Retirement Visa - When To Apply?

[w11guy]

I came to Thailand in May on a 1-year visa (need to leave every 90 days) and am planning to apply for a retirement visa once that is up. How long before my 1-year visa expires do I need to apply for the retirement visa and how long do I need to have had the 800,000 baht in the bank account for? Is it easy to transfer this money back out of the country? How long will the retirement visa last? Any tips on applying?

[Jingthing]

Most logical time to apply -- 30 days before your current permission to stay expires.

Money in bank -- two months for your first retirement extension application. (three months for subsequent ones)

[InterestedObserver]

1. It's a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement, not a retirement visa. Good for a 1 year stay in Thailand, no 90 day border runs required. Ninety day address reporting to immigration is required. You need a re-entry permit if planning any travel outside Thailand.

2. Do not bring any funds into Thailand that you cannot afford to spend. Immigration likes to see you spend a large chunk of the 800,000 baht, if not they may suspect you of working illegally..

Edited December 25, 2010 by InterestedObserver

[Jingthing]

1. It's a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement, not a retirement visa. Good for a 1 year stay in Thailand, no 90 day border runs required. Ninety day address reporting to immigration is required. You need a re-entry permit if planning any travel outside Thailand.

2. Do not bring any funds into Thailand that you cannot afford to spend. Immigration likes to see you spend a large chunk of the 800,000 baht, if not they may suspect you of working illegally..

Actually, you can keep the same 800K in the bank for years and not spend one baht if you like and still meet the rules. It is true they may suspect something, but they can't deny an extension based on suspicion. They may ask where the money you are living on is coming from and if you can answer that legitimately (having documentation is a good idea), I don't see that there would a problem. As far as the idea of transferring most of the money back out after an extension, you could try that but how easy that is depends on your Thai banks specific policies. In other words, that could indeed be quite difficult. There would also be transfer and exchange rate hits, so not always a great idea.

I do agree it is more typical for people using the 800K to spend down from that account and top it up annually, but there is no actual requirement that they do so.

Edited December 25, 2010 by Jingthing

[Lite Beer]

As said you will not be applying for a Visa. You will be applying for an extension of your permision to stay. 12 months.

Apply within the last 30 days of your permision to stay.

Money in the bank 2 months before application.

Once you have it report to Immigration every 90 days.

[CharlieH]

As said you will not be applying for a Visa. You will be applying for an extension of your permision to stay. 12 months.

Apply within the last 30 days of your permision to stay.

Money in the bank 2 months before application.

Once you have it report to Immigration every 90 days.

DONT FORGET TO GET THE MULTI RE-ENTRY at the same time as you get the extension if you plan going outside Thailand or you will lose your 1 yr extension and have to start over again !

[lopburi3]

You do not need to obtain at the same time and unless you plan more than several trips it would not be cost effective to obtain a multi re-entry permit. Prior to any travel outside of Thailand a re-entry permit is required to keep the current permitted to stay alive. It can be obtained at any time prior to exit of country and currently can be obtained from airport are you leave Bangkok.

[marc69]

As I am also interested in this question, I hope the OP does not mind I add some questions to this thread.

1. How much single and multiple re-entry permits cost, respectively?

2. Is there a limit how long one can stay outside Thailand if one has already obtained extension of stay based on retirement? I mean can one stay say 6 month somewhere outside Thailand and still come back and stay the rest of the period which is left from retirement extension in Thailand?

3. Does one need to be able to prove that the whole amount of original 800,000 THB has been transferred from overseas? I have a bank account which I opened about 8 years ago. There is some money in the account which I have saved in several trips to Thailand in the past by putting anything which is left from the cash I have brought to Thailand. Can I top up that account so that it has at least 800,000 THB two months before applying for the first extension?

4. Is it a requirement that the balance in the account never goes below 800,000 THB throughout the whole year or just three months before applying for the extension?

5. How much is the application fee for retirement extension?

[Jingthing]

As I am also interested in this question, I hope the OP does not mind I add some questions to this thread.

1. How much single and multiple re-entry permits cost, respectively?

2. Is there a limit how long one can stay outside Thailand if one has already obtained extension of stay based on retirement? I mean can one stay say 6 month somewhere outside Thailand and still come back and stay the rest of the period which is left from retirement extension in Thailand?

