Govt approves 10 year visas for foreigners over 50

[jayboy]

27 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

 

 

BTW I am NOT against health insurance, I merely contend that there are viable options for some and that includes self insurance, something I have done successfully for fifteen years, if a person doesn't have the cash I don't recommend not buying health insurance at all.

 

Self insurance certainly makes sense for some but it needs careful thought, perhaps by confining it to a limit that's right for any individual's financial circumstances. I suspect the cost of a cataclysmic health disaster in Thailand - involving say a 6 month stay in Bumrungrad with intensive attention - would make even a very rich guy blink.

[Jingthing]

I totally agree that there is no rational reason for anyone to PANIC based on the information we have at this point. Stay calm and wait for the specific details to become more clear. I also would agree the fact that this new visa is only for a limited number of nations is a strong indication that retirement extensions will continue to be available for all, including nationals from the limited list. I have previously, however, detailed some issues that MAY come up as this proceeds. Nothing to PANIC about. Just some stuff to watch as this comes into effect.

[chiang mai]

1 minute ago, jayboy said:

 

Self insurance certainly makes sense for some but it needs careful thought, perhaps by confining it to a limit that's right for any individual's financial circumstances. I suspect the cost of a cataclysmic health disaster in Thailand - involving say a 6 month stay in Bumrungrad with intensive attention - would make even a very rich guy blink.

 

Your point is taken but you need to be realistic about this, nobody is likely to spend 6 months in Bumrungad in intensive care!

[newnative]

6 hours ago, zombie nights said:

My view: all remains the same but this new 10 year one gives an additional option to those who can meet the financial conditions.

 

 

Yes, exactly.

[newnative]

2 hours ago, dentonian said:

The chaos in this topic is because members are allowed to use incorrect terminology and subsequently don't know the difference between a Visa and an Extension.

A Visa is obtained from a Thai Embassy/Consulate which allows entry to Thailand.

An extension is obtained from a local Immigration office within Thailand's borders.

 

A Visa expires either on the 'valid before' date, or the 'enter before date'. You can remain in Thailand by extending the 'permission to stay' an original Visa allowed. You cannot extend the Visa.

 

The proposal is to introduce a new 5 year Visa, which can be extended to 10 years. Namely the Non Imm O-A Visa, which can only be obtained from your home Country, or a Country you have permanent residency status (not Thailand).

 

Therefore there is no proposed change to Non Imm O SE 90 day Visas, or the Non Imm O ME Visa.

There is also no proposed change to obtained 'extensions' of stay based on retirement or marriage.

 

Stop the scaremongering!

Yes!  Stop the scaremongering!

[rabas]

16 minutes ago, dentonian said:

 

Healthcare for extensions does not come under the remit of this topic, so I refuse to be drawn into a conversion on this matter.

 

If you are so concerned for the future requirements of obtaining extensions, please open a separate topic.

The Thailand Ministry of Health may disagree because it's their proposal to connect medical insurance to the visa O-A long stay Visa being discussed in this thread.

 

If you mean it should't be or that people may worry it could eventually affect other retirees, then I agree.  Personally I don't think it is an immediate or even near term issue. But forced, too expensive medical care and insurance is part of the dark globalization cloud on the horizion, a part of which, TPP, just got trumped.

 

What to do? Exercise! Prayut was telling you yesterday.

 

[Jingthing]

I would agree that BOTH scaremongering AND pushing a narrative that there will definitely be no negative consequences from this change are BOTH very misguided reactions at this stage of this change.

[brewsterbudgen]

Get a grip, Tuk.  There's absolutely no visa reason for you to leave.  Just keep using the same visa you have been using--no changes there!  I will likely keep using my one year extension visa that I have been using for 6 years.  If that is what you use, just keep using it, too.   This is just a different visa OPTION,  being given to just 14 countries.  It's not a replacement for any of the other current visa types now used.  It's not a change for any of the other current visa types now used.  Relax.

Indeed. A new longterm visa option is introduced? to encourage and facilitate longterm stays, and some people think they're somehow being forced out.

Sent from my SM-A500F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[Peterw42]

What are people's thoughts on why Russia and China are not on the list for the 10 year visa?

