BTW, one issue the OP raised was the ability to simply pay and have someone else handle all the details of the process, as the OP indicated can be done in the PH and likewise can be done that way in Cambodia as well.

Inside Thailand, at least for the BKK Immigration office, AFAIK, obtaining or renewing an annual retirement extension of stay requires the applicant's personal appearance at Immigration.

Although, I'm pretty clear I recall some posters here from Pattaya claiming there are companies in that city that someone manage to provide a kind of pay and be done with it process there... Though how they do that and whether it's entirely legal, I'm not sure.

Thanks again. I am looking at Sri Racha to start with. With all the Japanese and other expats in the area I expect the local immigration office (Chonburi/SriRacha?Pattaya?) probably have a wealth of experience. However, it may well be better to do it outside so I can keep the funds offshore for a while until I find my feet. Have a good weekend.

One of the annoying things about Thailand is, whether it's dealing with the Thai consulates spread around the world or the various Thai Immigration offices spread around Thailand, is that they don't always follow the same exact rules or procedures for their particular activities.

There can be very particular variations from one office or consulate to another. So when reading here or looking for advice, it's important to be mindful of what consulate or Immigration office you're going to be dealing with... and keep an eye out for any irregularities in their particular dealings.

For example, inside Thailand, some Immigration offices allow 90 day reports to be submitted by mail and others require in-person reporting. Some Thai consulates require some O-A documents to be notarized and others don't. For retirement extensions, some Immigration offices seem to ask for different/more documents than others.

Overall, the basic processes probably are mostly the same most of the time. But that won't help you if you end up dealing with a particular consulate or particular Immigration office and have prepared based on the general rule...only to discover that they don't follow it.

IN phuket, Kasikorn bank was the only one ( we tried Bangkok bank and scb) that woud allow an account to be opened without a work permit.

In Phuket:

I have had my account with Ayudhya bank since 2009.

And before with Siam Commercial Bank in 2006.

I never had a work permit.

I showed my passport and O-A visa. And perhaps my 5 year Thai drivers license.

IN phuket, Kasikorn bank was the only one ( we tried Bangkok bank and scb) that woud allow an account to be opened without a work permit.

In Phuket:

I have had my account with Ayudhya bank since 2009.

And before with Siam Commercial Bank in 2006.

I never had a work permit.

I showed my passport and O-A visa. And perhaps my 5 year Thai drivers license.

Once again i should have been specific. For Kamala last month Bangkok Bangkok bank and SCB would not open an account without wp. GF hold a 1 year non B visa

I hold accounts with Bangkok bank in Patong and SBC in Kamala and both have online banking but both accounts are old.

Things change and with new money laundering regulations and the US asking for ALL banks to report money invested from american's.....

Its not that u need a law servie to assist you in anything here in Thailand, its all pretty straight forward BUT each area, ( banks and immigration) interprets the law in their own way.

You will find here that many of us know what we are talking about and have been here many many years, ( i have been here since 1984) BUT each area is diferent for Imiigration and banking. What goes on in Bangkok or Pattaya might not be the same as Phuket or Nakorn nowhere

Best thing is once ur here and are living somewhere check it out. Even 1 month to the next things might be diferent.

What held true in 1990, 2012 might not be true tommorrow.

As Ubon Joe and Mario stated

go to the thai embassy where ever an obtain a non immgrant O single entry casue ur over 50, give reason as for obtaining retriement extension and u will get it.

than once ur here find out what u need to do You have 90 days and the money only needs be in the bank 2 monhts for first applicants.

If anyone has trouble opening an account at any BKK Bank branch, you can always point the staff and/or manager there to their own website where they very specifically recite what people need to open an account, based on their permission to stay status.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/Openinganaccountnew.aspx

Here's what they say for folks on tourist or non-immigrant visas

You hold a tourist visa or non-immigrant visa e.g. ED, EX, F, IB, IM, M, O, O-A, R, RS, D, F, SE, MT, S

(except non-immigrant L-A visa)

1. Valid passport, and
2. ONE of the following documents:
   1. • An identity card issued by a government institution or university such as:
        • Your driver’s license, Foreign Identification Card, University Student/Professor Card
      • A letter of recommendation from
        • Embassy [Download Form ], International Organization, Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via the SWIFT message [Download Form ], a person acceptable to Bangkok Bank (such as BBL staff, customer, government officer, company executive, private firms), or home country institutions (such as pension receipt) [Download Form ]
      • Other documents showing your name such as:
        • Bank Statement, lease agreement, utility bill, documents showing owners of a fixed asset or Condominium Sale/Purchase Agreement

Tips/Useful Info

When you open your account, you can enroll for access to internet banking. Phone banking is also available to all account holders.

You can receive SMS notifications for any inward international funds transfer - sign up for the SMS Remittance Alert today!

Most folks ought to be able to produce their passport and one government photo ID card like a driver's license or similar.

PS - I believe, for banking purposes, you can pretty much treat an extension of stay based on retirement as a retirement visa... At the bank, you can point to the extension of stay stamp in your passport and say... retirement visa.

