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[gudtymchuk]

I plan to go to Thailand in July with the idea of staying long term. I am 58, retired and will apply for a 90 day tourist visa. If I decide to stay what will I need with me in Thailand to apply for a retirement visa? I can meet the 65,000 baht requirement but I do not plan to place 800,000 baht in a Thai bank. I would like to take what ever documentation I need with me.

[Bengt]

Hello, you should apply for a 90-day Non-Immigrant visa before yougo to Thailand for the purposes of a retirement extension at the Immigration bureau here in Thailand, you need to bring with you documents that certify your pension from your government or other sources that you maight receive pension from, then you will need a certificate from your embassy here in Thailand to submit your one year extension application at the Immigration bureau.
Goodluck and welcome to Thailand
Bengt!!

[Bengt]

Hello again...if you arrive on a tourist visa you have possibility to convert to a non-immigrant visa at the immigration bureau here in Thailand
Bengt!!

Edited by Bengt, 2010-03-20 04:22:10.

[Lite Beer]

As said a Non Imm O Visa would be easier but also possible with a Tourist Visa providing you have at least 21 days left on your stay.
You will need to go to the USA Embassy in Bangkok and obtain a letter verifying your income. They do not require any proof but you swear under oath that the information is correct.
Immigration may want to see evidence but it is unlikely.

[JimGant]

Quote

As said a Non Imm O Visa would be easier

You can't get a Non Imm O visa in the States just for being "retirement eligible" in Thailand (i.e., being over 50, with the required amount of finances). I asked that question to Houston a few weeks back (after the O-A visa evaporated) and got a resounding "no."

Definitely the MFA consulates (run by Thais) won't do it. Possibly there's a maverick honorary consulate out there. But, that's probably doubtful after this last "tightening up" exercise over the honorary consulates.

[Lite Beer]

Portland Oregon are reported to be helpful. Try asking there.
http://www.thai-or.com/

[lopburi3]

The US based Consulates have required you apply for a long stay OA visa in the past - now that they can not provide them there might be exceptions. But the tourist visa will work. Just remember to make your conversion to non immigrant for 2,000 baht with more than 21 days remaining and be aware not all offices will do this so it might mean a trip to Bangkok.

[gotlost]

And if you are in northern Thailand you can do this at the US Consulate in Chiang Mai.

[lopburi3]

Believe you are talking about obtaining a letter of income - because the Consulate can not issue a change of visa status.

[gudtymchuk]

Yes, my plan was to get a 90 day visa from the Thai consulate in LA and go to Thailand. Once in Thailand and if I decide to stay long term then I would apply for the Retirement visa. So all I will need is my current passport and proof of monthy income and have at least 21 days remaining on the original 90 day tourist visa? No health or medical documents needed?

[lopburi3]

Correct.

[Lite Beer]

gudtymchuk, on 2010-03-20 11:02:45, said:

So all I will need is my current passport and proof of monthy income and have at least 21 days remaining on the original 90 day tourist visa? No health or medical documents needed?

Yes but a Tourist Visa is 60 days and can be extended for a further 30 days at Immigration.

[sarahsbloke]

multiple entry non immigrant o visa $175
Lasts 15 months with 4 border runs (my American neighbour has one, I have one from the UK)

Tell us again why you can't have one of those?
You are over 50 and that is the only requirement.

Edited by sarahsbloke, 2010-03-20 12:45:00.

[lopburi3]

Not that is not the only requirement - except perhaps where you obtained it. It is up to the Consulate what is required.

[CMBob]

Do yourself a favor and get the Non-Immigrant O (60/90) now rather than the tourist visa. As others have indicated, you can't get the one-year visa from a tourist visa.

I know as I came in with a tourist visa (thinking I could change that directly into the long-term visa). You can't. But immigration here allowed that to be cancelled and issued me (for a couple thousand baht) the Non-Immigrant O and then, at the same time, issued the long-term (one-year) visa based on income or money in the bank here.

