I read recently that a Medical Certificate is no longer required for obtaining a Retirement Visa for Thailand. Can someone please confirm?

Thanks

http://www.apply-thai-visa.com/thailand-retirement-visa.html

For an O-A visa applied for in your home country, you DO need a medical form and a police report.

For annual extensions based on retirement in Thailand, you DO NOT need either form.

You do NOT need to EVER start with an O-A visa.

You DO need to start with an O visa of some kind.

O visas for purposes of continuing to a retirement extension are also available IN Thailand.

Retirement extensions are NOT retirement visas.

O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas.

Again you do not ever need an O-A visa to retire in Thailand using retirement extensions.

Anybody reading info on website that link leads to should just ignore any information there.

It has mostly wrong and misleading information. It was created by a law firm that is just trying to get more business.

You do need a medical certificate to apply for a OA long stay visa at an embassy or official consulate in your home country or country of residence.

A medical certificate is not required for a non immigrant O visa or extension of stay.

Edited November 1, 201312 yr by ubonjoe

For an O-A visa applied for in your home country, you DO need a medical form and a police report.

For annual extensions based on retirement in Thailand, you DO NOT need either form.

You do NOT need to EVER start with an O-A visa.

You DO need to start with an O visa of some kind.

O visas for purposes of continuing to a retirement extension are also available IN Thailand.

Retirement extensions are NOT retirement visas.

O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas.

Again you do not ever need an O-A visa to retire in Thailand using retirement extensions.

Am I right at reading this meaning that someone could enter Thailand on a short term, converting that to a retirement visa in Thailand, living here just about permanently, and never had to go through a police report???

And it should be noted that the medical certificate is to show you do not have:

(1) Leprosy
(2) Dangerous step of Tuberculosis (T.B.)
(3) Filariasis
(4) Drug addiction
(5) Alcoholism
(6) Third step of Syphilis

If you've been seeing a doctor over any period of time, he/she would probably be willing to sign the certificate without anything more than a quick look. It may also require a stamp/seal from the country's medical authority certifying that the doctor is a registered practitioner.

Depending on where you stay, the process may be quite simple or it may be onerous. I got one so that I could apply for the O-A without any difficulty.

Am I right at reading this meaning that someone could enter Thailand on a short term, converting that to a retirement visa in Thailand, living here just about permanently, and never had to go through a police report???

Yes, the police report is only for the O-A, which you would apply for outside of Thailand. If you get the retirement based extension of stay after entering Thailand (without using the O-A), a police report is not required (although keep in mind that Immigrations is part of the Thai police establishment so they may very well check to see if you've been naughty while you've stayed in Thailand).

You would be seeking an extension of stay based on retirement, not a retirement visa. Immigrations issues extensions of stay. Embassies/Consulates may issue visas ...all of which is covered in Jingthing's post above.

Edited November 1, 201312 yr by Suradit69

Yes.

A police report is only needed for an O-A-visa, for a regular non-O visa and extension of stay a police report (and medical certificate) is not needed.

The only time you need a police report is for a Non OA visa application at an embassy or consulate.

You can do a conversion from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry to a non immigrant visa entry here with no police report or medical certificate if qualify for an extension based upon retirement.

You can get a non-o visa without a police report and then do an extension of stay based upon retirement here with no police report needed.

1 troll post removed.

And it should be noted that the medical certificate is to show you do not have:

(1) Leprosy

(2) Dangerous step of Tuberculosis (T.B.)

(3) Filariasis

(4) Drug addiction

(5) Alcoholism

(6) Third step of Syphilis

If you've been seeing a doctor over any period of time, he/she would probably be willing to sign the certificate without anything more than a quick look. It may also require a stamp/seal from the country's medical authority certifying that the doctor is a registered practitioner.

Depending on where you stay, the process may be quite simple or it may be onerous. I got one so that I could apply for the O-A without any difficulty.

Am I right at reading this meaning that someone could enter Thailand on a short term, converting that to a retirement visa in Thailand, living here just about permanently, and never had to go through a police report???

Yes, the police report is only for the O-A, which you would apply for outside of Thailand. If you get the retirement based extension of stay after entering Thailand (without using the O-A), a police report is not required (although keep in mind that Immigrations is part of the Thai police establishment so they may very well check to see if you've been naughty while you've stayed in Thailand).

You would be seeking an extension of stay based on retirement, not a retirement visa. Immigrations issues extensions of stay. Embassies/Consulates may issue visas ...all of which is covered in Jingthing's post above.

Thanks for the clarification.

