Tired Of Visa Runs

[SamuiJens]

As I don't qualify for anything else, since I've had a jail sentence (3 mon.) in '73, I was wondering how else I can avoid the "Runs" every month?

[lopburi3]

If you are over age 50 and can meet the 800k income or bank deposit you should be able to change a tourist visa to non immigrant and extend for retirement at an immigration office with a medical certificate, bank letter, bank passbook (and if using pension a letter from your Embassy confirming it).

[SunbeltAsia]

As I don't qualify for anything else, since I've had a jail sentence (3 mon.) in '73, I was wondering how else I can avoid the "Runs" every month?

The only time, this may matter is if you apply for residence permit or for the "O-A" visa in your home country.

Many other ways you can stay here legally.

[Maestro]

As I don't qualify for anything else, since I've had a jail sentence (3 mon.) in '73, I was wondering how else I can avoid the "Runs" every month?

SamuiJens, there are other options for you but to get a more specific answer you should perhaps give your age and say whether or not you are married to a Thai.

The police clearance gets into play only when applying for a non-OA visa. I have never heard of it being required for any other type of visa.

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

Maestro

[SamuiJens]

I'm 56, so what do I do, just go to the immgration office? and deposit 80000THB?

What about when I leave the country for awhile and return, can I just come in, and no problems?

[rishi]

Since you're from Demark you wouldn't have problems producing a clean police-record, anyway. If you haven't been caught in a crime for 5 years, the provided record will be clean.

[davethailand]

I'm 56, so what do I do, just go to the immgration office? and deposit 80000THB?

What about when I leave the country for awhile and return, can I just come in, and no problems?

Go for the retirement visa then get a 12 month re-entry permit you can then come and go.

Britmaverick was just kidding.

[SunbeltAsia]

I'm 56, so what do I do, just go to the immgration office? and deposit 80000THB?

What about when I leave the country for awhile and return, can I just come in, and no problems?

Open A Thai Bank account. Wire foreign money of over 800K in Thai Baht ( when you send the funds send it in Euros or Dollars) Get a Foreign Exchange Certificate from the Bank, this states that the 800K came from overseas and that you exchange it.

Take a copy of this document and your passport to a Thai Embassy in Penang, KL or Singapore.

The main requirement is that you have a passport showing you are over 50 years old and you have the money. They will give you a 90 day visa.

You then come back into Thailand and they will stamp you with a 90 day stamp. With one month to go on the 80 day stamp, you go back to the bank, ask them for a letter stating you have over 800K in the bank amd it arrived on whatever date and the current balance is this amount. You have maximum 72 hours to reach Immigration, once you have this letter. You must also take your savings book to Immigration which must match the amt on the letter.

You will also need a medical cert which you get from a Dr/ Clinic, just tell them its for the retirement visa. You'll need two photos as well. You then apply for the extension of stay based on retirement at Immigration. After you obtain the extension of stay, apply for a multiple reentry permit. Now for one year you can come and go as you like or stay.

[SamuiJens]

Thanks all for you help, but what a confusing batch of sh*t!

[smartecosse]

Thanks all for you help, but what a confusing batch of sh*t!

reading through it i thought it was all fairly clear & consise perhaps your comment above should be translated as

"what happpens if you dont have 800k?"

[ProfessorFart]

"what happpens if you dont have 800k?"

I'd suggest heading to Penang and getting a double entry Tourist Visa which will mean you only have to head to the border once in 90 days.

This visa is good for 60 days and can be extended for a further 30 days at the Immigration Office on Samui for 1900B.

When your extension is due to expire head to the border again and then you will be stamped in to Thailand for another 60 days, which in turn can again be extended by another 30 days in Samui.

Once that is done, simply repeat the process.

[ernieK24]

Thanks all for you help, but what a confusing batch of sh*t!

reading through it i thought it was all fairly clear & consise perhaps your comment above should be translated as

"what happpens if you dont have 800k?"

Again, let me get my 2 baht's worth in. If you're too lazy to go back and read the posts that clearly explain it all.....here it is again. First of all, if you don't have enough income to support yourself in Thailand, then you have no business entertaining the idea of retiring here. If you DO have enough income, or funds in the bank, then it's a pretty simple, straight forward process to obtain, and keep your eligibility to live here. Basically, the Thai gov't. requires you either have 800,000 baht in a Thai bank acct. or 65,000 baht a month pension income, (or income from investments, etc)....or a combination of the two, (65.000 X 12 months), or whatever it is, plus enough funds in the Thai bank acct. to equal the 800K annualy. You can divide that amount by what ever the exchange rate is for whatever country you live in and come up with the actual amount of "cash" you will have to have.

