Retirement Visa

[bprinceuk]

I presently have a one year multiple entry none immigration visa and i will be returning to Thailand in September. I would like to know if it is possible for me to apply for a retirement visa while I am in Thailand or do I have to return to the UK to make the application. I have a joint Thai bank account with the required 800,000 baht and my UK Police criminal record report, I intend to take the medical on my arrival in Thailand.

any advise will be much appreciated

cheers Brian

[lopburi3]

Bank account must be in your name only and held for two months at or above 800k. There is no requirement for a medical at most offices in Thailand. What you want to do is apply for a one year extension of stay for retirement after you are have for 60 days (and bank account allows) using a TM.7 form/letter from bank of account balance/passbook and copies/passport and copies/arrival card and copy/4x6cm current photo (although Bangkok may be using digital system by the time you apply. Cost is 1,900 baht.

[bprinceuk]

I presently have a one year multiple entry none immigration visa and i will be returning to Thailand in September. I would like to know if it is possible for me to apply for a retirement visa while I am in Thailand or do I have to return to the UK to make the application. I have a joint Thai bank account with the required 800,000 baht and my UK Police criminal record report, I intend to take the medical on my arrival in Thailand.

any advise will be much appreciated

cheers Brian

Thank you for the advise much appreciated, i will open new bank account in September

[Lite Beer]

There is also no requirement for a Police Report.

[Mario2008]

The police record is only required for the O-A visa. But you can get an extension on your multiple non-O visa without a police record.

[lopburi3]

Actually you never need a police record.

Edited August 2, 2009 by lopburi3

[pauleddy]

See my post on the other thread below.

I went through the Ret. Extension process 72 hours ago in BKK (Immigration). No police letter or medical letter is now required. My embassy letter (from BKK UK embassy) gave my income. I can't comment re. the bank deposit route. The embassy is more than happy to take 2088b for the letter of income/pensions, as long as you can show bank printouts and/or some kinda pension evidence.

In my case, it may have helped reduce questioning and bureaucracy stuff that I had a retirement/termination letter from a well-known school here...although the Immigration Officer, a pleasant young lady, didn't seem nitpicking and wasn't trying to disprove my evidence or "catch me out". I tend to worry about official stuff like immigration visits, although I won't in future.

Question: can the retirement extension be reversed to a NonImmB for people who wish to return to work officially? Is it a difficult process? Just a thought...

Eddy

[ChalongBoy]

There MAY be the option to have a letter from your Embassy to provide verification of income. I can only speak for U.S. Passport holders. You must go to ACS at the U.S. Embassy in BKK. I have not been asked for a police report ande I'm on O-A number 7.

[TaoNow]

As previously suggested, I don't see any evidence that Immo (at Suan Plu/Bkk) requires that the money for the retirement income be in the form of an official pension, social security, or whatever. They just want you to state that, in effect, you can pay yourself 65K baht/month for a 12-month period (or roughly 800K/yr) from an off-shore account. So your "pension" could be in the form of a checking account somewhere outside of Thailand in the amount of 800,000 baht (equivalent currency).

I'd like to know if anyone has had an experience (at Suan Plu) that refutes this.

[isanbirder]

Bank account must be in your name only and held for two months at or above 800k. There is no requirement for a medical at most offices in Thailand. What you want to do is apply for a one year extension of stay for retirement after you are have for 60 days (and bank account allows) using a TM.7 form/letter from bank of account balance/passbook and copies/passport and copies/arrival card and copy/4x6cm current photo (although Bangkok may be using digital system by the time you apply. Cost is 1,900 baht.

I thought the money had to be in the bank account for three months, not two? Or has it changed?

[Jingthing]

I thought the money had to be in the bank account for three months, not two? Or has it changed?

Two months: FIRST extension

Three months: SUBSEQUENT extensions

Exception at

Pattaya:

Two months: FIRST EXTENSION

No seasoning needed: SUBSEQUENT extensions

Edited August 3, 2009 by Jingthing

[isanbirder]

I thought the money had to be in the bank account for three months, not two? Or has it changed?

