Non-Imm Cat 'o' To Retirement Visa - Rules, Financial Requirements ?

[crazydrummerpauly]

Hi,

I do know there is a wealth of information and opinion on every aspect of getting visas to stay in Thailand in this Forum - but i'm drowning in that wealth, and after over an hour of searching, i'm failing to find a really simple outline of what i need to know. (My fault !)

My question is : regarding the conversion of a Non-Immigrant Cat 'O', (multiple-entry), into a Retirement Visa, for a man over 65 already in Thailand, and in receipt of a UK state pension and some other income -

1) What exactly are the financial requirements simply stated ? - including the possibility of meeting them with a combination of savings & monthly income ?

2) I have heard two opinions about where the cash has to be deposited - some say in a Thai bank, for at least 3 months; others say they've got a retirement visa from within the UK (Hull), by showing savings in a UK account ? Are both true ? If from Hull, is a 'lesser' stamp in some way ?

3) Is a letter from the British Embassy, Bangkok essential to prove income; and does it need translating into Thai ? How 'old' is it allowed to be ? Does it always require an in-person visit to the Embassy ?

4) How far back does the proof of income have to go in bank statements ?

5) With the combination route, is there a rule about the Proportion of savings to income or vice versa ? Or to put it another way : does one part have to be a minimum %age ?

6) Where in Thailand, or surrounding countries, does one have to go to actually do the application for Retirement Visa ? Is it a fast procedure or a stay overnight or ?

7) Does the whole process have to be gone through from scratch every 12 months ?

8) Is there a document somewhere either inside or outside TV, which really covers all the bases in this topic ?

Thanks in advance.

[Ginkas]

Technically there is no such thing as a 'Retirement Visa'.

You either get a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa from a full Thai consular office in your home country OR

an Extension of Stay from your local Thai Immigration office for Retirement purposes.

For the Extension of Stay:

1. 800,000 Baht in your own bank account in Thailand for two months certified with a letter from your bank (three months for subsequent applications);

OR 65,000 a month income certified by your Embassy;

OR a combination of the above, with both certifying letters.

2. Must be in a Thai Bank in Your name only;

3.Letter from British Embassy must be in English and obtained 'recently'.

4.The embassy specify what they will accept as evidence of income. Bank statements alone may not be enough, depends on the information they contain, but must prove a full year's income.

5.No percentage required.

6. Local Immigration office for your extension (home country for a visa).

7. Virtually, yes.

8. Plenty of details on this site - thousands do it every year, me included.

For O-A Visa:

Wait for details from someone who has got one.

More complicated than extension - police and medical reports required.

In the UK only the Thai Consular office in London can issue an O-A visa.

Hull and other Honourary Consulates can issue multiple entry Non-Immigrant 'O' visas - but even they might have some restrictions.

[Maestro]

Let's start with your last question:

8) Is there a document somewhere either inside or outside TV, which really covers all the bases in this topic ?

You are already in Thailand with a permission to stay for 90 days, based on your latest entry into Thailand with your multiple-entry non-O visa, and now you want to continue to live in Thailand based on retirement. For this purpose, you go to your local immigration office and apply with the form TM.7 for an extension of stay for the reason of retirement. Paragraph 2.22 of Thai Police Order 778/2551 and of Immigration Bureau Order 305/2551 give you full details of what is required and answers your questions regarding the financial requirements.

Regarding your other questions:

1. Either income of not less than 65,000 Baht per month, or a balance of not less than 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account, or a combination of both totalling not less than 800,000 Baht.

2. For the first retirement extension, if you apply with 800k in the bank, the money money must have been in the account for not less than two months prior to the application date, for subsequent applications three months.

3. If you use income or a combination of income and money in the bank, you need a letter from your consulate. I believe the British embassy in Bangkok can do it by mail. Check their website or wait for another member to post the information. With the combination income and money, the money does not have to be in the bank for a minimum period.

4. Proof of income should cover a period of 12 months and is usually in the form of an attestation by the entity paying the income, eg employer, pension agency, etc.

5. There is no rule as to what proportion must be income for the combination route.

6. Your situation does not require application for a new visa at a Thai consulate. It is an application for extension of stay for retirement that you need to make, at your local immigration office.

7. You have to make a new application for extension of stay every 12 months, following the same procedure as for the first application except that if you use only money in the bank the money will have to be in your account for at least three months before your application. Make your application for extension any time during the last 30 days of your current permission to stay; the one-year extension will always be added to the end of your current permission to stay.

[lopburi3]

And the cost will be 1,900 baht for the TM.7 one year extension of stay for retirement. Only additional costs will be Embassy letter (in Thai or English) of income and bank letter of account balance. You do during the last 30 days of any non immigrant O visa entry. You have copies of your passport data page/visa/arrival stamp and departure card. A 4x6cm photo for TM.7 taken within six months. Some proof of where you live, contract/receipt or such and perhaps a map to location. Upcountry two sets may be required. Very simple process.

Remember once on extension of stay re-entry permits will be required for external travel to maintain that extension.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Many many thanks for the amazing replies from Ginkas, Maestro, and Lopburi3. I truly appreciate the time taken and the knowledge shared. A swift print-out now to make sure i do not lose these answers and the valuable links at any time down the road !

• This from Maestro is v.important :"3. If you use income or a combination of income and money in the bank, you need a letter from your consulate. I believe the British embassy in Bangkok can do it by mail. Check their website or wait for another member to post the information. With the combination income and money, the money does not have to be in the bank for a minimum period." because of the 2 points - 1) the possibility that the Embassy part can be done by post - as i'm up in the far north-east of Isaan - could that postal method be confirmed by anyone ?; and 2) the fact that the money does not have to be in a bank for a minimum period IF the combo-method is used. Maestro : is that 100% ?
  

• Thanks for this from Ginkas : this is news to me : "Technically there is no such thing as a 'Retirement Visa'." Got it.
  

• And this interests me a lot : "For O-A Visa: Wait for details from someone who has got one. More complicated than extension - police and medical reports required. In the UK only the Thai Consular office in London can issue an O-A visa." For the O-A - the cash needs to be in a UK bank? or ...
  
• 
  
• This from Lopburi3 has got me pondering in a new direction : "Remember once on extension of stay re-entry permits will be required for external travel to maintain that extension." I need to find out what/where/how to get 'Re-Entry Permits' - a whole new ball-game for me.
  

Thanks again.

[lopburi3]

You obtain from the immigration office providing the extension of stay after obtaining it at 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi entry or at airport prior to departure during immigration processing.

[crazydrummerpauly]

Hi and thanks for all the solid information already contributed. One small question : With regard to the application for the Retirement Extension having to be made during the last 3 months of a Category 'O' non-immigrant visa - is that the last 3 months (i.e. those between 9 and 12 months), or the 'last last' 3 months - i.e., the final 90 days given on entering Thailand for the last time on that Cat 'O' ? (which actually gets a 15-month stay from the Cat 'O'). Thanks in advance :-)

[lopburi3]

You make application during the last 30 days of any 90 day entry. You do not have to wait until the visa expires if you do not want.

[TerryLH]

You apply within the last 30 days of any 90 days stay.