Retirement visa help

Visa questions, companies, work permits, employment, insurance, banking and finance, and legal issues.
User avatar
migrant
Addict
Addict
Posts: 5860
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:15 am
Location: California is now in the past hello Thailand!!

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by migrant »

lomuamart wrote:Yes it is, but he needs to upgrade his tv to a Non Imm O first. To do that, there need to be at least 15 days left on his permitted to stay date from the tv. He'll need to prove income/savings and all the rest and the visa will be upgraded accordingly.
Think he should then have another 90 days permitted to stay (from the new O visa) and within the last 30 days of that, he applies for the annual extension as normal.
Therefore, two trips to Imm, two proofs of income/savings etc.
Perfectly possible with one extra stage built in.
exactly what I did. Recently got the 12 month extension off my 90 day
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
User avatar
barrys
Legend
Legend
Posts: 2281
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 1:52 pm
Location: Enjoying the sea air on a boat around Pak Nam Pran

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by barrys »

Thanks a lot for the info, guys!
fabman
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 242
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:12 am

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by fabman »

I am just trying to decide which route to go down with the retirement visa O,A ( i am over 50 years old ) I am living in England at the moment and the whole process has been a bit of a nightmare. Its working out really expensive, i dont have medical records ( due to living out of the country for a long time ) they were put into storage after i left my last doctor and can take up to 6 months to get transferred to your new GP ! So here is how much roughly everything costs ..
£180 for a private medical
£125 for the visa
£45 for police check
£20 for soliciters stamp of documents
+ 2 days in London , dropping off visa and picking it up the next day + photos & a lot of aggravation.
The good thing about this visa is that you can stay in Thailand for up to 2 years

Because of the cost and aggravation though i am now thinking of going down the other route, can someone please give me advice on this information

I get a single entry tourist visa ( this allows me to stay in Thailand for 2 or 3 months ? ) cost £50
When there are less than 30 days left ( but more than 15 days ) i apply for the O,retirement visa ( which allows me to stay for another year ) cost 1900-2000 baht

With the proof of income i would have to go down the route of 800 thousand thai baht ( combined monthly income and savings ) does this money have to be in a Thai bank account or can your income and saving be in a UK savings accounts ?

Does the UK embassy accept bank statements as verifying proof of income or does it have to be more indepth

Thanks for any advice
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by lomuamart »

You've got a couple of options in lieu of the OA visa. The first is to get a TV and convert to non Immigrant O in Thailand and then extend - as has been explained above.
The other, and I would suggest better, alternative is to get the O visa in the UK. This cuts out the need to upgrade the visa in Thailand. (Annual extensions are only given on the back of Non Immigrant visas).
There are two types of Non Imm O visas - single entry or multiple entry. I'll say, first off that there have been quite a few changes lately with regard to what Thai Embassies or consulates want to see from you to get the O visa, especially with regard to finances, and I'm not fully up to speed with what the London Embassy now require - take a look at their web site. However, a single entry O will always be easier to get than a multi entry.
It should also be pointed out that the O visa does not require medical or police reports like the OA does.
The potential drawback to a single entry O visa is that you say you will apply for a retirement extension on the basis of income and savings. It's all a matter of timing and the big question is whether you have the savings part in a Thai bank account already. If you havn't, then you could have a problem because HH Imm insist that the savings must be in a Thai bank account for 3 months before you apply for your extension (despite the fact that the Police Order governing this clearly states that it's 2 months for the first extension and 3 months for subsequent ones). Reason for that is to allow people a month's grace period to get their finances in order. The single entry O visa is good for 90 days so you don't have the time to season your savings on that visa.
To answer your other questions - as already explained, savings must be in a Thai bank account.
For income, the British Embassy will accept bank statements, 3 I think. See here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration
The multi entry O will give you unlimited entries into Thailand whilst the visa is valid - 1 year from date of issue. Each entry will give you 90 days. You have to exit and re-enter every 90 days. But this visa would obviously give you the time to season your savings if you need it.
Hope that helps. I'm away for most of today but others will be able to assist if you've got any more questions.
fabman
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 242
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:12 am

