Do I need a Non-O visa to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand and what documentation is required?

Yes for sure. If the comments help and it can be done without an agent then all good. I avoid agents whenever I can. As you said yourself in your comments, Korat is known for problems. I hope he can get it without the agent. If not, then it is agent time.

Hmm, I thought that was the reason we had a group like this :/

It's so foreigners can share their information and experience so people don't need to pay an agent to push paper for them ;)

@Gary ******

That's not quite right. You're confusing getting a Non-B inside the country with getting a Non-O. They are totally different. I know down here in Bangkok some Non-B applications can go under consideration for 30 days before you go back.

Most immigration offices that do the Non-O from a 30 day visa exempt entry or a 60 day tourist visa entry require at least 15 days on the current stamp. That's because it goes under consideration for 14 days before you go back to get the Non-O and the new 90 day stamp inked into your passport.

They can do it for being married to a thai, being over 50 and supporting children. I have never seen them issue one for a "trailing spouse" <- where the wife of someone legally working here or retired here needs a Non-O to "piggy back" onto their spouses extension.

Yes, but only at certain offices and in certain circumstances (including non-O for the purposes of a retirement visa) and it's tricky; but you also need to have 3 (pref. 4) weeks left on your tourist visa... and in Darren's case, he'll have to go out anyway, in which case just get a non-O visa and be done with it. If your situation is non-standard in some way, get it done professionally!!

One more thing

@Dar***

, when you apply for the 90 day Non-O using the stat-dec notary, ask if you can use the same letter again when you apply for the yearly extension.

Here in Bangkok when you apply for the 90 day Non-O using the notary letter, they have you copy it AND write on the copy that you can use it for the yearly extension.

Saves on buying two stat-dec letters. Here's what that notation looks like

@Darren ******

Glad to hear that. (y) saves you a trip outta the country. When I did my first non-O based on being over 50 they wouldn't do it until I turned 50 :/ Thankfully Vientiane didn't have a problem issuing the 90 day single entry Non-O when I was 2 months short of turning 50 ;)

If I was a betting man I'd bet IF you're NOT going to be 50 AND don't have at least 15 days left on your current "admitted until" or "extension of stay" stamp you aren't gonna be able to do it.

I'd say "border-bounce" to get a 30 day visa exempt stamp, THEN apply for the 90 day Non-O in country.

OR

Go to a thai consulate and apply for the 90 day, single entry Non-O once you're 50 using the stat dec form.

extension of stay (based on the fact that you retired and meet the financial and age criteria).

You probably can because you don't apply for the retirement visa straight away. You only get a non-O visa and then about a month later you go in to get the retirement visa.

@Dar***

, You will need the stat-dec to apply for the initial 90 day Non-O at the immigration office so you can show them you meet the financial requirements.

Now

@Ga**

, you don't need to speak thai OR pay someone to push-paper to apply for a Non-O inside the country :/

Most immigration offices have a sheet in both thai & "engrish" that states exactly what you need to do a conversion from a 30 day visa exempt stamp or a 60 day tourist visa stamp to a 90 day Non-O.

Be advised, IF you're applying for the Non-O in bangkok based on being over 50 using 800K baht banked it IS a requirement that you show the money was transferred in from abroad.

You need to have a print out from your originating bank showing the swift code transfer to your thai account.

The good news is there is NO seasoning requirement when apply for the initial in-country Non-O.

That's only when you apply for the yearly extension. You could have transferred in the money yesterday and applied today as long as you can show it came from outside the country into your thai bank account.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you have to go to a Thai consulate (outside Thailand of course) to apply for the non-O. And, yes, you will need the affidavit in order to do so. Darren, you have so many questions. Get it done professionally! It may cost a bit extra, but you'll probably save a lot of time and money in the long run....

@Ga**

, Okay, first off there is NO such animal available at a thai consulate or at an immigration office called a "retirement visa". Even though they stamp the word retirement on your extension in your passport that is the ONLY place the word ever appears.

The real clause for those visas or extensions is based on being over 50 and "living out the end of your life" :O <- that's what the thai actually says ;)

All extensions of stays based on being over 50 (retirement) are issued for a year from the date your current extension or admitted until stamp expires. You don't lose any days by applying early (in chiang mai and bangkok you can apply for a new yearly extension when you have 45 days or less left on your current stamp). My first yearly extension expired on April 5 and no matter when I've applied for the last 7 yearly extensions after that they expire on the same date just a year later.

The income letter is valid 6 months, which means you need to apply for your non-O visa (or renew your retirement visa) within this time. The retirement visa is usually 12 months. Some consulates only accept applications for your "income letter" by mail (which is actually much more convenient of course)...

I was able to apply for a 90 day single entry Non-O based on being over 50 (retirement) when I was still 49 (about two months before my 50th b-day) in Vientiane using just the "verification of income" notary from the US consulate. They did it because by the time it'd come up for me to apply for my first yearly extension I would already be 50.

I think you're NOT gonna get an immigration office inside the country to do the same thing though. They're hard as nails about you meeting the criteria, and seeing as you're not 50 yet, you don't.

Some people will tell you that you can do it yourself. Yes, maybe, if you can speak Thai or have someone who can do so reliably. I'd rather pay a professional agent to help you prepare everything PROPERLY the first time (remember, you also need to report your address to immigration every 90 days, either in person, by mail a month before the due date or online 15 days before the due date... if the website is functioning, that is).

i recently just filled out a stat dec saying i earned x amount, it was accepted by Aust Embassy Bkk, and my visa company says fine. I recommend go to a visa company, the handle all the bs, expensive, but worth it to me

David, It figures :/