Guest bkkbob Posted October 20, 2006 Posted October 20, 2006 Hi I'm new to the forum and have been enjoying it. I'm an expat getting set up to retire here. I'm planning on applying for a one-year non-immigrant visa to tide me over until I can get a retirement visa. One BKK law firm said they'd charge (about) 10K baht for processing, ensuring I get a multiple entry visa. This will theoretically occur when I travel to the US next month. This is in addition, of course, to the fee for the visa itself, which I am to pay directly. Seems a bit high to me. Any advice? Quote
Gaybutton Posted October 20, 2006 Posted October 20, 2006 The one-year non-immigrant visa and the retirement visa are both the same thing. You do not need an attorney. Save your money. Obtaining the visa is the easiest thing in the world, but you must be at least age 50. I have written a detailed article that literally walks you through the entire process. If you will send me your E-mail address I will be happy to send you a copy of the article. You can write to me at gaybutton@gmail.com . If you are under age fifty, then apply for the Type "O" visa, which is good for 90 days or the Type "O-A" visa, which is good for, I believe, 180 days. Both can be renewed via "visa runs." With that visa, once you reach age fifty you will be able to obtain the one-year retirement visa. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 20, 2006 Posted October 20, 2006 I agree totally with Gaybutton. Save your cash! I was originally referred to an expensive farang lawyer in Asoke who was going to charge around Bt. 20,000!! Much of his advice was totally inaccurate as I later found out when I went to the Thai Consulate in Hong Kong - even the type and length of visa! Fortunately I had taken a decent file of financial and other information, got an extremely helpful lady who talked me through the process, and 21 days later paid my HK$1,000 (US$125) for the 1-year retirement visa. The only 'surprise' was the need for a police check on my background which took a couple of weeks to process (wish I knew what they found!). Not sure if this is required in every country, but Gaybutton's paper will have that covered. Quote
Gaybutton Posted October 20, 2006 Posted October 20, 2006 While it is possible to obtain the retirement visa in other countries, I don't recommend doing that for just the reasons fountainhall outlined. Get the visa within Thailand. Believe me, it's the easiest thing in the workl as long as you enter Thailand with at least the Type "O" visa and you are at least fifty years old. As I said, if anyone wants the article all you have to do is send an E-mail to me and I'll be glad to send it to you. Do not PM me for the article. I have no way to send it via PM. I can send it only by E-mail. Some people have asked me to post the article on the web site, but for reasons of my own I prefer to handle that, and any other article requests, by E-mail. Quote
Guest bkkbob Posted October 23, 2006 Posted October 23, 2006 Hi Guys Thanks for the advice. What it looks like I need is the 'O' visa as I still have about 10 months before I can apply for the retirement visa. But I don't think I want to go the 90-day visa route as I fear I may be caught out with the new regulations - as I'd have to go through 3 of them before I'm 50. Isn't this what the new regulations are trying to stop? (I also don't want to be bothered with the visa run.) I want a 1-year multiple entry non-immigrant visa. I understand the multiple entry aspect is the tricky part. I would then apply for the retirement visa - sans lawyer - here in Thailand. I'll email you Gaybutton for your guide to the retirement visa. Thanks again. Quote
