GB's "How to Obtain the Retirement Visa" article - Revised May 9

[Gaybutton]

My "How to Obtain the Retirement Visa" article is the most popular article I've ever written. The last time I revised it was in 2005. Since I revised the "How to Obtain the Thai Driver's License" article yesterday, this morning I sat down and revised the retirement visa article too.

 

There have been a hell of a lot of rule and procedure changes since the last revision. If you don't already have the retirement visa, but want one, I urge you to read the article. If you already have the retirement visa, but have concerns about how to renew it or want to be familiar with the latest rules, I also urge you to read it.

 

Rather than making you send an Email to me to obtain the article, I have placed it below and you can download it in either HTML format or PDF format.

 

Again, any of the gay media is perfectly welcome to publish my articles, free of charge, provided they cite me as the author and include the URL for this web site.

[Bob]

Ultimately, it's my plan to start living 5-6 months per year in Thailand and, depending on how that goes, longer periods of time. Hopefully I'll start this winter with a 3-4 month time period.

 

Wondering if you might answer a couple of questions (I'm going to try to get the retirement visa with the 30-day upon-entry visa and use the 800,000-baht-in-the-bank financial option):

 

1. For the first time you get the retirement visa, I'm presuming that you don't have to show that the 800,000 baht has been in there for three months. For renewals, you need to show that. Correct?

 

2. Before I leave after the first 4-month time period, I need to go to Immigration Office and get a re-entry permit. I presume then it's okay even if I wait 6-7 months later to re-enter?

 

3. If I take a short trip up to Luang Prabang, for example, still have to get the re-entry permit before you go?

[Guest fountainhall]

Thanks Gaybutton for an immensely useful and informative article. I am sure lots of potential 'retirees' will benefit from it. I'd just like to add some small points for those who are renewing their one year visas and elect to transfer Bt.800,000 once a year.

 

1. As you point out, that Bt.800,000 has to be in your account 3 months prior to application for renewal. In addition, the balance on the date of application must show a minimum of $800,000. So when you transfer the Bt.800,000, there must be sufficient in your account to cover 3 months of expenditure without touching the Bt.800,000!

 

2. That Bt.800,000 must be remitted from overseas in overseas currency, and proof must be shown of the currency and the conversion rate into Baht. Remittance in Baht from an overseas Baht account is not acceptable.

 

3. If you have a local Thai Baht account at HSBC in Bangkok (as many expats do), you will not have a passbook as HSBC only issues monthly statements. For my last renewal, I was advised to bring along copies of the monthly statement which showed the inward transfer equivalent to at least Bt.800,000 and ALL the statements following that one. These must be certified in advance as true copies by HSBC. It's an easy process and costs Bt.200.

 

4. Immigration also requires a statement showing the exact balance in your savings account (checking accounts and investments don't count for some odd reason) a day or 2 prior to application. This again HSBC provides in Thai at a cost of Bt.300.

 

5. Re the re-entry permit, having got the one year retirement visa, you may want to consider applying for a multiple re-entry permit at the same time at a cost of Bt. 3.800. Not cheap, but certainly worth it if you are likely to travel outside Thailand a few times during the year. Even if you have no such plan, you never know when last minute emergencies might arise (family illness overseas etc.). With a multiple re-entry permit, you can depart immediately without having to wait for an Immigration office to open.

 

Lastly, I wonder if any UK passport holders can let us know if the UK Embassy is as free and easy as the US one when it comes to issuing proof of income statements.

 

[Gaybutton]

Lastly, I wonder if any UK passport holders can let us know if the UK Embassy is as free and easy as the US one when it comes to issuing proof of income statements.

 

I don't know about the embassy, but apparently you might be able to get a proof-of-income statement from Barry Kenyon, the British Consul in Pattaya. About two months ago, if I am remembering this correctly, a friend from the UK discussed this with Barry and was told he doesn't need much, but he does want something to substantiate your income statement.

 

If anyone knows more about this and/or knows if Barry is authorized to issue proof-of-income statements, please inform us.

[Gaybutton]

1. For the first time you get the retirement visa, I'm presuming that you don't have to show that the 800,000 baht has been in there for three months. For renewals, you need to show that. Correct?

 

2. Before I leave after the first 4-month time period, I need to go to Immigration Office and get a re-entry permit. I presume then it's okay even if I wait 6-7 months later to re-enter?

 

3. If I take a short trip up to Luang Prabang, for example, still have to get the re-entry permit before you go?

 

1. Incorrect. To my knowledge the 800,000 baht must be in your bank account for the minimum three months even if it's a first-time visa. In that case, what you would need to do, if you don't already have a Thai bank account with that amount in it, would be to enter Thailand with a Type "O" non-immigrant visa, establish a bank account, deposit the 800,000 baht, and apply for the retirement visa shortly before the Type "O" visa expires or get an extension for that visa and wait out the 90 days. I am sure if you enter on a 90-day visa the Immigration office will issue you the retirement visa if you apply for it just a few days before your non-immigrant visa expires (unless you end up being dealt with by some uncooperative anal-retentive creep).

