Yesterday I got my first retirement visa in Pattaya. I made it by converting my 30 day waiver. It was not difficult and,it seems, at least in Pattaya, vast majority of applications are currently approved. The whole process took several hours, including a separate line for multiple entry reentry permit. Recently I started a thread on this forum regarding this issue and got detailed recommendations from UbonJoe, all of which (with details specific for Pattaya) proved to be 100 percent correct. While nobody can control what is posted on various forums, it is important, in my opinion, to know who provides correct and helpful information. Thanks again, UbonJoe.

Yep, he is our angel........................ ..........10 out of 10..............

Retirement Visa??? Thought a Retirement Visa had to be done in country of residence.

You just got a Retirement Visa by doing what? Or did you mean that you converted a 30 day visa exempt to a non O Visa based on Retirement?

Perhaps something new I missed, as I will be doing a conversion of a tourist visa to a non O based on retirement, as well.

Yes, I got what is called the retirement visa, though some people call it permission to stay for 15 monthes. I refer to the original thread ,where UbonJoe explains all the details specific for Pattaya.

Yes, I got what is called the retirement visa, though some people call it permission to stay for 15 monthes. I refer to the original thread ,where UbonJoe explains all the details specific for Pattaya.

well i am certainly confused. I thought it was called a retirement extension....on a 90 day Non O.. I will certainly be backtracking all the threads...

Still am thinking you are misnaming your Permission to stay (Extension of stay based on Retirement)...calling it a Retirement Visa. Which it is not.

Not a retirement visa but an extension of stay.

However, back to the original subject. Whenever UbonJoe weighs in I read and learn. He is truly an expert and his stuff is a pleasure to read.

Thanks for all you do UbonJoe.

Yupp, he is a great help. He ( and Maestro ) gave me some valuable information a few months back when I started a thread with some Visa questions.

Now I just try to give back some of that information whenever I can.

For those who are planning to apply for retirement visa in Pattaya soon, here are some notes "from the field". I have just arrived in Thailand and though I do have banking account, I have very little amount of money on it. Also, I did not have time to secure the appartment lease. I arranged appointment with US Embassy in advance through their website. You need to have an appointment. I arranged a taxi from Pattaya to BKK, went to Embassy and got "a proof of income" paper. Taxi waited for me and took me back to Pattaya (total time spend in BKK:15 minutes inside US Embassy). This is a standard form which can be downloaded from Embassy website. I am currently staying in one of the condos in Central Pattaya and I asked them to provide a letter stating that I am residing with them.

At the moment these two documents will suffice. Near Immigration office (soi 5, Jomtien beach), there is a shop, where they take your photos and fill out all necessary forms for you for free (you pay only for photos). I was also fortunate to get advice of a German volonteer in the Immigration office. And that is it.

For those who are planning to apply for retirement visa in Pattaya soon, here are some notes "from the field".

Again...you are not permitted to apply for a retirement Visa here. You have to do that in your own country. This leads to confusion. You are referring to an Extension of stay Based on Retirement. There is a Retirement Visa...but you cannot get it in Pattaya or elsewhere in Thailand !

Sorry...but accuracy is critical.

You info is good otherwise. Your terminology is worrisome.

For those who are planning to apply for retirement visa in Pattaya soon, here are some notes "from the field".

Again...you are not permitted to apply for a retirement Visa here. You have to do that in your own country. This leads to confusion. You are referring to an Extension of stay Based on Retirement. There is a Retirement Visa...but you cannot get it in Pattaya or elsewhere in Thailand !

Sorry...but accuracy is critical.

You info is good otherwise. Your terminology is worrisome.

How is the extension of stay based on retirement stamped in the passport? Does the stamp say retirement?

How is the extension of stay based on retirement stamped in the passport? Does the stamp say retirement?

Yes, it does.

How is the extension of stay based on retirement stamped in the passport? Does the stamp say retirement?

Yes, it does.

I don't want to be a fly in your soup, but..

The definition of visa is...

The visa is commonly a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document. The visa, when required, was historically granted by an immigration official on a visitor's arrival at the frontiers of a country, but increasingly today a traveller wishing to enter another country must apply in advance for a visa, sometimes in person at a consular office, by mail or over the internet. The actual visa may still be an endorsement in the passport or may take the form of a document or an electronic record of the authorisation, which the applicant can print before leaving home and produce on entry to the host country. Some countries do not require visas for short visits.

So if the passport stamp contains the word, 'retirement', according to the definition, one could refer to it as a, 'retirement visa'. The stamp is the visa.

This is why there is so much confusion.

You are correct in describing the process in obtaining the extension of stay, but once the passport depicts the word retirement in the passport, in my opinion one would be correct in referring to it as a retirement visa. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

It is extension of stay for 15 months. My understanding is that after this period ends I can apply for another extension for 12 months while in Thailand. If I apply in my own country, I will probably get a different first stamp valid for 3 months but after that the routine is the same. Correct me, if I am wrong.

I spend a portion of each year in Thailand. Prior to leaving the US, in order to obtain a visa, I carefully compile all the necessary documents and complete the required forms and send that package, along with my passport to the closest Thai Consulate in the US. A couple of weeks later my passport is returned with a visa which is signed, stamped and glued to a page in my passport.

If I wish to stay in Thailand for longer than the terms of that visa, while in Thailand, I again compile the necessary stuff and hot foot it over to the local immigration office. There they stamp a page in my passport which states in part, ". . . extension of stay up to . . . " It is not a visa. From that point forward the original visa is now null and void.

It is extension of stay for 15 months. My understanding is that after this period ends I can apply for another extension for 12 months while in Thailand. If I apply in my own country, I will probably get a different first stamp valid for 3 months but after that the routine is the same. Correct me, if I am wrong.

