Retirement Visa questions

[SammyJ]

Hello All,

I would greatly appreciate any advice on the following:

I am now in the US/California and am planning to retire in seven months and live in Chiang Mai.  I have traveled extensively for months at a time throughout Thailand, so I am certain that CM is where I wish to retire.  I wish, of course, to obtain the “retirement visa”/ Non-Immigrant Visa.  I have studied extensively the requirements for obtaining this visa here at the Thai Consulate or there in Thailand.

As due to family obligations in Thailand, I am planning to depart literally the day after I formally retire, so will not have time here at that moment, after my formal retirement, to go thru the process of obtaining the visa here, so I understand I can enter Thailand on a tourist visa and after 60 days convert it to the non-immigrant via—of course, by meeting the necessary requirements.

So with that said, is it an option for me to obtain the non-immigrant visa here in California from the Thai Consulate BEFORE I retire, as long as I meet all the requirements?  I am assuming yes, but the requirement I have concern about is the financial requirements—I easily make more money monthly now, and will also in retirement to meet the financial requirement—but—by applying before I retire, my monthly income will be from an employer—and I will not have a Thai bank book or account to show—so, can anyone share your view if the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles will accept proof of meeting the financial requirements by using monthly income from my employer or from an American bank?

Or, simply, is the best path to just go to Thailand on a tourist visa, spend the 60 days  and then convert it to the non-immigrant?  I know that there in Thailand all funds needed to meet the financial requirements need to be in a Thai bank—is that true of only the lump sum of 800,000 baht, or does one have to demonstrate that the monthly income is being paid to a Thai bank or is my home embassy affidavit sufficient?

Hope this isn’t too confusing—thank you for any information!

[SpokaneAl]

If you are least 50 years old I would suggest that you consider obtaining a non imm o-a multi entry visa from a Thai consulate or embassy before you go. That visa will give you a year, and if you leave and re-enter Thailand within that first year, you can get another year out of it. It would allow you to avoid dealing with local immigration offices, other than the 90 day reports for at least that first year. Many talk about how difficult it is to obtain, but I have gotten four over the last five years, and I don't find it particularly arduous.


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[SammyJ]

Thanks, SpokaneAl, that's exactly why  I was thinking of getting the non-immigrant before i left to Thailand, but thought, I would prepare the docs and then apply/pay the fees, and find out that my financial docs were not acceptable--as they would be regular paychecks or if I used the lump sum in a bank (800,000 baht equivalent), it would be in an American bank.  I read on multiple sites and on the LA Thai Consulate site that if applying here/outside of Thailand, i need a police clearance and medical certificate (both not a problem for me to get but more hassle) and if applying inside Thailand, neither of those two are required.

[ubonjoe]

53 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

If you are least 50 years old I would suggest that you consider obtaining a non imm o-a multi entry visa from a Thai consulate or embassy before you go.

He will not get a multiple entry non-o for being 50 or over in the states now. Before the honorary consulates could issue one but since August only the embassy and official consulate can issue multiple entry visa and that would only be a OA visa from them.

He could get a single entry non-o visa from on of the honorary consulates.

[dentonian]

I would obtain the single entry Non Imm O 90 day Visa.

 

On entering Thailand, open a bank account and transfer the appropriate funding.

Within the last 30 days of your Visa, you apply for an 'extension of stay' based on retirement (not a Visa) from Chiang Mai Immigration office.

 

The financial requirements to obtain an extension is proof of 800,000 baht held in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the date of the application, or a monthly income of 65,000 baht (letter from US Embassy required), or a combination of the two.

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, SammyJ said:

So with that said, is it an option for me to obtain the non-immigrant visa here in California from the Thai Consulate BEFORE I retire, as long as I meet all the requirements?  I am assuming yes, but the requirement I have concern about is the financial requirements—I easily make more money monthly now, and will also in retirement to meet the financial requirement—but—by applying before I retire, my monthly income will be from an employer—and I will not have a Thai bank book or account to show—so, can anyone share your view if the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles will accept proof of meeting the financial requirements by using monthly income from my employer or from an American bank?

I don't think they will accept income from working. You can use the equivalent of 800k baht is a financial institution  in the states to meet the requirements to get a non-oa visa. If you have retirement savings such as a 401k, IRA and etc you can show that to meet the requirement.

The requirements are listed here on LA consulate website. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

[noise]

The  Royal Thai Consulate in L.A.  is a official consulate, not the office of a honorary consul.

