Tourist Visa into Retirement Visa

[canerandagio]

All,

 

I appreciate the information is certainly out there somewhere, but I hope I can find a kind soul to lay it out for me exactly as I need it, it won' t be much, so I thank you in advance.

 

I am on a 2 months tourist visa, used a week of it.

I qualify for retirement visa (am 52 and can transfer 800000 THB into my Thai account) 

I am in Thailand and do not wish to return to Europe to apply.

 

Questions:

1 - What steps do I have to go through to have my retirement visa?

2 - Where do I need to apply for each of the steps? Can I do it from BKK or need to go out of the country?

3 - If I need to do my conversion in BKK is it at Chaeng Wattana immigration? If out of the country, is there a recommended place to do it?

 

Thanks a lot

Straydog

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2017 by canerandagio

[berybert]

You have to do A-0 in your home country.

[Andrew Dwyer]

A retirement visa, or Non-Immigrant O-A visa to give it its correct title, can only be obtained from the Thai Embassy in your home country.
You will need a Police background check from your home country also.
You will need a medical certificate, from the Thai Embassy website..

You will need 800,000 baht in a Thai bank , or equivalent in your home currency/bank.  Or:

You will need 65,000 baht monthly income, or equivalent in your home currency/bank.

( the two requirements can be achieved by combining the two amounts).

 

 The medical certificate can be done in Thailand or in your home country.

The financial requirements can be met in Thailand or your home country.

 

I recommend you research the information thoroughly on the Thai Embassy website .

 

[canerandagio]

Thanks guys.

 

I read the following here: http://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/Thailand-Retirement-Visa.php

 

The foreigner on a visa exemption stamp or a tourist visa can still apply for a retirement visa given that the foreigner has already met the requirements for the non-immigrant O visa and for the one year extension visa applications. This can be done at the immigration office in Thailand.

 

Would it mean I don't have to go back to Europe?

 

Cheers,

Straydog

[berybert]

22 minutes ago, canerandagio said:

Thanks guys.

 

I read the following here: http://www.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/Thailand-Retirement-Visa.php

 

The foreigner on a visa exemption stamp or a tourist visa can still apply for a retirement visa given that the foreigner has already met the requirements for the non-immigrant O visa and for the one year extension visa applications. This can be done at the immigration office in Thailand.

 

Would it mean I don't have to go back to Europe?

 

Cheers,

Straydog

An 0 visa is only for people 65 and over who are drawing a pension.

You need an 0-A. Has to be done in your home country. Renewal can be done in Thailand.

[wayned]

First of all there is no such thing as a retirement visa.  If you follow thew O-A process it can only be done in your home country and will require a police check and medical certificate.

 

But you can convert your tourist visa to a Non-immigrant "O" visa in Thailand.  This is the first step to applying for a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement.

 

You don't say where you are but only a few offices will do the conversion and you might have to make two trips to Bangkok to do it. I think the cost of the conversion to non "O" is 2000 baht and the extension is 1900 baht.

 

When you do the conversion you will have to have the 800000 baht in a Thai bank in your name only, but it doesn't have to be seasoned.  You will get 90 days permission to stay and during the last 30-45 days of that permission to stay you apply for the 1 year retirement extension,  The 800000 baht will have to be in your account for 2 months at that time (3 months for follow-on extensions). You do not have to leave the country to do this and after you get the extension you will only have to report your address every 90 days, not leave the country.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, berybert said:

An 0 visa is only for people 65 and over who are drawing a pension.

You need an 0-A. Has to be done in your home country. Renewal can be done in Thailand.

A non-o visa can be obtained for being 50 or over, The 65 year old rule only applies in the UK and you must also be drawing a state pension.

There are nearby embassies and consulates that will issued one.

[buick]

i completed a conversion of visa exempt entry to non imm O this week.  done in bangkok at CW using the 800,000thb method.  i had to get two bank letters from bangkok bank, one for my USD account and one for my THB account (both at silom branch).  i did that on thursday morning march 2.  made all the required copies and filled out form thurs afternoon.  on friday march 3, i went to CW in the morning.  got a queue number for area C, the change visa section.  i didn't wait more than 5 minutes, the IO took my papers and told me to come back in two weeks (monday march 20).  i went back on monday march 20, got queue number, was immediately seated with and IO.  she took my passport and told me to wait.  10 minutes later i had my passport back with the non immo O stamp inside. 

 

here is a list of required docs that i got from ubonjoe a few weeks ago.

 

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR VISA OR VISA STATUS ALTERATION (NON-O): FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES.

