# Retirement Visa Documents



## marvelsm

Hello all: My visa runs out next month and I was wondering if I can extend one year here in Bangkok or do I have to leave the country? Also what documents do I need to bring?
Thank you for any help. 
Marvelsm


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## tod-daniels

First off NO ONE can "extend" their visa EVER, what happens is you get what's called an :extension of stay" and the give you a new "permitted to stay until" stamp. The visa expires when it expires and that's that..

The real question is what type of visa do you have now? 

You can get a "yearly extension of stay" based on retirement if you're over 50, have 800K baht in a Thai bank account in your name (it must be in the account for 60 day if it's your first extension of stay application and 3 months if it's a subsequent extension of stay application) OR provide immigrations with a letter from your embassy stating you receive at least 65K baht a month.

Let's not put the cart before the horse.

How about weighing back in on the type of visa, where it is you exactly live in Thailand, if you can meet the financial requirements and I'll go from there as far as what documentation, forms and copies you need.


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## marvelsm

Hi Tod: Thanks for your reply. I have retirement visa and I live in Bangkok. I have a Thai Bank account but most of my money is in Canada. Would I need something from my banker stating my income. I supplied that info before I came to Thailand. And what is 800K in dollars? Thank you for any more help.


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## tod-daniels

Did you get the visa in Canada BEFORE you came here?

Look at the visa for me, tell me where the visa was issued, the exact type (like Non-Immigrant Type-???), the date of issue, the date where it says "this visa must be used by", and also your latest "permission to stay until stamp" (stamped on your passport and on your departure card). With that info I can steer you the right way.

800,000 baht is about 27,500 CAD. Right now it's 29.33 baht to one CAD, although Immigrations will use a different number than the real exchange rate. As an example even though when I got my yearly extension of stay the baht against the US dollar was almost 33/1, thai immigrations used 30/1 to compute the conversion!

What you need is a notarized letter from the Canadian Embassy here in Bangkok which states your monthly income. They won't issue it to you without you showing them your bank statements. Then you take both your Canadian bank statements and the notarized Canadian Embassy letter to Immigrations to show you meet the financial requirements. 

Now you can go what's called a "combination route" where you use money in a thai bank account (in your name only) AND the Embassy letter to hit the financial requirements. 

Answer those questions and we'll go from there.


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## marvelsm

AHello Tod: I have a non-immagrant type Q-A issued in Canada issued august 9 2013 used by august 8 2014. Ir is retirement visa. I am using photocopy so i don't see any stamp. Will the embassey except an email from my banker? Also do i have to leave the country or can i have this done in thailand? Hope you have all the info now.


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## marvelsm

Sorry Tod i got passport and visa in canada before i can here


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## tod-daniels

I thought you had a Non-Immigrant Type-OA which you got in Canada before you winged your way here. 

Now the real question is; when you got it, did you get it as a "multiple entry" or a "single entry"?

With that type of visa, every time you enter Thailand you get stamped in for a calendar year. 

IF it's a multiple entry visa, all you need to do is exit/re-enter the country BEFORE the "must be used by" date which you say is August 8th and you'll get stamped in for another whole year. 

However, what will expire is your re-entry ability, so after you come back in and get the stamp at the border for another year, make sure you go to Thai Immigrations and purchase a re-entry permit either as a single re-entry (1000baht) or as a multiple re-entry (3800baht). 

The re-entry permit will then have the validity of your new permission to stay until stamp (or another year as well).

Make sure you've really got a multi entry Non-OA and exit/re-enter the country before the "must be used by date"; you'll get another year's permission to stay "free"! That visa is actually good for nearly 2 years if you play the dates right! 

Good Luck, lemme know how it works out, but I'm betting it'll go just as I said when you exit/re-enter..


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## marvelsm

Yes it is a multi entry visa i went back to.Canada april early may i checked stamp on it and it says arrived May 2 goountil may 1 2015 so i don't have to do visa run until next year. Thank you for your help. Marvelsm


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## tod-daniels

IF you do a visa run just before that "must be used by date" which you say is August 8th you'll get another full year or until August 2015.

