Under 50 Retirement

[hbread]

I have been planning to have a "mini retirement" in Chiang mai for maybe 2-5 years beginning next year. I had heard it is a great place to retire, and never focused enough on the visa issue. I am not 50, so i can not apply for the retirement 1 year visas. What is the best way for me to live in chiang mai hassel free visa-wise? Is there any 1 year visa i can apply for? can i pay to form a business or residence? if i make a boarder run every 60 days can i stay in thailand for a year with 6 boarder runs on just a tourist visa? any and all help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance

[apetley]

Easiest is probably a one year multi entry which gives stays of 90 days so can be worked to give 15 months.

If you live in UK then the Hull Consulate will probably issue one for visiting friends in Thailand.

[Lite Beer]

Tourist Visas will give you 60 days each and can be extended for a further 30 days at Immigration.

You could always study at a Thai Language School and get an Education Visa.

The course fees would be around 28,000 Baht

[hbread]

Easiest is probably a one year multi entry which gives stays of 90 days so can be worked to give 15 months.

If you live in UK then the Hull Consulate will probably issue one for visiting friends in Thailand.

Which visa is that, and is it easy to get? when i spoke to the thai consulate in ny they made it sound lilke a tourist visa is the only option. thanks soooo much

[hbread]

Tourist Visas will give you 60 days each and can be extended for a further 30 days at Immigration.

You could always study at a Thai Language School and get an Education Visa.

The course fees would be around 28,000 Baht

I was thinking about signing up to a school, but i'm not sure i want to spend my first few months at class and i'm not sure i want to offend anyone by not showing up, unless you know that this is common (i would gladly pay that price to get a year in thailand). is that common practice? do they expect you to show up? Are the tourist visas unlimited? i get a tourist visa before arriving, good fo 60 days. then i can boarder run for by land for another 30? And then how do i go about getting another 60 day tourist? and this process is forever repeatable? thanks

[Lite Beer]

Easiest is probably a one year multi entry which gives stays of 90 days so can be worked to give 15 months.

If you live in UK then the Hull Consulate will probably issue one for visiting friends in Thailand.

Which visa is that, and is it easy to get? when i spoke to the thai consulate in ny they made it sound lilke a tourist visa is the only option. thanks soooo much

You will not get this Visa in The U.S

[Lite Beer]

Tourist Visas will give you 60 days each and can be extended for a further 30 days at Immigration.

You could always study at a Thai Language School and get an Education Visa.

The course fees would be around 28,000 Baht

I was thinking about signing up to a school, but i'm not sure i want to spend my first few months at class and i'm not sure i want to offend anyone by not showing up, unless you know that this is common (i would gladly pay that price to get a year in thailand). is that common practice? do they expect you to show up? Are the tourist visas unlimited? i get a tourist visa before arriving, good fo 60 days. then i can boarder run for by land for another 30? And then how do i go about getting another 60 day tourist? and this process is forever repeatable? thanks

The requirment for the school is 4 hours a week, and they do check.

A Tourist Visa can be extended at Immigration In Thailand for a further 30 days (1,900 Baht)

Try and get a 2 or 3 entry in the U.S.

You can always get another Tourist Visa in a neighbouring Country to Thailand.

[moe666]

Try the consulate in Houston or Portland for a multiply tourist visa. When I talked to Houston about a non-o the lady said no can do but Multiply tourist ok. I think Portland is ok about multiply tourist they did give me a single non-o for visiting friends. Get the tourist visa and after you have travelled a bit sign up for the education visa. And there are University courses as well.

[AWellTrainedFerret]

Ok, so I too am thinking of a retirement in Thailand...but mine isn't temporary. I'm only 30, so I can't go for the Retirement Visa. And I doubt I could get any Buisines/Investment Visa because I'm disabled and my military pension isn't extrodinary (hence the retirement in Thailand: sure can't afford to live in my current country.) Other than that money isn't an issue: I could easily afford an apartment/living in Thailand and still save for emergencies/luxuries. But confusion over the visa is the only thing holding me back. Couple of questions:

1. Could I get a residency visa without working/investing? They mention qualifications, and there's an "Other" category. What exactly is the "Other" qualifications?

2. If I can get a residency visa, it says I must have 3 consecutive 1-year visas. Since I was planning on learning Thai anyway, could I use 3 education visas?

3. And the education visas...is that for just one coarse, or must you be in school the whole year?

4. If residency visa is out of the question, would they allow me to indefinitely get multiple-entry visas every year?

[moe666]

Being 30, max out on tourist visas and then go for the ed. visa. You might be ablr to get job teaching english if you meet the requirements, degree, and or tefl course.Job would allow you to stay while holding job. Religious studies visa if you are interested in Buddhism.

