UK or Thailand?

[champers]

Hello there. I am 57 years old and a UK citizen planning to retire to Thailand later this year at a date yet to be determined. I have found the amount of info on this topic a bit intimidating. Should I apply for a retiree visa at one of the Thai consulates in the UK or should I come to Thailand; initially on a 30 day tourist visa; and apply there (Pattaya /Jomtien)? I would be happy if someone could please set me off in the right direction and / or give me some good advice based on experience. Many thanks in advance.

[steve187]

you will need a non immigrant 'o' visa in order to obtain a one year extension of stay from local immigration within Thailand, these are hard to obtain in the UK for someone of your age, your best bet would be to obtain either a SETV ( single entry tourist visa) or a METV ( multi entry tourist visa) before travelling to Thailand, these can be converted to a non imm 'o', within Thailand

travelling without a visa or a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days could result in you being denied boarding by the airline.

[ubonjoe]

You could apply for a OA visa at the embassy in London that allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date it is issued. You can get almost 2 years of total stay from it if you get a new one year entry just before it expires. Info on getting it is here: http://thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

If not getting a single entry tourist visa is the next best option and then doing a change of visa status at immigration to obtain a 90 day non immigrant visa entry that you can then extend for one year based upon retirement.

If you entered without a visa and got a 30 day visa exempt entry you would only have 15 days to apply for the non immigrant visa entry. You must have at least 15 days remaining on your entry to apply for it. As said you may need to show a ticket out of the country within 30 day to board your flight to here.

[Eclipse]

Personally I would do it in Thailand.

You don't need a medical or police report.

Much easier.

[oldgent]

i think you used the wrong word ( intimidating ) confused is the word.TV has a few experts on

the Visa subjects who are very good. the problem is that other members voice there opinions

thinking they are helping but only adds to confusion,

[champers]

you will need a non immigrant 'o' visa in order to obtain a one year extension of stay from local immigration within Thailand, these are hard to obtain in the UK for someone of your age, your best bet would be to obtain either a SETV ( single entry tourist visa) or a METV ( multi entry tourist visa) before travelling to Thailand, these can be converted to a non imm 'o', within Thailand

travelling without a visa or a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days could result in you being denied boarding by the airline.

When travelling to Thailand from the UK (about 20 times in the last 10 years, I have never had to have a visa prior to boarding a flight. The visa is always issued to me at immigration at Swampy airport - 30 day tourist visa.

[Eclipse]

you will need a non immigrant 'o' visa in order to obtain a one year extension of stay from local immigration within Thailand, these are hard to obtain in the UK for someone of your age, your best bet would be to obtain either a SETV ( single entry tourist visa) or a METV ( multi entry tourist visa) before travelling to Thailand, these can be converted to a non imm 'o', within Thailand

travelling without a visa or a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days could result in you being denied boarding by the airline.

When travelling to Thailand from the UK (about 20 times in the last 10 years, I have never had to have a visa prior to boarding a flight. The visa is always issued to me at immigration at Swampy airport - 30 day tourist visa.

That is a Visa Exempt Entry. It is not a Visa.

Without a ticket leaving Thailand within 30 days you risk being refused entry to the flight.

[ubonjoe]

you will need a non immigrant 'o' visa in order to obtain a one year extension of stay from local immigration within Thailand, these are hard to obtain in the UK for someone of your age, your best bet would be to obtain either a SETV ( single entry tourist visa) or a METV ( multi entry tourist visa) before travelling to Thailand, these can be converted to a non imm 'o', within Thailand

travelling without a visa or a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days could result in you being denied boarding by the airline.

When travelling to Thailand from the UK (about 20 times in the last 10 years, I have never had to have a visa prior to boarding a flight. The visa is always issued to me at immigration at Swampy airport - 30 day tourist visa.

You get a 30 day visa exempt entry not a tourist visa. You can only apply for a tourist visa at an embassy or consulate and it allows a 60 day entry

Not advising that a ticket may be asked for to board the flight would be giving incorrect info.

This is what the airline will see if they check the IATA TIMATIC database that shows the entry requirements for Thailand.

"Warning:

- Visitors who are visa exempt but do not hold return/onward

tickets could be refused entry."