 

2. I believe you are correct about that one, depending on the expiration date of your retirement visa. The re-entry permit is valid from the date you purchase it until the date your retirement visa expires. If you re-enter Thailand after the expiration date of your retirement visa, then you have to start the whole process all over again.

 

3. Yes, if you leave Thailand at all, then you must get a re-entry permit or your retirement visa becomes null and void. I know of no exceptions to that rule.

[Up2u]

It's a completely different game to get a retirement Visa when you are in your home country. I still believe a health certificate and evidence of a clean police record are required. Looks like all that is waived if you get the Visa when in Thailand.

[Gaybutton]

Looks like all that is waived if you get the Visa when in Thailand.

 

That's right. It's much easier to get the visa once you are in Thailand.

[Bob]

Thanks, GB, for the info and taking the time to respond.

Concerning the 800,000 baht and 3-month requirement, I'll just wire the funds to my Chiangmai account 90 or more days before I apply for the retirement visa. I'm going to try it in Chiangmai with just the 30-day-on-entry visa (and will advise way down the line if that's a problem up there).

[Gaybutton]

I'll just wire the funds to my Chiangmai account 90 or more days before I apply for the retirement visa. I'm going to try it in Chiangmai with just the 30-day-on-entry visa

 

Good. Since you have an established Thai bank account, as the Aussies say, "No worries." Just remember that you can withdraw all you want from that account after you obtain the retirement visa, but unless you're going to use the proof-of-income method to renew a year later, then you'll have to make sure 800,000 baht is in your account, and stays there, a full three months before your visa will expire.

 

I know of no reason why the visa-on-entry method wouldn't work in Chiang Mai since it works just fine in Pattaya, but occasionally it seems that different immigration offices just make up their own rules. Things that work in one office sometimes don't necessarily work in other offices. If for some reason you can't get the retirement visa using that method in Chiang Mai, at least you know it will work in Pattaya.

[Zyxel]

Just remember that you can withdraw all you want from that account after you obtain the retirement visa, but unless you're going to use the proof-of-income method to renew a year later, then you'll have to make sure 800,000 baht is in your account, and stays there, a full three months before your visa will expire.

 

Having renewed my visa 3 times already I still learned a bit from this post in particular that the balance letter can be 1 or 2 days old and not issue on the same day of renewal. So I can get it the day before and go early the next morning to Suan Plu and avoid the wait.

But I always thought that the 800 000 TB had to be in the bank account at least 3 months before RENEWAL and not expiry date of the visa. Since you have to renew your visa at least 30 days (29 days will be too late and you will have to do all over again) before it expires then the 800 000 TB have to be in your account 4 months before your visa expires.

 

Please tell me if I am wrong. Last time (June 07) when I did the renewal I was missing 2 days for a full 3 months and the lady warned me but it was just after this new rule had been set so I got a green light to proceed.

[Guest Oogleman]

fabulous article. very very helpful for us future planners!

[Gaybutton]

Please tell me if I am wrong. Last time (June 07) when I did the renewal I was missing 2 days for a full 3 months and the lady warned me but it was just after this new rule had been set so I got a green light to proceed.

 

I'm not sure where you got the idea that you have to renew at least thirty days in advance. That is not correct. You can renew on the very day the visa expires, at least you can in Pattaya. I know. I've done it. As a matter of fact, on that day I got to the immigration office only 40 minutes before they were going to close for the day. I had no problem at all.

 

The letter from the bank can be up to one week old, but no more than that.

[Gaybutton]

It has come to my attention that some people want the article, but for various reasons (probably because of my reputation for being some sort of control freak son-of-a-bitch) do not wish to register on this message board.

 

In order to download the attachments, you have to be registered.

 

If you do not want to register, but do want the article, just send an Email to me at gaybutton@gmail.com . I'll be glad to send you the article whether you are registered or not.

[Guest fountainhall]

Since you have to renew your visa at least 30 days (29 days will be too late and you will have to do all over again) before it expires then the 800 000 TB have to be in your account 4 months before your visa expires

 

Gaybutton is absolutely correct, and the procedure is the same in Bangkok.

 

The letter from the bank can be up to one week old

 

For my last renewal, I went to Immigration on a Tuesday morning. I picked up the letter from the bank the day before and it gave the balance as at close of business the previous Friday. No problem at all.

[Zyxel]

Gaybutton is absolutely correct, and the procedure is the same in Bangkok.

For my last renewal, I went to Immigration on a Tuesday morning. I picked up the letter from the bank the day before and it gave the balance as at close of business the previous Friday. No problem at all.

