Thai Retirement visa

Hello ,

It does not matter if your married to a Thai National , If your not a Thai Citizen then you are a Foreigner.

65,000 Baht per month income or Thai Bank Account and monthly income  that equals 65,000 Baht per month or one lump sum of 800,000 Thai Baht in Thai Bank Account and has to be in there 90 Days Prior to starting the process.

You must be 50  Years old or older

You must have a 90 Visa Prior to starting this process.

Your Passport must have at least 18 months on it , If less than 18 months Renew it.

You must have a passport photo.

You get your 1 Year Retirement Visa you Check in with Immigration every 90 Days up to 1 Year and you start the process again.

You can convert to a non O if you have 15 days on your visa

800k in the bank for 2 months first time apply for non O

Renewal is 3 months in the bank or part income pension deposit in the bank for 800k or letter from you country stating income . Some countries embassy will certify the income letter.

hi dennis 51 from uk.

im just making sure i have things in the right order for applying for a retirement visa in thailand. i will just list them with what i understand so far, so any advice or corrections will be very helpfull.  thanks in advance..
1:-book one way air ticket to thailand.
2:-apply for a 60 day tourist single entry visa from embassy in uk.
3:- arrive in thailand
      a:-rent condo for address
      b:-open thai bank account to transfer funds for visa requirements.
4:- before end of 60 day visa runs out go to immigration in jomtien for 30 day extension.(so funds will be in bank at least 2 months before i apply for retirement visa)
5:-before 30 day visa runs out go back to immigration to apply for retirement 1 year visa with proof of funds address passport photos etc.
im hoping ive got most things right just not 100% sure about the visa i get in uk i think i can only get 60 day then an extension 30 days so i can have the money in thai bank long enough for visa.
anyone with advice or experience will be helpfull.

thanks dennis

Just a few points..
1. You will need to fill out a departure card they give you on plane. You will need to put a return flight number. Thai customs never asked me to show a return ticket, but the departing airlines have asked me numerous times and I had to show them my 1-year visa stamp in passport. You may get by without a return flight or the airline may make you buy one. Buy refundable if you do, then you can cancel. You have to list the hotel and address where you are staying on departure card.
2. You may need to get a 90-day non-immigrant O Visa before getting the 1 year extension. I was able to get both at same time when I came in for 30 days visa-free. I didn't get the 60-day in home country before coming.
3. You may want to pay one of the Thai Visa companies to help you the first time. You can Google them online and call them for prices once here or email before you come. Or, you can call up the Pattaya Expat Club website for detailed instructions.

thanks , ive been about 6 times to pattaya over the past three years i got a drivers licence in january just need to do a few more things ready for the move but wasnt 100% sure.

thanks
dennis

so i can just arrive with 30 day visa on arrival and go to immigration and get 90 day visa there, sort out condo and bank funds in for two months then apply for 1 year retirement visa.

dennis

If you are on Facebook there is a group called Thai Visa Advice which is pretty good.

Dennis,

Why not apply for 90 Day Visa instead of 60 Day Visa ? Why get 60 then 30 day extension ?

Seems like a lot of wasted effort , Get a 90 Day Visa gives you time to settle in have your Bank Funds established in a Thai Bank then get your 1 year Visa , That Simple

Dennis uk
You should be able to arrive for 30 days visa-free, sign your lease agreement, apply for a 90-day non-immigrant O visa, open your bank account and then apply for 1-yr non-immigrant O-A visa after the waiting period on monies.

I used my monthly pension & income affidavit, so I didn't have to wait 90 days for bank monies. Thai Immigration gave me the 90-day & 1-yr visas at same time good for 15 mths. If you don't want the hassle, you can find an agent for a few thousand THB to take care of it for you first time. You will need to pay Immigration fees of 2,000 THB for 90-day, 1,900 THB for 1-yr. If you are going to travel outside the country often, you can get a multiple re-entry permit for 3,800 THB. Or, you can wait and get a single entry permit if & when you leave for 1,000 THB.

Look on the Pattaya City Expat Club website. They have instructions you can print on what you need to do. Easier than replying back and forth to numerous people on the forum trying to figure it out. Best wishes...
Website is at info(at)pattayacityexpatsclub.com.

