I recently obtained a non-O imm visa in the USA and will be arriving in Chiang Mai this October where I will be staying for 5 months. I am planning on going to immigration sometime in December to apply for an extension of stay based on retirement and am planning on going to the US Thai consulate in Chiang Mai to get an income affidavit to show immigrations that I have more then 65000 baht month income. I am also going to be bringing verifications to substantiate my income in case immigration wants to see proof of my income. Is it correct that you can get an extension with JUST the income requirement met and you also don't need to have funds on deposit in a bank account?

If you can meet the 65k baht income requirement you do not need funds in the bank.

Checking my understanding.

The 65,000 baht per month is income from home country but not need to transfer to Thailand.

But financial assets in home country not important. Only care about seasoned funds in Thai

It seems most people prefer to keep their assets in their home country instead of keeping a minimum balance of 800,000 here in Thailand.

Not trust Thai banks or seeking higher returns investing in own country?

The statement on the income affidavit is "I also affirm that I receive US$ ____________ every month from the United States Government and/or other sources." You fill in the amoumt in US$ and immigration does the conversion to Thai baht on the day that you apply for the extension. You don't need to transfer any money to Thailand and you do not need any proof for the US Embassy/Consulate. You might have to show proof at immigration in addition to the letter. I've always brought proof but didn't show it and was never asked, but I don't use Chiang Mai.

If you use the 800k bank deposit method, the money only has to be in the bank for 2 months prior to the first extension and three months prior on following years, it does not have to remain there the entire year. But it has to be in a Thai bank in your name only. If you want to use the bank deposit method and want the money to remain in your US bank you need to apply for an O/A visa in the US before coming. In addition an O/A visa application requires that you have a medical and criminal background check.

Good luck!

I assume O/A visa means retirement visa.

Are there any advantages of retirement visa or is extension to stay based on retirement equivalent and less paperwork?

What needs to be covered in the medical check? Healthy? No Std?

Where to ask about criminal background check?

Just to note that on the 2 recent police orders regarding the 2.22 extension of stay based on retirement, the wording in the English translation for the 65000 baht monthly income option says "evidence of having income" -- the word 'proof' is not used.

The word 'proof' IS used for the 800,000 deposit option

The O/A visa is a "long stay" visa not actually a retirement visa but many call it that. Many also call retirement extensions "retirement visas" which they aren't.

The biggest advantage of the O/A visa is that you don't have to transfer any money to Thailand. It is a pre-approved visa where yu get 1 year permission to stay every time you enter Thailand and you can get two years from the visa if you make your last entry on the "must enter by"date on the visa. You still have to do 90 day reports.

I don't know exacly what is required on the medical certificate for the O/A visa.

.

I got a criminal background check for employment purposes through the FBI website since I was already living here. You have to get fingerprinted and send it to them. The cost is $18. Google FBI criminal backgroud check. I understand that you can also get one through your local police.

The extension of a Non-O requires less paperwork and hassle, no medical or criminal check, and can usually be obtained in one trip to immigration if all of your paperwork is in order. You need an appointment in Chiang Mai and need to book it well in advance. The office that I use is usually not busy and my yearly renewals normally take less than 45 minutes with no appointments required.

With a O/A can I enter and return as often as I like without getting reentry permit?

What are the requirements to get O/A visa from America?

I am old enough to retire in Thailand but not old enough to get social security or my work pension.

With a 2.5% return on my investment I have enough income to meet Thailand's requirements for retirement.

I know I can always use the 800,000 baht option also.

Nice to know my options.

With a O/A can I enter and return as often as I like without getting reentry permit?

Yes before the "entry before date". After, you will need a re-entry permit.

What are the requirements to get O/A visa from America?

http://dc.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Imglong.aspx

Note that the following verbiage from the above page would be right for single entry-visa. But since O-A visa is multi-entry, unfortunately it is wrong.

· Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

Just to note that on the 2 recent police orders regarding the 2.22 extension of stay based on retirement, the wording in the English translation for the 65000 baht monthly income option says "evidence of having income" -- the word 'proof' is not used.

The word 'proof' IS used for the 800,000 deposit option

I wonder if the original Thai text also uses different words.

