Can you get a retirement visa while in THailand?

[roboticeye]

Do you have to be outside Thailand to change visas?

[ubonjoe]

You can do a conversion to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry based upon qualifying for an extension of stay for retirement. You need to have 800k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the the 2 totaling 800k baht.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 entry you can apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement showing the same financial requirements. But the money will need to be in the bank for 60 days.

[roboticeye]

You can do a conversion to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry based upon qualifying for an extension of stay for retirement. You need to 800k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the the 2 totaling 800k baht.

The during the last 30 days of the 90 entry you can apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement showing the same financial requirements. But the money will need to be in the bank for 60 days.

You can do this while in country at any immigration office? If I use the option showing proof of income, rather than the 800k, will I still need to save money to make that requirement at a later date?

I am a US citizen. If I don't get my background check etc. completed in the states, how would I go about doing it in THailand?

[ubonjoe]

You can do it at certain immigration offices. Not all offices can do the conversion.

If you use the income option you do not need the money the bank.

There is no need for a police report or medical certificate to apply for the visa entry nor the extension.

It would be best if you could get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over from one of the honorary consulates. By having that you could apply for the extension without needing to do a conversion. See here for a list of the honorary consulates. http://www.thaiembdc.org/dcdp/?q=consulate_honorary

[WaywardWind]

As for the financial requirement, it is either you have sufficient income as demonstrated by an affidavit notarized at the US Embassy Consular Services (they don't verify but simply take your word for it. An appointment must be made online beforehand) or 800,000 in a Thai bank - not both. If you have income but it falls short of 800K per year, you can make up the shortfall with a bank deposit, and bring both the updated passbook and a letter from the bank dated the day before verifying the amount on deposit.

There is no requirement for a police check or a medical certificate if you follow the route described above by ubonjoe.

[Suradit69]

As for the financial requirement, it is either you have sufficient income as demonstrated by an affidavit notarized at the US Embassy Consular Services (they don't verify but simply take your word for it. An appointment must be made online beforehand) or 800,000 in a Thai bank - not both. If you have income but it falls short of 800K per year, you can make up the shortfall with a bank deposit, and bring both the updated passbook and a letter from the bank dated the day before verifying the amount on deposit.

There is no requirement for a police check or a medical certificate if you follow the route described above by ubonjoe.

Your comment is somewhat confusing. For a marriage extension both methods cannot be combined to reach the requirements, but for a retirement extension both can be combined for that purpose.

" it is either you have sufficient income as demonstrated by an affidavit... or 800,000 in a Thai bank - not both."

I realize you mention the combination method after that, but it sounds like you are contradicting yourself.

The police check and medical certificate are only required if someone applied for a non-imm O-A visa at a consulate or embassy in his country of residence.

[WaywardWind]

As for the financial requirement, it is either you have sufficient income as demonstrated by an affidavit notarized at the US Embassy Consular Services (they don't verify but simply take your word for it. An appointment must be made online beforehand) or 800,000 in a Thai bank - not both. If you have income but it falls short of 800K per year, you can make up the shortfall with a bank deposit, and bring both the updated passbook and a letter from the bank dated the day before verifying the amount on deposit.

There is no requirement for a police check or a medical certificate if you follow the route described above by ubonjoe.

Your comment is somewhat confusing. For a marriage extension both methods cannot be combined to reach the requirements, but for a retirement extension both can be combined for that purpose.

" it is either you have sufficient income as demonstrated by an affidavit... or 800,000 in a Thai bank - not both."

I realize you mention the combination method after that, but it sounds like you are contradicting yourself.

The police check and medical certificate are only required if someone applied for a non-imm O-A visa at a consulate or embassy in his country of residence.

The OP is asking about a retirement visa or extension, not one based on marriage.

He then poses two questions.

First, "If I use the option showing proof of income, rather than the 800k, will I still need to save money to make that requirement at a later date?" I read that as asking whether, if he uses the income option solely, does he then have to follow that by saving up for a bank deposit, believing that he had to meet both requirements - 800K income and and additional 800K bank deposit. The answer to that is no, it is either one or the other.

Second, "I am a US citizen. If I don't get my background check etc. completed in the states, how would I go about doing it in THailand?" he asks how to accomplish a US police check, etc., from within Thailand, and the answer is that it is not necessary to submit the same for a retirement extension, which is what I said.

[Mzungu]

What does have to be presented at immigration office in Thailand?

Visa change form (from tourist to retirement), two photos, fee, proof of required amount in Thai bank.

Anything else? Thanks

[moe666]

What does have to be presented at immigration office in Thailand?

Visa change form (from tourist to retirement), two photos, fee, proof of required amount in Thai bank.

Anything else? Thanks

Just go to the printer service section of immigration tell them what you are doing and they will make the necessary copies

[Mario2008]

Bank letter and bank book, proof of adress (renatl contract or utitity bill, copy of passort and arrival card.