In uk, 54, want to be on retirement visa in Thailand. What's easiest way?

[Grecian]

Have tenants in my house. Fed up living with them. Lol

Three vaccines running thru my veins.

I've got the money needed sitting ready in my UK bank.

always look for the most efficient way.

 

Want to be in Thailand soon. what should I do?

 

I presume to make 50k bht a year from the 800k so is an agent useful?

Edited January 25, 2022 by Grecian

[sammieuk1]

Apply for a non O visa at the Thai consulate and get on a plane ????

[Grecian]

Oh! shows how dumb I am!!! I thought I had to apply in country! Hahaha

[Lite Beer]

Alternately just turn up and apply for a Non Imm O Visa in Thailand followed by a 12 month extension.

Choice is yours.

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, Grecian said:

Oh! shows how dumb I am!!! I thought I had to apply in country! Hahaha

It is not as easy as he make it sound. You apply online for the non-o visa based upon retirement to the embassy in London. You will need 90 days of 40/400k baht medical  insurance to have it issued.

You can also enter visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for the non-o visa after opening a Thai bank account. Requirements for the visa is here. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you can apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration

[DrJack54]

OP, ubonjoe has your options covered.

I like the visa exempt entry option.

Your UK so no income letter option from embassy.

Your main requirement is to have 800k baht in Thai bank account on day of application for your Non O.

That of course requires a bank account and that is one thing that you could use an agent to assist you with.

I assume that currently you do not have a Thai bank account..

[bkk6060]

56 minutes ago, Grecian said:

I presume to make 50k bht a year from the 800k so is an agent useful?

Some good suggestions but your post assumes you are seeking the easiest way, not the cheapest?

The easiest would be to come on Visa exempt and hire and agent to complete the process.

That will cost you less then the 50 k you make off the 800 k.  An agent fee for what you require now is probably in the 30 k range give or take.

[hotandsticky]

I just want to know the easiest way to earn 6.25% on my 800k.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

An agent fee for what you require now is probably in the 30 k range give or take.

I missed the bit that indicates that he intends to use an agent.

 

The cost you mention is correct.

Just to add for the OP that ongoing the extensions would be more like 15k each year.

(as it's only extensions).

OP, if you end up using money in bank method then the process is very simple and good option if you can afford it. 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

I just want to know the easiest way to earn 6.25% on my 800k.

Check financial forum..

6.25% is a walk in the park.

Edited January 26, 2022 by DrJack54

[soi3eddie]

OP asks "What's the easiest way?". Here's what I did; got on the flight, arrived and went direct to immigration in Bangkok to apply for a NON-O based on retirement. I had put 800K THB in a Thai account so got 1 year extension of stay with the 3 months of getting the visa. Annual cost is just 1,900 Baht and only 1 visit to immigration per year (other than a 90 day report first in person then subsequently online). No worries about agents or future problems or costs.

 

[BritTim]

The hardest step, assuming you do not already have a Thai bank account, is opening an account to transfer in the money you will need going forward. This is doable, but may need some persistence.

 

For the rest, it is not too bad since you have the money standing by. Enter visa exempt (as @ubonjoe suggests) and apply for the 90-day Non O and subsequent one-year extensions at Immigration in Thailand.

[RedArmy]

May i recommend opening up a "WISE" account prior to your travels - This would make it easier to transfer money from the UK into your Thai bank account (When you eventually get one).

[gearbox]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Check financial forum..

6.25% is a walk in the park.

For that asset class (cash) 6.25% is very difficult to achieve.

 

For other classes of assets it is definitely possible with extra risks attached...the 800k may shrink to lower amount.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, gearbox said:

For that asset class (cash) 6.25% is very difficult to achieve.

As I stated.... discussion belongs in financial forum. 

Off topic. 

[Tom Parkinson]

I believe that there is one key difference between the “O” retirement that you could get in Thailand and the “O-A” that you could get in London. 
 

The “O-A” requires that you carry health insurance acceptable to Immigration; the “O” (currently) has no such requirement. 

[daveAustin]

11 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is not as easy as he make it sound. You apply online for the non-o visa based upon retirement to the embassy in London. You will need 90 days of 40/400k baht medical  insurance to have it issued.

You can also enter visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for the non-o visa after opening a Thai bank account. Requirements for the visa is here. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you can apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration

Joe, do you know if these 40/400 insurance policies typically come with covid cover or does one need a second policy to fulfil entry requirements?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Joe, do you know if these 40/400 insurance policies typically come with covid cover or does one need a second policy to fulfil entry requirements?

Are you asking about the 90 days of insurance needed for a non-o visa at a embassy?

Otherwise do not need the 40/400k baht insurance unless you enter the country on a valid OA visa issued before October of last year.

The $50,000 covid 19 insurance is not included in the 40/400k baht insurance.

 

[overherebc]

Nobody has mentioned the test and go requirements or the Phuket sandbox entry requirements to the OP.

