Peterg59 Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Good Morning all I wanted some information regarding best way forward for me applying for a visa. I have been a regular visitor to Thailand over the last 15 years and was there 3 times last year without getting myself any visa of any type. This year I am looking to retire from work and hopefully move to Thailand for the long term. I have been reading lots of different forums etc in regards to the way forward but there seems to be lots of contradictory information. Do I have to have a one year visa before I can apply for a retirement visa. I will meet all the other requirements regarding money in the bank etc. If someone can let me know I would be very grateful. Thank you and have a nice day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 There are two basic paths to entering legal retirement status in Thailand: -- Get an O-A visa (one year) in your home country. Used well that can be stretched to about a two year stay. Then after that, apply for annual retirement extensions (same as below). (OR) -- Start with a 90 day O visa obtained outside Thailand or even inside Thailand (as part of a two step process). Then with that O visa, apply for your first annual extension based on retirement in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 As said you could get a OA long stay visa the that will allow unlit one year entries for a year from the date of issue. You can get almost 2 years of total stay from it by doing an entry just before the visa expires. Basic requirements are here but there may be some some differences at the embassy in your home country. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html You can also apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement at immigration here. You would need 800k baht in Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht. You will need a non-o visa entry to apply for it from a embassy or consulate. Or you could change a tourist visa entry to a non immigrant visa entry at immigration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterg59 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 3 hours ago, Jingthing said: There are two basic paths to entering legal retirement status in Thailand: -- Get an O-A visa (one year) in your home country. Used well that can be stretched to about a two year stay. Then after that, apply for annual retirement extensions (same as below). (OR) -- Start with a 90 day O visa obtained outside Thailand or even inside Thailand (as part of a two step process). Then with that O visa, apply for your first annual extension based on retirement in Thailand. Thank you very much for your advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterg59 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 3 hours ago, ubonjoe said: As said you could get a OA long stay visa the that will allow unlit one year entries for a year from the date of issue. You can get almost 2 years of total stay from it by doing an entry just before the visa expires. Basic requirements are here but there may be some some differences at the embassy in your home country. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html You can also apply for a one year extension of stay based upon retirement at immigration here. You would need 800k baht in Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht. You will need a non-o visa entry to apply for it from a embassy or consulate. Or you could change a tourist visa entry to a non immigrant visa entry at immigration. Thank you, I will apply for 1 year visa and see where I end up lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldgent Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 as far as i can remember i read on TV some time ago that it was better to get an O-A within Thailand not as much requirements. can you clarify as to the money requirement , is it needed or not for the O-A long stay or just when you are applying for the extension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 2 minutes ago, oldgent said: as far as i can remember i read on TV some time ago that it was better to get an O-A within Thailand not as much requirements. can you clarify as to the money requirement , is it needed or not for the O-A long stay or just when you are applying for the extension. Never in history has an O-A visa been issued in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phuket Man Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 3 minutes ago, oldgent said: as far as i can remember i read on TV some time ago that it was better to get an O-A within Thailand not as much requirements. can you clarify as to the money requirement , is it needed or not for the O-A long stay or just when you are applying for the extension. You cannot get a Non Imm O-A Visa in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldgent Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 can you please correct me is it an O . and is better to obtain within Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 (edited) 10 minutes ago, oldgent said: can you please correct me is it an O . and is better to obtain within Thailand That is incorrect. There is no "better" in this choice. There are pros and cons to different paths and differences in the processes. For some people starting with the O-A is advantageous and for others starting with an O visa then directly to extension makes more sense. That's why, unfortunately, there really isn't a pat simple answer to these endless questions about O-A vs. starting with an O visa (usually 90 day). To make the best decision, people really need to understand the DETAILS of how they are different and they really are very different ways to start, even though long term stayers all end up the same boat, with retirement extensions. Some people can't even start without an O-A because they can't financially qualify within Thailand yet and others can't possibly use an O-A because of a criminal record that would screen them out in their home country. Just two examples. There are countless other personal scenarios. The O.P. asked for a general rough answer. There are people here that can provide specific counsel about which path is really better for specific applicants, but they need to provide a good bit of personal information (largely financial stuff) first before that can be done well. Cheers. Edited February 13, 2017 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldgent Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 11 minutes ago, Jingthing said: That is incorrect. There is no "better" in this choice. There are pros and cons to different paths and differences in the processes. For some people starting with the O-A is advantageous and for others starting with an O visa then directly to extension makes more sense. That's why, unfortunately, there really isn't a pat simple answer to these endless questions about O-A vs. starting without O-A. To make the best decision, people really need to understand how they are different. Some people can't even start without an O-A because they can't financially qualify within Thailand yet and others can't possibly use an O-A because of a criminal record that would screen them out in their home country. Cheers. sorry for being a pain but my other question was ... do you need to have the required money on the first stage. also you stated for O that you can get it outside OR inside i,m confused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Yes for the two part process you need to prove the financial qualifications both times. For the O Visa that can be done with a conversion from 30 day stamp or tourist visa at some immigration offices in Thailand. Otherwise people typically go to Vientiane Laos or Penang Malo to get a 90 day visa. Bank account money seasoning is generally not. required for the first step getting the O visa but for the first extension two months bank seasoning required for bank account methods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldgent Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 26 minutes ago, Jingthing said: Yes for the two part process you need to prove the financial qualifications both times. For the O Visa that can be done with a conversion from 30 day stamp or tourist visa at some immigration offices in Thailand. Otherwise people typically go to Vientiane Laos or Penang Malo to get a 90 day visa. Bank account money seasoning is generally not. required for the first step getting the O visa but for the first extension two months bank seasoning required for bank account methods. thank you got it now sorry for the bother its Monday and the brain just hasnt fully wakened yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 No problem. Standard stuff. You should probably have more questions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterg59 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 I will have the required 800k to deposit in Thai bank account and judging by responses so far it appears I can get a year visa and can open a bank account with that. I have been reading the Embassy website and I will probably go over to Hull where they are based as it is not too far from where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterg59 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 I have looked at various sites and I do not think I have come across a definitive answer although the replies on here seem to point me in the right direction and I thank all who have replied to me so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 You can apply for an O A in England showing the 800 there. That is normal for OA. Worry about the funded Thai account much later. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 10 hours ago, Peterg59 said: I will have the required 800k to deposit in Thai bank account and judging by responses so far it appears I can get a year visa and can open a bank account with that. I have been reading the Embassy website and I will probably go over to Hull where they are based as it is not too far from where I live. You can only get a OA long stay visa at the embassy in London. Hull is a honorary Thai consulate. Info on applying at the embassy is here. http://new.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/en/types-of-visa#section8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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