Plane Ticket

[EBBS49]

I want to retire in Thailand can I just buy a one way ticket or will I need a round trip one. If round trip what happens to my ticket after I have been there over a year. I am over 50 and know about the 800,000 in the bank. I have Thai wife and home there already. Can I enter on tourist vist is that ok?

[londonthai]

you have to get a retirement visa first and one way ticket would be enough

[Jimjim]

Round trip ticket depends on the airline. They will have a time limit and if you use up the time limit, ticket will no longer be valid. You can enter on a tourist visa but you need a round trip ticket for that kind of visa.

[Lite Beer]

Any kind of ticket will be ok if you have a Visa.

As you have a Thai Wife you have the option of the Marriage Extension of stay with 400,000 Baht in the bank or 40,000 Baht monthly income.

[lopburi3]

As said travel to Thailand on a one way ticket is fine if you have a visa prior to travel. You should obtain a non immigrant O visa to visit wife (or retirement O or OA) prior to travel. Then it is a one step process to extend your stay for a year at a time. If you only have a tourist visa you would have to buy a non immigrant visa first so you have extra work/money.

[JimGant]

You can enter on a tourist visa but you need a round trip ticket for that kind of visa.

Sadly, this is now true. Thai Embassy in DC requires this for everyone (US citizen and other). Consulate in LA says on their website that only non-US citizens need the roundtrip ticket, but in at least one case, they applied this to a US citizen as well.

Now, my favorite honorary consulate (Houston) recently published this instruction:

TOURIST VISA

Purpose of Visit:-

This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for tourism purposes.

Documents Required:

- Passport or travel document valid for not less than 6 months

- One visa application form completely filled out and signed (signature must match that in

passport).

- Two passport-size photographs (2"x2") (photocopy or photo taken from Photostat will not be

accepted). Photographs must have a light color background with a full- face view of the

person without hat or dark glasses. Photos must be taken within 6 months of application.

- A copy of round-trip tlcket/eticket or itinerary paid in full

- A copy of recent bank statement or evidence of adequate finance

($500 per person and $1,000 per family)

Non -U.S. citizens must also provide the following:

- Copy of permanent resident alien card with employment verification or a copy of valid US

visa with employment verification letter

- If self-employed, copy of business license or business registration indicating the

applicant's name

Knowing Houston, they may just be publishing the requirement as presented to them -- but ignoring it, particularly with mitigating circumstances, like getting a 2 or 3 entry Tourist visa, where travel plans (and related tickets) aren't hard and fast. But, I haven't heard anything one way or the other on this.

[Penkoprod]

Before worrying about what visa, why not look at the price difference between return, and one way fares? You may well find the cost of the one way is MORE than the cost of a round trip.

Penkoprod

[londonthai]

Before worrying about what visa, why not look at the price difference between return, and one way fares? You may well find the cost of the one way is MORE than the cost of a round trip.

most probably the OP checked it already. You can get a one way ticket for a little more than 50% of the return ticket, so it's a substantial saving. If the price between one way and return is indeed small, say 1-2 hundred $, I would get a return ticket, just in case I have to go back in emergency (family, health issues etc)