Retirement Visa Requirements

[Guest siamjourney]

I read slightly different requirements for retirement in Thailand on thaivisa, the Chiang Mai Mail, and from the immigration information office near the CM airport. I want to make sure I fulfill all the requierments correctly to retire in April of 2008 when I turn fifty.

I am a US citizen. I arrived with a one-year Multiple "B" visa on July 8th, 2007. I will get my 2nd three month stamp next week in Mai Sai. I plan to go to the states in March and return in early April. Is this one-year visa valid for my retirement request in April or is there anything I should be applying for on my visit to the states?

The other question involves the money requirements. I would rather deposit 65,000 for three months prior to April retirement then deposit 800,000. Do I make a 65K transfer from a US bank in early Jan/Feb/March 2008 to a Thai bank to show immigration later? Does the US Consulate want to see these deposits or do I just swear to it in person at the consulate? Who wants to see what?

Also, is there any reason NOT to apply for the retirement visa? I'm not married nor plan to married soon.

Thanks!

[lopburi3]

You arrived on July 8th (first 3 month stamp) and your second stamp is due next week? Believe you must mean your 3rd?

You don't say when your visa was issued so can only say if you have a valid visa when you enter in April you can use that entry to apply for a retirement extension of stay. Your request would most likely not be accepted in April however as they want application during last 30 days of a 90 day entry.

There is no 3 month rule for monthly pension retirement - your letter from Embassy supported by a local bank account/bank letter should be the only requirement. You must swear to the amount of your pension at the Consulate. You should have paperwork of some type to support this if asked by Immigration - tax records, investment proof, pension papers or such.

[Guest siamjourney]

Maybe I didn't explain my current visa situation correctly. It was issued in the sates to be used afterJuly 2nd, 2007. I arrived in BKK on July 8th. I went to Mai Sai on October 2nd and am going again on December 30th. Then I will visit the states in March 2008 and return in early April.

I don't have a pension but make money through freelance consulting in the states and additional income. It is no problem to document my income via a tax return if that's what Thailand wants. People I've talked to say they only ask for the US Consulate letter swearing your income satisifies the requirements. I thought they might want to see a Thai bank deposit book showing deposits.

Should I not apply for retirement visa in April but wait until 30 days have passed at least upon my return? I just want to be organized without whatever they want so there are no surprises.

Thanks again.

[lopburi3]

You should wait for 60 days after your return to make the extension of stay request. Yes the paper from the Embassy is primary. They could ask for tax paperwork but it is not likely. They do like to see a bank account passbook with some funds in it, perhaps a months expenses (but nothing is fixed on that and it may not even be asked for if not offered). Along with the bank passbook you should have a letter of account balance (get from bank same week or day at cost of 200 baht - be sure it matches passbook balance). This is an old general requirement, and necessary for 800k method, and most officers still seem to like to see it for everyone.

[Guest siamjourney]

lopburi3 thanks for your help.

I'm still getting different answers from different people. I called Chiang Mai immigration last week and a very nice woman said I should transfer 65K in the three months preceding April. I guess it can't hurt to do this. I believe it should be a transfer from an American bank. I've never done this exercise...I'm curious how the deposit looks different to Thai officials rather than a cash deposit. I also think there are fees on both ends for the bank to bank transfer.

They also want a letter from the bank and copies of my passport book pages.

She also said that I could apply for the retirement visa anytime after I turn fifty. This implies I don't have to wait 60 days upon my return.

Again, I'm just trying to be organized so there are no surprises come April. I think I will do the 65K money transfers and try to retire in April and see what they say.

[lopburi3]

This seems to be Chiang Mai specific. Are they still making you obtain an Embassy letter confirming 65k per month income? I would go to office and ask them if you can perhaps make a single larger transfer if this is not a replacement for the Embassy letter. It averages about $50+ to make wire transfers and is not cost effective to be doing so every month. They can see the foreign origin by the code the bank will use for them. The bank letter and having a passbook with some money in it is normally the only requirement for those who have the Embassy 65k monthly income letter so hopefully you are not being required to show both proofs of 65k per month income.

[tijnebijn]

This thread exactly answers what I also needed to know ,

cause the time comes near to make an extension for my mother .

I arranged the embassy letter , which they printed a 870k yearly income ,

so fairly higher then the 65k average .

Now I read they also want to see a bank balance , which now she has got only 50k

of savings (thaibank) , she does not use this account to transfer her monthly pensions ,but

instead uses the ATM from foreign account , my question is if imm will agree

with above stated to give her the extension or that we need to prove more ?

( we go to Chiang mai imm as well )

Thanks for the always refreshing information to get us ready !

[lopburi3]

In Bangkok do not believe that would be a problem at all - the bank account/letter is not the prime concern. For Chiang Mai you may want to ask first, in case they might want a record of the ATM withdrawals (such as monthly bank statement of the account they are drawn from). I have hopes that the 65k monthly transfer mentioned may be a local option to avoid the Embassy letter rather than an additional requirement for everyone.

[tijnebijn]

Thanks Lob , I will go next week and ask what they need ,

and because of the new year you never know what they

come up with as ' new requirement ' , could also be positive of course .

For what I have heard around here and there they don't seem to be

to difficult at all , but we will see .

One thing if they do need proof for withdrawal ,( she receives monthly bank statements)

does she really have to withdraw all the money in Thailand ?

Or can she save and keep some over there , cause she does not pin that kind

of amount random , sometimes more and sometimes less .

But can prove the monthly finances , like stated in the embassy letter .

Anyway I will make a report here for what CM imm wants to see , so some more info

to hand out , thanks .

[lopburi3]

There should not be any requirement to spend the 65k. Please do update on what they want. Thanks.

