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What are the steps for my friend to obtain a retirement visa in Thailand given her situation?

Retirement VisaThailand ImmigrationNon-O VisaBank RequirementsVisa ExtensionJomtien Immigration OfficeExpat GuideFinancial RequirementsHandling Immigration AgentsAlternative Visa OptionsBorder Runs
Jul 11, 2023
a year ago
Samuel ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ok my friend is here in Thailand and wants to get her retirement visa. She is 70 years old and holds a United States passport. She opened a Bangkok bank account today with an agent. She has 25 days left on her already extended visa. In jomtiem now. She has the availability to transfer the 800k requirement. But to get the visa immigration told me she needs to have the money in her account for 60 days. But how do you do that if you just arrived. She wants to spend the 28k and have an agent do it but I told her to save your money if you have the 800k to transfer.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user’s friend, a 70-year-old US citizen, is seeking a retirement visa (Non-O) in Thailand but faces a requirement of having 800,000 THB in her Bangkok bank account for 60 days. Since she only has 25 days left on her existing visa, many replies suggested alternative approaches, including doing a border run to extend her stay, applying at different immigration offices that have less stringent rules, or utilizing an agent despite concerns over added fees. The discussion highlights various personal experiences and recommendations on handling complex immigration regulations and strategies for applying for the retirement visa.
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-Paul ******
See an agent now. The 800k in a Thai bank needs to be in there for 2 months prior to having a Non-O Retirment issued. So not enough time given that she is on an extended visa that has 25 days left on it. Perhaps she can get that extended further given her situation of just waiting for the 800k to marinate. Yes, she can do it herself and it is more or less (I fear less in this case) straight forward. But if she cannot extend, and it is not a given that she will be able to, see an agent this time and then yourself later?
a year ago
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Tony *********
You are right in telling her to save her money on paying agents fees if she has the 800k. When I got my retirement extension I entered on a 30 day exemption and converted it to a Non B at the immigration office and waited for the 2 month seeding period for the 800k and then converted to a Non O and then the yearly extension. I never had to leave the country. It cost me a total of around 4,000 baht for the 2 visas. It was very straightforward and easy to do by myself. I don't understand why so many people are telling you to use an agent.
a year ago
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David *********
Get an agent to due the first time. Pay the money and you will have your visa
a year ago
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Mike ********
Forget the headaches. See
@Farang ********************
 or agency and get done.
a year ago
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David *******
You didn’t say what visa she entered on? If it was a Tourist Visa then around 28k for an agent is correct. It will be to convert the Tourist Visa to a Non O and to do the first 12-month extension at the same time, so your friend will be ok for 15 months.

Unless she wants to mess around and leave the country then she needs to use an agent just this time. If she transfers the money over now, and keeps the required amount for the next 15 months, then she can do the next Extension herself if she prefers.
a year ago
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Tony *********
@David ******
 you never have to use an agent. I did all of that myself. From 30 day entry converted to Non B then Non O and one year extension all without leaving the country. 2,000 baht
a year ago
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Andy **********
@Tony ********
 Agreed, no agent scammer required
a year ago
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Andy **********
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Klaus ***********
This is correct but not to worry - if she has 25 days left - the conversion from any stay -visa or not - to Non immigrant will be done which gives her 90 days and when the money is seasoned for at least 60 days the Non immigrant will be converted to the 1 year retirement extension so your friend will actually get at least 14 month.

But 28k for an agent?? In Chiang Mai - at Best Friend Visa - I paid 14.900 Baht and they took care of everything

Sorry I just checked and the entire process is now
*****
Baht from converting the stay to non immigrant to 1 year retirement extension.
a year ago
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Sam ********
@Klaus **********
 welcome to Pattaya. The process here is 25,000 + another 4500 for multiple entry. The Agents will use their funds and circumvent the system at immigration by providing you a letter with their Bank Manager of choice. They make the
*****
day funds rule so that they can push you towards the private system and everyone down the chain makes a cut. Because to do it yourself, it’s only about 4200 Bhat for the entire 15 month visa.