3. Does one need to be able to prove that the whole amount of original 800,000 THB has been transferred from overseas? I have a bank account which I opened about 8 years ago. There is some money in the account which I have saved in several trips to Thailand in the past by putting anything which is left from the cash I have brought to Thailand. Can I top up that account so that it has at least 800,000 THB two months before applying for the first extension?

4. Is it a requirement that the balance in the account never goes below 800,000 THB throughout the whole year or just three months before applying for the extension?

5. How much is the application fee for retirement extension?

1. Someone else will answer.

2. No limit but you must be back in Thailand to apply for your NEXT extension.

3. No need to transfer in even ONE baht! Certainly not 800K. Your proposed scenario MAY prompt a question from immigration about the source of the original funds. However, that is probably very unlikely unless you are talking a significant amount of money. Most of us started our Thai bank accounts here by walking in CASH. You certainly can't open a Thai bank account from abroad. However there is no rule the funds must be foreign transferred. In general, yes, top ups are typical. For some reason, many people think there is a requirement to both transfer in and even spend 800K per year. But that is wrong, the rules are about bank account balance only, not amount transferred and not amount spent.

4. No! Only for the seasoning period. Two months for first extension, three months for subsequent ones.

5. 1900 baht

Edited December 26, 2010 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

Single re-entry 1,000 baht

Multi re-entry 3,800 baht

[w11guy]

Thanks for all those great replies. You have all been very helpful. It's funny that in the visa section of this forum people are helpful and polite. In other sections even if you ask a sensible question you know that 90% of the replies will be having a go at you and Thailand. LOL.

Marc69 - you asked the questions that I was planning to ask next, so you saved me the trouble.

Instead of bringing 800,000 baht into Thailand I may be able to show my rental income of UK property as proof of income. If I want to do this, is it just a case of getting the estate agent to confirm in writing and then getting the British Embassy to stamp the letter? What is the correct procedure I'd need to follow and how near to applying for the visa extension would I need to do this. I don't really like the idea of 800,000 baht languishing in a Thai bank account. I know I will spend most of it over a year, but if I had to leave early on for some reason I don't want my money stuck in Thailand. THe current tenancy runs out at the end of May, the same time that I'd need to apply for my visa extension. Would this be a problem?

[marc69]

Thanks to all posters for great info.

[...]

2. Is there a limit how long one can stay outside Thailand if one has already obtained extension of stay based on retirement? I mean can one stay say 6 month somewhere outside Thailand and still come back and stay the rest of the period which is left from retirement extension in Thailand?

[...]

2. No limit but you must be back in Thailand to apply for your NEXT extension.

I understand that one has to apply three months prior to subsequent extensions. My question is how long the application process typically takes. Do they keep the passport during the process or one can apply and still travel outside Thailand waiting for decision on extension.

[Lite Beer]

At most offices it takes around 20 minutes depending on how busy they are.

[Jingthing]

At least at Jomtien, they always do hold the passport overnight, so you have to go twice, or over the weekend if you go on Friday. If they accept your application and hold your passport, you can assume it is going to be OK. If there is a problem they see, they will tell you right away, sadly often RUDELY, and often you can correct it with asked for additional paperwork, etc. However if you have failed to meet a clear rule and it is not correctable, then you may be rejected on the spot. I suppose they do catch some problems on the overnight holds, such as people who are discovered to be fugitives, etc., but you guys know who you are! It is advisable to go in 30 days before expiration of your current permission to stay. That way if there is something difficult that is correctable, you have plenty of time to deal with it.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Jingthing

[marc69]

Great, I thought the decision on extension would take several weeks.

Questions pop up in my mind so I hope w11guy does not feel I have hijacked his thread.

My situation is I have a job in Europe. However, I am able to stay around 6 months every year in Thailand. I wonder if there is anything illegal in applying for retirement extension with multiple re-entry based on 800k in the bank even if one is not really retired and does not live full time in Thailand.

The advantage for me is that I don't need to apply for a visa every time I want to come to Thailand. The downside is parking 800k in the bank here but I have had almost that amount of money in my bank account here in many years anyway so that is not an issue in my case. I understand that there are some application fees involved too (1900 for extension + 3800 for multi re-entry).

[Jingthing]

Nothing illegal about your proposed plan. They don't care if you are still working outside of Thailand.