    The application must be submitted at least 15 days before visa expiration and, in case of overstaying in Thailand, application could not be submitted.
    1.1 Form TM.86 for the foreigner, who has Tourist and Transit Visa and applies for Visa Status Alteration and applies for non-immigrant visa; or
    1.2 Form TM.87 for the foreigner, who enters into Thailand without visa, but is allowed to stay in Thailand with a permit of stay for a period of 15 day, 30 days, 90 days and applies for non-immigrant visa.
    A copy of passport pages (for example, personal information page, last entries stamp, visa sticker and extension stamp (if any) and departure card (Form TM.6))
    Either one 4x6 cm photograph or one 2 inch size photograph
    Application fee of Baht 2,000
    5.1 A guarantee letter from the bank in Thailand in Thai language (Attention: Immigration Commissioner)*
    5.2 A copy  of all entries of the applicant’s passbook showing that the applicant has a savings or fixed deposit account  of not less than Baht 800,000* (all documents must be in the Applicant’s name).
    5.3 Evidence of foreign currency fund transferred to Thailand*
    *(Documents under 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 must be issued and updated to be the same date of the Application and all documents must be in the Applicant’s name.)or
    A guarantee letter from the local or overseas Embassy or Consulate, proving the monthly pension of the Applicant not less than Baht 65,000 per month (together with reference documents showing the source of said monthly pension); or
    Evidence of deposited money under Clause 5 and evidence of income under Clause 6  (for one year) showing the total amount not less than Baht 800,000

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

A non-o visa can be obtained for being 50 or over, The 65 year old rule only applies in the UK and you must also be drawing a state pension.
There are nearby embassies and consulates that will issued one.

I apologise for jumping the gun with my post.
I didn't realise the 65 year old rule applies only to the uk and as the OP is 52 I thought the O-A visa was his only option .

[buick]

OP - i'm not sure what bank you have/will have your funds in.  most banks have a branch at CW on the floor below the immigration office.  you may have been to CW already and know that, but thought i'd mention it just in case.  you could get your bank letter there and then proceed to immigration.  the letters don't take long to prepare, maybe 10 minutes, likely less. 

[wgdanson]

15 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

A retirement visa, or Non-Immigrant O-A visa to give it its correct title, can only be obtained from the Thai Embassy in your home country.
You will need a Police background check from your home country also.
You will need a medical certificate, from the Thai Embassy website..

You will need 800,000 baht in a Thai bank , or equivalent in your home currency/bank.  Or:

You will need 65,000 baht monthly income, or equivalent in your home currency/bank.

( the two requirements can be achieved by combining the two amounts).

 

 The medical certificate can be done in Thailand or in your home country.

The financial requirements can be met in Thailand or your home country.

 

I recommend you research the information thoroughly on the Thai Embassy website .

 

Are you saying that the Bht 800,000 can be in your home (UK) bank.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Are you saying that the Bht 800,000 can be in your home (UK) bank.

For OA long stay visa application it can be in a UK bank. That is one of the main reasons people choose to get them.

[wgdanson]

But once you are here must it be in Thai bank?

 

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

But once you are here must it be in Thai bank?

Only if you apply for an extension of stay here when the total stay (about 2 years) from the visa ends.

[Andrew Dwyer]

Are you saying that the Bht 800,000 can be in your home (UK) bank.

I see UbonJoe has answered your question, but yes many choose to have the money in a UK bank to obtain the O-A visa then open a Thai account after entering the country.
I guess it's easier to open an account here with a non-imm visa rather than on a tourist or exempt visa.

I did it the other way round !

[berybert]

16 hours ago, berybert said:

An 0 visa is only for people 65 and over who are drawing a pension.

You need an 0-A. Has to be done in your home country. Renewal can be done in Thailand.

 

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A non-o visa can be obtained for being 50 or over, The 65 year old rule only applies in the UK and you must also be drawing a state pension.

There are nearby embassies and consulates that will issued one.

Ah right didn't know that.  How wonderful being a Brit. You get shafted by all and everybody.

[skorts]

I went down the O-A route in the UK as I was 50 years old so could not go down the O route. As Ubon Joe says one of the key attractions of the O-A route is you do not have to transfer the 800,000 baht into a Thai bank account until nearly 2 years later when you apply for your first extension. This is exactly what I did.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Andrew Dwyer]

I went down the O-A route in the UK as I was 50 years old so could not go down the O route. As Ubon Joe says one of the key attractions of the O-A route is you do not have to transfer the 800,000 baht into a Thai bank account until nearly 2 years later when you apply for your first extension. This is exactly what I did.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

I opened a Thai account early to help on ATM charges plus I wanted to buy a car and have access to cash easily.

How did you make out with no Thai account for 2 years if you don't mind me asking ?

[canerandagio]

Thanks all for the valuable info, in particular the one that changed entirely my plan is Buick, as it seems to fit my bill perfectly.

I have transferred 860k THB today from UK and it should arrive tomorrow.

Now my three further questions, just to be absolutely sure.

