Retirement Visa So As To See My Son

[myles]

I previously worked in Thailand which came to and end with the arrival of an unplanned son whom I took to Singapore, along with his mother, to improve my abilities of ensuring the best I could in providing for him.

His mother and I are unmarried. He has Australian citizenship and both Australian and Thai passports of which I am not now in possession.

His mother returned with my son to Thailand a couple of months ago.

In my haste to follow and realising there would be no quick fix solution I handed back my Singaporean work permit which my employer would have cancelled shortly thereafter.

During my 30 day tourist entry I located them and have been visiting my son. Due to the lack of stability of the situation I am unable to make longer term plans, at present, for what I will do. In the meantime I sought information from Phuket Immigration and I was advised to return to Singapore and apply for a Retirement visa for which I am eligible.

After obtaining all the required documents I was told that my Certificate of Clearance (police check) from the Singaporean police should not have been issued as I was no longer a resident which could be ascertained from the fact I was unable to complete the form stating that I had an employer (therefore work permit, therefore residency) due to the fact I had to be retired (therefore no employer) to apply for a retirement visa. At that stage my work permit may or may not have been revoked so I may or may not have been resident in Singapore technically.

So, I was unsuccessful in my application due to not having an Australian police check though I havent lived there for 18 years and not being entitled to a Singaporean police check. I am back visiting my son in Phuket and holding all the original documents which were returned and are still current (plus the application fee from the kind lady dealing with me!).

From gleaning the assorted pages of visa requirements I was getting different messages. I have just seen a lawyer from an established and highly visible firm. I asked if i was required to apply from my country of residence, meaning Australia though its been a long time, and will it take three months as one site stated. I have been told that all I need is a Thai bank account with 800,000B for two months. The bank has confirmed a 'tourist' can do this.

The lawyer has also said that unique to Phuket, an applicant needs not to leave the country as he would should he apply from Bangkok for instance.

I have been told I do not need the medical or police check or anything else, which I find odd. just passport and bank account letter.

I will have to extend or leave Thailand after setting up the account as my existing permission will expire before the two month bank gestation period is complete.

Any confirmation and/or advice would be appreciated.

[steve187]

It would seem you were appling for a non immigrant 'O''A' visa is that correct?

You could obtain a non immigrant 'O' visa outside of thailand, see here - http://www.thaivisa....ring-countries/ which would give you 90 days on entry to Thailand. this could be extended for one year within thailand, as long as you are over 50, have an income of 65,000 baht or could deposit 800,000baht in a thai bank

[lopburi3]

You need a non immigrant O visa to extend for retirement inside Thailand. You can obtain from any Embassy or convert for 2,000 baht within Thailand (always at Bangkok and also at some other locations) by showing ability to meet retirement conditions (which are being over age 50, having 800k in bank account 2 months (first time) or 65k letter from embassy or income or combination to meet 800k per year). There is no medical or police clearance requirement. And if money is in account two months already both conversion and extension can be done at one time. Extension will be 1,900 baht. Very simple and easy process.

[NancyL]

Myles, check out this thread, specifically my post (#7) outlining the three paths someone can take to obtain a "retirement visa". Just substitute the word Australia for American and everything is identical for you.

http://www.thaivisa....etirement-visa/

You can indeed convert from 30 day visa exempt status to 90-day "O" visa and then extend it for 12 months due to retirement without ever leaving Thailand. Any "lawyer" (most aren't lawyers, they're "agents") who makes it more complicated or says that their local Immigration office has "special rules" that only they can help you utilize is just trying to drum up business.

It sounds like you have a lot going on in your life right now, and it would be easier to pay an "agent" to do this for you, but it's not a diffuclt process to obtain a "retirement visa" cheaply and without going any further than Bangkok, if your local Immigration office isn't one of a handful that do this.

[myles]

Thank you for those replies.

Yes, a lot is going on at present. Many 'hurry up and wait situations' in this 'treasure hunt' I have embarked upon.

As I am attempting establishing a regular visiting arrangement with my little boy, which see-saws between never being able to see him again to having him for three days, I am reluctant to leave the country before I am due and would rather not leave at all at present. So, I will see how the extension route of transfering my 60 day tourist visa to a 90 day 'O' visa pans out and take it from there.

Who knows? By then things may have calmed enough for me to contemplate employment again which puts the whole immigration problem in someone else's hands which current priorities prevent me from presently considering.

As an aside - I noticed the Phuket Immigration Office has several volunteers assisting. Though this may not have been a recent development it appears to me to be a good idea.

[PoorSucker]

You can get a 60 days extension based on visiting your son.

From Police order 777/2551

2.24 In the case of an alien visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time.

(1) Proof of relationship.

(2) In the case of a spouse, their marital relationship shall be de jure (legitimate) and de facto.

[lopburi3]

I suspect it would be rather difficult to obtain such an extension without ability to visit child as poster says is the real issue here that needs to be resolved and would not help in retirement extension goal. He can and seems included to obtain retirement extension of stay which is totally independent of child and from there can do as he desires and not be subject to family pressures. Believe that is the path he should be taking from information he has provided.