Retirement Visa application assistance?

Siam-Legal has a very good reputation.

Are they worth it?

I found the retirement visa process very easy, so I  did it myself, and saved the baht.

note: I didn't/don't have any issues which would complicate it.

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As far as Thaivisa.com, I think they have very useful information.

~~~
jon
Chiang Mai, 9-years

Never used either of the firms you mention because its a very easy process to obtain your extension for purpose of retirement by yourself.

Many people obtain a Non-Immigrant type O-a (for purpose of retirement) Visa before leaving the US at Thai Consulate.  It requires a bit more paperwork but you get one year permission to stay when clear immigration in Thailand.  You then have a whole year to learn how to get extension yourself.

You can also just spend the remainder of 2014 reading forum that pertains to Thai visas on website seattle99 mentioned and learn the various options people have used.

I obtained my O-A Retirement Visa at the Thai Consulate in L.A..

I needed to provide proof of savings, a police check, and a medical certificate (TB, elephantitis, and 3rd stage syphilis, +, +).

note: luckily I was only stage 2 - so hey, NO PROBLEM! 

~~~
IF I had it to do over again, I would've come on a 60-day tourist visa, and then obtained my O-Visa in Thailand.

With an O-visa, you get 60-days to open a bank account, and hopefully transfer money; OR, get an income affidavit from the embassy/consulate, Once you do that, you can apply for your O-A Retirement Visa.

~
The advantage going this route is you do NOT need a police check, nor a 'dumb-ass' medical check!

piece of cake!

Hi Seattle99,

Thanks for the very good information.  I'm planning on moving to CM from Pennsylvania, USA, within the next three months. I spent a month in Jomtien two years ago and loved the people and culture, so I've decided to move there permanently.  I'm 51 years old, have a decent monthly income (retired Air Force) and 800,000 Baht to deposit in a Thai bank, so I'm qualified.

I just printed out the O-A visa forms, and have some issues with doing everything here in the states before departure.  The forms ask for addresses and phone numbers of where I'll be staying, who I'll be staying with, etc.  Thing is, I don't know any of that info yet, and won't until I get there (well, maybe the info on a serviced apartment once I make a reservation).  Right now, I don't have any points of contact in CM to assist me in my move, I'm sort of winging it on my own, but I'm doing A LOT of research on-line.  I plan on staying in a serviced apartment until I can find a furnished apt or condo (or house, depending on price) to rent for at least six months, and then maybe buy.

From what you've written, it's not hard to get the O-A visa once I arrive there.  Also, did I understand you correctly that I WON'T have to get the medical check or police check if I do it in Thailand?  Not that I'm unhealthy or have a criminal background, but both of them cost money here in the states, and I'd rather not spend it if I don't have to.

One big question I have concerns the recent coup against the government.  How has that affected things in CM?  Is there a curfew there?  If so, is it like off the streets by 10:00 pm?  Are Ex-pats being affected by the political climate so far?

Any other information you could provide to me would be most appreciated.  Having been reading these posts now for a couple weeks, it seems that the Ex-pat community in Chiang Mai is populated by some very kind and knowledgeable people who look out for each other.  That is one of the main reasons that I want to move there:  to be a part of a group of people that are not all about themselves and are willing to help out those who require assistance in making such a big transition as retiring in CM.  Kudos to all of you!

Cheers...

That's correct, NO police check, and NO medical check, for O-A Retirement Visa IN Thailand,

NOTE; I personally think the physical you must have if you apply for a visa OUTSIDE the States is poorly thought out.

elephantitis? C'mon when the last time you heard of someone having elephantitis?

