Retirement Visa Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A�

[KhunK]

I just had a few questions:

I am going to be in Thailand Dec 1st, I'm 51 and want the retirement visa.

I guess I need to apply for the 3 month OA visa here before I go. From the website it seems I do everything here as far as forms, so when I get to Thailand I don't need to do anything? It seems they just want to see a bank statement with 800,000 baht( or combination of income/ bank account), it doesn't say a Thai bank account except at the end of one year when you renew. I also heard that you no longer need the police record form or doctors certificate?

I thought all these things had to be done in Thailand?

Royal Thai Consulate General Los Angeles

 

On a side note do I still have to do one visa run after 3 months before I get the retirement visa?

Also is there a minimum amount of time you have to be "in-country" with a retirement visa?

Or can you spend 3-6 months in another country and still have the retirement visa as long as you are in Thailand to renew at the end of one year from date of original Retirement visa?

[hedonist]

I just had a few questions:

I am going to be in Thailand Dec 1st, I'm 51 and want the retirement visa.

I guess I need to apply for the 3 month OA visa here before I go. From the website it seems I do everything here as far as forms, so when I get to Thailand I don't need to do anything? It seems they just want to see a bank statement with 800,000 baht( or combination of income/ bank account), it doesn't say a Thai bank account except at the end of one year when you renew. I also heard that you no longer need the police record form or doctors certificate?

I thought all these things had to be done in Thailand?

Royal Thai Consulate General Los Angeles

 

On a side note do I still have to do one visa run after 3 months before I get the retirement visa?

Also is there a minimum amount of time you have to be "in-country" with a retirement visa?

Or can you spend 3-6 months in another country and still have the retirement visa as long as you are in Thailand to renew at the end of one year from date of original Retirement visa?

As far as i know you still need the police check with the 'O-A'.

What a friend of mine did was to get a (free at the time.........dunno if they still are free) double entry tourist visa, cause he was going to leave on a side trip to somewhere anyway. This meant his tourist visa was valid for 6 months...........plenty of time for him to get his finances in place and then applied for a Non 'O' visa for the purpose of retirement when his money was seasoned in a Thai bank for 3 months.

Thats a Non 'O' as oppsed to a Non 'O-A' but ammounts to much the same thing. NO police or any other checks were needed, and it was all done in Thailand. No silly Visa run, as he was going out of the country anywayA Non 'O-A' is valid for a year, btw...same as a Non 'O' is. You just report to Immigration every 90 days with either Visa./

As long as you are in Thailand at renewal time thats OK, but you need a "multi" one so you can get back in on it so its still valid

 

Hedonist

[el_jefe]

I would recommend checking out the visa specialist forums like thaivisa.

[jocky king]

800,000 bahts in Bank Account ? Does that(800,000) have to be there everytime you renew the retirements visa? How can you live on without touching that 800,000 bahts ? Weird isn't?

[hedonist]

800,000 bahts in Bank Account ? Does that(800,000) have to be there everytime you renew the retirements visa? How can you live on without touching that 800,000 bahts ? Weird isn't?

It does indeed have to be 800,000THB and it has to be there atleast 90 days before too.

Some people just "leave it fallow" and use the same year on year (but its getting to the point where Immigration will like to see some movement of it)

Other dip into it for living expenses then top it up 90 days before renewal (which is probably the best route to take between the 2 methods)

 

Hedonist

[jocky king]

It does indeed have to be 800,000THB and it has to be there atleast 90 days before too.

Some people just "leave it fallow" and use the same year on year (but its getting to the point where Immigration will like to see some movement of it)

Other dip into it for living expenses then top it up 90 days before renewal (which is probably the best route to take between the 2 methods)

 

Hedonist

Thanks boy... I understand what you are saying.... Gotta plan all over again, invest, pension etc... One more Question... What if I have some property in Pattaya but dont have as much as 800,000, will that be sufficent enough for me to earn the retirement visa?

[kansuwan]

Read these two sites very carefully:

 

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/downloads-and-visas.aspx

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...p?page=service#

 

Strongly suggest you apply initially in the States for a Multiple Entry Non-Immigrant visa as a precursor to applying in-country for the Retirement Visa.

