Retiring in Thailand, visa info

Hi Dave, you will get a lot of information, some will be totally wrong, and will cost you a lot of money and hassles in life. But, some will be accurate. Usually you get the most advise from individuals who want to make money off of you. My husband and I just went through all of this with getting our visas. I will write back with some more details for you. I have told everyone of the experiences we have had , that we would help out anyone for free. Why because you need a friend when doing all of this, not someone looking to make a buck off of you. So please stay tuned for some of my comments later in the next 2 hours.

I'm no visa expert.  I've lived here with a yearly retirement extension for 8 years now.  I have an English couple, husband and wife, and she gets a visa from her husband's 'retirement visa.  They call it a piggy back visa.  Obviously, that's not the correct term.  Maybe worth looking into.   They found out about this at the immigration office.  As previously mentioned, you will find a lot of agents that will sort a visa out for you for a fee.  But it's not difficult to do yourself.  Good luck.  If you want more info regarding my friends piggy back visa, let me know and I'll get the details for you.

Sorry went for a run this morning.  If we had to do it all over again, we would have applied while still in the states.  But , we did not know that we were going to be coming here until we got to Vietnam.  It is pretty straight forward, when going on line and looking at everything that is required to get a retirement visa . You will be able to down load the forms .
Money, you do not have to put the required amount of money in a Thai bank account. There is a financial statement you can print out. If you want, you fill it out and enter the amount of money that you get per month ( which has to equal out to about $2,000 a month) take that form to your consulate, and have them notarize it. Your wife can do the same thing.  But, if you want you wife to Piggy back on your visa. Meaning she dose not have to show any financial statement. She will receive a Non O 90 visa, which means she has to leave the country of Thailand every 90 day.  But , please understand, a lot of people will tell you that with the actual form you fill out for the consulate to notarize , you have to supply them with all your bank financial statements, THIS IS UNTRUE. The financial form is enough. 
If your applying from the states, or any other country, you will need a Thailand address, so you can rent a apt. or service apt. and use that address when applying before you get here , that will be great.
What you both are applying for is a Non O Visa. If your wife dose not want to apply for her retirement when she get here that is fine. But , the Non O is a must. For your non O visa follow all the direction on line. Will come back to with more info later.

I will find out about the piggy back visa.  I know for a fact they don't have to leave Thailand after 90 days.  They just have to report to the immigration every 90 days.  Not sure where you got that part about leaving from?

I got it from a friend of ours that is Piggy backing on husbands visa. Also got that info from a Agent that I would not recommend to any one. I'm sure G4T would get it done right so you would not have to leave the country. You are probably right. It is a hit and miss as we all know here in Thailand.

I just talked with one of the agents G4T, what I said was incorrect. G4T says you have to leave the country if you have non O visa and are piggy backing. But, I have another friend that has been here for 20 plus years, that she dose not have to leave the country. Go figure. But things have changed drastically in the last 6 months .

Husband should obtain Non-Immigrant O-A visa before leaving Canada.  Wife should obtain Non-Immigrant  O visa as dependent of husband before leaving Canada.  Upon arrival in Thailand husband will receive 1 year permission to stay stamp and wife will receive 90 day permission to stay stamp.  During the last thirty days of wife permission to stay she will apply for extension of stay as dependent of husband.  She will then receiver permission to stay stamp to same date husband received upon entry into Thailand.

Wife will piggy back husband so do not need to meet any financial requirements.  Wife can apply for extension up to 30 days before permission to stay date so don't wait till last minute.

Upon entering Thailand you both will start a 90 clock which requires you report to immigration.  This can be done up to 15 days early or seven days late.  You must report every 90 days.

Thank you, look forward to hearing back

Hi Dpetryk

I'm no fan of agents over here, although some are very good, and sometimes necessary. I don't think you're allowed to advertise on here.  I have a website of a very good visa agent that will give you free advice and tell you the latest requirements free of charge.  PM me if you want his website address.

