Best Options Now That In On Voa

[seeker108]

I lived here off and on from 12 until 6 years ago and used several different methods for continuing my stay during those years. Heck, I used to be one of those who knew all the ropes (as much as this is possible anyway) and advised others. But things change here quickly and 6 years is a long time (would be shocked if things had not changed in that time).

Basic Facts: I am from USA. I came in this time from Bali with VOA at BKK airport as no time to arrange visa from outside. I am 59.

Health reasons now prevent me from doing too much research on computer and so any help in thinking this through will be greatly appreciated.

I would like to get into some category where I only need worry about extension no more than once every 90 days (if that) and if possible with only need to go to local immigration office and not make border run. I think I had attained to that level of simplicity last time I was here and I don't think I had gotten a retirement visa (but maybe I did). Maybe OK to get it this time if not too much paper work and expense. I think I had however always just gone with some B or O visa in the past. Sorry, but memory right now not what it used to be. I will look through my passport to see if this shows anything.helpful. OK, would love to hear your suggestions on the long term picture with the above in mind. Is retirement visa not too complicated or expensive? Can i get this without needing to go out again to first obtain some other visa?

For the short term, one thing that a close friend had done in the past and knew of numbers of others who did as well was to FedEx his passport to his home in USA and had them FedEx to local honorary Thai consulate representative who sent it back to his home and then they sent back to him with a proper 90 day visa in it. Can't remember the logistics of what he did next, but I think he went to the Burma border by land and got stamped out with his then current VOA and then came back in showing the new 90 visa and so extension was not needed. Can something like this still be done? Or what other methods do you suggest for getting a proper 90 day visa or whatever it is I need to get to my more permanent status?

Thanks so much to those who are currently "in-the-know" and willing to post some of your knowledge even though I am sure much of this is already in some thread.

[NancyL]

Welcome back to Thailand!

I think you actually recently arrived on 30 day visa exempt status, not VOA.

It would seem that an O visa with a 12-month extension due to retirement would be the easiest route to long-stay status, provided you meet the financial requirements. You obviously meet the age requirements. You can apply for a 90 day O visa during your 30 day visa exempt period. Not every Immigration office will do this, but Bangkok and Chiang Mai definitely will. During the final 30 days of that 90 day O visa, you return to the immigration office and obtain a 12-month permission to stay based on retirement. That you could do at any Immigration office, not just Bangkok and CM, once you have the O visa in your passport.

No need to leave the country and certainly no need to send your passport all over the world.

[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

[seeker108]

Wow, can things have changed for the better so much in that way??? It seems I recall that 6 or more years ago that if you entered without a proper visa that you could do some short extensions, but needed to finally leave the country to get a proper visa. This is great news if I understand correctly.

From something else that I just read, I may also qualify for some medical permission as I am here for extensive testing and treatment because of a messed up foot surgery last year on Bali. But not sure if that is a temporary expedient or something more long term, or even necessary as a short term help based on your post. But maybe helpful to use instead of retirement visa?

What is the cost of the retirement visa these days? And how much to pay someone here in CM to cut through the red tape and help with the processing? Always did myself in the past, but now will probably prefer the help. I think I must have actually gotten the retirement visa before. I remember now having gone through at least most of the steps. The income level is more than enough but perhaps a bit dicey to show as it comes to me into a company I set up in Hong Kong that I half own and control as director rather than as personal income. No strong desire to plop 800,000 into a local account, at least just yet.

[seeker108]

BTW, much thanks to both NancyL and LB for the posted replies. Most helpful and kind

[Mario2008]

Medical is temporary and only for 90 days at a time, till you well enough to travel.

Conversion for reason of retirement is easier and for 1 year at a time.

[seeker108]

Thanks all! I knew I could count on all of you collectively to have all of the latest info. I always enjoyed this community and sharing what I could as well in past years Very heart warming.

Just curious, when did the rules change so that you can now convert while in the country to a proper visa from visa exempt status rather than doing the short extensions? And why is it that people still do the border crossing runs just to get 2 week extensions? Or is that something that comes into play after your 90 days if you can not get something more long term like a retirement visa?

