Retirement visa/extension of stay requirements

[Litlos]

Before anyone gets into semantics about visa and extension to stay I will use the terms I am seeing on various websites. It appears the Thai government use the terms interchangeably, so I am following their lead.

 

Having been unable to renew my retirement visa/extension I now have to get a new one after getting a broad hint this was a good idea when coming back in last week.  I intended to wait until I was in Australia in November, but with the current crackdowns I will take a hint and get it now.  Just to make it a bit more interesting I work a 4x4 roster outside of Thailand, and have already been here almost a week, this becomes relevant (maybe) a bit later

 

Anyway the more I look at the lists and details of what is required the more confused I am becoming.  So I am looking for some help or guides and preferably pointed to the correct information.  The Thai immigration website is pretty ordinary in supplying details except "fill in the form  and take a number".  Some of the information also seems to be of different ages, which does not make it easier to obtain a clear understanding.

 

So where I am at this point is I am currently here on a 30 day visa exempt.  I have decided a holiday in Vientiane is in order and can apply for the correct starting visa from the embassy there.

 

Now the questions that I am looking for assistance in answering,

 

1/  What I need in Vientiane is to apply for a Non Immigrant Visa type O ?

 

2/  When I return to Thailand I then apply to convert this to Retirement Extension?

 

3/  Can I apply to convert straight away, or does it have to be in the last 30 days (I have seen this mentioned a few times)  ?

 

3a/  I will assume I need to get a multi entry at 1/ if I need to convert in the last 30 days as I will need to leave for work as well as re-enter from Laos.

 

4/  I have the financials pretty well sorted having done this previously for extending an existing, so know the hoops here and have it covered.

 

4/  I am assuming a TM 7 form is the correct form for the application for extension ?

 

5/  I have seen mention of a personal data form, medical certificate and police report from home country.  Are all these still required ?

 

6/  Anything I have missed ?

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

Cheers

 

 

[ubonjoe]

To get a single entry non-o visa you will only need your passport to prove your age and have financial proof if asked for it.

You cannot apply for the extension of stay until the last 30 (45 at some offices) days of the 90 day entry. You will need to get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) at immigration to keep that entry valid when you leave for work. Then after returning you can apply for the extension of stay (1900 baht) and then get a multiple re-entry permit that costs 3800 baht.

You will submit a completed TM7 form with an attached 4cm X 6cm photo. You will need copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry/permit to stay stamp and TM6 departure card. For the re-entry permit you need a TM8 form with a photo attached and the same passport copies plus your extension stamp.

If using the money in the bank option you willl need a letter from your bank confirming your balance of 800k baht and bank book to prove the money has been in the bank for 60 days.

If using income of 65k baht you will need an income letter from your embassy.

No need for things you mentioned in #5  those are only needed to apply for a OA visa at an embassy or consulate.

[Litlos]

To get a single entry non-o visa you will only need your passport to prove your age and have financial proof if asked for it.

You cannot apply for the extension of stay until the last 30 (45 at some offices) days of the 90 day entry. You will need to get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) at immigration to keep that entry valid when you leave for work. Then after returning you can apply for the extension of stay (1900 baht) and then get a multiple re-entry permit that costs 3800 baht.

You will submit a completed TM7 form with an attached 4cm X 6cm photo. You will need copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry/permit to stay stamp and TM6 departure card. For the re-entry permit you need a TM8 form with a photo attached and the same passport copies plus your extension stamp.

If using the money in the bank option you willl need a letter from your bank confirming your balance of 800k baht and bank book to prove the money has been in the bank for 60 days.

If using income of 65k baht you will need an income letter from your embassy.

No need for things you mentioned in #5  those are only needed to apply for a OA visa at an embassy or consulate.

 

Great answer thanks, you have even managed to explain some of the differences in information I am seeing.

 

One small query is as living in Bangkok would I need to go to Chaeng Wattana to get re-entry permit, or is it possible to get from say the airport on the way back in to Thailand or another immigration office?

 

 

Cheers

[ubonjoe]

You can get it at CW or at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country 24 hours a day.

At Suv the desk for them is just after departure immigration. They will charge 1200 baht for it because they do the form photo and copies for you.

 

[aarn]

I would like to reiterate a couple of points in UbonJoe's response, because I was in a similar position to Litlos earlier this year.

Just come back to LOS with a single-entry non-o, then proceed from there...

Get the re-entry permit before you leave LOS, otherwise your visa expires when you exit through Immigration. AA 

[OJAS]

 

To get a single entry non-o visa you will only need your passport to prove your age and have financial proof if asked for it.

