Retiring to Thailand

[BritSteve]

Good afternoon and I apologise if this has bee asked before but I have searched and found nothing - yet!

 

I plan on retiring this year to Roi Et and I need to know the correct way of going about this with Visas etc.

As I understand I need to start off with a 90 day visa and once in country then apply for the retirement visa?

 

Would I be better off using an agency to handle the paperwork ( and the extra expense) or doing it myself?

 

I am currently in China and would I have to go to the nearest Thai Embassy in person? (probably about 6 hours drive away in Beijing)

 

Any help would be appreciated and thank you

[BritManToo]

Borders are closed for the foreseeable future.

We're living in uncertain times, better to just wait and see what happens.

 

I certainly wouldn't consider retiring to Thailand, if I didn't already have a house and kids here.

[lopburi3]

He has been told this in below thread - everything is unknown for the future currently.

 

[glegolo]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Borders are closed for the foreseeable future.

We're living in uncertain times, better to just wait and see what happens.

 

I certainly wouldn't consider retiring to Thailand, if I didn't already have a house and kids here.

I Certainlly would recommend you to retire here, a great place, and if you learn your way around things in life, all is just fine. It is the hardrocked people that is complaining and not accepting life as it is, that are having a hard time here.....

 

So dont listen to these negative guys...

 

glegolo

[WineOh]

I wouldn't sell up and move here anytime soon.

Very unpredictable times and looks like rough waters ahead.

Plus borders are closed for the foreseeable...

 

Stay put for the time being mate.

 

[CharlieH]

All speculation as the OP hasnt stated on what basis he is coming or whether he is in a relationship etc, so many variables.

 

But, that said, it is uncertain times right now and I wouldnt recommend anyone making that kind of move until things have settled down somewhat. There are enough things to deal with and acclimatize to the way things are done etc without the added complications of the virus restrictions etc.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, BritSteve said:

I am currently in China and would I have to go to the nearest Thai Embassy in person? (probably about 6 hours drive away in Beijing)

There are a number of Thai consulates in China which might be able to assist you - but not sure whether either they or the Beijing Embassy issue 90-day non-O visas on the grounds of being aged 50 or over (i.e. for retirement). If they don't then your best bet would probably be to apply for a tourist visa and convert it to a non-O one at the Roi-Et Immigration Office upon your eventual arrival in Thailand.

 

Scroll down in the following link for relevant location details (hopefully 1 of these consulates at least would prove more convenient for you than the Beijing Embassy!):-

 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/main/

 

The following link to the Roi-Et Immigration Office might also be of interest to you in due course:-

 

http://roietimmigration.com/

 

[ChouDoufu]

@BritSteve

 

you've got internet, visit the thai embassy website(s), send an email with your questions.

 

i sent emails to thai consulates in nanning and guangdong, always got timely and informative personal responses, not canned messages.

[DrJack54]

OP, when borders are open, I wouldn't bother with the 6 hour drive for the non o.

You can enter Thailand visa exempt. If needed can get a 30 extension onto that.

At some point attend immigration and do "conversion" to non o. That gives you another 90 days. In the last 30 days attend immigration again to apply for you 12 month extension based on retirement.

[ChouDoufu]

4 minutes ago, OJAS said:

There are a number of Thai consulates in China which might be able to assist you - but not sure whether either they or the Beijing Embassy issue 90-day non-O visas on the grounds of being aged 50 or over (i.e. for retirement). If they don't then your best bet would probably be to apply for a tourist visa and convert it to a non-O one at the Roi-Et Immigration Office upon your eventual arrival in Thailand.

 

Scroll down in the following link for relevant location details (hopefully 1 of these consulates at least would prove more convenient for you than the Beijing Embassy!):-

 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/main/

 

The following link to the Roi-Et Immigration Office might also be of interest to you:-

 

http://roietimmigration.com/

thai embassy/consulates won't issue non-o or non-oa to foreigners unless they have a residence permit for china.

 

that was the situation when i checked with them a few years ago.

[CGW]

2 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

thai embassy/consulates won't issue non-o or non-oa to foreigners unless they have a residence permit for china.

 

that was the situation when i checked with them a few years ago.

Works the same either way, China embassy will not issue a visa in Thailand unless you have a "residence" visa.

