Retirement Visa Process - Simple Steps Please....

[Lite Beer]

Many thanks. makes sense now.

So. That raises one last question.

Is it relevant / important that I am married to a Thai? For the Non Immigrant O-A, Long Stay. Only reason I ask, is that my wife is convinced she will pass away before me LOL.

God forbid. But if that happened, would I still be able to live in Thailand on the Non Immigrant O-A, Long Stay?

You are applying based on Retirement.

Your Marriage status has nothing to do with it.

[Lite Beer]

converted to non-o or a non-oa??

Non O Visa. You then apply for a 12 month extension.

A Non O-A Visa can only be obtained in your own Country

[lopburi3]

1. The advantage of retirement is that nothing is based on having a Thai wife so there would not be any issue if deceased or divorced. The basis for your stay is you alone and meeting the age/financials.

2. Using combination of income/bank does not require any time in account by regulations - although some will believe otherwise so best to meet the 2 or 3 month if using just bank account when doing.

3. For extensions of stay you convert stay - not visa - only requirement visa wise is that start with non immigrant entry. O, O-A, B makes no difference - you are on an extension of stay for reason of retirement (if that is the reason).

[ubonjoe]

There is no conversion to a OA visa. A OA visa can only be obtained at a Thai embassy or official consulate in your home country.

[Duvidl]

The word "retirement" does not appear

Pedantic posting if I have ever seen one. Retirement is what it is, go teach English to Immigration if you don;t agree.

My non-O visa clearly says "Retirement Visa" on it.

[Youbloodybeauty]

My O-A visa it had a "Date of Issue" and a "Enter Before" date giving me one year to enter Thailand. Upon entering Thailand I received a stamp allowing me a one-year stay. Had to do the 90-day notification of residence at a local immigration office during that year.

Good thread, thanks for all this info.

I'm planning soon enough too and think I'd apply for the O-A visa in Australia. By the above comment, I guess with this visa you don't have to report every 90 days, only the once?

A few days prior to the "Enter Before" date, I took a quick trip to a border crossing, exited Thailand and then entered back into Thailand. I got another stamp for one-year stay. So getting the Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) from your home country will allow you (almost) two years in Thailand. Reminder: If you exit Thailand after your "Enter Before" date, you must get a "Re-Entry permit" before leaving to maintain your visa's validity.

Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border? Do you need to report ever 90 days this second year?

I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?

[ubonjoe]

You have to do 90 day reports for both years if you stay in the country more than 90 days.

[Lite Beer]

90 Day address reports are a requirement for anyone that stays 90 days or more.

[lopburi3]

And the multi entry non immigrant O-A visa provides a one year stay from date of entry each time used (during the one year of validity of the visa itself). So an entry a day before it expires gives a new one year stay.

[Baloo22]

My O-A visa it had a "Date of Issue" and a "Enter Before" date giving me one year to enter Thailand. Upon entering Thailand I received a stamp allowing me a one-year stay. Had to do the 90-day notification of residence at a local immigration office during that year.

Good thread, thanks for all this info.

I'm planning soon enough too and think I'd apply for the O-A visa in Australia. By the above comment, I guess with this visa you don't have to report every 90 days, only the once?

A few days prior to the "Enter Before" date, I took a quick trip to a border crossing, exited Thailand and then entered back into Thailand. I got another stamp for one-year stay. So getting the Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) from your home country will allow you (almost) two years in Thailand. Reminder: If you exit Thailand after your "Enter Before" date, you must get a "Re-Entry permit" before leaving to maintain your visa's validity.

Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border? Do you need to report ever 90 days this second year?

I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?

Even with the Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay), you still have to do the "90-day Reports". Basically, with those you are telling Thai Immigration where you are staying.

"Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border?"

For each entry under your O-A visa, you get a one year stamp. For an example.

Let's say you are in your home country. You apply for and then receive your Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) visa. Your O-A visa will have a "Date of Issue" and a "Enter Before" date. Your O-A visa has a:

"Date of Issue" of 22 October 2013

"Enter Before" date of 21 October 2014.

