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Misty

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Everything posted by Misty

  1. I've found going to the LTR office in Bangkok to be the best way to get answers to questions when I couldn't get answers by phone or email. From others posting in this thread - make sure the bank account balance is with Charles Schwab Bank, and not Charles Schwab Brokerage. Apparently the LTR unit no longer accepts brokerage accounts for the self insurance requirement. If you do find you need to purchase an insurance policy, check out LMG Insurance - you may find their long stay visa plus policy with a high deductible to be better priced than the one you have: https://www.lmginsurance.co.th/en/long-stay-visa-plus-premium-plan-100000-usd
  2. Demographics are not favorable for residential property demand.
  3. Thanks Cocon, it's good to know. In the near term we're planning to hire a new employee. Longer term I could see a similar situation as you describe, working part-time.
  4. I had a lot of pain in my neck and right arm during covid. Finally had it checked out, hospital ran some x-rays and said there were signs of degeneration. they thought related to aging. Ended up working with a physical trainer and added a series of daily stretches to my normal workouts. These helped, but only some. What really helped (and now have no pain) was starting to do pushups regularly again. Hadn't really done these since army days. Good form with neck straight is obviously important. I wonder how much of what medicine calls "normal aging degeneration" can be helped in this way.
  5. You could be correct that the requirements are the same as for a work permit not attached to an HSP LTR visa, although the LTR unit said verbally there are no requirements. I calculate a breakeven point between a normal tax schedule (PND91 - progressive rates) and the HSP tax schedule (PND95- flat 17%) at about Bt181,000 per month. If you earn below that, you'd pay less Thai tax using PND91 calculations. If you earn above that, you pay less Thai tax at the flat 17% rate. Not that that is taken into consideration for the HSP digital work permit, however.
  6. Thanks @ThailandRyan, qualification information is clear. Still looking for details on what salary is required for the digital work permit, does anyone know?
  7. Does anyone know what the digital work permit salary requirements are for LTR-HSP visa holders? For example, work permit holders with NonB visas have stated minimum salary requirements that vary by nationality. I’m considering hiring an employee who qualifies for the LTR HSP visa. I’ve asked the LTR unit about what the digital work permit salary requirements are for HSP visa holders and been told verbally by a junior staff that “there are none.” I’ve tried to verify this in writing (emailed the LTR unit, looked for legal documentation), but have not received a response nor found anything online supporting it. All I can find is that there are no 4 Thai employee requirements - nothing about salary requirements either way. If there truly are no salary requirements, it would be good to know and would provide more flexibility. But if there are salary requirements, it would be better to find out now rather than later. As always, I appreciate any insight that this forum can provide.
  8. I haven't had a wealthy pensioner visa before, but maybe @Pib or @oldcpu can help
  9. I've heard it's the way the law was written that is the problem. The BoI is stuck with following the law, such as it is. But would hope that at some point the law could be amended to be made more reasonable.
  10. Thanks Pib, this is a great reminder for me. Looking to hire a new HSP employee and realized I'd forgotten some of the details of the requirements. Good to review everything to make sure they can qualify. With all the time I've spent on these visas I thought I was pretty familiar with the details, but that was not the case apparently!
  11. Yes, I found phone calls to the LTR unit to be invaluable, also in-person visits when all else failed. If you call, be prepared for long wait times, so have something to do or read while you wait. You'll probably first get the BOI switchboard and get put on hold. Ask for the LTR unit, and you'll probably get put on hold again. But once you get someone at the LTR unit, they'll be able to look up your case by the "DOC number" which if it's a digital work permit that you applied for this year, starts out "LTRDWP2401..." Hope it goes well and you get your appointment!
  12. Spotted this announcement on the LTR Facebook page. The last bullet point looks to be good news for LTR visa holders doing annual reporting: https://www.facebook.com/LTRVisaThailand/posts/pfbid0t8EooPqgfL8RQmgfS1eFtNDKjXMEC1PQqBzo9ZZ7dHBAaotjFvBH33dAjoHrqQy9l
  13. Is there a red bell in the upper left side of your screen you can click on? Or otherwise, try clicking on the 3 vertical dots next to the "View" button in the screenshot above. If neither of those pull up the calendar to schedule a visit, my best suggestion is just call the LTR unit and ask.
