VISA requirement

[Kenneth White]

Dose anyone have experience using the option for monthly income in lieu of 800K in a Thai bank account to get an retirement VISA?

[KhunBENQ]

9 hours ago, Kenneth White said:

Dose anyone have experience using the option for monthly income in lieu of 800K in a Thai bank account to get an retirement VISA?

You should clarify: will you be able to get an income affirmation from your embassy (for pension or other regular income)?

 

Or are you asking about monthly transfer to your Thai bank account?

This option is available for nationals who can not get an income affirmation.

So it depends on your nationality.

[Lite Beer]

Are you asking about a Non Imm O Visa or a 12 month extension of stay?

[uksmdh]

Yes

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, uksmdh said:

Yes

I slightly sympathise with your sarcastic answer to the OP's question, but it is, although correct (as I am sure you realise) not very helpful.

 

To the OP, to get advice that is relevant to your situation, we need to know:

1. Are you currently in Thailand on a retirement extension, wanting to change from money in bank to income method? If so, this is considerably more complex than it used to be.
2. If you are inside Thailand on a tourist entry, and want to apply for a retirement visa followed by annual extensions,
    a) if you can get a confirmation of income letter from your embassy (depends on nationality) it is easy;
    b) otherwise, you will need to show the start of regular monthly transfers from abroad into your Thai bank account.
   You need to have at least 15 days (might be up to 21 days) left on your tourist permission to stay at the time you apply for the Non O visa for retirement.
3. If you are outside Thailand, you may be able to get a Non O or Non O-A visa from the Thai embassy.in your home country. Whether this makes sense will depend on the requirements and your personal situation.
4. If you are applying for a first one-year retirement extension of the 90-day permission to stay from a Non O visa,
    a) if you can get a confirmation of income letter from your embassy, it is usually easy;
    b) otherwise you will need to show transfers from abroad into your Thai bank account of at least 65,000 baht every month for the last three months; and may also need to show documentation suggesting your ability to continue doing so. 

Summary: it can be complicated. Tell us your current situation and your nationality.

[Balance]

I got a retirement visa in 2011 based on my Social Security statement that showed I received more than 65,000 Tb each month.  Each month the money was transferred to Bangkok Bank in New York showing my account number in Thailand.  The money was almost always deposited with 2-3 days.

[soisanuk]

Quote

If you are inside Thailand on a tourist entry, and want to apply for a retirement visa followed by annual extensions,
 a) if you can get a confirmation of income letter from your embassy (depends on nationality) it is easy;
 b) otherwise, you will need to show the start of regular monthly transfers from abroad into your Thai bank account.
You need to have at least 15 days (might be up to 21 days) left on your tourist permission to stay at the time you apply for the Non O visa for retirement.

Correct for item a). However, if applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa from a Tourist Visa, I am not sure the information is correct. As I recall, the requirement to apply for the Non-Immigrant O Visa is that you must have at least 800,000 in a your Thai bank account - the monthly income method not being acceptable the purpose of getting the Non-Immigrant Visa (however, if you have a Non-Immigrant Visa, it is acceptable for getting the one year extension for purpose of retirement.  Although I have heard that some Immigration Offices may allow it.

[bbko]

I'm currently in Thailand on a Non Imm O visa and this year I got an extension based on marriage with 400k in my Bangkok Bank for the required 2 months, next year I will get a "retirement" extension as there's less paperwork.

So for the past 5-6 months I've been doing monthly Wise transfers that meet or exceed the required 65k.  It required a little back & forth with Wise to "tag" my transfers to only use Bangkok Bank and I make sure use the "Long Stay in Thailand" reason for the transfer, so far zero problems and next year I'll have the required 12 monthly international transfers and my Non O extension based on "retirement" should be problem free.

[Kenneth White]

On 3/24/2022 at 8:39 PM, KhunBENQ said:

You should clarify: will you be able to get an income affirmation from your embassy (for pension or other regular income)?

 

Or are you asking about monthly transfer to your Thai bank account?

This option is available for nationals who can not get an income affirmation.

So it depends on your nationality.

I have my SS income direct deposited to my Thai Bank account therefore my passbook would be the record of the amount deposited. If that's not enough the SS department can provide a statement of income.

[Kenneth White]

On 3/24/2022 at 9:25 PM, Lite Beer said:

Are you asking about a Non Imm O Visa or a 12 month extension of stay?

12 month extension. 

[Kenneth White]

On 3/25/2022 at 6:52 AM, Balance said:

I got a retirement visa in 2011 based on my Social Security statement that showed I received more than 65,000 Tb each month.  Each month the money was transferred to Bangkok Bank in New York showing my account number in Thailand.  The money was almost always deposited with 2-3 days.

I have done the same. Direct deposit my SS to my Bangkok Bank account. I can get a statement of income from the SS department and show the deposits in my bank passbook, as well. So I should be okay.

[BritTim]

On 3/25/2022 at 1:16 PM, soisanuk said:

Correct for item a). However, if applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa from a Tourist Visa, I am not sure the information is correct. As I recall, the requirement to apply for the Non-Immigrant O Visa is that you must have at least 800,000 in a your Thai bank account - the monthly income method not being acceptable the purpose of getting the Non-Immigrant Visa (however, if you have a Non-Immigrant Visa, it is acceptable for getting the one year extension for purpose of retirement.  Although I have heard that some Immigration Offices may allow it.

These are the relevant financial requirements for changing visa type at Immigration for the purpose of retirement (as listed in https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/9.FOR-RETIREMENT-PURPOSES-50-YEARS-OLD-NON-O.pdf)

Quote

5.1 Present passbook and deposit certificate from banks in Thailand (in Thai language (Attention: Immigration Commissioner))

5.2 Copy of all entries of the applicant’s passbook showing that the applicant has a savings or fixed deposit account of not less than Baht 800,000 (all documents must be in the Applicant’s name)

5.3 Evidence of foreign currency fund transferred to Thailand **(Documents under 5.1,

5.2 and 5.3 must be issued and updated to be the same date of the Application and all documents must be in the Applicant’s name.)

OR

6. A letter of guarantee from the local or overseas Embassy or Consulate that proving the monthly pension of the Applicant not less than Baht 65,000 per month (together with reference documents showing the source of monthly pension)

OR

7. Evidence of deposited money under Clause 5 and evidence of income under Clause 6 (for one year) showing the total amount not less than Baht 800,000

Note that these requirements were posted before some embassies stopped issuing income letters/declarations. I believe the same basic options of money in the bank, income or a combination still apply. I cannot find the revised requirements with alternative proof of income via monthly transfers, but my recollection is that it must include 65,000 baht for the previous two calendar months, plus documentation that shows the ability to do so on a continuing basis. Perhaps, @ubonjoecan help with a link or confirmation.

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Note that these requirements were posted before some embassies stopped issuing income letters/declarations. I believe the same basic options of money in the bank, income or a combination still apply. I cannot find the revised requirements with alternative proof of income via monthly transfers, but my recollection is that it must include 65,000 baht for the previous two calendar months, plus documentation that shows the ability to do so on a continuing basis. Perhaps, @ubonjoecan help with a link or confirmation.

They have denied applications using income proven by transfers from abroad.

Unless you can get proof from your embassy it is not possible to use the income option.