oh well

~~~~
The military had initially had a strict curfew in Chiang Mai, because it's reputed to be one of the leading 'red shirt' areas of the country. I'm not sure if the curfew is still in affect in Chiang Mai, but if it is, it's VERY VERY LATE!

So no, I don't see this affecting any expats life.

Ha, ha ha.  Elaphnitis!  You're right, never heard of ANYONE, ANYWHERE contracting that disease.  I'm going to get a 60 day tourist visa, and then once I'm in country, I'll do the O-A visa process.  I think it will be a lot easier there than here in the U.S.

Anything else you can share with me to help me make my move would be great.  You seem to be pretty dialed in to living in Thailand.

Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it.

Here's another question:  If I come on a 60 day tourist visa with plans to get the O-A visa once I'm in Chiang Mai, won't I have to buy a round trip plane ticket?  Seems they require a return date to issue the 60 day visa.  I don't need the return trip, as I'll be settling there.  This has me more than a bit confused on how I'm going to make this move without getting my O-A here in the states before I leave.

I could be wrong, but I think you first obtain your O-Visa (60days?).

Once you have that, you can THEN apply for your O-A retirement visa.

The 60 days allow you time to set up your Thai bank account and get the money transferred, or to provide an income affidavit if you are an American, OR proof of income if you are not.

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I arrived with a one-way ticket in '95, and was never questioned about the return-ticket.

I think Thai immigration might (??) request you have a round-trip ticket if they believe you are a 'bum' and don't appear to have sufficient funds.  Otherwise, I think it's pretty much, 'Welcome to Thailand'.

Once again, thanks for the info.  '95 was a long time ago, things probably have changed.  I think I'm going to have to reach out to the Thai Consulate in D.C. and see what they have to say.  I'll post whatever I find out, could be a couple days, though...

I don't think things have changed in this regard.

~~~
If they answer at all, the Thai embassy will probably give you the 'company line' that you need a 'return ticket'.

I know of many cases where people enter Thailand with a one-way ticket, and then buy there outbound ticket here in kingdom.

Example: The Iranians with the phony passports who were aboard the KL flight.

Okay, okay, maybe a poor example; but it's a FACT many tourists arrive with a one-way ticket.

I think the best way to find answers to your visa questions is to use Thaivisa.com.

IF you don't see right away, "Do I need a round trip ticket?".

Post the question.

I guarantee you will get replies,  and then you can sort out the answer.

@hewmundi
Purchase a ticket into Laos from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang. Cheap, and you can use the flight if needed.

You could apply for a tourist visa, O visa or O-A Visa BEFORE leaving home for your initial entry into Thailand. All these visa types can be extended at Thai Immigration in Thailand. The RETIREMENT EXTENSION issued at your local immigration office is valid for one year and renewable. You do not need a new visa each year.

For example I arrived in Thailand in 2008 on a multi entry O visa(valid 12-15 months) which I extended based on my retirement here. Each subsequent year I simply renewed my EXTENSION of STAY. My original visa is of course long expired.

Personally, if I was in your position, I would consider an O-A initially, despite police checks etc  in your home country, it gives you plenty of time in Thailand to decide if you realy want to stay, and importantly you do not need to exit the country every 90 days like on an O visa(multi entry). You can apply for a retirement extension any time you like after arrival, providing you comply with the requirements for finances, if going down the bank deposite route, that would be two months after you make a deposite in a Thai bank.

BTW you cannot get an O-A visa IN Thailand, you simply apply to extend the visa you arrived on.

I don't believe you can open a Thai bank account on a tourist visa. yes? no? maybe?

I've been saying the best way is to arrive in Thailand on a tourist visa, and then while here,get your O visa.

This will allow you to obtain a Thai bank account, or income affidavit from U.S. consulate.

Once you do that, you can then apply for you O-A retirement visa.

****
Note: If you are worried about a outbound ticket, the idea of going to Luang Prabang is very good.

Personally, I would plan the trip until AFTER you receive your O-A.

Thanks for all of the feedback.  I might be over thinking all of this (I have a tendency for doing that), but it seems to me to be a catch 22 situation.  According to the Thai consular website, I need a return ticket to get my tourist visa.  They also require travel dates and lodging info and in-country points of contact.  Thing is, I won't have that info until I get there.  And, I can't make flight reservations until I get the visa. 

So, I feel stuck.  I don't want to buy a follow on ticket to Laos or any other country as suggested.  And one of the posts said I can't get an O-A visa in Thailand, only extensions for a previously issued visa.  I'm going to continue working on this until I get it resolved.  Keep posting any ideas you have; you've been a big help so far.