 

Retirement Visa applicants do still need statement of no-criminality and medical certificate from a Thai doctor to support the initial in-country application. Also an embassy-notarised statement about income. An easy alternative to the 800k banked route is to produce a letter from (eg) your pension provider or something similar that you have a guaranteed monthly income of > 65k baht. You take that to your embassy for notarisation - simple job.

 

 

On a side note do I still have to do one visa run after 3 months before I get the retirement visa? Not if you get a multiple entry visa; anyway, you need to apply for your Retirement Visa well inside 3 months after arrival: look at the Hull Consulate web-site.

 

can you spend 3-6 months in another country and still have the retirement visa as long as you are in Thailand to renew at the end of one year from date of original Retirement visa? It's better, once you have the retirement visa, to get a Non-Immigrant Multiple Re-Entry Permit, then you can come and go as you please for the duration of your Retirement Visa.

 

Bring a good long book: you'll need it while you queue at Thai Immigration: woefully understaffed, under-funded and under-computerised, but much more helpful than many critics allege if you're polite and reasonably dressed. Don't use an agent - rip-off merchants the lot of 'em.

 

Hope this helps: main thing is to read those sites: everything you need is there.

 

Good luck!

PS: The 800k banked in Thailand should be in an account bearing your name only. If it's a joint account you need 1.6million baht

[greatjp]

Hi,

 

This is the easiest visa in Thailand.

 

First you need a 3 months non emigrant visa delivered by Thai embassy in US. To obtain this visa you must have a bank account in Thailand with 800 000 thb (since 2 months) or justification of retirement pension at least 60 000 thb per month or a combination of 2. The total 1 year pension and deposit must be 800 000 thb (for example 30 000 thb month + 440 000 thb).

 

Arrived in Thailand and one month before the expiration of your 3 months visa you have to apply for a 9 months extension.

 

You need

 

• Application (given by emigration office) 2 copies

• Letter from your bank

• Copy of your bank book (2 last months) and copy (front and back) of your ATM card.

• Copy of your pension titles with the stamp of the US Embassy in Thailand.

• Doctor certificate (100 thb)

• 1900 thb.

 

You must present 2 copies (with your signature) of each document.

 

You don’t need to leave Thailand. In fact, if you do not have multi re-entry stamp, leaving Thailand is a huge mistake because you lost your visa and need to apply for another one… You just need to go to immigration office every 3 months with attestation of residence (copy of your phone bill for example).

 

There are not so many foreigners in Pattaya at this time so you do not have to wait so long.

 

That’s all

 

 

Cheers

[hedonist]

Thanks boy... I understand what you are saying.... Gotta plan all over again, invest, pension etc... One more Question... What if I have some property in Pattaya but dont have as much as 800,000, will that be sufficent enough for me to earn the retirement visa?

All monies used to qualify for a visa based on retirement has to come from outside the Kingdom.

This can be a monthly income of at least 65,000TBH (gross), or 800,000TBH in a Thai bank account thats been "seasoned" for 3 months prior to any extension application, or a combination of the two. For example, if you only have a monthly income of, say 40,000TBH you would need 320,000TBH in a Thai bank "seasoned" for 3 months prior to application. The monthly income doesnt have to be in Thailand to qualify.........you just need a certified letter from your home countries embassy verifying the income, but the "top up" money does

Once you start trying to use monies generated from WITHIN you open up a can of worms that you might not be able to close again.

Thai tax implications for one, and, if you are renting out properties you could WELL find yourself in breech of regulations with regards to work permits etc (They COULD class property rental as a "job" if they wanted to...best keeping THAT infoto yourself )

 

*Edit.........i KNEW i had this somewhere (see attached document). Page 12 is the one relevant to your questions)

 

 

HTH

 

Hedonist

New_Immigration_Rules_November_2008.PDF.pdf

Edited June 15, 2009 by hedonist

[Bazle]

Sorry to bump this. I've been trying to find the answer to a question but with no success.

