Retirement Visa

[rafferty]

Hi

any advice would be helpful, i have tried to read the above about applying for a retirement visa, but i am a bit confused.

here is the facts, i am over 50 years old british and have more than 1 million baht in my bank account, i believe i need verification from my bank that i have that kind of money,

do i need anything else ??

cheers folks

james

[barka]

yes that is coirrect ,but you also have to prove you have had that amount in the bank for more tha 3 months before you apply..there is a booklet available in the immigration dept that tells you all you need.... or ask any Volunteer, i am sure they will be glad to help you..

[Mario2008]

You need your bankbook plus a letter from your bank. Your bank should now what you need. Apply for the bank letter one or two days before you go to immigration.

For the rest you need copy of paspsort and departure card, a pass photo and maybe proof of address.

[PatongPete]

Proff of addrfess.. Med form(same as DL) BTW, where will you be applying????? That is an important factor

[rafferty]

Hi

Can i just say how helpful people are...

its so refreshing.. thanks for the valuable information..

cheers for that

J

[Jimi007]

Hi

Can i just say how helpful people are...

its so refreshing.. thanks for the valuable information..

cheers for that

J

You can not get a visa in Thailand, you must apply for one at a Thai consulate or embassy. Do a google search for the consulate or embassy you will apply at. It will have the forms and instructions available on their website. Typically you need a bank statement and letter from the bank, a non immigrant visa application, a long stay form, a print out of your criminal record, a medical certificate filled out by a licensed doctor and passport type photos. Some consulates require all in triplicate. See link: Thai Embassy UK O-A Visa

[sanuk21]

Hi

Can i just say how helpful people are...

its so refreshing.. thanks for the valuable information..

cheers for that

J

You can not get a visa in Thailand, you must apply for one at a Thai consulate or embassy. Do a google search for the consulate or embassy you will apply at. It will have the forms and instructions available on their website. Typically you need a bank statement and letter from the bank, a non immigrant visa application, a long stay form, a print out of your criminal record, a medical certificate filled out by a licensed doctor and passport type photos. Some consulates require all in triplicate. See link: Thai Embassy UK O-A Visa

No so! Can get a retirement visa in Thailand!

An easy way to get a "retirement visa" really a non-immigrant "O" long stay visa, is to fly to Thailand, obtain a 30 day visa on arrival, change this to a non-immigrant O visa within 9 days, then apply for a 12 month extension to this visa within 3 months......no criminal check or medical certificate documentation required....

sanuk

Edited September 11, 2011 by sanuk21

[Jingthing]

Yes you can do a change of visa status to an O in Thailand from a 30 day stamp or tourist visa, and use that as the first step with the retirement extension being the second step.

That service however is NOT available at every Thai immigration office. So some people do that first step in Bangkok and the extension at their home office.

O-A "retirement" visas are ONLY available from your HOME country.

Many people also start with single entry O visas (not O-A) obtained outside Thailand (then do the extension part in Thailand). Locally Malaysia and Laos are popular.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Jingthing

[Jimi007]

No so! Can get a retirement visa in Thailand!

An easy way to get a "retirement visa" really a non-immigrant "O" long stay visa, is to fly to Thailand, obtain a 30 day visa on arrival, change this to a non-immigrant O visa within 9 days, then apply for a 12 month extension to this visa within 3 months......no criminal check or medical certificate documentation required....

sanuk

A 30 day permit upon arrival is not a visa. Phuket Immigration will not give out an O visa. A retirement visa is an O-A, not an O.

[Jingthing]

I was under the impression Phuket does do change of visa status -- 30 day stamp or TR to O for applicants about to apply for retirement extensions. They don't?

You absolutely DO NOT need a retirement visa (O-A) to retire in Thailand!

That is one option. O-A is the only thing that is actually a retirement visa and it is only available from home countries.

My impression is that most retirees here start with an O visa (not O-A) obtained abroad or IN THAILAND using a change of visa status, then start with the retirement extensions (which are not retirement visas). Yes this is about terminology but it helps to understand what's happening to know the terminology.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Jingthing

[Jimi007]

I was under the impression Phuket does do change of visa status -- 30 day stamp or TR to O for applicants about to apply for retirement extensions. They don't?

You absolutely DO NOT need a retirement visa (O-A) to retire in Thailand!

That is one option. O-A is the only thing that is actually a retirement visa and it is only available from home countries.