You'll save a little hassle and just shy of $60.00 if you just get the Non-Immigrant O now (before you get here). Good luck.

[lopburi3]

The tourist visa is free - the single entry non immigrant O is 2,000 baht - he will save nothing but time.

[phuketrichard]

gudtymchuk, on 2010-03-20 11:02:45, said:

Yes, my plan was to get a 90 day visa from the Thai consulate in LA and go to Thailand. Once in Thailand and if I decide to stay long term then I would apply for the Retirement visa. So all I will need is my current passport and proof of monthy income and have at least 21 days remaining on the original 90 day tourist visa? No health or medical documents needed?

Your applying for a retirement EXTENSION not visa.

YOu odn tneed any proof of income , Only a leter from the us embassy in Bangkok where u swear your getting x amount of $$. ( note for the retirement extenison u need an income of 65,000 baht/month or a combination of money i9n the bank and income

You can also place 800,000 in a thai bank for 2 months then apply. Its very easy and takes about 20 minutes here in Phuket if there atre no crowds.

[jfchandler]

No, the OP would not be applying for an EXTENSION at the Thai consulate in Los Angeles...

He, I believe, has the choice of applying either for a tourist visa, preferable multiple entry, or could apply for a regular retirement visa (not extension) at the Los Angeles consulate.

If he were to apply for the retirement visa in Los Angeles, he would have to submit the medical and police clearances there, and fill out scads of paperwork in quadruple, according to the L.A. consulate's web site. Plus get various things notarized.

As others have mentioned, the tourist visa is much easier to arrange, even thru the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles. And there's a Thai government waiver on the fees for those right now. But, as mentioned, he would then have to deal with Thai immigration once he arrives here in BKK on the issue of getting that tourist visa converted to a non-immigrant status, which involves less paperwork than the alternative in Los Angeles, but does involve paying some fees.

For an American seeking a retirement visa or extension, the 65,000 baht per month income requirement is satisfied simply by getting the sworn income statement signed by the U.S. Consulate in Bangkok, a pretty quick and painless experience.

And just to be clear, there is no "seasoning" requirement -- having money two or three months beforehand -- for the monthly income test... The seasoning only applies when one is relying on showing the 800,000 baht on deposit in a Thai bank account as the means of satisfying Thai immigration's income test.

Lastly, one can satisfying the 65,000 baht per month income test using income from a variety of sources--not only government or private pensions. As has been discussed elsewhere here, any regular, recurring source of income that a person can document will suffice, including income from such things as CDs, IRAs, rental property, dividends, etc etc... And, of course, the income doesn't need to be generated from inside Thailand, it can be generated from any location.

[lopburi3]

Two posts of totally false information have been removed - there is no police check requirement or medical requirement for retirement extension of stay from Immigration.

[jfchandler]

Lop is, of course, right about that.... no police or medical certs required when seeking a retirement EXTENSION once already visiting/residing inside Thailand.

That is one of the factors that can make converting to a retirement extension inside Thailand more convenient, depending on people's individual circumstances, than applying for a traditional retirement VISA from OUTSIDE Thailand, such as in your home country.

To apply for a retirement-based extension of stay from within Thailand, of course, the person already needs to have arrived at and entered the country. That means coming here via some kind of entry status that can be ultimately converted to a retirement-based extension of stay.

A person who arrives via (or has a valid) non-immigrant B (business) visa or a student ED visa can pretty easily convert those to a retirement-based extension of stay (assuming they meet the retirement qualifications). Likewise, the same can be done for a person starting out with a tourist visa, though the process here inside Thailand is a bit more involved.

I hope I explained that right... without going astray....

[gudtymchuk]

Thanks very much jfchandler for your help and explanation. I decided on the single entry 90 day tourist visa, (I know it is only 60 days and then requires and extension to stay an additional 30 days), as I do not intend to leave until I decide to apply for the retirement visa. I'm I right in assuming with a retirement visa I can leave and return to Thailand as often as I want?

