Retirement Visa Confusing

[josefbl]

Could anyone give me the correct up to date version for a retirement visa ?

facts : wife age 57 ,belgian national ,full retired , she has an income + 65.000 Bath month

I age 63 , Dutch national , at the moment in governemental benifit of 45.000 month and an account of aprox . 800.000 Bath at Kasikorn bank in Thailand.( My pension in 2010 will be aprox. 25.000 Bath monthly. )

Can I do all the paperwork by the Thai ambassy in the Netherlands BEFORE comming to Thailand and can I obtain the retirement visa or is there a " first stage " to do ? like N.O visa or...........??????

By obtaining the retirement visa can I book a one way ticket : f.i. from Brussels to Chiang Mai ?or.............Maybe wrong of me but I have allready the plain tickets.

We have several recomandation letters ( in Thai language ) of habitants ,school director etc of the local village where we live.

Please advice !

[Naam]

just wait a few minutes Josef and you will have a professional answer from Lopburi.

[lopburi3]

The long stay (retirement) visa is a non immigrant OA visa that you obtain in your home country and allows a one year permitted to stay stamp on entry into Thailand. It may be available in single or multi entry. If multi entry it can cover up to almost two years before you go to the next stage. To obtain your present proof of income/savings to the Consulate along with a medical certificate (they can provide - just that you don't have a couple of contagious diseases) and a police check report. A one way ticket could be used.

Later years, or if you start the process in Thailand, you obtain one year extensions of stay for retirement. Only one party of the married couple have to do so as the other can stay as there dependent (and thus not have to prove financial s each year)

[boatguy]

I also find these Thailand visa questions rather confusing, and full of much rumor within these forums. So I will ask of the moderators some questions I have.

I am 64 turning 65 this Feb, and a USA citizen. This past Oct I had my Thai lady friend visit me in USA, and we were married in a civil ceremony there. I have now returned to Khon Kaen for about 40 day visit, and to do a Buddhist ceremony here for her family. She is a 51 year old early retirement school teacher.

I plan to retire to Thailand and live with her in Khon Kaen within the next year.

So I have two questions at this point:

1) What are my options for long term retirement visa?

2) What can I do to extend my 30 day tourist visa to 41 days for this particular stay? (I arrived on 10 jan and was stamped until 8 Feb, even though i asked lady at immigration line to give me until my airplane reserved return trip of 19 Feb. Is there anything I can do aroud Khon Kaen vicinity to extend my tourist visa by 10-11 days??)

[Lite Beer]

I also find these Thailand visa questions rather confusing, and full of much rumor within these forums. So I will ask of the moderators some questions I have.

I am 64 turning 65 this Feb, and a USA citizen. This past Oct I had my Thai lady friend visit me in USA, and we were married in a civil ceremony there. I have now returned to Khon Kaen for about 40 day visit, and to do a Buddhist ceremony here for her family. She is a 51 year old early retirement school teacher.

I plan to retire to Thailand and live with her in Khon Kaen within the next year.

So I have two questions at this point:

1) What are my options for long term retirement visa?

2) What can I do to extend my 30 day tourist visa to 41 days for this particular stay? (I arrived on 10 jan and was stamped until 8 Feb, even though i asked lady at immigration line to give me until my airplane reserved return trip of 19 Feb. Is there anything I can do aroud Khon Kaen vicinity to extend my tourist visa by 10-11 days??)

The nearest Immigration office to Khon Kaen is either Nong Kai or Khorat . Both are about 270 K away.

You can get a one off extension of 60 days to visit your Wife at an Immigration office.

If you want to save this for later. Go to Nong Kai and pop over the border to Laos. When you return you will get another 30 day entry stamp.

Your other question.

For yearly stays you will need 800,000 Bht in a Thai bank or a monthly income of 65,000 Baht based on retirement.

Or

Based on Marriage you will need 40,000 Baht family monthly income.

[lopburi3]

1. You can do in US as a non immigrant OA visa allowing one year stay on entry and use money in US account. Will require short medical form and police check. If you get multi entry almost two years before you will need to extend inside Thailand. The second option is to obtain a single (or multi) entry non immigrant O visa (on basis of marriage) and after arrival in Thailand apply for one year extensions of stay for retirement. That will require 800k in Thai bank for 3 months prior to application or 65k pension letter from Embassy or a combination.