To summarize the money part: You will need 800K in a Thai bank acct., transferred from an account

in your own country, or enough monthly income to equal that amount, or a combination of the two.

If you can satisfy the money part, then the next step is to apply, either in person, or by mail to a Thai embassy or Thai consuslate, (the consulates seem to be a little easier to work with), for a

90 day NI-O, (90 day Non-Immigrant, Other) visa. This will allow you to stay in Thailand for,

(surprise-surprise). NINETY DAYS. Best you phone, email, or visit whatever consulate you're going to deal with and request what they require to apply. I used Denver, CO, USA. I had to send one passport photo, a completed application form, (which I downloaded), my passport, a postal money order, (or certified check.....no personal checks). for $50 (US) for a single entry, or $125 for a multiple entry, and a self-addressed envelope, with postage. I sent $50, and used two "5X7" brown envelopes, folded the return inside, and used a postal money order for the fee. If I remember, the whole thing including the M.O. cost me about 4 bucks for postage.....all in. In eight days, including one week-end I had my passport in my hand, with the 90 day visa stamped inside, (it takes a whole page), and the notation, "must be utilized within 90 days".

If you're anywhere as anxious as I was, I immediately went on line and purchased, on Orbitz.com, a one way ticket to BKK on China air, "E" ticket.....for about 500 US dollars.

If you've gone this far, successfully, before you leave, go to your bank and set things in motion to transfer funds from your acct. to wherever you set up an account in Thailand, ON LINE, after you get over here. It's fairly uncomplicated. My bank is CitiBank in the US, and Bangkok Bank in Pattaya.

A "TT" transfer from ur bank to Thai bank takes one or two days and my bank charges me thirty dollars, ($30) per transfer, regardless of the amount, large or small. If the Thai bank charges ANYTHING, it's such a small amount it never shows up. Make the transfer in LOCAL CURRENCY, NOT BAHT, and the exchange will be made, (to baht), in the Thai bank at the highest exchange rate available that day, for no fee. (More than you get at the exchange booth windows). If you TT the funds in "Baht". YOUR bank will give you the lowest rate possible when they convert, PLUS charge you a conversion fee, and probably a commission.

You'll have plenty of time to do all this banking after you get over here because you don't have to show any income or bank acct. during the 90 day visa. During the last thirty days, (30 days) of your 90 day NI-O visa, if you wish to continue to live, or retire, in Thailand, you must apply at Thai Immigration for an extension, for the remaining nine months of the year, and each year after that, plus you have to report to immigration every 90 days, on a pre-printed form.

This application for extension requires you to visit the American Embassy ACS division, in BKK and ask for a letter to Thai Immigration, requesting that you be allowed to stay in Thailand, and stating your monthly "pension", (or whatever). (Cost.....1200 baht.....$30 US) for the letter, certified and notarized by them. Make copies of the letter.....Thai Immigration will accept a copy but they want to see the original, which you will save to use again next year, thereby saving ANOTHER trip to the embassy, AND 1200 bt...

Now you're ready for Thai Immigration.....almost.............But first you have to go to your bank and request a letter certifying that you, indeed, DO have an account with them, and the amount, all certified and signed by an agent at the bank.....(ten minutes, and oh yes.....200-300 baht).

Make copies of your passport, visa page and "TM-card" you got on the plane; your bank passbook and all the pertinent pages showing the "TT" transfrs from a foreign account; The medical certificate you will have to get from almost any clinic, for 200 baht, stating that you are free from any one of the five "dreaded" diseases, (one of which is aids), no test, no exam, just a couple questions, and your passport, and he signs it and you sign the pre-printed form.....that's it.....oh the 200 bt.

By the way.....sign all the copies, and even if you have the required 65K income each month, Immigration likes to see the bankbook with a reasonable balance in it, to prove you're living off your own income and not working, which is a NO-NO.....without a work permit.

Armed with all this "crap", you head for the nearest Immigration office, (I used Pattaya, on soi 5 in Jomtein beach). It wasn't crowded, and the whole thing took less than an hour, in and out the door.

If you crossed all the T's and dotted all the I's you should be "home free", visa in hand, and a copy of the 90 day reporting form, and a warning "don't be late, it's 500 baht a day" if you're late reporting.......oh I forgot..........1900 baht for the extension.......and if you're planning on travelling out of the country during your stay, this would be a good time to get your re-entry permit (s), one or mulltiple.......cost.....depends on how many you get. Didn't get any so dunno.

Now that you have your "permission to stay"........stop off someplace, sit down, let out a big sigh of relief, if your lady is with you, as mine was, give her a big hug and a kiss, have a cool one and.....

