Retirement Visa help

[dude123]

Hi,

I'm a 54 year old Male Canadian. I had a few questions about a retirement visa and could use some help please. This is what I think I know about the retirement visa, so please correct me if I am misinformed.

1. I need to have 800,000 baht, 60 days before I arrive, registed in a Thai Bank.

2. I can live more or less freely in Thailand but must report to immigration every 90 days.

3. I don't need to leave after one year, just need to renew my visa.

Is it difficult to renew the retirement visa year after year and do I need to physically show up

at an immigration office every 90 days?

Was also wondering if I can use some of the 800,000 baht in the bank throughout the year and just

top it up a few months before the yearly renewal of the retirement visa.

Any help or tips I would really appreciate. I want to make the move as I just lost my Father and some years ago my Mother as well so I feel it's time to move on now.

Edited January 14, 2014 by dude123

[ubonjoe]

1. You do not need to have money in the bank for 60 days when you arrive. If on a non-o visa when your arrive you would not do the extension until at least 60 days after arrival. If entering on a tourist visa or 30 day visa exempt entry you can do a conversion to non immigrant visa entry with just proof you have the money in the bank and then do the extension after you have money in the bank for 60 days.

2 You can make your 90 day reports in person, have somebody else do them for you or by mail at most immigration offices.

3. You can apply for a new extension every year for as long you want but you do need to do it yourself. If you want to travel you need a re-entry permit from immigration (single or multiple is available).

[dude123]

Thanks for your reply ubonjoe. Little confused still. If I want to retire in Thailand, do I need to be married to a Thai National to stay? The non-o visa's are talking about a "spouse"?

Edited January 14, 2014 by dude123

[ubonjoe]

There is no retirement visa other than a OA long stay visa which requires a medical and police certificates to get. Info here: http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-thailand/visas/types-visas-periods-stay-fees/non-immigrant-visa-temporary-residents

You can get a non immigrant O visa for being over 50 before travelling that would avoid having to go through the process of getting the visa entry and then the extension at immigration.

You could get the visa from any of the honorary consulates (not the embassy or Vancouver consulate) in Canada. Contact info here: http://www.thaiembassy.ca/en/visiting-thailand/visas/obtaining-visa-canada

Edit: You did an edit while I was doing this post. A non-o can be issued for retirement but only at one of the honorary consulates. The embassy and Vancouver consulate will only do the OA visa.

other activities (Category "O") as follows:
to stay with the family, to perform duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

[wordchild]

Thanks for your reply ubonjoe. Little confused still. If I want to retire in Thailand, do I need to be married to a Thai National to stay? The non-o visa's are talking about a "spouse"?

no you certainly do not need to be married.

[dude123]

Thanks Ubonjoe, that visa link answered all the rest of my questions on that and also thanks to wordchild.

Just so I don't start a new thread, I know I have 6 months to bring my belongings over

to Thailand once an OA long stay visa is granted. Would you happen to know off hand if

I could also bring my 2013 KIA Sorento V6 (left hand drive) over with me?

[ubonjoe]

The 6 month rule does not apply for retirement because you cannot bring in your household goods duty free. Only those with work permits can do that.

The cost for importing a car even if it was right hand drive would make if impractical to do. The duty would would be almost 100% of declared value.

[dude123]

Could I drive it with a left hand drive still? 100% duty on declared value would still be almost half the price of a

new one in Thailand, and mine is not diesel like the ones in thailand. I purchased it used down in the states last

year and imported it into Canada.

Could you read step-3 on this link http://www.thaiembassy.com/retire/retire.php

They say I have 6 months, so I would love to know if that is really not correct as you say.

Edited January 14, 2014 by dude123

[Mario2008]

Generally it is not adviced to import a car.

But you will get better advice in the motor section: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/78-thailand-motor-forum/

[dude123]

OK, thanks will post there then.

[ThaidDown]

Could you read step-3 on this link http://www.thaiembas...tire/retire.php

The link quoted is not an Official Thai Embassy web site (see at bottom of page)

Info from Thai Customs ref import of household goods at http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+ which confirms ubonjoes #4 post

Ref importing a car I think the import cost is around 3 times the value that customs put on it. As said more info in motor forum as it has been covered many times.

[dude123]

Thanks, that answers that then!

Edited January 14, 2014 by dude123

[faith0813]

Thanks for this thread - very helpful!

[djhotsox]

BTW I would suggest not coming in on the "30 day visa exempt "as you will have to leave the country to get a Visa put in your passport before you can apply for the Retirement Visa here. (come in with a Visa)

.....and I believe the import duty on a vehicle is 187% of the value (I'd assume their appraised value....and whatever monies it costs in bribes to get it to your residence).

[Jingthing]

BTW I would suggest not coming in on the "30 day visa exempt "as you will have to leave the country to get a Visa put in your passport before you can apply for the Retirement Visa here. (come in with a Visa)

...

That is incorrect.

Arriving with a 30 day stamp or tourist visa, a change of status "conversion" to a Non Immigrant O visa (good for 90 day stay) is available generally at large immigration offices IN Thailand as part of the first step of the process; second step the retirement extension. If not available at your provincial office, that conversion to a visa can be done at Bangkok.

Cheers.

[OJAS]

Might still be best, though, if the OP first obtained a single-entry non-O visa at least from the Thai Embassy or a consulate in Canada.