[Mario2008]

The possibility of conversion was created in 2006 (or 2005).

People do border runs because they do not qualify for an extension of stay. The rules for getting an extension of stay are more strict than for getting a visa.

[Lite Beer]

The fee for the conversion to Non Imm O Visa is 2,000 Baht.

The fee for Retirement Extension is 1,900 baht.

[bendejo]

Welcome back to Thailand!

I think you actually recently arrived on 30 day visa exempt status, not VOA.

It would seem that an O visa with a 12-month extension due to retirement would be the easiest route to long-stay status, provided you meet the financial requirements. You obviously meet the age requirements. You can apply for a 90 day O visa during your 30 day visa exempt period. Not every Immigration office will do this, but Bangkok and Chiang Mai definitely will. During the final 30 days of that 90 day O visa, you return to the immigration office and obtain a 12-month permission to stay based on retirement. That you could do at any Immigration office, not just Bangkok and CM, once you have the O visa in your passport.

No need to leave the country and certainly no need to send your passport all over the world.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but can you tell me if (to your knowledge) one can come and go from the kingdom during either the 90 day or 1-year period?

[seeker108]

Thanks again to all of you! The land of smiles is looking brighter. It really seems, to me at least, that things have improved quite a bit in the the past 6 years. I was quite worried about coming in on the exempt status and the complications that would ensue, but it seems that I need not have worried so much.

[Mario2008]

Welcome back to Thailand!

I think you actually recently arrived on 30 day visa exempt status, not VOA.

It would seem that an O visa with a 12-month extension due to retirement would be the easiest route to long-stay status, provided you meet the financial requirements. You obviously meet the age requirements. You can apply for a 90 day O visa during your 30 day visa exempt period. Not every Immigration office will do this, but Bangkok and Chiang Mai definitely will. During the final 30 days of that 90 day O visa, you return to the immigration office and obtain a 12-month permission to stay based on retirement. That you could do at any Immigration office, not just Bangkok and CM, once you have the O visa in your passport.

No need to leave the country and certainly no need to send your passport all over the world.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but can you tell me if (to your knowledge) one can come and go from the kingdom during either the 90 day or 1-year period?

With a still valid O-A-visa tht woud be possible, as long as you return in the period the visa itself is valid.

On an extension of stay, or on a single non-O entry of 90 days one would need to get a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand. (and return before the permission to stay ends)

[seeker108]

Valid and on topic question bandejo. I would not mind hearing the answer myself. I would guess it is certainly yes to the one year and probably 90 days as well, but may require some extra processing. let's see what the sages have to say. :-)

[CharlieH]

If using the 1 yr extension of stay many people get a re-entry permit at time of application to avoid any future issues if you have to leave quickly for some reason. Most get (buy) a minimum of a single re-entry , many get (buy) a multiple at 3800 baht so as to give the ability to come and go as you please during the 1 yr extension.

The 90 day reporting clock restarts each time you re-enter the Kingdom.

Edited February 19, 2012 by CharlieH

[NancyL]

As an American, the OP would go to the Am. consulate in Chiang Mai for the income letter and they don't care about the source of the income -- doesn't have to be something specific like government pension, etc. Be advised that you do need to make appointments in advance at the Am. consulate and sometimes the time slots fill up two or three weeks in advance, especially during holidays. It's also possible to make appointments for visa conversions and extensions at CM Immigration, but those slots are filling up 6 - 8 weeks in advance. But, you can come in as a "walk-in" unlike at the Am. consulate where you HAVE to have an appointment unless it's a dire emergency.

Thai immigration officers have the ability to ask to inspect documentation for proof of income -- something beyond the Am. consulate income letter. I recall just one reported case where this happened in Chiang Mai and it was for a marriage extension, not a retirement extension. However, they often ask about sources of income and it helps to have a credible story, as in the OP's story of regular income from a venture overseas. Hubby and I have been asked a couple times, we tell our story, start to get papers out of a briefcase and they just wave them away, as in "mai pen rai".