[SpokaneAl]

I don't think they will accept income from working. You can use the equivalent of 800k baht is a financial institution  in the states to meet the requirements to get a non-oa visa. If you have retirement savings such as a 401k, IRA and etc you can show that to meet the requirement.

The requirements are listed here on LA consulate website. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

Your source of income is not an issue when applying for a non imm o-a multi entry visa. I do as Joe says and just give them a copy of my bank statement showing the appropriate amount of assets on hand.

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[tonray]

5 minutes ago, noise said:

The  Royal Thai Consulate in L.A.  is a official consulate, not the office of a honorary consul.

New York and Chicago are also official consulates I believe.

[SpokaneAl]

New York and Chicago are also official consulates I believe.

Since I am on the west coast I always use the LA Thai Consulate via the USPS. They are very professional and always give me first class service.


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[Tracyb]

I recommend that you get your visa in LA.  Check with them directly about using your savings in a US bank.  I used that method when I did mine in LA a couple of years ago, but....things may have changed.  Getting the non Imm O-A multiple entry visa before you leave makes life a LOT simpler once you get to Thailand.  It sounds like you have the time for the police check ( which actually is done via the CA Attorney Generals office and can be handled for you by many agents in CA who process fingerprints.  Th medical form is easy breezy.  Be sure to get all reports and documents copied and get them all notarized as being actual, real copies of the original documents.  ( no need to bring a notary to your doctors office to witness his signature, for example).  If you are near LA, go to the consulate and speak to the man there who handles all this.  He is wonderfully easy to communicate with and is very helpful.  If you're not close by, try calling.

You can then time your entry date on your visa to coincide with the time of your departure in order to get the full amount of time in Thailand before you need to apply for an extension of stay.  Best wishes!  

[ThaiWai]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

He will not get a multiple entry non-o for being 50 or over in the states now. Before the honorary consulates could issue one but since August only the embassy and official consulate can issue multiple entry visa and that would only be a OA visa from them.

He could get a single entry non-o visa from on of the honorary consulates.

 

It's not easy to decipher which are honorary vs. official consulates in the States from web searching.  Naturally the Embassy is in DC but what is the full list of OFFICIAL consulates?  Is it not Chicago, LA and NY?

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

 

It's not easy to decipher which are honorary vs. official consulates in the States from web searching.  Naturally the Embassy is in DC but what is the full list of OFFICIAL consulates?  Is it not Chicago, LA and NY?

The honorary consulates are listed here:  http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/

The official consulates you listed is correct.

[johnno2]

For a retirement visa its 800,000 baht seasoned for X months or monthly income (pensions etc) of 65,000 if you get your "retirement visa" (extension of stay) in thailand .  

[Grubster]

You could go to the consulate and ask, they are not your enemy.

[SpokaneAl]

I recommend that you get your visa in LA.  Check with them directly about using your savings in a US bank.  I used that method when I did mine in LA a couple of years ago, but....things may have changed.  Getting the non Imm O-A multiple entry visa before you leave makes life a LOT simpler once you get to Thailand.  It sounds like you have the time for the police check ( which actually is done via the CA Attorney Generals office and can be handled for you by many agents in CA who process fingerprints.  Th medical form is easy breezy.  Be sure to get all reports and documents copied and get them all notarized as being actual, real copies of the original documents.  ( no need to bring a notary to your doctors office to witness his signature, for example).  If you are near LA, go to the consulate and speak to the man there who handles all this.  He is wonderfully easy to communicate with and is very helpful.  If you're not close by, try calling.
You can then time your entry date on your visa to coincide with the time of your departure in order to get the full amount of time in Thailand before you need to apply for an extension of stay.  Best wishes!  

I just obtained a non imm o-a multi entry visa via the LA Thai Consulate in July, and nothing has changed.


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[Gary A]

I had a problem at Los Angeles with the medical certificate. I had to be tested for their list of different diseases. Some of the tests were expensive and my insurance company wouldn't pay for them. My doctor wouldn't sign off without the test results. At that time the people at the consulate were very helpful. The gave me a six month multiple entry visa and told me that I would have no problem getting my retirement visa in Thailand. Here in Thailand, I applied for the retirement visa but had to wait until the six month visa expired. 

[GOLDBUGGY]

10 hours ago, dentonian said:

I would obtain the single entry Non Imm O 90 day Visa.

 

On entering Thailand, open a bank account and transfer the appropriate funding.

Within the last 30 days of your Visa, you apply for an 'extension of stay' based on retirement (not a Visa) from Chiang Mai Immigration office.