[OJAS]

16 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

thai embassy/consulates won't issue non-o or non-oa to foreigners unless they have a residence permit for china.

 

that was the situation when i checked with them a few years ago.

So it looks like the tourist visa/non-o conversion route for him then, I think. Better a tourist visa rather than a 30-day visa exemption as suggested by @DrJack54 IMHO, though, so as to avoid potential boarding issues arising when he checks in for his eventual flight to Thailand on presumably a one-way ticket.

 

But, assuming that he does have a Chinese residence permit, he would be best advised to avoid the non-OA visa in any event in view of the dreaded mandatory insurance requirement!

 

[ChouDoufu]

3 minutes ago, OJAS said:

So it looks like the tourist visa/non-o conversion route for him then, I think. Better a tourist visa rather than a 30-day visa exemption as suggested by @DrJack54 IMHO, though, so as to avoid potential boarding issues arising when he checks in for his eventual flight to Thailand on presumably a one-way ticket.

i'm no expert on thailand entries, but it would seem the best choice is to get a real tourist visa rather than rely on maybe being allowed in with a one-way ticket and hope for a visa waiver.

 

also should give more time to get the bank account taken care of.  no telling what the situation will be for extending visa waivers at any particular immigration office in the near future.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

i'm no expert on thailand entries, but it would seem the best choice is to get a real tourist visa rather than rely on maybe being allowed in with a one-way ticket and hope for a visa waiver.

 

also should give more time to get the bank account taken care of.  no telling what the situation will be for extending visa waivers at any particular immigration office in the near future.

Valid points. The least one to worry about is onward flight. That could be a 1000baht throw away ticket. 

If obtaining a setv is easy for him then fine, certainly better option. 

[BritSteve]

Thanks for all your replies.

Looks like I'll just have to wait until the Visa on Arrival is back on and enter then.

 

Just an aside, I've always entered on a VOA and never had a return ticket to anywhere!

 

Steve

[Why Me]

13 hours ago, BritSteve said:

Would I be better off using an agency to handle the paperwork ( and the extra expense) or doing it myself?

I would suggest using an agent the first time just so that nothing goes wrong at a time you probably don't have the experience to figure out what to do. Which is exactly what happened to me a couple of months ago when I did my first retirement extension. Something popped up which the agent figured out how to resolve (though I ended up making an  unplanned trip to my old office). Plus the IO was smiling and cooperative all through (of course, she surely got a few k).

[samsensam]

12 minutes ago, Why Me said:

I would suggest using an agent the first time just so that nothing goes wrong at a time you probably don't have the experience to figure out what to do. Which is exactly what happened to me a couple of months ago when I did my first retirement extension. Something popped up which the agent figured out how to resolve (though I ended up making an  unplanned trip to my old office). Plus the IO was smiling and cooperative all through (of course, she surely got a few k).

 

IOs have always been helpful and co-operative with me, never needed to pay anyone to be nice to me. absolutely no need to use an agent, very easy to do yourself as long as you have a bit of patience and common sense

[BritManToo]

16 hours ago, CGW said:

Works the same either way, China embassy will not issue a visa in Thailand unless you have a "residence" visa.

I didn't have any problem getting a VISA to China from Chiang Mai with a 90 day non 'o'.

[lopburi3]

10 hours ago, BritSteve said:

Thanks for all your replies.

Looks like I'll just have to wait until the Visa on Arrival is back on and enter then.

 

Just an aside, I've always entered on a VOA and never had a return ticket to anywhere!

 

Steve

For future reference you do not obtain a visa on arrival - you have obtained a visa exempt entry.  Rules will likely not be the same so be aware if not obtaining a visa from a Consulate you would be entering visa exempt as a British National if and/or when they are allowed again.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

For future reference you do not obtain a visa on arrival - you have obtained a visa exempt entry.  Rules will likely not be the same so be aware if not obtaining a visa from a Consulate you would be entering visa exempt as a British National if and/or when they are allowed again.

I think you have made this point in couple of posts, regarding possibility of visa exempt entries being closely look at.

I think your making very valid point.

Not only here but also places like Vietnam that previously offered 15 day visa exempt to many countries. We may emerge with very different landscape.

[Pilotman]

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Borders are closed for the foreseeable future.

We're living in uncertain times, better to just wait and see what happens.