You cannot apply for the extension of stay until the last 30 (45 at some offices) days of the 90 day entry. You will need to get a single re-entry permit (1000 baht) at immigration to keep that entry valid when you leave for work. Then after returning you can apply for the extension of stay (1900 baht) and then get a multiple re-entry permit that costs 3800 baht.

You will submit a completed TM7 form with an attached 4cm X 6cm photo. You will need copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry/permit to stay stamp and TM6 departure card. For the re-entry permit you need a TM8 form with a photo attached and the same passport copies plus your extension stamp.

If using the money in the bank option you willl need a letter from your bank confirming your balance of 800k baht and bank book to prove the money has been in the bank for 60 days.

If using income of 65k baht you will need an income letter from your embassy.

No need for things you mentioned in #5  those are only needed to apply for a OA visa at an embassy or consulate.

 

Great answer thanks, you have even managed to explain some of the differences in information I am seeing.

 

One small query is as living in Bangkok would I need to go to Chaeng Wattana to get re-entry permit, or is it possible to get from say the airport on the way back in to Thailand or another immigration office?

 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Definitely better to get the re-entry permit at Chaengwattana Immigration at the same time as your extension of stay IMHO, if you have the time (I gather that you need to queue up for this again there once you have obtained your extension of stay).

 

Also worth bearing in mind that Chaengwattana Immigration are one of those offices referred to by ubonjoe who allow extensions of stay to be applied for from the last 45 days of a 90-day entry.

[ubonjoe]

Definitely better to get the re-entry permit at Chaengwattana Immigration at the same time as your extension of stay IMHO, if you have the time (I gather that you need to queue up for this again there once you have obtained your extension of stay).
 
Also worth bearing in mind that Chaengwattana Immigration are one of those offices referred to by ubonjoe who allow extensions of stay to be applied for from the last 45 days of a 90-day entry.

I think he was asking about the single re-entry permit for his 90 day non-o visa entry he needs to keep it valid when he goes out to work.

[Litlos]

You can get it at CW or at either airport in Bangkok on departure from the country 24 hours a day.

At Suv the desk for them is just after departure immigration. They will charge 1200 baht for it because they do the form photo and copies for you.

 

 

Thanks very much for a detailed response (again).  I now feel much better informed and comfortable with the process.

 

Cheers

[claynlr]

After receiving the extension of stay based on retirement...then getting a "multiple re-entry permit" at 3800
Baht...this is good for as many re-entries as you want for the year your extension (retirement) is in force? You can come and go as many times as you wish?

[lothda]

After receiving the extension of stay based on retirement...then getting a "multiple re-entry permit" at 3800
Baht...this is good for as many re-entries as you want for the year your extension (retirement) is in force? You can come and go as many times as you wish?

 

Yes and yes.
 

[paul955]

Can I ask if there is any way round the money in the Thai account for a retirement / extension of stay visa? I have a Kasikorn account but dont have much in it. I have quite a bit in my UK account and have applied for an income verification letter from the embassy in Bangkok showing I have ample funds in the UK. Will this suffice Thai immigration or does the money have to be in the Thai account? 

 

 

I currently have a one year non immigrant O - A multi entry due to finish in September.

 

[paz]

Can I ask if there is any way round the money in the Thai account for a retirement / extension of stay visa? I have a Kasikorn account but dont have much in it. I have quite a bit in my UK account and have applied for an income verification letter from the embassy in Bangkok showing I have ample funds in the UK. Will this suffice Thai immigration or does the money have to be in the Thai account? 

It has to be in a Thai bank account.

[paul955]

Strange because when I got the non immigrant O - A it was fine being in the UK account.

 

So if I transfer money into my Thai account now, and try to get the retirement visa /extension of stay in early September will that do or does it have to be in the bank for 60 days?

 

I hear many stories of the money being in a Thai account for only a couple of days and successfully getting the visa?

[OJAS]

Strange because when I got the non immigrant O - A it was fine being in the UK account.

 

So if I transfer money into my Thai account now, and try to get the retirement visa /extension of stay in early September will that do or does it have to be in the bank for 60 days?

 

I hear many stories of the money being in a Thai account for only a couple of days and successfully getting the visa?

 

To answer your original question, there is, indeed, a way round money in a Thai account for a retirement extension of stay. And you have may already achieved this through the income confirmation letter which you have obtained from the British Embassy! Provided that this letter states that you earn the GBP equivalent of 65,000 THB per month minimum that should do nicely by way of financial proof in support of your extension of stay application in September.

 

The reply from paz is correct in the case of the alternative method of financial proof for retirement extensions of a minimum 800,000 THB balance seasoned continuously for 2 months in the case of a first extension and for 3 months in the case of subsequent extensions.