 

The financial requirements to obtain an extension is proof of 800,000 baht held in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the date of the application, or a monthly income of 65,000 baht (letter from US Embassy required), or a combination of the two.

 

 

 

 

Yes good advice and how I did it. 

 

Keep in mind 2 things though.

 

If you are going to apply from here you need 800,000 Baht held in a Thai Bank (in your name only) for 60 days. If you have the cash for this then this is the best way to go. Otherwise you have to get verification from your embassy every year. If you need more time to do that then as the poster stated you can apply for a 30 day extension on your visa.

 

If you are applying for a Retirement Visa then you are not supposed to be working anywhere. Retirement Income is okay to use as part of your financial requirement, or all of it, but I don't know if they would accept wages from working. I just put the cash in the bank and never tried it any other way. I was told you can work under a Marriage Extension but not under a Retirement Extension.   

[TKDfella]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I don't think they will accept income from working. You can use the equivalent of 800k baht is a financial institution  in the states to meet the requirements to get a non-oa visa. If you have retirement savings such as a 401k, IRA and etc you can show that to meet the requirement.

The requirements are listed here on LA consulate website. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

@Ubonjoe, when I did almost the same, that I got a Non-B Visa from the Thai Consulate in London which had to be used within a given period. I early retired on a Friday and traveled to Thailand the next day. On a previous visit I opened a Thai bank account. However, Thai immigration told me that I could apply for a retirement extension but only when the the Visa was close to expire, but this gave time for the required income/account to meet time constraints. Must admit, that was over 22 years ago and things may have changed especially in recent times 

[Lee4Life]

9 hours ago, SpokaneAl said:

 

 

Since I am on the west coast I always use the LA Thai Consulate via the USPS. They are very professional and always give me first class service.


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I just got our O-A visas from them last month. I did it in person as they say on their website that it is at least a two week wait plus mailing time if done by mail. I saw the backlog of mail-in applications piled up on their counters when I was there...it was huge.

 

[SpokaneAl]

I just got our O-A visas from them last month. I did it in person as they say on their website that it is at least a two week wait plus mailing time if done by mail. I saw the backlog of mail-in applications piled up on their counters when I was there...it was huge.
 

When I got mine from them in July via the USPS, my passport was back to me 10 days or so after mailing it.


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[Lee4Life]

good to know, I kind of wondered if the mailing time listed was their "worse case" estimate.

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

Yes good advice and how I did it. 

 

Keep in mind 2 things though.

 

If you are going to apply from here you need 800,000 Baht held in a Thai Bank (in your name only) for 60 days. If you have the cash for this then this is the best way to go. Otherwise you have to get verification from your embassy every year. If you need more time to do that then as the poster stated you can apply for a 30 day extension on your visa.

 

If you are applying for a Retirement Visa then you are not supposed to be working anywhere. Retirement Income is okay to use as part of your financial requirement, or all of it, but I don't know if they would accept wages from working. I just put the cash in the bank and never tried it any other way. I was told you can work under a Marriage Extension but not under a Retirement Extension.   

 

It's not at all true that is you're applying for a "retirement visa" you're not suppose to be working anywhere.  You just can't work in Thailand.  Many people who have "retirement visas" are here for just part of the year and work the rest of the year elsewhere.  

 

The OP should definitely get an O-A visa before leaving the U.S.  He said he's moving to Chiang Mai.  That is absolutely the worst Immigration office in all of Thailand for retirees to deal with.  Long queues, early morning arrival to queue (like 3 am), runaround from the Imm. officer about the documents you need, and in the end, you hire a visa agent out of frustration, at more expense than if you'd just gotten the proper O-A visa before you'd left the U.S.  With an O-A visa, you can use it to stretch out the "life" of your visa to minimize your contact with Chiang Mai Immigration for two years.  Definitely get an O-A visa before you retire to Chiang Mai.  I'm the president of the Chiang Mai Expats Club, the head cheerleader for "retire in Chiang Mai", so I hope you understand this is based on member surveys with hundreds of responses.

[Psimbo]

2 hours ago, Grubster said:

You could go to the consulate and ask, they are not your enemy.

Best advice so far- they will tell you the CURRENT procedures and processes. 

[GOLDBUGGY]

28 minutes ago, NancyL said:

 

 

28 minutes ago, NancyL said:

 

It's not at all true that is you're applying for a "retirement visa" you're not suppose to be working anywhere.  You just can't work in Thailand.  Many people who have "retirement visas" are here for just part of the year and work the rest of the year elsewhere.  

