Can I Work With A Retirement Visa?

[heybruce]

I am currently living in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant B multi-entry visa, working part time as a teacher. However the school I work for appears to be about to go out of business and is noncommittal about giving me the paper required for renewing my visa. My visa expires in late December, and I'm returning to the U.S. for a few weeks in early December to visit family and renew or get a new visa. I need to make a decision soon on what kind of visa.

I qualify for the retirement visa; I'm 51 years old with income over 65000 baht a month (I'm working because I'm too young to be retired, and I enjoy teaching most of my students). I've heard, but can't find anything in writing, that if you have a retirement visa you can't work. Is this true? Also, are there any limitations on entering and leaving Thailand while living here on a retirement visa? I'm sure these questions are answered somewhere in this forum, but after 45 minutes of searching I couldn't find anything specific.

Thanks for your help.

[Maestro]

In some provinces the labour department gives a work permit to holders of the retirement extension, in other provinces not.

When you are on an extension of stay and wish to travel internationally you must get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand. This will keep your extension alive, ie when you return to Thailand you will be given permission to stay until the end of your extension.

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Maestro

[heybruce]

In some provinces the labour department gives a work permit to holders of the retirement extension, in other provinces not.

When you are on an extension of stay and wish to travel internationally you must get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand. This will keep your extension alive, ie when you return to Thailand you will be given permission to stay until the end of your extension.

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Maestro

Thanks for the reply. So if I'm here on a retirement visa and want to leave Thailand for any reason, even for a few hours shopping across the border from Mae Sai, I will have to apply for a re-entry permit first? That seems like a nuisance. Perhaps I should just enroll in a Thai language class before I visit the U.S. for Christmas and get an education visa while I'm in there.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks for the reply. So if I'm here on a retirement visa and want to leave Thailand for any reason, even for a few hours shopping across the border from Mae Sai, I will have to apply for a re-entry permit first? That seems like a nuisance. Perhaps I should just enroll in a Thai language class before I visit the U.S. for Christmas and get an education visa while I'm in there.

Any 1 year extension of your permit to stay requires a re-entry permit. You can get a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht) that allows you to re-enter as many times as you want for the lenght of your extension.

[TerryLH]

You'd also need a reentry permit with a student visa.

[chiangmaibruce]

refer also this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Retirement-W...ement+visa+work

[heybruce]

Thanks for the reply. So if I'm here on a retirement visa and want to leave Thailand for any reason, even for a few hours shopping across the border from Mae Sai, I will have to apply for a re-entry permit first? That seems like a nuisance. Perhaps I should just enroll in a Thai language class before I visit the U.S. for Christmas and get an education visa while I'm in there.

Any 1 year extension of your permit to stay requires a re-entry permit. You can get a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht) that allows you to re-enter as many times as you want for the lenght of your extension.

Ok, that's what I've been referring to as the multi-entry permit, the type I have now that requires me to leave every 90 days. That's not a problem. Thanks for the help.

Now I need to find out if I can work in Chiang Mai while on a retirement visa.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks for the reply. So if I'm here on a retirement visa and want to leave Thailand for any reason, even for a few hours shopping across the border from Mae Sai, I will have to apply for a re-entry permit first? That seems like a nuisance. Perhaps I should just enroll in a Thai language class before I visit the U.S. for Christmas and get an education visa while I'm in there.

Any 1 year extension of your permit to stay requires a re-entry permit. You can get a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht) that allows you to re-enter as many times as you want for the lenght of your extension.

Ok, that's what I've been referring to as the multi-entry permit, the type I have now that requires me to leave every 90 days. That's not a problem. Thanks for the help.

Now I need to find out if I can work in Chiang Mai while on a retirement visa.

It is not the same. You have a multiple entry non immigrant B visa.

The labour department is the only place where you can get a definitive anwer to your question about getting a work permit on a retirement visa.

[macb]

Thanks for the reply. So if I'm here on a retirement visa and want to leave Thailand for any reason, even for a few hours shopping across the border from Mae Sai, I will have to apply for a re-entry permit first? That seems like a nuisance. Perhaps I should just enrol in a Thai language class before I visit the U.S. for Christmas and get an education visa while I'm in there.

Any 1 year extension of your permit to stay requires a re-entry permit. You can get a multiple re-entry permit (3800 baht) that allows you to re-enter as many times as you want for the length of your extension.

Ok, that's what I've been referring to as the multi-entry permit, the type I have now that requires me to leave every 90 days. That's not a problem. Thanks for the help.

Now I need to find out if I can work in Chiang Mai while on a retirement visa.

I have a pal teaching in Chang mai he has the teaching paper work ie TEFAL. But the school sorted out his work permit for him and he was on a Non immigrant 'O' Visa

[heybruce]

refer also this thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Retirement-W...ement+visa+work

That's a good thread, thank you. I've only skimmed it, but it seems that the answer is: Maybe, if I satisfy a yet to be determined number of bureaucratic rules. A student visa is beginning to look more attractive.

[ubonjoe]

You can't get a work permit on a student visa either.

[heybruce]

You can't get a work permit on a student visa either.

I know, but learning Thai would be useful, and an education visa would give me time to look for a new school to teach at.