Retirement Visa Vs. ?

[SpokaneAl]

Effective this past winter, we have become snowbirds and plan on spending four to six months each year in our home in Thailand. We just returned to the US after four months in Thailand.

During this past visit I traveled to Thailand via a Non Immigrant Type O Visa (for the purpose of visiting family). At the 90 day point I applied for and received a 60 day extension which covered the remainder of my stay.

In that next year we are planning on staying up to six months, my thought was that I would apply for a Retirement Visa - income/age etc. are not a problem and it seems that an advantage to me would be that I would not need to go through any renewal process prior to our six month visit ending. It would also help me sleep a bit better knowing that I just must check in each 90 days vs. being beholden to the local immigration office and generating the need to apply for an extension.

I would apply for the Retirement Visa via the Los Angeles Thai Embassy prior to coming to Thailand.

It also appears to me from reading forum posts, that I could only get a single 60 extension with the Non Immigrant Type O Visa (for the purpose of visiting family) which could, without a border run (if that is the solution) leave me a bit short, time wise.

However, in reading forum discussions here I have come across the following -

Any applicant married to a Thai citizen may be able to receive a visa on that basis rather than retirement.

I have not found any info on the specifics of a visa based on marriage to a Thai citizen so that I can compare the alternatives and make the best choice. Is that visa based on marriage also a one year visa?

Could you fine people enlighten me on the differences between the Retirement Visa and one based on being married to a Thai citizen?

Also, am I making reasonable assumptions in my conclusion that a Retirement Visa would work best for me?

[ubonjoe]

It is an extension of stay at immigration based upon having a Thai wife that would be valid for one year.

You would need to show 400K baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or prove an income of 40K baht proven by an income affidavit from the US embassy.

When applying for the extension you will given a stamp that tell you to report back after 30 days while they consider your application.

The problem with extensions in your case would be that you would need to be in Thailand each year to apply for the extension before it expires.

[lopburi3]

Believe "we" means his spouse most likely lives with him in USA rather than Thailand so such an extension would not likely be available as issued to visit spouse living in Thailand.

But multi entry non immigrant O visas most likely would be from an Honorary Consulate by mail and that would only require a border crossing to obtain a new 90 day stay and no visits to immigration for address reporting.

Or obtain single entry O visa for first entry next year and then extend for retirement after 60 days and then each year do the same. Will require single re-entry permit prior to leaving each time also.

[ubonjoe]

His wife is Thai and here with him why couldn't he get the extension of stay based upon having a Thai wife? I don't think there is any rule that says she has to stay in Thailand full time to get one.

[lopburi3]

They are not here in Thailand for one.

We just returned to the US after four months in Thailand.

As for next year he will need the non immigrant visa for entry and retirement would be the easier option for extensions even if they would allow Thai wife on a temporary visit. But really believe a multi entry O visa would be easier all around and they could use for a weekend away.

[Langsuan Man]

Once again we are going to play: what does the OP really mean and what is his situation really

But I'll play along. Since we are allowed to guess what his situation is, I am going to guess that his Thai wife has a Thai passport and thus does not need a visa

My suggestion, since he goes back to the US every year , is that he get an O-A Multiple Entry Visa (long stay) which will cover him for "two winters" so long as he times obtaining the visa correctly. I would not get it from the Consulate in Los Angeles since they (and Chicago) are the only two consulates in the US that require that supporting documents (bank or income statement, medical, and police check) to be notarized

Instead I would apply by mail to the Embassy in Washington for the O-A Multiple and with Express Mail (which they prefer anyway) it is just as fast as dealing with LA from Spokane (once again guessing that the OP is from there due to his nick)

[ubonjoe]

He could send application to the embassy but they might return it to him and inform him he must use the consulate in LA. The embassy and official consulates do have areas assigned to them.

[Langsuan Man]

Not a requirement to use a consulate for mail applications, the Thai Embassy will accept an application from anywhere in the US

[SpokaneAl]

Believe "we" means his spouse most likely lives with him in USA rather than Thailand so such an extension would not likely be available as issued to visit spouse living in Thailand.

But multi entry non immigrant O visas most likely would be from an Honorary Consulate by mail and that would only require a border crossing to obtain a new 90 day stay and no visits to immigration for address reporting.

Or obtain single entry O visa for first entry next year and then extend for retirement after 60 days and then each year do the same. Will require single re-entry permit prior to leaving each time also.

You are correct. My wife of 37 years will travel back and forth with me on our annual snowbird visits to Thailand.

[SpokaneAl]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful, insightful responses. I am new to this forum and via my one albeit somewhat confusing query, the gracious people of this forum have provided me more clear, direct instructions and clarity than I was able to find in a number of months of floundering around on the Thai Embassy website and through calls to the LA Consulate.

Thank you again.

[ubonjoe]

Not a requirement to use a consulate for mail applications, the Thai Embassy will accept an application from anywhere in the US

Maybe so but they also have a 10 day turnaround time posted on website for mail in application. Also see this webpage from Chicago consulate website that has a map showing jurisdiction for the embassy and official consulates. http://www.thaiconsulatechicago.org/jurisdiction_en.php

For any visa other than an OA I suggest using on of the honorary consulates that normally do same day turnaround of mailed in applications.