Suan Phlu Field Report - 20 Dec. - Reirement Visa

[Twin]

Sorry for the delay in my foolow up...

You may remember the thread I started 2 months ago about obtaining a retirement visa. I was staying in Thailand for 30 days on my passport only, then went to Singapore and secured a 90 day, Non-Immigrant “O” visa.

For more, see this link.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18366&st=0

Over the last 2 months I’ve basically been brain dead, but finally got around to doing the required chores to turn the current visa into a 1 year Retirement Visa.

I opened an account at Bangkok Bank, using cash I took out of an ATM machine from my US Citibank account. They allowed me to have online banking – Bualuang – only when they saw my 90 day Non-Imm visa. They said they will not allow online banking with a tourist visa.

Later I wired enough US cash to the account to fulfill the B 800,000 requirement. I was amazed as it took less than 1 business day for the money to show up in the Bangkok Bank, and lucky too, since I did it on November 1 and got a 40.95 exchange rate. I’ve been back to the bank for a few things since and I’m really impressed with their service.

Last week I got around to getting the necessary physical exam. I went to Bumrungrad. They took my blood pressure, height, and weight, and the doctor gave me the most cursory exam imaginable. No blood test, urine analysis, nothing. Anyway, I guess he figured I was healthy – thank God my height was OK - and in less than 45 minutes I had my health certificate for the grand total of B 300.

Today, I arrived at Suan Phlu at 10:45AM armed with the following:

1) Visa application form with photo ( 1 copy )

2) Copies of relevant passport pages – actually did that right in Suan Phlu. The girl knew just what to copy.

3) A Letter of Guarantee from Bangkok Bank that I had deposited the money from an overseas account. The banks know what this letter is. Just tell them it’s for immigration.

4) A copy of my Bangkok Bank passbook, updated Friday, to show the money was still in the account.

5) Copy of the health certificate.

After I went to the application window and paid B 1,900, I was sent back to room 102 and took a number – 43. They were on 34. I waited about 20 minutes and then sat down in front of a friendly enough guy. He looked through each of the documents. No problems.

He then asked me a series of interesting questions and actually had a form where he wrote the answers.

Did I go to university?

Do I have a degree?

In what?

Why was I retiring at 50?

Why don’t I want to work?

Am I married? ( I’m not )

Do I have a girlfriend?

Do I have any friends working in Thailand?

Men or women?

After that he put all the papers together, stamped my passport with the “Retirement” stamp, then asked me to have his supervisor – sitting next to him – review and also approve. She did.

Interestingly, the visa does not expire 12 months from now. It expires 12 months from the day I was issued the Non-Imm “O” in Singapore back in October.

After that I was advised to go to Window 7 to get a re-entry permit. DO NOT FORGET THIS PART. The retirement visa only lets you stay in the country for 12 months. It means nothing if you go out and want to come back. The issuance of the Retirement Visa automatically voids any other re-entry visa you have. You must apply for a new one. They even staple a small sheet of paper in your passport saying exactly this.

Easy enough. Another quick form, B 3,800 for a multiple re-entry permit, a 45 minute wait for processing, and I was done at exactly 1:00PM.

I strongly recommend the multiple re-entry, or else you have to go back to Suan Phlu for a B 1,900 single re-entry every time you want to leave.

A couple of comments.

The government web site says you need 3 copies of the application, a “personal data form”, and some documentation from your home country that you’re not a criminal. None of that was needed.

Whereas the 90 day Non-Imm “0” was a sticker that took an entire passport page, the “Retirement” visa is a small stamp, about half a page. The Re-entry permit is also a stamp, about half a page. They were smart enough to put these stamps right next to each other, so going through immigration, both in an out should be a smooth process.

I have to report to room 401 in Suan Phlu, every 90 days to verify I’m still and any change of address. However, I may authorize someone to do this for me if I want.

All in all, this was not a difficult process and the people I met in both Singapore and Suan Phlu were extremely helpful.

Thanks again for the help, advice, and insight on the board.

All the best,

Twin

Edited December 20, 2004 by Twin

[Ajarn]

Congrats. I'm a month away

[lopburi3]

Great report and thank you for sharing for others. Several minor points that I noted:

1. 12 month stay starts from you last entry into Thailand (in your case you must have entered the same day visa was issued) and ends the day before that entry.

2. Re-entry permit only costs 1,000 baht for single version so many would be better not getting the multi type.

3. The government web site you cite would be for O-A retirement visa obtained in your home country - not here - only one copy is needed of forms at Bangkok.

4. You also have the option to mail in your address report if you do not want to visit or send someone. Just ask them for the form and mailing instructions sheet. You do have to make photo copies and such so if in downtown Bangkok might be easier just to do it - usually only takes 10 minutes (but they do close for 12-1300 lunch hour).

[astral]

Although you have the one year visa now,

don't forget to report your address every 90 days to the local immigration office.

Have a good retirement in Thailand.

[harpman88]

Hi there Twin! Let me add my congrats also. Im also very encouraged by your experiences at BKK bank,as this is where I have my acct. There's been some disparaging remarks on some other threads about it,but it sounds like things went very smoothly for you there. (Im at Bangkapi branch on Sukhumvit) Will have Non Imm O visa ,and will make sure to get online banking then.

One question tho,if I read u correctly, u stated that your 1 yr.

extension was dated from when your original O was issued in Singapore,

is this the same day u 1st entered Thailand? I ask this because my understanding was that the entry date is the one used to determine the 1st yr. extension,NOT the original the visa issue date. Once again,great post.the Harpman

[Twin]

Hi Harpman. You are correct. I didn't pay much attention because there were only 2 days between getting my Non-Imm "0" and my return to Thailand.

My 90 day Non-Imm "0 " was issued in Sg. on October 12, with an expiration date of Jan. 11, 2005.

I re-entered Thailand on October 14, and the stamp in my passport shows re-entry on that date valid until the same Jan. 11, 2005.

The Retirement stamp and the Re-entry permit I received last week both expire on Oct. 13, 2005, 1 year after I re-entered Thailand.

Hope this helps.

Twin

PS to all: I went back and re-read my original post. Sorry for the typos. Had a few beers that night! Happy Holidays.