Retirement visa.

[fgmr]

I might be mistaken, I have been under the impression that to be granted a Annual Retirement visa one has to prove an income of 800k per annum and this could be in the form of a Pension Income paid regularly. If the pension income is below this level then funds deposited in a Thai Bank making up the  difference must be deposited and retained.

 

I am querying this as i have noticed that all recent responses regarding this Visa type have ignored this option.

Is it still available?

 

Rick

[Jerno]

All kinds of info on this topic available online. Just search for it.  But no such thing as "Retirement Visa".  It's an annual Extension of Stay on a NonImmigrant Visa based on retirement.  One of the requirements is having 800K Baht in Thai bank account for certain time before and after each year's Extension Renewal time.  Thus it's not 800K "annual income" required.  Search posts by this forum's expert on such subjects, UbonJoe, for all info needed.

[Soda Soda]

Yes it is one of the options still available.

Income plus bank balance to make a total of 800,000

Edited July 16, 2022 by Soda Soda

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, fgmr said:

I am querying this as i have noticed that all recent responses regarding this Visa type have ignored this option

What you are asking about is referred to as the combo method (combination of income and funds in the bank) 

Indeed that is an option.

It must be pointed out that some immigration offices don't accept it. 

Think it's best to indicate which immigration office you would be dealing with for specific info. 

[ezzra]

15 minutes ago, Jerno said:

annual Extension of Stay on a NonImmigrant Visa based on retirement. 

What a tongue twister, we the old guard, still like to call it retirement visa as it is exactly that, not sure if there is a sticky concerning all the types of visas in this country and it's current requirements, if there isn't, there should be one...

Edited July 16, 2022 by ezzra

[ubonjoe]

You have the option to prove a minimum  income of 65k baht per month. The income can be proven by a letter from you embassy if they issue them or proof of at least 65k baht by proving 12 months of transfers into a Thai bank for 12 months.

If the income is less than 65k baht per month you can use funds in a Thai bank to reach a total of 800k baht. The money will have to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

[Soda Soda]

50 minutes ago, ezzra said:

, not sure if there is a sticky concerning all the types of visas in this country and it's current requirements, if there isn't, there should be one...

Not possible as every office has there own rules and they change all the time.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

still like to call it retirement visa as it is exactly that,

No it is NOT. A Visa allows you to enter the country, an Extension of Stay does exactly that, it allows you to stay in the country. 

But if you, and hundreds more want to call it a Retirement Visa, then do so.

[Jerno]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

What a tongue twister, we the old guard, still like to call it retirement visa as it is exactly that, not sure if there is a sticky concerning all the types of visas in this country and it's current requirements, if there isn't, there should be one...

Yes of course....colloquial shortened description.  But try searching Thai Immigration websites for 'Retirement Visa".  Then the nubies get totally confused with the actual real types of Visas they have to apply for.

[Andrew Dwyer]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

What a tongue twister, we the old guard, still like to call it retirement visa as it is exactly that, not sure if there is a sticky concerning all the types of visas in this country and it's current requirements, if there isn't, there should be one...

The problem with stating that a “retirement visa “ is “exactly that “is the problem, 90% of the time they are referring to an extension, usually from an O visa or could be also an OA visa which does make a difference in the help sought.

While Jerno’s tongue twister might seem over the top he is correct in his statement.

If the old guard wish to continue to refer to the mythical “ retirement visa “ they are more than welcome but the number of threads on here , seeking assistance, from “ old guard “ and noobies alike proves that using incorrect terminology only increases the confusion.

 

[Peterw42]

4 hours ago, fgmr said:

I am querying this as i have noticed that all recent responses regarding this Visa type have ignored this option.

Is it still available?

Reality is, 90% of the population use agents to meet the criteria's. That's why you maybe wont see lots of discussion.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Reality is, 90% of the population use agents to meet the criteria's.

Talk about a stretch....90% 

Would love to see the data to support that claim. 

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Talk about a stretch....90% 

Would love to see the data to support that claim. 

I live in Pattaya, (probably 50-100 friends, acquaintances, neighbors) and literally don't know a single person who doesn't use an agent.