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by fabman »

Thanks lomuamart , i guess i will go down the route of getting the visa here in England then , as i dont have the money in a Thai bank account. Its strange how you need to get a medical and police check done here in England and yet if you apply in Thailand they dont ask for any of these things ...TIT :?
benmo
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 170
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:05 pm

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by benmo »

I have a O/A multi entry visa which I will use to get the extension via the income route. What is the position regarding my wife - does she piggyback?
hhnewbie
Member
Member
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:53 pm

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by hhnewbie »

After many years of coming to Hua Hin for the winter on Tourist Visa, we decided to try the retirement route for my husband first and since I think Thai embassies in different countries have different requirements and starting 2016 with the (new) multiple tourist visa, the requirements have changed yet again and here is the procedure coming from Switzerland:

September 2016: To Thai Consulate in Basel for a single entry "O" visa good for 90 days stay. The Consulates in Switzerland no longer issue multi entry "O", it was either multi entries Tourist or single entry "O" to be extended in Thailand after 90 days is up. To get the single entry "O" we needed to show:

1. 800,000 BHT in a Thai bank
2. Police record
3. Doctor's certification
4. rental agreement

October 2016: Arrived in BKK, stamped in for 90 days until 6 Jan 2017, we made a short trip to China at end of October with a re-entry permit so the 6 Jan 2017 expiration date was still valid when we came back early November.

December 2016: just a couple of days ago we went to the immigration for the one year extension with the Bank letter and the bank book, have all the necessary copies of documents made at the immigration copy center and the lady there arranged everything neatly in a pile and the officer at the immigration didn't even flip through the copies, just ask for the bank book and stamped the extension for one year until 06 Jan 2018 plus a one year multi re-entry permit. Done in 15 minutes.

That was for my husband, I came in on a multi Tourist because I don't have a Thai bank account and the new requirement in Switzerland to get a multi Tourist now is to show 6 months of bank statements (Swiss) with min 7000 CHF!

I think they are trying to streamline all the different types of visa now as years ago in Switzerland you can apply for single/multi Tourist Visa, single/multi "O" Visa and the "O-A" and now there is only the 2 types of Tourist and the single "O".

Last year when we were at the HH immigration for 30 days extension on our 2 entries Tourist Visa (old version - no longer available, replaced by multi now), we asked about the retirement extension and the Officer said it was easier if we could get visa from abroad first then extend it Hua Hin so that is what we did and it worked perfectly.
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by lomuamart »

fabman wrote:Thanks lomuamart , i guess i will go down the route of getting the visa here in England then , as i dont have the money in a Thai bank account. Its strange how you need to get a medical and police check done here in England and yet if you apply in Thailand they dont ask for any of these things ...TIT :?
Maybe I didn't explain things correctly, but you've got to be careful what visa you get in the UK as you've now advised that you don't have the savings part of your financials seasoned already.
If you get a single entry Non Imm O visa, you'll be permitted to say here for 90 days on entry. So, as your savings need to be seasoned for 3 months and you haven't set that up yet, you're knackered. It's a Catch 22 in HH. You simply won't have the time on the single entry Non O.
(This is why Imm law says that savings should only be seasoned for 2 months on the first extension. It gives new applicants such as yourself on a single entry O visa, a month to get your savings sorted out. Unfortunately, HH Imm don't see it that way).
So, you really need a multiple entry Non Imm O visa. Or that OA visa, or get the single entry O and be prepared to exit Thailand and get another one from a neighbouring country (ie Penang in Mayalsia) whilst your money seasons in a Thai bank account.
jungle
Member
Member
Posts: 94
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:43 am

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by jungle »

for the 800k savings in a Thai bank, for a married couple will they accept 1.6M i a joint account. I have a Thai bank account my wife does not but i can change to a joint account when we get to Hua Hin and the money would of been in for more than 3 months, would that work ?
on the other hand, do you need 800K in the bank for a "O" visa or just the "O-A"
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by lomuamart »

