I'm retiring from my job here and I'm wondering if I can transfer to a retirement visa without leaving Thailand. I have had more than 800,000 baht in a savings account here for many years. Any information or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

If you are on an extension of stay then no problem, just go on your final day of your current extension and apply for a new extension based on being over 50.

 

You cannot change visa types inside the country (except to go from a tourist visa to a Non-Immgrant type one), so going from a Non-B to a Non-O can't be done  
HOWEVER WITH THAT BEING SAID
I'd bet dollars to durian you don't have a Non-B VISA at all ????and instead if you read the stamp in your passport it probably says "extension of stay permitted until" and has a date stamped <- that is NOT a visa, it's exactly what it says, an extension FROM a visa..
AND
You can change the reason for an extension from employment to one based on being over 50 (retirement) by cancelling your work permit, getting the termination paperwork from your employer, getting ALL the required documentation, bank letters, updated bank book, copies etc and going to the immigration office.

You would cancel your current extension based on employment and then immediately apply for a new extension based on being over 50 (retirement). People change the reason for extensions all the time and this is a common "reason change" (employment to retirement) 

Before you're going to do this go to the immigration office where you live and get the hand out listing the requirements for the year extension based on retirement so you can get all the documents, you have just one chance to pull off the cancel current extension/apply for a new one, so get it right       

3 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

You cannot change visa types inside the country (except to go from a tourist visa to a Non-Immgrant type one), so going from a Non-B to a Non-O can't be done  
HOWEVER WITH THAT BEING SAID
I'd bet dollars to durian you don't have a Non-B VISA at all ????and instead if you read the stamp in your passport it probably says "extension of stay permitted until" and has a date stamped <- that is NOT a visa, it's exactly what it says, an extension FROM a visa..
AND
You can change the reason for an extension from employment to one based on being over 50 (retirement) by cancelling your work permit, getting the termination paperwork from your employer, getting ALL the required documentation, bank letters, updated bank book, copies etc and going to the immigration office.

You would cancel your current extension based on employment and then immediately apply for a new extension based on being over 50 (retirement). People change the reason for extensions all the time and this is a common "reason change" (employment to retirement) 

Before you're going to do this go to the immigration office where you live and get the hand out listing the requirements for the year extension based on retirement so you can get all the documents, you have just one chance to pull off the cancel current extension/apply for a new one, so get it right       

Thanks.  Yes, I have a visa extension.  Unfortunately, I have to go to Changwattana.  Do you know where  to find a current list of document requirements?

 

you don't need to change to a non O ....  i had a job with a Non B visa and work permit .... When i left the job, immigration did a retirement extension to the Non B visa  - And i've extended it each year, for the last 8 years .....

39 minutes ago, piston broke said:

you don't need to change to a non O ....  i had a job with a Non B visa and work permit .... When i left the job, immigration did a retirement extension to the Non B visa  - And i've extended it each year, for the last 8 years .....

same here but 2 years shorter

3 hours ago, ricklev said:

Yes, I have a visa extension

In this case, you are well advised to totally understand the process, and to use correct terminology (even if often the officials do not).

You have an extension of your permission to stay based on working. You do not have a visa of any description. When your employment ceases, you are no longer entitled to your extended permission to stay on the basis of working, but can change the reason for your stay to be based on retirement (if you can meet the conditions for a retirement extension.

9 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

You cannot change visa types inside the country (except to go from a tourist visa to a Non-Immgrant type one), so going from a Non-B to a Non-O can't be done  

That is not  quite true, very few situations are black or white, grey is more common than most people like to think.

Sri Ratch immigration would not do an extension based on marriage for a Non B visa. I had to go to the visa office in the MFA and have the visa changed from type B to type O.

I have done it. Non B to Non O married to a Thai.

Changing the reason for your permission to stay from working to marriage to a Thai is possible according to the rules. You need to make sure you have all the necessary documentation to apply for an extension based on marriage at the same time you are cancelling the extended permission to stay based on working.

On 5/17/2023 at 1:07 AM, Tod Daniels said:

so going from a Non-B to a Non-O can't be done  

Non B visa No C8071352 converted to Non O visa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visa office is on the 4th floor.

 

 

7 hours ago, sandyf said:

Non B visa No C8071352 converted to Non O visa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visa office is on the 4th floor.

Your non-o visa sticker says that you got it in London.

On 5/19/2023 at 6:05 AM, FriendlyFarang said:

Your non-o visa sticker says that you got it in London.

There is no Non O sticker.