Thanks Hoistman, this is very helpful and The piggyback option sounds like the way to go.  If you could get more info from the couple that would be great.  My wife is 48 and as understand it she would have to be 50 for the retirement visa.  So, I guess we are looking for a two year interim solution.
Thanks again for your help.
Dave

Thanks straydog, greatly appreciated.
Dave

Thanks Sojoge, great help.

Hey , where are you thinking of Moving in Thailand ? There are some fabulous people here, as you could read on some of the people that replied.  We have really enjoyed our time so far here. We love the locals , and the expats. Lots of things to do here. Plus tell your wife that you can buy almost anything you need.   We elected to rent a Moobaan in San Sai, 10 minuets from downtown Chiang Mai  Why , because my  husband and I are too noisy for the condo scene.  We like to have house parties ever so often, and we like to hoot and howler at TV sports games . Good luck

Using an agent to obtain your visa extensions once in Thailand is totally unnecessary because its a very simple process if you have the necessary information.

Suggest you Google search for:  police order 327/2557

Download the PDF file and look at 2.20 and 2.22 in Rules for Consideration of application.  These are the two that will cover your wife and yourself when doing any extensions.

The following are what I provided for my last retirement extension:

1.  Completed TM 7 application with photo attached.
2.  Copy of recent utility bill to prove address
3.  Letter from Thai Bank showing account balance (I use 800k baht method)
4.  Copy of last 3 months from my bank book (proves balance above 800K for 3 months)
5.  Copies of following from passport:
a.  information page of Passport
b.  current permission to stay stamp (my last extension)
c.  entry visa (I have new passport so stamp with notes only)
d.  Departure card (should be stapled in passport, don't lose this card)

Hi.....my wife and I retired in Thailand in 2013 and lived there for three years. Almost the same situation as you. She is American, I am Canadian.  I was 62 at the time, she was 41 and obtained her visa as my dependent.

We entered Thailand on a "visa on arrival" since we were moving from another country, not our home countries. I was able to apply for my Non-Immigrant O and subsequent retirement extension from inside Thailand.  My wife had to leave the country to get her Non-Immigrant O after I got mine.  After I got my O-A retirement extension, then she got her dependent visa on the same day. They did them both together at the same time. 

It is probably easier if you can get all these visas before you leave home but, as you can see, not totally necessary.  The financial requirement covers both of you as long as you don't have the required savings in a joint bank account, or they only count half. The bank account must only be in the name of the person applying for the retirement extension.

As others have said, it is a fairly easy process if you have all the paperwork.

We are thinking somewhere around Chiang Mai.  We have been in Chiang Mai twice, just returned from a month there a few weeks ago.  We like to play a lot of golf and find that there are lots of options in the area.  Sounds like you are having fun there and it is great to see how respondent people on this forum are.  We are pretty excited about making the move, all going well by December.

Hello, I'm planning to move to Thailand when my wife can retired.
I'd like to know if there're some Spanish retired living in  Thailand.
Thanks

You could get a Thailand Elite Visa for your wife. Detaills can be found here: http://www.thailandelite.com

Straydog wrote:

Upon entering Thailand you both will start a 90 clock which requires you report to immigration.  This can be done up to 15 days early or seven days late.  You must report every 90 days.

Straydog, is this required of retirement visas?

I know that people with tourist visas renew theirs every 90 days as well. But that's different isn't it?

Thanks!

Ruffian Dick wrote:

Straydog wrote:

Upon entering Thailand you both will start a 90 clock which requires you report to immigration.  This can be done up to 15 days early or seven days late.  You must report every 90 days.

Straydog, is this required of retirement visas?

I know that people with tourist visas renew theirs every 90 days as well. But that's different isn't it?

Thanks!

Visa's and 90 day reporting are two different things.  If you remain in Thailand for 90 days without leaving, regardless of visa type, you must report your current address to immigration.  After you do 90 day report the clock resets and starts counting again.

