New Retirement Visa Rules

[yahderhey]

Greetings All. I have not seen anything about this on PA yet.About ten days ago went to Chonburi Immigration to check about a retirement Visa,was told I have to go to Bangkok.No problem I was expecting that from what I had seen on PA.Made my appointment at the embassy to get the income letter all went well,Kudos to the staff I was impressed with the service in and out in about 15 minutes.Short walk to the skytrain and off to Mochit station,taxi to Chang Wattana Immigration but closed for lunch.Got something to eat and got in line for when they opened,several dickheads try to jump in thankful for a large backpack that blocked them quite well.So get to the officer and the problems start,long story short can not do in Bangkok must go to Chonburi WTH Chonburi told me I have to go to Bangkok.On Friday 20th the rules changed effective the 23rd,lucky me it was the 24th.Ok hop in a taxi can still make Chonburi before they close,yeah right,because of the STORM the highway was a total clusterf*** took 5 hours to make it to Jomtien.

On Wednesday go to Chonburi get a bit of a run around well more of a hell of a run around but I should have my 90 day non o on Monday and after a month or so can get the one year visa.You can again get all your visa crap done at Chonburi ,or I should say you must apply at a location where you live.I really need a drink now and will post what you need to do to get a non o and then the retirement visa soon.

Chok Dee Na

[Copulasian]

Sounds as though you deserve that drink. I'll look forward to the update because I will have to change my non-O soon.

[SlowlyMan]

What is a good how too guide for the "non O"

[yahderhey]

Well it turned into a little more than one drink.The Vodka and cranberry juice really hit the spot. This site may help,but I have not checked it out yet      http://bangkok.immigration.go.th       Or if you are near an Immigration office you can pick up a handout there.It is better than the old handout but still confusing.I'll post the steps that I went thru after I wake up a bit more.

[sam diego]

The site didn't say anything about a retirement extension

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[yahderhey]

I have not checked it out yet so maybe it just deals with the non o visa.AFAIK the retirerment rules are the same as B4.Now for what I did to get the non o visa.

First you must have 15 days left on your current visa.

2nd must have Thai bank account with 10000 baht.To open account you must first get a form from immigration verifying your thai address.No form # but its at the desk on the left as you enter [residence certificate],fill it out,copies of passport main page,TM6,entry stamp and 2 photos,300baht fee.Once you have everything ready go to main desk and get que # and go to the proper desk.They will give you the stamped form to take to the bank.I had a rental contract,so not sure if a rent receipt is acceptable.Take the form to the bank,open account,get bank book and VERY important a" guarantee letter" on bank letterhead,take that and a copy of main page of bank book.

3rd Fill out TM87 or TM86 depending on your circumstances,I had a 30day VOA and used TM86.   2 copies of PP main page,TM6 and entry stamp,bank book main page,current balance page and original guarantee letter.1 photo.2000 baht fee.Get que # go to proper desk and hope for the best.I would suggest extra copies/photos just in case.They give you a little badge for when you return to pickup your PP and non o visa.Looks like they send everything to Bangkok because I have to wait until Monday to pickup mine.

So all in I spent about 2500 baht and 2/3 hours.If it works as I hope a good deal compared to the 23000 baht I was quoted from a visa co.

As far as the retirement visa you need TM7,non o visa,income letter from your embassy showing 65000 baht/mo.all all the usual copies as above.

I hope this helps explain things.GOOD LUCK and remember to keep calm and smile.

[southsidebruce]

this is all late breaking news... I will try to change from NON-O ED to NON-O Retirement soon... I have a trip planned to Vientiane to go from NON-O ED Visa (that I will CANX first at Jomtien Immigration and get a 7 day extension (for 1,900 THB)) to Tourist Visa... Then I thought, I had been told, etc that I had to go to BKK/ChaengWattana... Soooo, now that the rules have changed, I need to go to Jomtien Immigration, for the NON-O and the 10,000 in the bank verified by my bank with a certain form/letter - is that new as well - never heard of that rule before... I guess I will check while at Jomtien to CANX my ED Visa before heading to Vientiane to see if this new rule change is for real, or what (not that I don't trust the OP)... It is better, not having to all the way to BKK to do it, but still - why the constant changes to the Visa rules in Thailand?  First the ED Visa and now with the Retirement Visa?

 

****called the 1111 HOTLINE number and spoke with a knowledgable Immigration Officer who spoke real good English... he verified the recent change to get it done at the immigration office near where you live (for me, Jomtien versus ChangWattana)... he said this would be for a 90 day Non-O Visa... when I asked about the requirement to have the Thai bank account with 10,000 THB in it, he had never heard of that requirement... I have a Thai bank account with at least 10,000 THB in it, so that is not a problem, but interesting that this bank account requirement might either be SO NEW as to not have gotten to this seemingly very knowledgeable Thai immigration officer, or it is a semi-official Immigration new rule... A new Immigration rule of this sort wouldn't surprise me, especially when they recently laid down the 5,000 THB per ED Visa 90 day extension rule, for getting the extension done through the schools, no muss/no fusss...Whereas when this was going on (within the past 2 months, or so) a guy in my Thai class went down on his own to Jomtien, paid 1,900 THB, and they were supposed to verify that he was going to class, which he does/he is a good student, here to learn Thai on his ED Visa... he had to return as they initially stamped him for 15 day extension, but when he returned, they stamped him the full 90 day extension)... so what is with the 5,000 THB no muss/no fuss ED Visa extension price?  Can't question the authorities, as they are in charge.  Hope that the conversion from ED Visa to retirement Visa process works out for me... if it doesn't, I am thinking I will probably go to PLAN B, which would be try to get a long term Visa in Cambodia and try living in Phnom Phen for awhile... Or head back to the States for awhile, hang out with my aging parents in Florida, and try to get a retirement Visa while back there... 

