Need a visa.

[Up2u]

Rocket, if your condo is in Pattaya, then the American citizen services group of the US Embassy makes quarterly visits to Pattaya and visiting Bangkok is unnecessary. Working with Pattaya immigration is hassle free as compared to Chaeng Wattana in Bangkok.

I wouldn't fret about buying a condo here as there are good arguments both pro and con. I am on the pro side of the discussion as securing your housing costs and not subjecting yourself to exchange rate fluctuations is sound retirement advice IMHO,besides making a landlord rich. TJ 's reminder about reporting your foreign bank accounts (>10,000 USD accumulative) to the US Treasury is important.

[Gaybutton]

You mean the US Embassy in Thailand?

If you are a US citizen, that's right.

You can go to one of the Outreaches or go to the embassy. If you go to the embassy, don't forget that you have to make an appointment. See: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/defaul ... &appcode=1

Also, don't forget that once you have the retirement visa, you must go to Immigration and get a reentry permit before you leave Thailand. Failure to do so renders your retirement visa null and void.

[Gaybutton]

That's something I'd do is forget to get a re-entry permit.

If I have this wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me. If I remember correctly, a reentry permit for a single reentry is 1000 baht. A reentry permit for multiple reentries is 1900 baht. The permits expire the same date your visa expires.

[Smiles]

If I have this wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me. If I remember correctly, a reentry permit for a single reentry is 1000 baht. A reentry permit for multiple reentries is 1900 baht. The permits expire the same date your visa expires.

More expensive than that I'm afraid: multiple re-entry stamp is 3800 baht.

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/re- ... ailand.php

[windwalker]

Rocket,if you wish to apply for a "retirement" visa the best way is to first get a Non-Immigrant O visa from the Thai embassy serving your area. This O visa does not require medical checkups or police reports. (The visa that does have those requirements is a Type OA visa )This is good for 90 days. Toward the end of the 90 day visa you then request an "extension to stay" in Thailand for one year.
There really is no such thing as a "retirement visa" although that expression is commonly used.

If you did come on a 60 day Tourist visa you would have to convert that to an Non-Immigrant Type O visa here in Thailand after which you would have to apply for an extension of stay for purpose of retirement. This can be a pain in the ass. Sometimes necessary to do that in Bangkok and involves multiple trips.

As for proof of income the easiest and least hassle is to get a proof of income letter from US Embassy in Bangkok or at Outreach in various cities. Cost $50 and you do not have to prove or provide anything to the Embassy.

If you take it step by step the process is not too bad and since you own a condo then all the easier.

Thai visa forum has a great deal of info on this subject.

I came on a 60 day Tourist visa and converted that to Type O and then Extension to Stay and it was a big hassle since, at that time, could not get Type O in Pattaya/Jomtien and had to make two trips to Bangkok Immigration.

[windwalker]

Rocket, one final thought. When in USA you could apply for a Non-Immigrant OA visa which is for one year and multiple reentry. It does require a medical certification, financial info and a police report. You have the financial resources to qualify, a medical certification should be easy enough from your family doctor and a police report may be easy to get. Various States in USA have different procedures, but, for example, in Pennsylvania it can be done on-line at PA State Police website at a small cost and it is emailed to you within short period of time.
So once you get to Thailand you have very little to do until close to visa expiration date when you apply for extension to stay.

Saying all that it all may depend on which Thai Consulate jurisdiction you live in as to whether they will even issue an OA visa.

[Gaybutton]

If you did come on a 60 day Tourist visa you would have to convert that to an Non-Immigrant Type O visa here in Thailand after which you would have to apply for an extension of stay for purpose of retirement.

Twice I was with friends who arrived with the tourist visa. At Pattaya immigration they had all the required paperwork with them, the passport photos, and the application form for the retirement visa already filled out. Immigration did the conversions right then and there. All they had to do was pay the fees. Once their number was called we were in and out within 20 minutes and now they had the retirement visa.

I would try doing that before going to a lot of trouble doing anything else.

[Up2u]

If you did come on a 60 day Tourist visa you would have to convert that to an Non-Immigrant Type O visa here in Thailand after which you would have to apply for an extension of stay for purpose of retirement.

Twice I was with friends who arrived with the tourist visa. At Pattaya immigration they had all the required paperwork with them, the passport photos, and the application form for the retirement visa already filled out. Immigration did the conversions right then and there. All they had to do was pay the fees. Once their number was called we were in and out within 20 minutes and now they had the retirement visa.

I would try doing that before going to a lot of trouble doing anything else.

It's worth a try as this was my story also. I had all my ducks lined up and got my non-immigrant O visa and then my extension to stay for the purposes of retirement simultaneously. But alas, apparently Pattaya Immigration no longer has the power to grant non-immigrant O visas. Hopefully that will change again.

[mahjongguy]

At this time, the Pattaya office will accept your application to upgrade your current status (usually an entry via a Single Entry Tourist Visa) to Non-Immigrant O. They will send it up to Bangkok for approval. The process takes about 30 days but it's a lot better than having to go in person (twice).

In order to make the application, you must already have met the financial requirement for the follow-up extension, meaning you've already gotten a sworn income statement from your Embassy or you have a bank letter proving the 800,000 baht has already been on deposit for two months.

Note: Every year afterwards, when apply to renew the extension, the money must have seasoned for three months.

[Gaybutton]

Hopefully that will change again.

Give it 10 minutes. It probably will, just like everything else. Are they still collecting those idiotic questionnaire forms when doing the 90-day address report?