Wanting to move to Chiang Mai next year looking for suggestions

Hi Mark,

Welcome to Expat-Blog

I suggest you read the following articles please:

- Retiring in Thailand
- Working visa in Thailand
- Find a job in Chiang Mai

I suggest you browse through the discussions regarding Information on visas Thailand you might find some useful informations

Best of luck !

Thank you

Maximilien
Expat-blog Team

wishbone32 wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I'm a 50 year old American guy from San Jose, CA wanting to move to Chiang Mai next year or 2015.  I will have only about $25k in cash, but open in working.  What are my best options for staying in Thailand for a long period?  I don't think I can get a year long retirement VISA because not enough money.  I am open and appreciate all suggestions.  many thanks.

Visas:

1. O-A Non-Immigrant visa.......depends on what financial evidence the Thai embassy in US require.This gives you up to 2 years in Thailand.One border run after 11 months or so + 90 day reports to Thai Immigration.

2. Non Immigrant O multi entry visa.....again depends on what financial evidence Thai embassy want in US. Can give you up to 15 months in Thailand but requires border runs every 90 days.

2. ED Visa to study Thai for example. One year but requires "renewal" at Thai immigration every 90 days 1900 Baht each time + evidence you are actually studying.

3. Multi entry tourist visa with extensions and border runs. Could get you 6-9 months in Thailand with border runs and extensions in Thailand.

Money:

25K USD is around 750,000 Baht today. Not enough for retirement extension unless you have monthly income as well. Then money in bank and income can be combined.

If you have no income and intend to live on your 25K you might stretch it for a couple of years in LOS.

But no advisable!

Working:

1. Teach English...possible with suitable quals

2. Use your current skill set to seek work......not impossible but can be difficult to do legally providing its not an occupation not open to foreigners.

3. Form a Thai company.

Hope that helps. The in depth info you need can be found in this forum or on my web site

Thanks very much for your help and recommendations.  I very much appreciate your efforts.


Mark

HI mark....You can get a retirement visa here being over 50 and show no money..we do visas for many u s a people.also all types of advice on living and working here..regards Mike

Hi Mike,

Could you send me an email or let me know where I can get a hold of you?  I have not heard of anyone getting a retirement Visa without proof of at least $800,000 baht.

Mark

Sorry my email is [email protected]

Showing money in bank accounts is a pain in the ass. You need to show a bank book and a letter from the bank verifying the amount of money and how long it has been in your account - I think current regs are 90 days.

Immigration in Chiang Mai would much rather you show proof of income by bringing a notarized form filled out at the U.S. Consulate here. The form is available3 at the consulate or can be downloaded from their website; the notary cost is 1,500 baht. The consulate has notary services on Tuesdays and Thursdays but you need to make an appointment on line. Just Google US consulate Chiang Mai.

So it doesn't matter have much you have in the bank, it only matters what you say your monthly income is on the form. Write it down, raise your hand and swear its true at the consulate. I've been doing it this way for years. I can't tell you what you need to get your non-immigrant vise. Others here seem to know more than i do.

When you get to immigration, they will look at the monthly income on the form, convert the amount to Thai baht and make sure it adds up to more the 800,000 baht per year. The end.

I sure hope you have more money that $25k. You can have the best time of your life for 2-3 months but how long do you really expect it to last.

I don't know what the guy is talking about who says you don't need to show any money. I've been here a loooong time and am quite sure if you can't prove you can support yourself, you don't get in.

Chiang Mai do take income, Bank or a combo from them to do retirement extension, or Income, Bank for Married extension.

The Bank letter cost around 200 baht, take your Bank 10 min to 3-4 hours up to the Bank. And it is NOT a pain in the ass.

But Immigration around Thailand donŽt like it if you come and show a bank prof of 800.000 baht because that look like "fake" to them, so have a little bit more, and there be no problem.

In Nonthaburi Immigration "like" you have 840.000 or more as they tell you 800.000 look like "fake" to them.
Have a lot of friends living in CM and they never have problem about use money in the Bank or combo.


wishbone32
Look like a ED-Visa be a good option for you, only remember you CAN`T work when on that.

Or like thetefldon write:

Multi entry tourist visa with extensions and border runs. Could get you 6-9 months in Thailand with border runs and extensions in Thailand.

After that you can go out of Thailand and get a new Multi entry tourist visa and start over.

Only thing to think about for Multi Entry Tourist Visa is that many Thai Embassy or Consulate only grant you 2 entry now if you read the rapport on the internet about the country around Thailand.

Other then that, i hope you have great time here in Thailand.

The Bank letter cost around 200 baht, take your Bank 10 min to 3-4 hours up to the Bank. And it is NOT a pain in the ass.


Hmmm, guess you're right. Hell, only 3-4 hours hanging around the bank?  What was I thinking when I said it's a pain in the ass.

