would that rule out getting a retirement visa, if one has a record of being arrested, but no charges were pursued, hence no conviction?

thanks,

an innocent man here

You didn't mention which country you are from. Before I entered Thailand with the anticipation of getting a retirement visa, I read that it was necessary to have a letter from the local police department stating that I had no criminal record. When I applied for the visa, in BKK, the immigration officer didn't ask for the police letter. I've renewed my visa twice since then, and I still have the letters in my possession....unseen by any Thai official.

would that rule out getting a retirement visa, if one has a record of being arrested, but no charges were pursued, hence no conviction?

thanks,

an innocent man here

A criminal record means having previous criminal convictions. You will be able to get a letter from your local police department sayng you have no criminal convictions. Being arrested doesn't constitute a criminal offence. Even if you had been charged that still doesn't count. You would only have a criminal record if you had been to court and found guilty and therfore have a criminal conviction against you.

You didn't say which country you didn't commit the crime in, Thailand perhaps ?

If you apply for the one year extension in Thailand then you don't need a police report.

Naka.

thanks

country where i live and where the offence took place is canada.

i am not sure if i was charged or not, it was a citizens arrest, police have informed me that they will not be pursueing me in court proceedings

andrewryan108, your posts indicate that you are familiar with the requirements for a non-immigrant O-A visa (non-OA, for short).

Naka mentioned the “one-year extension” in Thailand and in case you are not familiar with this procedure, this is how it works:

1. At a Thai consulate in Canada, you apply for a non-immigrant O visa (not OA). Purpose of visit: “to investigate the possibility of retirement in Thailand”. No police report, health certificate, etc. required for this application.

2. You enter Thailand with the non-O visa and are admitted for a stay of 90 days.

3. After 60 days in Thailand, you open a bank savings account in Thailand and remit foreign currency, e.g.. Canadian dollars, to the equivalent of not less than 800,000 Baht to your Thai account, then apply for an annual extension for the reason of retirement. See here for details, click on “Visa Extensions”, then on “to spend the remainder of life”.

Using this method – non-O plus application for extension – you do not need a police report. The health certificate, you can get from a local (Thai) doctor for a few hundred Baht. On the whole, this procedure is less cumbersome. The only thing is that you need to show money in a Thai account earlier than with the non-OA visa.

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Maestro

The O visa extended in Thailand is the easiest way to go in my opinion.