My impression is that most people start with an O visa (not O) obtained abroad or IN THAILAND using a change of visa status, then start with the retirement extensions (which are not retirement visas). Yes this is about terminology but it helps to understand what's happening to know the terminology.

When I asked about it, six years ago, they told me I would have to go to KL for an O visa, which could be coverted to an O-A. But I decided since I was going back to my home country, I would just get an O-A there. Maybe things have changed. But the officer I know at Phuket Immigration usually is quick to say; if you want a visa go to your home country. Yes you're right, you don't need to have a retirement visa, but I don't like having to do 90 day visa runs like some friends with O visas.

[Jingthing]

A lot of misinformation there, sorry!

There is no such thing as "converting" to an O-A in Phuket, or in Thailand, EVER. This has NEVER happened in history.

People with one year retirement extensions (which are not visas) NEVER have to do 90 day visa runs. They need to do 90 day address reports like anyone staying long term.

I don't know whether Phuket does change of visa status from 30 day or TR to O these days for those wanting to do the two step process with the second step being a retirement extension, so people interested best to ask at the office and don't rely on six year old info. If Phuket doesn't do that NOW, you CAN do the first step in Bangkok instead.

Note -- for anyone seriously interested in doing a change of visa status in Phuket (30 day stamp or TR to O, first step of two step retirement extension process option), post in the VISA section. You will get a definitive answer quickly whether Phuket does those now. If Phuket does you should not do the first step in Bangkok but rather Phuket.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Jingthing

[sanuk21]

No so! Can get a retirement visa in Thailand!

An easy way to get a "retirement visa" really a non-immigrant "O" long stay visa, is to fly to Thailand, obtain a 30 day visa on arrival, change this to a non-immigrant O visa within 9 days, then apply for a 12 month extension to this visa within 3 months......no criminal check or medical certificate documentation required....

sanuk

A 30 day permit upon arrival is not a visa. Phuket Immigration will not give out an O visa. A retirement visa is an O-A, not an O.

Curious ....the Royal Thai Immigration website calls the 30 day" XXXX" on arrival a "visa".......even the stamps in my passport have visa on it.

Phuket Immigration will convert visa on arrival and tourist visa with at least a 21 days balance to an O visa. At least they have for the past two years.

Sometimes Immigration will give the O visa and the 12 month visa extension at the same time depending on how long your money has been "seasoned" in the bank.....

sanuk

[Jingthing]

Well, I also don't think a 30 day stamp is technically a visa.

Anyway, it sounds like Sanuk21 has confirmed rather well that Phuket DOES offer change visa status from 30 day stamp or tourist visa to an O visa (not O-A) as the first step of the a two step retirement extension process. Cleared up for people, I hope.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

1. 30 day stay stamp is "visa exempt" not visa.

2. Retirement O-A is a long stay visa issued by home country for one year on entry.

3. A non immigrant visa entry is required for extension by immigration for retirement. Normally this is a non immigrant O visa from Consulate obtained on basis of being over age 50.

4. If you have proof of financials you can convert a tourist visa or obtain a non immigrant visa from a visa exempt entry if more than a week or so remain on your stay (used to be 21 days required). This may require doing in Bangkok even if later extension of stay will be in another province as not all can do.

5. The requirement for first extension of stay is two months in bank account if using that method.

6. There is no medical/police report required for extension of stay for retirment.

[Jimi007]

A lot of misinformation there, sorry!

There is no such thing as "converting" to an O-A in Phuket, or in Thailand, EVER. This has NEVER happened in history.

People with one year retirement extensions (which are not visas) NEVER have to do 90 day visa runs. They need to do 90 day address reports like anyone staying long term.

I don't know whether Phuket does change of visa status from 30 day or TR to O these days for those wanting to do the two step process with the second step being a retirement extension, so people interested best to ask at the office and don't rely on six year old info. If Phuket doesn't do that NOW, you CAN do the first step in Bangkok instead.

Note -- for anyone seriously interested in doing a change of visa status in Phuket (30 day stamp or TR to O, first step of two step retirement extension process option), post in the VISA section. You will get a definitive answer quickly whether Phuket does those now. If Phuket does you should not do the first step in Bangkok but rather Phuket.

You are right. I don't know personally because as soon as I could get an O-A, I did. I know people with marriage O visas that have to go out of the country every 90 days. I would guess they are not on an extension.

[sanuk21]

1. 30 day stay stamp is "visa exempt" not visa.

Your right.! Apologies to all, I was getting Visa on Arrival confused with Visa Exempt.

sanuk