Have Retirement Visa But Questions

[Hurricane51]

I just received my retirement (O-A) visa (USA), and plan to enter Thailand in the next month or so. I have a few questions:

1. Upon entry to Bangkok, what do I need to do? Will the immigration officer at the airport stamp my passport with the required entry stamp for the 12-month stay, or do I need to visit an immigration office within some specified period of days?

2. After I am living in Thailand, and I wish to leave to travel to other countires (contiguous and non-contiguous), what type of re-entry visa do I need? Where do I apply for this?

3. When my 12 months are up, do I need to leave the country to re-apply, or just provide the same documents to renew my O-A visa at a local immigration office?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

1. If you have an O-A visa you should receive a stamp for one year upon entry.

2. If your visa is multi entry you will receive a new one year entry stamp while the visa validity period is valid. Check this as if it is not multi entry you require a re entry permit prior to any travel.

3. You go to immigration to extend your stay a few days before your permitted to say date ends with 800k in local bank account from overseas or letter from Embassy confirming pension of 65k per month or combo; letter from your bank of account balance, medical certificate, form TM.7 filled out with 4x6cm photo not more than 6 months old and payment of 1,900 baht. If you plan travel you will require a re entry permit prior to leaving the country.

[Hurricane51]

1. If you have an O-A visa you should receive a stamp for one year upon entry.

2. If your visa is multi entry you will receive a new one year entry stamp while the visa validity period is valid. Check this as if it is not multi entry you require a re entry permit prior to any travel.

3. You go to immigration to extend your stay a few days before your permitted to say date ends with 800k in local bank account from overseas or letter from Embassy confirming pension of 65k per month or combo; letter from your bank of account balance, medical certificate, form TM.7 filled out with 4x6cm photo not more than 6 months old and payment of 1,900 baht. If you plan travel you will require a re entry permit prior to leaving the country.

1. Clear

2. Retirement visas (as far as I know) are only issued for single entry. At least, that was the information I obtained from the Los Angeles consulate. Anyway, that is what I have.

Where, exactly, do I obtain the re-entry visa? In the airport? At a local immigration office? Is there a limit to the time I can be absent from Thailand before re-entering the country on this visa? Also, I've read that it matters whether you are returning from a contiguous country or a non-contiguous country.

3. It sounds like I need everything I needed for the initial application, except the money must reside in a Thai bank and I don't need the police report?

[lopburi3]

They were providing a multi entry type but guess they have stopped - it was very confusing so it is better with the single type. You should get a one year stamp on arrival and then you can obtain a re entry permit from any immigration office or at airport (after check in but before entry to immigration area). Best to obtain from immigration. Cost is 1,000 baht for single use or 3,800 baht for a permit that will cover all trips up to your permitted to stay stamp expiration. The is no time limit of any kind or any difference between Laos and LA. You can do a day trip or spend half the year.

One item you did not mention is the 90 day address report. You must report your address 90 days after any entry and after any period of 90 days within the country. You do this at any immigration office and it can be done by mail. TM.47 form is used for this.

No police report and money here is the main difference for renewal.

[Hurricane51]

They were providing a multi entry type but guess they have stopped - it was very confusing so it is better with the single type. You should get a one year stamp on arrival and then you can obtain a re entry permit from any immigration office or at airport (after check in but before entry to immigration area). Best to obtain from immigration. Cost is 1,000 baht for single use or 3,800 baht for a permit that will cover all trips up to your permitted to stay stamp expiration. The is no time limit of any kind or any difference between Laos and LA. You can do a day trip or spend half the year.

One item you did not mention is the 90 day address report. You must report your address 90 days after any entry and after any period of 90 days within the country. You do this at any immigration office and it can be done by mail. TM.47 form is used for this.

No police report and money here is the main difference for renewal.

Thanks -- that clears up all of my questions.

[guyham]

When I entered Thailand 4 years ago with a one year retirement visa, the immigration at Bangkok airport had some discussion among themselves as to how long the entry permit stamp should be for. Eventually they stamped it for 90 days. I later went to the immigration office at Nong Khai who stated that the airport folks had made a mistake and restamped my passport for the year.

Incidentally, re renewal of retirement visa, if you show 800K in bank they will issue the renewal immediately (30 minutes) whereas showing foreign income seems to require everything going to Bangkok for further processing (this based on my experience at Nong Khai)