Retiment Visa inside Thailand based on 65000 THB monthly deposit

[Eugen63]

Hi there,

I would like to apply for a Non Immigrant O-A Retirement Visa inside Thailand based on 65.000 THB monthly deposit. For how long do I have to make monthly bank transfers prior to submit the application at the Immigration Office? What kind of health insurance is required? Thanks for your advice.

[DrJack54]

You can only obtain a non O-A in your passport country or country where you are a legal resident 

 

You can apply for a non O based on retirement in Thailand however that requires 65k monthly deposits for 12 months.

You could alternatively use money in bank method.

Does your embassy provide "income letter"

Edited January 7, 2023 by DrJack54

[WROBE]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You can apply for a non O based on retirement in Thailand however that requires 65k monthly deposits for 12 months.

I tried to do this at Chiang Mail immigration (65k for 12 months). They would not accept.

Edited January 7, 2023 by WROBE

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, WROBE said:

I tried to do this at Chiang Mail immigration (65k for 12 months). They would not accept.

So you applied for a non O retirement at CM and had bank records of previous 12 month of monthly transfers of 65k and it was rejected. 

[WROBE]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

So you applied for a non O retirement at CM and had bank records of previous 12 month of monthly transfers of 65k and it was rejected. 

Yes. And I've been using 65K/mo. for OA extensions for the previous 7 years in Chiang Mai.

I hopped to Laos to void the OA. And expected to apply for Non o using 65K/mo. Boy was I surprised.

I'm married and have an expensive house (with usufruct). What a shock.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, WROBE said:

Yes. And I've been using 65K/mo. for OA extensions for the previous 7 years in Chiang Mai.

Shock rightly so.

I realize that it's not easy or convenient but you could use money in the bank method for the non O and subsequent extension along with maintaining the 65k transfers for the next 12 months then change to income method for the next extension. 

 

Not much of a suggestion but all that comes to mind. 

 

Edit: just noticed that you are married. You could have changed your extentions from non O-A to based on marriage and not required insurance.

Bit late not.

You could do non O based on marriage. 

Only 400k in bank required. 

Edited January 7, 2023 by DrJack54

[WROBE]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Shock rightly so.

I realize that it's not easy or convenient but you could use money in the bank method for the non O and subsequent extension along with maintaining the 65k transfers for the next 12 months then change to income method.

 

Not much of a suggestion but all that comes to mind. 

The 800K has to be in the bank for 2 months before applying for Non O. So if I go that root I would have get a 30 day extension. AND do another Laos hop.

They don't care that I've lived in Chiang Mai for 8 years. And spend 1.5 mil per year.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, WROBE said:

The 800K has to be in the bank for 2 months before applying for Non O.

I do believe that CM has that 2 month requirement which is wrong but doesn't help.

In reality for non O application the 800k or 400k only needs to be in the bank on day of application.

Hate rogue immigration offices. 

[WROBE]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I do believe that CM has that 2 month requirement which is wrong but doesn't help.

In reality for non O application the 800k or 400k only needs to be in the bank on day of application.

Hate rogue immigration offices. 

AND a 30 day extension is only 9 days in CM. Because one must apply for Non O 21 days before end of stay date.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, WROBE said:

AND a 30 day extension is only 9 days in CM. Because one must apply for Non O 21 days before end of stay date.

I refer to CM as 'Frank' after Sinatra as in "MY WAY" 

Just typical immigration rubbish in Thailand. 

[WROBE]

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You could have changed your extentions from non O-A to based on marriage and not required insurance.

I have been using marriage to extend. Wanted to change to Non O since extensions are easier than marriage. What a BIG mistake. I hate myself for doing this.

Edited January 7, 2023 by WROBE

[WROBE]

I wonder if other IO accept 65k for 12 months?
Or just a CM requirement.

[Eugen63]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

You can only obtain a non O-A in your passport country or country where you are a legal resident 

 

You can apply for a non O based on retirement in Thailand however that requires 65k monthly deposits for 12 months.

You could alternatively use money in bank method.

Does your embassy provide "income letter"

You are right, I wanted to say a visa extension based on retirement. So, I will have to stay in the kingdom during 12 months on visa runs before applying for a non O-A extension based on retirement. My embassy doesn't provide income letters.

