Answered2 years ago
Can my mother apply for a retirement visa in Thailand while on a tourist visa and what are the requirements for her and my brother?
Hello. We are currently in Thailand on a 60-day tourist visa. My mom just turned 50 and is looking at a retirement visa. Since we are already here, would she have to have the 800,000 baht already or can she use the 65,000 baht per month requirement? Also, would she have to get health insurance, since she is here already in Thailand? Also, she has my brother, who would be a dependent until he is 20, so what visa would he apply for? I've looked at other posts but it's all so confusing.
Answer summary
The user inquires about the requirements for their mother to transition from a 60-day tourist visa to a retirement visa while in Thailand, specifically concerning financial requirements and insurance needs. Responses indicate that she would typically need to show 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account for the initial visa application unless she has an official income certificate from her embassy. Health insurance is not obligatory for the NON-O visa. Additionally, the user's brother can apply as a dependent until he turns 20, but specific immigration rules will apply, and it is recommended to consult local immigration offices for guidance.
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Ar *******
I see a lot of agents advertising on Facebook and there’s a very informative British guy who is often on buzzin Pattaya you tube blog as a guest giving visa and other advice . He and his Thai wife or partner have run a visa / travel business in Pattaya for a good number of years and prior to this he ran a similar agency in London. His advice on the visa requirements and pitfalls on the blog always seemed to be very clear,informative and measured. I haven’t used his agency but I would definitely consider him when I make the move to Thailand. I agree with some of the posts that agents can be expensive but let’s face it I would rather pay a professional like Him to do it and give me peace of mind and freedom to enjoy myself without having to tackle the complex immigration system with the language and other barriers. Massive respect to the people who do it themselves but I’m lazy and a bit unsure so while I have money and for peace of mind I’ll pay for my visa to be done by an agency. If in the future this practice is questioned I guess there will be another way that this can be sorted out. I love the debate and the poster is correct it could technically be classed illegal but if it’s not broken don’t fix it , let’s worry about what’s happening now and enjoy our retirement.
Keith *******
My suggestion would be to speak with a good agent preferably word of mouth. There's a lot of shysters in Thailand.
Cyndie ********
Get a good visa agent. The amount of misinformation on Facebook is tremendous.
Andy ************
@Cyndie *******
And visa agents spread their own misinformation whilst charging you *****
baht for a 1900 baht visaGordon *******
So many agents offering Visa services.They aren't hiding or concealing this service.
The Police obviously know about the service they're offering.
Why don't the Police or authorities close them down?
The Police obviously know about the service they're offering.
Why don't the Police or authorities close them down?
Gordon *******
We know it's illegal.
The authorities should stop the practice in which case
The authorities should stop the practice in which case
Greg ***********
@Gordon ******
why? Because they all belong to the corrupt forces of this wonderful country. They can be bought. Which doesn't make it legal. It's illegal and everybody knows
Gary *****
@Gordon ******
you must be simple mate close down your income ……WhyGordon *******
I don't know what you're referring to.
Im just saying there's plenty of Visa Agents operating legitimately in Thailand
Im just saying there's plenty of Visa Agents operating legitimately in Thailand
Gordon *******
In which case why don't the Police stop it or close it down if against the law?
Luit *****************
@Gordon ******
What do you consider as operating legitimately? Is handing some money to an officer to get a better treatment legitimate?
Graham ******
@Gordon ******
They started with Education and Volunteer Visas, Retirement could be nextGordon *******
@Graham *****
Possibly GrahamRene ********
Or contact an agent and for 1000 and a few hundred all sorted hassle free
Greg ***********
@Rene *******
speaking of misconceptions, YOU are the first one who started to spread a misconception . . . . . the agent takes a bit more than "1000 and a few hundreds" if you can't show own money for an application to a retirement 90-days Non-Imm-O visa. The agent's bribery fees now start at 30.000.- THB 😎Rene ********
@Greg **********
lol.i meant 1000 plus euros or dollars. And blessed may they be! For different people in different circumstances it's often a godsendGreg ***********
"wide range of interests" 😂 . . . all we can see in your profile is your interest in conspiracy theories 😂And the fact that Facebook closed about half of your contributions in your profile, gives a wide berth to the assumption that you posted FAKE news (deleted by FB). I bet I beat you in many fields, and by IQ. At the age of 14 I was attested IQ 135 - that's hard to beat, lad
Rene ********
Another retarded conservative in Asia. Lol. I'm interested in a wide range of issues that would no doubt fly over your head, archeology, sociOlogy, psychology. History, anthropology, geography, travel and culture, languages, to name but a few.... . So because one disagrees with your opinion and your statement, which is Archi conservative, you proceed directly to the ad hominem attacks. Hi basis conversation on what I see in this dialogue and have no need to go snooping on you because I'm sure I wouldn't find much of interest there anyway ...... No need, I stick to the point at hand
Rene ********
@Greg **********
fake?Greg ***********
@Rene *******
the sort of reply one can expect from a person like you, after checking his profile. My gosh, you must be desillusioned and brainwashed by all those fake stories you postedRene ********
@Greg **********
lol, you asssumeto much. I'm not using this method but I have done it years ago and at that time it was exactly what was needed due to circumstances which I'm not about to explain to you. There's nothing illegal about it and no one will attest you. I've discussed it openly at that time years ago with the immigration officers and entered and left the country many times on that Visa and no one blinked an eyelid. It's a back door to immigration with immigration involved in it so there's no risk, no danger and the stamp is as valid as yours or anyone else's who got one another way. If you are angry and frustrated at life, why don't you get angry with your country and the Western ones that supply weapons to carpetbomb Gaza! That's a far better cause and they are worthy of your anger and disgust. You shouldn't judge people when you don't know their circumstances.Each case is different. By the way I'm just standing up for the small guyGreg ***********
@Rene *******
yeah, it's a godsend so many cheap Charlies can longstay in Thailand on bribery and illegally achieved stay permits. It's such an enchanting lifestyle, living and balancing at the knife's edge every day bearing the fear and the risk of getting arrested and deported. Thanks to people like you, they bear the illusion of being just fine and loved by everybody and his grandmother. They are supporting and boosting the everday corruption machinery. Let's have a toast on all these fine people (irony off!)
