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2 hours ago, apetryxx said:

This hysteria over Covid has to stop. It’s just plain insane to obsess over this virus.

 

I agree with you, I got the shot in America before coming here, mainly because I figured it would make it easier for me to come, but in reality, and my opinion only, even if vaccinated you can still carry and spread the virus, the shot "might" protect me and might not. This bull***t about not being able to go to restaurants or fly or whatever because you don't have a card showing a vaccine is crazy. I'm tired of not living a normal life. I'm prepared to take my chances, most people recover and if I don't I guess my time was up. 

On 8/28/2021 at 5:15 AM, ubonjoe said:

Immigration want a statement to be stamped by the bank when it is done.

OK, thanks for the explanation. My wife said it has to come from the bank, I guess I need to listen to her about this stuff. 

This might be a dumb question but could you (or why couldn't you) just go to your online banking and print your own statement? I'm assuming that you can't or everyone would, but wouldn't that be much easier? 

On 8/17/2021 at 6:48 AM, BritManToo said:

10Km from the centre Chiang Mai, all the facilities of a big city.

With the mountain views and jungle of a rural environment.

The only con being dense smog for 2 months of the year.

 

 

Looks like you might not be too far from me, judging from the view

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

What is your permit to stay that the non-o visa allowed you to get on entry. You visas expiration date means nothing now.

The 400k baht has to be in the bank for 2 months on the day you apply. You can apply up to the last day of the permit to stay you have now. 

There is no 30 day extension you can apply for. You can get a 60 day extension if needed to visit your wife or a covid 19 extension.

OK, I wasn't sure if the extension was 30 or 60 days. Thanks

 Ubon Joe, how far in advance would I need to apply for my extension of stay based on marriage? My non O vise expires Sept 26, I opened my bank account on July 12. I was thinking, wait until it was 2 months after the bank account (Sept 12) but my wife says that its' not enough time and we need to get a 1 month  extension first,  I try not to argue with her, but  would appreciate your advice. 

 I am in similar situation, leaving ASQ on Saturday and flying to Chiang Mai. My wife (Thai) is worried about getting to immigration to do TM30. We will go Monday too. I guess even though our address is on my visa (Non 0) and on the TM6 we still need to do the TM30 I assume?

What if you come straight from ASQ quarantine? I wonder if you would still need to quarantine? You get 3 covid tests in Quarantine hotel. We are flying from Bangkok to Chiang Mai straight from the quarantine hotel.

3 hours ago, Ban Mai Guy said:

I, ended up getting both the rapid test and PCR test. I, got a paper certificate for the rapid test and the results from my rapid test was used for my fit to fly certificate. The clinic called the next day with the results from the PCR test and emailed them to me so I could print them out.  I, did the rapid test just as a precaution that I didn't get the results from the PCR in time for my flight. I, had to pay for both test which was just over $300. 

 I think I maybe don't fully understand the type of test, I read that we need RT/PCR is this one test? Or is RT rapid test and PCR another and do you need both or is it one or the other? Sorry if I sound stupid, but this can be  confusing for me until I understand it better. Thanks for you help.  

9 hours ago, Ban Mai Guy said:

I, found this to be the most stressful also. I, had to drive about an hour away to find a place that did rapid, PCR, and fit to fly certificate. No place would guarantee a 24 hour turn around with the results including where I went. Most said within 48 hours. I, did have the results back in 24 hours. I, went on a Friday evening got my test at 5:30 pm. My flight out was at 6:00 am Monday morning. At check in the computer said my test was to be done no sooner that 6:30 am that Saturday. After going round and round with the supervisor at the airline desk they agreed I was OK to go I was still within the 72 hour period upon first point of embarking on the trip. My flight was Boston to Chicago and in Chicago they checked my papers again. Test results, fit to fly, and COE. 

 Did they give you an actual paper certificate or email?  My wife got worried when I told her that I think they text or email the results. She said we need a real document from the testing place. She's probably right (She usually is, even when she's not )

   LOL

  I too recently did the same visa with the NYC embassy, I did the whole application online and printed and mailed my documents and passport with a return envelope priority mail, the next day through a facebook group someone asked about where to find the receipt from payment with bar code Of course I panicked because I did not see that either on the website and didn't see it mentioned anywhere, so after a few messages back and forth with the guy who posted that he was able to figure it out and told me where to find it so I printed those and mailed them the next day with a note of apology and asked if they could please put those two together, I included my passport number and every number on my application. I never heard from them through email but kept checking the tracking number for the two packages and after they got there a few days later I started checking the tracking number of the return envelope for my passport and miraculously it got back with the visa attached in only 1 week. I am very pleased with the NYC embassy so far. Still have to do the COE but my trip is for June 24 so will wait a little while yet as I'll be getting my second vaccine on May 7. The 72 hour covid test will probably be the most stress of the whole thing!! I don't know of anywhere close to me to get it. The closest place I found is 40 minutes away but I guess that's not too bad. 