3.3 Foreign citizens who hold a Transit Visa (“TS”) or Tourist Visa
(“TR”) and wish to engage in business activities in Thailand may apply for a change of type of visa (e.g., from Tourist Visa to Non-Immigrant Visa) at the Office of the Immigration Bureau Office located at Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889, www.immigration.go.th.  The granting of change of type of visa and extension of stay is at the discretion of the immigration officer.

Dennis since your still in UK why don't you apply for Non-Immigrant O-A visa for purpose of retirement before you leave.  It only requires two additional items not required in Thailand and they are medical certificate and police clearance.

When you arrive in Thailand you receive one year permission to stay which means you only need do your 90 day reports which is required of all expats living in Thailand.  Now you have whole year to obtain bank account and learn the process for retirement extensions.

I read on the Internet there are some agents who can help you get retirement visa if you can not meet the financial requirement yourself. They charge about US$1000, after one year they charge half the price. Is that legitimate?

Hello ,

I would say no , Thai Immigration Law is specific.

You must have a monthly income of 65,000 Baht per month you can combine monthly retirement or pension with Bsnk Account or use Bank Account as the only source , Then you must meet 800,000 Baht in Thai Bank Account.

If your looking to utilize a Legal Firm I used
Siam Legal out of Bangkok, www.siamlegal.com there a little pricy but safe and effective.
I only used them for my first entry into Thailand, Now I do it all myself in Thailand.

Yes, I know. But what if the agent helps you "meet 800,000 Baht in Thai Bank Account" in some way? Is that legitimate?

Hello,

I've never herd of such a thing and it sounds awful fishy to me , That's my gut feeling.
Secondly is the Lawyer going to do that every year for you and set it up for you to have 800,000 Baht in a Thai Bank Account 60 Days before you apply every year ?
Again does not sound right or legal to me.

Best of Luck

Qarl  Today 14:40:54

Hi Qarl,
Are you 50 or older? If not, then you don't qualify for a retirement visa.
If yes, then what Mr. Klingon63 said is correct on the money in bank or pension.
I too, never heard of a company putting money in a bank for you to qualify.
Kindly...

I suspect it too, that's why I ask here if anyone has such experience, thanks anyway.

do they not ask you for your return air ticket?

Hello,

Prior to landing of your plane you will fill out a entrance and departure card , You fill it out in its entirety and present at Thai Customs in the Airport they may ask you some question or not.

The departure card is stamped and you must keep it with your passport and then you will present it at Thai Customs on your Departure day.

Best Regards
Bob T

They didn't ask me and air china wouldn't refund my money....  Munga Dui  (that's Thai)

companies do stump up the money and this is of course illegal

if you are not 50 cannot put money in the account or show income letter or stat dec then you dont qualify for Non 0 retirement

Dennis uk wrote:

do they not ask you for your return air ticket?

Dennis uk

Thai Immigration at airport has never asked to see a return ticket, but some airlines will ask at check-in if they don't see a round-trip ticket in their system. Some airlines are very strict on this. You won't know until you check-in. If your airline asks, you can try to explain you are applying for a retirement visa once there and that may satisfy them or not. If your airline does require you to have a return ticket, you have 2 options; buy a one-way refundable return ticket you can cancel afterwards or buy a cheap non-refundable onward ticket to Vietnam, Laos or Malaysia that you don't use...

Read my posts #44 & #49 too... also, good luck...

thanks for the advice 

dennis

Who do you fly with ???

I've flown Emirates Airline , British Airways , and Norwegian Airlines and was never asked to show a return ticket.
If you want a Retirement Visa there are three options 1. Do it from your home Country 2. Do it in Thailand 3. Hire a Legal Firm.
It's really that easy.

Dennis these are the requirements :

1. 50 Years of age or older.
2. Show proof of Income of 65, 000 Baht per month or Thai Bank Account with 800,000 Baht or a combination of both that shows 65,000 Baht income per month , If you use the Bank funds only it has to be in the account minimum of 90 Days
3. Valid Passport with a minimum of 18 months still valid any less renew.
4. A Retirement Visa cannot be gotten or held without a 90 Day Visa , You can play the shuffle game come in on 30 days with passport and get a 60 day extension  Visa when you arrive however way you want to do it.
In reality the 90 Visa is the easiest way with the least amount of effort needed.

I can tell you this I paid a little extra money used a very secure reputable Legal Firm out of Bangkok www.siamlegal.com got my 90 Day Visa from the comfort of my home Country came to Thailand had 90 days to establish myself then got my Retirement Visa by myself in Thailand through Immigration.