One of the annoying things about Thailand is, whether it's dealing with the Thai consulates spread around the world or the various Thai Immigration offices spread around Thailand, is that they don't always follow the same exact rules or procedures for their particular activities.

There can be very particular variations from one office or consulate to another. So when reading here or looking for advice, it's important to be mindful of what consulate or Immigration office you're going to be dealing with... and keep an eye out for any irregularities in their particular dealings.

For example, inside Thailand, some Immigration offices allow 90 day reports to be submitted by mail and others require in-person reporting. Some Thai consulates require some O-A documents to be notarized and others don't. For retirement extensions, some Immigration offices seem to ask for different/more documents than others.

Overall, the basic processes probably are mostly the same most of the time. But that won't help you if you end up dealing with a particular consulate or particular Immigration office and have prepared based on the general rule...only to discover that they don't follow it.

I guess I should have added, that's one reason why a reader here will sometimes feel like they're getting conflicting or contradictory advice... Because sometimes, what expats in Phuket or Pattaya experience may not be the same as those in BKK or Chiang Mai.

So someone posts that Thai Immigration (in Phuket) is requiring blah blah blah... And then posters from BKK reply... NO... they're not. And back and forth. And sometimes, it turns out that both are correct.... because the requireents in place in Phuket may not be the same as those in BKK and elsewhere.

Of course sometimes, folks simply have the wrong or out-of-date information, and post it here...believing it to be correct. Though the moderators or other members will usually come along and try to clean up such things...

yes true Tall guy but even the mods dont know whats going on at every immigration or town. and so many members post something that was right 2 years ago as right now. Hnece when I post i say PHUKET an when.

You only know what is asked for and required at the time u go to get it done

Hell, when i first lived here u had to get Tax clearance whenever u stayed and than left Thailand after more than 180 days in a year at 1,000 baht /shot regardless on what visa u were on. :-)

Flame (text in quote) and reply removed.

No need for any lawyer. As you pointed out, you might have some problems opening a bankaccount and need to visit several banks to do so. But that will be your only problem. Queing in BKK will not be too bad.

When you apply for te conversion, take proof with you of bringing in the required 800,000 baht. But i would advice to try to get a single entry non-O visa while in the Philippines.

It doesn't get any easier than applying for an extension based on retirement:

- you show your age and you show the money requirement. In addition they might want to see some proof of addres, like a rental contract or utility bill. For conversion they will also want to see that you brought in the money from abroad.

So if you have worked legally in Thailand for a good few years and saved your 800,000 from your salaries etc and decide you want a conversion to retire you have to transfer the money out then transfer it back before you can get the conversion to retire.

If you were working at the time you wanted to retire you could just change the reason for your extension from working to retirement. No need for conversion.

If for some reason you had a tourist visa or visa exempt entry and could show proof you had the money from working they would accept that.

The reason for the transfer proof is to prevent somebody from borrowing the money here to do the conversion which is the same reason as needing the money to be in the bank for 60 or 90 days.

Hi - could you clear up a couple of questions for someone i'm trying to help - you mention the 60 days and 90 days 'seasoning' requirements. We are a bit confused about this : Is it that the 800,000 needs to be in the bank for 60 days before applying for the conversion to the 'Non-Imm Cat-O' single-entry; and that the cash needs to be in the bank 90 days before applying for the 1-Year Extension Based on Retirement ? And for someone already in Thailand, would the money need to be transferred to a local Thai bank for BOTH applications ? Thanks.

No need for any lawyer. As you pointed out, you might have some problems opening a bankaccount and need to visit several banks to do so. But that will be your only problem. Queing in BKK will not be too bad.

 

When you apply for te conversion, take proof with you of bringing in the required 800,000 baht. But i would advice to try to get a single entry non-O visa while in the Philippines.

 

 

It doesn't get any easier than applying for an extension based on retirement:

- you show your age and you show the money requirement. In addition they might want to see some proof of addres, like a rental contract or utility bill. For conversion they will also want to see that you brought in the money from abroad.

 

So if you have worked legally in Thailand for a good few years and saved your 800,000 from your salaries etc and decide you want a conversion to retire you have to transfer the money out then transfer it back before you can get the conversion to retire.

If you were working at the time you wanted to retire you could just change the reason for your extension from working to retirement. No need for conversion.

If for some reason you had a tourist visa or visa exempt entry and could show proof you had the money from working they would accept that.

The reason for the transfer proof is to prevent somebody from borrowing the money here to do the conversion which is the same reason as needing the money to be in the bank for 60 or 90 days.

Hi - could you clear up a couple of questions for someone i'm trying to help - you mention the 60 days and 90 days 'seasoning' requirements. We are a bit confused about this : Is it that the 800,000 needs to be in the bank for 60 days before applying for the conversion to the 'Non-Imm Cat-O' single-entry; and that the cash needs to be in the bank 90 days before applying for the 1-Year Extension Based on Retirement ? And for someone already in Thailand, would the money need to be transferred to a local Thai bank for BOTH applications ? Thanks.

For the conversion the money does not need to be in the bank for any amount of time.

After the conversion you could apply for the extension 60 days after you do the conversion. But before 90 days after you do the conversion.

