Change From Non-im Ed To Retirement In Thailand

[Genericnic]

I'm a US citizen and over 50. I will be heading to Thailand in February 2011. Been there a number of times over the past decade and love it there. I will be living in Chiang Mai. I start a one year Thai language class at Chiang Mai University the first week of March. In that program, I will be eligible for an ED visa. Due to my age, I am also eligible for a retirement visa.

The question I have is this: If I come on an ED visa, is it possible to convert to a retirement visa (after meeting the financial requirements, etc.) without having to leave Thailand and, if so, how complex is the process? Coming to Thailand under an ED visa would be less cumbersome to start with since it does not require the bank deposit (I can do it, I just hate to not have the money making money). Prior to the end of the ED visa, Social Security would kick in and I would have sufficient monthly income so that I would not have to deposit funds to qualify.

Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

David

[InterestedObserver]

As long as you have a non-immigrant visa in your passport immigration should be able to issue you a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement prior to your ED permission to stay expiring, provided you meet the financial and age requirements.

Edited May 26, 2010 by InterestedObserver

[BWPattaya]

Welcome to Thai Visa

I think that you will find that you will have to return to the US to apply for yoiur retirement visa. I doubt that you will be able to convert from an Ed visa to a retirement visa.

So, the money you would earn on the money you don't want to put in the Thai bank would be heavily outweighed by the cost of flights and the time spent in getting another visa. Far better to just get the retirment visa first, still go to language school on your retirment (you do not need an education visa to study).

Finally, if you are intent on coming in February 2011 don't get you visa too early. It will have a valid until date which you must use it by. In other words if it is valid until December 2010 you must arrive here before that date. You would not be able to arrive in February.

Ask you local consulate/embassy what date they would place on the visa. You could also ask if they want to see evidence of money in a bank account in Thailand. Not everyone has the opportunity to open a bank account first and I have known people get the retirement visa without a bank account, just shoing that they have cash to support themselves. By the time of your renewal your income would be sorted out and valid for renewal.

Good luck

[Mario2008]

Best is to start on the visa for retirmement right away, as that iwll allow you to apply for a 1 year extension of stay. If you come on an Ed-visa, you will need to extend every 90 days and there might be a problem going from reasons of studying to reason of stay because of retirement.

You might want to consider the 0-A visa, you don't have to deposit money for the first 2 years if you apply for a multiple. Having the money in a US bankaccount will be fine, together with a police check and medical check.

[talk2sam]

Best is to start on the visa for retirmement right away, as that iwll allow you to apply for a 1 year extension of stay. If you come on an Ed-visa, you will need to extend every 90 days and there might be a problem going from reasons of studying to reason of stay because of retirement.

You might want to consider the 0-A visa, you don't have to deposit money for the first 2 years if you apply for a multiple. Having the money in a US bankaccount will be fine, together with a police check and medical check.

I dont think, You have to extend the Ed-visa, every 90 days, You get the first 90 day from your country and when you come to thailand the school will get 1 year extension for You, all you have to do is visit the immigration every 90 days for notification of residence.

[Genericnic]

As long as you have a non-immigrant visa in your passport immigration should be able to issue you a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement prior to your ED permission to stay expiring, provided you meet the financial and age requirements.

Thanks for the response. That is what I am hoping will happen. About 4 months before the 1 year ED visa will expire, both the pension and Social Security kick-in. They will provide enough monthly income for me to qualify that way rather than having to cash out some stocks and do the bank deposit.

David

[Mario2008]

Best is to start on the visa for retirmement right away, as that iwll allow you to apply for a 1 year extension of stay. If you come on an Ed-visa, you will need to extend every 90 days and there might be a problem going from reasons of studying to reason of stay because of retirement.

You might want to consider the 0-A visa, you don't have to deposit money for the first 2 years if you apply for a multiple. Having the money in a US bankaccount will be fine, together with a police check and medical check.

I dont think, You have to extend the Ed-visa, every 90 days, You get the first 90 day from your country and when you come to thailand the school will get 1 year extension for You, all you have to do is visit the immigration every 90 days for notification of residence.

Only when you studty at an university will one get a 1 year extension of stay. When studying at a language school etc, one will only get an extension for 90 days at a time.

[Tod Daniels]

To the O/P:

Do let us know how this turns out when the time comes to try to convert it to an extension of stay based on retirement.

FWIW: I was unable to convert my Non-O-Type ED visa into an extension of stay based on retirement inside the country. I was told by the official at Suan Plu that it's the ONLY type of visa which can't be converted to an extension of stay based either on marriage or retirement.

I ended up going to Lao PDR, getting a 90 day single entry Non-O based on retirement, and then extending it for a year at Suan Plu before it expired.

I also had a person I shepherded out to Changwattana denied converting the ED visa he was on into an extension of stay based on retirement, nor was he able to get even a 90 single entry Non-O and then he could have applied for the extension of stay once he had the correct type of visa. I was told again (by a different official) that ED visas can't be converted to another type.

This could be spurious information, but that was twice I wasn't able to do it; once for myself and once for another person. Any real info to the contrary would be appreciated.

Again, your mileage may vary, and you might actually be able to do it, but I wasn't. BTW: I'm relating just my personal experience, not wanting to start a pissing match about it.