E N J O Y .....it was all worth it.....ErnieK

[SamuiJens]

Thanks all for you help, but what a confusing batch of sh*t!

reading through it i thought it was all fairly clear & consise perhaps your comment above should be translated as

"what happpens if you dont have 800k?"

Again, let me get my 2 baht's worth in. If you're too lazy to go back and read the posts that clearly explain it all.....here it is again. First of all, if you don't have enough income to support yourself in Thailand, then you have no business entertaining the idea of retiring here. If you DO have enough income, or funds in the bank, then it's a pretty simple, straight forward process to obtain, and keep your eligibility to live here. Basically, the Thai gov't. requires you either have 800,000 baht in a Thai bank acct. or 65,000 baht a month pension income, (or income from investments, etc)....or a combination of the two, (65.000 X 12 months), or whatever it is, plus enough funds in the Thai bank acct. to equal the 800K annualy. You can divide that amount by what ever the exchange rate is for whatever country you live in and come up with the actual amount of "cash" you will have to have.

To summarize the money part: You will need 800K in a Thai bank acct., transferred from an account

in your own country, or enough monthly income to equal that amount, or a combination of the two.

If you can satisfy the money part, then the next step is to apply, either in person, or by mail to a Thai embassy or Thai consuslate, (the consulates seem to be a little easier to work with), for a

90 day NI-O, (90 day Non-Immigrant, Other) visa. This will allow you to stay in Thailand for,

(surprise-surprise). NINETY DAYS. Best you phone, email, or visit whatever consulate you're going to deal with and request what they require to apply. I used Denver, CO, USA. I had to send one passport photo, a completed application form, (which I downloaded), my passport, a postal money order, (or certified check.....no personal checks). for $50 (US) for a single entry, or $125 for a multiple entry, and a self-addressed envelope, with postage. I sent $50, and used two "5X7" brown envelopes, folded the return inside, and used a postal money order for the fee. If I remember, the whole thing including the M.O. cost me about 4 bucks for postage.....all in. In eight days, including one week-end I had my passport in my hand, with the 90 day visa stamped inside, (it takes a whole page), and the notation, "must be utilized within 90 days".

If you're anywhere as anxious as I was, I immediately went on line and purchased, on Orbitz.com, a one way ticket to BKK on China air, "E" ticket.....for about 500 US dollars.

If you've gone this far, successfully, before you leave, go to your bank and set things in motion to transfer funds from your acct. to wherever you set up an account in Thailand, ON LINE, after you get over here. It's fairly uncomplicated. My bank is CitiBank in the US, and Bangkok Bank in Pattaya.

A "TT" transfer from ur bank to Thai bank takes one or two days and my bank charges me thirty dollars, ($30) per transfer, regardless of the amount, large or small. If the Thai bank charges ANYTHING, it's such a small amount it never shows up. Make the transfer in LOCAL CURRENCY, NOT BAHT, and the exchange will be made, (to baht), in the Thai bank at the highest exchange rate available that day, for no fee. (More than you get at the exchange booth windows). If you TT the funds in "Baht". YOUR bank will give you the lowest rate possible when they convert, PLUS charge you a conversion fee, and probably a commission.

You'll have plenty of time to do all this banking after you get over here because you don't have to show any income or bank acct. during the 90 day visa. During the last thirty days, (30 days) of your 90 day NI-O visa, if you wish to continue to live, or retire, in Thailand, you must apply at Thai Immigration for an extension, for the remaining nine months of the year, and each year after that, plus you have to report to immigration every 90 days, on a pre-printed form.

This application for extension requires you to visit the American Embassy ACS division, in BKK and ask for a letter to Thai Immigration, requesting that you be allowed to stay in Thailand, and stating your monthly "pension", (or whatever). (Cost.....1200 baht.....$30 US) for the letter, certified and notarized by them. Make copies of the letter.....Thai Immigration will accept a copy but they want to see the original, which you will save to use again next year, thereby saving ANOTHER trip to the embassy, AND 1200 bt...

Now you're ready for Thai Immigration.....almost.............But first you have to go to your bank and request a letter certifying that you, indeed, DO have an account with them, and the amount, all certified and signed by an agent at the bank.....(ten minutes, and oh yes.....200-300 baht).

Make copies of your passport, visa page and "TM-card" you got on the plane; your bank passbook and all the pertinent pages showing the "TT" transfrs from a foreign account; The medical certificate you will have to get from almost any clinic, for 200 baht, stating that you are free from any one of the five "dreaded" diseases, (one of which is aids), no test, no exam, just a couple questions, and your passport, and he signs it and you sign the pre-printed form.....that's it.....oh the 200 bt.