Just to note that on the 2 recent police orders regarding the 2.22 extension of stay based on retirement, the wording in the English translation for the 65000 baht monthly income option says "evidence of having income" -- the word 'proof' is not used.

The word 'proof' IS used for the 800,000 deposit option

I wonder if the original Thai text also uses different words.

The previous 777/2551 Police Order at 2.22 retirement as translated & copyrighted by Tilleke and Gibbins and revised by the Legal Div. Royal Thai Police HQ uses the same distinction i.e. 'evidence' for 65K baht monthly income and 'proof' for 800K baht deposit.

With a O/A can I enter and return as often as I like without getting reentry permit?

Yes before the "entry before date". After, you will need a re-entry permit.

What are the requirements to get O/A visa from America?

http://dc.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Imglong.aspx

Note that the following verbiage from the above page would be right for single entry-visa. But since O-A visa is multi-entry, unfortunately it is wrong.

· Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

I'm pretty sure the O/A visa is either single entry or multiple entry visa. At least, it was when I applied for and received mine last year from the Los Angeles consulate.

The O/A visa is a "long stay" visa not actually a retirement visa but many call it that. Many also call retirement extensions "retirement visas" which they aren't.

The biggest advantage of the O/A visa is that you don't have to transfer any money to Thailand. It is a pre-approved visa where yu get 1 year permission to stay every time you enter Thailand and you can get two years from the visa if you make your last entry on the "must enter by"date on the visa. You still have to do 90 day reports.

I don't know exacly what is required on the medical certificate for the O/A visa.

.

I got a criminal background check for employment purposes through the FBI website since I was already living here. You have to get fingerprinted and send it to them. The cost is $18. Google FBI criminal backgroud check. I understand that you can also get one through your local police.

The extension of a Non-O requires less paperwork and hassle, no medical or criminal check, and can usually be obtained in one trip to immigration if all of your paperwork is in order. You need an appointment in Chiang Mai and need to book it well in advance. The office that I use is usually not busy and my yearly renewals normally take less than 45 minutes with no appointments required.

You do not need an appointment at Chiang Mai but it helps if you can get one. No appointment show up at 0630 and wait for the doors to open and numbers to be handed out.

I'm pretty sure the O/A visa is either single entry or multiple entry visa. At least, it was when I applied for and received mine last year from the Los Angeles consulate.

OA visas are not issued as single entries.

"• For the purpose of retirement (Type “O-A”) - no single-entry Non-Immigrant O-A visas"

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=34

With a O/A can I enter and return as often as I like without getting reentry permit?

Yes before the "entry before date". After, you will need a re-entry permit.

What are the requirements to get O/A visa from America?

http://dc.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Imglong.aspx

Note that the following verbiage from the above page would be right for single entry-visa. But since O-A visa is multi-entry, unfortunately it is wrong.

· Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

I'm pretty sure the O/A visa is either single entry or multiple entry visa. At least, it was when I applied for and received mine last year from the Los Angeles consulate.

In my home country Sweden there only exist multiple. And I know it's the same in many other European countries

The Thai Consulate in Los Angeles issues only multiple entry visas for the purpose of retirement.

The Thai Consulate in Los Angeles issues only multiple entry visas for the purpose of retirement.

Interesting...could have sworn the form I completed gave me the option of single or multiple (but since I chose multiple....).

The Thai Consulate in Los Angeles issues only multiple entry visas for the purpose of retirement.

Interesting...could have sworn the form I completed gave me the option of single or multiple (but since I chose multiple....).

Things may have changed over the past few years. I obtained a retirement visa from the LA Consulate both last year and once again within the past couple of weeks and both times they offered the multiple entry option only.

Interesting...could have sworn the form I completed gave me the option of single or multiple (but since I chose multiple....).

The visa application form is for all types of visas. You could of marked it single and they would still of given you a multiple entry and/or corrected your error.

Interesting...could have sworn the form I completed gave me the option of single or multiple (but since I chose multiple....).

The visa application form is for all types of visas. You could of marked it single and they would still of given you a multiple entry and/or corrected your error.

Got it, thanks for the clarification.