That is the "validity" of your O-A visa.

You fly to Thailand and enter on 1 November 2013. Thai Immigration will give you a stamp in your passport allowing you to stay in Thailand for one year (31 OCT 2014). Then you live your retired life in Thailand, let's say in Chiang Mai.

On 18 October 2014 (a few days prior to your visa's "Enter Before" date), you take a trip up to the border at Mae Sai. You cross the border into Burma. You receive a stamp showing you exited Thailand. Have a cup of coffee, walk around the market for thirty minutes, OK. Then you turn around enter Thailand. Your O-A visa is still valid. Upon entering Thailand, Thai Immigration will give you another stamp allowing you to stay in Thailand for one year. That is one year from your date of entry, 18 October 2014. You now can stay in Thailand until 17 October 2015!

So, to recap; That one O-A Visa has allowed you to effectively stay in Thailand from 1 November 2013 to 17 October 2015. Almost two years.

Hopefully, this helps make it clearer and does not confuse people even more.

----------------------------------

And yes, you are correct. "I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?

"

[Mousehound]

Possibly more complicated is the Australian end if you expect to claim a government pension, or return to Australia in later years.

[thaibeachlovers]

Retirement is the easier by far option, as they jerk you around to get the marriage one, and you say you don't have a proper legal marriage, so wouldn't qualify anyway.

As pointed out previously, you won't get a work permit on a retirement O visa.

If you live in Chiang Mai, you can book an appointment on line, or else have to turn up VERY early in the morning to be sure of getting seen.

BTW make a transaction on your bank account the day before applying for the visa.

[brianb1944]

"They are a government-owned entity and extremely serious and efficient."

They are not government owned.

It doesn't matter how you try to spin it, they aren't.

OP, getting an extension of a Non Immigrant O Visa for the purpose of retirement is one of the easier extensions to do.

1900 baht for a 1 year extension at immigration.

Get a Non O multiple entry visa at a consulate before you come here.

That will give you as many entries in as a year as you want - each for 90 days. Enter the country a day or so before the actual visa expires, gives you another 90 days, for almost 15 months total.

Or get the Non Imm O-A Visa mentioned above. If you get a single entry, it will be good for 1 year. No paperwork for the visa extension due here until after the visa - expires. A multiple entry Non O-A will give you unlimited entries during the first year, each time getting 1 year when you re-enter. Re-enter just prior to the actual visa expiring will give you another year, for a total time of almost 2 years. A re-entry permit would be required the second year to maintain your permission to stay date.

Either of these can easily be extended at an immigration office here for 1900 baht.

That along with the other posts should give you enough info to get you started.

About Us

The Thailand Longstay Company registered as the Thailand Longstay Management Co., Ltd was

established in 2001 with the endorsement of the Thai Royal Government to support long stay tourism.

Moreover, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is a major shareholder of the company. As a result, we aim

to provide the best services to retired expatriates to promote the tourism industry of the Kingdom of

Thailand.

Since its establishment, the company has signed many MOU with many government organizations

such as the Immigration Bureau, Tourist Police, and the Airports of Thailand.

Therefore, we specialize in doing a 1-year retirement visa for expatriates and other matters related to

the immigration procedure of Thailand. We offer the most convenient way in gaining a 1-year retirement

visa. Members of the Thailand Longstay do not need to go through the bureaucratic procedure by

themselves because the company will process the entire immigration procedure for our members. This

is the ultimate convenience that we provide.

There are many "Visa Agents" operating in Thailand most of whom I would expect to be efficient. I was put on to one by friends in CM, and will probably never spend frustrating hours in a crowded Immigration Office again. For me,the modest cost is justified by the seamless efficiency with witch my agent deals with my immigration needs, including 90 day reporting.

[lopburi3]

His marriage is proper and legal - what he has not done is registered it in Thailand (required for extensions - not to make it legal) which is just a formal copy/translation/MFA legalization and recording at a District Office.

