Liquorice

In other areas of the Thai media, it's claimed we've all got it wrong. They claim the DTV will permit a total stay of 180 days over the 5 year validity of the visa, with a further single extension of 180 days = 20,000BHT for 360 days over 5 years. 🤪 The DTV won't be available until June 2025. See Thai examiner and Pattaya News.

Already posted in my previous reply.

No, extensions are permits, not visas and applied for at Thai Immigration. The DTV will be applied for at Thai Embassies/Consulates and Somchai can't help you with that.

Example, you entered Thailand 1st Jan on the DTV, permitted to stay until 30th June. Depart March, re-enter April, permitted to stay until 30th June. Same as an extension of stay with re-entry permit. It clearly states you can only stay 180 days within a year, with the option of using that one time 180 day extension.

Where exactly does it state each entry permits a stay of a further 180 days. What would be the purpose of the one time 180 day extension if you can simply re-enter to get a further 180 days. My interpretation is you will be granted permission of stay for 180 days in one year. Like extensions, if you re-enter, you will be granted permission of stay until the original POS date.

The O-A must still be available, as they announced a reduction in the mandatory Insurance requirement.

That was my train of thought, although they may dispense with the 'X'.

I'm reading that as the Non Imm 0-A visa, often referred to as the 'long stay' (L) visa

Sometimes purely a guess based on experience as there is no such thing as a retirement visa per se. The Non Imm O and the Non Imm O-A are both applied for the purpose/reason of retirement. Extensions of stay are permits, not visas, again applied for the purpose/reason of retirement. The mandatory Insurance premiums are only reduced for new O-A visa application between Sept - Dec as I understand it. On entry with an O-A visa, the period of stay is limited to the expiry date of the Insurance policy. You should arrange for the policy start date to coincide with the day you intend to enter Thailand.

I think you've misunderstood. You can only extend for 180 days once during the 5-year validity of the visa.

Yes they do, but you missed the point I was asking - have you checked you can you get a credit receipt from your bank. When Immigration started accepting monthly overseas pensions transferred to a bank account, you couldn't get a credit advice receipt from your Thai bank as the Bank of Thailand was the receiving bank. It took a visit from a staff member of Bangkok Bank to visit our local office to explain the 'BNT' code was an International transfer before they would accept it. A UK pension alone transferred through the Bahtnet system wouldn't meet the financial requirements anyway.

Read the opening post of the topic for the changes.

Are you confusing visa exempt with visa on arrival. Your nationality would dictate which of these would be used for entry.

Because they aren't making any changes to Immigration orders, which allows a 30 day extension for VE entries. 🙄

Well, those kinds of statements cause the speculation. From the original article: Extensions of stay issued by Immigration are 'permits', not 'visas'. The temporary reduction of the mandatory Health Insurance, for a limited period, applies only to those applying for a Non Imm O-A visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate. The criteria for an extension of stay from a Non Imm O-A entry remains unaffected.

I take it you are having your (UK?) state pension payments paid directly to your Thai bank. These payments are issued by Citibank to the Bank of Thailand, who then transfer it to your Thai bank. Have you checked your Thai bank can issue a credit advice receipt, I'm not so sure if they can as they were not the initial receiving bank. You may need an FET form (Foreign exchange transfer form) which are usually issued by the initial receiving bank.

For those with a Thai spouse/family and don't have 400K THB, or don't want to deposit 400K in a Thai bank account and now limited to the single entry Non Imm O visa from Savannahket without any financial proof, the above should have them very concerned. If Lao adopts the online e-visa system, then the Non Imm O without any financial proof will become redundant.

Those arriving VE between now and the 31st are gonna be pissed!

Not how I read it Andrew. That reads there will be a temporary relaxation of the required mandatory Insurance, from Sept - Dec, for applicants of the Non O-A visa. Extensions from an O-A visa are not affected.

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

It's not an assumption, it's an Immigration regulation. If your IO don't comply with that regulation, ask why? It's been reported Jomtien now comply with that regulation.

Why? There is no requirement to do so any more since June 2020.

Instead of beating around the bush in various topics, wouldn't it have been easier to open a new thread, along the lines of; I'm hoping to move to Thailand later this year to be with my Thai spouse. I currently don't have 400K THB for either the Non Imm O multi entry visa from Savannahket, or applying for the 1-year extension of stay from Immigration. Residing in the UK and unable to also start transferring 40K per month income in advance due to existing financial commitments. What are my options to apply for a 1 year extension of stay based on income.

You intend opening a business in which you work, and employ at least 2 Thais, on what, 40K THB per month?