Hello all,

I an thinking of getting a retirement visa. I am 55 years old and I do meet all the requirement for the retirement visa. I do have one question that I have not been able to find the answer to, "What are we allowed to do?"

I was thinking of going back to university and taking a few classes. I am able to speak, write and read Thai. I know there is a list of things that we are not allowed to do but I have not read anything about going to University. 

I do not want to go to a Thai language school, I want to go to a proper university. 

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

Thanks,

Living in Thailand on an O-A visa or annual extensions based on retirement does restrict people from WORKING in Thailand. Even volunteer work can be a problem.

 

However, I don't think there would any problem at all with the legality of taking courses though.

 

Yes you can attend a university or language school with any visa enter, or an extension of stay based on retirement.

The OP was perhaps confused that there is such a thing as an education visa that legalizes people to stay here based on being in education programs.

But as he will be here on legalized status based on retirement, he won't need an education visa to legally take courses. 

A off topic post and a expected reply to it have been removed.

I have been living in Thailand on an extension of permission to stay based on retirement

(it is not a visa ) for 9+ years now and I did attend a language school for two of those

years without any problems whatsoever. 

Just don't work....now back to work on the farm.....

from what I know, worry only about what you do online.

 

anything else... as long as you don't work as a salaryman....

 

no problems ever. not having to worry about stuff is one of the reasons for being here, isn't it?





 

years ago, i went to mae sai immigration (nice office, nice people) and i inquired about roughly the same topic; lady officer pointed out it is a RETIREMENT visa, nicely i might add; she did the most amazing farang copy of rolling one's eyes

Just now, YetAnother said:

years ago, i went to mae sai immigration (nice office, nice people) and i inquired about roughly the same topic; lady officer pointed out it is a RETIREMENT visa, nicely i might add; she did the most amazing farang copy of rolling one's eyes

I'm pretty sure there has never been a report on this forum of an expat staying on an O-A visa or retirement extension getting into legal trouble for taking courses. Taking courses benefits Thailand. You're paying money for the courses. You're not taking a job from any locals. 

The only problem I can imagine with this is when registering for the courses some over officious person asks what's your visa status, and you say retirement extension, and they get confused and say it's a problem and won't enroll you.

But that's about the educational institution, not immigration. 

Again, never heard of this actually happening to anyone even at the school level. 

Schools may possible reject people based on lots of reasons, including discriminatory ones (you won't fit in, go away!) based on older age and being foreign, but that's not about immigration legality. 

Just now, Jingthing said:

The only problem I can imagine with this is when registering for the courses some over officious person asks what's your visa status, and you say retirement extension, and they get confused and say it's a problem, and won't enroll you.

But that's about the educational institution, not immigration. 

You are joking aren't you? a language school or Thai university will accept anyone with a wallet, a 

pulse is optional...................................

2 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

You are joking aren't you? a language school or Thai university will accept anyone with a wallet, a 

pulse is optional...................................

Not really joking. I suppose I can imagine older foreigners not being welcome at some places for social reasons. This isn't a PC country. Again, nothing to do with legality of taking courses on retirement status. 

24 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The only problem I can imagine with this is when registering for the courses some over officious person asks what's your visa status, and you say retirement extension, and they get confused and say it's a problem and won't enroll you.

I would say the school would be very happy to enroll a person on a retirement extension since they would not have to deal with MOE paperwork and etc needed to get a ED visa and extensions of stay.

The tuition would also be lower and their would be a greater choice of schools since some don't or cannot support the visa/extension requirements.

I was just imagining a potential issue at some places. Not suggesting it would be a widespread response. Again, I can imagine some schools finding an older foreigner as a student in a class of all young Thais, for example, to be odd and disruptive. Nothing to do with the legality of being enrolled though when the school takes the enrollment. 

If I'm wrong and that could never ever be an issue, so be it.

It's called a retirement visa because you can't work. Relax and have some fun!

You are allowed to do pretty much as you like except take up employment or move to another area without registering your change of address.