 

When mention is made of a "guaranteed monthly income of > 65k baht", is that amount before or after home-country tax?

 

Thanks in anticipation to anyone who knows for sure the answer to the question.

[jocky king]

Must be 65,000 bahts after tax or you have sufficient savings in your bank in Thailand of 800,000 bahts but must be there for more than three months on the day of your application for a retiree visa of over 50 years old..

[Lambik]

Must be 65,000 bahts after tax or you have sufficient savings in your bank in Thailand of 800,000 bahts but must be there for more than three months on the day of your application for a retiree visa of over 50 years old..

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Well I have letter from the office op pensions of my country stating that the amount of my income is gross, this letter has been confirmed by my embassy ( Affidavit ) and I never had a problem till now.

[jocky king]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Well I have letter from the office op pensions of my country stating that the amount of my income is gross, this letter has been confirmed by my embassy ( Affidavit ) and I never had a problem till now.

 

Interesting point !!!! Thanks for your info.. Gotta find out for myself... Thanks.

[jaha]

I have renewed my retirement visa now for 7 successive years. If you combine pension income with local bank deposit, you only need:

- Letter from Embassy confirming retirement income.

- Letter from Thai bank confirming current bank deposit.

 

I have never had a question about before or after tax on my pension.

The requirement for a valid bank deposit 90 days before renewal application also get less stringent the longer you have lived here.

 

Also note that you can renew your retirement visa 3 months before it expires and you get the extension for 12 months from the date it actually expires, i.e. 15 months if you renew 3 months prior to its expiration.

[Bobr]

I have a Retirement Visa here and like everything else here, different people have different experiences, but the retirement visa is not a big problem. You do not need a "non criminality" certificate from your home Country. In America there is no such thing as a non criminality letter since we do not have a National police department. You do need 800K in a Thai bank or a letter from the American embassy here certifying 800,000 of annual pension income. The US Embassy in Bangkok has a fill in the blanks form letter for this purpose, and they do not ask you for any proof of income, but you do sign under penalty of perjury you are being truthful. I did not need a medical certificate either. Apparently different Immigration Offices here have their own rules, so you might do well to check once you are here. Also, do enter the Country on a pre-arranged visa, not a visa on arrival. Good Luck to you.

[kiwibob]

I believed that if appling in your home country the 800.000 b. could stay in your country and not in a Thai bank ????

[Edge]

Just looking at the posts this year (and last year actually) most of the confusion arises due to incorrect terminology. Even the agents mix it up. You may think I'm being pedantic but that's where the confusion arises. For those below who claim to have a Retirement Visa, look in your Passport. It will almost certainly say "Ëxtension of Stay - Retirement" - as does mine.

 

A Retirement Visa is a Visa you can only apply for in your home country before you come. The process is quite complex, including the criminal record check mentioned, and can take a while. I don't actually know anyone who has one.

 

What people are generally talking about here is a Visa Extension on the Grounds of Retirement, which can only be granted in Thailand and is a fairly simple process. It is not in itself a Visa i.e. you must come in with a proper Visa in the first place to get it extended. You cannot do it if you are here on Visa Waiver (no Visa)

 

The correct terminology is:-

 

12 month extension to a non-immigrant visa: If you are holding a non-immigrant visa, you have the option of extending this by 12 months based on either retirement (50 years old or over) or support to a Thai citizen, work, education and such. This may only be accomplished at an immigration office inside the Kingdom and certain criteria have to be met. Such extensions consist of a stamp in your passport detailing “issue date” and “permitted to stay until” date.

 

Interesting point !!!! Thanks for your info.. Gotta find out for myself... Thanks.

I have renewed my retirement visa applied for a Visa Extension now for 7 successive years. If you combine pension income with local bank deposit, you only need:

- Letter from Embassy confirming retirement income.

- Letter from Thai bank confirming current bank deposit.

I have never had a question about before or after tax on my pension.

The requirement for a valid bank deposit 90 days before renewal application also get less stringent the longer you have lived here.

Also note that you can renew your retirement visa 3 months before it expires and you get the extension for 12 months from the date it actually expires, i.e. 15 months if you renew 3 months prior to its expiration.

