On July 1st 2011 my life changed. After 3 decades teaching high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District; I retired. I should be happy; but I realize how much I fuc_king love my students. Next September will be tough. Sao jai mach mach!!!!

On the plus side; I also picked up my O A long stay visa at the Los Angeles Thai Consulate. I didn't need a lawyer; followed the below steps:

1) Got forms from consulate website.

2) $ 175 money order for visa.

3) Medical certificate done at Kaiser hospital. $ 10 co-pay and unexpected prostate exam. Prostate OK; but exam not fun.

4) Went to downtown Los Angeles to Police department for crimianl record check. $15 and only took 20 minutes to wait for form

5) 4 passport photos ($10)

6) Got my police check, medical certificate and pension award notarized. ( $40) My pension award puts me over the 65,000 bt cutoff; so I didn't need a bank statement.

7) Made copies of all my forms (about $5 )

8) Submitted everything at Thai consulate yesterday in person.

9) Picked up passport at consulate today with visa.

No problems at all. I've done 12 tourist visas at the LA consulate with no problems or overstays; so I guess I looked like a safe bet.

I will arrive in Thailand at the end of the month. I'm bringing my cat with me. My cat will be flying in cabin with me on Thai Airway's LAX -BKK non-stop flight.

Cheers!!!

Edited July 1, 201115 yr by Merzik

Lucky cat!

congratualtions. respect

Got my police check, medical certificate and pension award notarized.

Meaning, a Notary Public witnessed the signatures of the policeman, the doctor, and the payer of your pension...? Or what?

Merzik, Congratulations on your Retirement from Teaching.

PM me after you fly here with your cat. I am considering flying with my small dog to the States in the cabin later this year, so any info will be appreciated.

Getting a Long Stay O-A Retirement Visa is relatively easy and the Notary is easy.

Most Notaries know how to do this. It is usually done with a cover letter by the person named on the forms that the police, medical, and income are true original copies.

The Notary across the street from the Thai LA Consulate also does Notary's routinely to submit to the Consulate there.

The LA Consulate web site explains it quite well now - the sets of copies have to be notarized (not the set of originals).

Required documents (*** One original set and 3 sets of copies. Requested documentation 5–7 must be notarized.***)

1. Four visa application forms |Download|

2. Four passport-type photos (Passport-type photo, 2” x 2”, color, front-view, taken within 6 months, and write your name and last name on the back of each photo).

3. Four copies of the applicant's passport (the picture page) - include the actual passport when submitting the application. Passport must be valid for at least 18 more months.

4. Four copies of Personal Data Form. |Download|

*5. Four copies of:

- applicant's bank statement (U.S.) showing a balance in the amount of not less than 800,000 Baht (current Thai exchange rate is available from the Bank of Thailand web site)

- or an income certificate with a monthly salary of not less than 65,000 Baht

- or a combination of a deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht a year.

(When submitting the bank statement, a letter from the bank verifying the account and balance is to be presented)

*6. Four copies of police verification stating the applicant has no criminal record issued by the authority concerned of his/her nationality or residence. The verification must not be more than three months old.

*7. Four copies of the completed medical certificate form |Download| issued from the country where the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535) with the name and address of the doctor. The certificate must be not be older than 3 months.

8. Effective Immediately - The visa fee for Non-Immigrant O-A Long-Stay (Retirement) visa is $175 - payable by cashiers check or money order only made payable to "Royal Thai Consulate General - Los Angeles"