Retirement Visa

[egeefay]

My brother-in-law is 65 and is planning on moving from the US to Thailand with his Thai wife in the next few months.

He has applied for a non immigrant visa from the Thai Embassy in Los Angeles but was wondering if it would be possible to travel to Thailand on a tourist visa and then apply for a non immigrant visa in Thailand.

Is that possible?

Edited April 14, 2006 by egeefay

[hereforgood]

I believe he can convert the Tourist to a non immigrant in Thailand.

[Axel]

The easier way is the non-imm O, (to study possibilities for retirment) single entry and than to apply inside 'Thailand (with immigration office) for extension of stay based on retirement for one year from first entry and than just to extent year by year.

[Noel]

My brother-in-law is 65 and is planning on moving from the US to Thailand with his Thai wife in the next few months.

He has applied for a non immigrant visa from the Thai Embassy in Los Angeles but was wondering if it would be possible to travel to Thailand on a tourist visa and then apply for a non immigrant visa in Thailand.

Is that possible?

By 'Tourist Visa' I suspect you mean the 30 days permission to stay that a US citizen would be allowed on arrival?

You cannot apply for a visa once in the Kingdom, visas are only issued by Thai consulates and embassies abroad.

[lopburi3]

No it is not a 30 day entry without visa (that is not a visa). A tourist visa you obtain from a Consulate and it allows a 60 day stay (for most people). That type of visa can be converted to a non immigrant visa by Immigration inside Thailand and then extended for retirement.

But as mentioned it is often easier to just obtain the non immigrant visa in the first place (although LA might not be the easiest place).

But if he receives a multi entry O-A visa from LA he might end up getting about two years before he has to extend it at Immigration so that might make it look a little better. On entry you currently receive a permitted to stay stamp for one year so if you exit and return near the end of the visa validity you receive another year.

[vinny]

See also Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long stay) - visa for retired persons and Non Immigrant Visa.

[Noel]

No it is not a 30 day entry without visa (that is not a visa). A tourist visa you obtain from a Consulate and it allows a 60 day stay (for most people). That type of visa can be converted to a non immigrant visa by Immigration inside Thailand and then extended for retirement.

I am fully aware of that, but many are clearly not.

What I was suggesting was that the OP was making the common mistake of referring to a 30 day Tourist Visa Exemption as a ‘Tourist Visa’ which of course it is not.

As the OP’s brother-in-law has already applied for a Non-Immigrant ‘O’ visa and no mention has been made that his application has been denied, one wonders why he would want to make a second application for a Tourist Visa whilst his first application appears to be pending.

Further clarification required from the OP methinks.

[lopburi3]

We read it differently. I read

travel to Thailand on a tourist visa

to mean he has obtained a visa and travels here. But agree this is often a black hole subject.

[thailand_tom]

ok i'm getting lost..my father recieved an o-a visa in L.A...july 2005..now what i'm not getting..someone said he will be able to leave thailand..and come back and recieve another 1 year extention..automaticly??..will he have to show ..800,000 in a thai bank account??? if he can not show 800,000 in a thai bank what do we do??we are close to cambodia..about 30kil...there is an imigration their..does he cross every 30 days or do we move to cambodia for 3 months at a time..anyone that knows please respond..trying to figure out this before july..

[vinny]

I believe that if his O-A visa is for multiple entries, then he can come and go as many times as he likes within the validity dates of the visa. Else, if he hasn't got any entries left, then he should get an reentry permit before he leaves Thailand. If his period of stay is near expiring, then he should get an extension (to spend the remainder of life) so that he does not overstay.

Edited April 14, 2006 by vinny

[lopburi3]

1. An O-A visa allows a one year stay on entry. It can be used only one time.

2. A multi entry O-A visa allows a one year stay on any entry during the time it is valid. This is the type normally issued in the USA.

3. If you have a single entry O-A visa you must obtain a re-entry permit prior to travel outside of Thailand and your new entry stamp will be the same as your original entry stamp/re-entry permit. You do not gain any time.

4. You need 800k in a Thai bank account when you extend an O-A visa (at immigration in Thailand). Normally that would be about a year from first entry but with the multi entry type could be almost two years if you make a new entry just prior to the end of its validity. You gain extra time.

5. There is no time requirement for a trip - you can cross the border/stamp into/out of other country and return or you can have a trip and stay awhile.

