On my return to Vancouver last week I dropped into the Thai Consulate-General office and received all the documents required to make application for the Thailand 12-month Non Immigrant Type O-A Visa.  

This is not the only way to receive a Non Imm 12-month visa, but it seems to be the easiest way for my own personal circumstances:  once I have it, that's it ... no cross-border nonsense every few months.  Once granted the 12-month visa the only bureaucracy which should be encountered would be a visit to an immigration office or police station every 3 months to get the visa stamped.  I have heard from a good and reliable friend (actually more than one) that this stamping process is pretty much a breezy formality.

This type of visa can only be obtained outside of Thailand, and even then not in every country on the planet.  Canada is obviously one of the annointed, as is the US, Britain, and I'm assuming, most countries in the European Community, and 'others' (though of that I am not 100% sure).  For those countries where this type of visa can be applied for, the rules below would be the same, save the visa fee which would of course be in that country's currency, but equivalent to $200 Canadian.

The Thai gentleman who seemed to be in charge at the Vancouver Consulate was most congenial and friendly and answered a lot of my questions regarding some of the perceived ambiguity in the wording of the instructions (quoted below from the Consulate's website).  
The necessary forms were all together in a nice little package and he pointed out which ones required a stamp as well as a signature.  The stamp rigmarole seemed very important to him and I was glad to hear this, as I would like very much to not have this stuff sent back to me for further bureaucratic chasing simply because I didn't get (or understand) the proper procedures.  One only wants to go through this once.

Anyway, I thought this procedural stuff may be of interest to those on the Board who are seriouisly thinking of retiring (semi-retiring) in Thailand ... are 50-and/or-over ... have enough cash in the bank ... have the minimum monthly income ... can prove they're not a murderer or pedophile ... don't have leprosy or incontinence (rules Edith out) ... and aren't already persona non grata in Thailand.

Thai Consulate, Vancouver wrote:

One-Year O-A Visa for Retirees


This type of visa will be issued to applicants aged 50 years or above wishing to take retreat in the Kingdom for a period of at least one year.

1. Requirements for Obtaining a One-year O-A Visa

• The applicant must be 50 years of age or older by the date of application
  
• Applicants cannot be prohibited from entering the Kingdom
  
• Applicants must having no criminal record against the security of
  Thailand or the country of his/her nationality, or the country of his/her residence.
  
• Applicants must be of the nationality or resident in the country where his/her application is submitted.
  
• Applicants must not have prohibitive diseases as indicated in Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535).
  
• Applicants cannot be allowed to work in Thailand

2. Documents Required to Apply for a One-Year O-A Visa

• A passport valid for no less than one year and a half at the time of application
  
• Three Visa Application Forms (with three passport-sized photos of the applicant taken within the past six months) certified by a lawyer or notary public.
  
• A personal Data Form (i.e. "Additional Visa Application Form for "O-A" Long Stay) certified by a lawyer or notary public.
  
  
• A bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to no less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate (original copy) indicating a monthly income of no less than 65,000 Baht. Alternatively, applicants can make a deposit and provide an income certificate indicating a total income of no less than 800,000 Baht a year. All financial statement must have the signature of the bank officer. Any bank statements require a letter of guarantee from the bank (original copy) as well (this document must be valid for no more than 3 months).
  
  
• A criminal record check indicating that the applicant has no criminal record in the country of his/her nationality or residence (this document must be valid for no more than 3 months).
  
• A medical certificate issued from the country in which the application is submitted, showing no prohibitive diseases as indicated in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535) (this certificate shall be valid for no more than 3 months and must display a stamp or seal from the issuing office).

In the case that the applicant wishes to be accompanied by his/her spouse but the spouse does not meet the requirements for the O-A Visa, a marriage certificate shall also be included in the application package (The spouse will be considered for the Visa for Temporary Residents under the 'O' Code).
 