[cougar52]

lite beer, You will not get this Visa in The U.S

Sorry, but I wish to disagree. I received a 1 year multiple entry non "O" from the New York Thai Embassy.

As it is true most places won't but there are several that will give you at least a 180 day multiple entry. (Atlanta, Ga. and Alabama are two honorary consulates that do).

I did get mine in 2005 though, so the rules may have changed since then. In addition, it was a bit hard, because the staff kept telling me that they could not do it. (No Can Do) After with about one hour of friendly banter and me supplying them with proof of funds along with photostat of a $25,000 certified check to open a Bank account in Thailand an official in the Embassy told me to leave my passport and return the next day after 1:00 P.M. to pick up my visa.

[Lite Beer]

As you say 2005. There have been no reports of success for a long time.

Only failures.

[phuketrichard]

i know the cosolute in la is issuing triple entry tourists visas for free as a friend just got one last month.

so apply for one and then after 9 months get the last one exteneded 30 days for 1,900 baht 10 months now.

then hop over to laos and apply for another tourist visa which would give ya another 90 days ( 60 days plus 30 day extension)

To get the non im 1 year u need to be visting someone in Thailand or visiting family and u need proof.

I dont think anything that applied in 2005 counts for much :-)

[LivinLOS]

Many consuls no longer do non O's for 'friends and family' but many will give ED 1 year multiples for such vague study as 'scuba training' 'Muay Thai Study' (usually needs a schools letter) even vague 'Thai cultural studies'.. Find out which consuls are most friendly in your country of origin first, then anonymously contact them and be creative..

You can also look at a non imm B 1 year multiple.. Those will probably need a company invite letter, but that company letter doesnt need to always be Thai.. I know for a fact one consul that doesnt do non imm O's for all comers, accepted a guy applying with his own western company, saying he was going to Thailand to investigate investment opportunities and possibly opening a branch office.

Just think around it.. Its not hard..

[LivinLOS]

To get the non im 1 year u need to be visting someone in Thailand or visiting family and u need proof.

I dont think anything that applied in 2005 counts for much :-)

Entirely consul dependant.. I know someone who got one august this year.. No proof..

Just shop around for the consul that wants your business.. Thailand wants to have grey area rules and no firm rules on any laws... then use that choice of theirs to your own advantage.

[NanLaew]

Many consuls no longer do non O's for 'friends and family' but many will give ED 1 year multiples for such vague study as 'scuba training' 'Muay Thai Study' (usually needs a schools letter) even vague 'Thai cultural studies'.. Find out which consuls are most friendly in your country of origin first, then anonymously contact them and be creative..

You can also look at a non imm B 1 year multiple.. Those will probably need a company invite letter, but that company letter doesnt need to always be Thai.. I know for a fact one consul that doesnt do non imm O's for all comers, accepted a guy applying with his own western company, saying he was going to Thailand to investigate investment opportunities and possibly opening a branch office.

Just think around it.. Its not hard..

But is is definitely getting HARDER. Up to a couple of years ago, the Thai Consul in Houston was a shoe-in for just about any 1-year multi visa. Now they are asking for more support in line with what is published on the MFA website which is closer to what the Thai legation is neighbouring countries demand. If the Hull Consulate starts to toe the line, there will be MUCH wailing and gnashing of teeth!

Unless one does have bona fide business connections that can provide documentary support or are married or have a strong 'family and friends' link, getting a Non-B or Non-O is getting more of a challenge. The early retiree should consider these ED visa options as who knows when the MFA will slowly start to squeeze them shut.

[tropo]

But is is definitely getting HARDER

I reckon the hardest thing of all would be getting back to work after a 2-5 year "mini-retirement".

[NanLaew]

But is is definitely getting HARDER

I reckon the hardest thing of all would be getting back to work after a 2-5 year "mini-retirement".

And as for 'retiring fully at 30'....

Off topic but if the last 2-3 years of financial clusterf*cks has told me anything, it's keep working while my bit of the oil patch is balls to the wall as you never know what's in front of you.

[phuketrichard]

I am on a retirement extension but dont plan on retiring until After i am dead, ( what with college costs and all :-)

[rak sa_ngop]

To get the non im 1 year u need to be visting someone in Thailand or visiting family and u need proof.

Reading the non imm O visa application details from the Hull consulate recently, I think that now (as opposed to last year) you have to supply the name and address of the person (not necessarily Thai) you will be visiting and staying with. If you plan on staying in your own accommodation I do not think you can be 'visiting friends'.

[tropo]

I am on a retirement extension but dont plan on retiring until After i am dead, ( what with college costs and all :-)

...better not advertise working on retirement visa.

[hbread]

Tourist Visas will give you 60 days each and can be extended for a further 30 days at Immigration.

