Thailand Immigration Reform - Retirement Visa

[lcp0761]

Bottom line - what, if anything, does all this Thailand immigration reform mean to me as I posses a "retirement Visa"?

Editorial - for those tourist who want to extend their stay, the border run trips appear to be over. And rightly so. The Thai govt immigration regulations were too lax and allowed a haven for a terrorist, drug smuggler, or mafia/mob individual to reside in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

Absolutely no changes for extensions of stay at immigration.

The line to extend their stay at a border crossing certainly means nothing for real extensions of stay.

[chiang mai]

It doesn't, you are not affected by current or planned events.

[OJAS]

Absolutely no changes for extensions of stay at immigration.

The line to extend their stay at a border crossing certainly means nothing for real extensions of stay.

The process I went through for my latest retirement extension at Maptaput Immigration on Tuesday was identical in every respect to that which I went through this time last year!

[Suradit69]

"Bottom line - what, if anything, does all this Thailand immigration reform mean to me as I posses a "retirement Visa"?"

The absolute bottom line is that you probably do not possess a valid "retirement visa". (commonly erroneously used to refer to the Non-Imm O-A ), but rather an extension of stay based on retirement. It does not require you to do any border runs.

The "reforms" are for the most part just a stricter application of existing rules and regulations regarding tourist visas, visa exempt entries, ed visas/extensions and overstay penalties.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Suradit69

[umbanda]

Nobody here is talking about...but.....I have feelings that the next Immigration visa change for foreigners living in the country will be mandatory health insurance......

That may be a real problem for many...including myself.

Edited July 19, 2014 by metisdead
Bold font removed again. Please stop using bold font when posting.

[maxman71]

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Nobody here is talking about...but.....I have feelings that the next Immigration visa change for foreigners living in the country will be mandatory health insurance......

That may be a real problem for many...including myself.

What are your "feelings" based upon??? Do you have any facts to support your feelings?

We all have feelings, and it's been my experience that when decisions or fears are based on feelings in absence of solid facts, it can lead a person to making some very bad decisions and wasted time worrying about something that may not even exist.

[PattayaPhom]

Nobody here is talking about...but.....I have feelings that the next Immigration visa change for foreigners living in the country will be mandatory health insurance......

That may be a real problem for many...including myself.

Even if this did happen,companies such as Muang Thai offer very cheap health insurance even at 70+ years of age, albeit not a very good policy with minimal cover but nevertheless a policy to hold for extension purposes if ever required. So retirees need not worry too much.

[Jingthing]

First they came for the visa runners ...

Then they came for the English teachers ...

And so it goes ...

No. No changes at this time.

But personally I would remember (non-Thai citizen/non perm resident) foreigners are all on a short leash here and best not to get to feeling too superior to those who are having problems now.

[chiang mai]

First they came for the visa runners ...

Then they came for the English teachers ...

And so it goes ...

No. No changes at this time.

But personally I would remember (non-Thai citizen/non perm resident) foreigners are all on a short leash here and best not to get to feeling too superior to those who are having problems now.

Your posts on this subject JT are annoying at the very least, earlier you were scaremongering on this same subject and for what purpose I'm unsure, now you've toned down the rhetoric somewhat but the veil of suspicion stills clouds your posts.

I would have thought that as a long term resident here, you of all people would better understand current events, it seems not and that surprises me. There has never been any suggestion that retirement visa holders would be scrutinized further or that changes might be made to the system.

Legitimate holders of retirement visa's are not on a short leash, unless you refer to 90 day reporting, that is hardly restrictive however. And the implication that holders of retirement visa's are next in line is mischievous and counter productive at best.

Why not give the negative potential of this subject a rest, clearly there are some retirees here who are made nervous by current events, simply because they don't understand them, perhaps you could try helping them by being a little more supportive and factual.

[PattayaPhom]

I dont see any reason for married, working or retired to be 'srutinised' havnt the announcments by immigration officials about visa runners always advised these to seek the correct visa which is one of the above.

Even if they were possibly ammended isnt grandfathering put in place on monetary amounts etc. The only issue could be the health insurance which was mentioned a few months back but as my post, this can be purchased for a minimal amount anyway.

I wouldnt loose any sleep over it if we fall into the above category.

[mca]

First they came for the visa runners ...

Then they came for the English teachers ...

And so it goes ...

No. No changes at this time.

But personally I would remember (non-Thai citizen/non perm resident) foreigners are all on a short leash here and best not to get to feeling too superior to those who are having problems now.

Your posts on this subject JT are annoying at the very least, earlier you were scaremongering on this same subject and for what purpose I'm unsure, now you've toned down the rhetoric somewhat but the veil of suspicion stills clouds your posts.

I would have thought that as a long term resident here, you of all people would better understand current events, it seems not and that surprises me. There has never been any suggestion that retirement visa holders would be scrutinized further or that changes might be made to the system.

Legitimate holders of retirement visa's are not on a short leash, unless you refer to 90 day reporting, that is hardly restrictive however. And the implication that holders of retirement visa's are next in line is mischievous and counter productive at best.

Why not give the negative potential of this subject a rest, clearly there are some retirees here who are made nervous by current events, simply because they don't understand them, perhaps you could try helping them by being a little more supportive and factual.

I had an acquaintance call me last night in a panic because the bush telegraph had told him that " they're cracking down on people who're married to Thais" &lt;deleted&gt;?

"Chill out mate" I said

I've been here 18 years on back to back extensions ( except last year when I buggered my dates up), either through work or marriage. I've been married for nigh on 15 years, have a 10 year old half Thai daughter and a w/p since day one so if they're going to start hoofing folks like me out or whatever they'd better lay on some more flights at Suvarnabhumi as I'm going to have a lot of company. Basically every westerner who lives in LOS.

[Jingthing]

I didn't say any change was coming soon. I was just saying we don't know in an attempt at a literary way.

Speaking of being annoyed, that's a two way street. I am sickened actually by the superior tone of so many people being so incredibly SMUG and UNSYMPATHETIC to those who are really being hit and hit hard by the current changes effecting other situations.

This is no joke for many people.

Yes, in my opinion, the OP is an example of this attitude.

Foreigners here taking on the unseemly role of being CHEERLEADERS for "crackdowns" against foreigners. What's up with that? Sure, there are criminals but there are a whole lot of very good people being hit by these recent changes. Would it be so hard to have some bloody compassion?

As far as my short leash comment. I have said that for years. A ONE YEAR extension is in my view a short leash by international standards for nations that DO offer legal retirement expat programs, as Thailand does. Thailand doesn't need to offer ANY program. I am happy they do. But it would be better if they offered some kind of PATH for longer term residence stability after being here for years (as other countries do that have such programs).

As it stands now a retired expat of five minutes has the exact same status as a retired expat of twenty YEARS. If/when changes are made to the program, this allows the authorities here to get at ALL retired expats the same within a one year time period (as their "leashes" would shorten to nothing). So no reason to feel THAT comfortable in your retirement status, not really.

So that is the short leash comment in the context above. It is my opinion. You don't have to agree with it. I had no intention to suggest that anyone "panic" at this current situation. But in the long run, my feeling is the same, it is illogical to feel too comfortable on retirement extension status. That hasn't changed and that is not new.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Jingthing