[oxymoron]

I read slightly different requirements for retirement in Thailand on thaivisa, the Chiang Mai Mail, and from the immigration information office near the CM airport. I want to make sure I fulfill all the requirements correctly to retire in April of 2008 when I turn fifty.

I am a US citizen. I arrived with a one-year Multiple "B" visa on July 8th, 2007. I will get my 2nd three month stamp next week in Mai Sai. I plan to go to the states in March and return in early April. Is this one-year visa valid for my retirement request in April or is there anything I should be applying for on my visit to the states?

The other question involves the money requirements. I would rather deposit 65,000 for three months prior to April retirement then deposit 800,000. Do I make a 65K transfer from a US bank in early Jan/Feb/March 2008 to a Thai bank to show immigration later? Does the US Consulate want to see these deposits or do I just swear to it in person at the consulate? Who wants to see what?

Also, is there any reason NOT to apply for the retirement visa? I'm not married nor plan to married soon.

Thanks!

If you are going to the USA in Mar2008 and turn 50 in April 2008 why not be "Really Really smart" and get a 12Month Multiple entry O-A visa there in the USA.

Then you can come back to Thailand and stay with few hassles/problems from the Thai Immigration for nearly two years. No need to prove funds, no border runs every 90days, ( just a visit to Thai Immigration to confirm where you are living) go and come from Thailand as much as you like, after 11months and around 10 days go for a holiday to Singapore or KL come back to Thailand and you get a 12 month admittance stamp ( ie you have now gained 22-23 months in Thailand out of your investment in the O-A visa you get in the USA this April 2008. Now in around June/July 2009 when you get back from Singapore etc and get you entry stamp to February....ish 2010 go to Chiangmai Immigration pay around 3800 Baht and get multi entry/exit Thailand visa's and you are free to come and go during 2009/2010.

If like me the cost of an airfare to the USA or Australia is no real problem you can use this methodology for as long as you like.

Benefits, legal, at this time very acceptable to Thai Immigration, you do not have to tell the Thais anything about you/your finances or your wealth only WHERE YOU are staying every 90 days. You do not have to have any money or anything of value in Thailand, you do not have to do expensive border runs every 90 days and you are FREE to come and go as you please.

[Guest siamjourney]

I don't really want to go to KL or Singaport if I can avoid it. I thought the benefit of the retirement visa was that all I would have to do (after meeting the requirements) would be show up at the CM immigration near the airport every three months. I'm trying to get away from US visits and visas which are getting harder and harder to obtain.

I'm still leaning towards 3 months of 65K deposits from a US bank, the US consulate financial statement letter, and the other easy stuff. The transfers are a bit expensive but relatively convenient. A new 1 year visa costs $150 which is about what the transfers might cost.

I don't intend to travel to the states for the next several years after my March trip and just want the retirement status to make life easy. Does this make sense?

[lopburi3]

The above trip to KL or Singapore (or anywhere) was a one time in two years to activate a second year of use from the original one year stay of an OA retirement visa you obtain during your current trip to the US. It would avoid any financial movement requirement for a period of two years. At the end of the two years you would do the normal one year at a time extension of stay from Immigration if that is what you want to do. It is just another option. Once the exact requirements for Chiang Mai are known you might be in a better position to select which method fits your needs the best.

[Guest siamjourney]

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2493

The above web site makes it sound like you do have to satisfy the usual retirement financial requirements. Also, you can only apply for an O-A after your 50th birthday. I can extend my trip to the USA a bit and satisfy that part if need be. I thought I'd just return and apply for the retirement visa after a week or so.

If you put 65k in the bank from overseas for three months prior to applying for a retirement visa do they want to see you continue that pattern during the year for your next renewal? It keeps sounding like a 800,000 deposit is the easiest way to satisfy their requirements. It's expensive to transfer money each time from the states.

[Maestro]

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2493

...

If you put 65k in the bank from overseas for three months prior to applying for a retirement visa do they want to see you continue that pattern during the year for your next renewal?

You went to the correct web page but read it wrong. For the application for a non-O-A visa at a Thai conslulate, if you use income as proof of financial means you have to show evidence of the income, not of transfers to Thailand. The alternative, for the visa application, is evidence of the equivalent of 800k Baht in a bank anywhere in the world.

Once you have your non-O-A visa and are in Thailand, you can later decide which route you want to go for the annual extension, ie 800k in a Thai bank account, proof of income, or a combination of income and money in the bank.

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

But MFA has nothing to do with Immigration - they are not even under the same government departments. What you find on an MFA site is specific to Embassy Consulate section application for an OA visa (you provide police report/medical/proof of money in home country). It has nothing to do with requirements in Thailand at an Immigration office. As you do not have a visa in your home country (you are applying for it) you do not have to wait until the last 30 days of an entry.

In Thailand most people either use 800k in a Thai bank account for 3 months or 65k per month pension income as stated in a letter from there Embassy. There has never been any such thing as a requirement for 65k per month money transfer so we are lost on that report. Tijnebijn has stated his intent to try and get the exact Chiang Mai requirements so you might want to wait a few days if you would prefer to use monthly income.

[Guest siamjourney]

The Thai immigration office in Chiang Mai says they want to see the 65k deposits for at least three months. It's a slight pain but I think I will do it as well as getting the US Consulate letter. I'll be leaving the states a week before my 50th birthday so I can't apply for the O-A even if I wanted to on this trip. There may be benefits from the O-A visa but is there any reason not to get a retirement visa if it's easy? Even if I did stay and apply for an O-A visa each year it's gotten more difficult in the states to get long-term visas. I think Thailand has told them to stop and you can forget about getting it in major cities like Washington or New York. You might get one from some small office with a lawyer representing Thailand if you're lucky.