Jesse123

The only reason I may apply early is because I tend to be away from Thailand May to October. Will go and talk to the Immigration Office. 

Do you have to wait until the final 30 days to apply for the extension?

Very difficult to establish a domicile of choice in Thailand if your extension of stay is only valid year by year. UK residence status is governed by law whilst domicile is a common law concept used in the tax statutes. Many Court cases dealing with domicile.

Will this operate on the same lines as an ASQ. COVID tests, room service meals, nurse on site etc. Caddies self isolating as well. Use a Tourist visa? Many details missing as usual.

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The new single entry tourist visa is being rolled out at about all embassies and official consulates now. It is shown on the embassy in the UK as well.

The STV is only available in low risk countries. 

When trying to complete the evisa pages this visa doesn't appear - only the O-A. Maybe the evisa site has not been updated yet.

I live in a jurisdiction that is making it difficult to obtain the medical clearance for an application for the O-A visa. The tests are deemed to be for tourist purposes. My doctor is reluctant to sign off without testing specifically for all the items listed. I am challenging this but wonder if there is a way to get the certificate from a UK healthcare unit. I am offshore so cannot visit a UK practitioner. I have everything else to enable me to apply for the visa but the medical requirement is proving an obsticle. The requirement to test for the listed diseases/disorders seems bizarre - but that is bye the bye.

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is new and is shown as a "Update" on the embassy website.

It is a new single entry tourist visa that some embassies and official consulates are issuing. The US still does not qualify for the STV.

It is also shown on their website here. https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/05/trsingle_entry/

I haven't found this on the London embassy web site. Does this allow for the application for a Non - O when in Thailand?

7 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

Some comments I hope might be useful, based on my experiences. 

 

1. Ignore advice from anyone whose not British. Other countries tax laws, rules and processes are irrelevant and may be very different from the UK's.

2. Getting a Thai Tax ID is very easy. Go to the local tax office, passport, the usual copies, wifey or g/f or details of abode and they will issue you with one. You'll get a tax return to complete which they'll help you complete in a few minutes (you might well get a refund of bank deducted tax on your investment interest).

3. Get a UK tax accountant. Surprisingly inexpensive but extremely useful. They can file your UK tax return and give you advice to make sure you stay within the right rules and guidelines. There are plenty available - if you want my recommendation PM me. This will be invaluable to you as your company and then state pensions come into play.

 

You clearly meet the criteria for being UK non-resident for tax purposes. The FA who told you otherwise was either wrong or (more likely) doing what was easy for himself. 

 

Although non resident you will be liable for tax on amounts arising in the UK, subject to personal allowances. The HMRC on-line system is very good, and if you haven't, you should also register on that. You can input information that will enable them to give you correct tax codes and estimates etc. 

 

Hope my comments helpful. Cheers.

Just be aware that your UK OAP will be frozen. It is good advice to get a UK tax accountant to advise you. 

3 hours ago, Adelphi said:

No when I applied for my A-O visa the insurance you referred to was not a requirement but I will have to obtain it to get my visa renewed in February.

 

I was quite irate when the policy regarding insurance was introduced and I had decided that when my existing O-A was due for renewal that I would do a visa run and come back with a O visa.  The fact that it looks like my O-A visa is going to get me back into the country had made me decidedly less grumpy.  

OK I understand. I would be starting from scratch to get the O-A so need more documents and less certainty that they will give me a COE. I already have USD100,000 covid cover (plus in-patient cover in Thailand) but have to buy the Thai Insurance company cover that gives me no extra insurance, except for stupid 40,000 baht outpatient cover.

7 hours ago, Adelphi said:

Hi Dr Jack I am in the UK and have an O-A visa based on retirement (no Thai wife or kids).  I applied and received a Certificate of Entry last week.  It was surprisingly easy.  The system is very efficient although the instructions have clearly been written by someone who does not have English as a first language and at times they are a little ambiguous but no real problems.  

 

Stage 1

To get the pre-clearance you need to upload scans of your passport, visa and in my case re-entry permit.  You also need to upload your insurance.  I simply used my UK travel insurance policy.  It was reject first time as my policy did not specifically say that it covered Covid medical expenses up to $100,000.  My Insurance Company kindly re-issued my policy with a line saying that it covered Covid emergency health expenses up to £6M and that application went through in under 24 hrs with no problem. 

 

Stage 2

To get the Certificate of Entry the London Embassy accepts hotel and flight reservations i.e. you do not have to pay for everything before you get the Certificate of Entry.   Many hotels insist that you pay the full price upfront (which I did for expediency reasons).  I am flying from Gatwick with Qatar.  When I was booking the flight and came to the payment section they give you two options 1) pay the full price or 2) reserve the flight which I did - it cost me £15 to hold the reservation for 72 hrs (not offset against the cost of the actual flight if you subsequently book.  I scanned in my hotel booking and flight reservation and again within 24hrs I was able to print out my Certificate of Entry.

 

Be aware that the Certificate of Entry states very clearly: the date of travel; the flight number and the hotel that you will be staying in.  So I doubt if you would be able to change any of these without going through the whole process again.  I have a Covid test due next week and assuming that it's negative I am booked to fly back to Thailand 16 October barring any disasters.  Apologies for the length of this post but I had to cover a lot of ground.  I hope some of you find it helpful. 

 

All the very best of luck to all of you who are also trying to go home.  I really hope that the authorities also allow the retirees with "O" vistas to return very soon.  

I assume you already had the in/out patient insurance issued by a Thai Insurance Company on the approved list.