2. Normally you can not obtain more than a 7 day extension of stay so you would have to leave the country - but being married you might luck out and be able to obtain a 60 day extension of stay if you visit an immigration office with wife, her ID and home register and your marriage certificate, passport, 4x6cm photos and fill out a TM.7 application for extension of stay (fee 1,900 baht) under provision 7.23 of the current police order 606/2006 to visit husband or child. If that fails (do soon) then you can make a border crossing and return with a new 30 day visa exempt entry.

[josefbl]

The long stay (retirement) visa is a non immigrant OA visa that you obtain in your home country and allows a one year permitted to stay stamp on entry into Thailand. It may be available in single or multi entry. If multi entry it can cover up to almost two years before you go to the next stage. To obtain your present proof of income/savings to the Consulate along with a medical certificate (they can provide - just that you don't have a couple of contagious diseases) and a police check report. A one way ticket could be used.

Later years, or if you start the process in Thailand, you obtain one year extensions of stay for retirement. Only one party of the married couple have to do so as the other can stay as there dependent (and thus not have to prove financial s each year)

Thank you very much indeed for the information,but still confusing conserning tickets and visa as I received some " contratictory " information from siam -legal .com

Quote : " you could not use a ONE WAY TICKET if you have a NON IMMIGRANT VISA .You need to use a Return Ticket for enter in Thailand if you have a non immigrant visa from your country " unquote .

Question is this correct or.............................

Conserning the visa ,they ( siam- legal.com ) advising me to one year multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa, and do the 3 monthly border crossing ,and once this visa expires after one year I ( we ) could renew to a retirement visa while I ( we ) are in Thailand without return to my ( our ) country.

Confusion again ! What to do a : the ticket ,that I ,we , allready have - One way - Brussels - Chiang Mai ???????

the visa ?????????????

Please advise !!!!!

Thanks Josef

[Maestro]

Josef, it is a little difficult to give you advice here, particularly when you are already paying a sponsor of this forum for their professional legal advice and my advice might be contrary to what your lawyer is telling you.

Let me put it this way: on this forum I have never seen any member posting that he was refused entry into Thailand by a Thai immigration officer when he arrived with a non-immigrant visa and a one-way ticket.

Also, I have never seen any post where the airline refused to let somebody check in and board the flight when he had a non-immigrant visa and only a one-way ticket.

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

You do not need a return ticket for travel to Thailand on a non immigrant visa.

If you want to use all entries of a multi entry visa and make border runs every 90 days you can do so - but there is no need to do that as you can extend your stay for retirement during the last 30 days of any entry if you meet the 800k (three months in bank) or 65k embassy letter or combination required for a one year extension of stay. It is a very simple process.

[Dave the Dude]

Josef, it is a little difficult to give you advice here, particularly when you are already paying a sponsor of this forum for their professional legal advice and my advice might be contrary to what your lawyer is telling you.

Let me put it this way: on this forum I have never seen any member posting that he was refused entry into Thailand by a Thai immigration officer when he arrived with a non-immigrant visa and a one-way ticket.

Also, I have never seen any post where the airline refused to let somebody check in and board the flight when he had a non-immigrant visa and only a one-way ticket.

--

Maestro

Hi josfbl

This info from Lopburi3 and Meastro is, as always, correct. I arrived with a one way ticket last april and had no problems.

Dont worry and enjoy your new life

Dave

[josefbl]

Josef, it is a little difficult to give you advice here, particularly when you are already paying a sponsor of this forum for their professional legal advice and my advice might be contrary to what your lawyer is telling you.

Let me put it this way: on this forum I have never seen any member posting that he was refused entry into Thailand by a Thai immigration officer when he arrived with a non-immigrant visa and a one-way ticket.

Also, I have never seen any post where the airline refused to let somebody check in and board the flight when he had a non-immigrant visa and only a one-way ticket.

--

Maestro

Dear responders ,I think I did not wrote it clear enuf ! I just asked some information at the siam-legal.com.

