Retirement Visa

[Bannawk]

FYI:

Went to Chiang Mai Immigration office on Friday to see if I could get a Non-Imm Visa for retirement, without leaving the Kingdom. I was carrying a Tourist Visa that still had 26 days remaining.

I showed them my income letter from the US Consulate, SCB Bank Book (5,000 Bt) in my name, Photo, and a copy of my passport with the Arrival Card & stamp and the TM-7(?) application. This was all done at 10:00 am. Came back as requested at 4:00 and picked up my passport (with Non-Imm stamp) got a multi-entry stamp on the spot - to boot, and was told to come back after 60 days if I wanted to extend the Visa to one year.

No fingerprint-criminal record check or health certfication. I assume this was because I was "in-country."

Quite painless frankly, and not what I expected.

Cheers.

[gzu88bv]

...... immigration office on Friday to see if I could get a Non-Imm Visa for retirement, without leaving the Kingdom. I was carrying a Tourist Visa that still had 26 days remaining.

I showed them my income letter from the US Consulate, SCB Bank Book (5,000 Bt) in my name, Photo, and a copy of my passport with the Arrival Card & stamp and the TM-7(?) application. This was all done at 10:00 am. Came back as requested at 4:00 and picked up my passport (with Non-Imm stamp) got a multi-entry stamp on the spot - to boot, and was told to come back after 60 days if I wanted to extend the Visa to one year.

No fingerprint-criminal record check or health certfication. I assume this was because I was "in-country."

Bannawk, it is all correct what you tell us. What you got is your tourist visa changed to a single Non-O-visa valid for 90 days (necessary for Retirement) that you now have to run down before you can apply for the Extension for Retirement.

As told, go back to immigration 30 to 21 days prior the expiry date of you present visa (equal the date of your Stamp to Stay) with the same paperwork updated and the Form tm.7 by which you ask the Extension for Retirement.

Good luck!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

FYI:

Went to Chiang Mai Immigration office on Friday to see if I could get a Non-Imm Visa for retirement, without leaving the Kingdom. I was carrying a Tourist Visa that still had 26 days remaining.

I showed them my income letter from the US Consulate, SCB Bank Book (5,000 Bt) in my name, Photo, and a copy of my passport with the Arrival Card & stamp and the TM-7(?) application. This was all done at 10:00 am. Came back as requested at 4:00 and picked up my passport (with Non-Imm stamp) got a multi-entry stamp on the spot - to boot, and was told to come back after 60 days if I wanted to extend the Visa to one year.

No fingerprint-criminal record check or health certfication. I assume this was because I was "in-country."

Quite painless frankly, and not what I expected.

Cheers.

It is only the O-A retirement visa acquired in your home country that needs a medical and police clearance.

[JimGant]

I was carrying a Tourist Visa that still had 26 days remaining. .......Came back as requested at 4:00 and picked up my passport (with Non-Imm stamp) got a multi-entry stamp on the spot - to boot, and was told to come back after 60 days if I wanted to extend the Visa to one year.

I guess I had not realized that getting an in-country Non Imm O starts the 90-day 'permitted to stay' clock from date of issue, not original entry date..... As such, this would seem a nice workaround for the catch-22 for someone entering on a Non Imm O for the purpose of retirement extension, but then running out of time before his new 800k bank account reaches the required 3-month anniversary, thus requiring a border run (and the added expense of needing a multi-entry Non Imm O).

So, entering either on a tourist visa or 30-day exempt stamp, depositing 800k in a Thai bank account, then applying for a Non Imm O for the purpose of retirement extension would seem superior to getting a Non Imm O abroad, then having to do a border run due to the 800k/3-month requirement.

The OP didn't use the 800k option, but I would think (maybe erroneously) that Immigration would allow a new 800k account as sufficient criteria to issue an in-country Non Imm O, since the 3-month requirement is for 'extension,' not the enabling Non Imm O visa. So, if I'd opened my new 800k bank account 10 days after arrival, applied for a Non Imm O on day 34 (same as OP), the Immigration Officer would then tell me to 'come back after 66 days' if I wanted to extend the Visa (66 days would then have the bank account being 3-months old).

Naaaa. Too simple.