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You have to apply for the certificate of entry (COE). You do it online here. 

https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/

Be sure you have a copy of your passport to upload to the website.

 I'm assuming copy of passport WITH the visa in it, right?

Just curious where you would declare it leaving USA, I don't remember ever noticing a  customs part on departures. I only remember it on arrivals. But then again I was never looking.

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It would be best if you applied for a single entry non-o visa based upon marriage to a Thai. It will allow a 90 day entry that can be extended for one year. No return or onward ticket is needed for it.

If entering on a tourist visa you would have to a apply for 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration before applying for the one year extension.

Thank you very much for the info. I knew you would be the best guy to give an answer I could trust.

Sorry, If I'm going a little off topic or hijacking the thread, but then in my case since I am married to a Thai and we want to this year to stay. I'm over 50 by the way. Would I be OK to apply for a tourist visa and then after I'm there do the extension of stay based on marriage? Or is there a better way, that I wouldn't have to buy a round trip ticket?  Ubon Joe, I know you seem to know all when it comes to this stuff so hopefully you can advise me. Thanks in advance.

Slight variation on this topic, but I have a question for you guys who are getting SS while living in Thailand. I just read that if you are not living in USA they stop paying until you spend 30 days back in USA. How can I get around this, I'll be collecting in another year or so. Do you have to use a US address and US bank account? I hear different stories on this. 

   Thanks for any help.

Could an expat do the 14 day quarantine in his own house if he has one?

10 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Well, for me it is simple....I use my Chase Bank and do my own money wire at $5 USD for any amount......pretty straight forward and right into my Siam Commercial Bank Account.......quickly and with no ATM fees....????????????????????????????

What type of Chase Bank account do you use for this. Not to sound stupid but I'm looking for options, is it a Chase account opened in America or Thailand and is it some type of international account, like if it is an account opened in America can you use a Thai address? As of now I am still in America but will be retiring to Thailand sometime in the not too distant future depending of course on the "virus situation" Thanks for whatever help you can be.

My wife had the same situation because of immigration being backed up she received a paper in the mail extending her green card to 18 months. We traveled back to Thailand with that paper and had no trouble, but I was worried about it and I think I called immigration to find out if it would be OK, they said to have the expired green card and the notice of the 18 month extension. She has since received her 10 year card but it took just about the whole 18 months. 

10 hours ago, HuskerDo said:

$30,000 US dollars for a two week stay for three people. That is going to be one wild party. Can we all come? 

My thoughts exactly. a lot of money for 2 weeks!

10 hours ago, LawrenceN said:

Me too. There's a little country place near us in CM on a large irrigation canal with water flowing over some (man-made) cascades. They serve a fish laab spiced Northern style. It's great with sticky rice and beer. I order it every time I go there.

Think I've been there, also have good "gorp" (frog) if it is the same place, pretty sure it is based on your description, in Sansai, right? 

10 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

i am not worried about getting robbed or ATM fraud. 

i am worried about immigration officer telling me: "yes, you have

2 million baht in your account, but you transfered it last year.

now you must transfer "fresh" money, to top up this year 800K"

or something like that...

but i think ubonjoe answered the question.

hope it is right...

   Maybe I'm missing something here, but why would you have to "transfer fresh money" if you have 2 million baht in the bank. Couldn't you just leave it from year to year?

13 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Assumption is the Mother of All Good F##kups.

 

Before you get on a plane, spend as much time as you need to call USCIS and confirm that assumption, or if you can visit an office.

 

As much good advice as TVF members can offer, we aint the Government, and the last thing you want to have happen is to be at a check in counter at Suvarnabhumi trying to check in to come home and they refuse to let her board

I agree about assumption, I posted before I called USCIS but I called today and they told me that the expired green card, and the letter stating the 18 months and the boarding pass to show how long she was out o f the country will be all we need. Can not stay out for more than a year. We will only be out a few weeks, so no problem there. Hopefully the new green card will be here before but I know "Murphy's law" always plays a part.