Retirement Visa And Teaching/working?

[burkmere]

I am 55 and can qualify for a pension (before US State and Fed taxes) of about 43,000 per year. If I moved to Thailand can I teach or work ? I understand that with a "retirement visa" one cannot work? I'd like to teach to supplement my pension income if possible. Thanks for any ideas/information.

[Jingthing]

The general rule is that you are not allowed to work in Thailand if staying on an O-A retirement visa or an annual extension of stay based on retirement. Over the years, there have sometimes been exceptions reported here. I haven't read any recent such exception reports. If I were you, I would assume the general rule will apply to you.

Edited February 20, 2010 by Jingthing

[Mario2008]

You can apply for a non-O visa and look for a job in Thailand during your first 90 days. If you find a job, you can than get an extension of stay as a teacher. If you go for an extension of stay based on retirement you will indeed not get a work permit.

Not that for an extension of stay based on retirement you need an income of 65,000 a month OR 800,000 in the bank (in Thailand) OR have a combination of yearly income and money in the bank totaling 800,000 baht.

[Issangeorge]

I was on a 90 day Non O Visa, and I applied for a one year extension. I qualify for both a marriage visa and retirement visa, when I went for the extension I took everything needed for a marriage visa and asked for an extension on those bases, because I wanted to get a work permit for teaching. They gave me a one year extension and stamped retirement on it. I said no I wanted a marriage visa and explained why, they said no problem I could still work. Anyway I was able to get a work permit on it. The next time I extended the visa they just extended it for one year and never stamped retirement on it, and I had no problem extending my work permit. Issangeorge.

[mtone9317]

Where did you go for your Visa? An embassy, consulate in the US or was it in Thailand?

[richard10365]

From your pension you can make about 114,666.67 baht every month. That's not too shabby. Are you sure you want to work?

[kpmsprtd]

I'm with Richard. Is it the case that you simply enjoy working? Because with your retirement, you can live quite comfortably without the hassle and expense of working. Well done, already.