Also note, there are sometimes unusual cases which are deemed PENDING (not sure they use that exact word) where there is a delay in approving the application. Personally, I can't really comment on what exactly happens to people's passports in such cases. I don't have any experience with this issue, but I have read reports about some cases like that here over the years. I wouldn't give much thought to that issue; rather just learn the rules and follow them and you won't have a problem.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Jingthing

[w11guy]

I have thought of another point, that may apply to me at some point and sounds like it definitely applies to marc69. If you get the 1-year retirement extension, you need to report to immigration every 90 days. So what happens if you leave the country for over 90 days? Is that ok, or are you back to square one? Or should you only leave for periods of less than 90 days so that you can always report in time?

And if you have to be away over the period that your 1-year retirement extension expires, is it just a case of being allowed in on a 90-day tourist visa and re-applying, or is it more complicated than that?

So many questions.

[marc69]

I have thought of another point, that may apply to me at some point and sounds like it definitely applies to marc69. If you get the 1-year retirement extension, you need to report to immigration every 90 days. So what happens if you leave the country for over 90 days? Is that ok, or are you back to square one? Or should you only leave for periods of less than 90 days so that you can always report in time?

And if you have to be away over the period that your 1-year retirement extension expires, is it just a case of being allowed in on a 90-day tourist visa and re-applying, or is it more complicated than that?

So many questions.

Very good questions indeed. Thanks w11guy for pointing them out.

[Jingthing]

I have thought of another point, that may apply to me at some point and sounds like it definitely applies to marc69. If you get the 1-year retirement extension, you need to report to immigration every 90 days. So what happens if you leave the country for over 90 days? Is that ok, or are you back to square one? Or should you only leave for periods of less than 90 days so that you can always report in time?

And if you have to be away over the period that your 1-year retirement extension expires, is it just a case of being allowed in on a 90-day tourist visa and re-applying, or is it more complicated than that?

So many questions.

Every period you are in Thailand 90 days, you need to report.

If you leave Thailand before 90 days (assuming you have a reentry permit) your next required report is 90 days after the day you come back to Thailand; it resets. You don't need to report if you are outside Thailand! You don't have to adjust your travel plans at all to comply with reports.

If you are away when your extension to stay expires, yes, you must start all over. In other words, the original O visa used as a base for all extensions will then be dead and gone, and not possible to ever extend from again. To keep it alive you must apply for a new extension while your current permission to stay still exists. You must apply IN Thailand for these extensions. Extensions are not ever done from outside Thailand.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Jingthing

[elliss]

another hijack,

with regard to interest rates,

are there any preferred places to park 800.000 bht ,

what about hsbc bank bangkok, as i have accounts with them in uk .

thanks for your previous advice. :jap:

[w11guy]

Two final questions. As you are applying for an extension to stay in Thailand, does that mean you have to have some sort of visa to begin with e.g. non-O or can you extend a 90-day tourist stay. I'm not sure whether the latter counts as something that can be extended.

Also, before I came here I was advised to apply for a non-O visa for 12 months, which I did. With this I need to leave the country every 90 days, which is ok with me because I want to travel a bit. But couldn't I have just achieved the same by just getting a 90-day tourist visa every time I arrived back in the country? I know this sort of thing is frowned upon in many countries, so it may be here as well.

[lopburi3]

You must have a non immigrant visa entry to extend - so a single entry non immigrant O visa is all most people need.

If you do not have such an entry but have more than a week or two remaining on your permitted to stay stamp immigration can provide for an extra fee of 2,000 baht if you provide proof of retirement eligibility. But some offices will require that be done in Bangkok.

If you will not return for renewal it is best to obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa prior to travel and then extend in the normal manner directly from that after 60 days in the country.

The local HSBC can be used but account must be set up in Thailand.

[Jingthing]

Yes, you can start with a single entry O visa. They are easily available for those over 50 in Laos and Malaysia. Then with 30 days left, apply for the extension in Thailand.

(OR)

In Thailand, some offices will let you do the two step process starting from either a tourist visa or a 30 day stamp. (Bangkok and Jomtien will for example.) So first you do a change of visa status to an O in Thailand, then do the extension application, sometimes the same day. You may need at least 21 days left on your current stay to start that process, ask your office. Also some people have done step 1 in Bangkok and then step 2 at their home office (when their office won't do step 1). Many ways to skin a chicken.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Jingthing

[thaigold]

Actually you do not need 800,000 baht on deposit. The regulations state that you prove to Thai authorities that you have available income of 65,000 baht a month / 800,000 baht a year. This could be 400,000 in a Thai bank and proof of 35,000 baht a month coming from offshore sources. In fact you could have less in the bank, but this would only be advisable to retirees with seasoned retirement visas in their passports.

