Is There A Multiple Entry Retirement Visa?

[Asiantravel]

If you get a retirement Visa for Thailand is it possible to get multiple entry so that you can leave the country whenever you want during that year? And if there is one like this how much does it cost please?

Edited May 6, 2013 by Asiantravel

[lopburi3]

The visa for this is called multi entry non immigrant O-A from your home country Thai Consulage with police check/medical and proof of financials. Its official name is Long Stay.

But most people extend that or a non immigrant O visa entry for one year retirement at immigration inside Thailand and for travel obtain re-entry permit at 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi.

[Asiantravel]

The visa for this is called multi entry non immigrant O-A from your home country Thai Consulage with police check/medical and proof of financials. Its official name is Long Stay.

But most people extend that or a non immigrant O visa entry for one year retirement at immigration inside Thailand and for travel obtain re-entry permit at 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi.

thanks.

Does this mean I would have to return to my country to apply for this or would I be able to apply for it in somewhere like Savannakhet ?

[Crossy]

This visa is only available from Embassies in your home country, medical and police check required.

[ubonjoe]

But you can get a single entry non immigrant o-visa at any nearby consulate that gives a 90 day entry that can be extended for one year at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements 800K baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or 65K baht income proven by an income letter from your embassy.

You can then get a multiple re-entry permit which would be valid for the length of your extension.

Edited May 6, 2013 by ubonjoe

[lopburi3]

And with proof of meeting the financial conditions you could even do from a current entry with more than 15 days remaining for 2,000 baht fee at immigration office if easier than getting visa at Consulate and money or embassy letter available now.

[Asiantravel]

But you can get a single entry non immigrant o-visa at any nearby consulate that gives a 90 day entry that can be extended for one year at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements 800K baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or 65K baht income proven by an income letter from your embassy.

You can then get a multiple re-entry permit which would be valid for the length of your extension.

thanks for that ! This sounds ok and will avoid me having to spend 30,000 baht on a return ticket to my country solely for this purpose.

I will have the 800,000 this week ( right now it has been held up somewhere in the transfer process to Bangkok bank ) but then I will have to wait for it to be in the bank for 60 days.

Is Savanakhet a good place to get the single entry non immigrant o-visa ?

Edited May 6, 2013 by Asiantravel

[lopburi3]

Once in bank you can request change of current status to non immigrant O visa entry which gives 90 days stay (and plenty of time to meet the 60 day bank deposit requirement) for the extension of stay application later.

[Asiantravel]

Once in bank you can request change of current status to non immigrant O visa entry which gives 90 days stay (and plenty of time to meet the 60 day bank deposit requirement) for the extension of stay application later.

great ! thanks :-)

[Asiantravel]

Once in bank you can request change of current status to non immigrant O visa entry which gives 90 days stay (and plenty of time to meet the 60 day bank deposit requirement) for the extension of stay application later.

Are these all the documents I would need to take to the Savanakhet consulate ?

1. Application form T.M.

2. Copy of passport

3. One 4 x 6 cm photo. 4/. 500 baht fee.

5. proof of money of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank

6. medical certificate

[lopburi3]

TM will be 86 or 85 depending if visa exempt or tourist visa entry.

Have copy passport date/entry visa if have/entry stamp and departure card.

Have photo(s) (more than one may be required).

Fee will be 2,000 baht as I earlier stated.

Bank passbook and copy plus letter of account balance from bank manager.

Most places do not require medical certificate.

You should have some proof of where living as that determines where you may apply - although Bangkok will always accept if local office will not.

[ubonjoe]

Once in bank you can request change of current status to non immigrant O visa entry which gives 90 days stay (and plenty of time to meet the 60 day bank deposit requirement) for the extension of stay application later.

Are these all the documents I would need to take to the Savanakhet consulate ?

1. Application form T.M.

2. Copy of passport

3. One 4 x 6 cm photo. 4/. 500 baht fee.

5. proof of money of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank

6. medical certificate

That would be the requirements at immigration to get an extension or a non immigrant visa entry. An extension costs 1900 baht and non immigrant visa entry would be 2000 baht.