Hello I would like to meet someone Spanish retired who live in Thailand o Malaysia.

Hello Hoistman.
I have read your message string. You talked about a website/Visa agent. I am up here in CMai as I was in Bangkok for awhile.
2 questions:
1. The website and name of the person as I am trying to go through the process of an Non O retirement.
2. Have you ever done the Visa process yourself? I know about most of the forms and have gone through the immigration in Bkk. Please advise.
thank you for your help and time............if you have it. much appreciated.

My wife is Thai and has massive knowledge about the processes (and personalities) at immigration.  She formerly worked for a concierge service here in Chiang Mai and took a new position with an IT company. It will be up to her if she wants to take on any new freelance projects, but I did not lift more than a pen and some baht to get my retirement visa effortlessly (on my part). The ins and outs keep changing, and often it is down to who (not just what) one knows to surf the tides here. Email me if you care for further investigation: ***

Peace,
Ricardo

hello?

Hello Ricardo.........

who were you pointing this advise to? If me............since lifting a pen and paying for the fees and........time. If, possible. And, it might have been me that you would so kindly talk of lifting pens. As the coffee cup is all that I can muster up these days. Very different from Bkk. But. that is why I came here. hoping to not......deal with agents and simply fill out the necessary forms. And, if your message was not pointed to me. Then. enjoy your time. respect.

The visa requirements are the same at all immigration offices. If you're missing something they will tell you what you need. You will need the following as a minimum:
- TM7 extension of stay form filled out
- rental agreement to prove residence
- income affidavit notarized at US embassy stating sufficient monthly income OR a bank account showing sufficient funds, 800,000 THB
- copies of passport data page, visa entry stamp page
- copies of passport retirement stamp page, multiple re-entry stamp page if renewing
- passport photo
- passport
- cash for the fees

Thank you for your help.
I am migrating from NonB visa as I had a registered company. However, it went a bit sideways. So. my age allows for me to go the route for a retirement visa. This will be my first time to apply. I have read some of the requirements. However, the one glaring issue that does not make sense is the Police background check/report. I am here in Chiang Mai and that seems one step of not making sense. Or, is that something to not worry about? Again. thank you for your help and guidance.

Zeus.wmo......I found another website, which answered my question. When outside of the country is it necessary. Applying here in Thailand is not necessary. thanks again.

Hi, I'd like to have your contact's info but don't know how to send a PM on this forum! Maybe you can PM me the info. BTW, it looks like ads/promotions are allowed on the site.
cheers, Bev

The admin will not allow contact info. See my name on Facebook. Same face avatar.

jbeverly wrote:

BTW, it looks like ads/promotions are allowed on the site.
cheers, Bev

No, they are not.

There is a classifieds section but adverts are vetted so things like dodgy quack medicine and other scams are never allowed.

This morning, I visited the US consulate and took my first step toward getting a retirement visa.
I first needed to make an appointment. The website said I needed to print out my appointment form, but since I'm still in a hotel and didn't bring my inkjet printer on the plane, I just made a pdf copy to carry in my iphone. Well, they took my iphone as soon as I came into the consulate (couldn't tell the time either!) but they didn't really need that.
It was bureaucracy, but it was OUR bureaucracy, haha! Soon, I will try out Thai bureaucracy for comparison. Happy Makha Bucha day!

There is no such thing as a retirement visa, you can only get a retirement extension and that usually has to be an extension of a single or multiple entry O visa, for the first time a multiple gives you time to breathe, 800000 bht in a savings account in the bank for 2 months before applying, after that 3 months before applying. You can use a pension and money to get to the 800000 requirement. The pension though has to be confirmed from your embassy every year. It is easiest to use a Thai bank but not all Thai banks will give you an account and it must be a savings account, you may have to shop around. If you are living near to a border dont bother with the extension, you get 15 months with a standard multiple O, with the extension you only get one year and you still have to report to immigration every 3 months.