[Jingthing]

Might still be best, though, if the OP first obtained a single-entry non-O visa at least from the Thai Embassy or a consulate in Canada.

Not sure I put a value judgment of "best" on that, but yes that would be another of the typical ways to do it in cases where the home country embassy/consulates will grant that single O for that purpose. It seems Canada supports that. In other countries like the USA for example, you can't do that at the Thai embassy (they would insist on an O-A application).

The typical routes of starting:

1. Single O from home country, retirement extension in Thailand

2. O-A visa multi from home country, retirement extension not needed till much later, as long as two years if played smartly

3. Arrive on a stamp or tourist visa and convert to an O visa in Thailand, then retirement extension

4. O visa from neighboring country (Malaysia, Laos) then retirement extension in Thailand

Different paths suit different people for different reasons.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Jingthing

[Tuvoc]

The typical routes of starting:

1. Single O from home country, retirement extension in Thailand

2. O-A visa multi from home country, retirement extension not needed till much later, as long as two years if played smartly

3. Arrive on a stamp or tourist visa and convert to an O visa in Thailand, then retirement extension

4. O visa from neighboring country (Malaysia, Laos) then retirement extension in Thailand

Different paths suit different people for different reasons.

This is a very useful summary, thank you. I will be in the same position in a few years time, although the rules may well have changed by then. I have also been married to a Thai national for the last six years, so there are probably other options there too.

Edit:

A thread here more relevant for me

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/696767-non-o-visa-from-the-uk/

Edited January 15, 2014 by Tuvoc

[dude123]

Might still be best, though, if the OP first obtained a single-entry non-O visa at least from the Thai Embassy or a consulate in Canada.

Not sure I put a value judgment of "best" on that, but yes that would be another of the typical ways to do it in cases where the home country embassy/consulates will grant that single O for that purpose. It seems Canada supports that. In other countries like the USA for example, you can't do that at the Thai embassy (they would insist on an O-A application).

The typical routes of starting:

1. Single O from home country, retirement extension in Thailand

2. O-A visa multi from home country, retirement extension not needed till much later, as long as two years if played smartly

3. Arrive on a stamp or tourist visa and convert to an O visa in Thailand, then retirement extension

4. O visa from neighboring country (Malaysia, Laos) then retirement extension in Thailand

Different paths suit different people for different reasons.

Very helpful thanks. Still confused about the "retirement extension" thing as the there is no retirement visa in Thailand, correct? Just the O-A visa with reports every 90 days and renewal every year?

[Lite Beer]

You extend your permission to stay for 12 months based on retirement. Cost 1,900 Baht.
You do this every year.
You report to Immigration every 90 days

2.22 In the case of a retiree: Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 1 year at a time.

(1) The alien has obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM);
(2) The applicant is 50 years of age or over;
(3) Proof of income of not less than Baht 65,000 per month; or
(4) Account deposit with a bank in Thailand of not less than 800,000 Baht as shown in the bank account for the past 3 months at the filing date of the application. For the first year, the applicant should have that amount in his bank account for not less than 60 days or
(5) Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less than Baht 800,000 as of the filing date of application

[wayned]

A visa is only a ticket to enter Thailand (a bus pass).

When you enter Thailand you are given a period to stay, or permission to stay, the length of time depends on the type of visa, if any, that you have. That's the stamp in your passport. If you enter on a "visa exempt" entry you will get 30 days, a tourist visa will give you 60 days, and a Non-O will give you 90 days. This permission to stay can be extended for various lengths depending on the reason, it is an extension of your permission to stay, not a "visa extension"!

If you enter on a single entry Non-O visa you will get 90 days permission to stay. During the last 30 days of that permission to stay you can go to immigration and apply for a 1 year extension for retirement purposes, called a "retirement extension". It allows you to stay in Thailand for one year and you only have to report your address every 90 days, you don't have to leave the country. Of course you have to meet the requirements for the extension.

If you enter on a "visa exempt" entry or tourist visa, either can be converted to a Non-O visa in Thailanad and then be extended for 1 year for retirement purposes a "retirement extension".

[dude123]

AH, I got it now, thanks for the clarification everyone. I'm eager to do this, just so undecided what part of Thailand to retire in. My wife is from Bangkok, but she says I wouldn't like it there and suggest one of the sleepy beach side communities in Rayong, so lots to figure out still.

I'm thinking of just renting around Ban Phe and using that as my base to wind down and then look east and west from there. I don't need much, just a decent place and a good supermarket close by.

Edited January 16, 2014 by dude123

[bushdoctor]

My apologies, for some reason I can not start a new thread, so I will post a quick question here.

I read the retirement visa rules and it states that I can't have a criminal record in my home country. I have a DUI in the US, is that enough that they will reject my visa application? Other than that I have not been convicted of any crimes. Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

My apologies, for some reason I can not start a new thread, so I will post a quick question here.

I read the retirement visa rules and it states that I can't have a criminal record in my home country. I have a DUI in the US, is that enough that they will reject my visa application? Other than that I have not been convicted of any crimes. Thanks.

A police background check is only needed for a OA visa. A DUI would not be enough to keep you from getting it.

For an extension of stay from immigration here it is not required.

[bushdoctor]

Thanks for the reply, that's great news.

Edited January 17, 2014 by bushdoctor

[ubonjoe]

Removed suspected spam post.