A medical certificate would not be required.

For Savannakhet all you would only need your passport and copy of photo page and pay 2000 baht for the visa.

[Asiantravel]

Once in bank you can request change of current status to non immigrant O visa entry which gives 90 days stay (and plenty of time to meet the 60 day bank deposit requirement) for the extension of stay application later.

Are these all the documents I would need to take to the Savanakhet consulate ?

1. Application form T.M.

2. Copy of passport

3. One 4 x 6 cm photo. 4/. 500 baht fee.

5. proof of money of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank

6. medical certificate

That would be the requirements at immigration to get an extension or a non immigrant visa entry. An extension costs 1900 baht and non immigrant visa entry would be 2000 baht.

A medical certificate would not be required.

For Savannakhet all you would only need your passport and copy of photo page and pay 2000 baht for the visa.

Thanks

[Asiantravel]

TM will be 86 or 85 depending if visa exempt or tourist visa entry.

Have copy passport date/entry visa if have/entry stamp and departure card.

Have photo(s) (more than one may be required).

Fee will be 2,000 baht as I earlier stated.

Bank passbook and copy plus letter of account balance from bank manager.

Most places do not require medical certificate.

You should have some proof of where living as that determines where you may apply - although Bangkok will always accept if local office will not.

Thanks

[OJAS]

But you can get a single entry non immigrant o-visa at any nearby consulate that gives a 90 day entry that can be extended for one year at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements 800K baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or 65K baht income proven by an income letter from your embassy.

You can then get a multiple re-entry permit which would be valid for the length of your extension.

thanks for that ! This sounds ok and will avoid me having to spend 30,000 baht on a return ticket to my country solely for this purpose.

I will have the 800,000 this week ( right now it has been held up somewhere in the transfer process to Bangkok bank ) but then I will have to wait for it to be in the bank for 60 days.

Is Savanakhet a good place to get the single entry non immigrant o-visa ?

The reason for the delay in your 800,000 THB transfer is probably due to the fact that all foreign exchange transfers into Thailand equalling more than 20,000 USD have to be declared. Based on my experience of requesting such a transfer some years back, Bangkok Bank may ask you to complete a form before finalising the transfer.

Incidentally, if you're a Brit and didn't already know, you can make internet transfers from your UK account to your Bangkok Bank account via Bangkok Bank's London branch - see http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUK/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUK.aspx. In my experience these are equally quick as and much cheaper than SWIFT transfers.

I gather that a similar facility exists for our American cousins via Bangkok Bank's New York branch.

Edited May 7, 2013 by OJAS

[Asiantravel]

But you can get a single entry non immigrant o-visa at any nearby consulate that gives a 90 day entry that can be extended for one year at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements 800K baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or 65K baht income proven by an income letter from your embassy.

You can then get a multiple re-entry permit which would be valid for the length of your extension.

thanks for that ! This sounds ok and will avoid me having to spend 30,000 baht on a return ticket to my country solely for this purpose.

I will have the 800,000 this week ( right now it has been held up somewhere in the transfer process to Bangkok bank ) but then I will have to wait for it to be in the bank for 60 days.

Is Savanakhet a good place to get the single entry non immigrant o-visa ?

The reason for the delay in your 800,000 THB transfer is probably due to the fact that all foreign exchange transfers into Thailand equalling more than 20,000 USD have to be declared. Based on my experience of requesting such a transfer some years back, Bangkok Bank may ask you to complete a form before finalising the transfer.

Incidentally, if you're a Brit and didn't already know, you can make internet transfers from your UK account to your Bangkok Bank account via Bangkok Bank's London branch - see http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUK/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUK.aspx. In my experience these are equally quick as and much cheaper than SWIFT transfers.

I gather that a similar facility exists for our American cousins via Bangkok Bank's New York branch.

" In my experience these are equally quick "

Thanks but I have to disagree with you!