If she loves it here, don’t fight the system, do it with an Agent. Pay them so they all get their cut and in 20 days you get your 15 month visas. Then plan ahead and renew yourself in the next year.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
@Klaus **********
 the problem is at Jomtien you need to have the money in the bank for 2 months before they will let you apply for the conversion. So they're not eligible to apply for conversion until after their existing time in Thailand is already run out.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
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Keith ************
My sole bit of advice here is not to use an agent that sends your passport to another province to get the visa.
a year ago
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James **************
60 days before and 90 days after. So u gotta come on a 60 day TV. Do it immediately and get the 3 month o visa bit before the 12 month retirement visa bit kicks in. It is possible.
a year ago
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Bonnie *******
Take a train to Cambodia see the sights and when you come back your account will be seasoned.
a year ago
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Mark ********
Tell her to go to Vietnam like many others are. No hoops to jump through and on August 15 they are reintroducing the 3-month tourist visa.
a year ago
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Georgia **********
@Mark *******
 What 3 month tourist visa?
a year ago
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Mark ********
********************************************************************************************
a year ago
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Mark ********
The Vietnamese Govt portal to obtain visas.
a year ago
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Mark ********
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Mark ********
@Georgia *********
 Vietnam used to have a 3 month tourist visa but when Covid came along the canned it and just ran with the 30 day TV. I understand the 3 month TV is being reintroduced August 15.
a year ago
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Chris *********************
@Mark *******
 it's 15 day visa exempt
a year ago
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Mark ********
@Chris ********************
 Not talking about visa exempt.
a year ago
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Chris *********************
@Mark *******
 thought you ment when entering Vietnam. You got 3 months,
a year ago
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Chris *********************
@Mark *******
 sorry miss understanding
a year ago
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Chris *********************
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Nick ************
@Georgia *********
 sounds interesting
a year ago
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Nick ************
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Christopher *************
Tell her to contact The Thai Visa Centre
a year ago
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Todd *********
@Christopher ************
 has the answer. Who needs the aggravation at 70? C’mon 🙂

Just let her enjoy Thailand!
a year ago
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Todd *********
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Noel *********
Just go to
@Mots *********
. And be done with it... crazy that every office can be so different...
a year ago
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Frank **********
I know immigration offices are allowed to add some extra requirements but requiring funds just to the the Non O seems a little harsh.
a year ago
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Pascal *****
thai ambassy in Laos, less 48h for a non immigrant 0
a year ago
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Bob **********
Jomtien is the only immigration office that I know off that requires the 809k 2 months before applying go to Bangkok or anywhere apply for the non-o then deposit the 800k it needs to be in the bank 2 months before the 1 year extension she’ll need a TM30 from whatever province you apply in
a year ago
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Lee *******
@Bob *********
 Roiet requires 2 months as well
a year ago
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Bob **********
@Lee ******
 prior to applying for the non-o
a year ago
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Lee *******
@Bob *********
 yes Bob
a year ago
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Bob **********
@Lee ******
 thanks
a year ago
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Bob **********
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Dan ********
@Bob *********
 Chiang Mai does as well
a year ago
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Dan ********
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Brandon ************
Unfortunately your friend is using one of the least user-friendly immigration offices in Thailand. They make many of their own rules that no other office in Thailand has.

This rule is one of them. Every other office in Thailand only requires you to have the money in your account and then you can apply for the non-O visa, but at Jomtien you must have the money in your account for 2 months before you apply.

The only thing to do is to do a border bounce and leave Thailand and return to get additional time with a new stamp and wait until there are 2 months left.
a year ago
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Alessandro **********
@Brandon ***********
 it's 60 days in Samut Prakan as well
a year ago
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Greg ******
@Brandon ***********
 60 days in Hua Hin before you can apply for non-O.

Way more strict than Jomtien.
a year ago
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Lee *******
@Brandon ***********
 it is 60 days in Roi-Et as well to apply for Non O.
a year ago
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Brandon ************
@Lee ******
 for the initial conversion from tourist to 90 day non-O visa, or for the 1 year extension?
a year ago
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Ally ************
@Brandon ***********
 I think you are correct Brandon.. I'm in CM and recently applied for a non-o visa based on marriage.. my funds were in my Thai bank account but had not seasoned a full 60-days.. they allowed me to apply for it and granted the initial 90-day visa.. but want to see that i have met the 60-day rule and maintained it at (or above) the threshold before they will grant the 1-year extension.. but it's possible that different IO's apply the criteria differently.. even within the same immigration office.. so maybe it depends on what day you go and what IO you get on your case!
a year ago
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Lee *******
@Brandon ***********
 initial Non O
a year ago
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Lee *******
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Jo **********
@Brandon ***********
 also in Chiang Mai it’s 2 months
a year ago
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Jo **********
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