[Jingthing]

To add, I think there is text about this new 5-10 visa saying people under it can legally do volunteer work without work permit. That's great! So the obvious question ... why isn't that POSITIVE change included with those under the current retirement status visa and extension options? 

[lkv]

10 minutes ago, dentonian said:

 

Only for the purpose of meeting the requirements to obtain an extension of stay based on retirement or marriage.

The financial requirements for an extension must also be proved for the conversion.

 

This internal service is primarily for those who wish to retire in Thailand, but for one reason or another obtained the wrong type of Visa to obtain an 1 year extension.

 

They can be done for non B as well, if the immigration officer is "understanding".

 

So technically, they can be done for anything. The fact that the imm officers "recommend" that you travel to Vientiane or Penang or whatever is a different story. Nothing is stopping them from converting any visa into this new O-A to make life easier for the "quality retirees" they are looking for.

 

Or, they could send them to the nearby consulate, in which case i am imagining a "fantastic response" to this new visa.

 

Nevertheless, on a different note, it is likely that the permission of stay will not exceed 12 months. Not even Thai elite gets you more than 12 months at a time.

[Bernard Flint]

On 11/22/2016 at 6:19 PM, Jingthing said:

We really NEED to know if these higher financial levels for the 10 year visa will be the ONLY option. If so, I guess there will be a lot of fire sale condos soon! 

It would replace one-year renewable visas and come in two installments of five years each, Athisit said. It was not immediately clear when the plan would be implemented.

[Thaidream]

I believe they picked the named countries based upon levels of income and  surveys indicating these are the target audience. Chinese and Russians do not have a long history  with retirement extensions

[chiang mai]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

What are people's thoughts on why Russia and China are not on the list for the 10 year visa?

 

An excellent question I can't even begin to answer yet.

[Jingthing]

Just now, Bernard Flint said:

It would replace one-year renewable visas and come in two installments of five years each, Athisit said. It was not immediately clear when the plan would be implemented.

That is very confusing.

Because the new thing is only for a limited number of nations and I don't think anyone really thinks Thailand is going to kick out everyone on retirement status, (visas, then extensions) from all other nations.

So what does your statement mean? Replace only for those from LISTED nations?

That's kind of a worse case scenario from my POV as I'm from one of those. 

[pattayalover]

if they want see 3 millions on a Thai bank account, how am I going to pay for my new condo?

better not to buy anything in Thailand.
I don't pay an elite visa because I want save for my retirement visa in less 2 yeas.

[scotsman]

On 11/24/2016 at 1:03 PM, meatboy said:

whats the GOOD NEWS we still have to do the 90day reports,and also deposit 3million bht.in the bank not for 3months but a full yr.

for 1yr.visa's and leave it there for every yr.after.

I agree the requirements for this new visa is not very good' the good part is that they at last have come up with one we can only hope that it will be revised in the future when they don't get many people taking it up.

I for one have lived long enough in Thailand 16 years now and they always come out with something that gets changed or scrapped until they come out with more information I will take it all with a pinch of salt.

Regards

Scotsman 

[Peterw42]

 
An excellent question I can't even begin to answer yet.

In the last couple of years, the biggest buyers of condos and the largest amount of tourist but no offer for 10 year visa

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Dude, that's excellent. We have found a COMMON GROUND of agreement. Don't be pushing certainty when there is no certainty. WAIT FOR THAT.  I'm behind that 100 percent. 

Well, I'm CERTAIN there is no change to the current one year extension that most of us use.  So all the posters wringing their hands and getting upset are just being ridiculous.

[Thaidream]

The reason I doubt they will sweeten any of the provisions of the current extensions of stay is they want to'sell' the new Visa scheme because it brings more money into the country and adding a provision of volunteer work is just one of the benefits. They invented the Elite Visa with the same mindset- it can serve as a bridge fo those under 50 who want to stay long stay and bring money into the country.  It appears many of these are marketing schemes with certain benefits at different levels and another reason why I believe that the new scheme is an added option rather than a replacement. 

[harness]

If they wanted to cull the numbers of aliens on non o extensions then why wouldn't they just up the 800K to say 1.2M or a monthly amount of 100K.   No grandfathering.