 

It is correct that they use your gross income. You may need to check the Exchange Rate currently used, which I believe is on the Immigration website.

You cannot renew a Visa Extension. It is a fresh application each year.

 

I have a Retirement Visa here and like everything else here, different people have different experiences, but the retirement visa is not a big problem. You do not need a "non criminality" certificate from your home Country....................................I did not need a medical certificate either. Apparently different Immigration Offices here have their own rules, so you might do well to check once you are here. Also, do enter the Country on a pre-arranged visa, not a visa on arrival. Good Luck to you.

 

I believe you have a Visa Extension as above and not a Retirement Visa.

As you say, there is no criminal record check for a Visa Extension (as there is for a Retirement Visa) but you must have entered on a Visa.

Although you can download the application form, if you haven't done it before then a dummy run to pick up the form and check the requirements is a good idea.

 

I believed that if appling in your home country the 800.000 b. could stay in your country and not in a Thai bank ????

 

I believe that is correct and logical because you wouldn't be here yet. If you applied for a Visa Extension the following year I believe the funds would have to be seeded in a Thai bank though.

 

There has been a recent 3 page discussion on the above issues on this board HERE and I recommend that you read through that as well.

[Jan1]

Hi,

 

This is the easiest visa in Thailand.

 

First you need a 3 months non emigrant visa delivered by Thai embassy in US. To obtain this visa you must have a bank account in Thailand with 800 000 thb (since 2 months) or justification of retirement pension at least 60 000 thb per month or a combination of 2. The total 1 year pension and deposit must be 800 000 thb (for example 30 000 thb month + 440 000 thb).

 

Arrived in Thailand and one month before the expiration of your 3 months visa you have to apply for a 9 months extension.

 

You need

 

• Application (given by emigration office) 2 copies

• Letter from your bank

• Copy of your bank book (2 last months) and copy (front and back) of your ATM card.

• Copy of your pension titles with the stamp of the US Embassy in Thailand.

• Doctor certificate (100 thb)

• 1900 thb.

 

You must present 2 copies (with your signature) of each document.

 

You don’t need to leave Thailand. In fact, if you do not have multi re-entry stamp, leaving Thailand is a huge mistake because you lost your visa and need to apply for another one… You just need to go to immigration office every 3 months with attestation of residence (copy of your phone bill for example).

 

There are not so many foreigners in Pattaya at this time so you do not have to wait so long.

 

That’s all

 

 

Cheers

 

Got my "O-A" Visa in may this year , brought from Norway a criminal record form. And was at the Bangkok Pattaya hospital for the doctor certificate.Delivered Both forms in immigration Jomtien ." No need". Just a letter from the embassy stating my incom . But , you probably never know , maybe next time they will have both forms...........

[Edge]

Got my "O-A" Visa in may this year , brought from Norway a criminal record form. And was at the Bangkok Pattaya hospital for the doctor certificate.Delivered Both forms in immigration Jomtien ." No need". Just a letter from the embassy stating my incom . But , you probably never know , maybe next time they will have both forms...........

 

No they won't, because what you got was an Extension of Visa (Retirement).

 

The documents you refer to are required for a Retirement Visa which must be applied for in your own country.

 

The confusion continues.

Do me a small favour and tell me what are the words at the top of your Stamp in your Passport. Please.

 

P.S. You are right that an Extension to Visa (Retirement) is a very straightforward process.

[Jan1]

No they won't, because what you got was an Extension of Visa (Retirement).

 

The documents you refer to are required for a Retirement Visa which must be applied for in your own country.

 

The confusion continues.

Do me a small favour and tell me what are the words at the top of your Stamp in your Passport. Please.

 

P.S. You are right that an Extension to Visa (Retirement) is a very straightforward process.

