Turning 50 next year, what to do about visa

[Liquorice]

4 hours ago, eumenades said:

I use an agent every year. Pricey, but I get to sleep at night.

I do it myself every year, 1,900 BHT and sleep like a log knowing it was legitimately applied for and issued without the shenanigans.

Then again, I don't condone or support corruption.

[DogNo1]

You actually have to transfer the 65,000 baht to your Thai bank account each month and it must be posted with the correct code (FTT) to show that the transfer comes from abroad.  There is no proving of the 65,000.  You must actually receive it in your Thai bank account.

[bbi1]

12 hours ago, WilliamSmits said:

100 % of people that do not meet the financial requirements use an "agent" 

Those people should be caught and deported back to their own countries and banned from entering Thailand for 10 years. Dodgy foreigners bribing their way to stay here illegally.

[Liquorice]

1 hour ago, DogNo1 said:

You actually have to transfer the 65,000 baht to your Thai bank account each month and it must be posted with the correct code (FTT) to show that the transfer comes from abroad.  There is no proving of the 65,000.  You must actually receive it in your Thai bank account.

Or, seeing as the OP is from an EU Country, he could just obtain an Embassy Income letter.

[parafareno]

7 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Or, seeing as the OP is from an EU Country, he could just obtain an Embassy Income letter.

i dont have 65000 bht income per month..... that is the problem

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

Those people should be caught and deported back to their own countries and banned from entering Thailand for 10 years. Dodgy foreigners bribing their way to stay here illegally.

 

What would be the point, considering where you are? In a way, they've adapted better to how things are done in Thailand than those who deny those underpaid officials their tea money. 

Edited April 5 by Caldera

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, parafareno said:

i dont have 65000 bht income per month..... that is the problem

Guessing you also don't have 800k to deposit ?   Which case, you don't qualify for Ret Visa.

[parafareno]

22 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Guessing you also don't have 800k to deposit ?   Which case, you don't qualify for Ret Visa.

i have it but i dont like having cash in bank account....so I guess I will go agent way

[Chivas]

3 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Those people should be caught and deported back to their own countries and banned from entering Thailand for 10 years. Dodgy foreigners bribing their way to stay here illegally.

 

You simply have no idea just how many people have fingers in the pie from the very top to the bottom

What I detailed earlier in the thread was no more than 1% of what the guy was telling me

 

I actually prior to talking to that guy was thinking yes dodgy and "what if" and frowned apon agent route

 

Not any more !

 

Not a chance in hell it stops or is "uncovered".....the very TOP of immigration are taking a cut of every applicant

[pomchop]

19 hours ago, Brian Allen said:

Either THB฿800,000.00 on deposit or prove an income of THB฿65,000 per month.

so if social security from usa exceeds 65 k a month u do not need to mess with the 800 k thb in a bank?...do u just bring a recent social secuirity statement showing the amount u receive monthly is that what they want to see?

 

in other words who/how/when do u show your pension/soc sec to get a retirement visa?

 

thanks for info...

[Liquorice]

22 minutes ago, pomchop said:

in other words who/how/when do u show your pension/soc sec to get a retirement visa?

There is no retirement 'visa'.

What you're enquiring about is the 1-year permit of stay issued by Thai Immigration for the purpose of retirement and subject to meeting the financial requirements.

For a US citizen using the 65K monthly income method, you must provide evidence of 12 x monthly overseas transfer to a Thai bank account.

[pomchop]

56 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

There is no retirement 'visa'.

What you're enquiring about is the 1-year permit of stay issued by Thai Immigration for the purpose of retirement and subject to meeting the financial requirements.

For a US citizen using the 65K monthly income method, you must provide evidence of 12 x monthly overseas transfer to a Thai bank account.

thank you

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, pomchop said:

so if social security from usa exceeds 65 k a month u do not need to mess with the 800 k thb in a bank?...do u just bring a recent social secuirity statement showing the amount u receive monthly is that what they want to see?

 

in other words who/how/when do u show your pension/soc sec to get a retirement visa?

 

thanks for info...

 

If you want to go the "monthly income" route as a US pension or social security recipient, you need to do monthly transfers to Thailand exceeding 65,000 baht and show evidence of those transfers (paperwork from the receiving Thai bank). You can't just show your pension or social security papers. 

[MPoll]

16 hours ago, Presnock said:

The wealthy pensioner LTR good for ten years, no taxes on foreign earned income, no 90-day reports - google the Board of Investment (BOI) LTR for requirements and benefits - cost currently is 50K baht - last year was 100K baht.  Other LTR seem to be more expensive.

The pensioner LTR was never 100,000 baht. It was talked about but the price was 50,000 baht when it launched in September 2022. I applied in Oct 2022 and got it in January 2023.

[Presnock]

15 minutes ago, MPoll said:

The pensioner LTR was never 100,000 baht. It was talked about but the price was 50,000 baht when it launched in September 2022. I applied in Oct 2022 and got it in January 2023.

