How can I start the process for a retirement visa in Thailand while currently on a visa-exempt entry?

@Ben ****

Exactly! I've never had any problems with immigration in over twenty years, so I'm not frightened to go there, and I have plenty of money to ensure I'm 100% legal. Not having to look over my shoulder means I live stress-free!

@Steve *******

I hear you sir, I personally had a very bad experience with immigration which was no fault of my own several years back and have used an agent ever since. The money really doesn't mean anything to me due to the convenience and lack of any stress. But to each their own. 😀

@Ben ****

Haha! You don't discover how "questionable" an agency is until it's too late! However you try to spin it, it's illegal. I prefer to stay legal in Thailand. 65,000 baht per month is really nothing, I actually import 85,000 baht per month for living expenses. Why the hell would I pay 20,000 baht to an agent for something that costs me 1900 baht! I guess I'm more money-savvy than many!

Thanks very much, have tried to get one of the new Smart-S visas, but can't find anyone who knows anything about them. Son is still too young to put in school and be on a parent visa. Pretty sure the Mrs won't let me have a Thai wife, no matter how persuasive the immigration arguments are. So I have a four year gap to fill until I can get us on a retirement one.

@Chris ***************

if considering Elite, perhaps verify LTR. Ten year visa for $50k baht with a few perks like no 90 day reporting and airport fast track. Basically the Pro version of Elite IF you qualify

@Todd ********

, ditto

@Steve *******

thanks again I will be taking your ad ice and going to Ho Chi Minh to the Thai consulate there in February and then visit my kids in Japan score returning to Thailand (providing I find my bride lol 😜)

@Michael ******

The visa itself has a validity period which starts as soon as it is issued (I believe this is 90 days), however when you arrive you are stamped in for 60 days, irrespective of when you arrive. So even if you arrive on the last day of the visa "active" date, you will still get 60 days. Always remember the visa gets you into the country, the entry stamp allows you to stay

@Steve *******

one more question If I apply for a 60 day tourist visa does the 60 days start when it is approved or 60 days from the day I arrive?? I owe you dinner my friend

@Michael ******

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@Steve *******

do you know what documents I have to have with me if I go over to Laos or HCMC? Background check, police report, bank statements, physical, etc?

@Steve *******

That part isn’t the problem lol Thank you so much

@Michael ******

Ok, for retirement visa, if you don't have any savings in your home country, the $1350 pension (which equates to about 51,000 baht) is not going to be enough to qualify for a retirement visa, which has a minimum of 65,000 baht per month. Keep in mind you cannot work on a retirement visa. However, with the married to a Thai visa, the monthly commitment drops to 40,000 baht which is within your scope. You must however, have one year's worth of these 40,000 baht transfers in order to qualify for the visa. You CAN work on a "married to a Thai" visa. There is another perfectly legal way to get the marriage visa without any financial requirements. This is to go either HCMC consulate in Vietnam or to Savannakhet consulate in Laos (just across the Thai border from Mukdahan). These consulates will give you a 12-month O-visa (married to a Thai) with no requirement for any money to be put up. However (there's always a catch), with this visa you will only be stamped in for 90-days at a time, but as the visa has a life of 12 months, you can border bounce every 90 days (any border will do). If you carry out the final bounce close to the expiry of the visa, you can effectively get close to 15 months from the visa. This period would give you sufficient time to be transferring your pension at monthly intervals into your Thai bank account, which means you could then apply in-country for a 12-month extension, and provided you maintain the 40k monthly payments you can remain in Thailand indefinitely with no need for any further border bounces.

Yes there are ways around this by paying stacks of money to an agent, but as I've never used an agent, I'm not familiar with the process.