 

I am fully aware that what i got in jomtien is a extension of my "non immigrant-O-" , but i don`t think it is possible to get something else than a 3 month visa in Norway. On request they told me that if i wanted to stay longer than 3 months , i had to go to immigration in Thailand. Here is a link to the embassy in Oslo :

http://www.thaiembassy.no/en_nonimmigrant_visa.htm

The words in top of the stamp is : Non immigrant visa. (the stamp from Norway) and Retirement (Stamp from Jomtien)

[Edge]

I am fully aware that what i got in jomtien is a extension of my "non immigrant-O-" , but i don`t think it is possible to get something else than a 3 month visa in Norway. On request they told me that if i wanted to stay longer than 3 months , i had to go to immigration in Thailand. Here is a link to the embassy in Oslo :

http://www.thaiembassy.no/en_nonimmigrant_visa.htm

The words in top of the stamp is : Non immigrant visa. (the stamp from Norway) and Retirement (Stamp from Jomtien)

 

I do apologise, I see I misunderstood now. I thought you were calling what you got from Jomtien an O-A, but still, they won't ask for the CR check or Medical for future Extension applications.

 

So you came in on your 3 month O-A and went straight to Immigration to extend it, but presumably you still got the 12 months on top of the 3 months.

 

I need to find that thread on here about how to max Tourist Visas. On reflection I think it must have been 60 day double entry ones, extendable by 30 days. I don't think all Consulates offer them though and they're not free.

Presumably the one you got was free or maybe an admin' charge. Was it the 60 day extendable by 30 or is there a 3 month one?

 

Sorry for my mistake.

 

For anyone who hasn't seen one, this is an Extension of Stay Stamp, with Retirement stamped as the reason, which is what most of us are talking about. It is not in itself a Visa, but an Extension to whatever Visa you came in on.

I haven't seen a Retirement Visa yet.

The

[Jan1]

I do apologise, I see I misunderstood now. I thought you were calling what you got from Jomtien an O-A, but still, they won't ask for the CR check or Medical for future Extension applications.

 

So you came in on your 3 month O-A and went straight to Immigration to extend it, but presumably you still got the 12 months on top of the 3 months.

 

I need to find that thread on here about how to max Tourist Visas. On reflection I think it must have been 60 day double entry ones, extendable by 30 days. I don't think all Consulates offer them though and they're not free.

Presumably the one you got was free or maybe an admin' charge. Was it the 60 day extendable by 30 or is there a 3 month one?

 

Sorry for my mistake.

 

For anyone who hasn't seen one, this is an Extension of Stay Stamp, with Retirement stamped as the reason, which is what most of us are talking about. It is not in itself a Visa, but an Extension to whatever Visa you came in on.

I haven't seen a Retirement Visa yet.

The

 

Actualy , i came here with a three month "Non immigrant O " Visa , and they gave me a 12 month extension.( a 12 month extension on my three months,total 15 month, 24 may-12 august next year) Was told back home that i had to do it that way , But the stamp i have from Jomtien is the same as you show in your previous post, so i guess you are right anyway , it is a extension of my category "non immigrant -O-" from Norway.(I have never had a category "O-A", my bad,sorry) I asked in Norway about the possibility to get a fully one year , but NO , maximum three months and extend inside the kingdom.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Jan1

[seth]

I do apologise, I see I misunderstood now. I thought you were calling what you got from Jomtien an O-A, but still, they won't ask for the CR check or Medical for future Extension applications.

 

So you came in on your 3 month O-A and went straight to Immigration to extend it, but presumably you still got the 12 months on top of the 3 months.

 

I need to find that thread on here about how to max Tourist Visas. On reflection I think it must have been 60 day double entry ones, extendable by 30 days. I don't think all Consulates offer them though and they're not free.

Presumably the one you got was free or maybe an admin' charge. Was it the 60 day extendable by 30 or is there a 3 month one?

 

Sorry for my mistake.

 

For anyone who hasn't seen one, this is an Extension of Stay Stamp, with Retirement stamped as the reason, which is what most of us are talking about. It is not in itself a Visa, but an Extension to whatever Visa you came in on.

I haven't seen a Retirement Visa yet.

The

[seth]

I do apologise, I see I misunderstood now. I thought you were calling what you got from Jomtien an O-A, but still, they won't ask for the CR check or Medical for future Extension applications.

