Non immigrant O Retirement visa

[363885]

Anyone knows when retirees could return?  I came to Laos on holiday in March when the lockdown occurred, and is now still stuck in Laos. My apartment and belongings are in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

I really have no answer to your question.

From Laos maybe sooner than others it they open the border crossings under an agreement between the 2 countries.

[toho]

Maybe more news end of this month, beginning of next month. 

But also if you might be able to return, then probably 2 weeks quarantaine in Thai hotel.

[thelovedone]

I am overseas and  cannot return to my home in Thailand.The lack of information is so frustrating....Does the government want retirees to leave Thailand permanently and look at other countries  to live in?

I cant get a timeline from anyone or the Embasy on Non O Visa retirees returning.

Surely we could be given the same consideration as Married Visa status to return to Thailand.

Myself and many others must be  in the same situation.My Retirement Visa expires in a few weeks. Lease on my condo will expire in a month. I am locked out of Thailand with no information on a possible  return date.

After 10 years of living in Thailand the only option I see for  now, is to abandon my personal items and transfer my money out of Thailand.

Really hoping the Gov't will give us retirees a timeline so we can make a plan to return. 

[earlinclaifornia]

23 minutes ago, thelovedone said:

I am overseas and  cannot return to my home in Thailand.The lack of information is so frustrating....Does the government want retirees to leave Thailand permanently and look at other countries  to live in?

I cant get a timeline from anyone or the Embasy on Non O Visa retirees returning.

Surely we could be given the same consideration as Married Visa status to return to Thailand.

Myself and many others must be  in the same situation.My Retirement Visa expires in a few weeks. Lease on my condo will expire in a month. I am locked out of Thailand with no information on a possible  return date.

After 10 years of living in Thailand the only option I see for  now, is to abandon my personal items and transfer my money out of Thailand.

Really hoping the Gov't will give us retirees a timeline so we can make a plan to return. 

 I had looked around myself recently. I was making back up plans just incase IO was a problem Much to my surprise for my situation of having good monthly most all the options prefer cash deposits,

[BigStar]

55 minutes ago, thelovedone said:

After 10 years of living in Thailand the only option I see for  now, is to abandon my personal items and transfer my money out of Thailand.

Oh, we could probably think up some other options if we really tried to. Renew your lease, leave your money in Thailand. Get someone to put your junk in storage, leave your money in Thailand. Rent another room remotely, move your junk to that room, leave your money in Thailand. Take out some of your money, leave the rest in Thailand. Etc. Next.

Edited June 29, 2020 by BigStar

[DJ54]

Supposed to be information today about phase this afternoon June 20th

see if there’s any good news

[CANSIAM]

Im in a similar situation as well,  I think things may get clearer in August or September......  frustrated and waiting as you are...... 

[thelovedone]

44 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Oh, we could probably think up some other options if we really tried to. Renew your lease, leave your money in Thailand. Get someone to put your junk in storage, leave your money in Thailand. Rent another room remotely, move your junk to that room, leave your money in Thailand. Take out some of your money, leave the rest in Thailand. Etc. Next.

Thanks for stating the bleeding  obvious mate.

Those options that are really non-sensical , difficult or impossible to do from overseas when I have no idea of a possible  return date.

You seem to miss the point.....that I am locked out of Thailand and requesting  sensible advice on when people in my situation may be able to return.

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, thelovedone said:

You seem to miss the point.....that I am locked out of Thailand and requesting  sensible advice on when people in my situation may be able to return.

It is to early to give any answer to your question. They are just now starting to consider opening the country to normal incoming passenger flights.

I think it will be clearer by September 1st.

[Max69xl]

2 hours ago, thelovedone said:

I am overseas and  cannot return to my home in Thailand.The lack of information is so frustrating....Does the government want retirees to leave Thailand permanently and look at other countries  to live in?

I cant get a timeline from anyone or the Embasy on Non O Visa retirees returning.

Surely we could be given the same consideration as Married Visa status to return to Thailand.

Myself and many others must be  in the same situation.My Retirement Visa expires in a few weeks. Lease on my condo will expire in a month. I am locked out of Thailand with no information on a possible  return date.

After 10 years of living in Thailand the only option I see for  now, is to abandon my personal items and transfer my money out of Thailand.

Really hoping the Gov't will give us retirees a timeline so we can make a plan to return. 