[Andre0720]

Might very well be that the Immigration office in Chiang Mai is trying to direct you to an Agent.

If so, best to go along with this type of concealed suggestion...

 

[WROBE]

1 hour ago, Andre0720 said:

Might very well be that the Immigration office in Chiang Mai is trying to direct you to an Agent.

If so, best to go along with this type of concealed suggestion...

You are 100% correct. 

The previous 7 years I've used an agent. Not for financial reasons. Just for convience.
I will be using the same agent NOW as well. 

[wwest5829]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:55 PM, WROBE said:

I tried to do this at Chiang Mail immigration (65k for 12 months). They would not accept.

There have been others reporting the same in Chiang Mai. Might be good to use an agency as they can do a “work around”. I plan to exit Thailand at the end of March, letting my O-A (US) expire and re-entering on an Evisa then converting to an “O” for reason of Retirement at the end of April. My plan also is to continue using the income qualification of 65K a month as I have done since my arrival in July 2011. Hopefully, you just got an IO who only had the 800K in their mind. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 1/7/2023 at 10:38 PM, Eugen63 said:

My embassy doesn't provide income letters.

Without that you won't get the extension.

[WROBE]

11 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Hopefully, you just got an IO who only had the 800K in their mind. 

I hope so. Having lunch tomorrow with my agent.

[WROBE]

15 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

My plan also is to continue using the income qualification of 65K a month

Hopefully you don't live in Chiang Mai.

[SmokeandIce]

On 1/7/2023 at 6:55 AM, WROBE said:

I tried to do this at Chiang Mail immigration (65k for 12 months). They would not accept.

I tried ro go from a tourist visa to a 3 month Non O at Bangkok Chaeng Wattana.  They would not accept THB 65,000 for 12 months to issue the Non O.  They do accept the monthly for an extension; howver, not for a new 3 month Non O

[SmokeandIce]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:42 AM, WROBE said:

I wonder if other IO accept 65k for 12 months?
Or just a CM requirement.

Not accepted at Bangkok Chaeng Wattana for a new Non O.  Only THB 800,000  in a Thai Bank or an Embassy letter if your homw country will issue.  

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, SmokeandIce said:

They do accept the monthly for an extension;

And how many previous months of transfers did you need for extension.

Did you provide income letter from your embassy? 

[jimn]

On 1/7/2023 at 10:38 PM, Eugen63 said:

You are right, I wanted to say a visa extension based on retirement. So, I will have to stay in the kingdom during 12 months on visa runs before applying for a non O-A extension based on retirement. My embassy doesn't provide income letters.

Its a shame your topic has been hijacked by @WROBE. As already pointed out to your and OA can only be obtained in your own country. I dont know what visa or exempt you are currently on. But you can get a Non O outside Thailand in Laos for example or convert your current stamp to a Non O using the bank method, either 400k marriage or 800k retirement and then a 12 month extension of stay. Forget the Non OA unless going home.

[OJAS]

On 1/7/2023 at 10:38 PM, Eugen63 said:

You are right, I wanted to say a visa extension based on retirement. So, I will have to stay in the kingdom during 12 months on visa runs before applying for a non O-A extension based on retirement. My embassy doesn't provide income letters.

In that case the only financial avenue open to you is the 800k money-in-the-bank option referred to by @DrJack54. Absolutely no chance that you will get away with a series of consecutive 45/30-day visa-exempt border runs over a 12-month period (which is what I assume you are contemplating) before applying for a 90-day non-O conversion for retirement at your local immigration office leading in turn to annual extensions of stay.

Edited January 9, 2023 by OJAS

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, jimn said:

Its a shame your topic has been hijacked by @WROBE.

I agree!

 

[Eugen63]

20 hours ago, OJAS said:

In that case the only financial avenue open to you is the 800k money-in-the-bank option referred to by @DrJack54. Absolutely no chance that you will get away with a series of consecutive 45/30-day visa-exempt border runs over a 12-month period (which is what I assume you are contemplating) before applying for a 90-day non-O conversion for retirement at your local immigration office leading in turn to annual extensions of stay.

I didn't want to park 800K THB in a Thai bank, but if that is the only option I have then I will have to follow that path, thanks everyone for your advice.