I am in Thailand now (Pattaya) and until 30/4/11, on a non Imm "O" visa, doing my 3 monthly visa runs.

My Non Imm "O" visa expires on 27/4/11.

I will be 50 years of age on 10/3/11 and my next scheduled 3 month visa run at this time would be by 15/3/11 taking me past my departure date of 30/4/11.

My idea is before I return to UK and before 15/3 visa run due (i.e. so on 10/3 or 11/3) to go to Immigration and apply for a retirement visa and hence not to have to do my visa run, otherwise due on 15/3/11. Then to get a re-entry stamp prior to departure to UK on 30/4/11. I will return to Thailand around Aug/Sept 2011.

I have 800k in a Thai ban fixed deposit account already, so I would hope I can use this as I don't want to transfer in fresh capital?

Is this retirement process completed in a day or within 2 or 3 working days maximum and are there any issues around my non Imm "O" visa being only about a month away from the end of its validity when applying to convert to retirement visa?

Is this all possible? Good idea? any pitfalls?

I assume all I need is......

800k in bank,

Letter from bank less than 1 week old proving this

photocopy bank book pages

proof of Thai condo address (Blue book?)

2 passport size photos,

money to pay immigration fee - not sure how much, is it 1,900?

Anything else at all or that I need to be aware of, please

TIA

Edited July 19, 201015 yr by twix38

The 800K must not have gone one baht below 800K for TWO MONTHS prior to the FIRST retirement extension date of application.

Letter from bank should be fresher. One week is old. Best to get SAME DAY as meeting, or previous day, or Friday before a Monday.

Edited July 19, 201015 yr by Jingthing

Retirement extension costs 1,900 baht and normally issued the same hour, believe in Jomtien the next day.

Try to get the bank letter done the same day or the day before you go to immigration. Proof of address can also be a utillity bill or something like that.

Yes, at Jomtien, they return the passport the next day, or Monday if you go in Friday.

Retirement extension costs 1,900 baht and normally issued the same hour, believe in Jomtien the next day.

Try to get the bank letter done the same day or the day before you go to immigration. Proof of address can also be a utillity bill or something like that.

It will cost you 7000 Baht on Samui. (must be a better part of the country to live in?). Haaaaaaaaaaaa.

Not better. More corrupt than Pattaya is the more likely reason, if that is really true.

How do you get the total to be 7000 baht?

How do you get the total to be 7000 baht?

He is wrong of course.

On Samui it is 5,000 Baht

On the topic of retirement visas. My Husband and I have been in Thailand almost permanently since 2003, returning to uk annually to renew visas and return. We have been back in the UK several months now, and will return and apply for residency/retirement visa's.

We plan to move to CHiang Mai and get away from the hustle and bustle on BKK. My question is this;

If we have residency/ retirement visa's is it possible to do voluntary work on these visa's, or do you hav to apply for something else. We dont want to do paid work, so a work permit is not the answer. I know on an ordinary 'ED' visa issued in UK you can do voluntary work if you have a covering letter from the agency. But at tis moment in time, not even sure where we will live let alone which agency we will try and work for! Any tips/ advice gratefully received, Kap un ka!!

To work you need a Work Permit.

A Work Permit will not be issued to someone with Retirement Status.

I see two ways. One is get a Non OA in your own country. This gives you two years before you must have money in the bank as you can re enter just before it expires.

The advantage of getting the visa or ectension now before you need it is that if the deposit requirement is increased you will probabably be grandfathered and being grandfathered is a nice thing to be.

On the topic of retirement visas. My Husband and I have been in Thailand almost permanently since 2003, returning to uk annually to renew visas and return. We have been back in the UK several months now, and will return and apply for residency/retirement visa's.

We plan to move to CHiang Mai and get away from the hustle and bustle on BKK. My question is this;

If we have residency/ retirement visa's is it possible to do voluntary work on these visa's, or do you hav to apply for something else. We dont want to do paid work, so a work permit is not the answer. I know on an ordinary 'ED' visa issued in UK you can do voluntary work if you have a covering letter from the agency. But at tis moment in time, not even sure where we will live let alone which agency we will try and work for! Any tips/ advice gratefully received, Kap un ka!!

Even for volunteer work you will need a work permit. But if you can find an organization that will provide you with a work permit you can get yearly extensions based on volunteering. (No income required for this one).

Just apply at the consulate in Hull for a multiple non-O visa. It will give you almost 15 months of stay in Thailand, but you will have to leave every 90 days and can come back the same hour. Untill you are on an extension of stay based on retirement you can get a work permit on this one.

The problem is always to find an organization that is willing to help you with the work permit. Most organizations won't, they simply don't know how to go about.

Thank you for the advice and info...................... still trying to consider best options on this..................... will chat with the Consulate in Hull as I am still in UK for a few more weeks.