Hello,

I must compliment the founders of this site, excellent idea, content and maintenance.

This is my virgin post to Thai Visa, so please be gentle with me.

As background – I am a 59-year-old single male, a British citizen but, with the exception of a year or two here and there, I have not lived in the UK for over 30 years. I have been wandering and working on the Southern tip of Africa since the early 80’s. Some questionable economic decisions have the potential to render my pension pot valueless, so its time to cash in my chips and move on.

I have visited Thailand twice in the Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai areas. I also spent time in the Hanoi and Ha Long areas of Vietnam. I believe, from a personal perspective, I could settle in SE Asia.

Having skimmed through many questions and threads on Thai Visa, the visa situation in Thailand looks as if it can be quite complex if you don’t get it right. And that is the reason for my post.

Over the next few months it is my intention to extricate myself from Sub-Saharan Africa and I want to start spending time in Thailand with a view to an eventual retirement visa.

I really cannot see myself just sitting around at the moment, so I intend to use the intervening time to gain a TEFL qualification. Whether I try to use this in Thailand or Vietnam is up in the air at the moment. I have also seen some English business services advertising for staff, but I am not sure of the legitimacy of this from a visa perspective.

Given the scenario I sketched above:

1. My desire to spend significant time in Thailand

2. An attempt to gain TEFL skills.

3. Possibly wandering between Thailand and Vietnam for living/working

4. The desire to eventually obtain a Thai retirement visa

What should be my approach be from a visa perspective?

What sequence of events should I follow? I don’t want to do something silly now which could jeopardise my longer term plans.

How do I open a Bank account etc, etc, etc

I guess what I am really looking for is an idiots guide (or links to the reference material) to relocating and eventually retiring in Thailand.

Thanks in Advance

John

Welcome and thanks for the post.

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Good luck!

You could get a one year extension of stay based upon retirement now if your have the financial proof. Then get a multiple re-entry permit to do your travels.

You could take a TEFL course with that extension. Then if you find work as a teacher you could get the proper visa and a work a permit to do it.

Thank you. That sounds like a good place to start.

Short term you may be able to get a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) if you are permanently resident in the country your living in or from the UK. This visa would give you unlimited entries for 6 months but each entry is limited to 60 days. After 60 days you need to apply for a 30 day extension (1,900) baht or leave the country. You can immediately return anytime within the expiry date of the visa.

But based on your age and post I think your best option would be a Non Immigrant 'O-A' visa (home country/residence only) that would give you unlimited entries for 1 year. Each entry grants a 1 year stay, so no border runs needed, but you'd need to report to immigration if you stay in the country longer than 90 days. At the end of the year there are options one being to apply for a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement. This extension can be renewed each year.

Lastly, you could apply for a single entry non 'O' visa from most embassies/consulates. This will give one 90 day entry. In the last 30 days of that entry you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement. If you want to exit/return within that year you can with a re-entry permit (1,000 baht). Multiple re-entry permits are also available for 3,800 baht.

• You don't need to be retired to apply for a non 'O-A', non 'O' or 1 year extension of stay based on retirement. You just can't work in Thailand.
• To apply for a non 'O-A' or non 'O' visa at an embassy/consulate you will need the equivalent of 800k baht in your bank OR a certified income of 65k baht per month OR a combination of the two.
• To apply for a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement, at an Thai immigration office, you need to have 800k in a Thai bank account in your name for 2 months prior to applying. Or a certified income of 65k pm OR a combination of the two.

You can open a bank account at many branches, however, you might need to shop around as not all branches will open an account for a foreigner. It would be a good idea to do that asap during your next visit.

Thank you very much. A picture of my options is beginning to emerge.

The visa terminology (O's and A's etc) is still a bit foreign to me, but I can now research those on the Thai Government websites.

In terms of a bank account. Are there any banks known to be more accommodating to non-resident foreigners? Or is it just a branch by branch luck of the draw thing?

JB

Probably Bangkok Bank is the most foreigner friendly but it really varies from branch to branch. Most foreigners have a simple savings account that has passbook and the possibility of a debit card and online banking. A savings account with a passbook is all that's needed for extensions of stay applications.

Thanks again.

go with SCB Bank,they seem to like expats,we have used them for years,good people

[emoji106]

New to the site, hope it's ok to tag on a relevant question instead of starting a new thread.....

I plan to apply for a non-immigrant OA visa, but am finding the practicalities confusing.

If I apply in the UK prior to moving (Thai Consulate in Hull have told me this can only be done at the Thai Embassy in

London) how do I have to show proof of funds? I don't have a Thai bank account yet and won't have till I move, so can

only show UK bank accounts.

Or, would it be easier to apply for a single entry non O visa, and apply for the 1 year retirement visa when in Chiang Mai?

Thank you for any and all advice.

New to the site, hope it's ok to tag on a relevant question instead of starting a new thread.....

I plan to apply for a non-immigrant OA visa, but am finding the practicalities confusing.

If I apply in the UK prior to moving (Thai Consulate in Hull have told me this can only be done at the Thai Embassy in

London) how do I have to show proof of funds? I don't have a Thai bank account yet and won't have till I move, so can

only show UK bank accounts.

Or, would it be easier to apply for a single entry non O visa, and apply for the 1 year retirement visa when in Chiang Mai?

Thank you for any and all advice.