So there is no lawyar or anything else that works for us nor have we paid anything !

I will follow your advice ,use our one way ticket and arrange all the visa paperwork by the Thai ambassy-consulat in the Netherlands.Thank U all !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Josef

[Lite Beer]

Josef, it is a little difficult to give you advice here, particularly when you are already paying a sponsor of this forum for their professional legal advice and my advice might be contrary to what your lawyer is telling you.

Let me put it this way: on this forum I have never seen any member posting that he was refused entry into Thailand by a Thai immigration officer when he arrived with a non-immigrant visa and a one-way ticket.

Also, I have never seen any post where the airline refused to let somebody check in and board the flight when he had a non-immigrant visa and only a one-way ticket.

--

Maestro

Dear responders ,I think I did not wrote it clear enuf ! I just asked some information at the siam-legal.com.

So there is no lawyar or anything else that works for us nor have we paid anything !

I will follow your advice ,use our one way ticket and arrange all the visa paperwork by the Thai ambassy-consulat in the Netherlands.Thank U all !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Josef

If you have a Visa you can enter Thailand with a one way ticket, NO PROBLEM.

[dutch]

Josef,

I did the O-A in my country of residence too.

It is so easy to do all the paperwork in your homecountry,taking your time!

I entered Thailand with an one way ticket and got 364 days ( more to go) stamped in my passport

Edited January 15, 2008 by dutch

[chaamguy]

Can I just clear a few things up. Two differing sets of people are posting. I would just like to clarify for the gent who's legally married to the Thai lady. You need to show an income of 40,000 baht per month to support spouse and extend your visa for 1 year.

On another note. I read, not too long ago on a Thai Immigration web-site. The officer said: Why bother paying for the year visa when, you can come here on a 3 month visa and extend it for 1,900 baht.

Seemed quite logical to me!

BTW. I'm talking about extending for marriage or retirement.

Hope I haven't confused things

[Lite Beer]

Can I just clear a few things up. Two differing sets of people are posting. I would just like to clarify for the gent who's legally married to the Thai lady. You need to show an income of 40,000 baht per month to support spouse and extend your visa for 1 year.

On another note. I read, not too long ago on a Thai Immigration web-site. The officer said: Why bother paying for the year visa when, you can come here on a 3 month visa and extend it for 1,900 baht.

Seemed quite logical to me!

BTW. I'm talking about extending for marriage or retirement.

Hope I haven't confused things

Marriage.........40,000Baht a month income

Retirement......65,000Baht a month income or 800,000 Baht in the bank.

[lopburi3]

A three month visa entry does not allow time to establish a bank account with 800k and have a three month record at the time of application for extension of stay - so that is one good reason to have more than one entry available for a number of people. For others it gives them time to decide if they really want to remain here with the only inconvenience being quarterly border crossings (but not being subject to address reporting requirements).

As with most things - shades of gray.

[boatguy]

I think at this particular time I will chose to prove monthly income on marriage basis, rather than retirement option requiring 800K in Thailand bank.

My reasoning would be that the poor exchange rate with the USA dollar right now is not so conductive to buying baht right now, nor is the expected low interest rate on that 800K in the Thai bank?? I can get a better interest rate in other countries.

However, if I could borrow against that 800K deposit just setting there, I might consider some other real estate investment in Thailand. Does anyone know if you can borrow against the deposit??...and what bank might be best to work this with??

[Patriciachas]

The long stay (retirement) visa is a non immigrant OA visa that you obtain in your home country and allows a one year permitted to stay stamp on entry into Thailand. It may be available in single or multi entry. If multi entry it can cover up to almost two years before you go to the next stage. To obtain your present proof of income/savings to the Consulate along with a medical certificate (they can provide - just that you don't have a couple of contagious diseases) and a police check report. A one way ticket could be used.

