Good evening. I realise that you cannot renew your retirement visa but let me explain my situation. My partner and I have lived in Thailand for a number of years and we both hold retirement visas and comply with all the requisites i.e 800.000 in the bank etc. We have applied for our retirement visas on the 2nd August every year for the last 6 or 7 years, never missing, never late. At the moment we are in Europe and due to personal reasons were unable to return to Thailand in time to renew our visas by the 2nd August.

It looks as though we will not be able to return to Thailand before the end of September or beginning of October so I imagine that we will have lost our retiremenet visas and will have to start the whole process again. My question is, what is our best option:

Should we return to Thailand and obtain a 30 day visa upon arrival and then proceed to our local immigration office as soon as possible to apply for our new retirement visas or

Should we apply for a 2 month tourist visa before we depart Europe and, with that, proceed to our local immigration office?

I guesss that in both cases we will be asked to show proof of a return ticket or will not be allowed into the country.

The local Thai Embassy here suggested that we apply for a new retirement visa before we head back to Thailand however it is impossible to do that as you cannot obtain the necessary letters and statements from the bank in Thailand when you are overseas.

Woud really appreciate any help or advice and thank you in advance.

I recommend that you obtain a non-immigrant 'O' (or even better, non-imm. O-A) visa before you come to Thailand. The reason is that with 'O' you will avoid the process and cost of converting your Tourist visa or visa exempt entry, that not all offices do, and that may require you do multiple visits to Immigration to obtain the extensions again.

And with the non-imm. O-A you would not need the extension at all for two years.

All that said, my recommendation is that if possible, you do not interrupt the consecutiveness of your retirement extensions, because if and when Thailand raises the financial requirement, having done so may grandfather you to the current ones, as it has happened twice already in the past.

Get a single-entry non-O visa each, if you can (currently difficult in the UK), otherwise a single-entry tourist visa and then in Thailand get it schnged to non-O at your immigration office. After that, it will again be one-year extensions as before.

I recommend that you obtain a non-immigrant 'O' (or even better, non-imm. O-A) visa before you come to Thailand. The reason is that with 'O' you will avoid the process and cost of converting your Tourist visa or visa exempt entry, that not all offices do, and that may require you do multiple visits to Immigration to obtain the extensions again.

And with the non-imm. O-A you would not need the extension at all for two years.

All that said, my recommendation is that if possible, you do not interrupt the consecutiveness of your retirement extensions, because if and when Thailand raises the financial requirement, having done so may grandfather you to the current ones, as it has happened twice already in the past.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, appreciated

Get a single-entry non-O visa each, if you can (currently difficult in the UK), otherwise a single-entry tourist visa and then in Thailand get it schnged to non-O at your immigration office. After that, it will again be one-year extensions as before.

Many thanks for your reply

You can only get a single entry non-o at one of the consulates in the UK and you must go in person to get it. They will want to see some financial proof your Thai bank book should be accepted.

If not you should get single entry tourist visas so you will not need a return or on onward ticket.