Renewing Retirement Visa

[Eneukman]

A guy posted on a couple of message boards that for a fee of 20,000 baht you could get your retirement visa (or extension to a non-Immigrant O visa) extended without having to show proof of having 800,000 baht or pension income of 65,000 baht. He wouldn't expand on how to do this publicly but was willing to tell people privately.

My own view of this is that what is being proposed is highly illegal or most certainly against the spirit of the rules. Has anyone here heard of this?

I followed the rule book by proving I had 800,000 baht in my account when I renewed my visa earlier this month!

Alan

[Thaiquila]

Perhaps you are referring to a previous mention of a payment to have the pot of moolah put in your account for the visa qualifying period. Yes, sounds illegal, but if "officials" are involved, I am sure it is Kosher (joking).

Your title raises a question for me. I realize you need an embassy letter if trying to claim a pension, but if you are qualifying purely on bank account amount, it is my understanding you do NOT need an embassy letter.

Can a visa guru please confirm?

Edited August 27, 2006 by Thaiquila

[geoffphuket]

The 800,000 can be a mix of income and deposit...so if you had an annual income of 400,000, another 400,000 on deposit would be sufficient.

[OlRedEyes]

... most certainly against the spirit of the rules. Has anyone here heard of this?

I followed the rule book by proving I had 800,000 baht in my account when I renewed my visa earlier this month!

Alan

Spirit of the rules? Rule book? In Thailand?