In short, you must show Thai Immigration that you have access to funds in the amount of 800,000 baht, both in-country and offshore available at the time of visa application. You just have to prove your financial responsibility. It is possible to live upcountry on 15,000 baht a month and leave the balance in a Thai bank. There is also a hidden advantage here, in that baht deposits are returning more revenue (currency Exchange) in dollars and euros than U.S. or Euro banks.

Get the visa - just smile allot, and present a neatly ordered application package. Easy.

[david555]

1. It's a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement, not a retirement visa. Good for a 1 year stay in Thailand, no 90 day border runs required. Ninety day address reporting to immigration is required. You need a re-entry permit if planning any travel outside Thailand.

2. Do not bring any funds into Thailand that you cannot afford to spend. Immigration likes to see you spend a large chunk of the 800,000 baht, if not they may suspect you of working illegally..

point 2

:jap: can be easely arranged by whitdraw more then the needs , transfer home country bank , and return in time for the next money checking round ....... they can not check your home country income..

if married a thai wife only 400000 on bank or 40000 monthly i believe , so they know Thai can show you the cheaper way of living , in Europe you need more income for 2 then 1 , but whe know they think reverse way in T.I.T.

Edited December 26, 2010 by david555

[lopburi3]

It has nothing to do with reverse way. If you are married to a Thai you have much more reason to live here so the requirements for income proof is lower. Just as a person married to a citizen of most of our home countries will get preferential treatment.

[david555]

It has nothing to do with reverse way. If you are married to a Thai you have much more reason to live here so the requirements for income proof is lower. Just as a person married to a citizen of most of our home countries will get preferential treatment.

with all respect of your point of view , in my country immigration requires a base income for the husbound who bring partner and you do not receive a reduction , 1 cost less then 2 people for living costs ... or not ...??:jap:

it could bee seeing as a nice gesture but pure economic way it is onlogic , same as differnt requirements for different nationals for workpermits , africans lowest income , western ones the highest ....

But i agree that whe just have to take it as prescribed , is their country .... but i think whe are intitled to our own oppinion (even when whe keep that inside and not to loud out ....or not ?

Edited December 26, 2010 by david555

[w11guy]

It has nothing to do with reverse way. If you are married to a Thai you have much more reason to live here so the requirements for income proof is lower. Just as a person married to a citizen of most of our home countries will get preferential treatment.

with all respect of your point of view , in my country immigration requires a base income for the husbound who bring partner and you do not receive a reduction , 1 cost less then 2 people for living costs ... or not ...??:jap:

it could bee seeing as a nice gesture but pure economic way it is onlogic , same as differnt requirements for different nationals for workpermits , africans lowest income , western ones the highest ....

But i agree that whe just have to take it as prescribed , is their country .... but i think whe are intitled to our own oppinion (even when whe keep that inside and not to loud out ....or not ?

Can we stick to the thread please. If you want to debate this it would be better in a new thread.

[david555]

It has nothing to do with reverse way. If you are married to a Thai you have much more reason to live here so the requirements for income proof is lower. Just as a person married to a citizen of most of our home countries will get preferential treatment.

with all respect of your point of view , in my country immigration requires a base income for the husbound who bring partner and you do not receive a reduction , 1 cost less then 2 people for living costs ... or not ...??:jap:

it could bee seeing as a nice gesture but pure economic way it is onlogic , same as differnt requirements for different nationals for workpermits , africans lowest income , western ones the highest ....

But i agree that whe just have to take it as prescribed , is their country .... but i think whe are intitled to our own oppinion (even when whe keep that inside and not to loud out ....or not ?

Can we stick to the thread please. If you want to debate this it would be better in a new thread.

you are right , only i reply on the sitr moderator who opened our out of topic topic :jap:

[emempp]

I am finding this thread very informative as I am planning to return to LOS with my Thai wife and intend to apply for a retirement extension to my type O visa. My dilema is when to apply for the retirement extention and what to do about a police access report. If I leave my application till the last 3 months of the O visa then will I be required to get a UK police access report or can I alternatively get a Thai police clearance? I thought my question would be of interest to others reading this thread so I hope you don't mind my contribution.