Thread: Thailand : Retirement “OA” Visas Easier

Retirement “OA” Visas Easier to Qualify With Outside Income Only
Visith Pinpawong
03.07.2011



Retirement “OA” visas are now much easier to qualify for to receive a one-year stay in the Kingdom. For those foreigners 50-years-old or older who want to live in Thailand all year long, or at least have the option to come and go for a year without any visa hassles, the new reduced requirements have eliminated the need for a Thai bank account if the person has sufficient proof of income of 800,000 baht or more outside of Thailand.

This proof must be certified by the Embassy in Bangkok of the foreign national. As an example, an American can go to the US Embassy on Wireless Road in Bangkok and in the Citizen Services Section ask for a “Proof of Income” form on which he will write the amount of income and from what source he receives it per month.

At the US Embassy it is an oath and no proof of income is required at the US Embassy. Not all embassies are the same so call your embassy to find out if they need proof of income before they will provide you with the form necessary to submit to Immigration.

As long as the monthly income is 65,000 baht or more per month for a total of 800,000 baht per year then there is no need for a Thai bank account. Only the Embassy certified statement, the visa application and now two photos are required.

Formerly, every visa applicant was required to update his Thai bank book and get a letter from the Branch Manager stating the amount in the account and provide the information along with his application to the Immigration Bureau.

Now, if the Embassy provides a statement of income of 800,000 baht per year or 65,000 baht per month for a year then there is no need to provide Thai bank information.

However, if the applicant does not have 65,000 baht per month or 800,000 baht per year in income from pension, rents or other sources paid to him from outside of Thailand, but he does have some such income then he can still use an Embassy letter to reduce the amount of money he must prove he has in a Thai bank to make up the difference of the 800,000 baht minimum.

For example, if one has a monthly pension totaling 40,000 baht per month then that is equal to 480,000 baht per year then he would be required to update his Thai bank book and get a letter from the Branch Manager stating that the amount in the account was at least 320,000 baht which with the Embassy letter would show 800,000 baht per year.

While obtaining retirement visas will be easier to qualify for an Education Visa is now going to be harder to obtain due to new policy by the new Chonburi Chief Immigration Chief Police Colonel Chusak Panutumpon and the new Supreme Commander of Immigration in Bangkok.

pattaya-times.com

Good news if it works.

Excellent.

The OP doesn't make sense to me.
What requirements have changed?

Originally Posted by Thetyim

What requirements have changed?

None. Been doing this for years.

Now I'm confused again.........

Ok, cheers.

Now here's a question.

I apply for a retirement cos I'm of the age.

But, I'm still working on a consultancy basis with the NT Gov. providing at least as much as the retirement requirement.

I commute back and forth.

Doable ??

I suppose the question is as to whether or not the Aus. Embassy would differentiate between pay and pension on the stat. dec.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

I apply for a retirement cos I'm of the age.

Income does not have to be from a "retirement" fund. Can come from any source.
As long as you don't work in Thailand you're good to go. Should check with Aussie Embassy how ever.

Originally Posted by Norton

Income does not have to be from a "retirement" fund. Can come from any source. As long as you don't work in Thailand you're good to go. Should check with Aussie Embassy how ever.

Velly interesting. Cheers.

So, maybe, rock up at Aus. Emb. Show bank statements proving fortnightly/monthly income, complete stat. dec. and off we go.

Might be good.

He is not talking about a "OA" if received in Thailand but a normal retirement as you can only get the OA in your home country and the rules have been in place for the monies for a some time now......

Originally Posted by Norton

Requirement has always been as OP.

Yes, agreed for extensions but the OP is apparently talking about OA visa which you get BEFORE you arrive in Thailand so how the fuck can you get the embassy in Bangkok to take an oath from you ?

I give up.

So if the above is true, you do not have to make visa runs?

Originally Posted by Sailing into trouble

So if the above is true, you do not have to make visa runs?

Yes but relaxed one,s

Originally Posted by Sailing into trouble

So if the above is true, you do not have to make visa runs?

With a yearly Extension of Stay you do not have to do visa runs.
You only have to report your address to immigration every 90days,
either by post or in person

^ Be a bonus if it did work.

If you are doing 6/6 month rotation I don't see that you gain much by having a one year extension.
A multi entry O and one border run per year is all you need

I know more than a few people here in Phuket that travel and work outside Thailand and hold retirement extensions. Many own homes, ( some are married, some not) and have the cash in the bank and they never have to worry about visas or such.

Originally Posted by Phuketrichard

they never have to worry about visas or such.

What, not at all?

^
No not at all.
My visa expired 16 years ago
I have been on yearly extensions ever since