Visa runs to be limited to two

GWM BKK - You may have just made a typo in your post but you cannot convert a Tourist Visa into a Retirement Visa - unless they have changed something quite recently. In order to get your Retirement Visa, you must enter the Kingdom using a non-Immigrant visa and then have it converted.

I don't know what country you are from but two friends of mine applied for 'long term' visas. One, From Hawaii he was given a one year visa and when stamped in at the airport, he was given a full year. My other friend is on the way over this week so will find out what happened to him altho his visa from New York states it is a one year visa. We shall see what he gets when he arrives and I will keep you advised. Both qualify for retirement visa's showing monthly deposits into their US bank accounts which fill the current income qualification test

BTW, have not been able to get onto Thai Visa for the past couple of days - anyone know of any problems there? I am presently in the US so not familiar with what is going on over there except by info passed to me by friends.

Currently, it is possible and common (at least in Bangkok and Pattaya) to enter Thailand on a tourist visa (not a 30 day stamp) and then first convert that to an O visa in Thailand, and then get a one year extension based on retirement. That makes it a two step process. To make it a one step process, get an O visa outside Thailand. Some places like the DC embassy and LA will not grant an O visa based on desire to retire, they will require you go through the much greater hassle of an O-A visa application (something most people would rather avoid).

[edited to add this comment: While I was typing the following, Thaiquila made his post, supporting what I was trying to say]

You may have just made a typo in your post but you cannot convert a Tourist Visa into a Retirement Visa - unless they have changed something quite recently. In order to get your Retirement Visa, you must enter the Kingdom using a non-Immigrant visa and then have it converted.

I believe it has change somewhat recently: At the Immigrations office in Thailand, you convert the tourist visa to a long-term visa (I forget the category off the top of my head ... go to ThaiVisa.com for details) and then the retirement endorsement is added. I'm too lazy to look up the exact wording/terminology right now, but that's essentially how it works.

There are actually three options available to me (American):

(1) Get the O-A visa in the USA before entering Thailand. Benefits: funds can stay in USA until the annual visa renewals begin in Thailand, at which point the funds must be transferred to Thailand, the one-year visa is activated by the passport stamp when you enter Thailand -- no need to take further action within Thailand (other than 90-day reports, of course). Disadvantage: More expensive medical exam (possibly over US$100 vs about US$5 in Thailand) and also acquiring a certification of a clean criminal record.

(2) Get a plain O visa with intent to enter Thailand to investigate the option of retiring. No criminal record check, no income/savings verification before entering Thailand. After entering Thailand on the O visa, convert it to a Retirement Visa: no criminal check required, cheaper medical certification, but funds must be transferred to Thailand at that time.

(3) Get a tourist visa, and before the last 21 days of validity go to Immigrations to begin the process I described in the first paragraph. It involves step (2) as explained above.

The O-A visa is available to several nationalities besides USA, but I'm not sure of the list. It's available to British citizens, and I think I read that Australians and Canadians can get one, also. Application for the O-A visa must be made in the country of your citizenship. (I balk at taking a 24-hour trip just to do that. I haven't set foot on American soil in over 2.5 years.)

The tourist visa is cheaper, and easier to acquire at some regional embassies/consulates. e.g. On ThaiVisa.com they say it's very difficult to get an plain O visa, other than for a "marriage visa" in Penang these days. It is well documented, granted via anectodal accounts, that different Thai embassies/consulates interpret and handle visa cases differently. The Hull consulate in Great Britain, for example, is known to be very flexible, easy to work with, and efficient. Various embassies with in the USA have different procedures (different amounts of forms required, some places require notary, others don't, etc). So, as a disclaimer: "Your mileage may vary."

I was originall going to fly down to Penang for a few days to get the Tourist Visa, then when my company was going to send me to HKG, I decided to get either a Tourist or O visa there. Yesterday, I found out my Hong Kong training class has been moved to Hawaii. I just e-mailed the Honorary Consulate in Honolulu to see the procedures there. I might even be able to get an O-A visa yet! <fingers crossed>

Judging purely from his avatar, Tee Pee is over 50...

ROTFL. What an incredibly polite boy you are! Try over 60, m'dear...and you'd still be incredibly polite.

This has just appeared on Thai Visa.com



a friend of mine just got refused a tourist visa in penang. they gave him a 2 week visa to go back to Thailand and pick up his stuff then get out. he had been using consecutive tourist visas for 5 years.

he said many farangs were in the same situation.

stev

This post has been edited by stevehaigh: Today, 2006-09-13 08:15:18


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You have no idea how happy this news makes me. Maybe the scum will move to Cambodia now.

This has just appeared on Thai Visa.com



a friend of mine just got refused a tourist visa in penang. they gave him a 2 week visa to go back to Thailand and pick up his stuff then get out. he had been using consecutive tourist visas for 5 years.

he said many farangs were in the same situation.

stev

This post has been edited by stevehaigh: Today, 2006-09-13 08:15:18


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This is no surprise at all. They are cracking down on serial "tourists". It seems they don't like people under 50 bumming about Thailand, and also suspect them of working illegally. Who's next? Any long term farang in Thailand who feels totally secure now is a fool. We are being scapegoated.

This has just appeared on Thai Visa.com



a friend of mine just got refused a tourist visa in penang. they gave him a 2 week visa to go back to Thailand and pick up his stuff then get out. he had been using consecutive tourist visas for 5 years.

he said many farangs were in the same situation.

stev

This post has been edited by stevehaigh: Today, 2006-09-13 08:15:18


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This is no surprise at all. They are cracking down on serial "tourists". It seems they don't like people under 50 bumming about Thailand, and also suspect them of working illegally. Who's next? Any long term farang in Thailand who feels totally secure now is a fool. We are being scapegoated.

Bullshit. Foreigners who are here legally and validly, with legitimate PR status, or work permits, or retirement visas, etc., have nothing to fear. Serial "tourists" have a LOT to fear, and it's bloody well about time.

This has just appeared on Thai Visa.com



a friend of mine just got refused a tourist visa in penang. they gave him a 2 week visa to go back to Thailand and pick up his stuff then get out. he had been using consecutive tourist visas for 5 years.

he said many farangs were in the same situation.

stev

This post has been edited by stevehaigh: Today, 2006-09-13 08:15:18


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This is no surprise at all. They are cracking down on serial "tourists". It seems they don't like people under 50 bumming about Thailand, and also suspect them of working illegally. Who's next? Any long term farang in Thailand who feels totally secure now is a fool. We are being scapegoated.

Bullshit. Foreigners who are here legally and validly, with legitimate PR status, or work permits, or retirement visas, etc., have nothing to fear. Serial "tourists" have a LOT to fear, and it's bloody well about time.

Thats something a sanctimonious prig might say.
There is no visa now for people who want to retire in Thailand under age 50, short of a 10 million baht investment visa. (Speak of folly!) All these people are scum, huh? Your time will come. Maybe not from Thai immigration, but YOUR TIME WILL COME.

How can someone possibly expect to retire at an age of under 50 years old, without access to funds of at least 10 million baht?

How can someone possibly expect to retire at an age of under 50 years old, without access to funds of at least 10 million baht?

Are you really that STUPID?????!!!!!!
The new investment visa involves bringing 10 million baht into Thailand, in risky, low yielding investments.
Have you also noticed it is often very hard to get MONEY OUT of Thailand when you want to do that? Easy in. Hard out.
What smart person would want to do that?
That is 10 million in ADDITION to their other funds of income streams to support them.
Millions of people can afford to retire under 50, and many countries welcome them.
Not Thailand.
Are you a Thai TRT?
Whats your angle?