entry visas

[lisa]

we will be arriving in th on 9/29/12. it is my understanding that i can get a visa at the airport when we arrive. we plan to make th our home. i'm 62 and my bride is 46. what is the latest on visas?

[lomuamart]

Need a bit more info - such as nationality.

[lisa]

Sorry, we are both U.S. Citizens. we have a one way airlines ticket. Neither of us plan or desire to work. As I understand the visa rules we more than qualify on an income basis w/ about $60,000 a year in income. I plan on bringing proof of income etc. I hope this helps.
not sure what all info would be helpful to get a more clearer picture. Thanks for helping us out!

[johnnyk]

It's not something you do at the airport. At the airport you get a 30-day entry permit. You should apply for longer-term visas before you leave home. It takes a while to get a retirement visa. Othe members here have more info on that.

[Big Boy]

Technically, you will not be permitted to board your aircraft if you only have a one way ticket, and no appropriate visa.

Basically, you've got to do the work now - not when you arrive in Thailand.

[lisa]

I thought I had read in phillip bryces book as well as in fodor's thailand guide that the airline would simply ask you to sign a waiver so the airlines is not on the hook to ship us back should th refuse us entry. is th pretty struck on this issue. one of the above mentioned books said most custom agents will allow you entry if you look as if you can support yourself or have proof of adequate finances-no?

[lomuamart]

As above. You should get a proper visa in the US first. All you'll get at the airport is a 30 day visa exempt stamp which can be converted here but you say you're coming on a one-way ticket. The airline may well not allow you to board unless you have a return ticket out of Thailand within 30 days.
Your best bet is to get an Non Immigrant O visa first. Your reason for this is to retire here. Your wife isn't 50 yet but should be able to get one also as you're married. If she can't, then a tourist visa will have to do and she'll need to upgrade to a Non O here. You need to speak to your Thai Embassy/consulate and find out what they want to see.
The Non O visa comes as either single entry or multiple. You've got plenty of income so if you apply for an annual extension on the basis of retirement you need a minimum of 65k THB a month and you'll have to get a letter from the US Embassy in BKK confirming that. The single entry will suffice for you if you're proving income as you get 90 days on entry and can get your paperwork sorted out quite quickly. If you're going to satisfy financial requirements on the basis of savings (min 800K in a Thai bank account) be advised that HH Imm are wanting to see that money in the bank for 3 months before you apply for the extension so you won't have time to season the money in 90 days unless it's here already. In this instance, you'll need a multi-entry Non O and you'll have to search around for a Thai mission who'll issue you one - not all will.
Assuming all's well with income/savings, then you apply for an annual extension within the last 30 days of your 90 days entry. Prove income/savings and supply a few more details from your passport and you'll get it. You then just need to report to Imm every 90 days.
Your wife, who's not yet 50, can get an extension as your dependent so make sure you bring the marriage certificate with you when you come. Imm might want to see this translated into Thai and even want it verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in BKK so I suggest you go to see them shortly after you arrive and ask what they want to see.. If you leave yourself enough time, you should be fine.
All the above sounds complicated, I know, but if you follow the steps it actually isn't that bad. Again, you'll save yourselves hassle if you have the right visas when you arrive.

[Big Boy]

I thought I had read in phillip bryces book as well as in fodor's thailand guide that the airline would simply ask you to sign a waiver so the airlines is not on the hook to ship us back should th refuse us entry. is th pretty struck on this issue. one of the above mentioned books said most custom agents will allow you entry if you look as if you can support yourself or have proof of adequate finances-no?

It is your choice. Personally, I would not want to use a book by Phillip Bryce as a defence against following a country's rules and regulations. I wish you luck.

[dtaai-maai]

You're probably referring to advice for tourists/backpackers wanting to travel around SE Asia. Not the same if you're planning to arrive in Thailand and then seek an extension of stay for retirement (or any other purpose really).

You need to do a bit more research. All of the info you need is in this section, just dig around and you'll find it.

Start with this thread:viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20343

Good luck.

(EDIT: Alternatively, you can just read lomu's post!!)

[lomuamart]

I wouldn't rely on being able to sign a waiver. You've got plenty of time to get proper visas first. Don't leave things to chance at the airport.

[johnnyk]

As for Fodor's, IME often years out of date and caters to vacationers rather than people thinking about long-term.
Go by what the old hands here recommend, don't rely on books. Pointing to the book in a dispute won't work and why take chances on the regs, better to go to the airport with peace of mind.
The airport admitting officers are passport stampers, they likely know zero about financial regulations for retirement and are not the ones to examine and approve and issue a retirement visa. Going to your consulate office is excellent advice.

[Homer]

Another vote for getting the Non-Immigrant Type O visa before coming to Thailand. I couldn't do so because I was in a country where they don't issue such visas. Went through a lot more hassle than lomuamart described above because I had to leave Thailand to do part of it.

As for arriving at the airport in your country without a visa already in your passport. Consider the troubles of getting a visa before your flight against the problems caused by the airline not letting you get on the flight.

The best Internet source about all things related to Thai visas is a website who's name or ULR one can not mention on this forum.

[Mod Edit] Even cryptic clues to competing sites are not permitted.

[STEVE G]

The website of the Thai consulate in NY has some relevant information:
http://www.thaiconsulnewyork.com/english/visatype.php

[johnnyk]

OP lisa,
it sounds to me that you and your partner have not done a lot of research into retiring in Thailand. Many would recommend that you learn as much as you can before you come here. The rules and regs are complicated and often enforced selectively and inconsistently; you cannot count on something you read back home. Thailand can be a delghtful place to live but it is not the same as back home and you need to have some background on how things (actually) work before making such a big decision. I'm not being snarky, its just the more you know the better.

[Roel]

Fully agree with johnnyk.
Reading a book about the Alpes does not prepare you for a Mount Everest expedition.

The internet offers you the opportunity to find out everything you need to know beforehand thus avoiding unpleasant surprises later. Please consult lomuamart on this forum who has proven a reliable source of information regarding the latest visa requirements for many in the past.