By the way.....sign all the copies, and even if you have the required 65K income each month, Immigration likes to see the bankbook with a reasonable balance in it, to prove you're living off your own income and not working, which is a NO-NO.....without a work permit.

Armed with all this "crap", you head for the nearest Immigration office, (I used Pattaya, on soi 5 in Jomtein beach). It wasn't crowded, and the whole thing took less than an hour, in and out the door.

If you crossed all the T's and dotted all the I's you should be "home free", visa in hand, and a copy of the 90 day reporting form, and a warning "don't be late, it's 500 baht a day" if you're late reporting.......oh I forgot..........1900 baht for the extension.......and if you're planning on travelling out of the country during your stay, this would be a good time to get your re-entry permit (s), one or mulltiple.......cost.....depends on how many you get. Didn't get any so dunno.

Now that you have your "permission to stay"........stop off someplace, sit down, let out a big sigh of relief, if your lady is with you, as mine was, give her a big hug and a kiss, have a cool one and.....

E N J O Y .....it was all worth it.....ErnieK

OK, and thanks for the long explanation, I got it, and it sounds quite straight forward. Have a nice day!

[number6]

grow up - everyone here has tried to help and all u cna say is a bunch of shxxxxxx - people like u dont deserve help or proper answers read the other threads - like they say if you have 800k etc your welcome - as far as im concerned if not your not welcome - have a nice day

[BattyBatty]

number6.... I see no disrespect in SamuiJens comments of 'bunch of <deleted>'. Just his way of saying he doesn’t get it. That’s all. Take a farkin chill pill. 'People like you'.... What’s that supposed to mean? You farkin condescending little prick.

[Dixie]

One question with this one chaps. Once you have your retirement visa sorted do you have to transfer the 800,000B into your account every year, or do you just have to show them that the 800,000B is still there? There’s no way I going to spend 800,000 a year so quite a bit of it will still be in the bank from the year before, which I could top up when I renew my visa for another year.

[SamuiJens]

grow up - everyone here has tried to help and all u cna say is a bunch of shxxxxxx - people like u dont deserve help or proper answers read the other threads - like they say if you have 800k etc your welcome - as far as im concerned if not your not welcome - have a nice day

Why, did you even bother replying, mr. big developer, I GOT the 800K and "people like you" (in my opinion) are a pain in the as!!! Have good evening!

[lopburi3]

One question with this one chaps. Once you have your retirement visa sorted do you have to transfer the 800,000B into your account every year, or do you just have to show them that the 800,000B is still there? There’s no way I going to spend 800,000 a year so quite a bit of it will still be in the bank from the year before, which I could top up when I renew my visa for another year.

You should only need to top it up. Also if you have a pension of 65k as verified by your Embassy it would be a non issue in any case.

[Dixie]

One question with this one chaps. Once you have your retirement visa sorted do you have to transfer the 800,000B into your account every year, or do you just have to show them that the 800,000B is still there? There’s no way I going to spend 800,000 a year so quite a bit of it will still be in the bank from the year before, which I could top up when I renew my visa for another year.

You should only need to top it up. Also if you have a pension of 65k as verified by your Embassy it would be a non issue in any case.

Thanks for the reply lopburi3.

I would only recieve a normal state pension, I'm also only 54 this year so would have to go down the 800,000B route.

My wife is Thai and we married in the UK where we live at present. We are not registered as married in Thailand so don't know where I stand on that score. I've been preparing to move to Thailand for some time.

[lopburi3]

If you are married there you are married here. Not allowed to have a wife in every port.

[SamuiJens]

I was also wondering if there is a limit to visa runs (on a normal Visitor 1 Mo. stamp from the airport) or can you just repeat the process?

[Crossy]

I was also wondering if there is a limit to visa runs (on a normal Visitor 1 Mo. stamp from the airport) or can you just repeat the process?

There's no official limit

BUT

A number of people have reported being told 'next time go elsewhere', nobody has reported being denied entry though

[SamuiJens]

Thanks for that one Crossy, seems I'm doomed for this , at least til next year.

Have a good one!

[number6]

number6.... I see no disrespect in SamuiJens comments of 'bunch of <deleted>'. Just his way of saying he doesn’t get it. That’s all. Take a farkin chill pill. 'People like you'.... What’s that supposed to mean? You farkin condescending little prick.

nice one mate - guess your fun at pub when youve had a few - what i mean is i dont like cheap scates here in thailand not do thais - learn thai and learn what they really think - have a good one

[SamuiJens]

number6, I'm not a cheapskate, but I don't feel like throwing my hard earned money at every Thai that wants to over-charge me either!!! DO YOU?