• Yes you can only apply at the London embassy.
• You don't need a Thai bank account. You can use your UK account. You need to have at least the equivalent of 800k baht in the UK account. The embassy will use their own exchange rate (not sure what that is.)

Getting a non 'O-A' gives you more options so it's a good idea to get one from the UK.

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by elviajero

Thanks for tagging on the question Missindy. Looks London may be the right place to do the visa thing.

What did I do?!

I posted on this topic but that post and any subsequent posts have disappeared........

Ignore my last post - I'm new!

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.......

[emoji12][emoji3][emoji3][emoji106] I'm new too.

Thanks for the replies.

I don't live in the uk and will apply by post. Can anyone say how efficient the procedure is? Is it a quick turnaround and am I safe to book a flight in advance of the application?

Thanks for the replies.

I don't live in the uk and will apply by post. Can anyone say how efficient the procedure is? Is it a quick turnaround and am I safe to book a flight in advance of the application?

You must be physically in the UK to apply even if applying by post.

Why and for how long?

I currently live in Cyprus - a 5 hour flight from the uk.

Why and for how long?

I currently live in Cyprus - a 5 hour flight from the uk.

Applying by post http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/401

They took postal applications away from the consulates some time ago. Now everything has to go through London. Probably because they were accepting applications from abroad.

Also Non 'O-A' visas are only available in your home country or a country you have permanent residence. You might be able to apply at the consulate in Cyprus.

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by elviajero

Now that is scary .......applying in Cyprus. I will make enquiries.

I wonder how the Embassy in London would know that you wasn't a uk resident.

Now that is scary .......applying in Cyprus. I will make enquiries.

I wonder how the Embassy in London would know that you wasn't a uk resident.

Obviously they'd know if you used a return address outside of the U.K. but you are required to put a phone number on the application form so there's always the possibility of them finding out that way.

If you're a legal resident in Cyprus then there should be no problem with you applying for a non-OA there or you can -

- Apply for a Non-O visa in a country local to Thailand (Savannakhet in Laos seems to be favourite)

- Enter Thailand on Visa Exempt / Tourist Visa & convert to Non-O retirement in Bangkok.

I am a legal resident in Cyprus, but bureaucracy doesn't often run smoothly here.....

Applying in the uk will be difficult though, so I'll go the Cyprus route first.

Thanks all for the replies, and apologies to John for taking over his post.

John - though it can seem confusing, I know many retirees here on different visas and who take different approaches. What I have seen is that if you really do qualify for the visa, you will not have any problems. I have found Thai Immigration to be extremely helpful the couple of times I had small glitches of my own making. As an experienced traveler, I am sure you will be fine.

Good luck and hope you enjoy a great retirement..

I wonder how the Embassy in London would know that you wasn't a uk resident.

By looking at your passport..

Edited January 12, 201610 yr by Rob13

Certainly no lack of idiots to guide you on this forum

Or snipers....

Thank you very much. A picture of my options is beginning to emerge.

The visa terminology (O's and A's etc) is still a bit foreign to me, but I can now research those on the Thai Government websites.

In terms of a bank account. Are there any banks known to be more accommodating to non-resident foreigners? Or is it just a branch by branch luck of the draw thing?

JB

When planning to retire here, I opened an account with Bangkok Bank. I've been happy with them (I know I'll get flamed for saying this!). I also hired a lawyer to help with visa and other legal issues.

I am also a newbie to the site so hope this works! Interesting read with regard to the retirement visa - so can someone tell me, as long as you can prove that you have the money in your home bank, you don't actually have to transfer the monthly amount of 65K - you just need to prove you have the funds in your bank account and then can transfer money as you need it? Is that right, or are you expected to move the THB65K over every month?

Thank you very much. A picture of my options is beginning to emerge.

The visa terminology (O's and A's etc) is still a bit foreign to me, but I can now research those on the Thai Government websites.

In terms of a bank account. Are there any banks known to be more accommodating to non-resident foreigners? Or is it just a branch by branch luck of the draw thing?

JB

The term "retirement visa" is a misnomer. As a newbie better to get in the habit of saying "retirement extension" as stated previously. As there is no such thing as a retirement visa, you will be ahead of the guys who have lived here for years and think there is.

Yes, banking is luck of the draw. I have a work permit, one friend has a retirement extension and another is on a tourist visa. We all got bank accounts. We all had to go to multiple banks and some of us, multiple branches before acceptance.

Bring me a 1.25ct J color round or cushion cut rock with lots or fire from SA and I'll give you a ride from the airport.

Thank you very much. A picture of my options is beginning to emerge.

The visa terminology (O's and A's etc) is still a bit foreign to me, but I can now research those on the Thai Government websites.

In terms of a bank account. Are there any banks known to be more accommodating to non-resident foreigners? Or is it just a branch by branch luck of the draw thing?

JB

The term "retirement visa" is a misnomer. As a newbie better to get in the habit of saying "retirement extension" as stated previously. As there is no such thing as a retirement visa, you will be ahead of the guys who have lived here for years and think there is.

Yes, banking is luck of the draw. I have a work permit, one friend has a retirement extension and another is on a tourist visa. We all got bank accounts. We all had to go to multiple banks and some of us, multiple branches before acceptance.

Bring me a 1.25ct J color round or cushion cut rock with lots or fire from SA and I'll give you a ride from the airport.