Non-Imm O-A Retirement Application Form Question

[Genericnic]

I am preparing my application for a non-imm O-A (retirement) visa to submit to the Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C. I want to ask a couple of questions of someone that has filed the same application with the DC Embassy recently. I limit it to someone that has filed there since each embassy seems to use a slightly different form.

Most of the requested information is clear but here are the ones I need more information on:

1. In box 4, they ask for "Place to stay in Thailand." When I arrive, I will be staying in a hotel in Bangkok for a few days before heading to Chiang Mai to find a permanent place. Is the hotel name a sufficient answer for this question?

2. In box 5, they ask for a "Reference person and address in Thailand." Can I just leave this blank since I don't have a "reference person" in Thailand?

3. On both the application form and the additional application form, they ask for "Occupation." At the time I send in the form, I will still be working but will retire just before I head to Thailand. Do I list my current profession or do I go ahead and put in "retired."

I had hoped to find the information through the search function but after reading nearly 40 pages, I thought it was more expeditious just to ask.

Thanks for any help.

David

[InterestedObserver]

Have you considered a 90 day non-immigrant "O" visa and then do your 1 year extension of stay based on retirement in Thailand. Much easier to do in Thailand if you are ready with your financial requirements upon arrival in Thailand; i.e., immediately open a bank account and deposit the required funds or get a pension affidavit from the US Embassy.

[Genericnic]

Have you considered a 90 day non-immigrant "O" visa and then do your 1 year extension of stay based on retirement in Thailand. Much easier to do in Thailand if you are ready with your financial requirements upon arrival in Thailand; i.e., immediately open a bank account and deposit the required funds or get a pension affidavit from the US Embassy.

Hi IO and thanks for the reply.

I have considered the 90-day Non-imm O and it is the fall back position at the moment. While I will arrive with sufficient funds to do the bank deposit, they are mostly allocated to other things and I would not have the 800,000 baht available for the time necessary. In order to do that, I would have to cash out some stocks that I want to hold until the end of the 1st quarter of 2011 for tax purposes. I can do it if I need to but the 1 year non-imm O issued here in the states would work better for me.

David

[Mario2008]

There is also the option of a combination of yearly income and money in a Thai bank account totaling 800.000.

1. A hotel would be fine.

2. I woud leave it blank

3. retired will be fine.

[Langsuan Man]

1. In box 4, they ask for "Place to stay in Thailand." When I arrive, I will be staying in a hotel in Bangkok for a few days before heading to Chiang Mai to find a permanent place. Is the hotel name a sufficient answer for this question?

Hotel name is sufficient

2. In box 5, they ask for a "Reference person and address in Thailand." Can I just leave this blank since I don't have a "reference person" in Thailand?

Leave it blank

3. On both the application form and the additional application form, they ask for "Occupation." At the time I send in the form, I will still be working but will retire just before I head to Thailand. Do I list my current profession or do I go ahead and put in "retired."

Put in retired, since you are applying for a "retirement" visa and you don't want them to think you are going to seek employment

Just make sure you submit the correct number of copies they require, they get real "pissy" if they have to copy something. If you are using the pension amount (65,000 THB per month) all you need is a copy of some official document showing your GROSS income from your pension. I used the Leave and Earnings statements my agency posts on their web site

If you can, I would suggest using the Consulate in New York, since they are a little more friendly than the Embassy in DC ( I have used both) but download the forms from their web site, here:

http://thaiconsulnewyork.com/english/index.php

[InterestedObserver]

If you can, I would suggest using the Consulate in New York, since they are a little more friendly than the Embassy in DC ( I have used both) but download the forms from their web site, ........

I believe that Genericnic lives in Texas, there are at least two Thai Honorary Consulates-Generals in that state, both know to be "friendly".

[lopburi3]

Honorary Consulates are not authorized to issue long stay visas.

[kilt]

Honorary Consulates are not authorized to issue long stay visas.

I got a 1 year multiple entry O visa from an honorary consulate just a few weeks ago....

[Mario2008]

Are you sure it was a honorary consulate and not a general consulate?

[lopburi3]

And that is not a long stay visa. O-A is long stay providing a one year permitted to stay on entry. You did not get that.

[Lite Beer]

Yep.

Non Imm O Multi Entry Visa gives multiple stays of up to 90 days at a time.

Not the same as a Non Imm O-A Visa that gives a stay of 12 months.

[Genericnic]

Thanks everyone for the most helpful information. Crowd sourcing is such a great tool.

I'm looking forward to getting to LOS and putting some faces with the names.

David