Neil-cnx well 10 min is fast in my world, if the Bank say they need more time like a few hours it is still fast in my world, no one say you have to stay at the bank mate, go out, have some food, drink a beer, walk around.

But maybe you in rush and have no time to relax in your life, for me 10 min or a few hours is fast, and time to wait is NOT a pain in the ass, So many things to do here in Thailand-

Here a tip for you mate. go to your Bank say you need the bank letter tomorrow morning at open hours, and go on your day, next morning you pickup your letter when Bank open.
Or again for you that to must to ask and is to big a pain in your ass ??


See it this way mate, you say you pay 1,500 baht for you notary, have to get a online time, go/contact U.S. Consulate, so i do think you use more time, spend more money then do the Bank letter, but hey, it is to you..

I only want to point it, that you was wrong about what Chiang Mai Immigration want, so people know about it.

Hi Mark..Email is [email protected]  regards Mike in Chiangmai

Hi  sorry for delay in getting back to you..My email is [email protected]     send me a message and I will reply,about the non 800,000 regards mike

I am looking to retire in the Chiang Mai area and am wondering if there is a place where expats tend to stay.

I got my original O-A retirement visa at the Thai Consulate in L.A.

piece of cake

~~~

I'm starting my ninth year living in CM, and each year I go to Thai immigration here in CM for my 'visa renewal'.

- Since I like to have cash in the bank here, I PREFER to go the 800,000 baht route.

- The Bangkok Bank letter costs me 100-baht, and takes on average, 10-minutes.

- Updating your 'book-bank' is FREE.

piece of cake

~~~
However, a couple of times, I've gone the $50 U.S. consulate affadavit route.

ALSO, a piece of cake.

***
With an O-A retirent visa, you need to go every 90-days to the Thai immigration office. On average for me, 1-2 hours.

With an O-A retirement visa you do NOT need to make 'border runs'.

seattle99 wrote:

I got my original O-A retirement visa at the Thai Consulate in L.A.

piece of cake

~~~

I'm starting my ninth year living in CM, and each year I go to Thai immigration here in CM for my 'visa renewal'.

- Since I like to have cash in the bank here, I PREFER to go the 800,000 baht route.

- The Bangkok Bank letter costs me 100-baht, and takes on average, 10-minutes.

- Updating your 'book-bank' is FREE.

piece of cake

~~~
However, a couple of times, I've gone the $50 U.S. consulate affadavit route.

ALSO, a piece of cake.

***
With an O-A retirent visa, you need to go every 90-days to the Thai immigration office. On average for me, 1-2 hours.

With an O-A retirement visa you do NOT need to make 'border runs'.

Thanks for the information.

Can i ask
With O-A retirement visa for the 90 day Immigration visit.
What do you have to do just get the 90 day visa checked.
As in OZ we can get the 1 year, which you have to go to Immigration to tell them you are still there.

After the original 1 year O-A retirement visa.
What do you have to do get another 1 year O-A retirement visa
Or get the 90 day ones.
I believe you have to show the 800 000 Baht from the bank, plus the correct paperwork.
Thanks in advance.
Ed

Non O "retirement" extension (It is not a visa but a extension to stay)
You can google it, as i am not sure i can put link here for it.

But simple put, one need:

65.000 baht before tax in income pr month. income certificate from your Embassy.

OR

800.000 baht in the bank. bank statement showing a deposit of the money.

Or

A deposit account plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht.

So let say you have 500.000 in the bank, then you need a income 300.000 / 12 = 25.000 baht pr month.

The other way around:
you have 32.000 baht income pr month = 384.000 baht pr year.
800.000 - 384.000 = 416.000 baht in the bank.
It is simple like that.


One thing about the money in the bank.
DonŽt use a account you canŽt put money in or withdraw money from, like some of the fix/locked account in Thailand to get better rate.
Because sometime the Immigration MIGHT ask you to go and put 100 baht on you account, and withdraw 100 baht again, and bring the new ATM slip.
I only say this, as a few friends try it, and my friends account was locked.
So i become a big problem, and was told to stop use that kind of account for it.

All so remember to have a little bit more then what it is need.
Like if you use the bank 800.000 baht, have like 820.000 baht or more, make it more easy, as some Immigration think it is strange that people only have the 800.000 baht.

You still have to do 90 days addresses report to the Immigration Office.
But more and more place that can be done by letter now.
Thailand have make a "Special" system for it, and it work fine the place i live to now.
All so you can get others to do it for you, like you GF, Wife, motorbike taxi and so on.

The '90-day', is entirely different than the VISA (retirement, or work, or education, or ...).

~~~
Basically the '90-day' is simply a 'show your face'.

It's FREE, and you don't need a photo.

All that is required is to fill out a form, and provided a copy of your passport.

~~~
I know, although I've never done it:

- You can also do it via mail

- You can also pay to have someone take it in for you