gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
Your on an extension to stay based on retirement as i'm on an extension to stay based on marriage. Not a retirement or marriage visa, as said no such thing. No where will you see the words "retirement visa" on that stamp.
gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
and these can only be applied for in you home country. If British Thai Embassy in London can ONLY issues these.
FWIW.. A visa can only be issued under normal conditions out side of Thailand..
gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
another tongue screw up site...
gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
http://www.thaivisa.com/391-0.html
WHY DO I NEED A VISA?
Why Do You Need A Visa? Like most other countries, Thailand usually requires non-Thai nationals seeking to enter the country to obtain a visa, although agreements exist between Thailand and certain other nations according to which no visa is required for nationals of either country to enter the other.
Nationals of many countries will need to have obtained a visa before arriving at a port of entry into Thailand. The nationals of certain other countries may obtain a visa upon arrival at the international airports of Thailand or at certain other ports of entry. Finally, there are countries that have been granted special privileges and whose nationals are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa to enter Thailand.
Thai visas regulations derive from the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) section 5, 12 (1), 34 (15), which empowers the Interior Minister to establish a code of Ministerial Regulations defining different types of visas. These regulations also assign the power to issue these visas to two authorities:
1. The consular officers of embassies or consulates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in all nations where a Thai embassy or consulate is located.
2. The immigration officers of the Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police.
Under the law that has been in effect since 1979, there are nine types of visa, each with its own conditions and duration of stay as well as fees.
THE THAI VISA SYSTEM
Most visitors can enter Thailand for a period of up to 30 days without the need for a visa.
If you wish to stay longer a two month tourist visa is available from the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence or another country outside Thailand. A tourist visa can be extended by one month whilst you are in Thailand on the payment of 1,900 Baht to the nearest immigration office to where you are staying.
A Non-Immigrant Visa is normally issued for three months and can be extended up to one year if you meet the requirements for the category you are applying for. A non immigrant O-A visa can be issued in home country or country of permanent residence to provide a pre-approved one year stay for those meeting retirement qualifications.
A person married to a Thai can request to be given a three month Non-Immigrant category O visa and this can be extended up to one year and then annually thereafter on payment of the current fee of 1,900 Baht without the need to leave and re-enter the country. For a foreign male a deposit of at least 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank account for two months or proof of 40,000 baht per month income is required to prove that you have the funds to live in Thailand. This will normally involve a 30 days under review period prior to final stamp. You should note that a permitted to stay period ceases to be valid if you leave the country unless you have paid and applied for a Re-Entry permit from Immigration, currently 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi, before you leave the country.
A person aged over 50 years may retire to Thailand and get a one year renewable permission to stay if he has a non immigrant O visa entry and 800,000 in a Thai bank account for two months (first – three months later) or has Embassy proof of 65,000 baht per month income/pension or a combination to meet 800,000 baht per year. A special non immigrant O-A visa (pre-approved extension) can be issued in home country or country of permanent residence to do this process prior to entry if you wish.
For tourist entry for most there is a choice to obtain a tourist visa prior to travel or for below passports the opportunity to obtain on arrival or enter without visa for a specific time as listed below.
Normal 30 day visa exempt entry:
America (USA)
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
British (UK)
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Philippines
Portugal
Qatar
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Special 14 day visa exempt entry:
Cambodia
Special 30 day visa exempt entry:
Hong Kong
Russia
Laos
Vietnam
Macau
Mongolia
Special 90 day visa exempt entry:
Argentina
Brasil
Chile
South Korea
Peru
Visa On Arrival (VOA) 15 days:
Andorra
Bulgaria
Bhutan
China
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Ethiopia
Hungary
India
Kazakstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Maldives
Malta
Mauritius
Poland
Romania
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Slovenia
Slovak
Taiwan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
WHY DO I NEED A VISA?
Why Do You Need A Visa? Like most other countries, Thailand usually requires non-Thai nationals seeking to enter the country to obtain a visa, although agreements exist between Thailand and certain other nations according to which no visa is required for nationals of either country to enter the other.
Nationals of many countries will need to have obtained a visa before arriving at a port of entry into Thailand. The nationals of certain other countries may obtain a visa upon arrival at the international airports of Thailand or at certain other ports of entry. Finally, there are countries that have been granted special privileges and whose nationals are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa to enter Thailand.
Thai visas regulations derive from the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) section 5, 12 (1), 34 (15), which empowers the Interior Minister to establish a code of Ministerial Regulations defining different types of visas. These regulations also assign the power to issue these visas to two authorities:
1. The consular officers of embassies or consulates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in all nations where a Thai embassy or consulate is located.