 

I certainly wouldn't consider retiring to Thailand, if I didn't already have a house and kids here.

That would be my thought and advice too.  Having retired here 3 years ago for the same reason,  wife, family, given the chance again, I would not come to Thailand and if I did, it would be on a very short term basis, or just as an occasional visitor. Too many uncertainties here to make it a comfortable place to rest the old bones. 

[Tanoshi]

@BritSteve

My first question would be how long have you been in China and what type of Visa, or do you have a 'residency permit'. The Thai Embassy/Consulate will certainly issue a Non O if holding a 'residency permit', otherwise I suggest you obtain a Tourist Visa, which permits a 60 day entry, allowing more time to open a bank account and prepare to convert your TV to a Non O then subsequent 1 year extension.

 

Roi Et would prefer you obtain a Non O beforehand, but will process a conversion (TV - Non O) with some persuasion and knowledge of the regulations. 

[CGW]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I didn't have any problem getting a VISA to China from Chiang Mai with a 90 day non 'o'.

Tourist visa - I should have said apart from a tourist visa...

[USNret]

I entered visa-exempt, got a 30-day extension once here, used the time to establish my bank account then converted to non-O for marriage.  That avoided the need to buy a Thai insurance policy since I already have perfectly good health coverage for free as a US military retiree. 

[BritSteve]

On 4/18/2020 at 10:32 AM, Tanoshi said:

@BritSteve

My first question would be how long have you been in China and what type of Visa, or do you have a 'residency permit'. The Thai Embassy/Consulate will certainly issue a Non O if holding a 'residency permit', otherwise I suggest you obtain a Tourist Visa, which permits a 60 day entry, allowing more time to open a bank account and prepare to convert your TV to a Non O then subsequent 1 year extension.

 

Roi Et would prefer you obtain a Non O beforehand, but will process a conversion (TV - Non O) with some persuasion and knowledge of the regulations. 

I have been in China for 6 months on and off on a Business Visa with 18 months left on it and nope to the residency permit.

I think I will apply for a TV and see if the immigration changes after the 30th April.

 

[BritSteve]

On 4/18/2020 at 9:30 AM, DrJack54 said:

I think you have made this point in couple of posts, regarding possibility of visa exempt entries being closely look at.

I think your making very valid point.

Not only here but also places like Vietnam that previously offered 15 day visa exempt to many countries. We may emerge with very different landscape.

So if I have been entering visa exempt and not on the VOA does that mean if nothing changes then I could enter after the 30th April?

[DrJack54]

35 minutes ago, BritSteve said:

So if I have been entering visa exempt and not on the VOA does that mean if nothing changes then I could enter after the 30th April?

No. First up your UK. Previously you were able to enter Thailand visa exempt and obtain 30 day permission of stay stamp. One would assume that would continue. There is possibility things may change. Thailand and places like Vietnam might stop visa exempt entries.

I don't wish to sound harsh but what bit don't you get about flying into Thailand.

Borders and airports are closed to non Thai right now. You cannot enter. 

My money would be on mid May at the earliest that you could fly into los. Even then the "other additional requirements" who knows. Isolation, medical, insurance, etc?

I have already pushed April and May flights to Saigon. Next flight after that is June 12.

I'm guessing I have 20% chance of that weekend trip and back to bkk. There will perhaps be too many requirements.

 

 

[Tanoshi]

4 hours ago, BritSteve said:

I have been in China for 6 months on and off on a Business Visa with 18 months left on it and nope to the residency permit.

I think I will apply for a TV and see if the immigration changes after the 30th April.

 

Until Thailand opens to foreign arrivals you can't do anything.

 

As a British citizen you were previously given permission of stay for 30 days on arrival without a Visa.

Are you aware of the financial requirements to retire in Thailand?

[impulse]

On 4/18/2020 at 3:35 AM, USNret said:

I entered visa-exempt, got a 30-day extension once here, used the time to establish my bank account then converted to non-O for marriage.  That avoided the need to buy a Thai insurance policy since I already have perfectly good health coverage for free as a US military retiree. 

 

Does your insurance cover you in Thailand?

[i84teen]

On 4/17/2020 at 8:34 AM, CGW said:

Works the same either way, China embassy will not issue a visa in Thailand unless you have a "residence" visa.

What is a "residence visa?