Easiest path to retirement Visa

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

i used chicago, successfully and all done by mail

Not for being 50 or over for retirement you didn't unless that was before the OA visa became available. They like the embassy and other official consulates will only issue OA visas.

[Wake Up]

On 8/28/2017 at 4:30 PM, calbts2 said:

I just flew round trip Bangkok to SFO and back on Visa exempt. I have 3 years of ED and tourist visas along with a few recent Visa exempts. I was not even questioned at all about my visa status checking in at SFO. I even had a "pay later at the airline office" reservation for Thai Air ready but it was not needed.

I did not however fly on an any American based airlines.

I try to avoid flying any airline based in the US, China, or India as from my travel experience - those carriers are some of the worst in the world..but that is another subject altogether.

 

My method not be the best for you but it is certainly less hassle and cheaper than getting background checks, paying for US Medical tests, etc. in getting a NON-O-A in the US.

Not intended to be a criticism of you and maybe I misunderstood your words. But I hear all the time of people who want to fly to Thailand expecting to get a 30 days free entry and that is true except when you get to the airport in USA you must have a valid visa or an airplane ticket flying out of Thailand within 30 days of landing in Thailand or they don't let you board the plane in USA to go to Thailand. Cheers you had helpful advice for OP to consider. 

[Kim1950]

On 8/28/2017 at 11:41 PM, amvet said:

List the manager of the hotel you are staying at or ask the US embassy in Thailand who to list or use a Thai dating service or one of the ladies at an on line beer bar. You have answered my question above where the requirement came from. 

Got it. I plan to use the NY Consulate. The forms are slightly different between the NY and DC Embassy.

 

This information helped: 

 

Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom:
Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry.

 

The start date is  "date of first entry". I do need the flight information and I will plan this forward enough to hopefully catch a decent deal with trip protection and I also need aisle seats for that hike. The hotel will work as a contact. By the way the airfare is not a bad as I thought from Boston.

 

So if the VA thinks I am "in good physical and mental health, and free from any defect", I am all set. With this request, they are wondering about my mental health. I do use a Thai Dating Site, not sure how that would work. Most seem sincere, those interested in me, typically middle-age, civil servants, and divorced, beats me.

 

Thanks.