Rob

good discussion on this issue of need for return ticket or not. I just sent question to thai.visa contact form.
will let you know what they say.
gary

I talked to the Royal Thai Embassy in D.C. this morning and explained the situation.  The guy I talked to said to either send a letter explaining the intent to retire in Thailand, using a 60 day tourist visa to get in country, then start the O-A process once there, or get on a travel web site like Expedia or Travelocity, set up an itinerary (must have your name on it) that shows a return date (don't purchase the ticket, just print out the itinerary) and include that with the 60 day visa application form completely filled out with to/from dates that match itinerary.  He said once you're in country, start the O-A process and don't worry about returning, as you should have the retirement visa before the 60 day visa runs out.

So, what do you guys think?  Also, Gary: did you get the email I sent to your Yahoo address?

Rob

Rob--yes got your email --will respond. Thanks for your visa information from your Thai embassy visit.
Question--following their instructions--the letter sounds more do-able--the other choice--go to
travel web site--set up itinerary--with return date--means paying for return part of a ticket right?
paying for a return part of ticket--you don't plan on using?
Gary

Gentlemen
I think this thread is getting a little confused. Firstly let me try and clarify the visa situation and extentions of stay in Thailand for you.

A VISA is issued by a Thai embassy or consulate, which of course is outside Thailand.

An EXTENSION of STAY is granted by Thai Immigration at your local office within Thailand. In this case a retirement extension.

For the purposes of this thread, you could make four types of entry into Thailand for the purposes of retirement.
1. Visa exempt entry.
2. Tourist visa entry.
3. Non Immigrant O visa entry
4. Non Immigrant O-A visa entry.

2 and 3 above may be issued in any country(except Thailand).
4 May only be issued in your home country.

When you arrive in Thailand using either 1 or 2 above you may CONVERT the entry stamp into a NON IMM O stamp at a Thai immigration office. They actually stamp a visa in your passport BUT it is also stamped used. You must have 15 days or more remaining on your entry.
This then gives you a 90 day entry. You may then apply for a RETIREMENT EXTENSION(to your new NON O stamp) when you have 30 days or less on your new entry date. Usually takes 3 visits to Immigration.

You use these Thai Immigration forms for converting a Visa exempt entry OR a tourist visa entry.TM 86 and TM 87 available here. TM86 is for converting tourist visa TM 87 for obtaining a visa(ie converting visa exempt entry).

In 3 and 4 above you may apply for a RETIREMENT EXTENSION after 60 days in Thailand or at any point there after during the validity of the visa.

A few other observations:

The advantages of a NON IMM O-A visa are that it is valid for a year, it is multi-entry, for example if you exited Thailand near the expiry date of the visa  you could re-enter and get ANOTHER years stay. Making it worth almost two years here.

Remember also that the purpose of a tourist visa is what it says on the label so yes you might well get asked to provide details of a return flight since tourists usually go home after their holiday. The request for details of a return flight can be made, by the consulate, your airline or the Thai Immigration on arrival.

Get an O visa or an O-A visa and you won't have this issue. In the application for an O type visa, state you are checking ot Thailand with the idea of retiring there.

I hope this helps and good luck with the process. If you need more help please ask. Please try and use the terminology I have used it saves confusion and helps filter out incorrect information, which of course helps others in the future.

Thank you so much for your post.  If I understand it correctly, I don't need to mess with getting a visa at all.  I can come there on the standard 30 day entry visa, and start the O-A process once I'm there.  Is that the case?

Hewmundi wrote:

Thank you so much for your post.  If I understand it correctly, I don't need to mess with getting a visa at all.  I can come there on the standard 30 day entry visa, and start the O-A process once I'm there.  Is that the case?

Hi Hewmundi

Well you are almost correct. But please forget this "O-A process" you keep referring to, there is no such beast. There is a NON IMM O-A visa as I outlined above obtained in the US for long stay entries that can be extended for the purposes of retirement.

If you entered visa exempt you use the forms I posted to convert the entry to a NON O entry STAMP in your passport.