  14. It's really good to hear that there are efforts to increase the FBAR threshold figure to be closer to FATCA's. I didn't know that. In fact FATCA's Form 8938 threshold for expats (US taxpayers living outside the US) is even higher than the $50,000 domestic threshold as per below. It would be very helpful if FBAR threshold could go to the expat Form 8938 threshold, and then be inflation adjusted: Unmarried taxpayer threshold - more than $200k on last day of tax year or more than $300k at any time during the tax year. Married Filing Jointly--more than $400k on the last day of the tax year or more than $600k at any time during the tax year. https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i8938#en_US_2020_publink55389wd0e825
  15. The Phuket IO thought there was a fake boarding pass? I understand that the OP did not have a fake boarding pass but am curious: why would someone fake a boarding pass. Is this a thing?
  16. Those in the US would apply for a NonB e-visa from one of 4 Thai consulates in the US. If you're on the west coast, the NonB e-visa would be from the Los Angeles consulate. Start here: https://www.thaievisa.go.th/ I'm not sure there is a Thai Embassy in SFC, or at least not one that issues NonB visas.
  17. If a Thai or other nonresident foreigner buys real estate in the USA and then sells it at a.profit, the gain is taxable in the USA. Gains on investment portfolios would not be taxable, however, as these types of gains are considered sourced at the location of the taxpayer.
  18. Do you have US military Tricare health care benefits? Tricare benefits may not qualify for the purposes of getting a Thai visa (although they really should), however if you check into it you may find you actually do receive Tricare benefits overseas https://tricare.mil/FAQs/General/GEN_Eligibility_Moving_Overseas
  19. Yes, the LTR unit has been extremely helpful throughout. Especially since a lot of the process was outside their direct control, especially coordination between Min of Foreign Affairs in Thailand and the NY Consulate. But it's done - the LTR HSP visa was issued yesterday. Paid Bt50k cash at counter. In this case the visa takes up 3 passport pages (one page handwritten note about the transfer, the visa itself, and then various stamps about entry/ stay permitted until, etc). So that's the only downside - the LTR e-visa used no passport pages, it was just a separate piece of paper.
  20. Happy holidays Pib! The process isn't over yet, but at least there's light at the end of the tunnel.
  21. Hi Pib, yes it was an amazing act of coordination by the LTR unit. Back in Aug, when I'd first discussed with them switching from my existing LTR to the LTR HSP visa that I newly qualified for after a change in the HSP qualifying industries this year, the LTR unit thought it would be a simple process to switch that could be done at their office. I received approval for the new LTR HSP in September while I was traveling abroad. But, once I returned to Thailand in Oct and tried to actually make the switch, the LTR unit realized that it was more complicated in this case since I had an LTR e-visa issued by the NY consulate for 10 years. Only the NY consulate could cancel this visa and that is something that has not been previously (most e-visas are only for 90 days). Despite the complications, the LTR unit didn't give up. They coordinated with the MoFA and NY consulate and were able to get the LTR e-visa cancelled while I've been traveling in Dec. My digital work permit has also been cancelled. To re-enter, I have LTR e-visa cancellation letters from the MoFA and new LTR HSP visa approval letters from the BOI. The LTR unit has advised me to enter visa exempt, and then make an appointment to come to their office to get the new LTR HSP visa. The process was pretty complicated and I had to write a couple of different letters that were forwarded to the NY consulate vis MoFA, especially since this had never done this before. I remain really impressed by the courtesy and professionalism of the LTR unit, as well as their "magical powers" that I've heard about from others. The amount of tax I'll save overall (between Thailand and US) is pretty substantial, so despite the complications this move is worth it. Lesson learned: the LTR e-visa is a great visa, but if you might need to cancel it to switch to something else, it might be better to receive the LTR visa in Thailand, rather than from a consulate overseas.
  22. Thanks for this. In that case, I have enough foreign currency cash. For the airlines my passport still has the old LTR visa details (it'll be changed at the LTR unit in Bangkok) but will get the onward ticket just in case.
  23. Hi all, is there an ATM machine in the Suvarnabhumi international arrival hall available for withdrawing funds for arriving visa exempt? I’m going through the process to transfer my existing LTR e-visa to an LTR HSP visa. The LTR unit says to arrive visa exempt. I don't think I've ever arrived visa exempt before, or if so it was 30 years ago. To get through Immigration with minimal hassle, my plan is to have both an onward ticket and Bt20,000 cash, just in case. I also have the official approval documentation and the LTR unit’s phone number and a point of contact.
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