Where in Pattaya is the best place to apply for a new retirement visa, Bit short on time I will only be in country for 26 days been told it takes a bit longer than that?. I have a multiple tourist visa just now which expires Jan 17. Got the $800,000 in the bank 1 year and over 50. recommendations appreciated.

Why not go directly to the immigration office? Should not take more than 30 minutes...

You can only apply at immigration in Jomtien.

You will first apply for change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 days from the visa you can apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement.

You must have 15 days remaining on the 60 day entry from your visa or the 30 day extension of it to apply for the visa. It will take 15 days to get the visa/entry stamps from the date you apply but the 90 days will start from the date you apply.

3 minutes ago, falang07 said:

Why not go directly to the immigration office? Should not take more than 30 minutes...

Was not speaking about the visit to Immigration but the time process to have the retirement visa put on my passport, was thinking some of these agencies can get the process done quicker as I need my passport back in time for leaving country again. Should have mentioned I am still working so its a multiple entry retirement visa I will be looking for as I am getting asked to many questions at the airport now. 28 days Thailand and 28 days overseas working.

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can only apply at immigration in Jomtien.

You will first apply for change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry.

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 days from the visa you can apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement.

You must have 15 days remaining on the 60 day entry from your visa or the 30 day extension of it to apply for the visa. It will take 15 days to get the visa/entry stamps from the date you apply but the 90 days will start from the date you apply.

This looks like a good option, nobody has mentioned this to me before extension of stay and looks like I can do this in the 26 days I am here in country. To get the O Non Immigrant visa would I have to do a visa run? I will make enquiries about on my immediate return thanks Ubonjoe.

3 minutes ago, Heelbiter said:

Was not speaking about the visit to Immigration but the time process to have the retirement visa put on my passport, was thinking some of these agencies can get the process done quicker as I need my passport back in time for leaving country again. Should have mentioned I am still working so its a multiple entry retirement visa I will be looking for as I am getting asked to many questions at the airport now. 28 days Thailand and 28 days overseas working.

The longest wait you would have to wait for your passport is overnight when you apply for the extension.

You could apply for a single re-entry permit for the 90 days you will get from the visa. It would keep the remainder of the 90 days valid when you enter the country. Then you could apply for the extension and get a multiple re-entry permit to keep the extension valid.

2 minutes ago, Heelbiter said:

This looks like a good option, nobody has mentioned this to me before extension of stay and looks like I can do this in the 26 days I am here in country. To get the O Non Immigrant visa would I have to do a visa run? I will make enquiries about on my immediate return thanks Ubonjoe.

No need to leave the country to get the 90 day visa entry. Every thing is done at immigration.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

The longest wait you would have to wait for your passport is overnight when you apply for the extension.

You could apply for a single re-entry permit for the 90 days you will get from the visa. It would keep the remainder of the 90 days valid when you enter the country. Then you could apply for the extension and get a multiple re-entry permit to keep the extension valid.

No need to leave the country to get the 90 day visa entry. Every thing is done at immigration.

Thanks great advice Ubonjoe, I will be on it once back in Pattaya beginning Jan 17. Merry Xmas and Happy new year when it comes.

You can do it yourself but if you do want a visa agent to take care of it for you, then I highly recommend Darren at Key Visa. He's done mine for the past 6 years and I'm a very satisfied customer.

Would support the post re using Key Visa

Have not used them for retirement extension as we live in the North but his other services are excellent very professional 

If it is the first one it may take 2 weeks

On 12/14/2016 at 5:24 PM, ubonjoe said:

The longest wait you would have to wait for your passport is overnight when you apply for the extension.

You could apply for a single re-entry permit for the 90 days you will get from the visa. It would keep the remainder of the 90 days valid when you enter the country. Then you could apply for the extension and get a multiple re-entry permit to keep the extension valid.

No need to leave the country to get the 90 day visa entry. Every thing is done at immigration.

What will happen to these visas based on retirement if/when the new retirement scheme comes into play? Immigration told me the other day they were waiting on the rules.

On 12/14/2016 at 5:15 PM, Heelbiter said:

was thinking some of these agencies can get the process done quicker as I need my passport back in time for leaving country again

 

I can also recommend Key Visa in Pattaya. You just hand over your passport and pick it up after 2 days, no need to visit the immigration . 

 

4 hours ago, Leung Falang said:

What will happen to these visas based on retirement if/when the new retirement scheme comes into play? Immigration told me the other day they were waiting on the rules.

 

No indication (yet) that the existing system will go away when/if the new one is started.

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

No indication (yet) that the existing system will go away when/if the new one is started.

Agree with that, but to honest, there is no official indication that it won't either. The news about it is as clear as mud. ESPECIALLY on the question of whether this new thing is an O-A visa and thus might replace the current O-A visas. O-A visas, also known as Long Stay visas are only issued at certain home country embassies and consulates.

Edited December 15, 20169 yr by Jingthing

Immigration will handle it all PLUS a multiple re-entry for 18k baht (or, so I've heard).

On 12/14/2016 at 5:15 PM, Heelbiter said:

Was not speaking about the visit to Immigration but the time process to have the retirement visa put on my passport, was thinking some of these agencies can get the process done quicker as I need my passport back in time for leaving country again. Should have mentioned I am still working so its a multiple entry retirement visa I will be looking for as I am getting asked to many questions at the airport now. 28 days Thailand and 28 days overseas working.

My first retirement visa was done thru a law firm. I paid THB25,000. No hassle, I gave all the documents needed to the law firm, they went to Jomtien by themselves. I got the visa same day.

5 minutes ago, snoopy21 said:

My first retirement visa was done thru a law firm. I paid THB25,000. No hassle, I gave all the documents needed to the law firm, they went to Jomtien by themselves. I got the visa same day.

Even though the application form says that the applicant must be there in person?

Money talks.  You can do it yourself for 1900 baht or pay an agent 25,000.  

Up to you.

32 minutes ago, snoopy21 said:

My first retirement visa was done thru a law firm. I paid THB25,000. No hassle, I gave all the documents needed to the law firm, they went to Jomtien by themselves. I got the visa same day.

agent's fees including the cost of a multiple reentry-visa should not exceed 12,000 Baht. anything above that is highway robbery.

6 hours ago, quandow said:

Immigration will handle it all PLUS a multiple re-entry for 18k baht (or, so I've heard).

Why in the world would he go that way when he has the 800k.That is only for the poor and your overpaying if your paying 18k.

21 hours ago, louse1953 said:

Why in the world would he go that way when he has the 800k.That is only for the poor and your overpaying if your paying 18k.

 

I neglected to get the required visa in the U.S. BEFORE coming to Thailand. When immigration explained the hassles and hoops I would have to jump through  (several trips to Bangkok, filling out forms in Thai, etc.) 18k seemed QUITE reasonable to me. Maybe I have more money than sense, but it worked for me and I'm merely sharing my personal experience. OP will now have this and other options from which to choose. Up to you, OP.