What are the current rules for maintaining the 800,000 baht balance after a retirement visa extension in Thailand?

Retirement visa Thailand immigration rules Visa extension requirements 800,000 baht rule NON-O visa Financial requirements for visa Canadian citizens in Thailand

Dec 8, 2021

3 years ago

Mouseen *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

extension of retirement visa: Did the rule, how many months  after the extension is obtained one should maintain the 800,000 baht balance in bank account? Now it the rules (t.ly/66j0) is to keep 800k for three months after extension. I think last year, the rule was one month only. Do i remember right?

In all cases, went under the 800K after 1.5 months, and the immigration officer is saying 'nope; there is a new rule, and you don't qualify'

This in in phuket. I am a canadian citizen. Thank you for suggestions!!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The current requirement for maintaining the 800,000 baht balance in a Thai bank account after a retirement visa extension is three months. The rules state that the applicant needs to maintain this balance from the date of the extension application. It seems there was a previous rule of one month, but the new regulation has been in effect since early 2019. If the balance falls below 800,000 baht during this period, it could result in complications regarding the visa's validity.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

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Tod *********

This is a sad story about mis understanding the dates in the passport for the seasoning of the funds,

As you can see they applied for a yearly extension on March 2th 2021 and were given an extension until Jan 1 2022 <- the validity of their insurance plan.

Unfortunately they thought the funds needed to be in the account for 3 months AFTER Jan 1 <- which was totally WRONG. They pulled the funds on April 5th

in reality the funds needed to stay above the 800K baht threshold from March 2th <- the date the extension was granted until at least June 2th <- 3 months later.

THEN they could have went down to 400K baht the rest of the year.

Technically (meaning IF the immigration office wants to be that way) the O/P voided their extension by failing to meet the financial requirements they agreed to when they got it and has been on "over stay" since April 5th <- they day their balance on the funds went below 800K baht 😮

That's a 247 day overstay BUT that would only be brought up IF they went and tried to get an extension at the immigration office.

SO

their solution to this 'issue' is get a 60 day covid extension, (to buy them time from Jan 1 when their extension expires) 🙂

watch and see what countries open up nearby.

Bounce out to one and back in to thailand to get a 30 day visa exempt entry, then immediately go apply for an in country Non-O visa for 2000baht (it won't require insurance) and after the 90 days runs down apply for the year extension after that.

And on that note we're done. 😮

Thanx one and all for the suggestions. I think what I outlined is the easiest and most trouble free way to get OFF this train wreck of an O-A extension, get a new O visa (which won't require insurance) and then a year extension after that.

3 years ago

Mouseen *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

It seems that extending my O-A retirement visa is not an option in my situation and i would need to either go back to Canada and apply for a new retirement visa at Thai consulate in Ottawa, or apply for a new type of visa here in thailand.

3 years ago

Tod *********

@Mouhsine *******

you can't get a new type of visa here in thailand off an O-A extension or entry stamp you can extend that O-A if you meet the requirements (the insurnace and the proof of funds for last year if you got an extension last year using banked money AND for this year too)

3 years ago

Benjamin ******

@Mouhsine *******

Is this your first extension of stay based on retirement?

3 years ago

Reply to

Benjamin ******

Paul ********

If you can get to a Canadian consulate/embassy you can get an affidavit of income from them so you don't need to put money in a Thai bank account. You just show them your T1 or statement of income form that you can get from the CRA website. Just did this a couple of weeks ago via the Chiang Mai consulate.

3 years ago

Mouseen *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

unfortunately, the Canadian consulate option won't work (my type of income vs. requirement).

3 years ago

Tod *********

@Mouhsine *******

and you talked to the canadian consulate here in Bangkok about it?

3 years ago

Reply to

Tod *********

Mouseen *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks for suggestion! .. i anticipate a challenge as my retirement/income are not in canada .. canadian citizen but not residing in canada!

3 years ago

Benjamin ******

@Paul *******

Great suggestion, that might work

3 years ago

Reply to

Benjamin ******

For my knowledge, for the one year extension of stay based on retirement, the rules are "Two months of 800K THB before the extension of stay is applied for, three months of 800K THB after the extension of stay is applied for, and at no times should the balance go below 400K THB".

3 years ago

Mouseen *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you for clarification/confirmation of the rule.

3 years ago

Ellie *******

And I think that the new rule stays a couple of years now. Starting early 2019.

3 years ago

John **********

@Benjamin *****

it's strictly enforced too. No leeway. And it hasn't changed in the last year.

3 years ago