Best of Luck
Best Regards and Cheers
Bob T. 
American Citizen / Retired Resident of
Nakhon Ratchasima / ChoHo Thailand

Japan airlines & American airlines have both asked me and I had to show them my 1-year retirement stamp.
"From the Thai Embassy site: You must have a confirmed return ticket to show that you are flying out of Thailand within 30 or 15 days of entry, as appropriate. Open tickets do not qualify".
So, technically you are supposed to have an onward flight ticket (not necessarily a return to where you came from). But, Thai Immigration has never asked me at airport. I was just letting Dennis know just in case his airline asked, so he wouldn't be surprised (since he asked the question).
Many (not all) countries have this rule for people on Tourist's visas.

Hello,

Your Immigration form you fill out has a 30 Day stamp when you enter Thailand and go through Customs / Immigration, I've never shown a ticket to any Airline.

Hello,

I don't understand why anyone would not want to make it easy for themselves

I did a 90 Visa with Siam Legal all from the comfort of my home and home Country
When I entered Thailand I had 90 days to establish myself and then went to Immigration and did my own Retirement Visa Process, So easy like 1,2,3, Done

I did the same as Klingon63, but mine was for a marriage visa.When I got to Bangkok someone from the law firm took me to assist in  opening a Thai bank account ,Certainly didn't want the hassle of doing that on my own.

Hello ,

Great !! To hear it worked out well for you , It's worth a little extra money , They will walk through everything weather be via the Internet or in person in Bangkok.
I married to ,  Afterwards my Wife and myself went to Bangkok for a day to the Thai Embassy then spent another day in the District Office of
Dan Khun Thot and completed the Marriage paperwork to make it official.
I just did my Retirement Visa by ourselves last April in Bangkok and local Immigration Office in
Nakhon Ratchasima worked out well very easy.

I personally think using the Law Firm for the icebreaker to get established in Thailand is well worth the money , Afterwards it's very easy to complete everything else here at the Local Immigration Office yourself.

Cheers
Bob T.
American Citizen Retired Resident of
Nakhon Ratchasima / ChoHo Thailand

Hi
Many Visa ‘Agents' certainly in Pattaya will do everything for you and the money is done for you aswell. It's badically a short term loan you don't get to see at all. This practise has been going on for many years I can assure you ! legal? What is legal over here - accepted by immigration ? Hell yes no problem at all.

HellI ,

Siam Legal is most secure and reputable and  they can assist you from your Home Country , Bangkok or anywhere in Thailand.
Via Internet , Postal Mail or Office visit , Personally I would far trust them more then any secondary or private agent , Just an opinion from using them , Reading about them and there Pubkic Ratings.

thanks bob,
i know the requirements for the visa ,just looking for options to apply for 90 day visa then 1 year visa  in thailand just  case i do a last minute move.

thanks for advice

dennis

Hello Dennis ,

You want to do it easy and fast ? Or time is not an issue ?

Easy and fast : From the comfort of your home and home Country , Go to Siamlegal.com

Time not an issue : Go to Siamlegal.com get your 90 day Visa from the comfort of your home and home Country , Then come to Thailand have 90 days to get established and then get your 1 Year Retirement Visa at Thai Immigration very easy.

Best of Luck

ok so someone works for siam legal but they are in Bangkok

get someone local in Pattaya or Chiang Mai

to convert your visa to a non O you need min 15 days

then you can apply for an extension of stay

Hello ,

I'm an Expat just sharing info , Siam Legal can be utilized from anywhere in the World wether your in Bangkok , Pattaya , Europe , US , Australia from the comfort of your Home and Home Country anywhere
You can do it from the Internet and Postal Mail or if you prefer there office in Bangkok anywhere it's safe ,secure and efficient 

Best Regards

Your last 4 posts have plugged siam. My considered experience is that a local company is preferred as the local courts , immigration, police, etc. are used and so a local co would be better used as they are better connected and more familiar with local issues. Just saying

Hello ,

Yes there connected ,  There experience also reaches to many Thai Embassy in many Expats Countries as well.
Example: The Thai Embassy in The U.S. is in Oregon so any documents you need to get or send would go to that Embassy and they would send to you from there as well if you lived in
The U.S.

are you saying that they will take your passport from you and then have their agent get it stamped at immigration (ie all from the comfort of your home)?

Oregon?  there's one in Washington and that I know of a consultant in Houston and I think in Chicago...