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Can my French wife apply for a retirement visa in Thailand if she enters on a visa exemption?

Retirement VisaNon-O VisaVisa ExemptionFinancial RequirementsThailand ImmigrationBank Account RequirementsAccommodation Proof
Jun 24, 2022
2 years ago
Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone, I'd like to confirm some assumptions regarding a retirement visa application for my French wife.

1 - She will come on a visa exemption for 30 days and intends to do the conversion to retirement when she is here. Is that still possible?

2 - She will have 800k in the bank, however at present she doesn't have a bank account yet, so she sent the money to me from abroad and when she gets here she will open an account and I will transfer the cash to her. Is this ok?

I am asking as I wouldn't want to have to prove that she received the money from abroad as I was asked five years ago when I went through this process for myself.

3 - Will the Immigration ask anything of my landlord? (I.e. Rental agreement, house book, id card)

Thanks in advance,

Max
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion revolves around a French applicant's concerns regarding the retirement visa application process in Thailand. Key points include whether she can apply for retirement status after entering on a 30-day visa exemption, the necessity of having funds in her Thai bank account to avoid proving the source of income, and the requirements for proof of accommodation during the application process. Responses indicate that she needs to transfer her funds to her account and might require various documents depending on the local immigration office's policies.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
John **********
Max what is your own status in Thailand? What type of visa are you on? If you are married she could potentially piggy back on you without any financial requirements
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 i am on retirement visa. I will see if I can turn my account into a joint account, otherwise I can send 800k to her account when she has one. I am less worried about that then I am about the landlord papers: house book and rental agreement (rental is in my name), as those may be more difficult to source.
2 years ago
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John **********
@Max ********
 isn't that covered by the tm30? But I'm pretty sure you can also use your lease even if it's in your name
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
@John *********
 That depends on the Immigration offices. Some may require you to provide those documents from the landload with TM30 receipt.
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 will find out when she comes... TM30 first, then open bank account, then send the money, then go to IO and find out what they require.

Thanks a lot.
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
@Max ********
 ,You better check the requirements at your local IO as soon as possible (at least before sending your money)
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ellie ******
 yes, sure I will do before sending the money. It's a small IO so they will remember me, and I am tempted to go and ask earlier but am worried about getting answers I don't like or temp them to ask bribes. I think I will go and be open to them, and see what they say.

Joint bank account would be good, and using just the TM30 without housebook would also be good.

Regarding the TM30, is the housebook required for that? If it is I may get a copy when that gets done...
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
@Max ********
 If your landlord will submit your and your wife's TM30, you don't need it. If you do your TM30, may or may not be required.
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ellie ******
 thanks.
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just added a question at the end of my comment
2 years ago
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Max *********
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John **********
@Max ********
 also if she does wish to pursue her own visa then the money to for the initial application in country must come from overseas. Transfer between Thai accounts won't work
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 yes, got that.
2 years ago
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Max *********
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John **********
@Max ********
 if you are on a retirement visa she should be able to simply piggy back on your visa without any financial implications, but she would need to obtain a Non-O visa before winging her way here as can't get in country in this situation. As to registering her address etc if you have a lease and are registered at the address you should be able to use the same information to register her
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 we are getting the TM30 ok, the lease is on my name and for the house book we need to ask the landlord, which may prove to be difficult.
2 years ago
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John **********
@Max ********
 if you get a tm30 you should be fine
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
 you mean? No housebook?
2 years ago
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Max *********
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Ellie *******
As she is a French, better to check if French Embassy in Thailand would issue an affidavit about her income for her required funds.

1. It is possible.

But, if she wants to do as 2. she needs to transfer her funds internationally to HER Thai bank account. That's a requirement for the initial in-country Non-O based on retirement.

Or if she doesn't want to prove the source of her money, she NEEDS to get her initial Non-O from abroad.

So if she wants to do like 1, the answer to 2 is No, it's not okay.

3. Depends on immigration offices, but at least she needs her TM30 receipt. At some IOs, your lease and invitation letter might work for her to prove of her accommodation. At some other, she might need to have your lease, proof of the relationship between you, landlord ID, etc.

You have to go to your local immigration office to get the latest handout of requirements of in-country Non-O retirement AND ask them about detail in her case.

Here is the comparison of the routes for long-term stay as retirement. This is just a summary, not the detailed requirements.
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
And This is also general information for a 1-year extension based on being over 50, when she already has initial Non-O retirement
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
This is the GENERAL requirements list for in-country Non-O based on retirement. Again, requirements are immigration office-specific.

*********************************************************************************************************
*******
/9.FOR-RETIREMENT-PURPOSES-50-YEARS-OLD-NON-O.pdf
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ellie ******
 thanks a lot. Regarding point 2, do you think that her having sent the money to my account from abroad MAY or WOULD be acceptable?
2 years ago
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Steve ********
@Max ********
 I don't think it would. A few years ago I initially sent 800k to my Thai girlfriend's account (as I didn't have one) and which subsequently was transferred to my own account when I opened it. Although the paper trail was there to show the money had originally come from overseas, it hadn't gone into my own account, so I had to transfer a further 800k to meet the requirement
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
@Max ********
, It wouldn't be acceptable.

IF you have a joint account with her AND have records of international transfers total of 1,600K thb, MIGHT work. You need to ask your local IO.
2 years ago
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Albert ******
@Ellie ******
 any comments if money is wire via wise transfer? Should it be considered as overseas transfer? Thanks
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Albert *****
 i add my hearsay... i think if your account is bangkok bank it would be marked as international, whereas some other banks would go through bkk bank. Not sure though.
2 years ago
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Nongnuch ********
@Max ********
 she could alternatively bring the 800,000.-THB into Thailand by cash. She needs to declare it to the customs officers on both ends - export in France and import into Thailand at the Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Thai customs will give her a receipt which can be used as the proof the money came in from abroad
2 years ago
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Ellie *******
@Albert *****
 As long as it's marked as an international transfer in the bank record, it would be fine. But detail for "how to use the money transfer service" is out of the scope of this group. Please try other wise-transfer-related groups for detail.
2 years ago
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Albert ******
@Ellie ******
 thank you Ellie 🙏
2 years ago
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Max *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ellie ******
 thanks
2 years ago
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Max *********
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