Retirement Visa

[mallen]

I have been working in the Kingdom for almost one year on a company sponsored work permit.

I am to be de-mobilized from the project on the 20 th of April. So the company will cancel the work permit.

I would like to stay here on a retirement visa.

I 60 years old, and can easily transfer the 800,000 baht into my local SCB account.

Q. Do I have to leave Thailand to apply for a Retirement visa ?

i.e. Can I do it in-country prior to the expiry of my work permit so saving the hassle of going back to

the UK.

Any advice much appreciated.

Mel.

[lopburi3]

If you are here on a one year extension of stay it will end the day your employment ends and can only be extended 7 days. Without the money in a Thai account for 2 months you do not qualify for extension of stay for retirement. The good news is you do not have to return to the UK.

I would leave on the 20th and try to obtain a non immigrant O visa from Penang or Vientiane for future retirement application. If not a tourist visa will do. Return and immediately transfer the required amount to your Thai bank. After it is there for 60 days make application at Immigration for a one year extension of stay (bank passbook/bank letter as financial proof). Very easy process costing 1,900 baht if from non immigrant visa entry, or an extra 2,000 baht if from tourist visa entry.

[InterestedObserver]

As the 800,000 baht has to be in a Thai bank for 60 or 90 days, depending on the immigration branch, you'll have to find a way to stay in Thailand for that period since your extension of stay based on work will be canceled the last day of your employment. Easiest option would be to get a double-entry Tourist Visa from a local, friendly Thai Embassy or Consulate. If you can get everything accomplished in 90 days, then a Non-Immigrant "O" visa would be ok.

[longball53098]

The OP talked about the 800 k method for the retirement extension.

No mention of the pension certificate? Maybe this is an option for him? He would not have to leave the country if he used that method. He only said he has the 800k and no mention of investments abroad that could get him a pension letter from his embassy.

[JimGant]

Q. Do I have to leave Thailand to apply for a Retirement visa ?

i.e. Can I do it in-country prior to the expiry of my work permit so saving the hassle of going back to

the UK.

It might be possible, using the form TM86 "Application for Change of Visa", to change your Non Imm B visa to a Non Imm O visa for the purposes of applying for a retirement extension. Have never seen this done -- normally it's changing from a tourist visa to a Non Imm O. But except for that -- and assuming you meet all the requirements asked of the tourist visa converters -- I'm not sure why this procedure wouldn't work (a non-robotic Immigration officer would be helpful, tho).

You're kinda cutting it close with the financial requirements -- you need the 800k in the bank when you submit the TM86 (although it doesn't need to be aged for converting to the Non Imm O -- only for when you eventually apply for the retirement extension). Maybe an income verification from your embassy would be timelier -- assuming you qualify and have the "proof" the UK embassy usually asks for. Either method, however, would qualify you for a new 90 days in Thailand, so you wouldn't have to leave. During this period, of course, is when you would need to apply for your retirement extension.

Another problem might be the requirement for having 21 days remaining on your permitted to stay period. While your current extension stamp may show more than 21 days remaining, this becomes moot when your work permit expires. Whether the TM86 process would involve showing your work permit, I don't know. But assuming you could get to Immigration with all conversion requirements met before the 20th (which means today or tomorrow), you might skate by, assuming Immigration doesn't catch on to your permit expiring the 20th.

But, be prepared to exit the country for a new visa. Had you started working on this earlier, with at least 21 days of valid work permit remaining, it might have worked. Dealing with all of this with post holiday crowds could lead to drinking problems.

[InterestedObserver]

I'm sure his original visa has expired and his extension of stay will be canceled on the 20 April, his last day of work. How is he going to accomplish all of the above in the time remaining given the extended holidays and weekend + he does not have the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank and matured.

[JimGant]

How is he going to accomplish all of the above in the time remaining given the extended holidays and weekend + he does not have the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank and matured.

I'll let you go back and re-read what I posted -- you'll find the answers there.

But, in case you have problems with this, I'll repeat: he only has today (well, *had* today) and tomorrow to get one of two available financial requirements met -- and to go to Immigration. Nearly impossible, yes, as I pointed out. The finger excercise involved was more for the next pogue who comes along, wanting to go from work extension to retirement extension......But the OP does/did have some glimmer of hope when I posted, albeit slight.

As for the 800k in the bank, the aging requirement does not apply when you change a visa (TM86) to a Non Imm O with the intent to get an extension of stay off of this visa. It's only when you apply for that particular extension does the aging process apply. So, assuming Immigration bit, he could have gotten a new Non Imm O visa, complete with a new 90 permission of stay.

My hypothetical about getting a Non Imm O from his Non Imm B, using a TM86, is probably full of holes. Immigration probably/maybe looks at all Non Imm visas as one in the same, thus not recognizing converting one with a suffix of 'B' to another with a suffix of 'O'. I don't know. But if my back was against the wall, I might try. After all, Immigration has been know -- frequently -- to become highly creative......