[thailand_tom]

1. An O-A visa allows a one year stay on entry. It can be used only one time.

2. A multi entry O-A visa allows a one year stay on any entry during the time it is valid. This is the type normally issued in the USA.

3. If you have a single entry O-A visa you must obtain a re-entry permit prior to travel outside of Thailand and your new entry stamp will be the same as your original entry stamp/re-entry permit. You do not gain any time.

4. You need 800k in a Thai bank account when you extend an O-A visa (at immigration in Thailand). Normally that would be about a year from first entry but with the multi entry type could be almost two years if you make a new entry just prior to the end of its validity. You gain extra time.

5. There is no time requirement for a trip - you can cross the border/stamp into/out of other country and return or you can have a trip and stay awhile.

ok were on the visa do i see o-a multi. entry i see o-a..thanks

[Steve2UK]

1. An O-A visa allows a one year stay on entry. It can be used only one time.

2. A multi entry O-A visa allows a one year stay on any entry during the time it is valid. This is the type normally issued in the USA.

3. If you have a single entry O-A visa you must obtain a re-entry permit prior to travel outside of Thailand and your new entry stamp will be the same as your original entry stamp/re-entry permit. You do not gain any time.

4. You need 800k in a Thai bank account when you extend an O-A visa (at immigration in Thailand). Normally that would be about a year from first entry but with the multi entry type could be almost two years if you make a new entry just prior to the end of its validity. You gain extra time.

5. There is no time requirement for a trip - you can cross the border/stamp into/out of other country and return or you can have a trip and stay awhile.

Lop - can I just confirm my understanding of the point I've highlighted above? Is it the case that an O-A visa-holder can effectively do successive annual "visa runs" (before expiry of a current O-A) and thereby get a further year's extension each time?

If that is the case, it might be a useful alternative for those who can't show the 65k p.m. income/800k Thai bank balance in the usual way when it comes to renewing? I'm asking because I haven't seen this route mentioned before........

[lopburi3]

The O-A (like a multi entry O visa) has a validity of one year from date of issue. You can enter any time during that period and receive a one year permitted to stay stamp. So you could do once soon after issue and again just prior to expiry and effectively have almost two years in Thailand. Once the validity of the original visa expires you have to obtain a re-entry permit for any travel and extensions of stay from immigration as is normal.

[thailand_tom]

the o-a visa i think is not a multi. entry...can he stiil get an extention..without the 800,000..also on the retirement visa..i thought you can have 400,000 and pension..i tried to get this for him in L.A. but they just keep asking for the 800,000 in the bank...

[Krub]

the o-a visa i think is not a multi. entry...can he stiil get an extention..without the 800,000..also on the retirement visa..i thought you can have 400,000 and pension..i tried to get this for him in L.A. but they just keep asking for the 800,000 in the bank...

Hi,

If your father:

1. Hhas a OA visa and enterred Thailand in July 2005.

2. Has an entry stamp dated July 2005

3. He should have received a authorized period of stay of 1 year from July 2005 (up to july 2006)

If he wants to stay in Thailand (no border runs etc)

1. He should within 1 month but BEFORE the expiry of the validit of stay (July 2006) go to immigration with the folowing :

- Passport + copies

- ID photo

- Medical certificate otained at local clinic

- Bank book and copies

- Bank balance certificate of 800k OR a combination of balance + pension certifictae (from US Embasy) to make up the 800k per year.

- Fee of 1,900 baht

The extension should be granted on the spot for 1 year.

If he wants to leav eand re-enter Thailand he needs to obtain a re-entry permit also

Good luck

[lopburi3]

Perhaps you should take a look at the visa and be sure. Most of those issued in the USA in the last several years seem to have been multi entry type. If it is not a multi entry type he requires a re entry permit before leaving Thailand or it becomes invalid. And indeed will have to extend per the post above before his current permitted to stay stamp expires.

[Steve2UK]

The O-A (like a multi entry O visa) has a validity of one year from date of issue. You can enter any time during that period and receive a one year permitted to stay stamp. So you could do once soon after issue and again just prior to expiry and effectively have almost two years in Thailand. Once the validity of the original visa expires you have to obtain a re-entry permit for any travel and extensions of stay from immigration as is normal.

Thanks, Lop - you make it cystal clear........ as always.