 

The OP should definitely get an O-A visa before leaving the U.S.  He said he's moving to Chiang Mai.  That is absolutely the worst Immigration office in all of Thailand for retirees to deal with.  Long queues, early morning arrival to queue (like 3 am), runaround from the Imm. officer about the documents you need, and in the end, you hire a visa agent out of frustration, at more expense than if you'd just gotten the proper O-A visa before you'd left the U.S.  With an O-A visa, you can use it to stretch out the "life" of your visa to minimize your contact with Chiang Mai Immigration for two years.  Definitely get an O-A visa before you retire to Chiang Mai.  I'm the president of the Chiang Mai Expats Club, the head cheerleader for "retire in Chiang Mai", so I hope you understand this is based on member surveys with hundreds of responses.

I know they don't keep tabs on you while you are outside of Thailand, and if you are working or not, but from what I read it said this:

 

RESTRICTIONS ON RETIREMENT VISA

The retirement once approved allows you to stay in Thailand for one year. You are not allowed to have employment while on this type of visa. Also you must report to Immigration every 90 days to verify your current address.

How you want to read and understand that is up-to-you as it does not specify employment only in Thailand. Which you would need a work permit besides that anyway. Here is the LINK to that site. http://www.thaiembassy.com/retire/retire.php

Again the chances of getting caught are slim. But then if you are using your employment stub for a Retirement Visa as meeting your financial obligation, then this may be a different story altogether.

As I said I never tried to get a Retirement Visa this way,  so I don't know for sure. Perhaps you did and can offer clarity. But I was made to believe you cannot be employed anywhere legally, while under a Retirement Visa (per say). Keep in mind you can work in Thailand to, if you don't get caught.

[cardinalblue]

I got my 90 day O-A in Portland Oregon - no problem....

 

annual net income /12  on you tax document meets the monthly requirement...they don't care where it comes from as long as min 65k a month...

[SpokaneAl]

I got my 90 day O-A in Portland Oregon - no problem....
 
annual net income /12  on you tax document meets the monthly requirement...they don't care where it comes from as long as min 65k a month...

What is a 90 day o-a?


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[SpokaneAl]

I know they don't keep tabs on you while you are outside of Thailand, and if you are working or not, but from what I read it said this:

 

RESTRICTIONS ON RETIREMENT VISA

The retirement once approved allows you to stay in Thailand for one year. You are not allowed to have employment while on this type of visa. Also you must report to Immigration every 90 days to verify your current address.

How you want to read and understand that is up-to-you as it does not specify employment only in Thailand. Which you would need a work permit besides that anyway. Here is the LINK to that site. http://www.thaiembassy.com/retire/retire.php

Again the chances of getting caught are slim. But then if you are using your employment stub for a Retirement Visa as meeting your financial obligation, then this may be a different story altogether.

As I said I never tried to get a Retirement Visa this way,  so I don't know for sure. Perhaps you did and can offer clarity. But I was made to believe you cannot be employed anywhere legally, while under a Retirement Visa (per say). Keep in mind you can work in Thailand to, if you don't get caught.

Here is the official wording. Nowhere there does it mention the term retirement visa.

"Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay)

This type of visa may be issued to applicants aged 50 years and over who wish to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 1 year without the intention of working.

Holder of this type of visa is allowed to stay in Thailand for 1 year. Employment of any kind is strictly prohibited."

If one leaves Thailand, they are no longer under the rules and restrictions of that visa.

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[Mansell]

I did my retirement in LA. Had to go an hour south for the police report, cannot remember where. Thought I could do it at local police in Santa Monica....No. But they told me where I could go. Medical wanted quite a few tests for things like TB etc. Dropped off my passport etc at Consul and returned the next day for my passport...better than mailing if you live local. The guy who handles it there is a farang and pretty helpful. I think I just showed bank statement. Get a multiple entry and then go out before the year is up and then you get another year. Welcome to Thailand.

[chicowoodduck]

13 hours ago, johnno2 said:

For a retirement visa its 800,000 baht seasoned for X months or monthly income (pensions etc) of 65,000 if you get your "retirement visa" (extension of stay) in thailand .  

Extension of stay paperwork is want I asked for my last  trip to the Royal Immigraton Office in Jomtien, the lady at the front desk tells me, "Oh, you want the retirement visa paperwork!" ?  Always a crap shoot with the correct term to use and the right paperwork.....always expect the worst and hope for the best.....g-r-r-r-r. ???