Is Income In Uk Bank Account Acceptable For Retirement Visa?

[cardew]

I have run a search but the responses are confusing.

I am over 50, a UK citizen currently resident in Thailand.

I want to covert my Multi O to a retirement visa.

Does the income of 65000 baht a month have to come into a Thai bank account or is a UK bank account OK?

Also, I've been told that if I convert here, I don't need the letter from the police and a doctor.

???

Thank you.

[Jingthing]

An O-A visa is a retirement visa, only available in your home country. For that, you need the police report and medical form. It is an optional method.

Annual extensions based on retirement are done only in Thailand. For those, no police report or medical form needed.

You can START either way, but of course to start with annual extensions you need to have an O visa of some kind, which BTW, is possible to get IN Thailand as part of a two step process. In your case, it sounds like you already are here on an O visa.

The required monies for the embassy letter method (65K baht per month) do NOT need to be imported into Thailand.

That said, it is possible that immigration officers may be interested in how you fund your living expenses in Thailand and do have the right to ask you to provide your Thai bank account records. That doesn't mean they will, or that they are likely to, and it certainly doesn't mean there is any legal requirement to import your embassy letter documented income into Thailand.

Edited November 2, 2011 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

You actually do not convert but obtain a one year extension of stay for retirement during the the final 30 days of a non immigrant O visa entry. You use form TM.7 at cost of 1,900 baht and a 4x6cm photo and to use income a letter from your embassy (you show them evidence of the income and they stamp a letter for immigration). The money does not have to come into Thailand and no police or medical letters required. A quick and simple process - have normal passport/visa/entry stamp/arrival card copies and some proof of where you live.

[tomallison]

My quick reply: this may be corrected by wiser ones.

Your monthly income must go into a Thai savings bank account.

For a retirement extension in Thailand you do not require a police report or medical certificate.

[Jingthing]

Your monthly income must go into a Thai savings bank account.

No, that is NOT correct.

[cardew]

Thanks for the information.

[CharlieH]

There is NO PROBLEM with the money going into a UK account, the UK Embassy that provides the income letter will only be interested in the "IN" to your account and it reflected on your bank statements that you provide as evidence.

Edited November 2, 2011 by CharlieH

[cardew]

All sounds good.

I have a Uk account that has had deposits of more than enough over the last year, so will apply for the letter from the Honorary Consul here in Phuket.

I'm on the last extension of my Multi O, ie went to KL 3 days before it expired to get another 90 days.

My leave to stay finally runs out on Dec 26 2011.

Therefore I should apply for the retirement extension at the end of November 2011?

Thank you.

[lopburi3]

Correct on 27th or later.