Retirement Visas Prerequisite Check after enforced Covid Lockdown Absence

[tomdfc]

Wife and myself (Brits) were in Thailand in Chiang Mai on Non-Immigrant O visas (retirement and dependent respectively), annually extended for 7 years, but ending in 2020 as a result of being in the UK when covid and lockdown happened.  Our status and re-entry permits are of course long-lost and we have to go back to the beginning to recover our previous status. 

We intend to fly in soon on a tourist basis and take it from there.  We are aware that there has been much change over that period relating to Thai immigration. Two specific questions for now -

Does the 800k prerequisite bank balance still apply?  

If it does, is the mandatory period of holding that balance 2 months for the initial application (and 3 months in subsequent years)?

Any other advice would also be gratefully received.   Thanks in advance.

[BritTim]

Since 2020, there have been no substantive changes. If the money has only recently been transferred when applying for the initial Non O visa at Immigration, you will probably need the credit advice document that shows definitively that the money in the bank originated abroad. Also, while proof of a TM30 notification was often not required in the past, it is now usually important that you have done one. I am not 100% familiar with the situation in Chiang Mai. Someone who uses that office might have something to add.

[arithai12]

I am not familiar with the Tourist->Non-O Ret that OP wants to do, I suppose it's possible. However I confirm that CM requires TM30 at least for extensions. Provided that the place where you are staying initially does register you, insist on that, you can obtain a TM30 rather quickly at the office located in the back, just outside the main Imm bulding with which you are already familiar. Anyway, when you enter the Imm building there are 2-3 counters at the center where they listen to what you want to do and check your documents. You might need a first visit just for orientation. Avoid the satellite Imm office inside Central Festival, it used to be great but it is now overcrowded.

As for the bank deposit, you will need in addition to the relevant passbook also a letter from the bank, but you must be familiar with that also since as @BritTim wrote nothing has really changed since before Covid.

Edited October 12, 2023 by arithai12

[Lite Beer]

Your Wife would need to enter with a Non Imm Visa.

[SingAPorn]

There should be a law that forces requires managers in pool-villa developpments to assist their farang residents on the  immigration house registrations on-line. These people are quick to charge absurd prices for their services but do not offer any complimentary assistance to their property owners within the residential complex.

Edited October 13, 2023 by SingAPorn

[NanLaew]

23 minutes ago, SingAPorn said:

There should be a law that forces requires managers in pool-villa developpments to assist their farang residents on the  immigration house registrations on-line. These people are quick to charge absurd prices for their services but do not offer any complimentary assistance to their property owners within the residential complex.

Living in a pool villa can be like that. Not sure about being a property owner in one though.

[CMBob]

I have no clue what's required for your wife but likely similar to whatever was required before.

 

As for you, probably just as easy to enter exempt and to convert to a Non-O based on retirement at Chiangmai Immigration:

(1) 800k has to be in the bank the day you apply (obviously get the letter from the bank the day before you go to Immigration);

(2) You need 21 days left on your permission to stay in Chiangmai to so convert (they claim it's because they have to send the stuff to Bangkok).  So you'll need to do it within your first 6 or so days here on your 30-day exemption or, if you don't have enough time with that, you'll have to get a 30-day extension.

(3)  I don't really remember what documents they want. Obviously, photocopies of your passport photo page and entry stamp....and, yes, a copy of your TM30

(4) A TM86 filled out is required if converting from a tourist visa whereas a TM87 is required if converting to a Non-O from an exempt entry.

 

As for subsequent annual extensions based on retirement, same documents as when you were here before including/plus a copy of the TM 30.  The 800k is required to be in the bank 3 months after your last application date for an annual extension based on retirement and 2 months before the next application date (with a minimum of 400k in the bank all other months).

Edited October 13, 2023 by CMBob

[briley]

I'm following the same route. 

 

My wife was my dependent on my retirement visa. To do the same again I am told that we must get a visa before entering Thailand. This visa can (maybe) have my wife as dependant but it seems this visa will be a non-OA and will need medical insurance. Difficult at my age.

 

Doing a visa conversion from a visa free entry, or a tourist visa, in country and you can not have your wife as a dependent. You have to get a retirement visa each, I.e. you both have the 800,000 baht in the bank on the day of applying for a conversion to a non-O visa. And your wife must transfer the money from her account to her sole account in Thailand . No joint accounts. 

 

I'm ok for myself as I have the 800K in my account. Appears my wife will have to transfer to her account in Thailand, luckily we had opened such an account before covid.

 

I might be wrong but I have been following things for the last year.

 

One thing has changed. If you enter on a visa free 30 day entry and you must get to immigration with 21 days remaining that is a rush. But immigration will give you a 30 day extension on your visa free entry, so you have 38 days to sort things things out and still apply with 21 days left on your stay.

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, briley said:

I'm following the same route. 

 

My wife was my dependent on my retirement visa. To do the same again I am told that we must get a visa before entering Thailand. This visa can (maybe) have my wife as dependant but it seems this visa will be a non-OA and will need medical insurance. Difficult at my age.

 

Doing a visa conversion from a visa free entry, or a tourist visa, in country and you can not have your wife as a dependent. You have to get a retirement visa each, I.e. you both have the 800,000 baht in the bank on the day of applying for a conversion to a non-O visa. And your wife must transfer the money from her account to her sole account in Thailand . No joint accounts. 