[yahderhey]

All I can say is that the officer at Jomtien said it was required to have a Thai bank account and I'm thinking 800000 baht deposit so I ask how much is needed and was told 10000 baht would be enough,even with the income statement from the embassy you still needed the Thai account.By the way what language school do you attend?I really need to learn to read Thai or at least understand the alphabet.I'm going to try that hotline in the future it sounds easier than in person at immigration.

[filibuster]

this is all late breaking news... I will try to change from NON-O ED to NON-O Retirement soon...

You don't change to a "Non-O Retirement". You change to a Non-O which gives you 90 days and then do a 1 year extension of stay based on retirement. I'm not sure you can convert from O-Ed to O ... I've only heard of guys doing the conversion to an O from a Tourist Visa or Visa exempt entry.

[JAI DEE MAK]

this is all late breaking news... I will try to change from NON-O ED to NON-O Retirement soon... I have a trip planned to Vientiane to go from NON-O ED Visa (that I will CANX first at Jomtien Immigration and get a 7 day extension (for 1,900 THB)) to Tourist Visa... Then I thought, I had been told, etc that I had to go to BKK/ChaengWattana... Soooo, now that the rules have changed, I need to go to Jomtien Immigration, for the NON-O and the 10,000 in the bank verified by my bank with a certain form/letter - is that new as well - never heard of that rule before... I guess I will check while at Jomtien to CANX my ED Visa before heading to Vientiane to see if this new rule change is for real, or what (not that I don't trust the OP)... It is better, not having to all the way to BKK to do it, but still - why the constant changes to the Visa rules in Thailand?  First the ED Visa and now with the Retirement Visa?

 

****called the 1111 HOTLINE number and spoke with a knowledgable Immigration Officer who spoke real good English... he verified the recent change to get it done at the immigration office near where you live (for me, Jomtien versus ChangWattana)... he said this would be for a 90 day Non-O Visa... when I asked about the requirement to have the Thai bank account with 10,000 THB in it, he had never heard of that requirement... I have a Thai bank account with at least 10,000 THB in it, so that is not a problem, but interesting that this bank account requirement might either be SO NEW as to not have gotten to this seemingly very knowledgeable Thai immigration officer, or it is a semi-official Immigration new rule... A new Immigration rule of this sort wouldn't surprise me, especially when they recently laid down the 5,000 THB per ED Visa 90 day extension rule, for getting the extension done through the schools, no muss/no fusss...Whereas when this was going on (within the past 2 months, or so) a guy in my Thai class went down on his own to Jomtien, paid 1,900 THB, and they were supposed to verify that he was going to class, which he does/he is a good student, here to learn Thai on his ED Visa... he had to return as they initially stamped him for 15 day extension, but when he returned, they stamped him the full 90 day extension)... so what is with the 5,000 THB no muss/no fuss ED Visa extension price?  Can't question the authorities, as they are in charge.  Hope that the conversion from ED Visa to retirement Visa process works out for me... if it doesn't, I am thinking I will probably go to PLAN B, which would be try to get a long term Visa in Cambodia and try living in Phnom Phen for awhile... Or head back to the States for awhile, hang out with my aging parents in Florida, and try to get a retirement Visa while back there... 

This is very bad advice you really need to check this information before posting  it here !!!!!!.

 

 

JDM

[southsidebruce]

This is very bad advice you really need to check this information before posting  it here !!!!!!.

 

 

JDM

what is the bad advice?  not sure what you are talking about.  I am not giving advice - just telling what I know from what I have read and heard about the constantly changing Visa rules.  I will be going through the process shortly and am trying to figure out whatALL to do.   

[southsidebruce]

All I can say is that the officer at Jomtien said it was required to have a Thai bank account and I'm thinking 800000 baht deposit so I ask how much is needed and was told 10000 baht would be enough,even with the income statement from the embassy you still needed the Thai account.By the way what language school do you attend?I really need to learn to read Thai or at least understand the alphabet.I'm going to try that hotline in the future it sounds easier than in person at immigration.

Pro Language... The HotLine seemed to work for me as far as talking to a guy who seemed knowledgable/was an Immigration Officer and he spoke decent enough English... I also did research on this forum and also the ThaiVisa forum... at first I thought I could change from NON-O ED to NON-O retirement without leaving the country, in BKK/Changwattana... that isn't true based on my research... that is why I am going to Vientiane to get a tourist visa after getting my NON-O ED Visa CANX'd at the Jomtien Immigration office, and getting a 7 day Visa extension... hopefully I will be able to go from tourist to NON-O Visa in Jomtien... previously I had been told I needed to do this in Changwattana/BKK, but the newly changed rule based on what the OP said and what the Immigration Officer I spoke with today told me - is that I can get it done right here in Jomtien... NICE... 

[yahderhey]

Thanks SSB i'll check them out when I get back to here .Will be staying in Klang for a month or so,not much English spoken there so it should help with my accent trying to get by in Thai.Good luck with your visa.

[yahderhey]

An update went in on Monday,sorry very busy in Bangkok.They gave me a card and my PP and said they would call when ready.Hopefully B4 my Visa expires which they said no problem.

[yahderhey]

While I finally received my 90 day NON O Visa a few days ago after a long wait and with a little worry as my 30 day expired on the 8th.But as they said at immigration no problem and it wasn't.So yes you can again do the conversion at Jomtien.

[Edge]

So can we ignore this thread now?