There are loads of retirees on retirement visas/extensions who comes and go all the time. Many doesn't stay here all year. That differs a bit from married retirees. I am retired in Thailand since years back but I stay put. That's imo what you do as a retiree. 

[JackThompson]

54 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

There are loads of retirees on retirement visas/extensions who comes and go all the time. Many doesn't stay here all year. That differs a bit from married retirees. I am retired in Thailand since years back but I stay put. That's imo what you do as a retiree. 

Many who did not stay year-round previously used TR entries, but Immigration started threatening them with denied-entry.  There is no rule in immigration-law upon which to make such threats, but Immigration does not operate by "rule of law" - just raw-power.

 

Given this sad reality, many part-time over-50 visitors went to the trouble of obtaining "retirement based" extensions, to avoid being illegally denied-entry based on lies.  The only other option, was to fly into Laos or Cambodia, then enter by land at land-border crossings which were known to be following actual immigration law.

Edited June 29, 2020 by JackThompson

[Pattaya46]

18 hours ago, 363885 said:

Non immigrant O Retirement visa

Anyone knows when retirees could return? //

Non-O visa must not be very high on Immigration priority list of visas.

It's just a short stay visa (90 days). Barely worths more than a Tourist Visa. 

 

I would think that retirees using yearly extensions have far better chances.

[natway09]

I understand your frustrations, but you must also understand theirs.

They had/have no better idea on what the next month held in the way of the virus situation.

They have issued as & when they can an update to situations & I think your category will come up for consideration late July. August could be a possibility with still quarantine for 14 days.

Try to extend your lease for 3 months, I am sure your Landlord will be understanding

[WhatsNext]

I would want some info as well in your case, and can understand how frustrating it is for you at the moment.

The situation is the same in many countries, not just Thailand. You can't get into most of the EU from outside as well if you are not a national of one of the EU countries. 

 

Since they are now allowing married and working visa holders to come back, i suspect the next step will include the retirement extension holders. August or September seems like a reasonable time frame. 

 

Still in Thailand myself , we (GF and myself) wanted to visit Europe in May but that has of course also been cancelled, she can't get in and i can't get out. It's just a very weird time at the moment. Good luck and see you soon in Thailand.

Edited June 29, 2020 by WhatsNext

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, thelovedone said:

advice on when people in my situation may be able to return.

I think like everyone else, you will need to wait for the announcement... trying times indeed.

 

 

[CLS]

Stay tuned for huge announcements in the next hours/days.

Read the article in the newspaper we are not allowed to quote.

[Rod the Sod]

My gripe with this is that they market a one year TV as a Retirement Visa. It is longer than the normal TV because you put money in a Bank and leave it there. So idiots like me actually think, "Ah, I am getting a retirement visa so I can retire to that country and it becomes my home in later life". Completely wrong. I need to get to Europe and probably can, but then cannot get back to my retirement home where all my belongings, important papers etc. etc. reside. I feel even sorrier for the Elite Visa holders who are no better off. What a con. Someone should be there on the internet so when someone googles retirement in Thailand there is a big buzzing sound and a warning that says there is no such visa and be prepared to be locked out at the drop of a hat, whereas rich Medical Tourists will be welcomed back with open arms.

[LukKrueng]

3 hours ago, rupert the bear said:

,i wish to leave asap as i have important matters to attend

If you are in Thailand you can leave whenever you want. Commercial flights out of Thailand never stopped, and now with more and more countries allowing transit passengers through the are more options and more destinations you can go to. 

Coming back us a different story though....

[Pattaya46]

50 minutes ago, Rod the Sod said:

My gripe with this is that they market a one year TV as a Retirement Visa. It is longer than the normal TV because you put money in a Bank and leave it there. //

Uh? Very confusing post. This thread is about Non-O. What you call "one year TV" must be Non-OA I think? Non-O ou OA don't need money left in a bank. Etc... 

[Mapguy]

10 hours ago, thelovedone said:

I am overseas and  cannot return to my home in Thailand.The lack of information is so frustrating....Does the government want retirees to leave Thailand permanently and look at other countries  to live in?

I cant get a timeline from anyone or the Embasy on Non O Visa retirees returning.

Surely we could be given the same consideration as Married Visa status to return to Thailand.

Myself and many others must be  in the same situation.My Retirement Visa expires in a few weeks. Lease on my condo will expire in a month. I am locked out of Thailand with no information on a possible  return date.

