Retirement visa registration

[James207]

I don't know whether what I am about to ask is permitted or not but I will have a go anyway.  I hope to get a retirement visa next year and I thought the process was straight forward as was the 90 day registration which is done at a police station. 

I am getting third had stories that one retiree registers every 90 days at Immigration and pays a bribe, which is escalating, to avoid queuing. I rather suspect that something else is going on here.

Is the 90 day registration at Immigration or the police station and is it straight forward or are back handers required? No offence intended but this is the story that I am being told.

[DrJack54]

You are referring to 90 day reports. 

Very simple to do.

3 methods.

Via mail and in person or Online.

Not an issue.

BTW cannot be done at police station.

No bribe or extra payment necessary 

Edited August 17, 2022 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

36 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Very simple to do.

3 methods.

Actually 4 methods.

You can have agent do it on your behalf. 

[Lite Beer]

As said, Immigration Office.

By Mail.

Online via the official Immigration website. 

Straight forward to do. https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/login

[James207]

Ok I rather suspect that if the person concerned could do it by post or online so queuing isn't an issue then something else is going on.

I assume I could also opt for a marriage visa. Would that have advantages over the retirement visa?

[DrJoy]

19 minutes ago, James207 said:

Would that have advantages over the retirement visa?

You are allowed to work with a marriage visa. If a company hires you, you can get a WP.

 

Retirement visa = Not allowed to work.

[Lite Beer]

A marriage Extension requires less money in the bank.

[retiree]

Re 90-day, as DrJack54 says you can even have a motorcycle person go file for you (if you can't manage it online).  

 

Re retirement over marriage, retirement has fewer administrative hoops (e.g. no home pix).  

--Retiree

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, James207 said:

I assume I could also opt for a marriage visa. Would that have advantages over the retirement visa?

A marriage visa means a lower financial input and you can have a WP.

But the application process is more detailed than retirement.

I also believe the annual extension thereafter is more detailed as apposed to a retirement extension. 

[James207]

"A marriage Extension requires less money in the bank."

Can I clarify that. Under a retirement visa it is 800,000 baht on deposit "OR" 65,000 baht deposited each month. For marriage visa what is needed in the bank and is there monthly income requirement?

Also when checking a website it mentions having your Embassy in Thailand authorise a letter from the bank confirming money transferred from the home country. A bit surprised that the UK Embassy would do that. I intend to deposit all of my savings off shore otherwise they will incur UK taxes. Then I only pay UK tax on state and private pension. UK Embassy will not authorise foriegn interest payments made directly to a Thai bank account. Does anybody else have this problem?

[James207]

In the case I mentioned in my first message I understand the operson concerned if having to prove they can meet the requirement to have 800,000 baht on deposit "AND" income of at least 65,000 baht. I thought it was "OR" not "AND". They can't meet the money on deposit hence the back hander. I still think that there is something fishy going on.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, James207 said:

Also when checking a website it mentions having your Embassy in Thailand authorise a letter from the bank confirming money transferred from the home country.

You need to do more research.

UK, USA and AU embassies do not provide the letter you refer to.

 

Re money in bank method for extensions retirement it is 800k two months in bank prior to application for extension and 3 months post application then not below 400k and back up to 800k prior to next application for extension.

OR 

Monthly deposit from overseas of 65k.

 

For extensions based on marriage requires 400k for 2 months prior to extention and in many cases for the consideration period after application. 

After that can be withdrawn. 

OR

Monthly income 40k per month. 

[couchpotato]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

A marriage visa means a lower financial input and you can have a WP.

But the application process is more detailed than retirement.

I also believe the annual extension thereafter is more detailed as apposed to a retirement extension. 

A good reply--short and too the point, with correct information.????

[proton]

10 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

A marriage Extension requires less money in the bank.

Is it worth being married though just to save 400k in the bank ???? Always seemed odd that 2 people need half as much as a single person

[EricTh]

11 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

A marriage Extension requires less money in the bank.

True, but not everybody can find a Thai girl who likes us and not our money.

[KannikaP]

9 hours ago, retiree said:

Re 90-day, as DrJack54 says you can even have a motorcycle person go file for you (if you can't manage it online).  

 

Re retirement over marriage, retirement has fewer administrative hoops (e.g. no home pix).  

--Retiree

Home pics = hoops.....nah.

[Excel]

1 hour ago, proton said:

Is it worth being married though just to save 400k in the bank ???? Always seemed odd that 2 people need half as much as a single person

Not really as the assumption is you are living as a family. Whereas on retirement it is assumed you are galivanting a round wining and dining etc so hence will need much more of an income.

