skatewash

I wonder if a US passport card (not book) would be accepted by Thai airlines as it is official government-issued photo ID.  It can be obtained from US Embassy Bangkok just like a regular passport book.  It does not have the same passport number as that in the passport book, but does have your full name and photo.  It cannot be used in lieu of a passport book, except for use in entering the US from Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean countries.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html#:~:text=The card is proof of,cheaper than the passport book.

You are in the best position to know when your 90-Day Report is due.  You know when you last did a 90-Day Report and printing out the Next Appointment Receipt would indicate when the next report is due.  You also know whether and when you have exited Thailand and re-entered Thailand (thereby establishing a new 90-Day Report due date 89 days from the date you re-entered).  The reminder system for the online TM-47 (90-Day Report) application ONLY knows when you last did a 90-Day Report.  It does NOT know whether or when you exited and re-entered Thailand.  Therefore, you should ignore the reminder IF you have exited and re-entered Thailand since your last 90-Day Report due date.

10 minutes ago, Pennywise said:

Thanks for letting us know! Last year, as was the case in the previous years, I would receive an "Under Consideration" stamp and a date when I can pick-up my PP after about 4-6 weeks after applying...In November this year I will see if CR immigration adopted their rules when it is my turn to apply for an extension. P.S.: I am married with my Thai wife for 7 years now and live in TH for 8.

The "Under Consideration" stamp is a normal procedure for a marriage extension but unusual in the case of a retirement extension.

17 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

I'm with Bangkok Bank and several said it takes up to 7 days to get the bank letter.  I assume the bank statement can be done on the spot.

The bank letter can be done on the spot.  Any bank statement covering a period greater than six months ago can take up to 7 days at Bangkok Bank as those records are not available at the branches but only from the Bangkok Bank headquarters.

A requirement for retirement extensions in Phuket:

Hand draw map of the location of the house with the house Latitude and Longitude coordinates  (you can use Google maps for this).

https://piv-phuket.com/retirement/

19 hours ago, up2you2 said:

Thank you for your post.
Okay the Yellow Book is a prerequisite.

You mention your local tessaban (sub-district government office), is that the same as the Or Bor Tor please?
I live in Rawai, so I presume that it is this Rawai beach office I go to, or maybe I am wrong here.

When it is confirmed as to where I should go, could I please trouble you to let me know what is required. in so far as proof and documentation.
Any whether or not the owner of the Blue Book has to attend?

Yes, I believe you would obtain your Yellow Book from the Rawai Tessaban office:

https://www.rawai.go.th/contactus/location

Then, you could obtain your Pink ID from the Phuket Town Amphur office:
 

You must get the specific requirements from your tessaban, they are very often different in the details.  Best wishes.

49 minutes ago, up2you2 said:

At the Vachira Phuket Hospital hospital, the head of their International Department said that I would be eligible for a Thai pink ID card for foreigners.
This ID would give me 20% to 25 % discount off the hospital fees and charges.
Never heard of it, and since then I have made some enquiries.

I went to the Amper Muang, but as nobody speaks English I did not get very far.
Then I was introduced to an agent, who told me that the application would have to be made personally at the Amper Muang, and secondly I would have to bring along two Thais who could vouch for me, and act as witnesses.
I would also need to have an international copy of my Passport made -1,000 Baht.

So my question is please, has anyone achieved this holy grail.
And if so were there any forms that I should request, any any other documents that I need to take along apart Land Lease, Passport, Blue book?

Would be surprised if possession of a pink ID card resulted in receiving any discounts at any hospital, but if it does certainly let us know.  😉

40 minutes ago, up2you2 said:

At the Vachira Phuket Hospital hospital, the head of their International Department said that I would be eligible for a Thai pink ID card for foreigners.
This ID would give me 20% to 25 % discount off the hospital fees and charges.
Never heard of it, and since then I have made some enquiries.

I went to the Amper Muang, but as nobody speaks English I did not get very far.
Then I was introduced to an agent, who told me that the application would have to be made personally at the Amper Muang, and secondly I would have to bring along two Thais who could vouch for me, and act as witnesses.
I would also need to have an international copy of my Passport made -1,000 Baht.

So my question is please, has anyone achieved this holy grail.
And if so were there any forms that I should request, any any other documents that I need to take along apart Land Lease, Passport, Blue book?

Having a yellow house registration book (tabian bahn) is a prerequisite for getting the pink ID card.   The requirements you mention seem to be those for getting the yellow book.  The work is all done in obtaining the yellow book, obtaining the pink ID card follows easily after that.  I obtained my yellow book from my local tessaban (sub-district government office) in Karon.  Then obtained my pink ID card from the amphur office (district government office) in Phuket Town.  Where to go will depend on where you live and what you already have.  No agent was required.