 

Thank you GayButton and fountainhall for the correction and confirmation.

Back in 2004 when I applied for retirement visa, I got first as normal a 3 months O visa with starting date of my last entry in the country which was 1.5 month earlier. The immigration officer told me that I had to change this O visa into retirement visa 30 days before it expired. So I was left with 2 weeks to do it. 3 days later I went back to Suan Plu with all the same documents I already presented for the O visa a week earlier and got my retirement visa. At that time an other immigration officer specifically told me that I will have to renew my visa no less than 30 days prior expiry. So I thought that this rule was still enforced now. Apparently not.

Any way next month I will renew it again and will play safe and do it more than a month before it expires. I will ask then to the officer about this 30 days advance.

Something that I am sure is that the 800 000 TB have to be in the account 3 months before renewal and not expiry of the visa.

[Gaybutton]

Something that I am sure is that the 800 000 TB have to be in the account 3 months before renewal and not expiry of the visa.

 

That is correct. Most people renew very close to the expiration date of their visa, so the difference in most cases is essentially meaningless.

 

My guess, if you go to renew your visa thirty days before it expires, is you will be told they won't renew it yet and to come back in about three weeks.

 

You're being told this at the Suan Plu immigration office? The solution to that is simple: Don't go the the Suan Plu office. If they really told you that, and if you can be certain that you haven't misunderstood, then that office is making up its own rules. Go somewhere else.

[Zyxel]

My guess, if you go to renew your visa thirty days before it expires, is you will be told they won't renew it yet and to come back in about three weeks.

 

You're being told this at the Suan Plu immigration office? The solution to that is simple: Don't go the the Suan Plu office. If they really told you that, and if you can be certain that you haven't misunderstood, then that office is making up its own rules. Go somewhere else.

 

I think that if you tell them that you will be away from Thailand at the renewal date then they let you do it earlier. I read a post once on Sawatdee I think about somebody renewing it 4 months earlier for that reason but it was before the 3 month deposit rule.

I know for sure that immigration offices have different rules, like embassies or consulates around the world. Sometimes you will even get different answers from different people within the same office !

Anyway I'll let you know next month about this 30 days advance renewal, it might be useful for some who go to Suan Plu. I believe you are right, it must have been Suan Plu own rule before, may-be due to too many applicants coming at the last minute.

[Guest gwm4sian]

I

If anyone knows more about this and/or knows if Barry is authorized to issue proof-of-income statements, please inform us.

 

Yes, I can confirm that Barry Kenyon is authorised to issue proof-of-income statements. He did so for me. Every year my pension fund sends me a letter saying what my pension will be for the next 12 months, and this sufficed for Barry.

 

There are in fact 3 combinations when it comes to the financial side of things.

 

1) 800K in the bank for 3 months

2) the equivalent as a monthly income ( I think it is 60K per month) Note that you do not need to show proof that any or all of this sum is transferred to Thailand.

3) a mixture of 1 and 2, such as 400K in the bank and monthly income of 30K. For this route there is, as far as I am aware, no need for the bank money to have been there for 3 months. This was certainly not checked on my last renewal.

 

I have also had a friend who did not have the 800K in the bank for 3 months, only just over 2. He was given a one month extension, and told to come back in one month with the 800K still there. When he did he was given a further 11 months extension. It is my undertsnading that this sort of thing is entirely at the immigration officers discretion.

 

[Gaybutton]

It is my understanding that this sort of thing is entirely at the immigration officers discretion.

 

Thank you very much for the confirmation. I think you just spelled "relief" for many from the UK. You're lucky. You don't have to go through the hassle of a trip to Bangkok along with exhorbitant embassy fees. Was there a fee for Barry's service?

 

You are correct about extensions being at the officer's discretion. That's why I always recommend going in with a smile and pleasant attitude and keeping it that way no matter what happens. You're much more likely to get cooperation from the officer than if you go in as one of these fools I often see who go in and immediately start acting angry and nasty. They can't figure out why they don't get the cooperation they seek.

 

The only immigration office I have dealt with is the Pattaya office. I have always found the officers to be friendly and trying to be as helpful as possible. They're trying to help people get what they need. They're not trying to make things difficult and not trying to prevent people from getting the visas and extensions they seek.

[Guest gwm4sian]

Was there a fee for Barry's service?

 

Yes, there was a fee. I think it was around 3K baht, but I am afraid I can't remember now. It is certianly a set fee prescribed by the embassy, and a receipt is issued

 

I also agree wholeheartedly with your comments about how to approach the staff in the immigration office. Most of my dealings have been with the Pattaya office, and I find they react positively to politeness, respect and suchlike, whilst those who wander in wearing attire more suited to the beach and shouting the odds seem to come off second best.

[Guest Astrrro]

Excellent article GayButton!