 

I'm ok for myself as I have the 800K in my account. Appears my wife will have to transfer to her account in Thailand, luckily we had opened such an account before covid.

 

I might be wrong but I have been following things for the last year.

 

One thing has changed. If you enter on a visa free 30 day entry and you must get to immigration with 21 days remaining that is a rush. But immigration will give you a 30 day extension on your visa free entry, so you have 38 days to sort things things out and still apply with 21 days left on your stay.

A possible alternative:

1. You, one way or another, get a Non O visa based on retirement, while your wife is initially here as a tourist.
2. You get a one-year extension of stay based on retirement.
3. You both travel to Savannakhet and, based on your one-year permission to stay, get a Non O (dependant) visa for your wife.
4. You and your wife are all set to apply for extensions in Thailand.

If the money for separate Non O (retirement) visas is inconsequential for you, that is obviously less complicated. To simplify the situation when one of you passes away, you could discuss matters with your local immigration office to see if they will allow you to both apply using the same (joint) bank account with 1,600,000 baht in it. Some offices do allow that.

[Liquorice]

5 hours ago, briley said:

My wife was my dependent on my retirement visa. To do the same again I am told that we must get a visa before entering Thailand. This visa can (maybe) have my wife as dependant but it seems this visa will be a non-OA and will need medical insurance. Difficult at my age.

You can apply for the Non Imm O single entry and the same for your wife from London.

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/retirement-visa

[Jackbenimble]

"Our status and re-entry permits are of course long-lost..........." 

Your copies might be but I think you'll still be in the sytem here. You losing your copies and the records Immigration keep are not connected. 

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, Liquorice said:

You can apply for the Non Imm O single entry and the same for your wife from London.

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/retirement-visa

The problem is that an application for a Non O (dependant) visa will be rejected unless the spouse already has a long term extension of stay or a Non O-A (long stay) visa. It is a bit of a catch 22 situation.

[jimn]

You mean that you chose to stay in the UK when Covid and the lockdown hit. There was no restrictions on anyone leaving the UK who had a long term visa in Thailand. You would of course have had to quarantine in Thailand on arrival. I myself visited the UK between July and November 2020 and July and October 2021. No restrictions just quarantine

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, jimn said:

You mean that you chose to stay in the UK when Covid and the lockdown hit.

And many would do the same given Quarantine requirement.

 

Do you ever post helpful advice.

The OP ask requirements regarding return to Thailand.

 

 

[Liquorice]

24 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The problem is that an application for a Non O (dependant) visa will be rejected unless the spouse already has a long term extension of stay or a Non O-A (long stay) visa. It is a bit of a catch 22 situation.

Since when?
Link!

[jimn]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Do you ever post helpful advice.

The OP ask requirements regarding return to Thailand.

Of course I do. There are enough people in this thread giving the correct advice, no need for me to add anything. Thats why I posted an alternate view and that was in response to the OP using the word "enforced", when clearly he had a choice.

[mlkik]

2 hours ago, jimn said:

You mean that you chose to stay in the UK when Covid and the lockdown hit. There was no restrictions on anyone leaving the UK who had a long term visa in Thailand. You would of course have had to quarantine in Thailand on arrival. I myself visited the UK between July and November 2020 and July and October 2021. No restrictions just quarantine

Thailand closed their borders and the only people allowed in were Thai people on re patriation flights.

I was in the UK at the time and I was only able to return on my Non O  about 8 or 9 months after lockdown. 

Then it was 15 nights quarantine 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Of course I do. There are enough people in this thread giving the correct advice, no need for me to add anything.

Indeed.

Some good advice from various posts.

However nothing from your posts.

 

Agree when you stated....

"no need for me to add anything"

Exactly.

 

[jimn]

17 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Indeed.

Some good advice from various posts.

However nothing from your posts.

 

Agree when you stated....

"no need for me to add anything"

Exactly.

 

Oh you are aweful, but I like you lol

[jimn]

17 hours ago, mlkik said:

Thailand closed their borders and the only people allowed in were Thai people on re patriation flights.

I was in the UK at the time and I was only able to return on my Non O  about 8 or 9 months after lockdown. 

Then it was 15 nights quarantine 

Yes they did close their borders to foreigners but not for long. All I know is that I left Thailand for the UK on July 10th 2020 and returned 6th November 2020 (14 days quarantine). I was then in Thailand until July 1st 2021 I went to the UK and returned to Thailand October 6th 2021 (7 days quarantine)

[mlkik]

2 hours ago, jimn said:

Yes they did close their borders to foreigners but not for long. All I know is that I left Thailand for the UK on July 10th 2020 and returned 6th November 2020 (14 days quarantine). 

Depends on what you call a long period. Thailand closed their borders in April and I could not return on my Non O extension based on retirement until December.

People with Non O extensions based on marriage were allowed in a month or 2 before.

 

[jimn]

17 hours ago, mlkik said:

Depends on what you call a long period. Thailand closed their borders in April and I could not return on my Non O extension based on retirement until December.

People with Non O extensions based on marriage were allowed in a month or 2 before.

 

Well as I have said before, I entered Thailand on 6th November. I am married to a Thai and I have a retirement extension. My initial comment was that the OP did not have an "enforced" period out of Thailand, it was certainly not as long as indicated. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by jimn