A Thai Girls Musings
July 26, 2008
Now that Golf has been in the U.S. for over one and a half years she wants to share some of her thoughts and observations about life in the U.S. versus life in Thailand. So, this will be the beginning of a series of posts about her thought and feeling since coming to the U.S. She said she will try to post once a week, but it could be more or less than that. Posts will be in both English and Thai so her Thai friends can enjoy her posts as well. Hope you all enjoy! Read more
Popularity: 15% [?]
Visa for Retiring in Thailand
July 21, 2008
Please note that these requirements are for single males or females wishing to retire in Thailand. If you are married then the requirements are similar, but with some additional decisions to make regarding whether to go with individual or joint visa’s. These rules are accurate as of July 2008. I will try to update this page if any changes to the Thai retirement visa are made.
If you’re thinking of retiring to Thailand then you’ll want to decide how you’re going to stay there. There are two different routes you can take; each has it own pros and cons, but in the end I think they kind of wash out. One way is to get a one year extension to an “O” visa and the other is to get an “O-A” visa which is the official retirement visa. They are similar, but not quite the same. Which route you want to take is up to you to decide. In either case you’ll need to satisfy the following requirement:
–Proof of income. Either 800,000 baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65,000 baht per month incomefrom outside Thailand or any combination of the two. For example if you have proof of 32,500 baht per month in income then you would need to also show proof of 400,000 baht deposited in a Thai bank. Note: The bank statement must show that the money came from outside Thailand.
–You must be at least 50 years of age and in good health.
ONE YEAR ‘EXTENSION’ FOR A NON-IMMIGRANT ‘O’ VISA.
First of all you need to apply for and be granted a non-immigrant “O” visa prior to leaving your country. The non-immigrant “O” visa can be single, double, triple and sometimes quadruple entry. A single entry “O” visa will have a 90 day validity and the others all have a 180 day validity. Application can be made at any Thai embassy or consulate. A full list of Thai embassies and consulates can be found at Embassies Abroad.
Once you have the non-immigrant “O” visa and you’re over 50 years of age, getting a 1 year retirement extension is fairly easy and these days quick. This extension can be had at the Immigration office in most major areas. You will be required to pay a fee of 1900 baht. I know that it can be done for sure in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya. If any reader has information about other immigration offices in Thailand and visa extensions please leave a comment below.
Now the financial obligation comes into play.
In order to get a 1 year retirement extension to your non-immigrant “O” visa you’ll need to show proof of financial stability in the form of either 800,000 baht deposited in a Thai bank account or 65,000 baht per month income from outside of Thailand. Note that you are not permitted to work when in Thailand on a retirement visa. A combination of these two will be accepted; basically you need to prove 800,000 baht per year is available to you either through deposit at a Thai bank or through monthly income. To prove your bank deposit you’ll need the following:
(1) two photocopies of the passbook page showing your name & account number
(2) two photocopies of the passbook page showing the current balance
(3) two *original* copies of a guarantee letter from the bank (your bank may charge for this)
To prove monthly income you’ll need a notarized letter from the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. The charge is 1,200 baht and it takes less than an hour to obtain. You fill out the form yourself, and no supporting documentation is required. Whatever income amount you put down is certified to be true by the notarization, and Thai Immigrations will accept the form as is. The hours at the Embassy are 0730-1100 and 1300-1400.
You may also need to show a letter from your embassy that you Wish to Retire in Thailand and occasionally they will also request a recent medical certificate from a government approved medical facility.
Requirements to get 1 year retirement extension for non-immigrant “O” visa at Thailand Immigration office:
· Application form T.M.7
· Passport + Copies of passport or substitute document. (Passport must have validity in excess of 12 months)
· Two 4 x 6 cm photos (just one in Pattaya).
· 1900 baht fee.
· Proof of financial status or regular income from abroad (bank certification for financial status and notarized letter from your embassy for regular income).
· Letter from your embassy stating you Wish to Retire in Thailand (not always required)
· Recent medical certificate from an approved medical facility (not always required)
The fist time you get the 1 year retirement extension to your non-Imm “O” visa your permission to enter stamp in your passport will be extended by 12 months. You can renew when it reaches expiration and each renewal will be for another 12 months and will cost 1900 baht. The initial approval can be a bit of a hassle to prove your qualification, but after that it’s usually a breeze.
When you are in Thailand on a 1 year retirement visa you cannot simply leave Thailand if you’re planning a trip. If you leave the country it cancels your current visa and you will need to start all over again. If you plan on travel outside of Thailand you will need to get an exit/re-entry permit. A one time exit/re-entry permit is 1000 baht and a multiple use exit/reentry permit is 3800 baht. Each is available from your local immigration office and each expires on the same date as your extension.
Also note that with the 1 year extension you will need to report your address to the local immigration office every 90 days. Currently this must be done in person, but there are supposedly plans to make this available over the internet in the future.
O-A (LONG STAY/RETIREMENT) VISA:
This type of visa was designed for those wishing to retire in Thailand. Currently this visa is available in UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UAE, but may be available elsewhere. The type “O-A” visa is obtained in your home country prior to coming to Thailand and is quite similar to the retirement extension for non-immigrant “O” visas.
An “O-A” visa must be applied for only through the Thai embassy in your country. You do need to show financial standing, medical status, and a criminal activity report as part of the application process. Many people think that the process for an “O-A” visa is both complex and expensive. There are three benefits I can think of to this type of visa.
1. All the paperwork is done in your home country and in your native language making the process easier to understand.
2. No need to visit immigration once inside Thailand
3. The financial requirement for an “O-A” visa applies to your home country meaning you don’t need to bring money into Thailand to qualify.