 

A few questions:

 

1) One rule is I must report to immigration every 90 days. What if I'm going to be out of Thailand for more than 90 days?

 

2) I am planning to get the retirement visa, stay in Thailand through the end of January, go to Bali in February and back to the USA in March and April, then back to Thailand in May '09. The flight from Bali to the States has a 5 hour layover at BKK. So will I need a single re-entry permit or a multiple re-entry permit, in other words does the 5 hour layover in Bangkok count?

 

3) I'm unclear exactly how early I can renew the retirement visa since I would prefer not to be locked into coming back to Thailand in April before my first year expires?

 

4) What's the cost of the single re-entry permit?

 

Thanks!

[Gaybutton]

1) One rule is I must report to immigration every 90 days. What if I'm going to be out of Thailand for more than 90 days?

 

In that case you don't have to worry about reporting your address once you exit Thailand. You report again 90 days after you return to Thailand.

 

2) I am planning to get the retirement visa, stay in Thailand through the end of January, go to Bali in February and back to the USA in March and April, then back to Thailand in May '09. The flight from Bali to the States has a 5 hour layover at BKK. So will I need a single re-entry permit or a multiple re-entry permit, in other words does the 5 hour layover in Bangkok count?

 

If you clear customs in Bangkok, then yes, you must have a reentry permit. If you are going to remain in the international transit area, then you don't need a reentry permit because there will be no stamp in your passport that shows you have reentered. If you do want to clear customs in Bangkok for any reason, then you will need a multiple reentry permit.

 

3) I'm unclear exactly how early I can renew the retirement visa since I would prefer not to be locked into coming back to Thailand in April before my first year expires?

 

You've got me on that one. I don't know. What you would need to do is explain your situation to the Immigration office shortly before you leave Thailand and see what they say. If I were to guess, if you are talking about a month or less, then they would probably let you renew prior to leaving Thailand. More than that, then I would guess they will say you will have to go through the process again and obtain a new retirement visa when you return to Thailand. But I'm only guessing. I would also guess they would want to see your airline ticket if you are asking to renew significantly early.

 

You're the first person to come up with that question, so we'll need you to let the rest of us know once you get an answer.

 

4) What's the cost of the single re-entry permit?

 

1000 baht for a single reentry permit. 3800 baht for a multiple reentry permit.

[2lz2p]

You may recall that last year, it was announced that we would have to get a Foreign Ministry stamp on our Embassy "income" letter beginning September 1, 2007 (as I recall, that was the effective date). A good friend of mine decided he wanted to do his renewal before the deadline to avoid having to go to the trouble of getting the stamp, even though it was 3 months before his renewal date. He went to Pattaya Immigration and his renewal was processed with no questions asked on why he was doing it so early -- the new expiration date was one year from the date of his retirement visa expiration date (about 15 months from the time he renewed). It was after he renewed, the Government announced they were not going to implement the Foreign Ministry stamp requirement.

 

Myself, I did mine 30 days before expiration last year with no questions asked. It is coming up again in July and I plan to do it about 30 days before expiration again this year.

 

 

[Guest drfang]

Thanks for the article GB,,,you make it all seem so easy...

i want to apply for a retirement visa once safely inside the kingdom. I dont want to transfer 28 K approx Aust dollars into my as yet nonexistent thai bank account but will have to rely on the proof of income.

questions,

how much do i have to show as income each month or year going in to a thai bank account

i assume i can 'draw" on this for rent, living expenses etc.

what was the annual amount required as "certified" by the US embassy,

was this in cash, or is shares etc acceptable,

Have any Australians on this board tried to get the AU embassy in BKK to "certify" their income abroad and were they as helpfull as the US embassy seems to be.

I am a bit confused abut the financial side of this process

Thanks

 

 

[Gaybutton]

Thanks for the article GB,,,you make it all seem so easy...

 

I make it seem easy because it is. There's nothing difficult about it at all.

 

I have no idea what the Australian embassy requires. Thailand requires a minimum income of 72,000 baht per month, as I recall. I could easily be wrong about that figure. I'm relying on memory, and my memory has seen better days. Since you are still in Australia, a phone call to the Thai embassy could get you an accurate answer.

 

None of it has to remain in your bank account. You can spend it as you wish.

 

You don't have to prove how much goes into your bank account, if you are using the proof-of-income method. Thailand merely requires that you have a Thai bank account at all and that funds go into that account from abroad. That's what the letter from the bank certifies. The letter says nothing about the amount going in.

 

As far as your actual income is concerned, whether through cash, shares, or anything else, that's what the proof-of-income statement is all about, so that depends on what the Australian embassy will accept.

 

Assuming you can prove your income, if nobody with experience at the Australian embassy responds, I advise either bringing documentation with you or simply springing for a call to the Australian embassy in Bangkok and asking them what they require. Maybe they just take your word for it too.