What is the process for applying for a Non-OA Retirement Visa for Americans from the USA?

I think it is better and cheaper to get a Non-Immigrant O Visa and extension in Thailand. No yearly insurance is needed.

It is required that you apply for a 90-day initial non-immigrant visa from the Thai embassy or consulate in L.A. before you apply for a retirement visa in Thailand

You will have to wait for 60 days to be in Thailand before you can file your retirement visa application at the immigration office or you must be on the last 30 days of your current permit to stay.

Proof of address in Thailand (utility bills, rental agreement, etc.) is also required. Open a bank account that is in your name only and set up to receive a direct deposit from a pension for a monthly income verification method or 800,000 in the bank 2 months before applying.

Get a tourist visa. Bank the cash in Thailand. Get a NON O visa in Thailand. No OA insurance needed forever.

DONT USE THIS AGENCY FOR YOUR VISA!!

I will definitely tell you how I was basically RIPPED OFF. Almost a year ago I went to a guy named PEE SOMJET his business is called PHUKET VISA LAW OFFICE Now “law” IS a stretch. HE IS LOCATED ACROSS FROM SOI TA-EID & DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM KFC. IN THE BUSINESS AREA, BOTTOM FL. YOU CAN’T MISS IT OR MAYBE YOU SHOULD! THERE IS A LARGE YELLOW SIGN ON TOP!!

I have used him for 7 years & not had a problem but this time I did. He provides or says he provides visa services. Usually that is true. However, this time it was not. Be that as it may I brought my passport in and he said it will be ready in two weeks with my retirement visa. I paid33,800b & thanked him. Two weeks come and go, no visa OK no problem a month goes by OK still no problem. Since it’s Covid-19 I can’t travel because the airports are closed. But My 90 day check in was coming up so I want to make sure at least that was going to be done. He said to me “NO problem”. This is actually part of his services. This having no visa drags on and on and on and I give him the benefit of the doubt because I know it is difficult times with COVID-19. Plus I’ve known him for 7 years. He continually tells me that because of COVID-19 various immigration offices are closed which is true. So again no problem for me as long as my 90 day reporting is being done. (Which he says it is.)

Now I have learned that my mom is in the intensive care unit. Not knowing if she’s going to live or die I contact him on social media because he cannot be reached by telephone. He won’t pick up his phone. Anyway, He is made aware of the situation and shown pictures of her in the hospital attached to oxygen. This information is also sent and given to his secretary just to make sure he received it. Well wouldn’t you know I get no response at all - crickets, nothing, nada, no response whatsoever. (SO I SUMMISE HE DOESN’T GIVE A SHIT) Of course, at this point the visa is not important to me but my passport is. Again communications ensue, phone calls, line application, instant messaging, nothing! So at this point I can only hope for the best. I find out that without my visa I am still able to go to The airport. But I can’t even do that because he has my passport. I would have to pay a hefty fine but I cannot return for one year. Well after 20 years I I have established I self in Thailand so to leave and not come back would affect many people. Not to mention my family. Now I am F’N Pissed! There is literally nothing I can do without my passport or visa so more months go by. I finally get a hold of him and he says my passport and visa will be ready in a particular month and he doesn’t know what day specifically in the month. So the end of that month comes and I get on the bike - (His secretary called and said he’s in his office) so Breaking all the rules and go to the office and wait. So basically, I had to hunt him down. I surprise him @ his office and he says my passport and visa are not there. “What can I do“ at this point I was livid. You can only imagine what I feel like doing but I didn’t. In the background you can see his big screen TV with his commercials on it that say visa, overstay, etc. and how much and no problem. I saw this and was extremely extremely beside myself because after he said “what can I do” I said you are the lawyer what do you mean what can you do. Oh and by the way I find out he’s not a lawyer! He showed me pictures of his graduation which led me to believe he was a lawyer. Wrong wrong wrong! I told him I need to be back in the US and he said you don’t have your visa yet but you can take your passport to the immigration office in the airport and pay the 20,000 b fine and be blacklisted for one year. This is truly what he said to me. I could not believe it! I’ve been waiting almost 9 months for my visa and this is the answer I get. He said he can have my passport back here the following day, but without the visa. I was so incensed I couldn’t think of the words to respond. Of course it took approximately three days to get my passport back and of course no visa. (I thought here we go again)

The passport finally comes back without the visa, (Big surprise there) and even though he said he had been doing my 90 day Reporting he had not. So now I have almost a year overstay and no reporting (Great) I went to the Phuket volunteer immigration services. (Had I gone to a regular immigration officer I would’ve been put in jail and deported immediately.) The volunteer immigration individuals said I should get a ticket and leave that night. They were being a little over cautious but still the statement was not lost on me. I decided to stay a few more months, take my chances and hope I did not run into immigration and get my affairs in order, and retain an attorney as well. Then bought my tickets and left and hoped in the meantime immigration was not on my tail. I went to Phuket international immigration and paid a large fine (20,000b) and I Received my black list for a year and the litigation continues. But I thought I wanted to tell you so you know that a guy named Pee Somjoet of PHUKET VISA “LAW” OFFICE- located directly across from KFC & SOI TAAIED IN CHALONG is very very questionable. To this day I have not received an apology or any thought of returning monies spent for his services to originally get my visa. Be aware please!

I obtained this Visa last month from the Chicago office, and yes, it's all done online. (I had actually mailed my passport to them and they just mailed it right back.)

No, you don't mail the passports anymore. All of the Thai embassies in the US are using the electronic visas.