Retirement Visa

[Rice_King]

I am a US citizen and I want to apply for a retirement visa. I have stayed here in Thailand for the last 3 years using 60-day tourist visas. I use my US based ATM card to withdraw funds as necessary for day to day living expenses.

• Facts:
  
• I am 50 years old.
  
• I receive a monthly pension of (more than ) the minimum required 60,000 baht per month.
  
• I own a condo here in my own name.
  
• I have a Thai bank account that I used for the transfer of money used for the condo purchase a year ago.
  

In order for me to move the required ($23,000 USD) 800,000 baht into my Thai bank account, I will have to cash out part of an investment account I have in the US. I intentionally set up the account to be difficult (but not impossible) to access on the premise that if the money was hard to get to, then I would be less likely to plunder the fund.

Is it possible, in my case, to get the retirement visa without the money in the Thai bank? Or do I just "bite the bullet" and move some (more) money into Thailand?

[geoffphuket]

If you've proof of income, of over 67,000 Baht/ month, then (in theory) you don't need to show any bank account at all when applying for the extension of stay.

Pointless having 800,000 baht on deposit in a Thai bank, earning next to nothing if you don't have to.

geoffphuket

[lopburi3]

The monthly pension figure is 65k and if you obtain a letter from your Embassy of that amount or more you should not have any problem obtaining a retirement extension of stay.

[jitagon]

what documents do you need to take to your embassy in Bangkok in order for them to issue you with a letter of 65k pension?

[lopburi3]

Whatever your Embassy says. If you ask specific question someone might be able to advise.

[Rice_King]

The monthly pension figure is 65k and if you obtain a letter from your Embassy of that amount or more you should not have any problem obtaining a retirement extension of stay.

My "proof of income" letter exceeds 65,000 baht.

what documents do you need to take to your embassy in Bangkok in order for them to issue you with a letter of 65k pension?

I already have the certified letter from the Embassy. It required nothing but my word and my signature.

Edited May 22, 2007 by Rice_King

[torrenova]

I think US citizens don't actually need any proof but just6 have to swear that they are telling the truth at their embassy. No ?

[wpcoe]

I already have the certified letter from the Embassy. It required nothing but my word and my signature.

And, Thai Immigrations realizes how lax the requirements are to get that letter. Hence, in *some* cases applicants have been asked to show additional evidence to the Immigrations officer. So, bring last year's W2 form, or a pension benefits statement, or some documentation "just in case" they don't take the letter at face value.

I applied for my first retirement extension at Pattaya Immigrations last September, using a combination of pension (less than $65,000/mo) plus bank balance, and they accepted the US embassy letter with no other documentation required, but others (including Sunbelt, a while ago) have reported here that they needed additional documentation.

[jas007]

For what it's worth, my recent experience at Jomtien Immigration:

I'm from the USA also, and also have a pension in excess of the 65K baht. I had the letter from the US Embassy, plus supporting documentation, just in case.

However, I read where some Immigration officers also wanted to see a Thai bank account. So, I put 40K baht in a Thai bank. When I went to Immigration, I brought the bank book with me, just in case. Despite the letter from the US Embassy showing a pension income in excess of 65K baht, the guy at Immigration wanted a "letter" from the Thai bank. I started to argue with him, but though better of it and went to the bank and got he "letter" for 200 baht. It was all in Thai, but I'm sure it only said that I had an account there with the 40K baht in it.

In any event, once I produced that letter, all was well. It seemed as though they could care less about the pension income, although when I went back for the final processing, they did ask me about it. They also asked how much rent I paid, how much I made when I was working, whether I was the first child in the family, etc.

J

[Rice_King]

Today I was approved a retirement visa without having 800,000 baht in my Thai bank account.

When I went over to Immigration today, I had the required letter from my local bank. It stated plainly that I had (just a bit over) 5,000 baht in my account.

Along with the bank letter I also had supporting documentation that consisted of a certified "proof of income" from the US Embassy, a copy of my 2006 US Income Tax return, and my condo ownership papers is. With the total pension income clearly stated on the tax return, the proof of income letter, plus the fact that I don't have to pay rent, Thai Immigration saw me fit enough to grant me the retirement visa.

My thanks for Thai Immigrations for showing some flexibility in my case and to everyone here who gave me sound advice.

--RK

[lopburi3]

Happy you got the extension of stay but it seemed to be a slam-dunk as all you need to do is meet the 65k per month income/pension requirement. There is no 800k requirement in that case.

[Rice_King]

Happy you got the extension of stay but it seemed to be a slam-dunk as all you need to do is meet the 65k per month income/pension requirement. There is no 800k requirement in that case.

