Retirement Visa If Still Actually Working Offshore - Australia

[mamborobert]

Here's the situation.

For many many years I have obtained a Non Immigrant O at the consulate in Perth (now closed). I know I have had a good run I have no Thai wife and no property in Thailand. Do have along term GF (5 years) and rental and will get married no doubt in a few years but not just to get a visa now.

The visa has allowed me to live 6 months a year (in two trips) in Thailand for the last six years, with little or no hassle for border runs, get licenses, buy a bike open bank account, not have to deal with Thai immigration etc.

Went to another Thai consulate in Australia (after shopping around a bit) and got another year long multiple entry O from March 2012. The consulate made it bloody clear that Perth were soft and they would give me the visa this time as I reach 50 in Feb next year and they were enabling me to get on the "right" visa. So Retirement visa is the go as far as they are concerned, and its pretty much what i thought. I had a good run, the run is over..

I will not be retired for a few more years (by choice), I have a good seasonal direct employmment job where I make more than enough in two lots of three months to support myself being off in Thailand for two lots of three months. Basically I am three months work, three months holiday. Always paid out of Australia but do a lot of work offshore, never Thailand.

I can put the money in a Thai bank account no problems but can I get an income letter instead from my embassy if I am still working?

Does anyone know if the Australian embassy will do an income letter based on pay slips (or say ten years worth of group certificates).

Or, do you have to be retired and on some income stream to get an income letter?

I do not want to muck around with other visas and border runs and a retirement visa will still allow me to do that on the odd accasion where I make a 4 month stay.

Ideas?

Edited May 6, 2012 by mamborobert

[ubonjoe]

Thai immigration does not care if you are still working outside the country when you put in for your retirement extension. You just would want to get multiple re-entry permit when you get your extension.

You will have to talk to the embassy about what they need to issue a income document. Australia I believe do theirs as an affidavit but use a different name for it.

Edited May 6, 2012 by ubonjoe

[lopburi3]

Retirement would be extension of stay, not a visa, and valid for one year stay and you must extend at same time each year for the nest year. There is no requirement to leave after 3 months (only to report address to immigration). To leave you must have re-entry permit as mentioned above. I suspect Embassy will issue letter based on income proof but no direct knowledge of there requirements.

[bapak]

Retirement would be extension of stay, not a visa, and valid for one year stay and you must extend at same time each year for the nest year. There is no requirement to leave after 3 months (only to report address to immigration). To leave you must have re-entry permit as mentioned above. I suspect Embassy will issue letter based on income proof but no direct knowledge of there requirements.

In the past, the procedure at the Australian Embassy has been (do not believe that it has changed).. you go to Embassy and complete a Statutory Declaration detailing your income info, sign in front of a Consular official,who then witnessed your signature and put the Consulate stamp on the Stat Dec. ... collects a few Baht from you and you are on your way.

[moe666]

Thai immigration will not care as long as you have income letter and an address. But for 3 months you could do a tourist visa good for 60 days and an extension for another 30 days at immigration.