Two months: FIRST extension

Three months: SUBSEQUENT extensions

Exception at

Pattaya:

Two months: FIRST EXTENSION

No seasoning needed: SUBSEQUENT extensions

And for all the other independent-minded immigration offices throughout the country, you're probably safer with three months anyway!

[Jingthing]

And for all the other independent-minded immigration offices throughout the country, you're probably safer with three months anyway!

Up to you.

[eyebee]

Two months: FIRST extension

Three months: SUBSEQUENT extensions

Exception at

Pattaya:

Two months: FIRST EXTENSION

No seasoning needed: SUBSEQUENT extensions

It was reported in August 1st edition of Pattaya Today (not online yet) that Pattaya Immigration now require 3 months' seasoning for renewals of retirement extensions. This only applies if you are using the 800,000 baht route. If you have an income (even if it needs to be topped up with a bank account) there is no requirement to show that the cash has been in the bank for any particular period of time.

Edited August 3, 2009 by eyebee

[Jingthing]

It was reported in August 1st edition of Pattaya Today (not online yet) that Pattaya Immigration now require 3 months' seasoning for renewals of retirement extensions. This only applies if you are using the 800,000 baht route. If you have an income (even if it needs to be topped up with a bank account) there is no requirement to show that the cash has been in the bank for any particular period of time.

Thanks for that, I will go check that out and confirm.

[Lite Beer]

The law is 2 months for the first application and 3 months thereafter.

[Jingthing]

The law is 2 months for the first application and 3 months thereafter.

Yes that is the law but actual enforcement has been different for a very long time at Pattaya.

It is correct, there is now a change in enforcement at Pattaya and I feel this was important enough to start a new thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2916789

[bprinceuk]

There is also no requirement for a Police Report.

Very conflicting to the info given by the Thai Consulate in Hull

RETIREMENT "O-A" VISA APPLICATION

and

Official Information About Retiring in Thailand

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ONLY FOR BRITISH NATIONALS LIVING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

To be eligible to retire in Thailand you must:-

a) be aged 50 years or over.

not be prohibited from entering the Kingdom under the Thai Immigration Act BE 2522 (1979).

c) not have a criminal record in your country of nationality or your country of residency or in Thailand. You need

to contact your local UK Police Force and request a "Subject Access Report". Please be aware it can take up to 40 days for it to be issued. Furthermore, please note the report must be submitted to the authorities in Thailand within three months of date of issue of the report.

d) not have a medical record of any contagious diseases. You need to obtain a medical report from a hospital in Thailand. It must not more than three months old. It must state you have not been infected with any contagious disease in accordance with Thai Immigration Regulation No.14 BE 2535 (1992). The form on page 8/8 is for completion by a doctor in Thailand.

e) be able to support yourself financially. It is necessary to show an income into a Thai bank account of minimum 65,000 baht per month by way of a pension, Investments, etc or a minimum of 800,000 baht in a bank account in Thailand

or a mixture of the two..

f) hold a passport with a minimum of 12 months validity at time of entering Thailand.

Provided you can meet the above requirements, the next process is to apply for a Non-Immigrant category "O" visa,

see pages 3/8 to 6/8.

When you have received your "O" visa you need to ensure you have all of the following documents which you must take with you for presentation at the "Thai Immigration Bureau" in Bangkok (Thai Immigration Bureau, Section 1, Sub Division 1, Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Sathorn District, Bangkok 10120 - tel: 00 66-22873101-10

Extension 2236) or in the town close to where you will be living in your retirement:-

1) Passport containing your "O" visa, passport to be valid for at least one year from date of entering Thailand.

2) Three "Additional Application Form for Non-Immigrant 'O-A' Visa" duly completed and with recent passport type photograph 4cm x 6cm attached to each one – see page 7/8.

3) Subject Access (police) Report – to be no more than 3 months old when presented in Thailand.

4) Medical Report form – to be completed by a doctor in Thailand – see page 8/8.

5) Evidence to show minimum income of 65,000 baht per month going into a bank account in Thailand or minimum 800,000 baht deposited in a bank account in Thailand (a combination may be accepted).