Just a note; You can't do a visa run AFTER the expiration of that visa itself, that visa doesn't work that way. 

Next year when you have 30 days or left remaining on your permission to stay until stamp you can apply for a extension of stay based on retirement for another year. 

Please pay attention to what I said about your re-entry permit; because IF you leave the country after August 8 2104 (the day that visa itself expires) and you DIDN'T buy a re-entry permit, your permission to stay until stamp cancels on your exit of the country! That's just how that visa works.

The visa is good for a year's entry EVERY time you enter up to the last day of the visa (must be used by date), but while you get stamped in for another year, the re-entry permit part of that visa expires on the 8th of August 2014, it does not carry over AT ALL.


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## marvelsm

Hi Tod: Yes that is what I was told. If I leave the country after august 8 I will have to buy a re-entry permit before I leave. Thank you for your help. Marvelsm


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## davidray

Hello all.Just joined this forum.I live in caosta rica and getting residency is very difficult to say the least so im considering selling my home and moving to Thailand. been there many times and really liked it.Im retired with a fed.income of $1.600.Whats my 1st steps to getting a visa that lets me stay for more than 90 days if possible and how would I open a bank acct.your help is appreciated.


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## Asian Spirit

davidray said:


> Hello all.Just joined this forum.I live in caosta rica and getting residency is very difficult to say the least so im considering selling my home and moving to Thailand. been there many times and really liked it.Im retired with a fed.income of $1.600.Whats my 1st steps to getting a visa that lets me stay for more than 90 days if possible and how would I open a bank acct.your help is appreciated.


Welcome to the forum and hope you get some information that will be helpful. That would be a big jump from South America over this way.
Not sure how far your income will or would take you in Thailand. If too expensive there, have a look around here in the Philippines. My wife and I have four kids and still live comfortably on under $800.00us per month.
Anyway, good luck and hope you find the right place..


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## 1happykamper

I WAS thinking about an extended stay in Thailand on an extended vacation and exploration. I can only stay 90 days on a tourist visa. I would want to eventually apply for a 1 year or longer permanent residency.

I am 63 years old and have a pension from the USA SSA of just $1,560 -more than enough for me where I now live in Mexico. Does the Thai Consul have any discretion with the monthly pension amount not being sufficient? My savings is only $10,000.

Cheers


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## joseph44

1happykamper said:


> I WAS thinking about an extended stay in Thailand on an extended vacation and exploration. I can only stay 90 days on a tourist visa. I would want to eventually apply for a 1 year or longer permanent residency.
> 
> I am 63 years old and have a pension from the USA SSA of just $1,560 -more than enough for me where I now live in Mexico. Does the Thai Consul have any discretion with the monthly pension amount not being sufficient? My savings is only $10,000.
> 
> Cheers


USD 10,000 is approx. THB 310,000
So you need THB 490,000 / 12 = THB 41,000 per month
USD 1,560 = THB 48,360; should be sufficient
Exchange rate: USD 1 = THB 31

This is the so called "mix option"; if you don't have enough monthly income, you can deposit the missing amount in a Thai bank-account. 

In that case you need an income statement AND a letter from your bank regarding the amount in the savings-account.


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## Libertas55

marvelsm said:


> Hi Tod: Thanks for your reply. I have retirement visa and I live in Bangkok. I have a Thai Bank account but most of my money is in Canada. Would I need something from my banker stating my income. I supplied that info before I came to Thailand. And what is 800K in dollars? Thank you for any more help.


marvelsm: you're not leaving a very good impression of Canadians. How could you possibly have lived in Bangkok for one year and ask such an xxxxxxx question? "And what is 800K in dollars?". Surely you MUST know by now and, if not (hard to imagine), you can certainly look it up.

Kudos to the responder for having the patience to not comment. However, I'm sure there was a little head shaking.


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