Bridge To Retirement

[old blighty]

I have held a Non Imm B Visa for three years and have since then been on Extensions of stay to this Visa based on work. In May I stopped working. I returned my Work Permit as necessary. Immigration granted me a 60 day extension based on visiting family. I presume this was an extension to the original Non Imm B.

The 60 days expires at the end of July. I am awaiting various paperwork and funds in order to gain a Retirement Visa. This will take around 3 months.

I am unsure of the bridging mechanism between now and the Retirement process.

Work, Marriage and Retirement options not possible at the moment.

I suspect that I have to exit Thailand and return on a 60 day with 30 day extension.

Am I correct? I this a Non IMM O based on visiting family?

Is it a Tourist Visa? Can I extend my present status inside Thailand?

Where to go? Penang sounds easiest. What documentation is necessary?

[lopburi3]

What you have not provided is your age or if you are married to a Thai. I will assume you are married from the 60 day extension although you say visiting family so it is not clear.

1. If married to a Thai use marriage certificate/copy of id card to obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa. That can be directly extended when you meet requirements.

2. If you are over age 50 try to get Consulate to issue you the same type of visa as in 1 above explaining your retirement plans.

3. If both above are not options or fail accept a tourist visa which will allow 60+30 and can be converted to a non immigrat visa by Immigration for 2,000 baht when you meet requirements.

Penang should be good.

[old blighty]

Thank you Lopburi. Over 50 yes, and awaiting funds to Retire. Not married, but father of a Thai national, which, I think, accounts for the 60 day extension.

So, it looks like Penang

[Lite Beer]

Thank you Lopburi. Over 50 yes, and awaiting funds to Retire. Not married, but father of a Thai national, which, I think, accounts for the 60 day extension.

So, it looks like Penang

If you are over 50 and you are named as the father on the childs birth certificate you may not need to show any money in the bank. Someone more knowledgable than me will give more info.

[lopburi3]

The above is correct. There is a provision, 7.17 of police order 606/2006 that as of October last year allows parents over the age of 50 to live with there child of Thai nationality. The child must invite the parent to stay so there could be a court issue if very young. But there have been a number of these approved and sponsor Sunbelt seems to be the primary user so I would talk with them. If you want to do yourself I would advise using Bangkok where the law is known to most officials by now. As said there is no need for money, other than extension fee, using this method.

[old blighty]

Thank you Lopburi3 and Lite Beer.

My understanding of the over 50 and father of Thai National situation is as follows.

If married and named on BC as father, then no problem, no money needed, all is as previously stated on the forum

If not married but named on the BC, Court proceedings relating to legal custody need to take place, which can take up to 6 months.

If the child is under 16, then Court proceedings also have to take place.

It is definitely one method to be used in the future.

I fall, however, in between several stools at the moment.

Not married: cannot go that route, as yet.

Father, but need Court proceedings: cannot go that route, as yet.

No longer working: cannot go that route, any longer.

Retiring: but money , paperwork not yet ready, cannot go that route, as yet.

So my understanding seems to be that reversion to Tourist Visa status will form a bridging method until Retirement mode comes into play.

[lopburi3]

There is no legal custody involved - it is an invitation from child for parent to live with them (designed for those elderly to receive care from there children as is the custom in Thailand). The custody was the old system. Farther is not expected to support under this provision.

Only for a young child would court proceedings be required in my understanding (to determine the child wants parent to live with them).

[old blighty]

There is no legal custody involved - it is an invitation from child for parent to live with them (designed for those elderly to receive care from there children as is the custom in Thailand). The custody was the old system. Farther is not expected to support under this provision.

Only for a young child would court proceedings be required in my understanding (to determine the child wants parent to live with them).

Thanks Lopburi.

"Little Boss" is just 10 Months old. She already has many friends at Suan Phlu, and has investigated behind the scenes offices in their company, whilst playing the major role in getting the 60 day extension to my Non Imm B.

I understand that there is only one such extension available, however, and this is now due to expire.

Even giving her cutest Wai, I think it is beyond "Little Boss" to get me a further extension.

The court proceedings aspect (custody may be the wrong word) was told to me by Sunbelt. I think the child needs to be 16 years of age before this is forgone.

So, as far as I can see, it remains reverting to TV's as the best bridging method.

Would you agree?

[lopburi3]

You might be able to use the with child rule but agree it would take time and if you can qualify in a few months using retirement is probably not worth the effort. Although do not believe it would be that hard if mother of child agrees. I suspect your status, in the eyes of Immigration, will be best served with the retirement extension of stay.

[Dah fahrang]

The above is correct. There is a provision, 7.17 of police order 606/2006 that as of October last year allows parents over the age of 50 to live with there child of Thai nationality. The child must invite the parent to stay so there could be a court issue if very young. But there have been a number of these approved and sponsor Sunbelt seems to be the primary user so I would talk with them. If you want to do yourself I would advise using Bangkok where the law is known to most officials by now. As said there is no need for money, other than extension fee, using this method.

