I hold a Canadian Passport and a Retirment Visa which expires Dec 25, 2007. Unfortunately all my funds are tied up in Term deposits until February 2008 so I won't be able to put 800,000 Baht into a Thai Bank account by the time my current visa expires.

I plan to go to Laos and apply for a 90 or 60 day non-immigrant visa there. Does anyone know if this will work or have any alternate suggestions?

If you got the Non-Immigrant O-A (Retirement Visa) from Thai Embassy or consulate in Canada before coming to Thailand last December (or January?) then all you may have to do is to exit Thailand in Nong Khai. When you re-enter you will be given an additional one year stamp. Best part is you would not have to worry about transferring 800K until next year when you apply for an extension.

Strongly suggest that you check with the Nong Khai Immigration office, first. They are very well aware of this situation and will give you the best advice in the matter.

Sounds too easy polehawk by just exiting they will renew for another year.What about the 3 months the monies have to be in the Thai account before reissue of a retirement.
As you say Ian should quickly go to Nong Khai for advice,left it a bit late though

Ian keep us uptodate what they say,try not to get 'the almighty one' who sits on the far right at NongKhai!

Thanks for the quick replies. Perhaps I should clarify as follows:
I also realize the way I did the previous 1 year may not the way to do it. I mistakenly thought that the Retirment Visa I obtained on March 6, 2007 in Pattaya, would be good until March 5th, 2008. My funds are tied up in a term deposit until Mid-February.

In the meantime I need to stay in Thailand until around the end of April before returning to Canada when it gets hot here and warm enough there to survive.

I want to get a non-immigrant visa so that I can maintain my Thai Drivers license and Thai car registration.

Sorry for the long story below but if you need to know how I got the other one it is below and follows the information given on the Pattaya Expats website.

I entered Thailand on Dec 26th last year on a 60 day tourist visa on December 26, 2007. The tourist visa was issued by the Thai Embassy in Saudi Arabia. It was extended 30 days by the (AEK) Nong Khai Immigration Office on Feb 19, 2007 until March 25, 2007. On March 6, Pattaya Immigration Office issued a 60 day Non-immigrant visa and stampted it used on the same day for 1900 Baht. They also issued a retirement Visa valid until December 15, 2007. This was with proof of 800,000 Baht for 90 days in Bangkok Bank. (I mistakenly thought that this Visa would be good until March 5th, 2008 and this would have given me the chance to transfer the funds in February before reapplying for another 1 yr Retirement)

There is a typo in the long disertation. It should read Retirent Visa valid until December 25, 2008.

What polehawk says is correct, pompui.

Unfortunately it doesn't apply to IanH.

jackspratt wrote:What polehawk says is correct, pompui.

Unfortunately it doesn't apply to IanH.

Can you explain why what Polehawk says is correct and also why it does not apply to IanH, please?

Is what Polehawk says true only regarding the first renewal?

Polehawk, feel free to also elaborate on this.

IanH didn't apply for the retirement visa at the Thai embassy in his home country.

From his posts, IanH got a 60 day tourist visa in Saudi Arabia first and later got a retirement visa in Pattaya. You have to apply for the Non-Immigrant O-A in your home country and jump through hoops like getting a criminal background check, letter from your home country bank which shows you have at least 800K, photos, etc. As jackspratt said in another thread on this subject, you should show "investigating retirement" as the reason for applying for the initial visa. It is possible to get what amounts to a 2-year visa with it and allows you to delay transferring the 800K to a Thai bank until three months before the second year has elapsed, as Pompui suggested, also.

I'm into my second year with the visa I received from Thai Embassy in Washington DC.

OK, thanks for that, Ron. I got my 3 months Non-O in Vietiane, Laos, then extended it at Aek Udon, and a stamp saying retired (in Thai). Then extended it again for 1 more year with about 400K in the Thai bank, along with US Embassy certified letter meeting the 65K/month income.

The next upcoming renewal will require 800K in the bank along with the certified letter?

Are you saying I could have re-entered Thailand on my last renewal and gotten a 1-year without all the hassels I went thru? Just curious.

In 40 more years, i should have this "down pat".

