Retirement Visa From China

[Asia4ever]

Currently I am a USA citizen with a who works in China. The Beijing Thai Embassy said they cannot issue an O-A visa in China, even though I am a legal resident. They did say that I could get the police and health checks here, apply for some sort of unspecified visa from Beijing, and complete the process in Thailand. What I want to avoid is returning to California and waiting two months for an FBI criminal records check, not to mention the expensive medical checkup and having to go to the Thai Embassy in LA.

In a couple of weeks, I will go the the Beijing Thai Embassy and ask for a Tourist visa since I will be spending seven weeks of Chinese New Year in Thailand during Jan. and Feb. During this stay I want to try to open a bank account with Bangkok Bank, if they will allow this on a Tourist visa.

If this can be done, I want to deposit 800,000 Bt. I know my USA bank will not do a money transfer unless I physically go to my bank (impossible since I am in China). So would you advise writing a USA personal check for the 800,000 Bt., or is there a way that Bangkok Bank can initiate a transfer from my USA account?

Shortly before I finish working in China in July 2007, I want to go to the Thai Embassy in Beijing and get another visa, hopefully an "O", but may have to settle for another Tourist visa. Then after a one week visit to the USA, I want to go directly to to Thailand and complete the O-A visa as soon as possible. I hope to be able to do so in the Nong Khai immigration office.

Can anybody please advise me if this sounds feasible, or if there is a better way? Many thanks in advance.

[Maestro]

Asia4ever, in your situation you should forget about the non-OA visa application and instead do the following:

1. For your upcoming 7-week visit to Thailand, apply at the Thai consulate for a single-entry non-O visa; reason of visit: “to investigate retirement possibility”. If the consulate refuses the non-O, get a single-entry tourist visa.

2. After arrival in Thailand, open a savings account and deposit your check for the equivalent of not less than 800,000 Baht.

3. After the check is cleared, go the local immigration office.

3.a. If you entered with a tourist visa, apply for a change of visa status to non-O, then during the same visit to Immigration apply for an annual extension of stay based on retirement.

3.b. If you entered with a non-O visa, apply for an annual extension of stay based on retirement.

Normally, Immigration accepts an application for extension of stay only during the last 30 days of the 90-day permission to stay of a non-O entry, but if you explain your travel schedule the official will probably accept your application earlier.

Make sure to keep the balance in your bank account above 800K until your application for extension of stay is approved.

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Maestro

Edited November 11, 2006 by maestro

[lopburi3]

Believe the 800k must be on deposit 3 months prior to application for extension of stay now so would wait on that.

You may have to visit a few bank branches to get the answer you want but it should work out in the end.

You may want to arrange fax/internet or phone wire transfer at your bank during later visit.

If you have retirement income that can be used as proof of 800k or to offset some of the bank account money.

[Asia4ever]

Thanks, maestro and lopburi3.

Regarding my income, it could be a combination of retirement income and funds in the bank, but when it comes time to process the O-A, I intend to have both 800,000 Bt in the bank, and for longer than 3 months, and will show proof of monthly retirement income, although it may not be enough until Social security payments begin. So I will keep more than 800,000 in the bank just as a caution, at least until I know how much I will receive from Social Security in addition to my retirement pension.

Regarding an extension of an O visa, I am unsure of how that would work, or if I might have a 90 day reporting requirement, since I will be in China from March through July.

Since this will be an initial application, I will probably need to have a police check done in my country of residence (China), and have it subsequently translated into English. Then I will need to get a medical check either in China or in Thailand. Thailand would be better if they would accept that, even though Thailand is not my current country of residence.

What a complicated issue! Again, thanks for the advice.

[lopburi3]

You do the process in Thailand and it is called an extension of stay for retirement. There is no police report and most places here do not seem to require a medical anymore. It is not a visa. The O-A is only when you do the process overseas at a Consulate.

When you are ready to extend your stay (with funds over 3 months) you visit immigration with passport, bank letter, bank passbook, arrival card, Embassy letter for pension, photo and fill out TM.7 form/1,900 baht for retirement. 20 minutes later it is done. If you only have a tourist visa then there will be an extra step and another 2,000 baht involved.

[Asia4ever]

You do the process in Thailand and it is called an extension of stay for retirement. There is no police report and most places here do not seem to require a medical anymore. It is not a visa. The O-A is only when you do the process overseas at a Consulate.

When you are ready to extend your stay (with funds over 3 months) you visit immigration with passport, bank letter, bank passbook, arrival card, Embassy letter for pension, photo and fill out TM.7 form/1,900 baht for retirement. 20 minutes later it is done. If you only have a tourist visa then there will be an extra step and another 2,000 baht involved.

Great info and sounds much easier than I had expected!

Thank you kindly.