Retirement Visa -Non OA - French citizen

[Masaccio]

Bonjour,

The Embassy of Thailand in Paris asks for a deposit of 800.000 bath for a retirement visa,even for the first year .

Contrary to most countries where a mix between income (65 000 bth /month minimum) and deposit seems possible.

I have the income and can justify it...but I cannot deposit the requested amount right now.

What kind of alternative ,if any, does exist in order to get a one year "retirement" visa with possibilities of multiple exits?

Merci in advance !

Masaccio

[motyduke]

You did your visa from France ? If yes You have no alternative i think . Maybe You can come here and try from here . But here too they ask the same déposit . From france You can ask for à visa for 90 days with only proof of revenue

[paz]

You did your visa from France ? If yes You have no alternative i think . Maybe You can come here and try from here . But here too they ask the same déposit . From france You can ask for à visa for 90 days with only proof of revenue

The difference is, as the OP noted, that for an extension of stay obtained in Thailand a combination of bank fund and income can be used.

Note, it is normal for all Thai consulates that for an O-A visa only funds in bank are accepted, not income.

[Jingthing]

Then forget the O-A visa from France.

Come to Thailand on a tourist visa or single entry O if you can get one.

With the tourist visa you can convert to an O in Bangkok and then later apply for your first annual extension based on retirement in Thailand.

That extension done at your local office in Thailand, if not Bangkok

For that you can use the "combo" method, income (shown in income letter from your embassy in Thailand) plus bank funds but in this case the banked money MUST be in a THAI bank.

Arrive with a single entry O and you can then apply for your annual retirement extension during the last 30 days of that 90 day stay.
Same combo method.

Also possible to get a single O in Laos or Malaysia if you don't want to do it in Bangkok.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Jingthing

[ubonjoe]

Another strange requirement from the embassy in Paris. No income or a combination allowed only 20k euros in the bank.

You can do an extension of stay based upon retirement here and show proof of 65k baht income or a combination of money in the bank and income totaling 800k baht.

Perhaps check with one of the honorary consulates in France to see if they will issue you a single entry non-o visa.

If a non-o is not possible then you should get a single entry tourist visa and then you could do a change of visa status to obtain a 90 day non immigrant visa entry. You will need to show financial proof to get it. Bangkok immigration does the change themselves but has authorized some offices within the region to accept the applications that are then sent to Bangkok for approval.

[TheAppletons]

You did your visa from France ? If yes You have no alternative i think . Maybe You can come here and try from here . But here too they ask the same déposit . From france You can ask for à visa for 90 days with only proof of revenue

The difference is, as the OP noted, that for an extension of stay obtained in Thailand a combination of bank fund and income can be used.

Note, it is normal for all Thai consulates that for an O-A visa only funds in bank are accepted, not income.

That is incorrect. My O-A visa was obtained using the income method. Many others' as well.

Edit: Los Angeles Thai Consulate.

Edited July 11, 2015 by TheAppletons

[ubonjoe]

The MFA website has the following for an OA visa. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

"A copy of bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate (an original copy) with a monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, or a deposit account plus a monthly income totalling not less than 800,000 Baht."

[domdom]

Hello,

I am french and did my OA visa in Paris and yes they don't accept proof of income but ask to justify 20.000 euros in a bank account for minimum last 3 months..

The best solution if you don't have the 20.000 euros is to ask for O visa and then change it into OA visa after 3 months here in Thailand. I think for O visa they only ask to justify 5000 euros in a bank account

If you are in Pattaya you will have to go to BGK to do it or pay a special "service charge" to local immigration to have it done without going to BGK..

For revenue certification you may either go through the french embassy where it is quite crowdy

Have a nice day

[ubonjoe]

Hello,

I am french and did my OA visa in Paris and yes they don't accept proof of income but ask to justify 20.000 euros in a bank account for minimum last 3 months..

The best solution if you don't have the 20.000 euros is to ask for O visa and then change it into OA visa after 3 months here in Thailand. I think for O visa they only ask to justify 5000 euros in a bank account

If you are in Pattaya you will have to go to BGK to do it or pay a special "service charge" to local immigration to have it done without going to BGK..

For revenue certification you may either go through the french embassy where it is quite crowdy

Have a nice day

Immigration does not do an OA visa. It is an extension of stay based upon retirement.

Pattaya now accepts the application for a non immigrant visa based upon qualifying for an extension based upon retirement with no additional fee other than the normal 2000 baht. The application is sent to Bangkok for approval.

[OJAS]

My interpretation of point 8 of the Paris Embassy's statement at http://www.thaiembassy.fr/wp-content/uploads/non-OA1.pdf is that the 800,000 THB in a Thai bank requirement only applies to second and subsequent OA visa applications made to the Embassy - with 20,000 EUR in a (presumably French) bank being required for the first application.

If my rusty understanding of the French language these days is correct, therefore, perhaps the OP could clarify whether or not he has applied for an OA visa at the Paris Embassy previously.

That said, as already noted, the Paris Embassy's unwillingness to accept monthly income as an alternative method of proving finances for OA visas does, indeed, appear to be the exception rather than the rule. Even the London Embassy allows this these days: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

Edited July 11, 2015 by OJAS

[domdom]

Hello

I confirm they ask 20.000 euros in a french bank account for more than 3 months, proof in original (don't accept a print from internet without a stamp and signature from the bank manager).