After three years of doing visa runs every 90 days, it certainly didn't feel like a "slam dunk" to me. I guess there is (at least) one benefit to turning 50.

[Sunny Valentine]

Today I was approved a retirement visa without having 800,000 baht in my Thai bank account.

When I went over to Immigration today, I had the required letter from my local bank. It stated plainly that I had (just a bit over) 5,000 baht in my account.

Along with the bank letter I also had supporting documentation that consisted of a certified "proof of income" from the US Embassy, a copy of my 2006 US Income Tax return, and my condo ownership papers is. With the total pension income clearly stated on the tax return, the proof of income letter, plus the fact that I don't have to pay rent, Thai Immigration saw me fit enough to grant me the retirement visa.

My thanks for Thai Immigrations for showing some flexibility in my case and to everyone here who gave me sound advice.

--RK

Glad that it worked out well for you! But I fail to see the flexibility at Immigration. Thy asked for more evidence and papers as stated in the rules. According to the new rules (which are widely ignored by Immigration) all you need is the Embassy letter plus some documentation stating your pension. Bank Book, Condo purchase are no rules.

Sunny

[Rice_King]

Glad that it worked out well for you! But I fail to see the flexibility at Immigration. Thy asked for more evidence and papers as stated in the rules. According to the new rules (which are widely ignored by Immigration) all you need is the Embassy letter plus some documentation stating your pension. Bank Book, Condo purchase are no rules.

I am not sure where the poster obtained the information contained in this thread. On there he stated:

Documents required to extend staying for senior citizens (over 50 years old)

3. Letter from Embassy showing an external pension of not less than 65,000 per month, together with proof of money transfer into Thailand.

4. A Current letter from a Bank in Thailand showing a balance of not less than 800,000 baht together with Bank statement, - OR

5. External Income monthly together with a Bank balance of not less than 800,000 baht per year. (3. and 4. combined)

Based on that post, it does not appear that I could qualify for a retirement visa without the 800K in the Thai bank account. That is why I chose to provide the additional documentation to help ensure a successful conclusion to the matter.

[lopburi3]

You have to learn to read each item rather than as a whole. You can use para 3 or 4 or 5 is the way to think about it. I also do not know where he obtained that information as there has not been any requirement for money transfer for a retirement extension of stay based on pension of 65k. Although I am sure some officials would like to see it.

[DFCarlson]

Documents required to extend staying for senior citizens (over 50 years old)

3. Letter from Embassy showing an external pension of not less than 65,000 per month, together with proof of money transfer into Thailand.

4. A Current letter from a Bank in Thailand showing a balance of not less than 800,000 baht together with Bank statement, - OR

5. External Income monthly together with a Bank balance of not less than 800,000 baht per year. (3. and 4. combined)

Based on that post, it does not appear that I could qualify for a retirement visa without the 800K in the Thai bank account. That is why I chose to provide the additional documentation to help ensure a successful conclusion to the matter.

Number 5 option means that you must have a total of 800,000 baht/year with a combined pension plus bank balance if your pension is less than 65,000 baht per month. For example, if your pension is 60,000 baht per month, then

60,000 per month X 12 months = 720,000 baht per year

leaving a requirement of 80,000 baht required in your bank account to make up the difference.

It doesn't mean that if your pension is less than 65,000 baht per month you have to have the entire 800,000 in your bank account!

[Tung_Thaid]

You have to learn to read each item rather than as a whole. You can use para 3 or 4 or 5 is the way to think about it. I also do not know where he obtained that information as there has not been any requirement for money transfer for a retirement extension of stay based on pension of 65k. Although I am sure some officials would like to see it.

Which was the point of my post as to the requirements of Chiang Mai Immigration office.

The Chiang Mai Immigration office "would like to see" / "require" a Thai Savings Passbook record when they get an application for 12 month extension of Non Immigrant O-A (Retirement) based on "Pension" overseas income. Together with "proof of money transfer" into Thailand.

The requirements about Savings Passbook are given verbally - but are quite specific - right down to the requirement that the copy of the passbook pages is certified by the bank, and that the letter confirming the account balance has to state that the funds deposited to the account are from "overseas".

The brochure handout from Chiang Mai Immigration (in part) enclosed. Thanks to lopburi3 for clarifying that "para 3 or 4 or 5 is the way to think about it."

[lopburi3]

They always like to see a passbook and bank letter as these were the basic building blocks for extensions of stay for many years. They may even suggest the account hold some specific sum (40 to 200k seems to be the range) but I have not heard of anyone refused for having less and as for account transfers they have normally been allowing fixed deposit accounts where there is no account activity (for retirement extensions).