For an annual extension based on retirement, obtained here in Thailand, you need the 800K in your own Thai bank account - no joint accounts.
Your wife, as long as you prove marriage de facto and de jure, can piggyback on your 800K and she'll get an annual extension as well.
Not sure where you're coming from regarding the visas. Both of you will need Non Immigrant visas, be they type O or OA. As stated above, I'm not sure what financial requirements individual Embassies make these days. They vary so you need to check yourself.
The main thing is that you both need a Non Immigrant visa of some sort to extend off. I'm sure that you'll both find the process of extending pretty easy when you get here.
jungle
Member
Member
Posts: 94
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:43 am

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by jungle »

thanks Lomuamart, trying to get a Non Imm "O" visa is not easy. i was told by the Thai embassy here in Korea, Singapore and Canberra that i would have to get a 60 tourist visa and change that to a "O" visa while in Hua Hin. From the info on the form for the "O" visa is only if you are visiting Thai family etc. I was also told that my wife and i would need our own bank account with the 800K funds. It is like every Thai embassy around the world makes up its own rules. it would make things far too simple for them all to stick to the same!!!!
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by lomuamart »

Sorry to hear that, but an O visa should be available for retirement. Ie, over 50 and meet the financial requirements.
"O" stands for "other" and those others should be retirement, supporting a Thai wife or supporting your Thai children.
I have read elsewhere that Embassies and consulates are getting a bit picky about these Non Immigrant visas but bearing in mind that you need one to extend annually, I don't understand the reluctance to issue the correct visa. Then again, I don't make the rules or sit behind that desk.
As has been said to you by the Embassies, you can upgrade from a TV to a Non Imm O here in Hua Hin. It's just a bit of hassle, extra steps but definitely doable.
I don't understand the advice you're getting about your wife and her need for a separate 800K. AFAIA, that simply isn't the case. As long as you prove that you're married (probably need documents attested by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and your Embassy), your wife can get her annual extension as your dependent.
A number of years ago, a law was enacted whereby the spouse had to show his/her savings or income but there was a huge backlash about that and it was repealed pretty quickly. And the dependent "law" still remains valid to this day - AFAIA.
jungle
Member
Member
Posts: 94
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:43 am

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by jungle »

Lomuamart,
below is the reply i got back from Canberra, if we were to get the 60 day tourist visa and change that to a "O" visa which would that mean the missus would also get the 90 day visa as a dependent and same again when we change to an "O-A" visa

Non-Immigrant O visa is for people entering Thailand to work, study or visiting Thai wife or child/ren.
In your case, you can only apply for a Tourist visa which will permit you to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days.
This visa can be extended for another 30 days in Thailand before its expiry by going to the Immigration office.
If you'd like to apply for a Retirement visa, you must lodge your application at the embassy in the country where
you have residency.


Kind regards
Visa and Consular Services
Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by lomuamart »

Well, it's difficult to argue with an Embassy, but IMHO, Canberra have got it wrong. Sure, those reasons for issuing an O visa are valid but so is getting one for the purposes of retirement. See here:
http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4 ... -Visa.html
There are plenty of people here living on annual extensions on the basis of supporting a Thai wife or their Thai children. But I'd hazard a guess that the vast majority are on the basis of retirement.
When Canberra mention the retirement visa, they mean a Non Immigrant OA which is a long stay visa and commonly referred to as a retirement visa. And yes, you need to apply to the Embassy in your home country or where you are domiciled. That gets you a year's permission to stay on entry. But you can't apply for the annual extension until the final 30 days of that. Many people want to extend quicker and that's one of the reasons for getting the Non immigrant O visa - gives 90 days on entry.
And yes, you can upgrade a tourist visa to a Non Immigrant O here in HH but why not get the O visa first? I guess because Canberra aren't going to issue you one!!
Have another go at them and use that MFA link. A Non Immigrant O visa can clearly be issued on the basis of retirement.
User avatar
London Boy
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 161
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:33 pm

Re: Retirement visa help

Post by London Boy »

We have to renew our "retirement visa" first week of January and we have noticed a medical form which has to be submitted so my question is do I have to submit along with everything else which is required or can we get away with not completing this bit
Post Reply