3. Fee for O-A Visa

CAD$175 per applicant

4. Other instructions for O-A Visa Applicants Once in Thailand

• The alien shall report to the competent authority after 90 days in the Kingdom, and report every 90 days thereafter with the immigration officer in the alien's residence area, or report to the police station in the alien's residence area if there is no immigration control there. (In order to report to the competent authority by mail, the alien shall do as follows: Forward the Report Form (To Mo 47) together with a copy of the passport pages showing the alien's photo, personal details, and the latest arrival visa stamp and include a self addressed envelop with sufficient postage affixed. This must be forwarded 7 days before the due date. This package should be mailed to the Immigration Bureau, Sathon Tai Road,
  
  
• At the end of the one-year stay, a visitor who wishes to extend his/her stay must submit a request to extend the period at the Immigration Bureau with documented evidence of money transfer, or a deposit account in the Kingdom, or an income certificate, of the amount of no less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate plus a deposit account indicating a total amount of no less than 800,000 Baht a year.
  Sathon District, Bangkok 10120. In the case of conducting any following reports, the Reply Form for the previous report shall be enclosed as well.) Copies of any previous such Reports should also be included.

If the visitor's spouse wishes to extend his/her stay as well, the marriage certificate must be produced.

Hope those thinking about this will find this useful.

Cheers ...

Great info Smiles.. keep us updated on how it goes. I will hopefully be doing the same thing in about 2 years.  I've heard many say its easier to obtain the Retirement VISA in thailand then to try and get it from the Thai Consulate in Canada or USA,  so anxious to see how it goes for you.

Quote:

1. Requirements for Obtaining a One-year O-A Visa

    * The applicant must be 50 years of age or older by the date of application

With my lifestyle I will never reach the age of 50

damn...

If you do get your O visa extension based on retirement in Thailand, there are also no border runs needed as it is a one year extension. So it is not true that the O-A obtained in your home country gives you any advantage with avoiding visa runs. No visa runs with either option.

Applying for an O-A visa in your home country does require a bit more paperwork – plus the “certifications/stamps” whatever that may be – also, not sure what is meant by  the “bank guarantee” from your home country bank.   Applying in Thailand – at least in Pattaya – is rather straight forward.  First you have to obtain a non-immigrant “O” visa before entering Thailand (although I have heard from someone that they entered Thailand on a tourist visa, had it converted to an “O” visa at Pattaya Immigration, and then got their new “O” visa extended for one year extension based on meeting the retirement criteria ).   The following is to give an idea of the process in Pattaya for comparison.  Whichever method you choose – I hope you enjoy your retirement in LOS as much as I have.  

The following is from the Pattaya Immigration Office web site (www.pattaya-immigration.e-webline.com) with my annotations in brackets (comments based on my own experience and that of other retirees here in Pattaya):


RETIREMENT VISA
Application for Non Immigrant Visa Retirement :

Permission will be garanted for a period of not more than 1 year time.  [Regardless of when you apply – at beginning of permitted 90 day stay or near the end of it – the extension will be one year from the date you entered Thailand using the “O” visa – or, if a multiple entry “O” visa, it will be one year from the date you last entered Thailand using that visa.]


1.The alien obtained a temporary visa (NON-IM)  [Type “O” visa, which permits a stay of up to 90 days – in USA, fee is $50.]
2. The applicant is 50 years of age or over
3. Proof of income of not less than Baht 65,000 per month; [this is in the form of a letter from your respective Embassy – each Embassy has their own requirements as to what constitutes “proof” – the US Embassy basically provides a notary seal to your signed letter (in essence an affidavit by you as to your monthly income) or
3.1 Account deposit with a bank in Thailand of not less than Baht 800,000 as shown in bank account transactions for the past 3 months; [Based on recent news articles, if using the 800,000 on deposit in a Thai bank rather than income, Immigration will want to see that it has been on deposit for at least 90 days (3 months) – however, the article – in Pattaya Today – mentioned that it is most likely that Immigration would give a shorter extension than one year (say up to 90 days from when the funds were deposited) then have you come back in to show that the funds have remained on deposit – then they would grant the remainder of the one year extension. or
3.2 Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less than Baht 8000,000 as of the filling date of application   [Appears to be an error on amount shown in 3.2 – should be 800,000 rather than 8 million. ]  


Document required :