[lopburi3]

No on two counts - you do not obtain a visa inside Thailand - it is an extension of stay for retirement. And no extension of stay allows entry - it ends on exit of Thailand unless you obtain a re-entry permit first.

Remember that you must make a change to non immigrant entry with 21 days or more remaining - after that you can obtain the extension of stay.

[Lite Beer]

gudtymchuk, on 2010-03-22 19:55:56, said:

. I'm I right in assuming with a retirement visa I can leave and return to Thailand as often as I want?

If you are asking about a 12 month extension based on retirement (not a visa)you would need a re entry permit to be able to leave and return.
1,000 Baht for a single and 3,800 for a multi.

[jfchandler]

OP, if you come to Thailand from the U.S. on a tourist visa, once inside Thailand, you would be applying for an extension of stay based on retirement at the Thai Immigration office in Bangkok, located in Chaeng Wattana... You would NOT be applying for a retirement visa, as those can only be applied for/obtained outside of Thailand (as mentioned above).

However, don't feel bad, as people here continually confuse and mix-up the two, and use the wrong term for what they have or want.... The simplest distinction in my mind is... retirement visas can only be obtained from Thai embassies or consulates in other countries, whereas extensions of stay based on retirement can only be issued by Thai Immigration offices inside Thailand.

The extension of stay based on retirement is good for one calendar year from the date of issue, and can be renewed annually as long as you continue to meet the requirements. Once you're on extension of stay, if you want to travel outside Thailand anytime during the year validity of your extension, you'll need to apply for and purchase what's called a re-entry permit from Thai immigration. You can (and probably should) obtain the re-entry permit at the same time/visit you obtain or renew your extension of stay each year. It all happens at the same Thai Immigration office.

If you're on extension of stay and leave Thailand without a valid re-entry permit stamp in your passport, your extension of stay will expire with your exit. And in order to return to Thailand, you'd have to start the whole visa/extension application process all over again. Re-entry permits are available in single-entry (use) or multiple (unlimited) entry varieties.

There used to be a Thai immigration desk at the airport where you could purchase these re-entry permits before you'd go on your flight out of the country. But that desk was closed sometime back, and the re-entry permits now are not normally available at the airport, which adds to the motivation for getting one ahead of time and when you do your extension of stay -- unless you're certain you absolutely won't travel outside Thailand anytime during the year.

Once on extension of stay, with the proper re-entry permit, you can come and go from Thailand as you please for the duration of your extension, which will list your "permitted to stay until" date. Before the end of that year and your permitted date arrives, you would go back to Immigration and apply for another annual extension.

While on extension of stay, legally, you will have an every 90 days reporting requirement to Thai immigration. You either have to report every 90 days or leave the country (which starts a new 90 day clock running upon your return to Thailand). Normally, the reporting is just a quick trip to Thai immigration and submitting a reporting form. But the details of doing this vary somewhat depending on whether you're staying in Bangkok or in some other area around the country.

I'm not an expert on the latest on the 90-day reporting. Perhaps others here can chime in. The Bangkok Immigration office supposedly does not allow mail-in 90-day reports particularly after its recent move to Chaeng Wattana. But there have been reports here on TV of people saying they successfully did mail in to Bangkok. Lots of farang just go to the BKK Immigration office to do their 90 day reports. Others travel outside the country often enough to avoid having to do them most of the time. Normally, you would do your 90 day reporting at the same Immigration office (BKK or elsewhere) where you obtained your extension of stay.

I must say, it's all very strange and confusing the first time or times you go thru it... But after you've been round the track a few times, it gets to be pretty easy and workable (some would say... )

[Mario2008]

Actually, he will convert from a tourist visa to a non-immigrant visa, (2,000 baht) for which he has to qualify for the rules for a 1 year extension, which gives him 3 months (90 days) After 3 months he has to come back and apply for a 1 year extension of stay (1,900 baht).