Either could possibly cost a few thousand dollars, even if vaccinated and boosted and he gets a pos' result while in the process. Has to make sure his 50,000 dollar insurance covers asymptomatic lock up for 10? days.

Edited January 26, 2022 by overherebc

[Grecian]

54 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Nobody has mentioned the test and go requirements or the Phuket sandbox entry requirements to the OP.

Either could possibly cost a few thousand dollars, even if vaccinated and boosted and he gets a pos' result while in the process. Has to make sure his 50,000 dollar insurance covers asymptomatic lock up for 10? days.

Oh! That's would sting!

Can I get just 30 days cover?

If I get asymptomatic coverage am I 100% protected against any financial hit?

[daveAustin]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you asking about the 90 days of insurance needed for a non-o visa at a embassy?

Otherwise do not need the 40/400k baht insurance unless you enter the country on a valid OA visa issued before October of last year.

The $50,000 covid 19 insurance is not included in the 40/400k baht insurance.

 

Yes mate, the application for O visa in London. Thought it’d be easier regards setting up bank (thinking existing account may have been closed). But if covid cover cannot be included, would probably go visa-exempt. 
 

—sorry to hijack topic op. 

[treetops]

8 hours ago, Tom Parkinson said:

I believe that there is one key difference between the “O” retirement that you could get in Thailand and the “O-A” that you could get in London. 

The "O" retirement could also be obtained from the UK last time I looked.

[DoctorB]

2 hours ago, treetops said:

The "O" retirement could also be obtained from the UK last time I looked.

Yes but the London Thai  Embassy site says "aged 50 or above WITH A STATE PENSION" and at 54 the OP would not qualify. Also it states a requirement for 100,000 USD covid cover for the entire period of stay, though maybe that should have been updated to the current 50,000.

[overherebc]

9 hours ago, Grecian said:

Oh! That's would sting!

Can I get just 30 days cover?

If I get asymptomatic coverage am I 100% protected against any financial hit?

Have a look at the Hua-Hin section on here and it has a report on requirements for the new test and go entry. Phuket has the 'sandbox' entry. 

You will see the insurance requirements there.

 

[treetops]

9 hours ago, DoctorB said:

Yes but the London Thai  Embassy site says "aged 50 or above WITH A STATE PENSION" and at 54 the OP would not qualify. Also it states a requirement for 100,000 USD covid cover for the entire period of stay, though maybe that should have been updated to the current 50,000.

In practice the State Pension is not required (I got the visa without it), and they accept insurance for 30 days.

Edited January 27, 2022 by treetops

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, DoctorB said:

Yes but the London Thai  Embassy site says "aged 50 or above WITH A STATE PENSION" and at 54 the OP would not qualify. Also it states a requirement for 100,000 USD covid cover for the entire period of stay, though maybe that should have been updated to the current 50,000.

That is is what the heading for it states. But the 2nd line states this.

"Financial evidence e.g. A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, or a copy of 1-month bank statement showing your income from pension, or 3-month bank statement of at least £10,000"

Source: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84508-non-immigrant-visas?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

[NelsonDeshotel]

On 1/26/2022 at 11:09 AM, ubonjoe said:

It is not as easy as he make it sound. You apply online for the non-o visa based upon retirement to the embassy in London. You will need 90 days of 40/400k baht medical  insurance to have it issued.

You can also enter visa exempt to get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days and then apply for the non-o visa after opening a Thai bank account. Requirements for the visa is here. https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/8-1.pdf

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 day stay from the visa you can apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration

...and is this the place to ask about my non-thai wife, does she need to have the same visa? Previously, she was able to ride along on my other visa. Thanks! There are so many suggestions depending on who and where we ask. The Canberra Embassy in Australia is very difficult it seems to me. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by NelsonDeshotel

[NelsonDeshotel]

On 1/26/2022 at 12:12 PM, soi3eddie said:

OP asks "What's the easiest way?". Here's what I did; got on the flight, arrived and went direct to immigration in Bangkok to apply for a NON-O based on retirement. I had put 800K THB in a Thai account so got 1 year extension of stay with the 3 months of getting the visa. Annual cost is just 1,900 Baht and only 1 visit to immigration per year (other than a 90 day report first in person then subsequently online). No worries about agents or future problems or costs.

 

wow. thanks! and no insurance?

[NelsonDeshotel]

Just now, NelsonDeshotel said:

wow. thanks! and no insurance?

and no quarantine? straight to BKK?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, NelsonDeshotel said:

.and is this the place to ask about my non-thai wife, does she need to have the same visa? Previously, she was able to ride along on my other visa. Thanks! There are so many suggestions depending on who and where we ask. The Canberra Embassy in Australia is very difficult it seems to me. 

The problem at this time is that embassies and official consulates have not been issuing a non-o visa for family members of person on a visa or extension of stay based upon retirement due the covid 19 outbreak.

Immigration does not issue non-o visa for them either. In the past many people had to make a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate to get the non-o visa.

Some people have been able to apply for a non-o visa for retirement and the apply for the extension for being a member of the family of a person on a extension based upon retirement.