1 Year Retirement Visa In Cm

[sitta]

Hi All,

Is it possible to get a 1 year retirement visa for an Australian citizen 60+ with 800k already in a thai bank, if he arrived on 30day entry stamp to CM?

Any advise please?

[hellodolly]

I don't know for sure but I think you have to have a 60 day visa to do that. There is a immigration forum that will give you all the details.

Actually probably not as the money has to be in the bank for 60 or 90 days before it is elgable to be used. Many people here in the Chiang Mai area go to Lao and get a 60 day visa and come back. As I said I am not sure on the time requirement to have the money in the bank. If it is 90 days you would have to deposit it let it set a few days then get another 30 day and then get a 60 day.

If you have proof of 60,000 baht a month income and or a letter to that effect from your embassy that will do to meet the requirement.

Not sure it might be 65,000 baht a month.

[hml367]

to the original poster.. I would suggest you go and ask Immigration. No matter what information you get on Thai Visa, you have to do what Immigration tells you to do.

In the past people were able to convert an on arrival or tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O visa. Once you have that visa you would apply for an extension of stay.

You can find conflicting reports of what is required all over the place. Check with Immigration. They are not hard to work with if you are polite and do as they ask.

The form for "changing visa" is form T.M. 86. It is available for download on the Immigration web site. Be sure to check with the Immigration office what you need to do. They can ask for anything they want to satisfy themselves you should be granted the visa.

MSPain

Edited August 17, 2012 by hml367

[zippydedodah]

"letter to that effect" from embassy did not work for me last year...they wanted actual documentation... as always, mileage varies

[hml367]

"letter to that effect" from embassy did not work for me last year...they wanted actual documentation... as always, mileage varies

Which embassy was that? They do ask for proof I believe... not letters to an effect.

What is required to get the visa is not necessarily the same as the requirements for an extension of stay.

MSPain

Edited August 17, 2012 by hml367

[SamSipEt]

I don't know for sure but I think you have to have a 60 day visa to do that. There is a immigration forum that will give you all the details.

Actually probably not as the money has to be in the bank for 60 or 90 days before it is elgable to be used. Many people here in the Chiang Mai area go to Lao and get a 60 day visa and come back. As I said I am not sure on the time requirement to have the money in the bank. If it is 90 days you would have to deposit it let it set a few days then get another 30 day and then get a 60 day.

If you have proof of 60,000 baht a month income and or a letter to that effect from your embassy that will do to meet the requirement.

Not sure it might be 65,000 baht a month.

What a waste of space this post is. No answers whatsoever. Why do people bother to post such dribble ?

to the original poster.. I would suggest you go and ask Immigration. No matter what information you get on Thai Visa, you have to do what Immigration tells you to do.

In the past people were able to convert an on arrival or tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant O visa. Once you have that visa you would apply for an extension of stay.

You can find conflicting reports of what is required all over the place. Check with Immigration. They are not hard to work with if you are polite and do as they ask.

The form for "changing visa" is form T.M. 86. It is available for download on the Immigration web site. Be sure to check with the Immigration office what you need to do. They can ask for anything they want to satisfy themselves you should be granted the visa.

MSPain

A far more useful answer and as suggested immigration is the place to go. Dress nicely be polite, smile and you will get the information that you seek. Of course when you go back next time they might have different requirements. TIT

[zippydedodah]

"letter to that effect" from embassy did not work for me last year...they wanted actual documentation... as always, mileage varies

Which embassy was that? They do ask for proof I believe... not letters to an effect.

What is required to get the visa is not necessarily the same as the requirements for an extension of stay.

MSPain

US embassy...previous 2 yrs, at renewal of spousal visa, i only supplied embassy sworn affidavit... then last november, i was told that embassy affidavit was "not necessary" and requested to bring in documentation (statements from my CalPers retirement sufficed)... and was also told that in the future, the documentation in necessary and not to bother spending the baht on embassy letter. SO i was told last november... what happens this november.. we shall see...

[onthedarkside]

Might get some better answer in Visa section - moving now.

[Lifer]

Posters on this blog ask the same questions over and over and over and over. Nobody makes any effort to find the answers themselves by reading the posts or pinned info, or going to the source. The same people with massive message counts give the same answers over and over and over that nobody seems to read.

Occassionaly there are unusual circumstances that require special answers, but most have been repeated many many times and are found in other websites on the internet. Easier to ask than put in effort to find out.

[lopburi3]

Believe this was answered in another thread. Bank passbook/copies and bank letter are required as well as normal passport copies and submission of TM.87 application for visa. Application needs to also have some proof of Chiang Mai residence as where you apply is determined by where you live. This will cost 2,000 baht and allow a 90 day stay and during last 30 days normal extension of stay for retirement application can be made.