1.  Try to open an online bank account in the US.  Here are some:

https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/banking/best-online-banks/#:~:text=Our picks for the best,choose an online-only bank.

2.  Here's a bank that advertises opening US bank accounts for non-residents:

https://zenus.com/en/group/blog/how-to-open-a-bank-account-in-the-us-as-a-non-resident/#:~:text=Zenus Bank makes opening a,and complete the application form

3.  In any case you will need a US address.  This could be a friend's or relative's address, or a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) also called a virtual mailbox.  There are many available, for example:

https://travelingmailbox.com/

4.  Once you have an online US bank account you can get many payers to use that account directly (i.e., not send you a check).  For ones that insist on sending you a check, you can use your mobile banking app to deposit the check via your smartphone.  I've had my virtual mailbox scan the check, printed out the check while in Thailand, and used my mobile banking app (from my US bank account) to deposit the check into my US bank account.  You can sometimes have your virtual mailbox deposit the check for you (for a fee) as an alternative.

5.  Don't burn bridges.  Keep all US financial accounts open because it can be difficult to open new ones.  Tell no US financial institution you live outside the US, always use your US mailing address.

On 2/4/2024 at 9:35 AM, Pouatchee said:

 

i know... i want to know if upon renewal they will send me back my old passport. i have social security number as required and a really old passport i would like to get back. the canadian embassy sends it back [old passport] if requested with a corner cut out. does the us embassy do the same?

Yes, you will receive your old passport back with a hole punched in the corner of the passport to invalidate it.

To answer your earlier question, all applicants at the US Embassy Bangkok received the longer 50-page version of the passport without asking.

The current latest up-to-date instructions for getting a US passport renewal from US Embassy Bangkok are found here in excruciating detail:

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/adult-passport-renew/

In my opinion, you are making a simple thing needlessly complicated by asking people what they have done in the recent past to get their renewal.  That doesn't matter.  What matters is the current latest up-to-date instructions which can be found only at the link above.  Passport renewals according to that site are being done in "six to eight weeks."  I think that estimate is on the conservative side as some people have reported that they are receiving their passport renewals earlier.

14 hours ago, Phulublub said:

Cannot speak for US, but if you renew a UK Passport early, the maximum they will add on is nine months...if similar for US, then OP will lose more excess months on their passport than they gain in Thai extension. 

 

PH

The US does not add on any extra validity time for a passport renewal.  You get 10 years.

I tend to do things at the earliest opportunity because I cannot foretell the future.  I renew my passport early enough so that I get a full-year extension of stay from Thai Immigration.   That means that every 10 years I choose to renew my passport months earlier (up to a year earlier) than required to do so.  I apply for my retirement extension of stay 45 days before my current extension expires.  I simply do not know what the future will hold.  I do not know if something will happen in the future that will impact my ability to get a passport (e.g., pandemic as happened recently, work slowdown by passport officials as happened in Britain).  A passport (or extension of stay) in the hand is worth two in the bush. ;-) 

1 hour ago, Presnock said:

also, on the embassy web page about new passport applications, one of the qualifying questions asked is do you hae 6 months or less left on your current passport?  Not sure if you have over a year left on your passport, if they will process it or not.  Won't hurt to asked them first.

They will process a renewal if you have over a year left on your passport, at least they did so for me.

11-year customer of travelingmailbox.com.  Meets your stated requirements.  Recommended

https://travelingmailbox.com/

11 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

Thanks but  pretty sure it must be done by the American Embassy.

Many states now accept online notary service, which may not have been the case in years past.

Contains a list of states accepting online legal notorization:

https://www.docverify.com/Products/E-Notaries/What-States-Allow-Electronic-Notary#:~:text=DocVerify's platform can be used,%2C Nevada%2C New Jersey%2C New 

On 11/25/2023 at 5:47 PM, StayinThailand2much said:

Aren't Americans, Canadians, the British, and Russians eligible for 10-year visas? Way more than the paltry 15 days offered to Europeans in the OP.

 

Anyway, who wants to risk randomly being accused of espionage, before being locked up...

Sort of.  Americans can get a 10 year visa for China from Chinese consulates in the US, but they may not from Chinese consulate outside of the US (e.g., Phuket).

1 hour ago, Expat68 said:

You wil lose more with that than paying tax

Not true if Charles Schwab customer which reimburses all fees associated with the withdrawal.