[HerbalEd]

A question regarding multiple-entry O-A Visa:

Do I have to specifically ask for multiple-entry visa ... or is that automatically done? Are there a set number of multiple entries allowed, or can I leave and reenter Thailand as often as I want during the validity of the visa?

[ubonjoe]

At most locations it will be automatic because they no longer issue single entries.

Multiple means as many entries as you want to make.

[steve187]

Multiple means just that as many entries as you want within the validity of the visa see post #70 above, each such entry will give you a one year permission to stay stamp, during the second year you would need to obtain a multi re-entry permit to enable you to do any trips out of Thailand.

[HerbalEd]

Multiple means just that as many entries as you want within the validity of the visa see post #70 above, each such entry will give you a one year permission to stay stamp, during the second year you would need to obtain a multi re-entry permit to enable you to do any trips out of Thailand.

Thanks Ubonjoe & Steve 187. A further two questions to make absolutely sure I'm fully clear:

During the second year, I assume I apply for a re-entry permit at a Thai immigration office. Yes?

Steve187, I didn't know I can get a "MULTI" re-entry permit during the second year. So I assume that means I only need to get that once and then I can come and go in/out of Thailand as much as I want. Yes?

Thanks again ...

[lopburi3]

Yes and yes on re-entry permit question above.

[Lite Beer]

Yes and Yes.

[HerbalEd]

Yes and Yes.

This is great news. Thanks to all. I'll definitely be applying for an O-A visa next trip back to the States.

Now another question, if I may ... and hopefully this is not too off topic:

I've heard a few times that there is one visa (Maybe a permanent resident visa?) that allows you to ship in one duty-free container of personal effects? Seems far fetched to me, but is this true?

If not true, does anyone know what duty ... if any ... there is on receiving personal effects from USA into Thailand. I'm talking things like books, clothes, used household goods (e.g., carpets, furniture, etc.), used electronics, etc.

[lopburi3]

Duty free would only be for those with employment extensions but normally the duty is not too much if you use a company that takes care of door to door. But expect you would find it more productive to just sell most things and buy here. Remember voltage is 230 at 50HZ here and climate is likely different so furniture may not be what you want here. Even clothing is likely to be entirely different needs.

[luckyluke]

"For me,the modest cost is justified by the seamless efficiency with witch my agent deals with my immigration needs, including 90 day reporting."

Agree, if the costs doesn't outmatch 1.500 ThB yearly ( 4 times 90 days + 1 time extension of stay)

Edited October 6, 2013 by luckyluke

[laislica]

My O-A visa it had a "Date of Issue" and a "Enter Before" date giving me one year to enter Thailand. Upon entering Thailand I received a stamp allowing me a one-year stay. Had to do the 90-day notification of residence at a local immigration office during that year.

Good thread, thanks for all this info.

I'm planning soon enough too and think I'd apply for the O-A visa in Australia. By the above comment, I guess with this visa you don't have to report every 90 days, only the once?

A few days prior to the "Enter Before" date, I took a quick trip to a border crossing, exited Thailand and then entered back into Thailand. I got another stamp for one-year stay. So getting the Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) from your home country will allow you (almost) two years in Thailand. Reminder: If you exit Thailand after your "Enter Before" date, you must get a "Re-Entry permit" before leaving to maintain your visa's validity.

Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border? Do you need to report ever 90 days this second year?

I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?

Even with the Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay), you still have to do the "90-day Reports". Basically, with those you are telling Thai Immigration where you are staying.

"Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border?"

For each entry under your O-A visa, you get a one year stamp. For an example.

Let's say you are in your home country. You apply for and then receive your Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) visa. Your O-A visa will have a "Date of Issue" and a "Enter Before" date. Your O-A visa has a:

"Date of Issue" of 22 October 2013

"Enter Before" date of 21 October 2014.

That is the "validity" of your O-A visa.

You fly to Thailand and enter on 1 November 2013. Thai Immigration will give you a stamp in your passport allowing you to stay in Thailand for one year (31 OCT 2014). Then you live your retired life in Thailand, let's say in Chiang Mai.