Later years, or if you start the process in Thailand, you obtain one year extensions of stay for retirement. Only one party of the married couple have to do so as the other can stay as there dependent (and thus not have to prove financial s each year)

Lopburi

my wife and myself have got o/a visas from the thai embassy in london we are moving to thailand at the end of this month and we both have the requires money in a thai bank.Are you saying that at the end of the first 12 months only one of us need to get a extension and the other can stay as a dependant without having to leave the country ,and we only need to have aone 800,000 in the bank?,any advice welcome

[boatguy]

2. Normally you can not obtain more than a 7 day extension of stay so you would have to leave the country - but being married you might luck out and be able to obtain a 60 day extension of stay if you visit an immigration office with wife, her ID and home register and your marriage certificate, passport, 4x6cm photos and fill out a TM.7 application for extension of stay (fee 1,900 baht) under provision 7.23 of the current police order 606/2006 to visit husband or child. If that fails (do soon) then you can make a border crossing and return with a new 30 day visa exempt entry.

I plan to do a trip down to Phuket on business, so if I take my wife along I can probably visit an immigration officer with her and proper paper work and get the extra 11 day extension without having to do a border crossing.....correct??

[lopburi3]

Lopburi

my wife and myself have got o/a visas from the thai embassy in london we are moving to thailand at the end of this month and we both have the requires money in a thai bank.Are you saying that at the end of the first 12 months only one of us need to get a extension and the other can stay as a dependant without having to leave the country ,and we only need to have aone 800,000 in the bank?,any advice welcome

Yes that is how it works - non retirement spouse will use the passport showing the retirement extension of stay to obtain a matching extension of stay as dependent. There will be no financial requirement. This assumes the laws do not change.

[lopburi3]

I plan to do a trip down to Phuket on business, so if I take my wife along I can probably visit an immigration officer with her and proper paper work and get the extra 11 day extension without having to do a border crossing.....correct??

Don't know if anyone has been doing in Phuket or not but believe you probably can (you are asking about the 60 day extension I believe) - will require her ID card and home register along with marriage certificate.

[josefbl]

Lopburi

my wife and myself have got o/a visas from the thai embassy in london we are moving to thailand at the end of this month and we both have the requires money in a thai bank.Are you saying that at the end of the first 12 months only one of us need to get a extension and the other can stay as a dependant without having to leave the country ,and we only need to have aone 800,000 in the bank?,any advice welcome

Yes that is how it works - non retirement spouse will use the passport showing the retirement extension of stay to obtain a matching extension of stay as dependent. There will be no financial requirement. This assumes the laws do not change.

Very interesthing !But could it be done the oposit way ? My wife does the non retirement extention after the first 12 months ( as she has a much better income as I ) and that I am the dependent ?

After all the information I received , will go to the ambassy-consulat of Thailand in The Hague to get the papers and start the procedure !Once again , thanks for the accurat and full information ! Josef

[lopburi3]

I used the word spouse as either can the on retirement and then the other can use the dependent method. The person with the larger provable income would normally be the person who would be on the retirement extension.

[thaihome]

I think at this particular time I will chose to prove monthly income on marriage basis, rather than retirement option requiring 800K in Thailand bank.

My reasoning would be that the poor exchange rate with the USA dollar right now is not so conductive to buying baht right now, nor is the expected low interest rate on that 800K in the Thai bank?? I can get a better interest rate in other countries.

However, if I could borrow against that 800K deposit just setting there, I might consider some other real estate investment in Thailand. Does anyone know if you can borrow against the deposit??...and what bank might be best to work this with??

The deposit does not have to sit there for the whole year. You only need to have it in the bank 3 months before the application for extension to stay. It is expected you will spend some of it through the year and top it up 3 months before next application.

TH

[Ralphsandbag]

Lopburi

my wife and myself have got o/a visas from the thai embassy in london we are moving to thailand at the end of this month and we both have the requires money in a thai bank.Are you saying that at the end of the first 12 months only one of us need to get a extension and the other can stay as a dependant without having to leave the country ,and we only need to have aone 800,000 in the bank?,any advice welcome

Yes that is how it works - non retirement spouse will use the passport showing the retirement extension of stay to obtain a matching extension of stay as dependent. There will be no financial requirement. This assumes the laws do not change.

Hi Lopburi,

Are there any down sides for doing this method of dependent spouse.. Like have to travel together or something..

Regards Ralph

[lopburi3]

No. To travel you each need re-entry permits so that does not come into it.