Retirement Visa for Thailand

[chicowoodduck]

Right on the money, Colin! The Thai-visa site is always good reading and a good reference spot as well. I look at the whole Thai visa picture much like I do the weather, every day expect bright sunshine, but be on the lookout for storm clouds on the horizon. I never expect things to happen in a normal or consistant manner when dealing with ANY government agency, no matter what country I'm residing in at the moment. I just try to keep up with the latest threads, bulletins and news alerts as they come and hope that I'm not the last to know!

[chicowoodduck]

I just keep up to date with the latest happenings with regard to the ever changing visa playing field by checking what my expat brothers and sisters have been going through. Nailing jello to a wall would be easier than trying to figure out what paperwork I should have at any given moment.

[retiredusn]

Given that you get your OA retirement visa, the nice thing is that at the moment you will be good for a year then by leaving and returning to Thailand you will receive another one year extension for free. So in effect you will have two years for the trouble you are now having on all the paper work. Been there, done that. Good Luck and try to keep the blood pressure down.

[synthia]

It's a shame that they are making things so difficult, not so much by the rules they establish but by changing them constantly and not enforcing them consistently. It's why I'm leaning toward Panama, where I can get a lifetime visa. I would have to submit proof every year that my pension hasn't disappeared into thin air, but that's it.

I met so many frustrated people when I was in Penang, stressed by the ever-changing requirements.

[chicowoodduck]

What's the old saying, expect the worst and hope for the best! I guess the best thing to do is keep checking the daily expat threads and when the time come to renew the paperwork, just find out where the most "user friendly" immigration people are located. In the meantime, it's off to the beach for a swim and a c-c-c-cold one, no paperwork required!

[treb]

I have just come to Thailand on a multipul entry visa and will apply for retirement visa soon, you need to show an account with 800,000 baht or an income of 65,000 per month, you will also need a police record check on yourself by your home police force and your birth certificate, when you arrive in Thailand you will need to get a Thai Doctor to check you over, then take all the above to Thai immigration for 1 year retirement visa, this can be renewed every 3 months at immigration without leaving the country. Hope this helps

[chicowoodduck]

I went the getting the "O-A" visa in my home country (US) route because it just seemed like less of a hassle.......check out a few of the threads on Thiavisa.com concerning this subject and for some advice on how to avoid any "bumps" in the "O-A" visa road when doing it in Thailand.....always interesting reading!

From my previous post........I'm just finishing up with the paperwork for the Retirement "O-A" visa and well, proof of income, is just the tip of the iceberg. A cost breakdown goes something like this....Bank of America statement verification letter ($10), FBI criminal clearance letter / fingerprints ($52), Thai visa ($65), US Priority Mail ($22), visa photos ($20), Four copies of all the paperwork ($6), Thai Retirement Visa (IF approved).....Priceless!

[SOMETIMESITHINK]

Retirement Visa- Says you you are not allowed to work, but if you leave the country, then surely you can. or is that a no no. On retirement, what if you do not have a pension, but only money from working outside the country.

[synthia]

You are not allowed to work in Thailand. They have no legal control over whether you work somewhere else, nor do they care. They just don't want you doing anything that might deprive a Thai of a job.

[chicowoodduck]

Originally Posted by SOMETIMESITHINK

Retirement Visa- Says you you are not allowed to work, but if you leave the country, then surely you can. or is that a no no. On retirement, what if you do not have a pension, but only money from working outside the country.

My O-A Non-Immigrant visa has in very clear print, "Employment Prohibited." The Thai goverment doesn't care how you earn your money, just as long as it's not earned in LOS. Of course, once it comes time to renew your O-A Retirement visa, hopefully you have a clear papertrail (your bank account statement, pension statement, etc.) showing how you supported yourself in the lap of luxury!