Basic visa questions

[Rodiy2k]

Hello everyone 

 

My wife and I are retired American citizens currently living in Penang, Malaysia on a long term MM2H visa. We'd like to move to Chiang Mai later this year. I am age 52 and my wife is 46. We hope to apply for visas at the Thai embassy in Penang before moving.

 

Can someone please help with following questions?

1) Retirement Visa:

Is the minimum age 50 and if so, is there any way to have my wife piggy back as a co-applicant somehow? If not, would it make any sense for one person to apply for this visa and the other person apply for a different visa? What would happen if one person was denied? 

 

Also, one of our contacts told us the requirement is to show 800,000 THB in assets but it doesn't have to be transferred to a Thai bank account as long as there is an accompanying letter from the US Embassy that verifies the assets. They also said we can apply for this visa from outside Thailand. Can someone please confirm this is true or advise otherwise?

 

2) Non immigrant visas other than retirement, work, marriage and education;

We are seeking a visa other than tourist visa and prefer multiple entry but would NOT be eligible for the visas listed above since we don't work, are not starting any business or returning to school and we're already married. A 90 day visa would be acceptable but longer is even better. Can someone please explain what type of visa we should apply for if other options listed above are not applicable?

 

Also can anyone post a link to an official Thai government website for immigration and visas that's totally in English? Or is there no such website? 

 

Thanks in advance for your replies. 

Rob and Diane 

[ubonjoe]

1. In reality the only visa that come close to being retirement visa is OA long stay visa you can get in your home country or country of legal residence.

You could get a single entry non-o visa and then apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration here. You would need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht income proven by a income affidavit done at the US embassy in Bangkok or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

Your wife could get a single entry non-o visa at the same time as you get yours as your dependent. She would need your marriage certificate to get it. Then when you get your extension she would get an extension as your dependent.

After getting the extensions you could get single or multiple re-entry permits

Penang will want proof of 800k baht in a bank and proof of being retired. Most people use an income affidavit to prove they are retired. If you meet the 65k baht income requirement you would not need to prove money in the bank. Not sure if you could get a income affidavit at the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur or not that they would accept.

A multiple entry non-o visa would require leaving the country every 90 days and is valid for a year from the date of entry. Penang will issue one if you can meet the financial requirement required for the single entry visa. But I am certain they would only issue a single entry non-o visa to your wife.

2, I think I covered your only options in 1.

There no immigration website that details all options.