Your first assignment therefore is to find yourself a Thai wife! 😆

@Steve *******

no problem Long story… I am moving to Thailand in December I have no acquired any type of visa yet because it seems most of them I do not qualify for from what I read I am over 50 but do t have the bank funds or the monthly required income I make $1350 in social security from the states Plus I might want to work a little eventually there I even saw if I marry a Thai I still need to put the equivalent of about $10,000 in a Thai bank to get a spouse visa where I can work These requirements baffle me a little because from what I have added up my social security is more than enough for me to live there I don’t want to have come and go through border runs so much and at this time I may have to just go from country to country for awhile like bounce between Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines etc I would much rather just find an apartment, enjoy my life there and maybe meet someone to spend life with A few visa agents have offered help but they all seem shady t me and I want to keep it legal Any suggestions???

@Steve *******

But that also presumably means that the second year only works if you do not leave Thailand for some travel the entire second year? Because once you do leave in the second year, you cannot come back on that visa since it then already expired?

@Steve *******

awesome!

@Steve *******

thanks!

@Philip ****

If your intention is to just remain in Thailand, with no trips at all overseas, you can keep extending every year at an immigration office but must meet the financial criteria, which is either keeping 800,000 tied up in a bank account earning useless interest, or the smart method of transferring each month from overseas and being able to access it immediately.

@Philip ****

The you can (if you wish) spend immediately it has registered in your Thai bank account. The 65k method requires zero money to be maintained in a bank account. The stipulation is the money must come from overseas (so you cannot transfer from another account in Thailand). When your second year is up, you can do an in-country extension of 12 months, where you have to show your 65k monthly transfers for the previous 12 months. Many people, myself included, take a trip to our home countries to visit family, friends etc before the second year is up and will obtain a new OA visa from the embassy, and then repeat the process, all the time keeping up the 65k transfers

I’m also on OA route, approved and coming in Oct. Thinking ahead what is the best option to continue staying long term. Thanks

@Steve *******

Sorry to hijack but can I ask the following, 1. Can the monthly 65,000 transfer be used as expenses or you cannot touch it? 2. After a strategic bounce on end of first year OA visa period, you get another 12 mths stay. Before your second 12 months is up, you applied for O visa within BKK and on yearly extension since then? As the original OA visa is no more valid.

@Steve *******

awesome, thank you so much!!!

@Natalie *******

You have to be in your own country to apply for OA visa. If your kids are going to school there, you can get a non-O visa under the category of supporting a dependent. This is outside my expertise, as I'm on the OA retirement (and have been for years) and hence I know the OA process backwards. I suggest you join the Thai visa advice group and ask the question there, as the moderators in that group know their Thai visa stuff inside out especially Tod Daniels. They'll give you the precise info you're looking for

@Steve *******

thank you thank you! So we are Canadians but presently in Portugal. We would be going straight to Thailand from Portugal in early December. While in Canada this summer, we obtained our criminal record checks, we had our doctor prepare a medical letter/certificate, we obtained some form of proof of account balance from our bank… thought i had it all and was planning on using the e-visa platform from Portugal to submit to our embassy in Ottawa. Now not sure I can do that? I might need to apply here in Lisbon instead? Also, our main purpose for being in Thailand is for the kids to study in an international school in Phuket. We haven’t picked the school yet and we’re hoping to visit a few in December before committing. Should we scrap the OA route to go through the ED route? Is that simpler? I’ve tried to call the embassy to ask but… 😒. Thank you for your thoughts!

@Natalie *******

What are you confused about? Give me the questions I'll give you the answers

@Steve *******

oh wow! I have to say, the more I read feedback about Thai visas, the more I am confused! We are about to apply for our non-OA (both husband and I are over 50) and non-O for the kids and we feel thoroughly confused, even though I “thought” I had it all figured out. 😂

@Scotty ********

I'm not 100% sure but I think you can do eVisa through the LA consulate. Check the website

@Steve *******

Would you have a link for this, please, as I cannot find the document on the website? Thanks!

@John *******

It's only for those who are declined insurance. It's on the MFA website. Starts on October 1st

@Steve *******

where is the ‘proof of assets’ documented? Do you have a link?

@John *******

Doesn't have to be Thai, can be any but has to be certified. Alternatively, if insurance is declined you can use proof of assets in your home country to the same value as the insurance, although obviously having the insurance is a better strategy

@Steve *******

plus a Thai insurance policy