Simplest 12 Month Visa

[josmeyer]

Hi everone:

I am a newbie here and in Thailand. My plan is to stay here for quite some time. Background: I am an American, 50 years old and have a Filipina sweetheart living with me here in Bangkok. We have been doing 30 day visa runs ... Poi Pet, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapore ... I know that 12 month visas exists, but who do I use (agencies, law firms, or do it myself) ... so tired of the 30 day visa runs.

I read that getting a 12 month visa is easiest at small consulates in U.S.A., Europe or Australia ... can't it be done closer? What are the mechanics and logistics?

Thx

[Thetyim]

Firstly there is no such thing as a 12 month visa.

It is a 12 month extension to your existing visa which has to be a NON IMM.

[lopburi3]

A multi entry non immigrant class o visa valid for 12 months may be available at smaller consulates in the USA but these will require a border crossing every 90 days. Normally such a visa is only issued to those married to a Thai or for other such reasons.

There is an extension of stay for up to one year at a time available to those over 50 and not working. This requires you have 800k baht in a local bank account each year or confirmed income in that amount. A wife can also be a part of this, but not a girlfriend.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

A multi entry non immigrant class o visa valid for 12 months may be available at smaller consulates in the USA but these will require a border crossing every 90 days. Normally such a visa is only issued to those married to a Thai or for other such reasons.

There is an extension of stay for up to one year at a time available to those over 50 and not working. This requires you have 800k baht in a local bank account each year or confirmed income in that amount. A wife can also be a part of this, but not a girlfriend.

A little closer Thai Consulate, is Brisbane Australia. Visa's processed while you wait 15 minutes. Look at the visa application form and instructions at www.thaiconsulate.org.au Theres an email address on the form.

[ProThaiExpat]

Basic “retirement” classification questions answered!

Terminology is important in this area!!

Normally, entry into Thailand, from a foreign country is accomplished with a VISA, obtained from a Thai consulate or embassy abroad. This visa is called a non-immigrant O-A visa with a retirement classification. The same visa obtained in Thailand is termed a non-immigrant O visa with a retirement classification.

Entry into Thailand without a VISA, is permitted at the airport for thirty days, for aliens from visa waiver countries and is based on an ENTRY PERMIT.

As explained by immigration on their website, VISAS are the primarily the province of Consulates and Embassies, entities attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Immigration has been given the authority by the MFA to issue changes to visa classifications but they cannot change an entry permit into a visa in Thailand, as far as I know.

Entry into Thailand without a visa, deportation from Thailand and regulation of the length of your stay, including entry and re-entry, are the province of the Department of Immigration, a police agency, staffed by police officers on assignment to the Immigration Department. The officer in charge of the Chiang Mai Immigration Department reminds us publicly, that immigration is a police agency, not a service agency and its function is to regulate, not to provide a service.

There is no such thing as a RETIREMENT VISA.

There is a long stay classification for aliens termed "RETIRMENT" and the requirement to qualify for this classification is essentially a verified Thai bank account of 800,000 Baht (alternatively a pension of 65K Baht) if applying in Thailand and an equivalent sum in an overseas account, or a pension, if applying overseas. Age requirement is being at least 50 years old.

The EASIEST way to get a long stay retirement classification is to do it in Thailand on the 3rd floor of the main immigration building in Bangkok.

For some, the benefits of going through the additional hassle of obtaining the O-A in your home country is the comfort of having your immigration status finalized before you move to Thailand for retirement and the fact that you can move your household goods into Thailand without paying duty. (Make sure your shipping cost justify your shipment of goods easily replaced in Thailand at very reasonable prices)

The difficulty in obtaining this classification abroad is the differing requirements from Consulate to Consulate and Embassy to Embassy and the far more stringent requirements than in Bangkok. Sydney’s consulate told me in no uncertain terms that each Consul General had the right to interpret the regulations any way they want, and in Sydney, I needed a police clearance certificate from my home country, among many other things. Cambodia said forget it, don't even try.

The “long stay” retirement classification is based on a NON-IMMIGRANT O VISA (retirement) in Thailand (O-A abroad) and a change to this visa classification can be accomplished in Thailand on the 3rd floor of the main immigration building in Bangkok, providing you have entered Thailand with a VISA, even a tourist visa, as was the case with me. There have been reports, lately, that change of classification has been done at other immigration offices in Thailand.

It would appear that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given the authority to change visa classifications to the Immigration Department in this instance.

Here is an account of an expat doing this in Bangkok at the end of June, 2004

“I had a similiar experience this week at the main Immigration office.

I applied for the one year retirement extension. Apparently this

is not possible with a Tourist visa. So they had me getting in shape

with the stairs. From room 303 back down to the 2nd floor to

change my Tourist to a Non Imm O. Then to 1st floor to pay.

Back to 3rd floor room 303. They scrutinized my docs, asked my

Thai lady questions in Thai and then seemingly approved all my

papers (bank letter (200B), health certificate (380 B at Bumrungrad))

and told me to come back next month when my new 30 day

Non Imm O expires.

It was quite a runaround, but looks like I will have my 1 year

extension later this month.”

Thai immigration’s document “requirements list” is as follows” (obtained from their website)

Application for further stay to spend the remainder of life

in the Kingdom of Thailand

1. Immigration form 7 (Tor Mor 7)

2. Copy of passport

3. 4 cm. x 6 cm. photograph

4. 1,900 bath application fee

5. Financial Evidence:

- Bank account pass-book, bank statement

- Evidence showing reception of pension accompanied with Thai translation certified by the embassy or consulate of the country paying the pension

- Evidence presenting other sources of income or evidence of money transferred from overseas

6. In cases of having dependents (husband/wife, children), the applicant must provide evidence indication their relationship. Evidence must be translated into Thai and be certified by the embassy or consulate of the aliens.