Some embassies (but not all) also offer the “O-A” visa as a multiple entry visa, which saves you the trouble of going to immigration in Thailand to get exit/re-entry permits. If cost is a factor in your decision you may want to avoid this type of visa. It seems that it is more convenient, but the cost of the paperwork is much higher than if you were to get a non-immigrant “O” visa and upgrade it with an extension once you’re in Thailand. Only you can decide which option is better for you.
The most important factor to the Thai Immigration officer is that you sufficient capital and income to live in Thailand without having to rely on the Thai government in the event of a major problem. If you can show more than the minimum amount it is a big help in getting your retirement extension or “O-A” visa approved. Showing just the bare minimum does open up the possibility of being refused.
PLEASE REMEMBER, if you have permission to stay for a ‘long’ period (e.g. a ‘Retirement Visa’), you must report to an Immigration Office every 90 days to confirm your address - or pay a 5000 baht fine + 200 baht a day!
For more Thailand Retirement questions answered see the post “Questions of Retiring to Thailand”
Popularity: 13% [?]
Retiring to Bangkok Thailand
July 14, 2008
Recently I was asked to discuss retiring in Thailand and this is the first in a series of posts answering the first question I identified – “Where will you live”. I decided to break the answer up into individual posts for each city I plan on covering rather than overwhelm everyone with a 2500 word post that includes everything. I plan on writing about Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya as possible retirement destinations; I may add more once the series has begun based on reader feedback.
I think the first place that comes to mind when people consider retiring to Thailand is Bangkok. This is a logical thought since Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, the hub of it’s commerce and the largest city in Thailand by far. There are many positives and many negatives when you consider living in Bangkok full time. Ultimately it’s up to you what deciding factors you want to use as some people can overlook certain negatives and a positive for one person isn’t necessarily so for others.
Since Bangkok is such a large city with a huge population (over 10 million last time I checked) it comes with a lot of the same positives and negatives as other large cities. Of course in Bangkok the negatives are a bit amplified I think due to the comparative lack of infrastructure based on Western ideas.
The traffic in Bangkok is legendary and if you think you’ll go crazy after several years of sitting in traffic jams then you may need to seriously consider another destination. While taxi’s are plentiful and still cheap even after the recent hike in prices you will sit in traffic – a lot. Especially during morning and afternoon rush hours you can easily plan on a 1 ½ to 2 hour commute if you’re traveling across the city. Even at 2am you could experience gridlock in the popular nightlife areas and be stuck.
Along with the traffic you’ll experience a much higher degree of pollution than you’re used to. If you have any type of breathing ailment like asthma or bronchitis then you may want to reconsider Bangkok as a home or at least see how you react after an extended period of time there. On a good note however, air pollution in Bangkok has actually declined by 47% in the past decade thanks to more stringent emissions laws, the MRT and BTS rail systems and the use of natural gas to fuel cars.
Yes, there are more negatives, but I don’t believe they are restricted to Bangkok. There are just some negatives you’ll find in many Thailand locations so I won’t stress them specifically for Bangkok. With the top two negatives out of the way I’ll focus now on the positives.
The biggest positive for many Westerners is the availability of western products in Bangkok. No they won’t always be easy to find, but if you’re looking for specific foods or larger sized shoes and clothing you’ll have a much easier time getting them in Bangkok than you would in Phitsaulok for example. There is a large number of expats based in Bangkok and there are places that cater to their needs.
The fact the there are a large number of Western expats in Bangkok is another positive for many potential retirees. Finding friends and acquaintances in Bangkok isn’t all that difficult even for the least social people. In addition, there are many expat clubs and programs (art, cooking and language type) geared towards the Western expat.
If you still love going out then the nightlife in Bangkok is legendary and unrivaled and you won’t have any problems there. Even if it’s just for a nice dinner with your family and friends you’ll be able to find a host of upscale restaurants and clubs in Bangkok to ‘discover’ for the first time.
You may or may not be interested in learning the local language (I would definitely recommend it), but I can assure you it won’t be quick or easy. In Bangkok you’ll have less trouble with the language barrier as there are many more Thai’s speaking English in Bangkok than in other areas of the country. No, it’s still not even close to perfect, but it sure beats what you’ll find in more remote areas and even at some of the tourist beach areas.
One big plus for retirees are the top notch international hospitals to be found in Bangkok. Naturally as we get older healthcare becomes more important. Bangkok has some really good hospitals catering to international patients. The doctors and staff are all highly trained and the costs are inexpensive (compared to the west). You’ll be hard pressed to find comparable healthcare outside of Bangkok.
Overall, Bangkok is a great place to retire if you like the hustle of a big city. As you might expect it has the greatest amount of convenience and infrastructure combined with the normal big city frustrations. Personally I think that a few years there would be great, but I don’t know if I could stay longer than that as I’m not really a big city guy. Nice to visit in my opinion, but not to live. Really, if you need Western conveniences and healthcare occasionally it might be better to live outside Bangkok and visit from time to time.
You can find all of the articles in the Retirement in Thailand series here
Popularity: 10% [?]
Thailand Musings Nominated for Best Travel Blog
July 12, 2008
I humbly present to you the nomination of Thailand Musings as the best travel blog from the Bloggers Choice Awards. Please help us do as well as possible in the voting by clicking on the nifty button that we’ve gotten from the Bloggers Choice Awards (in the sidebar) and vote for Thailand Musings as the best travel blog of 2008.
Honestly I don’t expect to win, but it would be great to get a bunch of votes. Thanks in advance for your support.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Bangkok Top City for Vacation Travel
July 11, 2008
Looks like an online poll by Travel + Leisure magazine voted
This is the first time that
Popularity: 6% [?]