Mainer wrote:OK, thanks for that, Ron. I got my 3 months Non-O in Vietiane, Laos, then extended it at Aek Udon, and a stamp saying retired (in Thai). Then extended it again for 1 more year with about 400K in the Thai bank, along with US Embassy certified letter meeting the 65K/month income.

The next upcoming renewal will require 800K in the bank along with the certified letter?

Are you saying I could have re-entered Thailand on my last renewal and gotten a 1-year without all the hassels I went thru? Just curious.

In 40 more years, i should have this "down pat".

Lloyd, my understanding is that the next renewal will require 800K in the bank OR the certified income letter from your embassy which states you have more than 65K/month income OR a combination of income and bank account that totals 800K or more.

Could you have re-entered Thailand on your last renewal and gotten a 1-year stamp? I don't think so. You get that 1-year stamp only if you get the original Non-Immigrant O-A in your home country.

Original Op go talk to immigration safiest thing to do yuo will be able to work it out someway it's not a lot of time your looking for.

Yes if you have an income of 65 K a month and yuo have been putting in a Thai bank monthy for the past year you will have no problem renewing your visa. I've done it for five years now. If you haven't put it in the bak through the years I have no idea what they will say in Nong Khai. Ihave never filed wiht the entire funds in the bank.

I prove my mothly deposits ever year. By requiring my bank to list the deposits on the letter. I've never had a problem with that.

polehawk wrote:

Mainer wrote:OK, thanks for that, Ron. I got my 3 months Non-O in Vietiane, Laos, then extended it at Aek Udon, and a stamp saying retired (in Thai). Then extended it again for 1 more year with about 400K in the Thai bank, along with US Embassy certified letter meeting the 65K/month income.

The next upcoming renewal will require 800K in the bank along with the certified letter?

Are you saying I could have re-entered Thailand on my last renewal and gotten a 1-year without all the hassels I went thru? Just curious.

In 40 more years, i should have this "down pat".

Lloyd, my understanding is that the next renewal will require 800K in the bank OR the certified income letter from your embassy which states you have more than 65K/month income OR a combination of income and bank account that totals 800K or more.

Could you have re-entered Thailand on your last renewal and gotten a 1-year stamp? I don't think so. You get that 1-year stamp only if you get the original Non-Immigrant O-A in your home country.

Mainer, you are correct re O-A (only available from your home country), and O, (available in Thailand).

Polehawk, remember that if you are using the 800k in the bank method, the money (800k) must have been in a Thai bank for at least 3 months before you make your extension application.

And to clarify Mainer's advice on the 3 methods:

1. 800k in the bank (for 3 months) OR

2. 65k income per month (a yearly amount, divided by 12 is OK), certified by your embassy in bangkok OR

3. a combination of money in the bank (it is unclear whether it has to have been there for 3 months, so better to be cautious, and make sure it has), plus sufficient income to make up to 800k (again, certified by your embassy).

Thanks for the clarification, Jackspratt.

Ray, since in your situation you receive sufficient income to qualify on that alone (actually, it requires 66.7K a month x 12= 800.4K) and have the certified statement from your embassy, does Nong Khai Immigration still insist that you bring all of the bank account records and letter from the bank when you apply for an extension? Wondering if the other immigration offices also insist on applicants bringing these records?

Thats a good question, do they require the bank statement the way I do it I really don't know. When I did my first application Nina wanted 800k in the bank and 65 K a month. I challenged it so I always thought it better to cover the bases in the future. So I request the bank letter be done in a certain way to prove I not only have the 65K but it I deposited in the bank in Thailand each month .

It has never been questioned, I stay with what works for me. As to bank letter in addtion to the Embassy letter I have always been required to do that. The only difference in the bank has to add 12 short lines to my letter. I make it easy and mark the deposits for them.

This system works well fror me I operate on the money all year round and I don't have large sums of money here. Or anywhere for that matter

I lloked at the Thai laws and designed something that I felt would meet the criteria and waht Nong Khai gad asked for,

There are lots to ways to get the hair off the kitty this one works for me.

As to what each office asks for thats a simple one to answer the law say it's up to individual officers accepts as proof. From what I can see Bangkok does not ask for as much. But each office seems to have thier own requirements.

I guess because I have evertything sit up for this it does not represent a problem for me.