We advise applicants to visit the Thai Immigration Bureau at the earliest opportunity although

you may be asked to return after having been in Thailand for 60 days

Af 01/Jul/2009

1/8

now i am more confused than ever

[lopburi3]

That information is not correct and never has been correct. The OA visa is only for issue by a Consulate outside Thailand - the requirements inside Thailand are Immigration matters and called an extension of stay for retirement; and the medical is no longer required and police report has never been required. The above information is a combination of the two process and is wrong for both.

[Lite Beer]

Plus Hull cannot issue O-A Visas. Only the Thai Embassy in London can.

[Patriciachas]

Take no notice of the consulate in Hull they give wrong information out.We got a O/A visa in the UK the only place to get it is from the Thai Embassy in London.It is not worth the extra work required just get a O visa and do the rest when you are in Thailand a lot easier.

[dutch]

Plus Hull cannot issue O-A Visas. Only the Thai Embassy in London can.

or any other Thai embassy outside UK if in that country is where you reside.

(As a Dutch national, I got mine in Indonesia)

[macb]

Stick to the rules for the country you live in then you cant go wrong: Listen to those that genuinely know the answers instead of surmising.

In my opinion its very important not to allow Topics like enquiries about visa to go off track as it can be very confusing for Newbies

[bprinceuk]

Stick to the rules for the country you live in then you cant go wrong: Listen to those that genuinely know the answers instead of surmising.

In my opinion its very important not to allow Topics like enquiries about visa to go off track as it can be very confusing for Newbies

Thanks every one for the advise it is much appreciated, does any one know if I get a copy of a letter or statement from my Bank in England stating that i have 800,000 baht in my account if this will be accepted by the Immigration officer in Thailand. Plus i will be staying in Buayai in the North East about 70 kilometres from Khonkean, any one know which immigration office i will have to attend

Cheers Brian

[Mario2008]

For the application of a visa the money can be in a bank abroad, for the application of an extension of stay from immigration in Thailand the money has to be in a bankaccount in Thailand!

[Lite Beer]

Us in Khon Kaen Province have to go to Nong Kai Immigration About a two and a half hour drive from Khon Kaen.

The money has to be in a Thai bank for a period of 60 days before you apply.

[Acharn]

As previously suggested, I don't see any evidence that Immo (at Suan Plu/Bkk) requires that the money for the retirement income be in the form of an official pension, social security, or whatever. They just want you to state that, in effect, you can pay yourself 65K baht/month for a 12-month period (or roughly 800K/yr) from an off-shore account. So your "pension" could be in the form of a checking account somewhere outside of Thailand in the amount of 800,000 baht (equivalent currency).

I'd like to know if anyone has had an experience (at Suan Plu) that refutes this.

No, my experience has been the same. Several years ago, I vaguely recall that one year they did ask if I had any evidence to back up my affidavit and I showed the statement I get from the U.S. Defense Finance and Accounting Service that tells me how much my monthly pension payment will be in the coming year and what deductions are made from the gross amount, but I've never been asked for anything since then, and one year I tried to show the documents to the official and was impatiently waved off. Apparently the affidavit is all they want. If you were adventurous you could even lie about your income, but I wouldn't advise it on the grounds that if you really don't have minimum income life in the Kingdom won't be much fun.

My question is, does anyone know the current cost for the affidavit at the U.S. Embassy?

[lopburi3]

$30 or baht equivalent for the notary service.

[pauleddy]

I believe Acharn is right.

Income stream totalling over 65k is what counts. It doesn't need to be pension. many people retiring at 50 dont have a pension.

The UK embassy letter detailed my 'streams'--xxxx was from a pension and xxxx from bank investments. They wanted to see some kind of proof, because the letter was official and addressed from them to Immo. When the letter was shown at Immo, the officer added up the figures to get a baht total, but wasn't too bothered about the sources. It could have said Pools Win!

I believe that US citizens just have to swear their income at the embassy and don't have to show evidence. Is that true?

Eddy

[longball53098]

This is true. You fill in the blanks and swear that said information is correct. They witness and notarize this. No proof is needed and you have the original and no copies are made at the embassy that go into any file.