If I want to apply for my first retirement visa. Would it be easier to get a tourist visa and apply in Thailand or apply in the UK at the Thai Embassy in London. (I am a UK citizen)

Just enter thailand on a Visa exempt entry, extend that for 30 days - Providing you have a Thai bank account in your name, stick in 800,000 baht, then apply for your 90 days Non O visa followed by a 12 month extension - Simple process.

Another thread today someone just got a non imm O based on retirement online, he just proved he had something like £30k in the bank (probably 800k equivalent was the important amount)

The easiest? Come as a normal tourist. Go to a visa agent and all the necessary steps he will do for you. No money in the bank needed. 

11 minutes ago, PeachCH said:

The easiest? Come as a normal tourist. Go to a visa agent and all the necessary steps he will do for you. No money in the bank needed. 

not the best method or the cheapest, you need a non imm visa to be able to apply for a yearly extension 'retirement' either from UK, or within Thailand as part of a conversion process from visa exempt or tourist visa entry.

keep away from agents they are costly and on the whole do something iffy, not quite legal just plain iffy.

44 minutes ago, steve187 said:

not the best method or the cheapest, you need a non imm visa to be able to apply for a yearly extension 'retirement' either from UK, or within Thailand as part of a conversion process from visa exempt or tourist visa entry.

keep away from agents they are costly and on the whole do something iffy, not quite legal just plain iffy.

Go to the agent

Best option

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Another thread today someone just got a non imm O based on retirement online, he just proved he had something like £30k in the bank (probably 800k equivalent was the important amount)

Once again Australia is different. 

You can get 90 days non 0 over 50 age.

No need to be married etc.

(SYDNEY IS DIFFERENT FROM CANBERRA).

 

Its time to standardise the requirements at all thai embassies. 

 

https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o-for-retirement-valid-for-90-days/

10 minutes ago, auserb said:

 

Several of the agents are basically government verified and work in with immigration. 

What you get stamped in the passport is legitimate. 

You just don't stand in line like other do.

15k baht upwards.

I know several people who use reputable agents.

3 minutes ago, dallen52 said:

Its time to standardise the requirements at all thai embassies

Exactly! I hate when you apply with documents that have worked somewhere else--and for years, and the requirements have changed. More hoop jumping required.

If you don't have a Thai bank account and want to arrive and relax and also have some extra time to get a tm30 organized if need be, do the Non O online at home - 8-9 questions, health insurance for 90 days, proof that you live in the area you are applying, home bank statement 800k baht equivalent , should have your emailed 90 day Non O  E-Visa in 24-48 hours.......

7 minutes ago, dallen52 said:

Several of the agents are basically government verified and work in with immigration. 

No agents are "government verified". Yes they work with immigration and can get around the rules, because they are paying to get around the rules, but they are not official government agents

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

Its time to standardise the requirements at all thai embassies. 

It's a work in progress. The standard will be the E-visa platform which I think is now in use in around 12 countries.

2 hours ago, PeachCH said:

The easiest? Come as a normal tourist. Go to a visa agent and all the necessary steps he will do for you. No money in the bank needed. 

Not that simple ...everything possible at a price !!!!

There seems to be a push to show helath insurance when applying for a retirement visa ... NZ guy I know refused visa because no  health insurance  (HI) !!!

What are the rules currently regarding HI ??

1 hour ago, Rmac442 said:

There seems to be a push to show helath insurance when applying for a retirement visa ... NZ guy I know refused visa because no  health insurance  (HI) !!!

What are the rules currently regarding HI ??

The OP asked about two options.

First to enter with tourist visa (or visa exempt) and obtain non O retirement in Thailand

VS

Obtain the non O retirement in UK.

The first option requires no insurance.

The second option requires insurance with 90 day cover. 

2 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

If you don't have a Thai bank account and want to arrive and relax and also have some extra time to get a tm30 organized if need be, do the Non O online at home - 8-9 questions, health insurance for 90 days, proof that you live in the area you are applying, home bank statement 800k baht equivalent , should have your emailed 90 day Non O  E-Visa in 24-48 hours.......

What a lot of unnecessary hassle.

 

1 hour ago, Rmac442 said:

Not that simple ...everything possible at a price !!!!

A lot easier than risking 800.000 Bt in a Thai bank.

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

No agents are "government verified". Yes they work with immigration and can get around the rules, because they are paying to get around the rules, but they are not official government agents

They are not regulated either, anyone can set up as an agent, there are no rules they have to abide by. They can take your money and disappear.

3 hours ago, dallen52 said:

You just don't stand in line like other do.

15k baht upwards.

Ooh how marvellous 15k not to stand in line, like those other low life's.

2 hours ago, Rmac442 said:

There seems to be a push to show helath insurance when applying for a retirement visa ... NZ guy I know refused visa because no  health insurance  (HI) !!!

What are the rules currently regarding HI ??

As far as I know OA visa requires HI, O visa not.

4 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Several of the agents are basically government verified and work in with immigration. 

What you get stamped in the passport is legitimate. 

You just don't stand in line like other do.

15k baht upwards.

I know several people who use reputable agents.

not where you get the term 'government verified' from, more likely they know someone who knows someone in a position to help, what about the financial requirement that are bypassed, yes some agents  are completely legal, if they only help with collating the required documents, and maybe stand in line for you at the required office, but others are sailing close to the wind, the same as agents for driving licences, the rules are the rules and in some cases those rules are completely bypassed, there are posts on here where it is posted that IO are allowed some discretion regarding the financials, but why does it 99.9% of the time only happen when an agent is involved.

1 hour ago, proton said:

They are not regulated either, anyone can set up as an agent, there are no rules they have to abide by. They can take your money and disappear.

Thing is you go with a reputable agent that's been going for years, it's not difficult, hardly worth them running off with 12,500 or 25,000 baht

Allegedly. The Top IO officer in Immigration is the Agent.

38 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Thing is you go with a reputable agent that's been going for years, it's not difficult, hardly worth them running off with 12,500 or 25,000 baht

None of them are reputable, they are all involved in corrupt activity and one in Phuket did a runner this month.

8 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

Allegedly. The Top IO officer in Immigration is the Agent.

Name?

17 hours ago, CFC said:

If I want to apply for my first retirement visa. Would it be easier to get a tourist visa and apply in Thailand or apply in the UK at the Thai Embassy in London. (I am a UK citizen)

Enter Thailand on a tourist visa.
Make sure you have the required funds in a Thai bank or monthly income required in place and go for a conversion to Retirement visa prior to the expiry of the tourist visa.

Get all the documents needed and go yourself.. visa cost 1,900 baht

no need for an expensive dodgy visa via an agent.

An extension of a non immigrant O visa is just that, not a 'retirement' visa

4 hours ago, Rmac442 said:

There seems to be a push to show helath insurance when applying for a retirement visa ... NZ guy I know refused visa because no  health insurance  (HI) !!!

What are the rules currently regarding HI ??

thats an O-A visa issued by embassy>
Not same as a O visa  ( 90 days) an then extended in country

28 minutes ago, proton said:

None of them are reputable, they are all involved in corrupt activity and one in Phuket did a runner this month.

How long had the Phuket agent been established? Office? highly recommended by farang?

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP asked about two options.

First to enter with tourist visa (or visa exempt) and obtain non O retirement in Thailand

VS

Obtain the non O retirement in UK.

The first option requires no insurance.

The second option requires insurance with 90 day cover. 

Is the health insurance just a standard policy or do they require you to have cover for X amount.