A friend of mine was asked 15.000 bahts extra to do a OA in Pattaya and if you check in the "guide du routard" thailand forum others had the same request. Maybe it changed but this was true 6 months ago

Have a nice day

[motyduke]

Why they are différent rules for différent countries ? It is the same visa for thailand !! I can not understand why ?

[stoneyboy]

Why they are différent rules for différent countries ? It is the same visa for thailand !! I can not understand why ?

It's quite obvious isn't it,if you come from say Zimbabwe or you come from England your financial situation may differ greatly.

[motyduke]

Of course your situation is différent !!! But it is not the problem : thailand ask You a minimum to live here .... So why différent rules ?? I am sure they dont give retirement visa to someone from a poor country with a very low minimum

[ubonjoe]

Hello

I confirm they ask 20.000 euros in a french bank account for more than 3 months, proof in original (don't accept a print from internet without a stamp and signature from the bank manager).

A friend of mine was asked 15.000 bahts extra to do a OA in Pattaya and if you check in the "guide du routard" thailand forum others had the same request. Maybe it changed but this was true 6 months ago

Have a nice day

Again it is not a OA visa.

I think the 15,000 baht was paid to an agent not immigration. That may of also included the financial proof.

Until recently Jomtien could not accept the applications but they can now do it.

[ubonjoe]

Why they are différent rules for différent countries ? It is the same visa for thailand !! I can not understand why ?

It is different embassies or consulates that make up their own rules. The country does not matter.

[motyduke]

Why they are différent rules for différent countries ? It is the same visa for thailand !! I can not understand why ?

It is different embassies or consulates that make up their own rules. The country does not matter.

yes i understand but they are embassies from one country thailand so they have only one law to follow !!!??? of course france or any other country does not matter but u think , for examples, us embassies applies the same laws and rules everywhere ! so.....

[paz]

yes i understand but they are embassies from one country thailand so they have only one law to follow !!!??? of course france or any other country does not matter but u think , for examples, us embassies applies the same laws and rules everywhere ! so.....

It is not law, it's discretionary. MfA has given this faculty that each consulate. Only the visa types and fees remain the same (more or less). Thailand is not the US.

Edited July 11, 2015 by paz

[Langsuan Man]

You have differences in Immigration offices here in Thailand. How often do you hear the refrain, which Immigration Office are you talking about when members post here

Same for Embassies and Consulates. In the US, Los Angeles and Chicago all your supporting documents for and O-A Visa require a notary stamp, at the Embassy in Washington or the Consulate in New York that is not required

New York Consulate insists that you use the forms that are available on their web site, not the forms available on the Embassy web site. Washington Embassy requires an extra copy of everything submitted

So if you want to deal with the Thai Embassy in Paris, you have to follow their rules and procedures, or as others have stated, obtain an O and have it converted when you get here

[Masaccio]

MERCI a lot to all of for your explanations and advices!

Enjoy Thailand as much as I will !!

[Masaccio]

Then forget the O-A visa from France.

Come to Thailand on a tourist visa or single entry O if you can get one.

With the tourist visa you can convert to an O in Bangkok and then later apply for your first annual extension based on retirement in Thailand.

That extension done at your local office in Thailand, if not Bangkok

For that you can use the "combo" method, income (shown in income letter from your embassy in Thailand) plus bank funds but in this case the banked money MUST be in a THAI bank.

Arrive with a single entry O and you can then apply for your annual retirement extension during the last 30 days of that 90 day stay.

Same combo method.

Also possible to get a single O in Laos or Malaysia if you don't want to do it in Bangkok.

Thanks a lot for the advices!

It makes things clear now.

Best.

[domdom]

To Ubonjoe

When I say immigration was charging 15.000 it was immigration NOT an agent.. This was asked to a friend of mine who declined.. This is also commented on the french "guide du routard" forum on december 12th 2014.. Here is a copy of the post if some of you speak french..

Have a nice day

<French language removed only English is is allowed on the forum>

Edited July 12, 2015 by ubonjoe

[ubonjoe]

To Ubonjoe

When I say immigration was charging 15.000 it was immigration NOT an agent.. This was asked to a friend of mine who declined.. This is also commented on the french "guide du routard" forum on december 12th 2014.. Here is a copy of the post if some of you speak french..

Have a nice day

<French language removed only English is is allowed on the forum>

That was about 7 months ago. As I said immigration in Jomtien can now accept the application and only charge 2000 baht for the non immigrant visa application. Then when it is approved and the stamp are done a person can then apply for an extension of stay for a fee of 1900 baht.

Google translate of removed text in French.

Hi, I just arrived in Pattaya and I went to the immigration office in order to get a retirement visa. After completing the adequate and provided all supporting form, I was asked to pay the sum of 15,000 baht (375 Euros)! Surprised by this amount, I wanted to know more. For any first retirement visa was then told that he must bear the fee for processing applications is henceforth to the immigration office in Bangkok. Taking for granted that explanation, so I rule the 15,000 baht and leaves behind my passport then recover in a week. By the same occasion I also request a receipt for this transaction, something that I was firmly refused. Consequently, if you want to establish Thailand as retirement, I urge you to make your application (OA) in France. You will do so a saving of 235 Euros (375-140), which is far from negligible.

Perhaps part of the problem was asking for a retirement visa. There is no retirement visa that immigration can issue.

He simply got taken due to a lack of knowledge. It is also possible that it was not an immigration officer that made the 15k baht offer.