Source: https://www.klm.com/travel/kz_en/prepare_for_travel/travel_planning/travel_clinic/timatic.htm

[oldgent]

if you were going to retire in thailand having met all the reguirements and say obtained the

necessary Visa,s from UK. Is it possible to enter on a one way flight ticket

[ubonjoe]

if you were going to retire in thailand having met all the reguirements and say obtained the

necessary Visa,s from UK. Is it possible to enter on a one way flight ticket

If you have a valid visa of any type you do not need a return or onward ticket to enter the country.

[Nomad56]

I got my retirement visa in London, and it was fairly easy. I made some enquiries at Phuket immigration first and found it all a bit confusing! So, I went to the Thai Embassy in London and they gave me a sheaf of papers to fill in and a page that detailed their requirements. I had to get a police certificate, to show I wasn't a criminal, get a GP to sign a piece of paper to say I didn't have any very peculiar diseases and some proof that I had sufficient income. I took all of this proof (4 sheets of paper) to a notary who stamped and signed them and then took it back to the Embassy, with a cheque for about £125, and picked up my visa the next day.

I preferred doing it in the UK because the embassy staff were all English speaking so there wasn't any chance of misunderstanding!

[champers]

I got my retirement visa in London, and it was fairly easy. I made some enquiries at Phuket immigration first and found it all a bit confusing! So, I went to the Thai Embassy in London and they gave me a sheaf of papers to fill in and a page that detailed their requirements. I had to get a police certificate, to show I wasn't a criminal, get a GP to sign a piece of paper to say I didn't have any very peculiar diseases and some proof that I had sufficient income. I took all of this proof (4 sheets of paper) to a notary who stamped and signed them and then took it back to the Embassy, with a cheque for about £125, and picked up my visa the next day.

I preferred doing it in the UK because the embassy staff were all English speaking so there wasn't any chance of misunderstanding!

I spoke to the Thai consulate in Liverpool yesterday and I'm now leaning towards getting things started in the UK., the same way you have, Nomad 56. They have told me that a 60 day visa takes half an hour,

[Eclipse]

I got my retirement visa in London, and it was fairly easy. I made some enquiries at Phuket immigration first and found it all a bit confusing! So, I went to the Thai Embassy in London and they gave me a sheaf of papers to fill in and a page that detailed their requirements. I had to get a police certificate, to show I wasn't a criminal, get a GP to sign a piece of paper to say I didn't have any very peculiar diseases and some proof that I had sufficient income. I took all of this proof (4 sheets of paper) to a notary who stamped and signed them and then took it back to the Embassy, with a cheque for about £125, and picked up my visa the next day.

I preferred doing it in the UK because the embassy staff were all English speaking so there wasn't any chance of misunderstanding!

I spoke to the Thai consulate in Liverpool yesterday and I'm now leaning towards getting things started in the UK., the same way you have, Nomad 56. They have told me that a 60 day visa takes half an hour,

That would be a Tourist Visa.

You would then need to convert to a Non Imm O Visa in Bangkok.

You would then be able to apply for a 12 month extension based on retirement.

Owing to the fact that sterling has just fallen through the floor it might actually be beneficial to do the whole thing in London.

At least you could keep most of your money in U.K for a while and hope that sterling recovers a little over the coming year.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Eclipse

[Nomad56]

I got my retirement visa in London, and it was fairly easy. I made some enquiries at Phuket immigration first and found it all a bit confusing! So, I went to the Thai Embassy in London and they gave me a sheaf of papers to fill in and a page that detailed their requirements. I had to get a police certificate, to show I wasn't a criminal, get a GP to sign a piece of paper to say I didn't have any very peculiar diseases and some proof that I had sufficient income. I took all of this proof (4 sheets of paper) to a notary who stamped and signed them and then took it back to the Embassy, with a cheque for about £125, and picked up my visa the next day.

I preferred doing it in the UK because the embassy staff were all English speaking so there wasn't any chance of misunderstanding!

I spoke to the Thai consulate in Liverpool yesterday and I'm now leaning towards getting things started in the UK., the same way you have, Nomad 56. They have told me that a 60 day visa takes half an hour,

I was explaining how I got my retirement visa, not a 60 day one, don't know if you realise that? I don't know why you would do the tourist one first when you could easily get the retirement visa and then not have to worry again for a year!