 

This forum is so bloody helpful :) thanks guys.

 

1 - Funds must have been in my bank account for 2 months, right? This means I will have to wait two months before I apply?

 

2 -  Below is an excerpt from the list produced by Buick and UbonJoe (thanks both)

If I walk into Bangkok Branch and ask for a guarantee letter (5.1 below), would they know what I am talking about, and is there a standard template?

As for 5.2 - is that just a photocopy? Does it need to be stamped by the bank?

As for point 5.3 - I transferred with Transferwise, what sort of evidence would they want to see?

Quote

   5.1 A guarantee letter from the bank in Thailand in Thai language (Attention: Immigration Commissioner)*
      5.2 A copy  of all entries of the applicant’s passbook showing that the applicant has a savings or fixed deposit account  of not less than Baht 800,000* (all documents must be in the Applicant’s name).
      5.3 Evidence of foreign currency fund transferred to Thailand*
    *(Documents under 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 must be issued and updated to be the same date of the Application and all documents must be in the Applicant’s name.)

 

 

 

 

 

3 - If I have to wait two months, then I am cutting it tight, please can someone validate my calculations: I entered the country on 19th March, and I will receive the funds in my thai account on 29th March.

Two months from the 29th March means 29 May. On 29th May I will be on my 30 days extension of my 60 days tourist visa, and I presume this doesn't change my ability to convert the visa. If my assumption is wrong someone please SHOUT!

On 29 May I will get the bank letters done, assume a day or so will go by, then I will go to Immigration and they will ask me to wait two weeks, which will take me to the 13 June - still within my 30 days extension.

So, all going well I will manage to do the conversion on time, with the risk of having to leave the country at short notice if - for some reason the process goes wrong, or some additional document is requested.

Am I making sense?

 

Hopefully the two months wait isn't required, so I will be able to apply immediately. 

 

Actually, I just read the above by wayned, and I think he answered my questions 1 and 3: I can apply immediately for the conversion, and so I don't have to bother with extending my tourist visa...

Quote

When you do the conversion you will have to have the 800000 baht in a Thai bank in your name only, but it doesn't have to be seasoned.  You will get 90 days permission to stay and during the last 30-45 days of that permission to stay you apply for the 1 year retirement extension,  The 800000 baht will have to be in your account for 2 months at that time (3 months for follow-on extensions). You do not have to leave the country to do this and after you get the extension you will only have to report your address every 90 days, not leave the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

----

Edited March 27, 2017 by canerandagio

[buick]

5.2 is just photocopy of each page of bank book.  no stamp or anything from your bank.

 

5.3 should be covered by the photocopies of your bank book.  i believe there are transfer codes listed in there that make it clear the money came from overseas.  i was confused about this one also as i noticed the 'bank letter' was just a sentence or two.  wasn't sure about how to prove funds from overseas.  but someone here on TV suggested immigration would look at the codes.

 

i'm pretty sure you can apply immediately after funds are in place (mine had been there a few months as i was out of thailand for a bit).  the big issue for you now is the upcoming songkran holiday.  i imagine CW (if that is where you are going) could get a little crowded in the days leading up to the holiday.  you visit twice, two weeks apart to get the non imm O stamp.  the good news is i don't think all that many people go for 'change visa' so it isn't as long a wait as an extension of tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

 

you should get the bangkok bank letter at CW.  i looked inside the branch to see if it was crowded (about 9am) and it was empty.  i looked on both visits i made (drop off and pick up).  i believe the cost is 100thb.  that branch will know what you need (so did the silom branch that i used).

[canerandagio]

1 minute ago, buick said:

5.2 is just photocopy of each page of bank book.  no stamp or anything from your bank.

 

5.3 should be covered by the photocopies of your bank book.  i believe there are transfer codes listed in there that make it clear the money came from overseas.  i was confused about this one also as i noticed the 'bank letter' was just a sentence or two.  wasn't sure about how to prove funds from overseas.  but someone here on TV suggested immigration would look at the codes.

 

i'm pretty sure you can apply immediately after funds are in place (mine had been there a few months as i was out of thailand for a bit).  the big issue for you now is the upcoming songkran holiday.  i imagine CW (if that is where you are going) could get a little crowded in the days leading up to the holiday.  you visit twice, two weeks apart to get the non imm O stamp.  the good news is i don't think all that many people go for 'change visa' so it isn't as long a wait as an extension of tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

 

you should get the bangkok bank letter at CW.  i looked inside the branch to see if it was crowded (about 9am) and it was empty.  i looked on both visits i made (drop off and pick up).  i believe the cost is 100thb.  that branch will know what you need (so did the silom branch that i used).

Fantastic, thanks so much... Wednesday I'll be there.

