Need advice re retirement extension

[Barry864]

Hi everyone,

I came to Thailand from the UK a week ago and now I am in Pattaya where I am planning to rent a room long term. I did not get any visa to come here just got the 1 month visa exemption but I am planning to get a retirement extension after that. Is that possible without leaving the country ? I am over 50 and I have the required  money in the bank for a long time already. Also I heard that I would need a long term insurance coverage. Is that true and any idea how much would that cost ?

Thanks in advance for your replies

[mokwit]

From memory you have a very finite window in which to do this. Convert to Non O and then extend that - you would need to show funds came from abroad for Non O conversion. - I think (I am sure others will come in and confirm/correct) you have to do it before 15 days from the expiry date.

 

An agent might be able to help overcome difficulties.

[Pib]

The long term medical insurance is an OA Visa requirement...a type of visa you get outside of Thailand/before coming to Thailand..  You entered on a visa exempt (fancy name for no visa).   

 

You can convert to an O Visa within Thailand as long as you have at least 15 days left on your current visa exempt allow to stay until date...converting from a visa exempt to O Visa does not require medical insurance to convert or do an extension of stay each year.

[Barry864]

3 minutes ago, mokwit said:

From memory you have a very finite window in which to do this. Convert to Non O and then extend that - you would need to show funds came from abroad for Non O conversion. - I think (I am sure others will come in and confirm/correct) you have to do it before 15 days from the expiry date.

 

An agent might be able to help overcome difficulties.

Yes the funds were transferred from abroad 3 years ago. Convert to non O, you mean like getting a 3 month permission to stay ?

[Barry864]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

The long term medical insurance is an OA Visa requirement...a type of visa you get outside of Thailand/before coming to Thailand..  You entered on a visa exempt (fancy name for no visa).   

 

You can convert to an O Visa within Thailand as long as you have at least 15 days left on your current visa exempt allow to stay until date...converting from a visa exempt to O Visa does not require medical insurance to convert or do an extension of stay each year.

I have more than 20 days left, so I guess I need to do that quickly. Do I need to show a rental agreement for that ? Because I might need a few days to find the right property.

[Pib]

Just now, Barry864 said:

Yes the funds were transferred from abroad 3 years ago. Convert to non O, you mean like getting a 3 month permission to stay ?

It's a Non 0 visa good for 3 months.  Within 30 days before it expires you can apply for a 1 year retirement extension of stay.

[CANSIAM]

Apply for your Non O with 15 days remaining on your exempt. Non O visa will be 90 days, near that end apply 1 year extension 800k method. Rental agreement for extension, I believe since your funds have been here many years there's no need to show it came from abroad.   

Edited December 2, 2021 by CANSIAM

[ubonjoe]

You wilf first need to apply for a non-o visa that will allow you to stay for 90 days

Requirements are here. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

You will need at least 15 day remaining on your 30 stay you have or the 30 day extension.

The 800k baht only needs to be in the bank on the day you apply with proof it came from abroad,

But I have heard of Jomtien immigration telling people it needs to be in the bank for 2 months and then would direct you to use agent to do the application. No sure if they are still playing that game.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you would apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. The 800k baht will need to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

[JustAnotherHun]

OP, I asked the same a few days ago for a friend. So:

1. When arriving on visa exempt, you first have to apply for a Non-O Visa that gives you 90 days.

2, The application (TM87) hast to be made at least 15 days before the end of your exempt. 

3. The timeframe might be a bit close. If so, you can apply for another 30 days first and then go for the Non-O.

4. After getting the 90-days Non-O you can apply for a 1-year extenison of stay (retirement). (TM7).

 

For the 90-days Non-O you'll have to show the 800k in Bank at the day of application.

If you apply for the 1 year later, you have to proof 800k in bank 2 month prior to your application.

 

The requirementa for the 90-days-Non-O are this:

 

edit: Ahh, ubonjoe was faster ????

 

8-1.pdf

Edited December 2, 2021 by JustAnotherHun

[Barry864]

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You wilf first need to apply for a non-o visa that will allow you to stay for 90 days

Requirements are here. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

You will need at least 15 day remaining on your 30 stay you have or the 30 day extension.

The 800k baht only needs to be in the bank on the day you apply with proof it came from abroad,

But I have heard of Jomtien immigration telling people it needs to be in the bank for 2 months and then would direct you to use agent to do the application. No sure if they are still playing that game.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you would apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. The 800k baht will need to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

I am planning to go to the immigration at Jomtien tomorrow morning for the initial 3 month visa. Do I need any letter from the hotel where I am currently staying as proof of address or a letter from my bank re the funds ? Thanks

[Pib]

Attached is an Visa Exempt entry to Non-O Retirement checklist I made for myself last year...info from the Thai immigration website.  I highlighted in Red the parts I considered important.   It's an easy process paperwork-wise.

 

Someday I plan to do a border hop (if the borders every really reopen for easy hops) in order to kill off my old OA Visa Retirement Visa from 2008 that underpins my annual marriage extensions of stay.   I switched from retirement extensions of stay to marriage extensions of stay a couple years ago in order to avoid the medical insurance requirement....especially the expensive, good for almost nothing Thai medical insurance.  I do have an excellent foreign medical insurance policy which covers me worldwide (even in the Thailand universe) but it's not accepted by Thai immigration.

