# Are There Advisors For Potential Retirees?



## StephenACS (Jun 18, 2014)

I am seriously considering moving to Thailand in 2015 and am trying to find out if there are advisors who one can hire to provide assistance and information to ease the transition. Surely there must be people who do such work, right? Any ideas? :fingerscrossed:


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

StephenACS said:


> I am seriously considering moving to Thailand in 2015 and am trying to find out if there are advisors who one can hire to provide assistance and information to ease the transition. Surely there must be people who do such work, right? Any ideas? :fingerscrossed:


Stephen,

I'm in the Philippines and not Thailand. However, just like here, I would not suggest hiring/paying anyone as the chance of getting nothing for your money would just be too high.

Best thing is to go yourself and locate places of interest and go from there.



Good Luck


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## leslylaw (Nov 18, 2014)

Try to get professional assistance from Asian Tiger mobility in Thailand, I am not a promoter nor gain any benefit from this company but I have seen it while I was on the road in Bangkok.


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## Wayward Wind (Aug 28, 2011)

You don't need any assistance; the process is straightforward and simple, and can be quickly accomplished by you, presuming you meet the age (50+) and financial requirements.

Financial requirements: you must have a foreign source income (i.e. pension, etc) equal to 800,000 THB - about $26,000 - per year. If so, your first stop should be the Consular Services Section of the US Embassy on Wireless Road in Bangkok to have an income affidavit (available online) notarized. You have to make an advance appointment online to access the services.

If you have no foreign source income, go to a bank and and open an account (I use Bangkok Bank) and deposit 800,000 THB into an account, preferably through a wire transfer from your US bank. Those funds must stay on deposit for at least 60 days prior to applying for your long term extension (described below).

If you have some foreign source income but less than the equivalent of 800,000 THB, then open the bank account and deposit sufficient funds so that the sum of your foreign source income (as shown on the income affidavit) and the bank deposit exceeds 800,000 THB. You do not have to wait 60 days for the funds in the bank to "seed" before applying for the long term extension described below.

Now the process:

First, enter Thailand on a tourist visa or, because you are from the US, on a visa waiver stamp obtained on arrival at BKK;

Second, convert that status to a non-immigrant O visa at the Chaeng Wattana Immigration office. That gives you 90 days from the expiration of your tourist visa or visa exempt period. Some provinces allow this conversion to be accomplished there, while others require that it be done in Bangkok;

Third, if you are relying solely on a bank deposit to meet the financial requirements, then wait 60 days and then apply for an extension of your non-immigrant visa. If you are relying solely or in part on the income method, then you do not have to wait 60 days and can apply immediately after receiving the non-immigrant O visa. All the necessary forms are online at the Thailand Immigration website.

When you apply for the long term extension, be sure to also apply for a re-entry permit (single or multiple entry) which will ensure that your extension remains valid in the event that you leave Thailand during the year that the extension is in effect.

That's it. You can now stay in Thailand for the period of your original visa or entry, the 90 day period for the non-immigrant O visa conversion, plus one year for the extension. Your only additional obligation is to file a simple form every 90 days with the immigration office in the province where you reside.

There is a very good guide with links to the necessary forms at the Pattaya City Expats Club:
http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/expats/docs/ExtendingStay.pdf

My wife and I followed this process when we arrived on 30 day tourist visas, and in less than a month had accomplished all of the above steps and had our extensions in hand.


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## joseph44 (May 4, 2011)

Wayward........good info, but it's just a small step towards total integration into Thailand. It's not only the visa-procedure, but it's also the move, transport, housing, medical issues, getting around, areas, insurances.......basically, what Stephen is looking for is someone or something that will take care of all possible issues that may arise on his way to Thailand and maybe the first year of being here. 

As Leslylaw said, Asian Tiger Mobility is a possibility, but I guess there will be more agencies offering their services. 

https://www.google.co.th/webhp?tab=...gBw&ved=0CAcQqS4oBA#q=thailand+expat+services


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## PAUL-UK-BKK (Jan 21, 2015)

Hi there I'm not sure if have received the information you were looking for by now but as I have experience in this matter I thought I would share this with you. It can be a very simple process if one adheres to the rules and guidelines that are in place. 

The problems may arise as there are many factors to consider and these factors can vary from one individual to the next. For example, which country you are moving from, age, pension capital and savings and investments to name a few. 

There is an advice line who were extremely helpful and you can chat with them directly via email, [email protected]. I do not work for them but they helped my father when he moved too Phuket in June last year.

I do hope this helps and good luck with your move.

Paul


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