[NancyL]

Well, at least this post is in the correct forum now. Also, I'm in CM and have made following the local rules and regs related to retirement visas a kind of hobby.

The OP needs to get an account verification letter from his bank (charge should just be couple hundred baht max) and copy of all pages of the bankbook, passport photo page, departure card, and visa exempt entry (30 day stamp) to CM Immigration, along with a photo and completed TM 7 form. There is a copy/photo shop at the rear of the Immigration office that sometimes is totally swamped, but the longest I've waited there was 20 minutes for copies/photos. All copies should be signed and dated by the OP.

Then at CM Immigration, OP will apply to "convert" the 30 day visa exempt entry stamp into a 90-day O visa. Wait 60 days and then during the final 30 days of the life of the O visa, repeat the process of the above paragraph, only this time fill out the TM 7 form requesting a 12-month extension of stay due to retirement.

This is the so-called "two-step conversion process" and can be done in CM no problem. It isn't possible to do it in every province -- many will send you to Bangkok to do this.

No need to leave the country, no need for letters from the embassy for someone who has 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for the appropriate period. In this case that's 60 days prior to the time the O visa is extended for 12 months due to retirement. It may not even be necessary to have the initial bank letter, simply having the bank book could be enough for Immigration. But, the bank letter is easy to get and may save having to run back to the bank.

The only problem in doing this in CM is the need to arrive at CM Immigration at 6 am to get a queue number since only a small number of queue tickets are issued each day for visa extensions. You can make an appointment on-line for visa extensions, but they book up 6 - 8 weeks in advance which won't help the OP in converting the 30 day visa exempt stamp into a 90-day O visa.

[NancyL]

Most of the replies on this thread are chocked full of false and misleading info. I hope the excellent mods of the Visa forum will consider removing them.

[mcgriffith]

Most of the replies on this thread are chocked full of false and misleading info. I hope the excellent mods of the Visa forum will consider removing them.

The problem is that sometimes other members apply a template based on their particular circumstance....that don't match at all the OP's parameters.

Thanks to both lopburi3 and NancyL for clarifying and answering the OP's question.

[sitta]

Well, at least this post is in the correct forum now. Also, I'm in CM and have made following the local rules and regs related to retirement visas a kind of hobby.

The OP needs to get an account verification letter from his bank (charge should just be couple hundred baht max) and copy of all pages of the bankbook, passport photo page, departure card, and visa exempt entry (30 day stamp) to CM Immigration, along with a photo and completed TM 7 form. There is a copy/photo shop at the rear of the Immigration office that sometimes is totally swamped, but the longest I've waited there was 20 minutes for copies/photos. All copies should be signed and dated by the OP.

Then at CM Immigration, OP will apply to "convert" the 30 day visa exempt entry stamp into a 90-day O visa. Wait 60 days and then during the final 30 days of the life of the O visa, repeat the process of the above paragraph, only this time fill out the TM 7 form requesting a 12-month extension of stay due to retirement.

This is the so-called "two-step conversion process" and can be done in CM no problem. It isn't possible to do it in every province -- many will send you to Bangkok to do this.

No need to leave the country, no need for letters from the embassy for someone who has 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for the appropriate period. In this case that's 60 days prior to the time the O visa is extended for 12 months due to retirement. It may not even be necessary to have the initial bank letter, simply having the bank book could be enough for Immigration. But, the bank letter is easy to get and may save having to run back to the bank.

The only problem in doing this in CM is the need to arrive at CM Immigration at 6 am to get a queue number since only a small number of queue tickets are issued each day for visa extensions. You can make an appointment on-line for visa extensions, but they book up 6 - 8 weeks in advance which won't help the OP in converting the 30 day visa exempt stamp into a 90-day O visa.

An rental agreement not required?

Thanks for the info.

[Maestro]

...

The only problem in doing this in CM is the need to arrive at CM Immigration at 6 am to get a queue number since only a small number of queue tickets are issued each day for visa extensions. You can make an appointment on-line for visa extensions, but they book up 6 - 8 weeks in advance which won't help the OP in converting the 30 day visa exempt stamp into a 90-day O visa.

Good gracious Lord! Start queuing at 6 am. Are you sure about that? This is tantamount to torture.

[lopburi3]

That is the torture of not having an appointment. The birds are singing - the sun is arising - the smell of coffee is in the air.

[NancyL]

A rental agreement might be a good thing to bring, but I've never been asked for one, except when obtaining a Cert of Residency, of course. It probably won't be required for the initial conversion from 30 day visa exempt to O visa because so many people are in temporary housing when they first arrive. Definitely a good idea to bring along when doing the 12-month retirement extension. Most condo offices can produce a form letter in Thai verifying residency at the condo building. Ours doesn't charge for this service.