On 18 October 2014 (a few days prior to your visa's "Enter Before" date), you take a trip up to the border at Mae Sai. You cross the border into Burma. You receive a stamp showing you exited Thailand. Have a cup of coffee, walk around the market for thirty minutes, OK. Then you turn around enter Thailand. Your O-A visa is still valid. Upon entering Thailand, Thai Immigration will give you another stamp allowing you to stay in Thailand for one year. That is one year from your date of entry, 18 October 2014. You now can stay in Thailand until 17 October 2015!

So, to recap; That one O-A Visa has allowed you to effectively stay in Thailand from 1 November 2013 to 17 October 2015. Almost two years.

Hopefully, this helps make it clearer and does not confuse people even more.

----------------------------------

And yes, you are correct. "I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?

"

This is the kind of explanation that I need, almost pictures - thank you.

Can you clarify this.

Enter Thailand and get a tourist visa for 30 days.

Visit immigration in say CM on about the last day and get a Non-O visa for 90 days.

At the end of that time have a letter from the home Consulate proving sufficient funds monthly in home bank

and get an extension for 1 year based on Retirement. Subsequently make necessary 90 day reports.

Can this extension be further extended whilst in Thailand and would it then need the seed money in the Thai Bank or would another letter from the Consulate be sufficient, showing sufficient monthly sums arriving in the home bank?

I assume that leaving Thailand and having the extension expire would mean getting another Non-O at home and entering Thailand on that.

If you had a retirement extension and it expired, does this create problems to get another retirement extension in future.

Finally, if the plan is to only spend a few months (say 3-4 months) per year in Thailand, what is the cheapest visa/extension to go for?

[Baloo22]

Good thread, thanks for all this info.

I'm planning soon enough too and think I'd apply for the O-A visa in Australia. By the above comment, I guess with this visa you don't have to report every 90 days, only the once?

Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border? Do you need to report ever 90 days this second year?

I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?

Even with the Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay), you still have to do the "90-day Reports". Basically, with those you are telling Thai Immigration where you are staying.

"Why are you given another 1 year when you cross a border?"

For each entry under your O-A visa, you get a one year stamp. For an example.

Let's say you are in your home country. You apply for and then receive your Non-Immigrant Visa Category “O-A” (Long Stay) visa. Your O-A visa will have a "Date of Issue" and a "Enter Before" date. Your O-A visa has a:

"Date of Issue" of 22 October 2013

"Enter Before" date of 21 October 2014.

That is the "validity" of your O-A visa.

You fly to Thailand and enter on 1 November 2013. Thai Immigration will give you a stamp in your passport allowing you to stay in Thailand for one year (31 OCT 2014). Then you live your retired life in Thailand, let's say in Chiang Mai.

On 18 October 2014 (a few days prior to your visa's "Enter Before" date), you take a trip up to the border at Mae Sai. You cross the border into Burma. You receive a stamp showing you exited Thailand. Have a cup of coffee, walk around the market for thirty minutes, OK. Then you turn around enter Thailand. Your O-A visa is still valid. Upon entering Thailand, Thai Immigration will give you another stamp allowing you to stay in Thailand for one year. That is one year from your date of entry, 18 October 2014. You now can stay in Thailand until 17 October 2015!

So, to recap; That one O-A Visa has allowed you to effectively stay in Thailand from 1 November 2013 to 17 October 2015. Almost two years.

Hopefully, this helps make it clearer and does not confuse people even more.

----------------------------------

And yes, you are correct. "I suppose when the 2 years is up, you may ether go back home and get another O-A visa and do the above thing again or stay in Thailand and apply for an extension by moving money into a Thai bank?"

This is the kind of explanation that I need, almost pictures - thank you.

Can you clarify this.

Enter Thailand and get a tourist visa for 30 days.

Visit immigration in say CM on about the last day and get a Non-O visa for 90 days.