I have residence in a country with a reciprocal agreement with the UK.  I get a life cert annually. As I spend 5 months a year in Thailand it is a lottery when the letter comes from Newcastle. Anyway, no problem this year as I cannot get to Thailand. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxAEnUCIY_g

I am sure many of you have watched videos from the guy. Towards the end of this video there is input from a Chinese person currently in the UK who has been sent a PPE kit by the Chinese embassy. Interesting.

5 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

Would lose her <deleted> altogether if she had flown on the Melbourne to Griffith NSW flight I used to take in a WW2 era de Havilland Heron.  Dam plane had wings made out of rubber!   Flying through turbulence I  would swear black and blue the deflection was 12" in either direction.

There is a Heron for sale parked on Jersey airport in the Channel Islands. 

I have just been reading about the investigation currently under way regarding the use of the BCG vaccination in the fight against COVID-19. I also looked at the horrendous worldwide death rates from TB. The leading cause from a single infectious agent at 1.45m deaths in 2017.  Thailand had 11,500 deaths from TB in 2017. The death rate in Western Europe was very low with the aim of eradication. It should be possible to test and trace for TB and the aim should be to eradicate the disease as even with recovery, damage to lung tissue can be a serious long term health problem. I would hope the health authorities in Thailand have a plan, but this article does cast doubt on any progress being made. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/between-one-out-of-four-to-five-thai-taxi-drivers-have-tuberculosis-tb

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes it can be extended during the last 30 day of the 90 day entry it allows.

You could apply for it early since it will be valid for entry for 3 months from the day it is issued.

Thanks for the information. I will have to gauge when to apply so it is valid for when I travel.

36 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could also apply for a single entry non-o visa online and mail the application and passport to the embassy.

Requirements are here. http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#6

Not sure what the requirements will be for entering Thailand after they start allowing flights into the country again. Before it was a health certificate and a $100,000 US of covid 19 insurance coverage.

Check here for the latest requirements.  https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm

I assume the Non-O granted by the Embassy can then be extended at an IO in Thailand for one year without leaving Thailand.

My extension based on retirement expires 1 June. There is a lockdown where I am and the only flight into London is a few times a week to Southampton. I would still need a COVID-19 certificate and doctor's note before getting a boarding card in Heathrow and can see this requirement being in place for many months. If I am able to travel back and, as I have all the requirements to renew my extension I assume it is still possible to arrive and be given a 30 day tourist visa (UK Citizen) and then apply for the 90 day O. Then before that expires obtain an extension of the O based on retirement.

2 hours ago, mrfill said:

Its just a case of getting the plumber to connect it to both hot and cold (and buying a thermostatically controlled bumgun). And that's too much?

Currently AmazonUK showing 348 types of which 184 are thermostatic.

 

Remember the alternative.

It is what I have in the UK. Works well as tiled floors in the toilets.

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no special procedure. It is simple to do all you need is a bank book showing that the 800k baht has been in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply for the extension and a letter from the bank confirming your account is valid.

Thanks - I have the funds in the account already.

On 3/2/2020 at 4:51 AM, ubonjoe said:

Same TM7 form.

Updated bank book showing the 800k baht has been in the bank 2 months. But you may need to show a 12 month bank statement to prove the 800k baht stayed in the bank for 3 months and then 400k until you topped it up to 800k baht.

Same bank letter as before.

Is there a known procedure when changing from the affidavit of income method to the 800K in the bank. 

I opened a GBP account (plenty of xchange rate headroom) last year so the only transactions are the deposit and interest. I have a Baht account used for day to day expenses. I will get the bank letter for the GBP account and a copy of the updated bank book + original bank books and all the other stuff. Immigration Hua Hin seemed ok with this when I queried. Will go in plenty of time in May - so hopefully will be straightforward. 

I am still based in a country with a reciprocal agreement, but spend periods of time in Thailand. I get one of these every couple of years. The form needs to be countersigned so unless they eventually accept scanned replies I think hard copy replies are still required. The staff are very friendly - they sent another form last year as the original wasn't delivered and I only noticed when the pension payments stopped. As I am sure all of you are aware, they freeze your pension if you are no longer resident in the UK or in a Country with a reciprocal agreement.

The email I received from Sarah Peth (Deputy Consul and Head of Operations) states that the only way to get an extension to stay is to have the required funds in the bank seasoned as required. No mention of the income route which is on the web site. The Embassy have washed their hands of the issue - she did refer me to the Embassy statement which still gives the false impression proof of income is an acceptable way of obtaining an extension.

"

I am sorry to learn that you are unhappy with the announcement that we intend to withdraw from providing a Pension letter in Thailand from 1 January 2019.  I appreciate the difficulties that can accompany such a change in services.

Our British Embassy in Bangkok currently issues a pension letter as a supporting document for British nationals applying for a Thai retirement or marriage visa application.  The Thai authorities have confirmed that they want the British Embassy to verify the income of British nationals which they are unable to do.  They/We would refer such requests to the issuing authority.   Therefore, the current letter does not fulfil the Thai authorities requirements so we need to stop issuing it so it is not misinterpreted as verification.

When withdrawing a service we do look at what other options are available to the customer to assist them in meeting the requirements of the receiving authority.  There is an alternative for customers to demonstrate that they meet the financial requirement for their retirement or marriage visa by holding a Thai bank account showing the minimum funds needed.   

To assist customers, our Embassy in Bangkok has published details on their website of the change in service and what option is available to customers and what those requirements are.  Further details can be found at:   https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-embassy-bangkok-to-stop-certification-of-income-letters"

1 minute ago, tropo said:

For Australia, it's called a Statutory Declaration. You word it yourself in a provided blank space.

But you have to visit the embassy?