2. The immigration officers of the Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police.
Under the law that has been in effect since 1979, there are nine types of visa, each with its own conditions and duration of stay as well as fees.
THE THAI VISA SYSTEM
Most visitors can enter Thailand for a period of up to 30 days without the need for a visa.
If you wish to stay longer a two month tourist visa is available from the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence or another country outside Thailand. A tourist visa can be extended by one month whilst you are in Thailand on the payment of 1,900 Baht to the nearest immigration office to where you are staying.
A Non-Immigrant Visa is normally issued for three months and can be extended up to one year if you meet the requirements for the category you are applying for. A non immigrant O-A visa can be issued in home country or country of permanent residence to provide a pre-approved one year stay for those meeting retirement qualifications.
A person married to a Thai can request to be given a three month Non-Immigrant category O visa and this can be extended up to one year and then annually thereafter on payment of the current fee of 1,900 Baht without the need to leave and re-enter the country. For a foreign male a deposit of at least 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank account for two months or proof of 40,000 baht per month income is required to prove that you have the funds to live in Thailand. This will normally involve a 30 days under review period prior to final stamp. You should note that a permitted to stay period ceases to be valid if you leave the country unless you have paid and applied for a Re-Entry permit from Immigration, currently 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi, before you leave the country.
A person aged over 50 years may retire to Thailand and get a one year renewable permission to stay if he has a non immigrant O visa entry and 800,000 in a Thai bank account for two months (first – three months later) or has Embassy proof of 65,000 baht per month income/pension or a combination to meet 800,000 baht per year. A special non immigrant O-A visa (pre-approved extension) can be issued in home country or country of permanent residence to do this process prior to entry if you wish.
For tourist entry for most there is a choice to obtain a tourist visa prior to travel or for below passports the opportunity to obtain on arrival or enter without visa for a specific time as listed below.
Normal 30 day visa exempt entry:
America (USA)
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
British (UK)
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Philippines
Portugal
Qatar
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Special 14 day visa exempt entry:
Cambodia
Special 30 day visa exempt entry:
Hong Kong
Russia
Laos
Vietnam
Macau
Mongolia
Special 90 day visa exempt entry:
Argentina
Brasil
Chile
South Korea
Peru
Visa On Arrival (VOA) 15 days:
Andorra
Bulgaria
Bhutan
China
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Ethiopia
Hungary
India
Kazakstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Maldives
Malta
Mauritius
Poland
Romania
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Slovenia
Slovak
Taiwan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
That site is a fcuk up - mixing visa and extension requirements.
The terminology is quite important because the requirements/advice are different for each case.
Technically, it wrong to say there is no such thing as a retirement visa. The two situations I am aware of are obtaining a retirement visa as part of a long stay that moves into a retirement extension and converting a non-o visa to a retirement visa within Thailand (can't see the point really as you can extend off a standard non-O visa):-
Retirement visa options
The Thailand retirement visa can be obtained in two ways. This is through visa conversion or filing a formal application at the nearest Thai embassy or consulate. Depending on one’s situation and preference, applicants may choose which of the two options can specifically address their needs.
- Visa conversion – As the term “conversion” connotes, it is the process of shifting into a new visa to serve yet another purpose. Under this option, a potential retiree initially applies for a Non-immigrant category O visa. Upon entering Thailand, holders of this visa type may change it to O-A category under Retirement in order to facilitate long-term stay in the country. Oftentimes, many tend to misunderstand this process as applying for a new visa inside Thailand. However, this is not what occurs in this situation. Visas, for whatever purpose they serve, are applied outside the receiving country and conversion is way too different from that.
- Formal application – US retirees may also submit a formal application outside Thailand. Here, they simply need to go to the Thai embassy or consulate within their area. In this case, they can directly apply for the Thailand retirement visa. Once issued, they can have a longterm stay in the Land of Smiles.
- Important considerations of the Thailand retirement visa. If the application or conversion of the US pensioner is approved, there are important aspects that they must always remember.
- First, retirees cannot work in Thailand. Retirement equates to leisure and relaxation. As such, visa holders cannot engage in activities that are otherwise interpreted as a form ofemployment.
- Second, they must satisfy the financial requirement. Retirees must have a total of THB 800,000 in their bank account or a monthly pension of THB 65,000. Or, they must show that the combination of their current deposit account and monthly income amounts to THB 800,000. The failure to comply with this condition makes them ineligible for the visa.
- Third, should they wish to leave Thailand, they must secure a re-entry permit. The Thailand retirement visa allows its holders to have a year of authorized stay in the country. Ifthey leave without the re-entry permit, their visa will be considered void and can no longer remain for a year in the country.
- Last, retirees are obliged to report to immigration officers or police every 90 days.