You could always study at a Thai Language School and get an Education Visa.

The course fees would be around 28,000 Baht

having difficulty understanding the tourist visa. i get 60 days with a 30 day extension. and i can get double entry? so can i stay for 60 days on tourist, make a boarder run, stay an extra thirty; make another boarder run and get another 60 day tourist visa, make a boarder run for an extra 30 days; make another boarder run and get a tourist visa and stay for 60, etc etc forever? And in summary; can i stay there forever making boarder runs every 60-30-60-30 days? forever? Thanks so much

[moe666]

hbread if you have a 60 day tourist visa a week or so before 60 days is finished go to immigration a get a 30 day extension for 1900 baht. 90 days total. If you have a multiply before 30 day extension is up on first 60 days, say last day make a border run into what ever country you have selected. Come back to Thailand and you start your second tourist visa before 60 days are up go to immigration get your 30 day extension, you have another 90 days total and a sum total of 180 days in the land of smiles.

It's not rocket science just confusing sometimes.after last 30 day extension you leave the country and apply for another tourist visa or multiply and start process over again or after 180 days you have sorted yourself out and signed up for Thai language you go to country of choice and get your ed. visa good for 1 year with 90 days reporting to immigration.

Edited October 22, 2010 by moe666

[hbread]

hbread if you have a 60 day tourist visa a week or so before 60 days is finished go to immigration a get a 30 day extension for 1900 baht. 90 days total. If you have a multiply before 30 day extension is up on first 60 days, say last day make a border run into what ever country you have selected. Come back to Thailand and you start your second tourist visa before 60 days are up go to immigration get your 30 day extension, you have another 90 days total and a sum total of 180 days in the land of smiles.

It's not rocket science just confusing sometimes.after last 30 day extension you leave the country and apply for another tourist visa or multiply and start process over again or after 180 days you have sorted yourself out and signed up for Thai language you go to country of choice and get your ed. visa good for 1 year with 90 days reporting to immigration.

i guess what i'm asking is can i get a new tourist visa during a boarder run? i think that sums my question up most easily. thanks

[Lite Beer]

Vientienne Laos would be the best choice. They will issue a double entry.

So yes when your original 6 months are finished apply for another Tourist Visa at a Thai Consulate in a country next to Thailand.

[Digitalbanana]

>I had heard it is a great place to retire

Presuming you haven't even been there before, just start off on the tourist visa route. You'll find a trip in - out the country on a visa run a refreshing experience also after 90 days. Lots of cheap budget airlines around.

[barryofthailand]

>I had heard it is a great place to retire

Presuming you haven't even been there before, just start off on the tourist visa route. You'll find a trip in - out the country on a visa run a refreshing experience also after 90 days. Lots of cheap budget airlines around.

Try any honorary Thai consulate in the U.S. I think Portland is an honorary consulate, and will give you a one year non o.

Barry

[Jimi007]

>I had heard it is a great place to retire

Presuming you haven't even been there before, just start off on the tourist visa route. You'll find a trip in - out the country on a visa run a refreshing experience also after 90 days. Lots of cheap budget airlines around.

Try any honorary Thai consulate in the U.S. I think Portland is an honorary consulate, and will give you a one year non o.

Barry

Yes, Portland Oregon is an Honorary Consulate. I'm not so sure they are just giving out multi entry O visas without some documentation... They will give a 3 entry tourist visa though. See their link here: Portland Thai Consulate They have always been quite helpful in the past and will respond to your emailed questions.

[NoBSBoy]

To get the non im 1 year u need to be visting someone in Thailand or visiting family and u need proof.

I dont think anything that applied in 2005 counts for much :-)

Entirely consul dependant.. I know someone who got one august this year.. No proof..

Just shop around for the consul that wants your business.. Thailand wants to have grey area rules and no firm rules on any laws... then use that choice of theirs to your own advantage.

Where, please???

[NoBSBoy]

i guess what i'm asking is can i get a new tourist visa during a boarder run? i think that sums my question up most easily. thanks

Your term "border run" is actually vague. If you walk across the border into Laos or Burma, or any other land crossing, and back again you will obtain an entire 15 days permission to stay. If you fly back in (does not matter mode of departure) you will be given a 30 day permission to stay. If you go to a consulate and obtain a tourist visa, you will have 60 days, either single or double entry depending on the consulate. It does not matter method of travel, inbound or outbound, land sea or air, when obtaining a tourist visa from a consulate or embassy.

Just a suggestion, but when you arrive in BKK, you might want to consider a two week intensive course at one of the private schools there. It will let you hit the ground running and will make your time in LOS much more enjoyable. PM for further info, if you're interested.

Edited October 24, 2010 by NoBSBoy