per month pension letter from Embassy or 800k in bank 3 months or combination.

3. Obtain a tourist visa and change with 800k three months or 65k monthly or combination at cost of 2,000 baht. If you do not have bank account at 800k prior to entry it would probably require you obtain a second tourist visa (or then obtain a non immigrant visa in Singapore and avoid the change of visa fee).

[Shotime]

Thank you very much. I will look into the multiple entry non-O visa "to explore retirement possibilities". I could possibly get the 800,000 B in a Thai bank while there (I don't have one now), but would they accept a federal monthly retirement deposit of say 100,000 B per month instead? Thank you again and I'll let you know what's going on.

te name='maestro' date='2007-04-11 04:08:47' post='1245649']

In theory, the Immigration officer at the point of entry can refuse entry to anybody, even to somebody with a valid visa, but obviously he would do so only if you were on a blacklist.

If you do not want to go through the procedure of getting a retirement visa from the Thai consulate, ie a non-immigrant visa type O-A, there is a simpler way, without police check and health certificate. You can get any type of visa, enter Thailand, and in Thailand apply for an annual extension for the reason of retirement. The complication here is that for your application for extension you must show evidence of minimum 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account for at least three months prior to your application.

This brings me to the question: do you already have a Thai bank account in your name? If yes, bring the balance to over 800k now, get a single-entry non-O visa, purpose of visit "to explore retirement possibility", fly to Thailand and apply for your extension when you have 3-4 weeks left of your 90-day permission to stay.

If you don't have your Thai bank account yet you have to arrange it so that you will have time to open an account and get your money into it three months before applying for your extension. I suggest you get a multiple-entry non-O visa, not non-O-A, "to explore retirement possibility", fly to Thailand, open your account and transfer the money into it, do one border run before the first 90 days are over, when the money has been in the account for 3 months apply for your annual extension of stay.

--

Maestro

[Shotime]

Thanks for replying. I will pursue getting a visa with the embassy unless there is a small consulate that is near and would be better. The 65K B retirement check I can handle. The pension letter is from the embassy? Whose embassy? I can get a letter from my bank or the personnel dept. where I worked? Is that the same?

As said you have a number of options:

1. Obtain a multi entry non immigrant O visa from an small Consulate being 61 and looking a retirement prospects - this could cover up to a 15 month stay with only 90 day visa runs required (a lot less than those 30 day runs you were making).

2. Obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa and then extend for retirement using 65k per month pension letter from Embassy or 800k in bank 3 months or combination.

3. Obtain a tourist visa and change with 800k three months or 65k monthly or combination at cost of 2,000 baht. If you do not have bank account at 800k prior to entry it would probably require you obtain a second tourist visa (or then obtain a non immigrant visa in Singapore and avoid the change of visa fee).

[lopburi3]

The pension letter is from your Embassy in Bangkok to confirm your retirement income. Supporting documents for that could be as you mention or your sworn word. Immigration will require the Embassy letter and may ask to see documents to support it.