Obtaining a retirement visa

[Bertman]

Hi everyone. I am in Thailand one week already on a 60 day visa. I want to get a retirement visa at the end of the 60 day visa. I'm currently in a guest house but have gave myself a month to find more permanent accommodation. I know the requirements to obtain the retirement visa all of which I qualify for but I've been told  I cannot do this and I would need to take a 90 day visa first then a retirement visa. Can anyone enlighten me I have searched but can't see anything related. Thanks in advance 

[westie1]

Do a border run near the end of your sixty day ??

 

[Bertman]

Why do a border run I know I can get another 30 days at jomtiem. What I don't know is if I do that will I be able to apply for a retirement visa or do I have to get a 90 day visa first 

[soi16]

The touristvisa must be valid when you change to non-o.

 

Extension is NOT a visa!

[Edge]

44 minutes ago, Bertman said:

Hi everyone. I am in Thailand one week already on a 60 day Visa. I want to get a retirement Visa at the end of the 60 day Visa. I'm currently in a guest house but have gave myself a month to find more permanent accommodation. I know the requirements to obtain the retirement Visa all of which I qualify for but I've been told  I cannot do this and I would need to take a 90 day Visa first then a retirement Visa. Can anyone enlighten me I have searched but can't see anything related. Thanks in advance 

Correct.

You need to apply for the 90 day O visa first.
You can go to Bangkok or you can apply at Jomtien and they send it off...takes a few days so don't leave it too near the end of your 60 days...costs 1900.

Some time during that 90 days you apply at Jomtien for  One Year Extension of Stay (Retirement) ...costs 1900.
Plus 1000 or 3800 if you need re-entry permit/s.

[Bertman]

Thanks for that will go to jomtiem a week before my 60 days and apply for the 90 days 

[Geordie59]

Edge is correct. People get confused with the terminology all the time. During the final 30 days of your current visa you will be able to convert it to a Non O visa.

The so called Retirement Visa is actually an extension to your Non O visa based on retirement and will be good for 1 year with 90 day reporting required.
If you follow this route remember that if you leave the country your Visa will be cancelled unless you either get a re-entry stamp before leaving or get a multi entry stamp which costs 3,800 Bhat. You can get this as soon as you have the extension and it took me about 30 minutes in Jomtien a few months ago.

[Edge]

4 minutes ago, Bertman said:

Thanks for that will go to jomtiem a week before my 60 days and apply for the 90 days 

Should be long enough, but allow for weekends and possibly holiday closures.

You can go sooner....I would.  

[Bertman]

What is the requirements for the non visa? Two photos proof of address and passport? Or is anything else required ? 

[Edge]

12 minutes ago, Bertman said:

What is the requirements for the non Visa? Two photos proof of address and passport? Or is anything else required ? 

Given that you say you already have all the financial stuff for the Extension, I would take that too......

........and go sooner than one week just in case......proof of address can be complicated sometimes.

[Scuba+]

Thanks for that will go to jomtiem a week before my 60 days and apply for the 90 days 

I've read on another forum that its best to go 2 or 3 weeks before your visa expires.

Let us know how you get on

[Oukiva]

47 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I've read on another forum that its best to go 2 or 3 weeks before your Visa expires.
Let us know how you get on

Yes, read that also. I think there is a requirement like "still 20 days left" on your current authorisation of stay

[davidge]

I think you can do it once you have 30 days or less left on your stay. May as well do it sooner rather than later just in case of problems/delays/holidays.

[Goolabert]

4 hours ago, Bertman said:

What is the requirements for the non Visa? Two photos proof of address and passport? Or is anything else required ? 

To apply fot the Non-O as the first step in the One year extension of stay for retirement you can go anytime, you don't need to wait towards the end of the stay. Better to go right away to you have more time to deal with any issues such as acceptable proof of where you're staying such as rental agreements, proof of income etc.

 

[Bertman]

Ok thanks for all the advice. Will go see about it sooner than later. And yes will let people know how it goes 

[WoWuk]

If you want to save yourself going through all the nonsense, get it sorted either with a "Thai Lawyer", or a "Visa Agent".

You will pay for this service, but to me, well worth the cost.

[Scuba+]

If you want to save yourself going through all the nonsense, get it sorted either with a "Thai Lawyer", or a "Visa Agent".
You will pay for this service, but to me, well worth the cost.

Depends on the cost. And one thing retired guys have out here is time

[Edge]

Yep, don't know why call it 'nonsense' it's a very straightforward process if you have everything sorted.

If you haven't, or you can't be arsed, then throw an agent anything up to 25k by all means.

[Oukiva]

2 hours ago, WoWuk said:

If you want to save yourself going through all the nonsense, get it sorted either with a "Thai Lawyer", or a "Visa Agent".

You will pay for this service, but to me, well worth the cost.

I disagree.

The big majority of operations you can do at immigration (mainly 90-days reports, extensions and re-entry permit) are easy operations and are heavily documented on tens of internet sites.

There is no reason IMHO to use a paid service for these simple things.

Also don't forget that many "agencies" will use illegal ways to obtain what you want, but they are not the ones who will be persecuted if the problem/anomaly is detected...

 

[Big Brian]

If you qualify because of money in a Thai bank, it has to be there for 60 days before you can get your Non O visa.  I fell foul of that and am currently waiting out the 60 days before I can apply.

Apparently not all immigration offices enforce that, but the lady on Jomtien certainly does.  

[Oukiva]

9 minutes ago, Big Brian said:

Apparently not all immigration offices enforce that, but the lady on Jomtien certainly does.  

The 60-days is a requirement to get your first extension and then is needed to "get a non-O in view to get an Extension". As only Bangkok can make this transfer to a non-O, I doubt about offices not enforcing that...