Then for your next extension your money would need to be in the bank for 90 days.

Also, for those just seeking a straight extension of stay based on retirement.

The general rule is....the 800,000 baht on deposit in a bank in Thailand needs to have been there with the full balance (and not any day dropping below the required amount) for at least 60 days prior to the date of your application at Thai Immigration. That's for one's FIRST such application.

For all subsequent applications (assuming you cloose to use the same bank deposit method to meet the financial requirement), the full 800,000 baht needs to have been on deposit (and not any day dropping below the required amount) for at least 90 days prior to the date of your application. That's for all retirement extension applications after your first one.

Generally, savings accounts and fixed deposit accounts are both acceptable to Immigration. But other kinds of accounts like mutual funds or bonds and such are NOT.

It seems to me I remember reading here, based on member reports, that there are a few upcountry Immigration offices that supposedly enforce the 90 days seasoning requirement even on one's first application. So always good to check in advance with the Immigration office where you intend to apply.

Retirement will be 60 days first application and funds must be in Thailand if using 800k in bank account.

I don't recall any report of an immigration office not allowing 60 days for a first time application.

Also, for those just seeking a straight extension of stay based on retirement.

The general rule is....the 800,000 baht on deposit in a bank in Thailand needs to have been there with the full balance (and not any day dropping below the required amount) for at least 60 days prior to the date of your application at Thai Immigration. That's for one's FIRST such application.

For all subsequent applications (assuming you cloose to use the same bank deposit method to meet the financial requirement), the full 800,000 baht needs to have been on deposit (and not any day dropping below the required amount) for at least 90 days prior to the date of your application. That's for all retirement extension applications after your first one.

Generally, savings accounts and fixed deposit accounts are both acceptable to Immigration. But other kinds of accounts like mutual funds or bonds and such are NOT.

It seems to me I remember reading here, based on member reports, that there are a few upcountry Immigration offices that supposedly enforce the 90 days seasoning requirement even on one's first application. So always good to check in advance with the Immigration office where you intend to apply.

Thanks v.much for all that - can you confirm i) that there is no seasoning of the 800,000 required for the 'conversion' from a tourist visa to a single-entry 90-day Cat 'O' (to prepare for the retirement application); and ii) that when going to immigration to put any of the applications in, the letter from the bank where the cash is MUST have been 'written' that same day ? Thanks in advance.

For a change of visa status (TM86) there is no seasoning required.

At most immigration offices the day before is OK for the bank letter. But you may also need a letter confirming that the money was transfered from abroad. But the update of bank book is the same day at most places.

What immigration office are you going to?

Thanks v.much for all that - can you confirm i) that there is no seasoning of the 800,000 required for the 'conversion' from a tourist visa to a single-entry 90-day Cat 'O' (to prepare for the retirement application); and ii) that when going to immigration to put any of the applications in, the letter from the bank where the cash is MUST have been 'written' that same day ? Thanks in advance.

If you're going to Chaeng Wattana Immigration in BKK, be aware that the BKK Bank and Kasikorn Bank branches in the basement there will, according to members' reports here, write bank letters for their bank's customers, even if their accounts are held at other of their own branches. And needless to say, the staff at the two bank branches there are certainly pretty familiar with the routine for churning out those letters.

It's possible other banks represented there at CW might do the same. But there have been specific reports confirming that for at least BKK Bank and Kasikorn.

Some folks here who use the bank deposit letters say that's a convenient route for them of ensuring they have the bank letter dated on the same day as their Immigration visit.

For a change of visa status (TM86) there is no seasoning required. At most immigration offices the day before is OK for the bank letter. But you may also need a letter confirming that the money was transfered from abroad. But the update of bank book is the same day at most places. What immigration office are you going to?

Many thanks. My UK friend doing this (64 yrs old) is in the Nong Khai area, where the Imm.Office has been known to be pretty unhelpful at times.

For a change of visa status (TM86) there is no seasoning required. At most immigration offices the day before is OK for the bank letter. But you may also need a letter confirming that the money was transfered from abroad. But the update of bank book is the same day at most places. What immigration office are you going to?

Re the question that Pauly raised, I'm assuming the answer is:

--no seasoning of funds is required for going from a tourist visa to a single entry Non-O at Immigration inside Thailand.

--But if relying on the bank deposits method, Immigration would be looking for a 60-day seasoning of funds by the time he goes to change from the Non-Imm O to his first extension of stay based on retirement. And then 90-days seasoning for all subsequent annual extension applications.

For a change of visa status (TM86) there is no seasoning required. At most immigration offices the day before is OK for the bank letter. But you may also need a letter confirming that the money was transfered from abroad. But the update of bank book is the same day at most places. What immigration office are you going to?

Many thanks. My UK friend doing this (64 yrs old) is in the Nong Khai area, where the Imm.Office has been known to be pretty unhelpful at times.

I am not sure they will do it there. There are hardly any offices here in Isaan that will do it.

But being so close to Vientiane he might want to make a trip to the embassy to get a single entry non-o.

Several possible illegal activity posts removed.

1 post removed giving links to questionable activities.