 

Exempt to Non O Retirement.pdf

[CANSIAM]

12 minutes ago, Pib said:

Attached is an Visa Exempt entry to Non-O Retirement checklist I made for myself last year...info from the Thai immigration website.  I highlighted in Red the parts I considered important.   It's an easy process paperwork-wise.

 

Someday I plan to do a border hop (if the borders every really reopen for easy hops) in order to kill off my old OA Visa Retirement Visa from 2008 that underpins my annual marriage extensions of stay.   I switched from retirement extensions of stay to marriage extensions of stay a couple years ago in order to avoid the medical insurance requirement....especially the expensive, good for almost nothing Thai medical insurance.  I do have an excellent foreign medical insurance policy which covers me worldwide (even in the Thailand universe) but it's not accepted by Thai immigration.

 

Exempt to Non O Retirement.pdf 730.26 kB · 1 download

5.3 on attachment - If you have a bank account and funds here for a few years previously, do you need to show it came from abroad ?

Edited December 2, 2021 by CANSIAM

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

5.3 - If you have a bank account and funds here for a few years previously, do you need to show it came from abroad ?

The will waive the requirement for proof it cam from abroad if you have had the 800k in the bank for some time.

[CANSIAM]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

The will waive the requirement for proof it cam from abroad if you have had the 800k in the bank for some time.

thank you UJ

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, Barry864 said:

I am planning to go to the immigration at Jomtien tomorrow morning for the initial 3 month visa. Do I need any letter from the hotel where I am currently staying as proof of address or a letter from my bank re the funds ?

See 5 and 8 of the file I posted a link to.

Number 5.1 means a letter from the bank confirming you account and the balance on the day the letter is done.

[Mentors65]

40 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

 

But I have heard of Jomtien immigration telling people it needs to be in the bank for 2 months and then would direct you to use agent to do the application. No sure if they are still playing that game.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you would apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. The 800k baht will need to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

agree, exactly what a friend of mine had to do a few month ago with Immigr. Pattaya (Jomtien). But he did the transfer very quick, so didn't need any agent. 

[skatewash]

21 minutes ago, Mentors65 said:

agree, exactly what a friend of mine had to do a few month ago with Immigr. Pattaya (Jomtien). But he did the transfer very quick, so didn't need any agent. 

And has some have pointed out above if you do need more time you can apply for a 30-day extension from immigration for 1,900 baht, once per entry from a visa-exempt entry.  That's got to be a lot cheaper than any agent.

[Pib]

Barry864,

    Since you said you have had the money in the bank for a long time, assuming it was originally transferred from the UK if your bank passbook shows at least 800K in "international" transfer(s) you should be prepared to point out those transfers "in case the immigration officer" requires the Bt800K funds to come from outside Thailand.   They should/can waiver the international transfer requirement if you have had the 800K funds in the bank for some time (don't ask me to define how long "for some time" is) as I don't expect there is set in stone amount of time....but I would think 1 year would be long enough if they waive the "funds from abroad" requirement for Exempt to Non-O.

 

    Each Thai bank uses a different code to represent an international transfer. You could also get a Credit Advice from the bank confirming a transfer(s) came from abroad, but typically the bank can only provide a credit advice immediately if the transfer is not over 3-6 months old....if older than that the bank branch has to request the Credit Advice from its headquarters usually in Bangkok which can take around a week to get.   If you happen to be with Bangkok Bank their passbook international transfer code is "FTT."  I don't know what international transfer codes other banks use.   If you used a transfer company like Wise their PDF Receipt would show the funds came from abroad....many immigration officers accept such money company transfer receipts versus requiring the Thai bank to provide a Credit Advice as proof of foreign transfer.  

 

Good luck with your trip to immigration.

 

 

 

[Tropposurfer]

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You wilf first need to apply for a non-o visa that will allow you to stay for 90 days

Requirements are here. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

You will need at least 15 day remaining on your 30 stay you have or the 30 day extension.

The 800k baht only needs to be in the bank on the day you apply with proof it came from abroad,

But I have heard of Jomtien immigration telling people it needs to be in the bank for 2 months and then would direct you to use agent to do the application. No sure if they are still playing that game.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you would apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement. The 800k baht will need to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

A nice little earner for IO Jomtien who are in that loop

 

[PeachCH]

Why Bangkok Bank has a special relationship with Pattaya immigration? Because agents are using Bangkok Bank when opening accounts for their clients, which don't want to follow the "official" rules. Does the Bangkok Bank know? If course not...... ???? 

[khunPer]

22 hours ago, Barry864 said:

I heard that I would need a long term insurance coverage. Is that true and any idea how much would that cost ?

If you change you visa exempt entry to a 90-days non-immigrant O-visa, which should be easy to do by yourself at an immigration office when already having funds in a bank account, and thereafter apply for a one year extension of stay due to retirement, there is no mandatory health insurance claim - healt insurance claim is for the so-called "retirement visa", which is a non-immigrant O-A type that you can only apply for in a specific number of home countries - however, it's always wise to have some level of health cover either by insurance or a relative high amount set aside for self-insurance.

 

It might be wise to opt for a health insurance and keep it going, in case that would be a demand later. I presume even a cheap insurance can be upgraded to a higher coverage at later date, if you are already in the system, whilst it can be difficult to obtain a new insurance when passing a certain age...????