Retirement Visa

[dab69]

He/she must be 60 years of age or over and has regular income. His/her bank account deposit shall not be less than Baht 200,000 a year and evidence of the account deposit for the previous 3 months must be shown; or he/she has a monthly income of not less than Baht 20,000.

wow as you get older you require less money.

I'll probably just" winter" 90 days/year in Thailand for a while.

[Nirish guy]

So, ( and I really dont mean to sound rude here to those who it may seemingly apply too) but unless I'm missing something they're asking that we should have no less that £5,000 "in the bank" ( for at least 3 months of the year just as savings) and then have some / any form of income ( pension) that provides not less than £500 a month coming in - and people think this too much to ask ?

I think I'd be more concerned if I was living overseas from my home country and the above two conditions WEREN"T the case perhaps ! Or am I TOTALLY missing the point and are we implying that most / a lot of farang in Thailand are actually living just above the bread line and surviving on merge scraps each day with not a single penny in the bank to support themselves if "shit happens" - surely not ?

[bkkguy]

As from today all O-A visa applicants must have a mandatory level of health insurance

and how many of us here are actually on O-A visas?

and it has been approved by cabinet but there has been no implementation date and actual implementation details announced by either the Foreign Ministry (responsible for issuing the NON O-A visas) and the Interior Ministry and Immigration Bureau (responsible for allowing you to enter the country using your NON O-A visa)

Apparently the requirement also covers those extending their visa

not according to the article in The Nation that seams to have sparked this latest bout of knicker-twisting - it applies to those renewing their NON O-A visa

since there are no procedures, either in Immigration Offices in Thailand or embassies and consulates outside of Thailand, to renew or extend a visa perhaps the Health Service Support Dept official making the announcement and the Nation journalist should spend a bit more time running this past Immigration or Foreign Office officials who could perhaps help with the terminology and also perhaps help with the implementation details and if/when it will actually get implemented

How many times do we actually have to go through this mass debate before people wake up to themselves!

I actually think ThaiVisa pays The Nation to publish this type of article just to generate forum traffic - and thus ad revenue! At least the article last December when the concept was approved by the Medical Hub Committee was not quite so useless but still generated pages of ThaiVisa forum breast-beating from people who don't know what visa they have and are convinced Immigration is persecuting them.

[frequent]

And how many of us here are actually on O-A visas?

Definitely not me - I’m a Latin teacher in Houston, never been to Thailand or Pattaya doncha know

[Brad the Impala]

Thai immigration policies are surely a pedant’s paradise.

[2lz2p]

He/she must be 60 years of age or over and has regular income. His/her bank account deposit shall not be less than Baht 200,000 a year and evidence of the account deposit for the previous 3 months must be shown; or he/she has a monthly income of not less than Baht 20,000.

wow as you get older you require less money.

I'll probably just" winter" 90 days/year in Thailand for a while.

That posting will surely cause some confusion - but if you look at the source, it is in ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION BUREAU No. 327/2557 - Section 2.22 (6). While it relates to getting retirement extensions, it applies only to those that entered Thailand before October 21, 1998 which was the old rule for retirement before it changed to the current requirements. Otherwise often referred to as the "grandfather clause."

(6)An alien who entered the Kingdom before October 21, 1998 and has been consecutively permitted to stay in the Kingdom for retirement shall be subject to the following criteria:
(a)Must be 60 years of age or over and have an annual fixed income with fluids (sic) maintained in a bank account for the past three months of no less than Baht 200,000 or have a monthly income of no less than Baht 20,000
(b)If less than 60 years of age but not less than 55 years of age, must have an annual fixed income with funds maintained in a bank account for the past three months of no less than Baht 500,000or have a monthly income of no less than Baht 50,0002.

[kjun12]

So, ( and I really dont mean to sound rude here to those who it may seemingly apply too) but unless I'm missing something they're asking that we should have no less that £5,000 "in the bank" ( for at least 3 months of the year just as savings) and then have some / any form of income ( pension) that provides not less than £500 a month coming in - and people think this too much to ask ?

I think I'd be more concerned if I was living overseas from my home country and the above two conditions WEREN"T the case perhaps ! Or am I TOTALLY missing the point and are we implying that most / a lot of farang in Thailand are actually living just above the bread line and surviving on merge scraps each day with not a single penny in the bank to support themselves if "shit happens" - surely not ?

Your post is a bit obnoxious considering that your figures are so wrong. The want 800,000 baht in a Thai bank (19,762.06 pounds) and while we may not be starving it is difficult to tie up that much money. Additionally, they want the money in the bank for most of the year. Not 3 months.

[2lz2p]

One more thing you'll need to factor in, dab69 - does your US health insurance cover you in Thailand? As from today all O-A visa applicants must have a mandatory level of health insurance. Overseas-originated cover is acceptable, but if you don't have that, budget on an extra 8-10,000 baht a month (based on your age) for Thailand-based insurance. Apparently the requirement also covers those extending their visa - yes Smiles, that means you, if your original visa was O-A

I suggest you join the discussion among the headless chickens on Thaivisa rather than venting here

Actually, the requirement for applicants for Non-Immigrant O-A Visas do not yet have to have health insurance. The Cabinet has approved the requirement, but as mentioned in the articles published on the subject, the Ministry of Health (who made the announcements) also said that they would need to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (that Ministry will need to instruct Thai Embassies/Consulate to implement the requirement) and the Immigration Bureau (Ministry of Interior/Royal Thai Police) before the requirement becomes effective. Further the MofH spokesperson said that it would most likely be July before that happens. So, until then all applicants for an O-A Visa do not yet have a requirement to have health insurance.

[goji]

The want 800,000 baht in a Thai bank (19,762.06 pounds) and while we may not be starving it is difficult to tie up that much money.

This is how the world works. Countries prefer immigrants who can pay their way. Buying visas & residency rights in some other countries is way more expensive than this. In some countries, you need to be on an investor visa scheme, which often requires 7 figure sums.

Despite being priced out of some of these, I'm absolutely fine with it, as I don't particularly want the doors kept open for every sponging bogus refugee to come to my own country. Therefore, I respect the right of other countries to require immigrants to pay their way.

For me, the message is clear. If I want some choice of where to live, it is best to get my finances in order.

For most people on a tidy middle class income, it's not that difficult. Make sure you don't have an expensive depreciating car on the drive when a 10~20 year old model will do just as well. Make sure you're earning as much as you can. If you're gay & single, stuff a lodger in the spare room. Review your expenses. Then figure out how to invest what's left over.

Getting the SGD 2.5 million for a Singapore investor visa might be beyond many of us, but raising THB 800,000 should not be difficult for many people who have lived a prudent lifestyle for 50 or more years.

I agree with you about not wanting to tie up that kind of money in an investment with low returns. Putting it in stocks or something with a higher return would suit me better.

However, Thailand can set the rules as it sees fit & our only options are to think ahead and get our finances in order, or scoot off and live somewhere else. The world does not owe us a living.

Incidentally, I was reading in the local UK paper about some 80 year old Brit living in Thailand who was very ill and trying to raise £50,000 to get back to the UK.

He's a fine example of why Thailand probably should be ensuring retired people are solvent.

[francois]

Incidentally, I was reading in the local UK paper about some 80 year old Brit living in Thailand who was very ill and trying to raise £50,000 to get back to the UK.

He's a fine example of why Thailand probably should be ensuring retired people are solvent.

Yes, kick those old fuckers out, after they have spent years of their income in Thailand.