 

So, if I get this right, and all goes well:

1 - Wednesday this week I apply for the conversion

2 - Two weeks later I get 90 days

3 - In the past 45 days of those 90 days I apply for the retirement visa proper.

Is that correct? and when will I have to do police clearance and medical certificate?

 

 

 

 

[berybert]

So you are going to get an  non 0 visa ? Didn't you read the post that says people from the UK cant change from tourist visa to non O.

Post 7 Ubonjoe's post.

 

[canerandagio]

12 minutes ago, berybert said:

So you are going to get an  non 0 visa ? Didn't you read the post that says people from the UK cant change from tourist visa to non O.

Post 7 Ubonjoe's post.

 

What makes you think I am from the UK?

I am following post 8 (buick's), if wrong please advise... applying on EU passport, that should be OK right?

[berybert]

1 minute ago, canerandagio said:

What makes you think I am from the UK?

I am following post 8 (buick's), if wrong please advise... applying on EU passport, that should be OK right?

You said     'I have transferred 860k THB today from UK and it should arrive tomorrow'.

I take it am wrong again :) I hope so.

 

[canerandagio]

4 minutes ago, berybert said:

You said     'I have transferred 860k THB today from UK and it should arrive tomorrow'.

I take it am wrong again :) I hope so.

 

Yes, you are, and so I hope too :)

I have dual citizenship, resident in UK, but am travelling on my non-UK passport.

My UK passport is still hot from press, tucked away in my money belt. I never used it, I was quite pleased to obtain it but I decided to travel on my other passport so as not to compromise my british resident status.... turned out it was the right call incidentally.

Since I am quite new to all this o, o2, non-o stuff, I'd appreciate if you could positively confirm that I am on the right track now...

 

Edited March 27, 2017 by canerandagio

[berybert]

1 minute ago, canerandagio said:

Yes, you are, so I hope too :)

I have dual citizenship, resident in UK, but am travelling on my non-UK passport.

My UK passport is still hot from press, tucked away in my money belt. I never used it, I was quite pleased to obtain it but I decided to travel on my other passport so as not to compromise my british resident status.... turned out it was the right call incidentally.

 

Do  you DIDNT have the finance's to pay the money from your home country ? Get a far better rate from anywhere that is no the UK.

[canerandagio]

1 minute ago, berybert said:

Do  you DIDNT have the finance's to pay the money from your home country ? Get a far better rate from anywhere that is no the UK.

Nope actually, and from the perspective you are putting it my home country is indeed the UK, where all my money is.

I used Transferwise which charged 120 quid for a 20,000 pounds transfer and gave me a better rate than SuperRich (still I had to pay their fee).

All considered it beat OFX (ex UKForex) by 4000 baht.

The rate was 43.27 to the pound at the time I changed.

We are now edging close to me shedding tears, which is what happens every time I think of what happened to the pound in the last 9 months and what that meant to my finances as a result of that... better not mention...

[berybert]

Just now, canerandagio said:

Nope actually, and from the perspective you are putting it my home country is indeed the UK, where all my money is.

I used Transferwise which charged 120 quid for a 20,000 pounds transfer and gave me a better rate than SuperRich (still I had to pay their fee).

All considered it beat OFX (ex UKForex) by 4000 baht.

The rate was 43.27 to the pound at the time I changed.

We are now edging close to me shedding tears, which is what happens every time I think of what happened to the pound in the last 9 months and what that meant to my finances as a result of that... better not mention...

I am about to do the same myself. Not sure whether to do it now or leave it a couple more months, I will be back in Bangkok in July.

I notice Transferwise don't pay the money for quite a while, I transferred before with Forex and it was in my Thai bank next day,

[canerandagio]

Just now, berybert said:

I am about to do the same myself. Not sure whether to do it now or leave it a couple more months, I will be back in Bangkok in July.

I notice Transferwise don't pay the money for quite a while, I transferred before with Forex and it was in my Thai bank next day,

Well, when to do it is guesswork. Don't think a Scottish referendum will do well to the pound unfortunately but who knows.

As for the turnaround time, I sent from Halifax to Transferwise on fast transfer and the money reached transferwise within the hour (UK morning).

In UK afternoon about 4pm today Transferwise wrote to me that my funds had been remitted to the Thai account and should reach here tomorrow. (and Bangkok bank will surely slice off another 500 baht)

[berybert]

1 minute ago, canerandagio said:

Well, when to do it is guesswork. Don't think a Scottish referendum will do well to the pound unfortunately but who knows.

As for the turnaround time, I sent from Halifax to Transferwise on fast transfer and the money reached transferwise within the hour (UK morning).

In UK afternoon about 4pm today Transferwise wrote to me that my funds had been remitted to the Thai account and should reach here tomorrow. (and Bangkok bank will surely slice off another 500 baht)

Ah ok so its pretty fast.  I might have another look at them. Cheers.