For the last 3 years we always wintered in Thailand with a Tourist Visa. The Visa had a 180 days validity, multiple entries and 60 days per entry. It was always relatively easy to get and it was enough for the 6 – 7 months stay. Including a two month vaccation to the Philippines.
This time however, I wanted a Non Immigrant “O” Visa, valid for 1 year and with multiple entry. This type of Visa is also known as a Retirement Visa but I am non a retiree yet. Would they give it to me anyway?
The reason I wanted a Non Immigrant Visa was my Thai driver’s license. It had to be renewed this year and with a Non Immigrant Visa there is a 5 year extension, while there is only a 2 year extension with a Tourist Visa.
How to get a Retirement Visa
The catch on the matter: I am not yet a pensioner and therefore can not submit a pension notice, which is usually necessary for the visa. The visa regulations expressly state: “If the pension (at least 1500 €) is insufficient, you may also provide other financial proof, for example in the form of account statements, proof of rental income or just a credit balance of at least 20,000 Euros!
But who has still a large positive ballance on a savings account at today’s interest rates? So I presented an excerpt from my stock portfolio as a financial proof and that was enough.
Submit a Stock Portfolio as Financial Proof
However, I submitted all necessary copies (plane ticket, financial proof, address in Thailand) only once. But I wanted 2 visas, for myself and for my wife.
Therefore, I had to get out again, make a few more copies at the Turkish Embassy next door and could pick up our passports with the coveted Non Immigrant Visas a week later and only 1 day before our flight to Thailand.
By the way, when picking up our passports we had to hand in our marriage certificate, which we didn’t have with us when applying for the visa.
Border Run every 90 Days
With this simple Non-Immigrant Visa you have to exit and re-entry Thailand to get another 90 days. But there is also the Non-Immigrant O-A visa, with which one may actually stay in Thailand for one year at a time.
For the latter, in addition to the above-mentioned documents, it also requires a police certificate of good conduct and a health certificate from the family doctor. An extra form for this can be found on the respective website of the the Thai Consulate or Embassy in your country.
The cost of all the long-term visas (Non-Immigrant O-M, O-A and Tourist Visa 180 days with multiple entries) are all 150 Euros.
Cheaper is only a Tourist visa with only 1 entry (60 days) for 30 Euros. By the way: For a normal vacation up to 30 days, you don’t need a visa for Thailand at all!