This is VERY interesting. I am British, over 50, have lived here for four years on non-'O' retirement, renewing in Kanchanaburi with 800,000 plus in the bank each year. I live with Thai wife of 25 years, and THAI CHILD, now aged 23. I am named on my daughter's birth certificate, and I am named as her father on the 'tabien baan'.

I wonder, is 23 years old too old to be a child?

There is no problem my daughter inviting me to live with her - makes a change from me inviting her to live with me.

If this is possible, it saves the anual hassle of fund transfer, and the dredful interest rates on 800,000.

[peridot]

I am not sure what country you are from, but as an American I didn't have to prove any income to get a retirement visa. I just went to the American Embassy and paid 1,300 baht for a letter stating my income. They asked me what number to enter. I didn't need to show them any proof. I had to state that I knew there were penalties for lying.

So, if you have the money in process, you can state that it is your income to your own embassy and get the letter. That letter is all the Thai immigration office needs. It may be splitting hairs a little bit, but this is Thailand. Get in the spirit of this land!

The only other document I needed was a health certificate, which cost 80 baht at the first place I saw that said "clinic" on the sign. No questions asked about my health, they just copied info from my passport. I got photos and passport copies across the street from the immigration office. It was so much easier than I expected.

[lopburi3]

The above is correct. There is a provision, 7.17 of police order 606/2006 that as of October last year allows parents over the age of 50 to live with there child of Thai nationality. The child must invite the parent to stay so there could be a court issue if very young. But there have been a number of these approved and sponsor Sunbelt seems to be the primary user so I would talk with them. If you want to do yourself I would advise using Bangkok where the law is known to most officials by now. As said there is no need for money, other than extension fee, using this method.

This is VERY interesting. I am British, over 50, have lived here for four years on non-'O' retirement, renewing in Kanchanaburi with 800,000 plus in the bank each year. I live with Thai wife of 25 years, and THAI CHILD, now aged 23. I am named on my daughter's birth certificate, and I am named as her father on the 'tabien baan'.

I wonder, is 23 years old too old to be a child?

There is no problem my daughter inviting me to live with her - makes a change from me inviting her to live with me.

If this is possible, it saves the anual hassle of fund transfer, and the dredful interest rates on 800,000.

Yes you should be able to use 7.17 as it is really designed for older children to take care of there parents.

[Dah fahrang]

The above is correct. There is a provision, 7.17 of police order 606/2006 that as of October last year allows parents over the age of 50 to live with there child of Thai nationality. The child must invite the parent to stay so there could be a court issue if very young. But there have been a number of these approved and sponsor Sunbelt seems to be the primary user so I would talk with them. If you want to do yourself I would advise using Bangkok where the law is known to most officials by now. As said there is no need for money, other than extension fee, using this method.

This is VERY interesting. I am British, over 50, have lived here for four years on non-'O' retirement, renewing in Kanchanaburi with 800,000 plus in the bank each year. I live with Thai wife of 25 years, and THAI CHILD, now aged 23. I am named on my daughter's birth certificate, and I am named as her father on the 'tabien baan'.

I wonder, is 23 years old too old to be a child?

There is no problem my daughter inviting me to live with her - makes a change from me inviting her to live with me.

If this is possible, it saves the anual hassle of fund transfer, and the dredful interest rates on 800,000.

Replying to my own post:

I have just downloaded and read 7.17 of the National police order 606/2006.

although open to (mis)interpretation, IMO, paragraph 4 refers to a child under 20 years of age, and makes no mention of the age of the parent, 50 or otherwise.

(4) "in the case of a child, adopted child or child of his/her spouse, the said person must NOT be married, must be living with the family, and must be less than 20 years of age". The said person in this case is the child. Unmarried, living with the family, including the alien father or adopted father. When the said person (child) marries, the alien is no longer eligible to extend their visa.

Paragraph 5, on the other hand, makes specific, unambiguous reference to a parent of a Thai national, living as an alien parent, invited by the child, (married or not, above or below 20 years of age) to live with their 'child' in Thailand.

(5) "in the case of a parent, the said person must be 50 years of age or over"

So, to live with my Thai National daughter aged 23, the relationship can be proven, there is NO mention at all of the requirement for 400,000 or 800,000 baht in the bank!

Documents Required:

(4) Proof of Thai nationality of spouse, parents, child or adopted child, such as identification card, household registration certificate, or other document issued by the authority or government agency concerned...or

ONLY for clause 6, (alien married to Thai woman) is there a requirement for evidence, via bank book and letter, for 40,000 per month income.

I'm going to Immigration (Kanchanaburi) early august for the 90 day reporting drudgery, so will ask the 'friendly' officer there about this law, and see their reaction/interpretation. Will post again with a view from them.

[lopburi3]

7.17 para (1), (2) & (5) are what you have to meet. You have visa, you have proof of being parent, you are over age 50.