Answered4 years ago

What is the process for Canadians to apply for retirement visas in Thailand, and how does the trailing spouse rule work?

Thailand Retirement Visa NON-O Visa O Visa Visa Application Process Canada Expat Guidance

Sharon ***************

asked Aug 27, 2022

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My husband and I have in previous years arrived in Thailand with O-A visas based on retirement. We’re considering applying for O visas based on retirement this year. We are Canadians. 

I’m finding it a bit confusing. The consulate in Vancouver says we must both apply individually for it but there is no link on the thai evisa website to do so.  Hopefully I can get better answers from here than I got from the consulate. 

Is it best to for us to arrive on a visa exempt and apply in-country for an O-visa based on retirement?

We understand that we need to deposit the 800,000thb in a thai bank account and show proof of it. 

How does the ‘trailing spouse’ work?

Is insurance required? 

I appreciate any help you can provide.

Answer summary

A Canadian couple is considering applying for O visas based on retirement and seeks clarification on the process, including whether to apply in-country or from Canada, how to meet financial requirements, and details about the trailing spouse rule. The consulate has advised them to apply individually, and they are looking for more reliable information regarding obtaining their retirement visas.

12 repliesnewest first

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Tod *********

Take the good advice from

@Kevin ********

IF you're coming after Oct 1st just enter visa exempt and take the 45 days, THEN you both get ahold of the canadian embassy here and get the affidavit of income from abroad notary letters stating you get more than 65K baht a month in income. then go apply for the 90 day Non-O visa at the immigration office where you live. It will cost 2000baht and go under review for between 2 and 3 weeks (depending on the office) then you go back and get the Non-O visa and the new 90 day stamp inked in.

After that you wait until you have a month or less left on that new stamp and go apply for the yearly extension at the immigration office for 1900baht.

That is the easiest and most trouble free way you guys can do it. Sadly you'll both need "stand alone" Non-O's and retirement extensions because you can't get a Non-O visa inside the country based on marriage to someone on a retirement extension, so no trailing spouse but if you're both over 50 just get the letters from the Canuck consulate here and go that route for each of you.

4 years ago

Jamie *******

@Tod ********

I'm doing this exact same process starting next month!

4 years ago

Kevin *********

@Tod ********

exactly your advice I followed 😊

4 years ago

Kevin *********

Get the affidavit of income arrive visa exempt. Immediately get a non o 90 days and convert to one year after 60 days on the 90. Depending on your financial income situation you can both probably qualify for your own non o retirement and make life easier

4 years ago

Ellie *******

There are several ways for you to get a so-called retirement visa/extension. Please check the attachment for a rough idea of comparing how to get it.

1. You two get Non-O retirement on your own (both need to meet the requirements separately) <- you both can apply for them in your country or in Thailand

2. One gets Non-O retirement and one gets "trailing spouse" <- Both can apply BEFORE fly-into Thailand. If you want to do it in Thailand, the spouse has to wait to apply for a visa at the consular around Thailand until the primary person gets on a 1-year extension.

BTW, the Canadian embassy in Thailand does issue affidavits. You can use that instead of your money being transferred to a Thai bank account.

4 years ago

Ellie *******

@Sharon **************

, It totally depends on how you want to meet the requirements for which reason for your visa/extension. Detail requirements are /immigration office/embassy/consulate-specific. If you don't want to pay for insurance in your home country for a Non-O visa there, your choice is to go to the in-country visa routes. All information was outlined above already.

4 years ago

Sharon ***************

As I e been told

By the consulate here, to get the non-o in canada, we require insurance and the same amount of funds as an o-a so I’m not sure if there is a benefit to an o over an o-a. Am I missing something?

4 years ago

Kevin *********

@Sharon **************

no insurance if you come into country exempt and get the non o here. That's the big savings

4 years ago

John **********

@Sharon **************

different consulates have different requirements. Sounds like you should go the in country route.

@Kevin ********

made a very good suggestion as Canada does do income affidavits

4 years ago

Sharon ***************

@Ellie ******

thank you. To get the o visa for my husband and the trailing spouse for me in country, do we both arrive in Thailand on a visa exempt?

4 years ago

John **********

@Sharon **************

you can't get a trailing spouse visa in country if the primary person is on a Non-O for retirement. You have to leave Thailand and obtain elsewhere, but can only do so when the primary holder is on a 1 year extension so you'll likely need to also leave to a nearby country to get another tourist visa first. It would be much simpler if you can get both into a Non-O before arriving if you can

4 years ago

Ellie *******

@Sharon **************

, enter Thailand on a visa-exempt or tourist visa. Definitely TR for a spouse. Depends on how fast you can settle and sort all requirements for an initial in-country visa.

an in-country application would take like this:

1. Apply for an in-country visa at the local immigration office when you still have

*****

days in your current stamp

2. wait for

*****

days (depending on the office) for under-consideration, then go back to IO to get a 90 days stamp on the initial in-country visa for the primary person

3. wait primary person has LESS than

*****

days with the first 90 days stamp, apply for a 1-year extension based on retirement

4. when the primary person gets on 1-year extension, the spouse goes to a nearby consulate to apply for a single entry Non-O dependent visa

5. enter back to Thailand, when a spouse has LESS than

*****

days, apply for a 1-year extension based on the trailing spouse to get a matching period to the primary person

Spouse has to wait until step 4 being on tourist status

4 years ago