Retirement Visa application assistance?

blackjack2010 wrote:

before you could pay off someone
not so now

the visa rules change all the time - they are working through things slowly but surely -

also be aware that each country is different
ie Australia - you don't need 800K in the bank
you can sign a stat dec to say you earn 65K baht per month and submit this with you application as proof of income

The rules, i.e. Thai Visa regulations regarding extensions of stay, are the same for all nationalities. Your statement is misleading.

What I think you mean is that different nationalities embassies in Thailand require different levels of evidence to certify income.

Nothing to stop an Australian having 800,000 Baht in the bank if they want to take that route.

My own embassy(UK) require evidence to show your income, like pensions for example, before they will issue an income letter to support a retirement extension.

thetefldon wrote:

blackjack2010 wrote:

before you could pay off someone
not so now

the visa rules change all the time - they are working through things slowly but surely -

also be aware that each country is different
ie Australia - you don't need 800K in the bank
you can sign a stat dec to say you earn 65K baht per month and submit this with you application as proof of income

The rules, i.e. Thai Visa regulations regarding extensions of stay, are the same for all nationalities. Your statement is misleading.

What I think you mean is that different nationalities embassies in Thailand require different levels of evidence to certify income.

Nothing to stop an Australian having 800,000 Baht in the bank if they want to take that route.

My own embassy(UK) require evidence to show your income, like pensions for example, before they will issue an income letter to support a retirement extension.

Well i think blackjack are talking about Visa, and Visa one apply for in a country outside Thailand, and yes Blackjack is correct, the requirement are different from country to country.

Extension (to stay longer then 90 day) is inside Thailand, are there the requirement for the money part is the same at every Immigration office.

hello
you are grammatically wrong
as

"also be aware that each country is different
ie Australia - you don't need 800K in the bank
you can sign a stat dec to say you earn 65K baht per month and submit this with you application as proof of income"

you see this is a paragraph and as such determines and links whats in the paragraph subject
ie I stated that each country is different and this is a clear reference to Australia and 800K in banks

That what i write before, every Thai Embassy / consulate in other country have "own" rules for applying, simple as that, and that for a Visa. You can sign a letter, Some country the Thai Embassy / Consulate WANT to see money in the bank 800.000 baht, in my country Denmark, the Consulate (never user the Thai Embassy in Denmark) see if i have the money pr month. My monthly income paper or my yearly tax paper.

.

BUT inside Thailand for a 1 year Extension to stay base on Retirement the rules/laws are the same.

50 years old or more
.
65.000 baht income before paying tax pr month.
Or
800.000 baht in the bank
Or
You can combine income and money in the bank. Like 300.000 baht in the bank, and 500.000 baht income pr year (500.000 / 12 month = 41.667 baht pr month)


That was my point mate. rules outside Thailand is different , Inside Thailand same every Immigration Office.

I just returned from Chiang Mai, received the 60 day tourist visa from the Thai Consulate in LA on my US passport. Did not have a return ticket. I was in Chiang Mai off and on for six months. I returned to Ecuador where I am a permanent resident. I have decided to move to CM as a retiree. I have read I can apply in a location where I am a resident, so planning to apply here. My concerns are whether my visa would be more difficult with Ecuadorian residence vs. US. Or whether that will matter. I have sufficient income but am concerned a police report here might take forever. Not worried about any medical requirements.

I'd prefer the O-A visa. Where you state that can be processed only in your home country, Hewmundi, two posts above yours quoted: "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." Hmmm...

For the US Income Affidavit do I simply request it from the US Embassy here in Ecuador?

This situation may be a bit trickier with my residence being in Ecuador/citizenship in the US. Just found out Ecuador no longer has a Consulate office. Peru is the closest. Without heading to Peru, and only a 30 day visa available back to Thailand, it's looking more and more complicated. Would appreciate your thoughts.

I am a Canadian citizen who was living in China when I decided to retire here. My wife and I entered the country with the basic 30 day tourist entry stamp. We easily applied for and received the 90-day non-immigrant O Visa once we arrived. After two months, we were able to apply for and receive the one-year Non-immigrant OA extension or "retirement visa",  The whole process was very painless. I have to admit that we used a local agent (and still use her) but the small annual fee is worth it as far as we are concerned for the services we receive and the time we save.

The only downside, which didn't really bother us, was that our international shipper could not export our belongings from China to Thailand until they received proof that we had received our initial 90-day non-immigrant O visas.

I don't know if I called all the visas by their proper names, I still get confused with the semantics!

I don't know if expatblog has a private messaging system, so email me, godfree at gmail.com and I will tell you how to handle your visa situation.

Travelightly wrote:

I just returned from Chiang Mai, received the 60 day tourist visa from the Thai Consulate in LA on my US passport. Did not have a return ticket. I was in Chiang Mai off and on for six months. I returned to Ecuador where I am a permanent resident. I have decided to move to CM as a retiree. I have read I can apply in a location where I am a resident, so planning to apply here. My concerns are whether my visa would be more difficult with Ecuadorian residence vs. US. Or whether that will matter. I have sufficient income but am concerned a police report here might take forever. Not worried about any medical requirements.

I'd prefer the O-A visa. Where you state that can be processed only in your home country, Hewmundi, two posts above yours quoted: "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." Hmmm...

For the US Income Affidavit do I simply request it from the US Embassy here in Ecuador?

This situation may be a bit trickier with my residence being in Ecuador/citizenship in the US. Just found out Ecuador no longer has a Consulate office. Peru is the closest. Without heading to Peru, and only a 30 day visa available back to Thailand, it's looking more and more complicated. Would appreciate your thoughts.

The O-A visa is a good visa if you are undecided and want to stay a while before committing. Of course it can also be extended in Thailand(retirement extension) providing you fit the criteria. You sound as if you are already happy to retire here so a tourist visa or even a visa exempt entry would work.

A tourist visa and a visa exempt entry can be extended 30 days in country. You can also convert a tourist visa or a visa exempt entry to a non immigrant stamp in your passport at a Thai Immigration office in Thailand after you enter. Then extend same to retirement extension.

If you are not going down the funds in the bank route or combination and just using income for your retirement extension then the US Embassy Bangkok will provide an affidavit which you swear but are not required to provide evidence for. You could therefore easily complete the retirement extension process in the timeframe the visa/conversion gives you i.e. 90 days in Thailand.

You are a US citizen and can apply for a Thai tourist visa at any Thai consulate or embassy around the world. The O-A needs to be applied for in your home country because of police check element.

The guy in DC was right it's just not called the O-A process but a retirement extension.