7. Health Certificate for those who apply for further stay after Nov. 14, 2002.

8. The officials reserve the rights to examine or ask for additional documents, if necessary.

Name Webmaster (203.156.96.*) [ Saturday 15 May 2004 เวลา 16:16 น ] Comment No: 1

To obtain your change of visa classification on the 3rd floor of the main immigration building, you need to take with you a bank letter stating you have the required minimum 800k Baht for the retirement classification in a bank account (anything other than a fixed rate account). The letter should include the date of the transfer of the funds into your account, the source institution of the funds and the country from which the funds came.

The STANDARD BANK LETTER, one that merely states the amount on deposit on any given day is INSUFFICIENT for the change of status process, while it is fine for any annual extension thereafter. This was the case with me, others may have got by with the standard letter.

There is an option to qualify for retirement financial status through pension verification, but that is a very difficult approach, requiring an Embassy verification of the pension. (You need strong pension entitlement or promises to pay letters for the Embassy to get their verification) The difficulty is the individual immigration officer involved may choose to explore the stability of the source of your pension. Conceivably, the pension could be terminated or suspended for a number of reasons during the year and you would then be left penniless, if no other funds were available. Thus a savings account in Thailand in addition to qualifying with a pension is a better approach if you can manage that. A combination of the two also qualify to meet the minimum requirement.

The health certificate that is required is obtainable from any emergency room of any hospital (preferred) or clinic. Exam may not even occur. 50 Baht or more is charged.

Your signature on all photocopies of all documents, including every page of your passport, is required.

4cm x 6cm colored photograph (suggest you take more than one).

No Embassy letter is required unless you are trying to qualify financial responsibility through a pension.

No police or criminal clearance document is required.

Dress very well, be extremely polite, try to keep your head at or below that of the officers involved, don't stand over them when they are seated as that is seen as very intimidating or threatening.

Most importantly, have a mental frame of mind that you will do ANYTHING required of you, including numerous trivial and unnecessary tasks when requested. Your mind set is that you are not going away, you are there to stay the course until the document sought is obtained.

Your first extension under your non-immigrant 0 (retirement) status will probably be for only 90 days. I was given two 90 day extensions and then an extension for the balance of the first year, dated from when I entered the country.

Expect 30 days between the application and the approval, ie. two trips to immigration to allow for processing. After that, extensions can be obtained from any immigration office.

If you anticipate leaving Thailand on occasion in the forthcoming year, it is suggested that you obtain, at the time you apply for your retirement classification, a single or multiple re-entry permit. Once you have your retirement classification and leave the Kingdom, you lose your visa classification and must obtain another visa unless you have a re-entry permit. There is some information to suggest that for a retiree a single re-entry permit is the only one to get, as you lose the multiple re-entry permit after the first exit. I have no personal experience in this regard, as I have always just obtained singles.

I will be happy to answer any specific questions you may still have regarding retirement classifications if you want to PM me or post it.

CAVEAT: Individual discretion is always a factor with immigration police officers, so don’t be shocked if you are required to do other things or produce other documents. Remember, your there to do whatever is required by the individual officer to get your long stay classification. Humility goes a long way and feigning ignorance, even stupidity, will engender sympathy and a helpful attitude on the part of the immigration officer, to the point that he will actually help you to take care of the “problem”.

After sending me back to my bank for more detailed information in my bank letter, the immigration officer still wanted more and “volunteered” to obtain it by fax from the bank. Why he didn’t offer that at first, suggests that he was impressed with my attitude and willingness to do whatever was required and once seeing that, “volunteered” to help.

Edited July 11, 2004 by ProThaiExpat

[lopburi3]

A good, complete guide from PTE. But I will point out again (minor point), despite what immigration says about visas not being their business; that the MFA says Immigration has the authority to issue them.

VISA ISSUING AUTHORITIES

          Official Agencies in charge of issuing visas are

    1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    2. The Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad

    3. The Office of Immigration Bureau

The fact that they can now change your visa type/status incountry is probably a result of this authority.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

and there is only a miniscule percentage of O class visa's issued in Thailand. They remain the much simpler, and less expensive option to the O-A.

[denny59]

Hi:

1). If I have say previous 12 months of bank statements from my USA bank, showing monthly income, each month, i.e. $850 Social Security and Fixed Income Account of $1300 per month, plus a savings/checking account balance which is over 800,000 Baht in USA Bank, would I take these monthly bank statements to the U.S. Embassy for them to notarize them? OR, a FAX from the USA bank showing previous 12 months bank statements, and this fax notarized by the Embassy??? Help please..

Assume I open Thai Bank Account with about 200,000 Baht...and I have the above statements, will this qualify the Immigration Office needs for finalcial statements?

I really do not want to transfer 800,000 Bath to obtain the retirement visa, as I don't need that much for one year, and if I only stay 5 month or so, then have a large amount to transfer back to my country...

your thoughts please..THANKS..

[Axel]

Sorry denny59, it would not work.

Banks, hospitals etc only accepted if registered and located inside Thailand.

Makes sense to me, if need would be the local authorities have llegal jurisdiction on local enterprises but not outside of the country.

[lopburi3]

Assume I open Thai Bank Account with about 200,000 Baht...and I have the above statements, will this qualify the Immigration Office needs for finalcial statements?

It may be acceptable if you can swear to $1600 or so monthly income to your Embassy.

If you apply in the USA you will not need money in the Thai bank until your next extension of stay if you are really concerned you may leave in five months.

[RDN]

and there is only a miniscule percentage of O class visa's issued in Thailand. They remain the much simpler, and less expensive option to the O-A.

... and "O-A"s appear to be unknown to the average immigration officer at Don Muang airport. I had a big problem getting a one-year stamp in my passport.