Retirement Visa By Any Other Name

[bendejo]

After looking at the official web site (http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2489) I was surprised to discover that there is not something called a retirement visa. I take it that people here on TV are referring to the O visa when they use that term, but then there are variations on it. Is there a page somewhere that explains all this in a straightforward manner? I’ve searched and found lots of pages of people dealing with nuances of their particular visa, I’m just looking for the basic groundwork: no kids, no spouse, not a running a business in the kingdom.

A few questions:

If going the bank account route, how accessible are the funds in that account? It sounds to me like people are spending from these accounts and replenish the funds when renewals approach. Will there be some sort of lock on the account such that I’ll need some authorized document to take money out?

Another is the birth certificate requirement, complicated for me because I was adopted, then as an adult I changed my name – this name change was not done by a court officiated change-of-name document. Is the birth certificate a strict requirement?

[Lite Beer]

2.22 In the case of a retiree: Permission will be granted for a period of not more

than 1 year at a time.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM);

(2) The applicant is 50 years of age or over;

(3) Proof of income of not less than Baht 65,000 per month; or

(4) Account deposit with a bank in Thailand of not less than

800,000 Baht as shown in the bank account for the past 3 months at the filing date of the application. For the first year, the applicant should have that amount in his bank account for not less than 60 days or

(5) Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less

than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date of application.

Once application is successful you can spend the money and top up for next years application.

There is no requirement for a Berth Certificate.

[KhunBENQ]

Referring to the website:

Its called Non-Immigrant Visa, Type O (like "other").

And therein it is "to stay after retirement for the elderly".

So look for the requirements referringto the "O" visa,

You will surely get confused if you study the whole website.

[lopburi3]

The visa is the non immigrant O-A Long Stay (retirement) visa issued by a Consulate with police clearance and medical certificate that provides one year stay on entry.

Many people also call the one year extension of stay from immigration for retirement a visa but it is really only an extension of your stay and does not allow entry as a visa is designed to do.

[Seekingasylum]

I have seen references in other threads that an application for a retirement extension does not require a medical certificate, even if the applicant had initially arrived in Thailand on a Non Immigrant O visa not for that purpose. Is this true? The Thai immigration website states that confirmation of good health is required and that such evidence should be obtained from a reputable source. Again, there seems a conflict here. Also, I have noted a reference that if the applicant is relying upon a combination of income and savings in order to qualify under the financial requirements there is no need to have the savings element "seasoned" for two months. Is this true?

Grateful for confirmation.

[Lite Beer]

If applying for an extension a medical certificate is not needed.

If using the combination method the savings do not need to be seeded. However one of or two immigration offices do not know this.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Seekingasylum]

Reassuring no doubt, but where is the source for this? Is it based on anecdotal evidence and if so is it limited to the experience of one specific immigration office or does it have a national application?

[bendejo]

Thanks for all the great replies so far, public and private.

Before posting I felt I was missing something fairly obvious in the visa rules.

(snip)

Its called Non-Immigrant Visa, Type O (like "other").

And therein it is "to stay after retirement for the elderly".

So look for the requirements referringto the "O" visa,

You will surely get confused if you study the whole website.

Indeed! That statement with the word retirement had me wondering if it meant having something to do with caring for an aging person.

[lopburi3]

Reassuring no doubt, but where is the source for this? Is it based on anecdotal evidence and if so is it limited to the experience of one specific immigration office or does it have a national application?

ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION BUREAU

No. 305/2551

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.immigration.go.th%2Fnov2004%2Fdoc%2Ftemporarystay%2Fpolicy305-2551_en.pdf&ei=Weo9T43IKMvJrAeM_L3iBw&usg=AFQjCNG_Fg0bDofQm7BszrO9CKnOLDw7Rg

[Maestro]

Another is the birth certificate requirement, complicated for me because I was adopted, then as an adult I changed my name – this name change was not done by a court officiated change-of-name document. Is the birth certificate a strict requirement?

No birth certificate is needed for the retirement extension. The passport is taken as proof of your birth date, ie as the basis for ascertaining that you meet the age requirement of 50 years or older.

[Jingthing]

Reassuring no doubt, but where is the source for this? Is it based on anecdotal evidence and if so is it limited to the experience of one specific immigration office or does it have a national application?

O-A visa obtained in your home country: medical form and police report required.

Annual retirement extensions in Thailand: no medical form, no police report

You DO NOT need to start with an O-A from your home country but that is an option.

Thaivisa forum is often a better source of information than the embassy visa sites. They are focused on what they do which is limited. They aren't plugged into the entire process that happens IN Thailand.

But you need to ask questions until you understand the options, and what visa strategy works best for you.

[JimGant]

3. Channels to submit application

Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located onGovernment Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889.

The MFA website is still being unhelpful with incorrect information. The above, from the referenced website in the initial post, are the channels for obtaining a Non Imm O-A visa. And they CANNOT be obtained in Thailand. Why MFA still believes Thai Immigration issues O-A retirement visas is perplexing.

The Immigration police only issue retirement extensions emanating from a Non Imm O visa. They do not issue O-A visas, and they do not require medical or police reports, as do MFA consulates abroad which *do* issue O-A visas.

Very unhelpful website.

[lopburi3]

But the fact is one year stay is available inside Thailand as they say - it is not called O-A but the "A" means the extension of stay obtained in Thailand (one year). There is nothing false in the quote above at all. That there are less paperwork requirements inside Thailand I suspect is due to your being here in person for investigation if deemed necessary.

[JimGant]

But the fact is one year stay is available inside Thailand as they say - it is not called O-A but the "A" means the extension of stay obtained in Thailand (one year). There is nothing false in the quote above at all.

Perhaps I should have provided more of the quote. Here's a larger, but trimmed, version.

Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay)

1. Eligibility

1.4 Having the nationality of or residence in the country where applicant’s application is submitted.

2. Required Documents

- A letter of verification issued from the country of his or her nationality or residence stating that the applicant has no criminal record (verification shall be valid for not more than three months and should be notarised by notary organsor the applicant’s diplomatic or consular mission).

- A medical certificate issued from the country where the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No.14 (B.E. 2535) (certificate shall be valid for not more than three months and should be notarised by notary organs or the applicant’s diplomatic or consular mission).

3. Channels to submit application

Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located onGovernment Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889.

The subject is clearly Non Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay), euphemistically called the "retirement visa." And when this forum has to admonish someone every other day that a "retirement visa" cannot be obtained in Thailand (but only the equivalent, an extension of stay emanating from a Non Imm O visa), it is annoying to have them retort that "the MFA website says I can." And furthermore, the MFA website says "I have to have a medical and police report as well." Many so admonished probably still believe the MFA website, as I've seen where some have actually obtained police and medical reports before coming to Thailand to get their in-country "Non Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Longstay)" at Chaengwattana. Perhaps if they pondered the "from the country where the application is submitted" they might recognize the truth.

So, I still maintain the quote is wrong, or, at best, misleading. Either way, it certainly is not helpful for newbies trying to figure out what's what.