Pros and cons of a retirement visa..

[Andyfez]

OK, so I'm British and I've been living in Thailand for about 13 years on and off, sometimes with tourist visas, for a while with a work visa, and for a few years with a marriage visa.

The last 4 years I've been working in China with visits to LOS every 3 months for a few days on tourist visa on arrival.

Next year I wanna move back to Thailand.

I would rather avoid the marriage visa for personal reasons.

I have enough monthly income for a retirement visa (aged 54), and this seems to me to be a less complicated option.

However I will need to fly to China for a couple of days each month which makes me question whether this is the best option..

So...... if I get a retirement visa do I need to pay for a re-entry visa every month - as well as doing 3 month reporting?

Or could I fly in and out of LOS through Don Muang on a tourist visa for the foreseeable, staying maybe 3 days in China each month?

Where does immigration draw the line?

I'm flying in and out of an international airport (not a land border), so is anyone going to stop me after a few trips and point out the obvious fact that I'm not a tourist, but living here?

[Showbags]

Not sure about the tourist question...but if you get a multi entry visa you can come and go as many times as you wish each year. If you do not stay more than 90 days, you do not have to do the 90 day report at all. Each time you fly back in it resets the 90 day clock.

[lopburi3]

A retirement extension is one year so one multi re-entry permit will cover the entire period for 3,800 baht per year.

[ubonjoe]

Just do the extension and apply for a multiple re-entry permit and pay the 3800 baht fee for it. Then you can leave and enter as many time as you want until you apply for your next extension. No questions will be asked.

[wayned]

A multiple entry re-entry permit currently costs 3800 baht and is good for as many entries that you want during your current extension period. The 90 day clock is reset whenever you enter Thailand so if you leave once a month you will never have to do 90 day reports.

[Artisi]

Easy peasy, just comply with the retirement visa extension rules and away you go, well - that's really come and go as you please.

[CharlieH]

You could also just get a 1yr multi entry o visa based on being married, (not an extension based on marriage). One is far different to the other. Marriage extension is done inside Thailand with heavy paperwork, non o marriage is done outside Thaikand minimal paperwork on no money depending on where you go.

Get this from KL or Hong Kong. Come and go as you please, no re entry permit, only down side is you must leave after 90 days on any entry, but from what you have said thats not going to happen anyway.

[ubonjoe]

You could also just get a multi entry o visa based on being married, (not an extension based on marriage).

Get this from KL or Hong Kong. Come and go as you please, no re entry permit, only down side is you must leave after 90 days on any entry, but from what you have said thats not going to happen anyway.

He can easily get an extension for retirement.

A multiple entry O visa is not possible at either location mentioned.

[CharlieH]

You could also just get a multi entry o visa based on being married, (not an extension based on marriage).

Get this from KL or Hong Kong. Come and go as you please, no re entry permit, only down side is you must leave after 90 days on any entry, but from what you have said thats not going to happen anyway.

He can easily get an extension for retirement.

A multiple entry O visa is not possible at either location mentioned.

Just so I am clear, are yku saying I cannot get a multi entry "o" based on marriage from Kuala lumpur?

If so since when ?

[ubonjoe]

You could also just get a multi entry o visa based on being married, (not an extension based on marriage).

Get this from KL or Hong Kong. Come and go as you please, no re entry permit, only down side is you must leave after 90 days on any entry, but from what you have said thats not going to happen anyway.

He can easily get an extension for retirement.

A multiple entry O visa is not possible at either location mentioned.

Just so I am clear, are yku saying I cannot get a multi entry "o" based on marriage from Kuala lumpur?

If so since when ?

It has only been few months since they stopped doing them.

[CharlieH]

You could also just get a multi entry o visa based on being married, (not an extension based on marriage).

Get this from KL or Hong Kong. Come and go as you please, no re entry permit, only down side is you must leave after 90 days on any entry, but from what you have said thats not going to happen anyway.

He can easily get an extension for retirement.

A multiple entry O visa is not possible at either location mentioned.

Just so I am clear, are yku saying I cannot get a multi entry "o" based on marriage from Kuala lumpur?

If so since when ?

It has only been few months since they stopped doing them.

If that is true, and I have no reason to doubt you, then I stand corrected.

I have such a visa in my passport from KL but it is a couple years old and didnt know they were no longer available.

Its a bummer as I was going to go that route myself in the New Year.

[ubonjoe]

You could also just get a multi entry o visa based on being married, (not an extension based on marriage).

