Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

After a decade of non-immigrant visa extensions using a work permit, I am contemplating extending on retirement criteria.

However, it seems that the retirement visa program is aimed at foreigners who retired abroad and want to move here to Thailand.

But it seems to me that there must be more than a few of us who have lived and worked here and want to continue staying here.

Will we long-timers still be as welcome at the immigration office?

My situation poses several questions:

I have enough money in the bank to qualify under the Bt800,000 criterion, but it’s all from savings made while here. I have not remitted any money from abroad. Will this present a problem as to the source of my savings?

I have put the Bt800,000 in a fixed-deposit account so it will earn some interest, compared to near zero for a passbook savings account. This type of account doesn’t allow making withdrawals freely. Will this be a problem? Will I have to show (give copies of) my regular savings account passbook, which is where my salary is automatically deposited and where I withdraw money using my ATM card.

Will immigration care about my work status, i.e., whether I’m still working and if so, if I plan to quit and when?

Will they ask how I will support myself if I quit?

It sounds like getting an extension for retirement is usually quick and almost automatic, but since this is my first time, should I go in early before my visa expires?

I read here that Pattaya/Jomtien encourages retirees to go early – up to three months – to extend their visa. Does this apply to the Suan Plu office too? Out of curiosity, why do they actually want people to extend so early?

Thanks for any advice

Posted

You can change to a retirement estension if you wish but you will not be able to work.

As long as you can show that you were working legally when you saved the money that you have in savings it should not be a problem, Immigration will accept a fixed term account but will want to see your other bank book that shows transfers in and withdrawls.

You would need to do the change either when your extension expires or when you stop working. A letter from your employer would be good to show you are no longer working. The date that you stop working is the day you would need to apply for an extension.

Posted

"You can change to a retirement estension if you wish but you will not be able to work." (legally)

"As long as you can show that you were working legally when you saved the money that you have in savings it should not be a problem"

If they see that your money came from working here you'll probably need your last years tax reciept, just as you did for your extensions.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...