Retirement Visa

[lenss]

Yea, the flight time is way too long. EVA air has deluxe seating. almost like business class and up front ..for about 1200 round trip to us and back. Best flight I ever had.

[FaranginPhetch]

I prefer EVA, but I ain't going

[Richard Barrow]

Yes Richard, . Some one told me about the multiple re entry stamp and I got one in my passport for 3,800 baht at immigration in bangkok. Never used it tho. Just an in case thing.

I don't know the price off-hand, but the re-entry visas have gone up a lot. Though not as much as the price you quoted. I will check the next time I am in immigration. I should also point out that this re-entry visa is only valid for the length of time for your main visa! My one year visa runs out at the end of the year. If I buy the re-entry visa now, I can only use it until the end of the year. Like you, I bought a multi re-entry visa in the past thinking I would save money. But, then I never did leave the country that year and wasted the money! It doesn't take long to apply for a re-entry so I now only get them as and when I need them.

BTW, I have a work permit for teaching. If I ever leave the school I could, in theory, apply for a work permit for my business. But there are a lot of hoops you have to jump through and a dozen or so stages you have to complete. So, at the moment, it is easier for me to work at the school and let them sort out the work permit.

[pandan]

with reference to the retirement visa I have heard as an american citizen
you can go to the consulate in Bangkok and get a income verification form by
swearing an oath on the flag and they will give you a letter confirming you have the necessary funds without any proof required and you do not need to have any money in the bank, just show immigration the letter, Right or wrong? Any Americans in the room that have had this experience.
I do believe that the Thai immigration can ask for proof of funds but do they know what they are looking at when you show them pension forms and bank accounts etc, with all due respects.

[FaranginPhetch]

Not really all correct,
You go to the embassy and tell them what your pension or what ever income you have, then they will fill out the forms and give you a notorized form for $50 paid to them and you take that to Thai Immig.

Then it is up to the immig. officer whether you have to have a bank acct or not,,if you have over 65K baht a month income , then according to written rules, you do not have to have the bank acct. but the officer can make you do anything they want.,,so be prepared to jump thru some hoops.

But there is no swearing on any flag or anything else, you tell em and they make the letter for $50.00

[pandan]

Great info thanks, just a couple of things if I understand you correctly,When you say bank account( which I have) does this mean a bank account with 800000 baht in it. Also I have had a retirement visa for three years now and I wonder if this will help. As you say it depends if its raining or not.

[FaranginPhetch]

as far as I know, you can just renew your visa but change the money/income part, there should be no problem.
Once they made me put 200K in my Thai bank acct that I never used but did have, so I did it and the visa was issued, Now when I go to CM for a renewal they never even ask about the bank acct. and I do not have to get a new letter from embassy every year, they say at CM that lifetime means just that, where BKK made me get a new one every year.

[pandan]

Thanks again,
I will make sure I have some money in the bank
as well as the letter.Kind regards for your help