Work Permit To Retirement Extension

[Eff1n2ret]

Just thinking ahead a little. I am currently on a Work Permit extension which expires at the end of February. I do not wish to work beyond that, and I fulfil the necessary criteria for a Retirement Visa/extension.

Am I correct in assuming that I can not transfer in-country direct from my current conditions to a Retirement extension? or if I can are there any snags I should be aware of? Local office is Maptaphut.

If I want a 1-year Non-O Retirement Visa do I have to go all the way back to UK to apply for it?

Is there a regional embassy (Malaysia, S'pore, H-k, Laos) where I can go to get a 90-day Non-O to convert to a 1-year extension, or if not a Non-O, can I get a 60-day visit visa from them and convert that in-country?

- or just take a return flight to get a 30-day visit stamp, no visa?

[lopburi3]

I suspect you could visit immigration on the day work ends to extend for 7 days and then for retirement without need of visa change if you meet the financials. If not a quick trip to nearby Consulate to obtain single entry non immigrant O visa or even exit/return with visa exempt and conversion to non immigrant by immigration is possible (although might require being done in Bangkok). No need to return to home country.

[beano2274]

Work Permit and Visa Extensions are two different things.

Work Permit - permits the holder to work in Thailand.

Extension Based on work - allows the holder to remain in Thailand.

[Soutpeel]

Why dont you ask at Maptuphut Immigration they have always seemed to be one of the more helpful offices

[Colabamumbai]

I presume that you are on a Non B visa with work permit. I changed from a Non B with work permit, to retirement before the visa expired, and did this without having to leave the country, just had to show the financials, 65,000 Bhat a month coming into an account, showing that to the Canadian Embassy who prepares a letter for immmigration.

[wayned]

It's nice to see somebody planning ahead and not worried about being flooded in with there extension expiring tomorrow! Since your visa extension (work permit) expires at the end of February you do have time to prepare.

The first thing that you have to decide is what financial option that you are going to use, 800000K deposit or letter from your Embassy showing that your income is at least 65000 baht per month. If it's the bank deposit option you need to get the money in a Thai bank account now so that it can season for at least 2 months, 3 months is required for follow on extensions. You will need a letter form the bank, issued preferably on the same day that you go in for your extension, and a copy of your bank book. The letter and the book must show the same balance and you should make a token transaction just before you go to the desk for the letter so it shows that the account is active. If it's the letter from the Embassy, you need to get that letter within 1 monrh prior to the date that you are applying for the extension. I know that there are posts saying that they have used older letters but I did this exact thing and the office where I did it required that the letter be issued within one month or preferably less. You don't want to have to go back to your embassy to get a new letter.

You will need some proof of address. Since I was living in a different Province than where my house was and I was renting, I used a copy of a lease agreement showing the address,. I drew up the agreemenrt and had the landlord sign. Plus a copy of the housebook for the property signed by the landlord. I had coordinated with immigration in advance and that's what they told me that they needed. I have moved home and now use a signed copy of my marriage certificate along with signed copies of my wife's ID and housebook.

I went in on the expiration date and presented my paperwork, but, since I had been working they wanted proof that I had returned my work permit to the labor office. The proof is a receipt from the labor offie, Tor Tor 10.

I didn't have it so I paid the 1900 baht fee and extened my stay. I got a 60 day extension since I had proof that I was married to a Thai and my wife was there, otherwise I would have gotten a 7 day extension.

I went to the labor office the next morning and got the Tor RTor 10 form, went back to immigration, paid another 1900 baht and got the retirement extension for one year. The start of the one year was the expiration date of the extension that I received the day before.

So the bottom line is you can do it in 7 days if you have all of your ducks in a row.

I would suggest that you go to the immigration office that you are going to use well in advance and have them tell you exactly what they require because they don't all interperet the regulations the same.

[Eff1n2ret]

I presume that you are on a Non B visa with work permit. I changed from a Non B with work permit, to retirement before the visa expired, and did this without having to leave the country, just had to show the financials, 65,000 Bhat a month coming into an account, showing that to the Canadian Embassy who prepares a letter for immmigration.

Yes, that's what I meant by "Work Permit extension". I will be going the same route as you, finances based on 65000 income. Nice to know that it can be done in-country. I will talk it through with Maptaphut Immigration when I next report, as Soutpeel suggests, they are fairly helpful there.

Thanks.

Edit:- Thanks also Wayned for the tip about receipt for return of Work Permit.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Eff1n2ret

[Tywais]

In Chiang Mai when I went in to renew my extension based on work the immigration officer asked if I planned on retiring. I told her not yet and she said just come in when I'm ready and they will convert the extension to based on retirement. No leaving the country or re-applying for a new visa. BTW, my original visa that I'm getting my work extensions on is a NON-ED.

Still, different offices/officers may say differently so best to discuss it with your local office as others have mentioned.

[Colabamumbai]

I presume that you are on a Non B visa with work permit. I changed from a Non B with work permit, to retirement before the visa expired, and did this without having to leave the country, just had to show the financials, 65,000 Bhat a month coming into an account, showing that to the Canadian Embassy who prepares a letter for immmigration.

Yes, that's what I meant by "Work Permit extension". I will be going the same route as you, finances based on 65000 income. Nice to know that it can be done in-country. I will talk it through with Maptaphut Immigration when I next report, as Soutpeel suggests, they are fairly helpful there.

Thanks.

Edit:- Thanks also

Wayned for the tip about receipt for return of Work Permit.

I did mine in Korat, where as a rule they do not seem to be helpful and do not allow 90 day reporting by mail and they are 25 kilometres outside of Korat, they refused to give me their address for 90 day reporting and told me it was not allowed by mail.