You then apply to get an EXTENSION OF STAY based on retirement providing you meet the relevant criteria.
The visa exempt or indeed tourst visa entry conversion must be applied for with a minimum of 15 days left on the entry, this is so Thai Immigration can process the conversion, since it needs higher approval.

You then return to immigration to continue the process.

Personally, as I said in an earlier post, I would choose to arrive here on an O-A visa since it can give you up to two years here while you decide if the expat life in Thailand is for you.

Converting a visa exempt entry is very time constrained and puts you under pressure in a foreign land. Doeable yes, best choice, no.

thetefldon you post be good to have as a sticky on this forum, same question come up every week.

A friend of mine this week was refuse to do the "normal"  convert to NoN O inside Thailand (Bangkok Immigration) from                    Visa exempt entry 30 day, And was told to get out of Thailand to get a NoN O single 90 days and come back again. He is now on the way back from Laos.

So if people can get the NoN O single 90 days before coming here, might be a good idea, or a Tourist Visa.

I think i read on thaivisa that new Immigration law/rules are coming around 12-13 August this year, So keep a eye out.

Never done that wrote:

thetefldon you post be good to have as a sticky on this forum, same question come up every week.

A friend of mine this week was refuse to do the "normal"  convert to NoN O inside Thailand (Bangkok Immigration) from                    Visa exempt entry 30 day, And was told to get out of Thailand to get a NoN O single 90 days and come back again. He is now on the way back from Laos.

So if people can get the NoN O single 90 days before coming here, might be a good idea, or a Tourist Visa.

I think i read on thaivisa that new Immigration law/rules are coming around 12-13 August this year, So keep a eye out.

Firstly, thank you for your comment. Sadly the powers that run the blog don't seem to agree with you.
Interesting point about your friend and reinforcement of the need to arrive on a proper visa.

Siam Legal never got back o me. I would suggest Phuket Consult. They were very helpful. Contact Angela - [email protected]

Cheers

Virginia

I've relocated to live in Chiangmai since 2005...
As usual, every one is worry about the retired visa, first time they want to relocate in a foreign country. I've spent a lot of fees for "lawyer" to apply the retired visa in 2005... retrospective, I've learnt that all that form you can obtain free from immigration office.
Here are the things you have prepared:
1. 800,000 Thai Bath to open a saving account to prove that financially you are fit for emergency... your money in your saving book/account.
2. health certificate from your doctor, certifying that you are healthy, no HIV, tuberculosis... etc...
3. You can apply directly to Thai embassy in USA, for NON-IM VISA ("retired visa")
The standard of living in Thai is simply peaceful, clean, safe and healthy..."very Buddhist way" (respectful, non-discriminate, harmony, non-violence...) and affordable with unbelievable budget approx. 2,000 USD for two/month, the maid for 3 days/week (150 /month) grocery (1,000 /month) housing (600/month) entertaining, eat out once week (200/month), misc. 50.
Good lucks in your exploring
Gelong TO.

hello
I am from Thai888 Law Co Ltd in Pattaya /Jomtien

Where do you want to retire - ie what area?

Your Visa Non O is relatively easy to get - you can apply in the USA
Then you apply for an extension of stay here in Thailand every 12 months

If you have a pension then you will need a letter to prove this as you need to show you are making at least 65,000 baht per month income.

Every 90 days you need to show up at the Immigration Office for a stamp.

contact me if you need further assistance

Hi. I used Siam Legal earlier this year. No problems,  all good. Very satisfied. Would recommend no worries.