After 10 years of living in Thailand the only option I see for  now, is to abandon my personal items and transfer my money out of Thailand.

Really hoping the Gov't will give us retirees a timeline so we can make a plan to return. 

Bad luck, indeed. I can imagine the frustration, but still wonder if there are not some practical alternatives.  A few have been posted already by at least one poster. There should be at least some practical solutions.

 

Opening up Thailand has been remarkably systematic but cautious... to say the least.  But you simply can not expect any government to develop a sane policy on the run in a situation like this and make promises too far ahead given changing circumstances. The government is doing an exemplary job IMHO to protect public health, and exclusion of foreigners is a rather draconian aspect of that which, gradually, is being lightened up.

 

Is the problem a consequence of retiring and trying to "fly solo" without making some necessary provisions for emergency situations, not so dramatic as a pandemic, certainly, but sh*t happens. Call it your "Always Leave a Key under the Mat" plan.  The poster has apparently done some of this as he seems to be able to move bank funds, but dealing with the bank (Not at all simple sometimes unless appropriate preparations with the bank are made) is only one step.

 

People can argue, and they certainly do, that they are being persecuted by Thailand's immigration policies or at least since Thailand is being super strict in permitting people outside the country return.  I don't agree with all if the policies either, but all in all I appreciate that the exemption rules put in place after an awkward start have worked quite well.  For the larger picture, I also appreciate the efforts to control the epidemic situation in Thailand.  If you want to look at a comparable national population, look at the UK and compare the results of the two countries' responses to the pandemic. If anything, I have pity on those in the UK.

 

Anyway, good luck with whatever your practical recovery plan is.

[Letseng]

8 hours ago, Max69xl said:

There are loads of retirees on retirement visas/extensions who comes and go all the time. Many doesn't stay here all year. That differs a bit from married retirees. I am retired in Thailand since years back but I stay put. That's imo what you do as a retiree. 

Some ppl go on holiday outside Thailand. Even retirees do.

[AgMech Cowboy]

12 hours ago, thelovedone said:

Does the government want retirees to leave Thailand permanently and look at other countries  to live in?

I don't know any country in Asia that are letting Westerners in, so good luck with that. I'm just so glad that I decided not to chance a trip in March.  

[warcy]

14 hours ago, thelovedone said:

 

Really hoping the Gov't will give us retirees a timeline so we can make a plan to return. 

 

Like others have said, it really depends on whether the country you are in is in their travel bubble. If you are in one of those countries with more than 100 daily cases everyday, I don't think it will be on their list.

 

Thailand is quite paranoid. I know it's frustrating.

 

 

[chrissloan58]

Dont people ever read the news. EVERY single day someone comes on this forum asking the same question. WHEN CAN  WE RETURN TO THailand. Every day Ubon Joe and others answer the same question. THE BORDERS are closed. No one knows when the borders will reopen .  Wake up people, open your eyes and your ears. I swear some people live in a cave. 

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, warcy said:

Like others have said, it really depends on whether the country you are in is in their travel bubble.

What travel bubbles. They do not exist yet.

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, chrissloan58 said:

Dont people ever read the news. EVERY single day someone comes on this forum asking the same question. WHEN CAN  WE RETURN TO THailand. Every day Ubon Joe and others answer the same question. THE BORDERS are closed. No one knows when the borders will reopen .  Wake up people, open your eyes and your ears. I swear some people live in a cave. 

Yes, its frustrating.

For many countries like Australia, it doesnt matter what Thailand does, you cant leave Australia until next year, at this stage.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Peterw42

[ubonjoe]

39 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, its frustrating.

For many countries like Australia, it doesnt matter what Thailand does, you cant leave Australia until next year, at this stage.

Apparently that is not exactly correct. You can leave Australia if you get an exemption with proof you are living here.

See: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

[Peterw42]

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Apparently that is not exactly correct. You can leave Australia if you get an exemption with proof you are living here.

See: https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

Yes, there are exceptions, but the last thing many Australians want to do is prove to the Gov that they live in Thailand, starts to effect tax residency etc.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, there are exceptions, but the last thing many Australians want to do is prove to the Gov that they live in Thailand, starts to effect tax residency etc.

Perhaps but I checked since so many people have been saying a person cannot leave Australia which is not exactly factual.