That ought to thin out the numbers a bit.

No, I don't think that's part of the plan......

[chiang mai]

5 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

In the last couple of years, the biggest buyers of condos and the largest amount of tourist but no offer for 10 year visa

 

 

Behavioural related?

 

Too close to their own borders for Thailands good?

 

Culturally removed from both Thai and most Western cultures (maybe that's behaviour again)?

 

More mass poor than their western counterpart countries?

 

Fear of being taken over internally, especially the Chinese?

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, harness said:

If they wanted to cull the numbers of aliens on non o extensions then why wouldn't they just up the 800K to say 1.2M or a monthly amount of 100K.   No grandfathering.

That ought to thin out the numbers a bit.

No, I don't think that's part of the plan......

Nobody said that it was. 

[jayboy]

 
Your point is taken but you need to be realistic about this, nobody is likely to spend 6 months in Bumrungad in intensive care!

True but isn't the point of insurance to address unlikely eventualities?

[newnative]

13 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

What are people's thoughts on why Russia and China are not on the list for the 10 year visa?

I find the country choices a bit strange--and not just the omission of Russia and China.  Switzerland and Germany are on it but not Austria. France and Italy but not Belgium or Spain.  Australia but not New Zealand.  England but not Ireland.  Japan but not Korea.  Maybe they used some sort of wealth/population formula.

[chiang mai]

Just now, jayboy said:

 

 

True but isn't the point of insurance to address unlikely eventualities?
 

 

 

 

Indeed, it's just that you quoted an absolute extreme, something in the the top 0.001% of possibilities.

 

If you would have said six weeks in intensive care in Bumrungrad it would have been more realistic and been more credible. Again, your point is taken despite the outlandishness of the example.

[tukkytuktuk]

Malaysia long stay visa:-

Realising that foreigners who make a second home in Malaysia are here to stay for long term that in turn help to boost the economy of the country, changes have been made to the previous rules and regulations. Beginning in 2001, there is no longer an age limit imposed on such foreigners. Applicants must have at least RM150,000.00 in the form of a fixed deposit in a local bank in order to qualify. For working applicants, the minimum income for singles must be at least RM7,000.00 while for a couple, their combined earnings must be at least RM10,000.00. As for applicants who are 50 years old and above, they only need to furnish proof in the form of the previously mentioned fixed deposit and also proof of their earning power. Applicants must also have a local guarantor except in applications where they meet all the rules and regulations set out by the Malaysian Government. For convenience, property developers are allowed to become guarantors and applicants with guarantors supporting their application will be exempted from an interview with the Immigration Department. In such a case, the guarantor will have to register himself with the Immigration Department. Applicants will be required to go through a medical check up and purchase medical insurance. Successful applicants are prohibited from working, i.e. becoming an employee of a company. They are however allowed to open their own company after obtaining approval from the Immigration Department.

Interested parties can apply from the Immigration Department, Tourism Department and Malaysian embassies located abroad. Applications can also be made through agents, lawyers and other parties approved by the Malaysian Government. This “Malaysia : My Second Home” plan is targeted at high income earners of foreign origin and its promotions done by the Tourism Board of Malaysia.

Applicants and their families only need to hand in two passport size photographs of themselves and the necessary related documents. Their applications will be processed and approved (if they qualify) in 30 days' time.

Normally, the age of an applicant is a crucial determining factor – the older an applicant is, the more chances of him obtaining approval. Successful applicants will be given a visa, renewable every five years, that has no restriction on the number of times they can enter Malaysia. They will be allowed to purchase property valued at least RM150,000.00 and above.

 

Looks similar to this new proposed Thai long stay visa.

[Jingthing]

It is indeed but there it's the ONLY retirement status option for foreigners. 

[elviajero]

9 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

The newspaper we are not allowed to post a link to with initials BP has posted an article that says that this new long stay visa is the new retirement visa. Panic.

Can you explain what the old "retirement visa" was/is and where it's obtained?

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Can you explain what the old "retirement visa" was/is and where it's obtained?

It's fair to assume they probably mean the O-A visa.

In the context of this proposed change, that MIGHT mean that the old O-A visa may be REPLACED in the nations list for this new visa.