Yeah sounds good to me...I read it on this forum about the drop from 100,000 and it didn't give a time frame.  Anyway, BOI are really helpful and patient.  Took about 3 weeks total time.

[Ben Zioner]

On 4/5/2024 at 5:41 AM, parafareno said:

so i can apply for retirement visa right?  How much does it cost? And I can stay as long as I want? Or I have to go back to EU?

Please don't burn your bridges and keep a decent home in Europe. Keep your health coverage alive, visa issues are trivial. 

[sandyf]

19 hours ago, parafareno said:

i mean 15000 bht per yer is nothing...i can afford that instead of having 800k in the bank

"Instead"?

What you are suggesting is illegal so not without risk.

To use an agent legally you are still required to have the 800k in the bank, or use the income method.

[Digitalbanana]

19 hours ago, eumenades said:

I use an agent every year. Pricey, but I get to sleep at night.

I have never used an agent and my sleep is perfect.

[sandyf]

11 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

What would be the point, considering where you are? In a way, they've adapted better to how things are done in Thailand than those who deny those underpaid officials their tea money. 

Obviously with deeper pockets, but unable or unwilling to fund a legal presence, they will be the ones adapting better to the new interpretation on the tax law.

It would appear that In 25 years I have been unable to adapt in the proper manner. 

[scubascuba3]

13 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Those people should be caught and deported back to their own countries and banned from entering Thailand for 10 years. Dodgy foreigners bribing their way to stay here illegally.

Sweet kid, you'll learn, maybe.

 

Immigration are on our side, if you have the financials it's quick and easy to do it yourself, if no have financials then 12,500 a year.

 

Sometimes when the officer gets short of cash, has to get gold for the gik or mia noi they start looking for issues to raise more money via agents, rare though, most problems are when people get their non imm O then extension

Edited April 6 by scubascuba3

[DrJack54]

Let's get the discussion away from the old chestnut "visa agents" 

The OP stated that he is considering that. 

Up to him what method to use.

 

OP you stated earlier that you cannot show 65k per month. That's a concern. 

Also have not stated if you have a pension. 

Which country passport? 

[KannikaP]

13 hours ago, parafareno said:

i dont have 65000 bht income per month..... that is the problem

You are correct that it is the problem. Stay where you are until you can afford it.

 

One way around it is to find, and live, in an Immigration area who will do the Combination Method, as I have done for several years. My IO says that as long as the money in the bank, plus the monthly transfers from abroad add up to over Bht 800k, he will accept it.

I do 40k per month to my Bkk Bank = 480k per year, plus 350k in a Bkk Bank deposit account. Works well.

Edited April 6 by KannikaP

[brianthainess]

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Immigration are on our side, if you have the financials it's quick and easy to do it yourself, if no have financials then 12,500 a year.

From my understanding those Agents charge double that the first time. 

[KannikaP]

25 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Also have not stated if you have a pension.

What's that got to do with it. You cannot usually get a Pension below 55.

The IO doesn't care where the money comes from as long as it arrives every month, roughly the same date. 

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

From my understanding those Agents charge double that the first time. 

First 15 months 26k the right price

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What's that got to do with it. You cannot usually get a Pension below 55.

The IO doesn't care where the money comes from as long as it arrives every month, roughly the same date. 

That is incorrect. 

Some immigration office insist on proof funds came from pension. Some immigration offices do not.

Regarding pension at any age it could be a disability pension etc.

The OP has disclosed little.

[Presnock]

11 hours ago, parafareno said:

i have it but i dont like having cash in bank account....so I guess I will go agent way

That was my feelings also, having all kinds of restrictions on the 800,000 and doing the at least 65K per month was easy for me - I actually did more thn 3 times that every month but, I also was spending more than 65K a month anyway.  I still think that is a much easier way without having to think about when to have how much in the account for the IO to check.  The letter (s) from the bank were very easy to obtain each year.  Never had a problem doing it that way.

[Presnock]

Digitalbanana,

  I have never used an agent in 20 years of doing the yearly extension of stay and it used to be even more difficult but in all that time I never used an agent until this year as I decided to got the LTR route and the BOI folks were super in help and patience.  Definitely worth the 2 weeks of preparation.  Now I will continue resting easy for the next 10 years.

[brianthainess]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That is incorrect. 

Some immigration office insist on proof funds came from pension. Some immigration offices do not.

Regarding pension at any age it could be a disability pension etc.

The OP has disclosed little.

Well he has disclosed he has very little money IMO.

Less than 65k a month and won't put his 800k in his account, so what is he going to live off, yes it is possible by eating street food, every meal, and then there is either insurance or medical expenses + a lot more. Rent, bills, internet, etc..  I live on a lot less but no; rent to pay, bars, restaurants.

just saying.

[sabaiguy]

22 hours ago, jimn said:

I have a yearly income of 130k but not 800k in a Thai bank. I simply use agent who for 12,500 baht get you a totally legal extension within 3 days.

Get LTR Visa.  Oh maybe you're referring to 130k baht.