I do go through police reports in my home country every second year for a new visa O-A.

So for extensions of stay done inside Thailand, you are saying that police may check on someone's behaviour inside Thailand only?

So not checking criminal activities that people might have done in their home country?

Alarming!!!

I don't they even check for here. They might check to see if you have any active arrest warrants here.

Why alarming? How many people do you think enter the country every day without visas of any kind. The OA visa is the only visa that requires a police check to get other than at some embassies or consulates to get a B visa for teaching.

 

Anybody reading info on website that link leads to should just ignore any information there.It has mostly wrong and misleading information. It was created by a law firm that is just trying to get more business.You do need a medical certificate to apply for a OA long stay visa at an embassy or official consulate in your home country or country of residence.A medical certificate is not required for a non immigrant O visa or extension of stay.

 

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE: For the first three years, Immigration insisted I get a medical certificate. In that 3rd year, the first Immigration officer sent me to a nearby Doctor (thump & bump = 100 Baht). When I returned, I went to the head of the line, the next Immigration Officer said it was not needed. I have not bothered with a Med Cert since.

No medical required - been on retirement extensions for years and no checks of any kind to my knowledge.

Local med certificates were required in Thailand but that requirement ended in about 7 years ago.

Local med certificates were required in Thailand but that requirement ended in about 7 years ago.

Yes, I had to get a medical certificate for my first couple of extensions though it was generally a case that if you were breathing you got one.

Alan

Only medical certs I have ever needed have been for driving licence renewals. Even they are cursory and cheap.

For an O-A visa applied for in your home country, you DO need a medical form and a police report.

For annual extensions based on retirement in Thailand, you DO NOT need either form.

You do NOT need to EVER start with an O-A visa.

You DO need to start with an O visa of some kind.

O visas for purposes of continuing to a retirement extension are also available IN Thailand.

Retirement extensions are NOT retirement visas.

O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas.

Again you do not ever need an O-A visa to retire in Thailand using retirement extensions.

I don't think they were talking about extensions. the last person I know to get a retirement visa or what ever it tickles your fancy to call it needed a medical. I recieved mine in Canada. I needed a physical and a police report. The Police report was just on the local area not nation wide. The medical was a joke it asked about 5 questions which my doctor and I just laughed at. I think one of them was do you have Malaria? Not exactly pertant in Canada.

the fellow I know who got his here has to have a walker so he can sit down and reast every so often. He can not walk with out it.

 

Anybody reading info on website that link leads to should just ignore any information there.It has mostly wrong and misleading information. It was created by a law firm that is just trying to get more business.You do need a medical certificate to apply for a OA long stay visa at an embassy or official consulate in your home country or country of residence.A medical certificate is not required for a non immigrant O visa or extension of stay.

 

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE: For the first three years, Immigration insisted I get a medical certificate. In that 3rd year, the first Immigration officer sent me to a nearby Doctor (thump & bump = 100 Baht). When I returned, I went to the head of the line, the next Immigration Officer said it was not needed. I have not bothered with a Med Cert since.

Here at the Sisaket Immigration office I've been required to produce a medical certificate for my last two extensions based upon retirement.

No cert. = no extension.

No big deal for me - my wife pops into a local clinic and pays 30 Baht for my medical cert while I wait double parked outside!

If your from the States, if you do it at home Yes, along with a bunch of other B.S. But if you do it in Pattaya

(Chon Buri) you do not need one. Now as many know what Pattaya don't want doesn't mean the office in Bangkok or etc.. doesn't. Others here can tell you!

For in Thailand retirement extensions, the written national rule is NO requirement for medical or police form. That means the vast majority of offices follow this rule with a FEW exceptions at most. Not heard of even one office ever requiring police record forms though, only medical, again for the most part, this is NOT a concern.

Cheers.

Edited November 1, 201312 yr by Jingthing

For an O-A visa applied for in your home country, you DO need a medical form and a police report.

For annual extensions based on retirement in Thailand, you DO NOT need either form.

You do NOT need to EVER start with an O-A visa.

You DO need to start with an O visa of some kind.

O visas for purposes of continuing to a retirement extension are also available IN Thailand.

Retirement extensions are NOT retirement visas.

O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas.

Again you do not ever need an O-A visa to retire in Thailand using retirement extensions.

Great post - concise as usual. Only thing i'm slightly confused about is in this - "O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas." If an 'O-A' is not a 'retirement visa', what might it be usefully called ? (Or, what is it specifically for ?) And a corollary of that - what IS a 'Retirement Visa' as opposed to an 'Extension-based-on-retirement' ? Thanks.