I think there is a huge silent majority that use agents. They are not on Aseannow asking questions etc

It would be interesting to put it up as a survey.

[Richard 2020]

1 hour ago, Jerno said:

Yes, of course.... colloquial abbreviation. But try searching the Thai immigration websites for "Retirement Visa". Then the Nubies get totally confused with the actual types of visas they need to apply for.

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=2537

 

9. Documents to be submitted for Change Visa – FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES – 50 YEARS OLD (NON-O)

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

I live in Pattaya,.......

That pretty much says it all.

My guess would be that Pattaya has abnormally high number of folk using agents compared to the rest of Thailand.

Overall may guess would be way way less than 50% of expats use agents. 

[murraynz]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Reality is, 90% of the population use agents to meet the criteria's. That's why you maybe wont see lots of discussion.

90%....omg... I doubt it... 

[Lemsta69]

3 hours ago, Richard 2020 said:

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=2537

 

9. Documents to be submitted for Change Visa – FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES – 50 YEARS OLD (NON-O)

that's for conversion to 90-day non-immigrant O visa, not one-year extension of permission to stay. "irregardless" of what your think, they're not the same. end of.

[Lemsta69]

6 hours ago, Jerno said:

All kinds of info on this topic available online. Just search for it.  But no such thing as "Retirement Visa".  It's an annual Extension of Stay on a NonImmigrant Visa based on retirement.  One of the requirements is having 800K Baht in Thai bank account for certain time before and after each year's Extension Renewal time.  Thus it's not 800K "annual income" required.  Search posts by this forum's expert on such subjects, UbonJoe, for all info needed.

have you ever actually tried doing a search? in-app search is woeful and Google site search ain't much better. far easier to post a new question instead of messing around with the painful search process. also more ad traffic for aseannow so that yo don't have to pay a subscription fee.

[Lemsta69]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

What a tongue twister, we the old guard, still like to call it retirement visa as it is exactly that, not sure if there is a sticky concerning all the types of visas in this country and it's current requirements, if there isn't, there should be one...

this had been said so many times before that it's become rather boring having to repeat it ... pease feel free to create a comprehensive visa rules database yourself and keep it updated. and pay the AWS fees while you're at it. 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Lemsta69

[DrJack54]

54 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

and Google site search ain't much better

Try tacking on "AseanNow" at end of Google search. 

 

 

eg "extension retirement report CW AseanNow".

 

It will list threads on AseanNow now concerning the topic you want info about..

[Lemsta69]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Try tacking on "AseanNow" at end of Google search. 

 

 

eg "extension retirement report CW AseanNow".

 

It will list threads on AseanNow now concerning the topic you want info about..

thanks for the tip but I'm quite familiar with that search method. I still find that it brings up too many irrelevant threads. much easier to start a new topic ????

[OJAS]

5 hours ago, Richard 2020 said:

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?page_id=2537

 

9. Documents to be submitted for Change Visa – FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES – 50 YEARS OLD (NON-O)

That link actually sets out the requirements for the conversion of an existing real genuine McCoy tourist visa (or visa-exempt entry) to an equally real genuine McCoy non-immigrant visa of the "O" variety, and definitely not for an annual extension of stay which some on here insist on calling a "visa"!

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by OJAS

[OJAS]

5 hours ago, Jerno said:

Yes of course....colloquial shortened description.  But try searching Thai Immigration websites for 'Retirement Visa".  Then the nubies get totally confused with the actual real types of Visas they have to apply for.

And then they would get even more confused if they were told on here that the only way in which they could renew their "retirement visa" would be to exit the country for a fresh real genuine McCoy single-entry visa of the non-immigrant "O" variety (either from a Thai embassy or consulate, or through a subsequent conversion at their local immigration office)! 

[OJAS]

5 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I live in Pattaya, (probably 50-100 friends, acquaintances, neighbors) and literally don't know a single person who doesn't use an agent.

I think there is a huge silent majority that use agents. They are not on Aseannow asking questions etc

It would be interesting to put it up as a survey.

If said "huge silent majority" are "not on Aseannow asking questions etc", then what purpose would a survey on here serve?