Eclipse makes a good point too in that you won't need to bring money over here if you get the retirement visa in the UK (other than for your living expenses) which is useful at the moment given the exchange rate!

[skorts]

I also got my multi-entry 'O-A' visa in London and had the same positive experience as Nomad56. Whilst I had to get a police certificate and medical certificate and have them notarised, as I was going down the savings route, I did not have to transfer 800,000 baht to Thailand. I just had to show the £UK equivalent in a UK bank account.

As ubonjoe says, you can get 2 years of total stay if you get a new one year entry just before it expires. In this way it means you do not need to transfer the 800,000 baht to Thailand until 3 months before your retirement extension/renewal date so the money is ceded in time for doing your extension.

Given the recent drop in the value of the £ from c52 baht to c45 baht, post Brexit, this would currently mean transferring an additional c£2,400 compared to 2 weeks ago, to meet the 800,000 baht requirement for obtaining the visa within Thailand.

Hopefully, by 2018, when you come to do your first retirement extension the £ will have recovered.

For now, purely from a financial perspective, obtaining an 'O-A' visa in the UK could be the way to go.

[norbra]

Follow Nomad56, his latest response is spot on for a non 0 A retirement visa,whilst Liverpool offered unwanted advice I would contact them again spelling out that your only requirement is a non OA visa for retirement

[Upnotover]

Follow Nomad56, his latest response is spot on for a non 0 A retirement visa,whilst Liverpool offered unwanted advice I would contact them again spelling out that your only requirement is a non OA visa for retirement

Don't bother to contact Liverpool about an O-A, they don't do them. Only the Embassy in London does.

[keithathome]

I moved to TL in November. When in the YUK I applied by post (to London from the Northwest, Lancashire) for a Non immigrant O visa on the grounds of retirement (I was 64 when I applied but 65 when I landed here). I applied for permission to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand for one year, on the grounds of retirement, at Chiang Mai Promenada immigration office. The procedure was relatively painless, just provided the required paperwork (although I did use a visa service at Promenada.) No medical certificate and no police report required.

Edited July 7, 2016 by keithathome

[OJAS]

Owing to the fact that sterling has just fallen through the floor it might actually be beneficial to do the whole thing in London.

At least you could keep most of your money in U.K for a while and hope that sterling recovers a little over the coming year.

Eclipse makes a good point too in that you won't need to bring money over here if you get the retirement visa in the UK (other than for your living expenses) which is useful at the moment given the exchange rate!

Just beware, though, if you are minded to go down the OA visa route that the Embassy have probably got the minimum amount required in a UK bank account under constant review given the GBP's current volatility. Although the amount currently stated on their website at http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51 is £14,000 I would not place too much reliance on this still being the case since, at the present exchange rate of 45 THB to the GBP, £14,000 only equates to 630,000 THB!

Unless you can somehow obtain the latest info from them (which might prove easier said than done in practice since they are far from easy to contact directly by either phone or email), you might be best advised to assume a worst-case scenario of 40 THB to the GBP, which would mean a minimum UK bank balance of £20,000.

[ubonjoe]

Owing to the fact that sterling has just fallen through the floor it might actually be beneficial to do the whole thing in London.

At least you could keep most of your money in U.K for a while and hope that sterling recovers a little over the coming year.

Eclipse makes a good point too in that you won't need to bring money over here if you get the retirement visa in the UK (other than for your living expenses) which is useful at the moment given the exchange rate!

Just beware, though, if you are minded to go down the OA visa route that the Embassy have probably got the minimum amount required in a UK bank account under constant review given the GBP's current volatility. Although the amount currently stated on their website at http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51 is £14,000 I would not place too much reliance on this still being the case since, at the present exchange rate of 45 THB to the GBP, £14,000 only equates to 630,000 THB!

Unless you can somehow obtain the latest info from them (which might prove easier said than done in practice since they are far from easy to contact directly by either phone or email), you might be best advised to assume a worst-case scenario of 40 THB to the GBP, which would mean a minimum UK bank balance of £20,000.

It states the amount in pounds is an approximate amount and states it is the equivalent of 800k baht or an income of 65k baht.

" 4. Copy of bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately GBP 14,000.00/annum) or a deposti acocount plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht.