Requst for expertise: Retirement Visa Checklist

[gene1944]

Tiger Moth said:

how do you know you should do this? What is the penalty if you don't do it in time (as I am at about 95 days)?

 

Hi Tiger,

 

Your departure card (item #4) says that you must notify immig. of your residence every 90 days. You sign the TM card when you arrive in Thailand for immigration. Also,after you are here and report your 90 day address status, Immig. stamps the bottom of your next 90 day due date on the "Receipt of Notification".

 

You can report one week before or one week after your "90 day due date" so until the 97 th day you are legal (no fine). If you check the board, you can verify the penalty but I think it is 2000 baht. I have never paid it so don't know how flexible they are on this. Good luck.

[rickfarang]

They stapled a card into my passport with advice to check in every 90 days. This visa was obtained at Soi San Pluu.

 

And yes, the Arrival/Departure Card that they give you on the airplane to fill out prior to arrival states

 

"4. IN CASE O FCHANGE OF ADDRESS FROM WHAT IS STATED IN- THIS FORM MUST NOTIFY THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS."

 

 

"5. MUST NOTIFY YOUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE TO THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE IF YOU STAY LONGER THAN 90 DAYS ARE ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO EVERY NINETY DAYS."

 

What is troubling to me, because I havn't needed it yet is this statement:

 

"6. ALIEN ENTERING THAILAND AND HAVING INCOME OR ALIEN STAYING OVER NINETY DAYS IN THAILAND WITHOUT INCOME MUST POSESS A TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FROM THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT BEFORE LEAVING THAILND. IF NOT, WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO LEAVE."

 

Has anybody had any experience with tyring to leave the country without a tax clearance form after being here more than 90 days? Does anybody know where to get this form?

[lopburi3]

Item 6 has not been enforced for over a decade so no worry about tax forms for travel. Just make sure you have a re entry permit if on an extension of stay.

 

For other poster the fine for late reporting of address is 2,000 baht and I would not expect much flexibility on it.

[shotover]

redwood13 said:

 

Congrats on getting the O-A :)

 

Feels good doesn't it

 

Did Houston require any notarization of your documents? (And by the way did DC indicate they wanted notarization done or were you even able to get that much information out of them?)

 

Re those hefty wire transfer fees what many of us do is transfer money every 3 or 4 months instead of monthly. I've also read that Citibank's wire transfer fees are substantially less than other banks but I think there may be a minimum balance requirement. You might check on that.

 

-redwood

 

Getting the O-A visa does feels great!

 

The Houston did not require notarization of my documents, although the local Sheriff?s office provides a notarized criminal record report ($10 for one page!). The DC embassy hung up on me before I could ask them about notarization. ::

 

Doing wire transfers every 3 or 4 months is a good suggestion for saving on the fees. In the past, I always withdrew money in Thailand from my USA bank using an ATM card, but I understand Thai Immigration expects to see deposits into a Thai bank account originating from outside the country.

 

Again, thanks for the spot-on advice and suggestions.

[mongatu]

What a great thread! I expect to be going through the retirement visa process, hopefully in the not too distant future. Very helpful information here, especially about the Houston Thai Consulate. Sounds like the way to go if trying to get the OA from the States.