You are right, but do not forget to show up at the Immigration office evey 3 months to say Hello to the nice officers.......specially that brunette with green eyes!!

Retirement Visa??? Thought a Retirement Visa had to be done in country of residence.

You just got a Retirement Visa by doing what? Or did you mean that you converted a 30 day visa exempt to a non O Visa based on Retirement?

Perhaps something new I missed, as I will be doing a conversion of a tourist visa to a non O based on retirement, as well.

As I explained to UbonJoe, a category O Visa is issued in Country by Thai Immigration when you convert from a 30day tourist permit to stay and they stamp a proper category "O" Visa in your passport. You then go to another desk to get your permit to stay based on retirement.

Retirement Visa??? Thought a Retirement Visa had to be done in country of residence.

You just got a Retirement Visa by doing what? Or did you mean that you converted a 30 day visa exempt to a non O Visa based on Retirement?

Perhaps something new I missed, as I will be doing a conversion of a tourist visa to a non O based on retirement, as well.

As I explained to UbonJoe, a category O Visa is issued in Country by Thai Immigration when you convert from a 30day tourist permit to stay and they stamp a proper category "O" Visa in your passport. You then go to another desk to get your permit to stay based on retirement.

Now that sounds familiar....

How is the extension of stay based on retirement stamped in the passport? Does the stamp say retirement?

Yes, it does.

I don't want to be a fly in your soup, but..

The definition of visa is...

The visa is commonly a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport or other travel document. The visa, when required, was historically granted by an immigration official on a visitor's arrival at the frontiers of a country, but increasingly today a traveller wishing to enter another country must apply in advance for a visa, sometimes in person at a consular office, by mail or over the internet. The actual visa may still be an endorsement in the passport or may take the form of a document or an electronic record of the authorisation, which the applicant can print before leaving home and produce on entry to the host country. Some countries do not require visas for short visits.

So if the passport stamp contains the word, 'retirement', according to the definition, one could refer to it as a, 'retirement visa'. The stamp is the visa.

This is why there is so much confusion.

You are correct in describing the process in obtaining the extension of stay, but once the passport depicts the word retirement in the passport, in my opinion one would be correct in referring to it as a retirement visa. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

They issue a proper Category "O" visa stamped in your passport, you then go to another desk and get the permit to stay based on retirement which goes underneath and is a separate stamp.7

I agree UBONJOE is the best here a stand up guy, even if you post something stupid he at least tells you why your banned from posting. Because of him I very careful what I say and how it it is worded out of the respect I have of his posts. I usually tell others wanting the straight scoop ask him Keep up the excellent work Ubonjoe

Not a retirement visa but an extension of stay.

However, back to the original subject. Whenever UbonJoe weighs in I read and learn. He is truly an expert and his stuff is a pleasure to read.

Thanks for all you do UbonJoe.

Seconded Spokane. ALWAYS read Ubon Joes comments.

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For those who are planning to apply for retirement visa in Pattaya soon, here are some notes "from the field".

Again...you are not permitted to apply for a retirement Visa here. You have to do that in your own country. This leads to confusion. You are referring to an Extension of stay Based on Retirement. There is a Retirement Visa...but you cannot get it in Pattaya or elsewhere in Thailand !

Sorry...but accuracy is critical.

You info is good otherwise. Your terminology is worrisome.

What does a "Retirement Visa" look like Slippery? Never seen one.

Are you talking about an O-A?

Going to embarrass UJ now..............

Hip Hip...........

Going to embarrass UJ now..............

Hip Hip...........

UJ looks younger than I had imagined

I have a retirement visa , it says in blue RETIREMENT .

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

For those who are planning to apply for retirement visa in Pattaya soon, here are some notes "from the field".

Again...you are not permitted to apply for a retirement Visa here. You have to do that in your own country. This leads to confusion. You are referring to an Extension of stay Based on Retirement. There is a Retirement Visa...but you cannot get it in Pattaya or elsewhere in Thailand !

Sorry...but accuracy is critical.

You info is good otherwise. Your terminology is worrisome.

What does a "Retirement Visa" look like Slippery? Never seen one.

Are you talking about an O-A?

Hats off to Uncle Joe. Great Job.

what a diamond geezer

Not a retirement visa but an extension of stay.

However, back to the original subject. Whenever UbonJoe weighs in I read and learn. He is truly an expert and his stuff is a pleasure to read.

Thanks for all you do UbonJoe.

The thing I notice about Ubon Joe is when you PM him for anything, he always gets back to you very quickly. Well done Joe.

Retirement Visa??? Thought a Retirement Visa had to be done in country of residence.

You just got a Retirement Visa by doing what? Or did you mean that you converted a 30 day visa exempt to a non O Visa based on Retirement?

Perhaps something new I missed, as I will be doing a conversion of a tourist visa to a non O based on retirement, as well.

Yes you can do here you first do the Non O then go back I and do the retirement 1900 baht a pop but I did mine at the spaceship in BKK they are very helpful.

Not a retirement visa but an extension of stay.

However, back to the original subject. Whenever UbonJoe weighs in I read and learn. He is truly an expert and his stuff is a pleasure to read.

Thanks for all you do UbonJoe.

+1

Retirement Visa??? Thought a Retirement Visa had to be done in country of residence.

You just got a Retirement Visa by doing what? Or did you mean that you converted a 30 day visa exempt to a non O Visa based on Retirement?

Perhaps something new I missed, as I will be doing a conversion of a tourist visa to a non O based on retirement, as well.

In February, 9 days before I hit 50, I went to Jomtien immigration & asked for a one month extension based on marriage. The immigration officer, gave me a pile of forms & told me to come back after my birthday & apply for retirement, so presumably it can be done in Thailand. I haven't tried yet