The visa process is a real pain but I've done it, or rather I've done it with the help of my wife. What they ask for on the website and what they ask for when you get there are two different things. Basic requirements are 60,000thb income and or 800,000thb in a thai bank. Best just to turn up with what you think you need and take advice from them about what else you need. I wouldn't bother with any legal service. Just get a friend to help, save the money.

i checkt out both and they seem to be doing a good job but found a local office in pattaya doing the visa for 20000 baht, no need to deposit 80000 baht in the bank.
i have a friend using siam legal did a good job

Canadianmike1959 wrote:

i checkt out both and they seem to be doing a good job but found a local office in pattaya doing the visa for 20000 baht, no need to deposit 80000 baht in the bank.
i have a friend using siam legal did a good job

Mike

It's 800,000 Baht and yes, if you use this method YOU need to show the money in YOUR bank account, 2 months prior to first application, 3 months on subsequent applications

ptillson wrote:

The visa process is a real pain but I've done it, or rather I've done it with the help of my wife. What they ask for on the website and what they ask for when you get there are two different things. Basic requirements are 60,000thb income and or 800,000thb in a thai bank. Best just to turn up with what you think you need and take advice from them about what else you need. I wouldn't bother with any legal service. Just get a friend to help, save the money.

Which website are you referring too? Your local immigration office? True there can be differences between offices, but just ask them what they want.

The visa extension process is starightforward enough. Provide the required documents and you will get the extension.

BTW its 65,000 Baht  monthly income(from outside Thailand), or 800,000 in a Thai bank for 2 months(first app) or 3 months(renewals) OR a combination of money in the bank and income for a retirement extension.

By all means get a friend to help, but it is very easy to do yourself.

Ok, I stand corrected on the monthly income. Mine was a marriage visa anyway. The point I was making though was that you don't need to spend on legal services. It's not that difficult. We had to make 3 visits before we got all the documents right, a couple of hours each time. Six hours, saved £499. The 90 day visa extension is so much easier.

ptillson wrote:

Ok, I stand corrected on the monthly income. Mine was a marriage visa anyway. The point I was making though was that you don't need to spend on legal services. It's not that difficult. We had to make 3 visits before we got all the documents right, a couple of hours each time. Six hours, saved £499. The 90 day visa extension is so much easier.

Totally agree about the legal services. Waste of money in my opinion. Retirement extension is less time consuming than marriage extension, usually in and out in 30 mins at Phitsanulok. Just one visit required.

I've had experience with both. Private message me.

Yes as I said its relatively easy to do.
But looking through these posts there are several errors and also the wrong terminology.
Yes you can pay under the table but not now as there is a crackdown on. This avenue is now closed.

You say you dont need legal services and I agree but if your old, sick and have some dementia or handicap then you will need assistance. Many old foreigners get cheated by their friends, lovers, wives. They trust them to do the right thing and end up in our office.

If you intend to live and retire in Thailand then get it done right.

Also make sure you have some health cover and a LAST WILL that covers your assets in Thailand.

blackjack2010 wrote:

Yes as I said its relatively easy to do.
But looking through these posts there are several errors and also the wrong terminology.
Yes you can pay under the table but not now as there is a crackdown on. This avenue is now closed.

You say you dont need legal services and I agree but if your old, sick and have some dementia or handicap then you will need assistance. Many old foreigners get cheated by their friends, lovers, wives. They trust them to do the right thing and end up in our office.

If you intend to live and retire in Thailand then get it done right.

Also make sure you have some health cover and a LAST WILL that covers your assets in Thailand.

I certainly agree with, "If you intend to live and retire in Thailand then get it done right." and your advice on a will and health cover is also sound.

Not so sure about the effects of the "crackdown" closing things down. It is my understanding that it will only effect border runs by folk abusing the visa exempt entry system.

Intrestingly, I still get lots of Google adverts on my Thai blogs advertising services that would seem to contravene Thai Visa regulations, example,  offering retirement extensions when the applicant cannot meet the financial requirements. Maybe they are next on the list?

I am currently on a retirement visa using savings in Bangkok Bank plus income from social security and a small pension. You can enter the country for up to thirty days on a passport. Then you figure your annual income times the ratio of baht to the dollar. Take this total, subtract from 800,000 baht, divide by ratio of baht to the dollar and that's the amount of savings you need. Bangkok Bank, 333 Silom Road, Bangkok is the ONLY bank in Thailand that handles deposits in U.S. Dollars. Contact them about opening an account. They take transfers of dollars from U.S. Banks to set up you account for your visa. Henry Wolfskill

I would love some info on that