Get this from KL or Hong Kong. Come and go as you please, no re entry permit, only down side is you must leave after 90 days on any entry, but from what you have said thats not going to happen anyway.

He can easily get an extension for retirement.

A multiple entry O visa is not possible at either location mentioned.

Just so I am clear, are yku saying I cannot get a multi entry "o" based on marriage from Kuala lumpur?

If so since when ?

It has only been few months since they stopped doing them.

If that is true, and I have no reason to doubt you, then I stand corrected.

I have such a visa in my passport from KL but it is a couple years old and didnt know they were no longer available.

Its a bummer as I was going to go that route myself in the New Year.

Savannakhet Laos does them with no financial proof.

KL started asking 400k baht in the bank before they stopped doing them.

[CharlieH]

Thanks for that uodate,

it appears the option is viable with no financial proof via Savannakhet.

Cheers!

[lopburi3]

Troll post removed.

[Andyfez]

Thanks very much for your help guys.

[KittenKong]

Can anyone actually think of a situation where one would be better off getting a retirement visa outside Thailand rather than a retirement extension inside Thailand?

To me the extension (+ eventual re-entry permit) seems to win in all respects. Cheaper, easier, quicker, less paperwork etc.

[ubonjoe]

Only if you do not have funds that you can easily move to Thailand and cannot prove sufficient income.

[lopburi3]

If you do not have to pay excessive amounts for medical/police clearance a cost of 5,000 baht for up to two years stay does seem to be cheaper than 2,000 for non immigrant visa plus 1,900x2 for two extensions. For those traveling often a new O-A each year might be even more cost effective. As no money needs to be tied up in Thailand if not using income extension method; for those without pensions it would seem even more attractive. But for those that plan to remain in Thailand full time the extensions of stay would seem to be better.

Edit: remove word "not" inadvertently typed.

[ubonjoe]

If married and your spouse cannot meet financial requirements for the their own OA visa the extensions of stay is the only good way to go.

[KittenKong]

Only if you do not have funds that you can easily move to Thailand and cannot prove sufficient income.

The second part would prevent you from getting the visa anyway, unless you were doing it on the basis of capital. In fact it's probably easier to "prove" income here for an extension (as the proof here is merely a declaration based on your own cognisance) than it is to really prove your income abroad.

It just seems to me that the combination of police checks, income verification, medical checks etc is much more onerous outside the country than in, and the cost of getting an extension here is either cheaper or barely more expensive than getting the visa abroad. And it's certainly quicker to do it here.

The visa option just didn't seem very attractive to me when I looked into it.

[ubonjoe]

Only if you do not have funds that you can easily move to Thailand and cannot prove sufficient income.

 

The second part would prevent you from getting the visa anyway, unless you were doing it on the basis of capital. In fact it's probably easier to "prove" income here for an extension (as the proof here is merely a declaration based on your own cognisance) than it is to really prove your income abroad.

 

It just seems to me that the combination of police checks, income verification, medical checks etc is much more onerous outside the country than in, and the cost of getting an extension here is either cheaper or barely more expensive than getting the visa abroad. And it's certainly quicker to do it here.

 

The visa option just didn't seem very attractive to me when I looked into it.

You forgot about the combination of income and money in the bank to get an extension.

Many embassies ask for proof of income to issue an income document.

[JLCrab]

While the OP is from UK, if a US citizen, having 400K baht in a Thai bank account during any part of the year including 2 or 3 months triggers an IRS FBAR reporting requirement which is better avoided if possible.

[lopburi3]

Off topic in this topic, as said, but actually it is not a difficult report to provide.

Form TD F 90-22.1, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (the

“FBAR”), is used to report a financial interest in or signature authority

over a foreign financial account. The FBAR must be received by the

Department of the Treasury on or before June 30th of the year

immediately following the calendar year being reported. The June 30th

filing date may not be extended.

Who Must File an FBAR. A United States person that has a financial

interest in or signature authority over foreign financial accounts must file

an FBAR if the aggregate value of the foreign financial accounts

exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year. See General

Definitions, to determine who is a United States person.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f90221.pdf

[JLCrab]

Only problem with FBAR is when it triggers an audit.

[Ace of Pop]

Eight Hundred K,is easy for Marry I year extension, done on the spot. Bit of repeat peperwork , thats all.

[ubonjoe]

Eight Hundred K,is easy for Marry I year extension, done on the spot. Bit of repeat peperwork , thats all.

For marriage to a Thai it is 400k or 40k income.