Edited November 1, 201312 yr by crazydrummerpauly

An O-A visa is officially called "long stay". There is no official retirement visa - only extensions of stay for retirement. That O-A designation is officially "O" for "other" and "A" for "Approved (extension of stay)".

The requirement for extensions in Thailand is a non immigrant visa entry. As said this can now be done as a conversion or visa issue inside Thailand with 15 day or more remaining on visa exempt or tourist visa entry.

For an O-A visa applied for in your home country, you DO need a medical form and a police report.

For annual extensions based on retirement in Thailand, you DO NOT need either form.

You do NOT need to EVER start with an O-A visa.

You DO need to start with an O visa of some kind.

O visas for purposes of continuing to a retirement extension are also available IN Thailand.

Retirement extensions are NOT retirement visas.

O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas.

Again you do not ever need an O-A visa to retire in Thailand using retirement extensions.

Great post - concise as usual. Only thing i'm slightly confused about is in this - "O-A visas are popularly called retirement visas." If an 'O-A' is not a 'retirement visa', what might it be usefully called ? (Or, what is it specifically for ?) And a corollary of that - what IS a 'Retirement Visa' as opposed to an 'Extension-based-on-retirement' ? Thanks.

Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay) note the "long stay" terminology !

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

There is no "retirement visa" but an extension of stay for the purpose of retirement is available.

This might be a can of worms comment but since the issue came up yet again, here goes.

On the forum for people attempting to give advice there is a consistency in correcting people who call retirement extensions retirement visas and also in correcting people who say they are "renewing" their retirement visa at immigration when they are actually applying for annual extensions based on retirement.

That all seems settled and clear.

What's hazier is whether to accept that an O-A visa is a retirement visa or not. Being aware of course that the O-A is a long stay visa but also it is only for age 50 and over which supports the view of this visa as being related to older persons and retirement.

Instead of this coming up 1000 times more, is it possible to agree on a forum convention for properly labeling the O-A visa?

Personally I think leaving some indication of retirement to the label makes practical sense.

How about this?

O-A visa (for Long Stay / Retirement )

Just an idea.

The concept that you don't actually ever NEED an O-A visa to retire in Thailand is something that I don't think can be clarified with any label, it will always need to be spelled out and explained.

Edited November 1, 201312 yr by Jingthing

Visas are issued and named by MFA and the name is:
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay)

There is no requirement to be retired - only to not work in Thailand.

Yes that is of course the totally correct technical answer if being very literal.

But we all know people will continue to call the O-A visa a retirement visa. Oh well!

I had thought this format:

O-A visa (for Long Stay / Retirement )

indicates quite well that you do not need to be retired to obtain an O-A.

Edited November 1, 201312 yr by Jingthing

You can use what you want and am not saying it is wrong to do so - often will append with (retirement) and even some Embassies do this but it does not change the official name. The issue is when we call immigration extensions visas and the single or multi entry "O" visa retirement in the same context as O-A visas. Specific information is required to be sure of providing the correct answers to questions.

Visas are issued and named by MFA and the name is:

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" (Long Stay)

There is no requirement to be retired - only to not work in Thailand.

Oh - and that is surely the crux of the matter : many people over 50 who are not working long-term are retired, but they might also just be Unemployed/cannot get work (i.e. have no official 'retired' status - especially if there is no pension); or could even be just bone-idle ! Keeping to your 'Long Stay' definition with no embellishments about Retirement does make everything much simpler, and of course allows for an individual over 50 who for example, wants to stay in Thailand for 5 to 10 years (long stay) but then GO BACK to work for a period before real and final Retirement ?

An O-A visa is officially called "long stay". There is no official retirement visa - only extensions of stay for retirement. That O-A designation is officially "O" for "other" and "A" for "Approved (extension of stay)".

The requirement for extensions in Thailand is a non immigrant visa entry. As said this can now be done as a conversion or visa issue inside Thailand with 15 day or more remaining on visa exempt or tourist visa entry.

Ah - "Other" and "Approved" - that really helps and i haven't seen it before. Thanks.

Just an addendum to the semantic problems in this area; this is a heading from the information page of one of the most well-known legal firms specializing in immigration inside Thailand : "REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A NON-IMMIGRANT "O-A" RETIREMENT VISA". The usage is resistant to correction !

Yes, for the O-A I agree it is EXTREMELY resistant.

I guess we'll just have to live with the ambiguity indefinitely.

So when people start asking about retirement visas, which they will indefinitely, unless they are technically specific or give strong clues, we'll have to ask: what do you mean exactly?