It's been a terrible experience…….. explained in this thread and it still isn't over!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637212-missing-money-from-an-international-transfer-to-bangkok-bank/

Edited May 7, 2013 by Asiantravel

[johntren]

Just for the record, I recently obtained a one-year 'retirement' visa and a multiple-entry stamp in my passport, all on the same day, from immigration in Bangkok. The m-entry cost 3,800 baht if I recall correctly. Good luck!

[lopburi3]

Check your passport - you do not have a visa - you have a one year extension of stay for retirement and a multi re-entry permit. Immigration cost was 1,900 baht for the TM.7 extension of stay application and 3,800 baht for the multi re-entry permit.

[OJAS]

But you can get a single entry non immigrant o-visa at any nearby consulate that gives a 90 day entry that can be extended for one year at immigration if you can meet the financial requirements 800K baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or 65K baht income proven by an income letter from your embassy.

You can then get a multiple re-entry permit which would be valid for the length of your extension.

thanks for that ! This sounds ok and will avoid me having to spend 30,000 baht on a return ticket to my country solely for this purpose.

I will have the 800,000 this week ( right now it has been held up somewhere in the transfer process to Bangkok bank ) but then I will have to wait for it to be in the bank for 60 days.

Is Savanakhet a good place to get the single entry non immigrant o-visa ?

The reason for the delay in your 800,000 THB transfer is probably due to the fact that all foreign exchange transfers into Thailand equalling more than 20,000 USD have to be declared. Based on my experience of requesting such a transfer some years back, Bangkok Bank may ask you to complete a form before finalising the transfer.

Incidentally, if you're a Brit and didn't already know, you can make internet transfers from your UK account to your Bangkok Bank account via Bangkok Bank's London branch - see http://www.bangkokbank.com/bangkokbank/personalbanking/dailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUK/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUK.aspx. In my experience these are equally quick as and much cheaper than SWIFT transfers.

I gather that a similar facility exists for our American cousins via Bangkok Bank's New York branch.

" In my experience these are equally quick "

Thanks but I have to disagree with you!

It's been a terrible experience…….. explained in this thread and it still isn't over!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637212-missing-money-from-an-international-transfer-to-bangkok-bank/

I have now added a response on that thread. However, I do have strong reservations about the wisdom of seasoning 800,000 THB in any bank account here for retirement extension purposes, which I would like to share with you here.

In my response on your other thread, I referred to an experience a few years ago of transferring more than 20,000 USD to my former Krung Thai account. I ceased using that account following a couple of sizeable phantom ATM cash withdrawals from some individual who had clearly cloned my debit card.

And, would you believe it, exactly the same thing then happened with my replacement Kasikorn account! Again, someone cloned my debit card and used it to make sizeable cash withdrawals from an ATM over 300km away from where I live!!

I suspect that I may have been particularly unlucky since I was not aware of this being a widespread problem when I raised this issue on Thaivisa at the time. However, the fact that lightning has struck twice in the same place in my case has made me very wary about holding large amounts in bank accounts here.

What I now do is to hold all my money in my UK account and only transfer to my existing Bangkok Bank account each month the amount I need to live on. In addition, I have dispensed with a debit card, with the cumulative result that the problem now appears to have been solved. However, my fingers are firmly crossed that these don’t turn out to be famous last words!

I shudder to think what might have happened had I deposited 800,000 THB into my Krung Thai or Kasikorn accounts, only to discover at retirement extension time that the phantom ATM withdrawer had struck in the meantime, leaving me short of the required amount! Fortunately, I am able to prove my monthly income to Immigration on the basis of an Embassy letter – which, for me, is by far and away the preferred method in the light of my previous experiences. But maybe that option is not available to you, meaning that you have little choice other than to take your chances.

Edited May 8, 2013 by OJAS

[ubonjoe]

Don't get an ATM/Debit card for the account with 800K baht in it would be the best solution. If using it to live on open another account with card and simply transfer funds (internet bank would make this easy) into this account as needed.

