Aussie Couple preperation

[warrior64]

G,day . My wife and I are really getting serious about retiring in Hua Hin .
I am about to get out of the military on medical grounds,I should be on an annual income of $60,000 Aus .
We plan on coming over for a holiday and doing some footwork on where to live.
We would like to rent a decent apartment in a secure area and use that as a base to travel and enjoy life .
Is there any where in Australia,Brisbane where we can meet and talk to someone or a agency that can guide us ?
Its a bit daunting in regard to visa,s and accomadation but once we touch base with someone ,im sure all will work out .

Thanks for membership and hope to hear from someone soon

Michael

[Big Boy]

Welcome to the forum warrior64.

I would suggest looking around this forum first - many questions will be answered, but it will probably put new questions into your head.

This forum's members are a mine of information - try asking here first.

[Nothappyjan]

Hi We live in Hua Hin for 6 months a year and in Australia (Perth) for most of the other six months.
We have a Retirement Visa issued by the Thai Embassy in Canberra that gives us a twelve month entry. Cost us $225 each.
You need to be able to demonstrate an income for each of you of about $38,000 per year.
Our rent in a beach side condo costs us 40,000bht a month. It is much cheaper on the 'other' side of the road - the further away from HH and the beach it gets cheaper. Very good quality houses in these areas are around 15,000 bht per month.
Perhaps best to come up for a month at a time and check out a specific time of the year.
We come from April to October after testing the high season and not liking the crowds. The high season from November to March is packed with European tourists, however, it is dry and weather wise very good.

[warrior64]

I will be on a defence pension and military super pension ,however my wife who is a nurse,will not have a thing .
Will that be a show stopper ?

[Nereus]

I will be on a defence pension and military super pension ,however my wife who is a nurse,will not have a thing .
Will that be a show stopper ?

Visa wise your wife can just be "piggy backed" on to your extension once you are here and due for renewal, providing you meet the income requirement. She does not need her own income.

[Nothappyjan]

Yes that is right, the combined total of your incomes must equate to 85,000 bht per month. You need to provide bank statements to substantiate. Once that is done it is all pretty straight forward with the Thai Embassy in Canberra, they are very helpful and easy to talk to.

[lomuamart]

Nereus is talking about an annual extension to a visa which is used to stay long term/permanently here. In this instance, the income requirement is 65,000 THB a month and only one partner need show it.
I'm not sure what the visa requirements are in Canberra.

[warrior64]

sounds good . We will come over for a holiday and get the lay of the land. Thanks for the hints

[Nereus]

Yes that is right, the combined total of your incomes must equate to 85,000 bht per month. You need to provide bank statements to substantiate. Once that is done it is all pretty straight forward with the Thai Embassy in Canberra, they are very helpful and easy to talk to.

This is misleading. The income is 65,000 Baht / month, OR 800k in a Thai bank for 3 months, OR a combination of savings and income to equal 65,000 / month. It does not have to be bank account details unless you are using the 800k option in a Thai bank. For pensions a stat dec from the Australian Embassy in Bangkok can be used.

From what you have already posted the income will not be a problem. Also, the visa issue is not really any problem, just follow the basic rules to comply. For me, what is a bigger problem is an expat couple retiring here without any close Thai speaking connection. The frustrations arising from some simple issue, such as dealing with the electric company, as an example, far outweigh any visa issues.

You are well advised to follow your own statement and come here on a tourist visa, stay a few months, do it over a couple of times, and THEN decide.

[Nothappyjan]

The 85,000 bht is actually 65,000 bht per month, a typo on my part. If you apply for the Retirement Visa from Australia the Embassy is only interested in your combined incomes for the year being above their threshold. Or if you 800,000 bht sitting dormant in a bank account they will count that.
Best advice is as others have said is to come and look on the automatic one month visa.

[aragon]

For me, what is a bigger problem is an expat couple retiring here without any close Thai speaking connection. The frustrations arising from some simple issue, such as dealing with the electric company, as an example, far outweigh any visa issues

I agree, although my wife and I have not yet retired to HH, we do have a place there and visit several times/year. Being both farangs from the UK and with basically no Thai language ability, we do experience a number of difficulties in getting the basics done, however we have managed to get by, but I think it might be a bit more frustrating once we do move there permanently. Having said that, we have been expats for most of our working lives, so we'll just grin and bear it

[chaspul]

If you are serious about retiring here, I have written about our experience in obtaining a O-A visa one year multi on this site.

When first entering Thailand Immigration will give you a I year permission to stay stamp.
A bit more complicated to obtain as police checks, medical and letter from Australian bank required, but as long as you leave the country and re-enter before the visa expires you will get a permission to stay stamp for another year.
Therefore, there is no requirement to show Baht 800,000 in a Thai bank for 2 years.

The O visa, valid 3 months although less stringent requires the money in the bank within 2 months of the visa expiring (3months thereafter) or a letter of income from your Embassy to extend the permission to stay stamp for 12 months.

If you have money in a Thai bank (I use a fixed account) make sure it is not tied in, as immigration will not accept this, I can withdraw at any time but loose the interest. The account must be in a single name and my wife "piggy backs" on the amount with a wedding certificate, which most have to have certified by their respective Embassy in Bangkok. Mine has an embossed Embassy stamp as we married in an British Embassy, so negates the requirement.

Never had problems in communicating, Bangkok Bank set up my electric payment, TOT was more complicated as they were not on the banks list of DD and Pranburi water took about 3 months for the DD to start. There is always someone in each office who you can talk to.

As an aside there is no one month visa, it is a visa exempt permission to stay 30 days stamp if you come from one of the listed countries.

All the information, forms etc. can be found on the web, every form and supporting document must carry your signature, don't hesitate to ask more.
Chas