[hotandsticky]

13 minutes ago, Excel said:

Not really as the assumption is you are living as a family. Whereas on retirement it is assumed you are galivanting a round wining and dining etc so hence will need much more of an income.

Whoever set the rule has clearly never married........

 

 

 

....or 'galivanted around' as 50+ year old retiree.

[blackshadow]

2 hours ago, proton said:

Is it worth being married though just to save 400k in the bank ???? Always seemed odd that 2 people need half as much as a single person

me too but this is thailand,.........nothing simple....or understandable

[Lite Beer]

3 hours ago, proton said:

Is it worth being married though just to save 400k in the bank ???? Always seemed odd that 2 people need half as much as a single person

Most Wives also contribute to the family finances.

Also a foreign woman married to a Thai man needs nothing in the bank so even less money for a married couple.

[IvorBiggun2]

34 minutes ago, Lite Beer said:

Also a foreign woman married to a Thai man needs nothing in the bank

Absolutely correct. Which gets me angry. Totally unjustified. 

[James207]

"Even mentions doing them at police station.."

Well going back quite a few years I was sure an expat friend talked about doing it a police station.

 

The mariage visa definitely seems the way to go. I could opt not to draw so much down on the private penion and/or invested savings leaving more in the pot for a rainy day. I was concerned about draining more than I actually need then leaving it senselessly sitting in a Thai current account.

My wife is a nurse so has a pretty good salary, for a Thai.

In fact if I can go off topic again, my wife works for a Government hospital. I understand as a spouse of a Government employee I am entitled to health care in Thailand. Anybody else married to a Thai Government employee can confirm this?

[jimn]

On 8/18/2022 at 6:55 PM, James207 said:

"Even mentions doing them at police station.."

Well going back quite a few years I was sure an expat friend talked about doing it a police station.

 

The mariage visa definitely seems the way to go. I could opt not to draw so much down on the private penion and/or invested savings leaving more in the pot for a rainy day. I was concerned about draining more than I actually need then leaving it senselessly sitting in a Thai current account.

My wife is a nurse so has a pretty good salary, for a Thai.

In fact if I can go off topic again, my wife works for a Government hospital. I understand as a spouse of a Government employee I am entitled to health care in Thailand. Anybody else married to a Thai Government employee can confirm this?

I am totally confused about your post and the mention of the police station. Once you have an extension of stay based on Retirement, you report every 90 days by onr of the methods mentioned no police station. Also it makes no difference how you obtain the extension. I pay 13k baht and do a 90 day report thats it. No I do not have 800k in a Thai bank or transfer 65k a month into Thailand. I prefer to keep my mo ey and my income in the UK.

[IvorBiggun2]

5 hours ago, jimn said:

I pay 13k baht and do a 90 day report thats it. No I do not have 800k in a Thai bank or transfer 65k a month into Thailand. I prefer to keep my mo ey and my income in the UK.

If that's the case then and you can't abide with Thai law then off you go back to the UK. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it if the UK became chock a block with migrants that are there illegally. 

[jimn]

22 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

If that's the case then and you can't abide with Thai law then off you go back to the UK. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it if the UK became chock a block with migrants that are there illegally. 

I have a big one too. Thats quite funny. No I am in the UK now cant you read? I will continue and my successful path thank you and stay for 8 months in Thailand every year. Plus scchhh I have a secret, I get my State Pension Index Linked as well.

[steve187]

On 8/18/2022 at 7:08 PM, KannikaP said:

Home pics = hoops.....nah.

yearly 'married' extension is easy to do and what are the hoops- a few extra things required than a 'retirement' extension.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

yearly 'married' extension is easy to do and what are the hoops- a few extra things required than a 'retirement' extension.

And less money in the bank required.

Which does seem a bit silly. Married = two people, retired usually means one, but twice as much dosh needed.

[steve187]

2 hours ago, KannikaP said:

And less money in the bank required.

Which does seem a bit silly. Married = two people, retired usually means one, but twice as much dosh needed.

a married none Thai couple can piggy back off the first persons 800,000thb

[OJAS]

On 8/18/2022 at 8:44 PM, Lite Beer said:

Most Wives also contribute to the family finances.

Also a foreign woman married to a Thai man needs nothing in the bank so even less money for a married couple.

 

On 8/18/2022 at 9:21 PM, IvorBiggun2 said:

Absolutely correct. Which gets me angry. Totally unjustified. 

And is it also the case that, whereas foreign men married to Thai women are given 30-day "under consideration" stamps and required to report back to Immigration in due course for their passports to be stamped for the remaining 11 months, foreign women married to Thai men, on the other hand, have their passports cheerfully stamped for the full year from the get-go? 

Edited August 22, 2022 by OJAS