The conversion and extension process I outlined in my earlier post can definitely be done as a D-I-Y project in CM. No need to use an agent. But, if the OP is pressed for time or has health issues, then it may be a good investment to use a visa agent to expedite the process. Many people do that for their initial conversion and first 12 month extension and then go it alone for the future.

[bendejo]

I seem to be in the same position as the OP. I started a thread on the same topic a few days ago, but the action seems to have moved here. I've spent a good bit of time in Thailand and SEA over the past ten years, and have been doing it on tourist visas and extensions. I'm looking for a retirement visa, no wife kids job etc.

Ok, so first I get the 90 day O, then I apply for the one-year extension.

In #3 above (thanks LB), are the requirements for the retirement extension, but when I begin the initial process for the original 90 days non-Imm visa what do I have to show?

Per ministry's web page (http://www.mfa.go.th...482.php?id=2489) and what people on here have posted about not needing a birth certificate, it looks like I would just have to show 20k baht (would US$2k in traveler's checks do it?), as well as the filled-in forms and photos, of course. The other stuff about proof of ongoing income won't come up until I file for the extension.

Is that correct?

Edited February 19, 2012 by bendejo

[lopburi3]

If for retirement being over age 50 is the normal requirement for single entry non immigrant O visa to start the process. But in home countries they may not provide from official Consulates as they have an option to provide visa/extension combined in such case called long stay or non immigrant O-A visa.

[bendejo]

I would either have my tourist visa converted in Bangkok, or could apply for the imm. in Vientiane, maybe even KL.

How's that?

[lopburi3]

If you have more than a couple weeks reaming conversion in Bangkok for 2k would be easy (you have to have proof of money in bank or income but it does not have to meet any time requirement for conversion.

[NancyL]

I seem to be in the same position as the OP. I started a thread on the same topic a few days ago, but the action seems to have moved here. I've spent a good bit of time in Thailand and SEA over the past ten years, and have been doing it on tourist visas and extensions. I'm looking for a retirement visa, no wife kids job etc.

Ok, so first I get the 90 day O, then I apply for the one-year extension.

In #3 above (thanks LB), are the requirements for the retirement extension, but when I begin the initial process for the original 90 days non-Imm visa what do I have to show?

Per ministry's web page (http://www.mfa.go.th...482.php?id=2489) and what people on here have posted about not needing a birth certificate, it looks like I would just have to show 20k baht (would US$2k in traveler's checks do it?), as well as the filled-in forms and photos, of course. The other stuff about proof of ongoing income won't come up until I file for the extension.

Is that correct?

Yes, USD2k in traveler's checks would definitely do it, at least in CM, but I've never known them to ask for it in the cases that I'm familiar with. I've heard that just showing them a credit card with an appropriate credit limit would be enough, also.

Definitely do not need a birth certificate.

This posting made me realize I don't really know the answer about the 800,000 baht account or the income letter. I'm familiar with the details of about 15 - 20 cases in CM and in every case the person either showed that they'd opened a Thai bank acount and the money would be suitably aged when they came in 60 days later for a 12-month retirement extension or they showed up with an income letter from their consulate which the Immigration officer definitely looked at and KEPT (making it necessary to fork over the big baht for another income letter from the consulate for the 12-month retirement extension 60 days later). This is a point I'd love to clarify next time I'm aware of someone converting visa exempt to a 90-day O visa, but most people I know would rather "be safe than sorry" and go the extra mile to either get an income letter or bring their new Thai bank book with them.

[lopburi3]

For entry conversion you need to meet the requirement for extension of stay except the money does not have to have been seasoned - for actual extension it will have to be if using that method.

[bendejo]

(...) or they showed up with an income letter from their consulate which the Immigration officer definitely looked at and KEPT (making it necessary to fork over the big baht for another income letter from the consulate for the 12-month retirement extension 60 days later).

(...)

What does the US consulate charge for such a letter?

[lopburi3]

Income Affidavit

The Thai government requires all U.S. citizens with Thai retirement visas to verify their income when they renew their retirement visa annually. Please fill out the income affidavit (PDF 23KB). Please remember not to sign the form before you come to the office. You will need to sign it in front of a Consul.

Fee: $50

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/notarial-services.html