[Asiantravel]

Don't get an ATM/Debit card for the account with 800K baht in it would be the best solution. If using it to live on open another account with card and simply transfer funds (internet bank would make this easy) into this account as needed.

“sizeable phantom ATM cash withdrawals from some individual who had clearly cloned my debit card”

if you keep the card on you at all times and virtually never use it, how can they do this unless it's with the assistance of someone working at the bank?

[ubonjoe]

I guess you have never heard of credit card skimming.

Check this search results for info: https://www.google.co.th/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=credit%20card%20skimming&oq=&gs_l=&pbx=1&fp=ca1efe284861cf88&ion=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46471029,d.bmk&biw=1024&bih=677

The point of my post was the advise to never have a large balance in any account that can be accessed by an ATM/Debit card.

Edited May 14, 2013 by ubonjoe

[mahjongguy]

"never have a large balance in any account that can be accessed by an ATM/Debit card."

Amen to that. It's a sweet and simple solution. I started doing that about 5 years ago when I first read about card skimming in Thailand. One account nicknamed HOLD and one nicknamed ATM.

You can also pay a few baht per month per account to have any and all credits/debits reported to you via SMS. Reassuring all around. When I use my debit card, I get an SMS showing the amount debited before I've even had a chance to finish signing my name on the purchase slip.

[sitta]

Once in bank you can request change of current status to non immigrant O visa entry which gives 90 days stay (and plenty of time to meet the 60 day bank deposit requirement) for the extension of stay application later.

Are these all the documents I would need to take to the Savanakhet consulate ?

1. Application form T.M.

2. Copy of passport

3. One 4 x 6 cm photo. 4/. 500 baht fee.

5. proof of money of 800,000 baht in a Thai bank

6. medical certificate

That would be the requirements at immigration to get an extension or a non immigrant visa entry. An extension costs 1900 baht and non immigrant visa entry would be 2000 baht.

A medical certificate would not be required.

For Savannakhet all you would only need your passport and copy of photo page and pay 2000 baht for the visa.

Any got a multi entry non O visa from Savannakhet for retirement purpose?

[Obb]

With the intent of acquiring a Non-O Retirement Visa for minimum 1-year stay, without having to return to one's home country,

And, assuming one does not have a current Thai visa, and, that one is able to meet all the requirements for the Retirement visa,

And, being currently in Thailand,

1) The favoured procedure is to visit a "neighbouring country's Thai consulate" and obtain a visa: Correct?

2) If (1) is correct, then which visa should one obtain: Tourist? Retirement? Other?

3) How much does the preferred visa cost and what are the requirements?

4) After having converted or extended (which?) the visa acquired at a neighbouring Thai consulate, must one leave the country every 90 days, or is a mere 90-day check-in the requirement.

[lopburi3]

1. If more than 15 days remaining on current stay you can just visit immigration office for change to non immigrant visa entry at cost of 2,000 baht - proof of financials in account or embassy letter or combination required. Then, normally 60 days later you do normal extension for one year on basis of retirement with financials again. Or you can visit a Consulate for visa.

2. Single entry non immigrant O visa on basis of being over age 50 and planning retirement extensions.

3. 2,000 baht or local exchange amount. At Consulate age is main requirement.

4. Once extension is made it is renewed each year with same financial documents and passport copies. You must report address every 90 days if you do not leave Thailand and if you want to travel obtain a re-entry permit prior to leaving.

[Obb]

Thanks. One more question: Is there a minimum period of time that one's passport must be valid at the time of applying for the visa?

[Mario2008]

For a single non-O normally 6 months left and for a multiple non-O normally 18 months left is required.

For conversion at immigration there is no requirement, but it is always advisable to have at least 6 months left in case you need to travel. many countries have the 6 months requirement for entry.

[mike_rad]

And with proof of meeting the financial conditions you could even do from a current entry with more than 15 days remaining for 2,000 baht fee at immigration office if easier than getting visa at Consulate and money or embassy letter available now.

Have they changed this? When I did it back in 2010 it was 7 days.

[lopburi3]

It has been changed downward to 15 days or a bit less - it was 21 days before.