At the end of that time have a letter from the home Consulate proving sufficient funds monthly in home bank

and get an extension for 1 year based on Retirement. Subsequently make necessary 90 day reports.

Can this extension be further extended whilst in Thailand and would it then need the seed money in the Thai Bank or would another letter from the Consulate be sufficient, showing sufficient monthly sums arriving in the home bank?

I assume that leaving Thailand and having the extension expire would mean getting another Non-O at home and entering Thailand on that.

If you had a retirement extension and it expired, does this create problems to get another retirement extension in future.

Finally, if the plan is to only spend a few months (say 3-4 months) per year in Thailand, what is the cheapest visa/extension to go for?

You're welcome!

On the other "Can you clarify this. Enter Thailand and get a tourist visa for 30 days...<snip>...". That is method #2 of staying here in Thailand (one-year) for retirement. I have not yet done it using that method, but will be doing it soon. It is an entirely different item than the O-A visa that you get in your home country.

This "method #2" is the one that requires the bank funds be in a Thai bank and requires a seasoning of those funds for two months for the first application and three months for subsequent applications. It is my understanding that verification for this is a letter from the Thai bank. If you are using retirement income to satisfy the financial requirement, you must get a letter/affidavit from your embassy/consulate "verifying" the income. Yes, you can then go to Immigration and repeat this application each year as long as you still qualify.

You have to do the 90-day reports regardless of whether you are staying here under "method #1" O-A Visa or "method #2" Permission to Stay for Retirement. The 90-day reports do not cost any money, other than the small amount you spend to make copies of stuff.

I'm going to let some of the other BM's who have done repeated one-year "Permission to Stay" and are more experienced with it answer your other questions.

[lopburi3]

You can always start new extensions of stay and tourist visas can always be used for short visits of a few months.

[jpinx]

Sorry for bumping this topic, but it seems appropriate to keep things in one thread.

Is it possible to enter Thailand on a 30-day entry permit and take that to immigration and get the retirement visa based on income?

[lopburi3]

You must first convert to non immigrant visa 90 day entry showing financials (you could call that a retirement visa). This can be done a Bangkok of most major immigration offices with 15 days or more remaining on current entry and fee of 2,000 baht. The next step would be a one year extension from that visa entry using normal TM7 and paying fee of 1,900 baht and meeting financial seasoning requirements if applicable.

[jpinx]

You must first convert to non immigrant visa 90 day entry showing financials (you could call that a retirement visa). This can be done a Bangkok of most major immigration offices with 15 days or more remaining on current entry and fee of 2,000 baht. The next step would be a one year extension from that visa entry using normal TM7 and paying fee of 1,900 baht and meeting financial seasoning requirements if applicable.

Thanks for the speedy reply on a Sunday evening

What forms, fees and supporting papers are neede to convert from a 30day permit to enter stamp to a non-O?

Having done that step, what forms, fees and supporting papers are needed to get the extension on the non-O? How do I get the re-entries (maybe 2 per year)?

Thank you

[Muhendis]

Yes and Yes.

This is great news. Thanks to all. I'll definitely be applying for an O-A visa next trip back to the States.

Now another question, if I may ... and hopefully this is not too off topic:

I've heard a few times that there is one visa (Maybe a permanent resident visa?) that allows you to ship in one duty-free container of personal effects? Seems far fetched to me, but is this true?

If not true, does anyone know what duty ... if any ... there is on receiving personal effects from USA into Thailand. I'm talking things like books, clothes, used household goods (e.g., carpets, furniture, etc.), used electronics, etc.

If you have a Thai spouse/GF who has been away from Thailand for more than a year then she can bring her container full of personal effects into Thailand free of duty. If not then you can get the various anticipated rates of duty from the internet. Electrical goods are quite expensive (20% of new value I think) books and clothes are free. Furniture is something like 5 or 6 percent. It is sensible to use an experienced agent who knows the ropes and can often negotiate a cheaper rate (+ tea money) for you. You might like to have a look at these people www.united-relo.com I found them to be quite inexpensive and very helpful.

Hope your move goes well.