I hope to retire to Thailand early next year aged 52 from UK. What do you do about documentation in renewing retirement visa? Do you need a letter from the embassy? Do you need 800000 baht in a thai bank [another forum said it could be anywhere]? Can a thai clinic fill in medical certificate? Do you need to upate the police record every 3 months..how? etc..

Thanks

geoff_uk

As it stands now, you need 800,000 baht in a bank in Thailand, or a combination of income and banking to qualify for your first one year extension. For the three one year extensions, Thai Immigration usually do not require health checks or police clearance. These are required if you seek permanent residency after 3 continuous year stays, or if you apply for an O-A Non-Immigrant Visa at a Thai Consulate, or the Embassy in London.

A while back, there were some reports that the required amount of yearly resources would go up to 1.5 million baht from 800,000.

Any new information on whether this is still going to happen in the forseeable future? As it didn't happen as part of the package of visa fee and requirement hikes, is it overly optimistic to think that the previous reports were just plain wrong?

It is overly optimistic. We hope that you'd be grandfathered if you are in the scheme before the new fees apply mid 2004.

That's interesting.

Are you specifically saying on good information that the annual financial requirements for a retirement visa (for new applicants) will be 1.5 million baht beginning mid 2004?

In other words, is this a done deal?

I am still short of age 50, so that's bad news for me, but have a good friend who might want to rush to beat the increase.

The source is reliable, and the rumour strong, but it is far short of a done deal. Time will tell. You could always take the marriage option.

Doc,

I have to apply for a visa in January.

I will be trying to change from a marraige visa to a retirement visa.

I have been here on a marraige visa for nine years.

How much will I have to show in the bank ?

800k as a new application or willl I be grandfathered to only 400k ?

Doc,

I have to apply for a visa in January.

I will be trying to change from a marraige visa to a retirement visa.

I have been here on a marraige visa for nine years.

How much will I have to show in the bank ?

800k as a new application or willl I be grandfathered to only 400k ?

You'll have to comply with the 800K rule...different classification.