Urgent please! American wishes to retire to Thailand!

merlin

merlin

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Can anyone please outline the steps that an American gentleman needs to take to obtain a retirement extension?

He's half way through a 2-week vacation here now, and wants to come back to live here permanently in about 6 months' time.

Will he need to provide evidence of his crime-free past with his visa/extension application(s)?

Any help would be much appreciated!
 
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To begin with...
Is he older than 50 years of age ?

Can he put $27,500 in a Thai bank account more than 90 days prior to applying ?

Does he have a criminal background ?

Merlin, best to go with him on a visit to Immigration and they can lay out the particulars for this gentleman in advance if he doesn't want to peruse their web-site which may not be up-to-date (IMO).
 
Thanks Coffee.

Yes - in his 60s
Yes - THB no problem
No criminal background - clean record.
 
Merlin said:
Thanks Coffee.

Yes - in his 60s
Yes - THB no problem
No criminal background - clean record.
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Police check is NOT required if going for an extension for retirement in Thailand. A police check is only needed if applying for a OA in the US. If he wants to apply for an extension based on retirement inside Thailand he needs to get a Single entry O visa (its good for 90 days) from the Thai embassy or a consulate in the US based on retirement. DO NOT get a tourist visa as he will play hell converting this over to retirement inside Thailand. He can show his funds two ways. 1. 800,000 baht in a Thai bank and seasoned for 60 days the first application. or 2. Showing 65,000 baht income per month Certified by the US Embassy in Bangkok.
 
Merlin said:
Can anyone please outline the steps that an American gentleman needs to take to obtain a retirement extension?

He's half way through a 2-week vacation here now, and wants to come back to live here permanently in about 6 months' time.

Will he need to provide evidence of his crime-free past with his visa/extension application(s)?

Any help would be much appreciated!
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It sounds like he is in Thailand at present and is going back to the US then return. If so I would suggest he gets a Thai Bank account now, it may not be easy but it can be done. Also an OA visa is good for 2 years but is only obtainable from your home country and in this case only from the Thai Embassy in DC or the official Thai Consulates in New York, Chicago and Los Angles not any honorary consulate that I'm aware off. The Thai Embassy website spells what is need for the OA and yes a police check is one of those requirement. http://www.thaiembassydc.org https://www.facebook.com/Thaiembdc https://twitter.com/thaiembdc
 
Thanks Dave
Correct on all counts. He's going to be heading to the banks in the morning to see about opening an account, with a view to transferring funds from NY in good time for his retirement extension application back here for the O visa that he'll have applied for in the States before flying back to Thailand in July/Aug.

Just for info, I walked into a Surin Bangkok Bank branch 18 months ago and was told that obtaining an account there would take lots of time and might be complicated. Not always being the most patient of guys, I left instead, and went to the nearest Krungthai Bank branch and opened one within minutes, armed only with my Passport.
 
A mate of mine tried to open an account at Siam Commercial Bank in Pattaya this week and was sent packing. He went to Kasikorn and had no problem.

Don't overlook the option of obtaining the "retirement Visa" from the Thai Embassy in the US while in the US. I started out that way in Australia and have extended several times since in Thailand. When granted in your home country, the Visa includes Multiple Entry for a year ie you can re-enter the country on day 364 and still have another full year before extending.
 
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Merlin said:
Thanks Dave
Correct on all counts. He's going to be heading to the banks in the morning to see about opening an account, with a view to transferring funds from NY in good time for his retirement extension application back here for the O visa that he'll have applied for in the States before flying back to Thailand in July/Aug.

Just for info, I walked into a Surin Bangkok Bank branch 18 months ago and was told that obtaining an account there would take lots of time and might be complicated. Not always being the most patient of guys, I left instead, and went to the nearest Krungthai Bank branch and opened one within minutes, armed only with my Passport.
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A trick that may help. If he know another farang or a Thai that banks at a certain bank see if they will go with him to that branch and vouch for him. Sometimes thats all it takes.
 
gotlost said:
A trick that may help. If he know another farang or a Thai that banks at a certain bank see if they will go with him to that branch and vouch for him. Sometimes thats all it takes.
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Quite possibly good advice, gotlost. I remember when I went to Kasikorn South Pattaya many moons ago, I just happened to have the Gorgeous Lek's bank book for the same branch in my hand when the service lady asked if she could help me. I was (quite rightly) treated like royalty - she filled out the form, lined up in the queue for me, the works!
 
AussieBill said:
Quite possibly good advice, gotlost. I remember when I went to Kasikorn South Pattaya many moons ago, I just happened to have the Gorgeous Lek's bank book for the same branch in my hand when the service lady asked if she could help me. I was (quite rightly) treated like royalty - she filled out the form, lined up in the queue for me, the works!
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Its worked for me helping a few people and my wife has even vouched for a few.
 
No offence intended, but I'm not sure that the length of his term in Thailand is particularly relevant to the process of obtaining a retirement visa or a bank account. He's been encouraged to become a member of this Forum, so if he wishes to share that information with curious members, I'm sure he will, given time. He's a pleasant gentleman of good character and sound mind - as others who have met him here will vouch.

Thanks to the advice he's received here for which he's most grateful, I hope he enjoys a long and happy retirement in our midst.
 
Merlin said:
No offence intended, but I'm not sure that the length of his term in Thailand is particularly relevant to the process of obtaining a retirement visa or a bank account. He's been encouraged to become a member of this Forum, so if he wishes to share that information with curious members, I'm sure he will, given time. He's a pleasant gentleman of good character and sound mind - as others who have met him here will vouch.

Thanks to the advice he's received here for which he's most grateful, I hope he enjoys a long and happy retirement in our midst.
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We all share your sentiments and wish him well. Hope he as a since of humor with this lot.
 
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