And yes, start queueing at 6 am if you want to get a number for a morning slot, maybe as late as 7 am and you'll get a ticket for the afternoon. I've known people who arrive at 7:30 am only to discover all the queue tickets have been "spoken for" that day by people who arrived earlier. Why do you think they started the on-line reservation system? It was getting to the point that shoving matches were breaking out at 7:30 am and people were arriving as early as 4 am!

Edited August 18, 2012 by NancyL

[JimGant]

The only problem in doing this in CM is the need to arrive at CM Immigration at 6 am to get a queue number since only a small number of queue tickets are issued each day for visa extensions.

Hmmmm. CM, to my knowledge, has never done the "two step" conversion/extension in the same day. It's always been: convert, and get a 90-day permission of stay stamp on day one; then, 60 days hence, come back with your TM7, proof of 60 day aging of bank funds (or an original income letter), and your 1900 baht extension fee. (And this for retirement only -- conversions leading to marriage extensions still must be done in Bangkok.) Same day conversions/extensions seem to be done mainly at the beach resort Immigration offices.

Please note that the online queueing system is only for those doing extensions of stay such as work, marriage, business, education and retirement. Do NOT use it for 90 day reporting, re-entry permits, tourist visa extensions or similar matters that can be processed fairly quickly.

And, presumably, DO NOT use it for conversions......

.... so, if I were the OP, I'd look at this as a most-likely two day drill. So, go to Immigration on day one strictly to do a conversion -- whence no queue ticket is required. Get your 90-day stamp, go home, go on-line and get your queue ticket for an extension 60-90 days out (pick closer to 60 for a warmer, fuzzy feeling).

Now, should you be the first to be hit with a new one-day expedite procedure by CM Immigration, do have everything in order you'd need for an extension (although it sounds like you'd need to anyway, as Lop reports you'll need a bank letter, not just an updated passbook, for conversion -- and Nancy says a filled out TM7 is needed for conversion, even tho' it won't be collected, but does give credence as to why the conversion is being requested).

[lopburi3]

Actually there seem to be 4 openings for on-line appointments in the next two weeks on there web site in a check now.

[JimGant]

Actually there seem to be 4 openings for on-line appointments in the next two weeks on there web site in a check now.

All at 1300.... Curious. I wonder if Immigration blocks this time, then releases later as it sees fit....

..... which doesn't make any apparent sense, at least to me -- unless extended lunches somehow come into the equation...

[mania]

Would like to tag onto this thread with a question about the TM-7 form

on a 1 year extension if I may?

Near the bottom where it states... " I wish to apply for an extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom for another period of______ days"

You insert 365 if applying for a 1 year extension? Or are we technically on 4/90 day extensions so we put 90?

Thank You

[lopburi3]

You are on a one year extension so you put 365 days (ignore leap year math).

[mania]

You are on a one year extension so you put 365 days (ignore leap year math).

Thank You lopburi3 & you read my mind about leap year too!

Not that 2013 is a leap year having just had one but I did wonder

[NancyL]

In my experience, I've never know CM immigration to do the "two-step process" in one day, either. Perhaps the process I explained in posting #11 wasn't clear. The OP applies to "convert" the 30 day visa exempt entry into a 90 day O visa and then returns 60+ days later to apply for a 12 month retirement extension.

I know people who have used the on-line appointment system to schedule the process of converting the tourist exempt 30 day stamp into a 90-day O visa without anyone at Immigration saying you can't use an appointment slot for that purpose. The trick is that usually the appointment calendar is full for at least 30 days!

[JimGant]

Perhaps the process I explained in posting #11 wasn't clear. The OP applies to "convert" the 30 day visa exempt entry into a 90 day O visa and then returns 60+ days later to apply for a 12 month retirement extension.

Right. I simply extracted a quote from a pinned article that said the OP apparently *doesn't* need an appointment for the conversion -- only the subsequent return for the the retirement extension.

Please note that the online queueing system is only for those doing extensions of stay

I (maybe wrongly) extracted this "no need for appointment" to apply to not having to stand in the 6AM queue for a similar appointment.

However, after I posted that, I went on to read where the CM appointment system is somewhat convoluted, e.g., some showing up for 90 day reporting having been told to join the queue for an appointment. Others have been admonished by Immigration for wasting appointment slots for 90 day reporting....

So, yeah, how showing up for a conversion would be treated might be interesting. As you say, in at least one case you're familiar with, it was a 'leg up' in the process:

I know people who have used the on-line appointment system to schedule the process of converting the tourist exempt 30 day stamp into a 90-day O visa without anyone at Immigration saying you can't use an appointment slot for that purpose.

Advice for the OP's Aussie buddy? Get an appointment on-line, if you can. Otherwise, forget 6AM (unless that's your thing) -- and show up whenever convenient. CM Immigration's appointment system is, for now anyways, like a box of chocolates.