- Application form   [Request for extension of stay in Thailand – show purpose as retirement and period as 365 days on the application – the fee is 1,900 baht]
- Copy of the applicant's passport  [Not real sure, but it is my understanding the passport expiration date should show validity for at least 6 months beyond the one-year extension date. ]
- Proof of income, e.g., retirment pension, interest earning or dividends, etc.;  [if using income or a combination of deposit and income – as mentioned, this is based on a letter from your Embassy – US Embassy charges a $30 notary fee for the letter.  Pattaya Immigration accepts a photocopy of this document so that you can use it again at time of renewal – HOWEVER, they will ask to see the original – often running their fingers over the embossed “seal” to ensure it is the original Embassy letter.]
- Certificate of local bank account deposit together with copies of bank account records [Bank certificate at Bangkok Bank costs  200 baht and the certificate should be as close to date of application as possible – Immigration will want the original included with the application.  Other bank records are photocopies of the  face page of passbook and the last page showing amount on deposit – you will need to sign the photocopies (Thailand doesn’t seem to use notaries, instead the signing of photocopies is considered a certification that it is a true copy of the original).  

 
You may note that no “medical certificate” is mentioned.  Until recently, Pattaya Immigration did require a medical certificate with initial application and each renewal – doctors at the local clinics usually provided for around 100 to 150 baht (the certificate only stated that you were free of certain specified diseases – it was not a certificate related to general health).

So, basically if applying in Thailand, you do not have to have the documents “stamped” or “guaranteed” by anyone – other than your Embassy letter if using income as part or all of your financial qualification.  There is also no requirement for a letter regarding a criminal record.

In most cases, if all the paperwork is in order and you go into Pattaya Immigration around opening (8:30am), you will probably pick up your passport with visa extension that afternoon.  Now for a few tips that might make things go more smoothly:

Be polite, be properly dressed (shirt with collar, long pants or, at least walking shorts – avoid T-shirts, cut-offs, etc.), smile a lot, do not get upset or raise your voice if they question or ask for more documents, be polite, smile a lot, be polite …………….      I have found the Immigration staff in Pattaya to be efficient and usually courteous (although sometimes they can be a bit abrupt).  

Another thing you may want to do after you receive your extension of the “O”  (retirement) visa – get a re-entry permit – a single re-entry permit is 1,000 baht a multiple is 3,800 baht.  Either one will have an expiration date that coincides with the expiration date of your extended (retirement) visa.  If you leave Thailand (even just a border crossing into one of the neighboring countries) and DO NOT have a reentry permit, your current (extended) visa will terminate when you leave the country.  Returning, you will get a 30 day on arrival stamp and will have to obtain another non-immigrant visa and go through the initial application process again.  With a reentry permit,  your extended “O” visa will remain valid and when reentering Thailand, the “permitted to stay” date stamped into your passport will be the expiration date of your retirement visa.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, whether you get an “O-A” visa in your home country or get an extension of an “O” visa in Thailand, you do not have to make any border runs.  But do not forget to report your address to Immigration within 90 days of your last entering (reentering) Thailand or your last address reporting, whichever is later.   Although you have to include your address on any renewal application or application for reentry permit, these do not count as meeting the 90 day reporting requirement – you must also complete the address reporting form and file it at the appropriate desk.

Just a few comments.

I don't think, from my own experience, that it matters much what kind of non-immigrant visa you have.  Your type evidently gives you a year for free and is a good idea, but sooner or later everyone has to begin the routine of annual visits to Thai Immigration to get that visa extended for a year "for retirement reasons."

The three-month visits are not "to get your visa stamped."  They are to maintain a current address with Thai Immigration.  What they want (and get) is a signed declaration of your address from you.  In my own experience in Chiang Mai, you can send in the form and your passport with your driver or other trusted associate.  The Immigration folks don't care about seeing your face.  They want the signed Address Declaration every three months.

The reasoning here is pretty easy to follow.  Every Thai citizen with a Thai ID card is REQUIRED BY LAW to maintain his current address with the Thai Police.  Therefore, given the number and name on a Thai ID card, the Thai Police automatically have an address.  Foreigners don't have Thai ID cards, but (in parallel) are required to maintain a correct and current address with Thai Immigration.  And that's all she wrote.

For procedures related to renewing that visa, look at http://chiangmailiving.blogspot.com.

All my best,

Jaafar (happily living in Chiang Mai for almost ten years now!)