Retirement Visa: leaving for more than a year, how to return?

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

Hi,

I have the Retirement Visa, and am leaving Thailand indefinitely, but for sure more than a year. Is the visa good forever, and what happens when I want to return?

Must/should I:

1. Get a re-entry permit upon exit (how long are they valid?)

2. Extend my Permission to Stay at a foreign embassy or consulate at the appointed time?

3. What have I forgotten?

Thanks.

[sunnyjim5]

There is no "visa" or extension of stay which is valid beyond a year and a re-entry permit would be of no use to you.

Extensions of stay can only be obtained from an immigration office within Thailand.

Re establishing retirement status within Thailand after 12 month absence would require you to restart the process with a non-immigrant "O" visa obtained from a Thai Embassy/Consulate.

[IMA_FARANG]

You need to be very clear what you think a :retirement visa" is to you because there are at least 3 different things that are often referred to as a "retirement visa" by some people and each one of them has there own set or requirements to get and maintain them.

So you first need to define what you think a :retirement visa" is before we can answer your question correctly.

Are you talking about:

1. A one year extension you got based on retirement in Thailand from your local immigration in Thailand.
2. A non O one year multiple entry visa you got outside of Thailand for purposes of retiring in Thailand which is good for one year.
3. Or a O-A "retirement visa" obtained from a Thai embassy outside of Thailand.

All 3 of these are sometimes called a "retirement visa", and have different requirements, and must be handled differently.

We need to know which one you are referring to so we can give you the correct answer.

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

Wow, thanks - I never realized all these were distinct. I have:

Type: Non-Immigrant

Category: O-A

No. of entry: M

Issued at Washington, DC

[Pib]

No a retirement Retirement Visa or Extension is not good forever. Look at the Must Utilized Before and/or Permitted Up To Stay Date stamp....that's when the Visa/Extension expires.

If you have a Visa...that is, you got the Visa outside of Thailand the max you could possibly squeeze out of it is two years...and to do that you would need to exit and reenter Thailand the day before the Visa Validity windows expires which would give you another year's stay. Then, you would either have to leave the country to get another Visa (i.e., start all over) or get a Retirement Extension of Stay within Thailand at your servicing immigration office. Get such an extension and then you are then good for another year....repeat yearly as required assuming your meet the extension requirements.

Also, with a Multiple Entry Retirement "Visa" you can exit/reenter as many times as desired during the Visa validity period...no exit/reentry permit required. But with a Retirement "Extension of Stay" you need an Exit/Reentery Permit to keep the Extension valid when leaving the country....but it only keeps it valid up until the Permitted Up to Stay date.

Summary: no a Retirement Visa or Extension is not good forever...they have to be renewed annually except in that example of squeaking two years out of a Retirement Visa by doing a border run just before it expires which only works once.

[ubonjoe]

Wow, thanks - I never realized all these were distinct. I have:

Type: Non-Immigrant

Category: O-A

No. of entry: M

Issued at Washington, DC

When does your visa expire?

[elviajero]

Wow, thanks - I never realized all these were distinct. I have:

Type: Non-Immigrant

Category: O-A

No. of entry: M

Issued at Washington, DC

What is the 'enter before' date printed on the visa?

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

I have already extended two times, so now I think I get it. Below is correct?

-The actual "visa" is now finished ("Enter by July 29 2013")

- I have extended twice, and now have permission to stay til Sept. ?? 2016.

- I'm living here on those extensions. But without another extension (from inside Thailand only) the visa "dies" completely, and I have to start over.

Also, thanks for explaining WHY I had to get a re-entry permit even with my "M" entries: that only applies during the original (non-extended) visa.

Best and thanks.

[sunnyjim5]

I have already extended two times, so now I think I get it. Below is correct?

-The actual "visa" is now finished ("Enter by July 29 2013")

- I have extended twice, and now have permission to stay til Sept. ?? 2016.

- I'm living here on those extensions. But without another extension (from inside Thailand only) the visa "dies" completely, and I have to start over.

Also, thanks for explaining WHY I had to get a re-entry permit even with my "M" entries: that only applies during the original (non-extended) visa.

Best and thanks.

You do not have a visa but your extension of stay (which is not a visa) will expire.

[steve187]

edited , missed some posts before posting.

Edited March 1, 2016 by steve187

[KhunBENQ]

-The actual "visa" is now finished ("Enter by July 29 2013")

Indeed the visa is long expired and void.

There is no continuation for an absence of more than one year.

Restart from zero as described (with a Non-O or depending on your future plans with Non-O A).

Edited March 1, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

Ah OK - I never "extended" the visa, but I got a permission to stay (based on having had that visa). Finally get it, now that I"m leaving... LOL

Thanks Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been fab. But quite a bit too hot in the weather department.

[Eclipse]

You do not have a Visa.

When you return you need to obtain a Non Imm O-A Visa.

Or a Non Imm O Visa and extend in Thailand when required.

[Eclipse]

You do not have a Visa. That died long ago.

When you return you need to obtain a Non Imm O-A Visa or a Non Imm O Visa.

[novo58]

Of course you could return to Thailand within 30 days prior to your permission to stay expires ...................and renew your permission to stay and purchase a new re-entry permit

( single or multiple).

[Caspersfriend]

Thanks Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been fab. But quite a bit too hot in the weather department.

Sounds like "indefinitely" might be the focal point. If you unable to adjust to the weather here I doubt it will be any more conducive for you in the future.

As you stated that you have 'extended' twice there is one other issue to consider. Previously when Immigration changed their requirements for a retirement extension it was to increase the amount of income/cash in the bank that was required for a further extension. Those who had a current extension were exempt; known as grandfathering. No guarantee that will be the case if the current level is increased but if you should decide to return on a new visa you would most certainly need to conform to the current financial requirement at the time your visa was granted.

[TerryLH]

"All 3 of these are sometimes called a "retirement visa", and have different requirements, and must be handled differently.

We need to know which one you are referring to so we can give you the correct answer."

Given that he stated up front that he would be gone for more than a year, wouldn't the (correct) answer for all three of your scenarios be the same?

[Suradit69]

Of course you could return to Thailand within 30 days prior to your permission to stay expires ...................and renew your permission to stay and purchase a new re-entry permit

( single or multiple).

He already said that his extension expires this coming September and that he'd be out of the country for more than a year. Although starting over with a new visa and then applying for a new extension of stay will be a bit of a hassle, traveling back from the US just to renew the extension would hardly be worth the trouble and expense.

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

Thanks everybody for all the great info - I know what I'll do now.

And special thanks to the Moderators, for removing ThaiWai's idiotic, insulting, unhelpful, and entirely inappropriate response. Be happy you all didn't have to read it.

best, Byblos

[mrfaroukh]

Apply for Non immigrant O visa if you can not come back before your visa is out dated. You can get your retirement visa again.