 

So you came in on your 3 month O-A and went straight to Immigration to extend it, but presumably you still got the 12 months on top of the 3 months.

 

I need to find that thread on here about how to max Tourist Visas. On reflection I think it must have been 60 day double entry ones, extendable by 30 days. I don't think all Consulates offer them though and they're not free.

Presumably the one you got was free or maybe an admin' charge. Was it the 60 day extendable by 30 or is there a 3 month one?

 

Sorry for my mistake.

 

For anyone who hasn't seen one, this is an Extension of Stay Stamp, with Retirement stamped as the reason, which is what most of us are talking about. It is not in itself a Visa, but an Extension to whatever Visa you came in on.

I haven't seen a Retirement Visa yet.

The

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am an American coming to Thailand in October over 60 yrs. old. I have been

there 3 times and stayed over 30 days on a tourist visa I obtained each time

before leaving the US.

 

I am considering moving to Pattaya or at least staying much longer then 60 days.

 

If I understand things right?

 

While there I can get an Extension of Stay Retirement for 1 year.

 

All I need is proof of income (in my case I have retirement over $2500 usd/month)

I understand the US embassy folks come to Pattaya maybe once a month and from

them I can get some income paper to make Thai Immigration happy?

 

With that in hand + some baht I can go to Jomtien and get the ext. of stay

Retirement, correct? I can also get a mult-entry or single entry stamp

so I can leave and come back and not lose the ext of stay.

 

Is this correct? Did I forget something?

 

Thanks for you help.....

 

Seth in Kansas.............USA

 

I am an American coming to Thailand in October over 60 yrs. old. I have been

there 3 times and stayed over 30 days on a tourist visa I obtained each time

before leaving the US.

 

I am considering moving to Pattaya or at least staying much longer then 60 days.

 

If I understand things right?

 

While there I can get an Extension of Stay Retirement for 1 year.

 

All I need is proof of income (in my case I have retirement over $2500 usd/month)

I understand the US embassy folks come to Pattaya maybe once a month and from

them I can get some income paper to make Thai Immigration happy?

 

With that in hand + some baht I can go to Jomtien and get the ext. of stay

Retirement, correct? I can also get a mult-entry or single entry stamp

so I can leave and come back and not lose the ext of stay.

 

Is this correct? Did I forget something?

 

Thanks for you help.....

 

Seth in Kansas.............USA

[Edge]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am an American coming to Thailand in October over 60 yrs. old. I have been

there 3 times and stayed over 30 days on a tourist visa I obtained each time

before leaving the US.

 

I am considering moving to Pattaya or at least staying much longer then 60 days.

 

If I understand things right?

 

While there I can get an Extension of Stay Retirement for 1 year.

 

All I need is proof of income (in my case I have retirement over $2500 usd/month)

I understand the US embassy folks come to Pattaya maybe once a month and from

them I can get some income paper to make Thai Immigration happy?

 

With that in hand + some baht I can go to Jomtien and get the ext. of stay

Retirement, correct? I can also get a mult-entry or single entry stamp

so I can leave and come back and not lose the ext of stay.

 

Is this correct? Did I forget something?

 

Thanks for you help.....

 

Seth in Kansas.............USA

 

 

You seem to have it about right.

 

You must come in on a proper Visa and not the Visa Exemption. Tourist Visas are still free.

You cannot get an Extension to a Visa without a having a Visa in the first place (sorry if that's obvious to you, but some people misunderstand).

 

Income verication - I have read somewhere that the process is different for US than UK(me). If I find it I'll let you know or search for member Ribald Ray and look up his topic as there's a lot more there. Other than that you're right and you don't need money in bank as your income is more than sufficient for the 65k baht/month.

 

It's called a Multi or Single Re-entry Permit but yes, you get that at the same time as your Extension.

 

You'll have the time and it will pay you to go down to Jomtien beforehand one afternoon (mornings are hectic) and do a dress rehearsal with the farang guy down there so that you get it right first time. If you do, it's a breeze and you'll get your passport back next day and nothing to worry about for the next year except 90 day address reporting.

 

Good luck.