Ken ***********
@Rene *******
many do this, but people new to the system should be advised that using an agent to bypass the financial requirements is illegal. While it may never become an issue, there is always a possibility that this is uncovered causing problems.Rene ********
@Ken **********
I don't agree.Luit *****************
@Rene *******
The agents work hand in hand with the immigration offices, but that does not make this legal.In Thailand a lot of things legal or not legal, just work a bit better for some extra money.
Luit *****************
@Rene *******
You really think that everything in this world, especially in Thailand, what is openly advertised is legal?Keep on dreaming...
Rene ********
@Ken **********
the internet is plastered with services offering visas. You know how restricted the laws are, for example, the case of lease majeste and affect anyone can sue you for slander at any point in time if you criticize them in public. Where is illegal, these people would have been pounced on long ago. It's not the classical route as outlaid in the law for foreigners, but it certainly is an open, legitimate and viable route that works perfectly and allows one to use the stems for entering exiting and doing all the official business without anyone raising an eye. As to the technicality of the bank account and what they do and what they don't do and who's involved and two gets a percentage, I'm only free to imagineRene ********
@Julane ******
YES, a smaller renewal fee around 12,000 to 15,000 and NO, you don't need a new agent. Heard of online services? You can easily go to the local immigration in your new city and do a letter of residency. Listen I didn't give a toss either way and I'm not here to argue. I'm just correcting some misconceptions that you are floating around out there. This doesn't affect me but I do happen to know the truth from years ago.
Julane *******
@Rene *******
you are every year obliged to pay that agent a fee agsin. Try moving to a new city...you need a new agent to FAKE the amounts in your bank account again. It's not legal.Ken ***********
@Rene *******
It is not my concern what people do. Live and let live. My only point is that a new person to the Thai Non O / OA visa system should be aware that paying an agent to supply the funds for a few days and then bribing an immigration official is illegal. The reality is that is often not a problem but it could become a legal liability. I am not making a judgment in what people do.Rene ********
@Ken **********
I didn't say that I do it now cuz I have done it in the past due to circumstances and I also left the country and came back into the country several times with all the stamps etc and no one blinked an eyeKen ***********
@Rene *******
you can do as you choose, but it is illegal full stop.Rene ********
@Ken **********
who do the agents work hand in hand with?Ken ***********
@Rene *******
the legal requirement is that the funds be in the person's account 2 months before the extension and 3 months after and that the account never goes below THB 400,000 fir the entire year. Are these conditions being met when using an agent ?Rene ********
@Ken **********
,,,,, I don't think it's illegal at all , people advertise openly......... I've discussed the matter with immigration offices themselves so I don't know what leads you to think that it's illegalKen ***********
@Rene *******
what exactly do you disagree with ?Andy ************
Book her into a cooking course and get the DTV. Keep her money at home
John **********
You appear to be American so assuming your mother also is she would need to use the 800k baht method for the initial 90 day non-o visa and the first years extension of stay. She would need to transfer it from overseas, generally theres no seasoning requirements for the initial non-o but a couple of places do require seasoning so would need to check with her local immigratiin office. Subsequent years she could use the 65k method assuming she has 12 full calendar months of transfers at the point she applied for the extension. As to your brother he could in theory get a dependent visa up until he turns 20 but again she needs to ask her local immigration, he may need to go elsewhere for it once she is on an extension of stay
Brandon ************
There's no insurance requirement for a non-O visa.
If your mother can use monthly income depends on what country you are from. The ONLY way to use monthly income for the initial visa and first 1-year extension is if you have income certificate from your embassy in Thailand. Many country's embassies no longer do this, and if that's the case then the ONLY way for her to get the visa and apply for extension is by showing 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account in her name.
If your mother can use monthly income depends on what country you are from. The ONLY way to use monthly income for the initial visa and first 1-year extension is if you have income certificate from your embassy in Thailand. Many country's embassies no longer do this, and if that's the case then the ONLY way for her to get the visa and apply for extension is by showing 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account in her name.
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