BaiLao

• Bank statements: collect what you have and submit them.
• National Police clearance: get on to it immediately and click the return by email option (there's a 'tick the box' for visa applications to justify email return). My police clearance took three weeks to return by Australia Post.
•  JP is ok to countersign docs - for Sydney Consulate anyway - not sure about other Consulates or the Embassy.
•  Suggest you obtain the O-A without delay before the compulsory health insurance requirement begins.
•  Address in Thailand: if no alternative then give the address of your first hotel/accommo.
• Because of horror stories re rejection at Swampy/Donny airports, I overdid the formalities and booked a throw away onward ticket and had 20k Thai Baht in my pocket on arrival. Unnecessary but after going through that palaver why give anyone the the ghost of a chance to mess it up at the final hurdle, right?
• As soon as you arrive, register your address for the TM30. I hit a long weekend, went to immigration on the first available morning - and was still fined. 
• Once Sydney Consulate have your docs, it's a very quick turnaround.
• Opening bank account in Thailand: once you're settled, shop around, especially in Bangkok - it can be done. Bkk Bank and Siam Comm spring to mind for some reason (!).
• Best of luck - and get that Police Clearance pronto... 

Yes.

Zero travel outside resident province now. Zero Alien (Imm Police choice of word - not mine!) guests/visitors of more than a few hours. Why? Householder fined for not reporting an alien. The Alien, travelling on a valid visa, had arrived on a Saturday afternoon from Bangkok, stayed Saturday and Sunday night - Monday was a public holiday so couldn't report to the Immigration Office until Tuesday morning: fined regardless at 800 baht, reduced to 400 with good behavior (and with no receipt, I noticed). Rationale for the fine? The householder could have taken the Alien to the local police station for notification of stay. 

So, saves me time and a lot of money spent on travelling expenses or my guests' aircon bin fai  (electricity bills), plus I have the ongoing joy of knowing that the kee neeows (stingy b******s) at the local Potential Detention Office are deprived of that small yet significant source of income. Thank you TM30! Win/win! The only negative being that local businesses are deprived of my frequent Alien guests' custom. 

No; I'm not daft enough to overtly specify the location of the relevant Immigration Office, but I would caution any Aliens living in, or indeed even visiting more 'remote' (relativity alert!) provinces, to abide by this week's highly imaginative application of the law, as it appears that the quieter regional offices are the ones with more time and fewer sources of income.

Suggest using the Sydney Consulate if possible. JP required as countersignature at Sydney, rather than a lawyer notary/apostille (Canberra). They (Sydney Consulate) answer the phone and questions. Applying for Fed Police clearance: use the email reply option rather than having it sent by Australia Post, which took nearly three weeks. Info accurate at April 2019.

Comparing COL between, e.g., Sydney & Bangkok (and any other two places you care to choose):

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&country2=Thailand&city1=Sydney&city2=Bangkok

Now have a Non-Imm O-A visa (multiple entry) based on retirement from home country, after many VEs and TVs in the same passport.

Travelling to Bkk later this month to use it.

My questions are:

1. Do I need to report to local immigration office after 90 days, or before?

2. Will I subsequently need to provide evidence of funds within Thailand (e.g. 800k etc)?

3. Do I need to provide evidence of cash on initial arrival at Swampy?

4. With some 'creativity' and bearing in mind the multi entry status of the visa, how could I stretch the one year validity?

Thanks...

31 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

True enough, but in order to game the financial requirements, most (if not all) who did so needed the help of a Thai visa agent and a Thai immigration officer who would turn a blind eye to the fraud. Immigration's "solution" is highly punitive towards the entire expat retiree community (most of whom complied with these requirements), while completely ignoring the role the corrupt visa agent and immigration officer played in the fraud. Because of this, the new seasoning and verification requirements appear to be easily worked around, for the right price, of course.

 

The same is true regarding the TM-30 requirement. This law requires housemasters (primarily Thais) to report that a foreigner resides at a residence they own. While the Thai can be fined for failing to do so, it is the foreigner who is being forced to help enforce this law, because immigration is fining expats and refusing visas to expats when the housemaster doesn't comply. The requirement that the housemaster has to re-report the residence of a foreigner after every trip abroad (and in some jurisdictions after overnight trips outside of your home province) despite the fact that foreigners have to report their address every 90 days, is laughably inefficient from an administrative standpoint, not to mention being a callous and dehumanizing requirement for expats.

 

Immigration's administrative response to both of these problems exposes: (1) a tendency to blame foreigner for problems, and (2) a reluctance to confront and hold other Thai people accountable for their failure to follow the law.  Instead, they prefer to impose draconian and punitive quick fix solutions rather than looking for root causes and long term solutions, while conveniently avoiding the need to confront and hold Thais accountable for their failure to follow the law.

"The same is true regarding the TM-30 requirement. This law requires housemasters (primarily Thais) to report that a foreigner resides at a residence they own. While the Thai can be fined for failing to do so..."

They (i.e. immigration police) visited the place I'm staying at yesterday afternoon. Not for the first time, either. A private residence. Random timing. No warning. Five of them, in full uniform and shiny combat boots. Unmarked vehicle. Ostensibly looking for overstays. Many questions. Mercifully my visa is valid. Summary: situation resolved.  However, whilst I would agree that all over the world it's a case of 'On goes the uniform, off go the manners" I do observe that the situation in Thailand has deteriorated recently. By recently I'm referring to the last 12-24months. By deterioration I mean the ambient demeanor of officials. I suspect that they're all under hierarchical pressure. Doubtless other posters will have their viewpoints, but have a valid visa and inform immigration offices of your current address, within 24 hours of arrival. At least then your legal status - such as it is in a fluid environment - is valid, and any haranguing by an overzealous official at an airport or your doorstep can be met with calm certainty of your legitimate status. 

@chowny77:

You need USD for the consulate. They will not accept other currencies.

British passport: straight to the immigration counters - valid 14 days. 

It will take at least 30 mins by taxi to get from TSN to the Thai Consulate.

They close 11.30hrs & reopen after lunch.

Make certain that you have printed copies (in colour) of any paperwork required for the visa application. Some of my docs were in B&W and were rejected. There is a good travel agent if you need additional copies. Turn right outside consulate gate, remain on that side of the road - walk and cross straight over the next intersection, travel agent is a few shops after the intersection.

There is a good aircon place to eat on opposite side of the road - displaying a prominent advert for a famous Thai beer brand. 

In theory it's possible to achieve your objective within the stated time frame but you'll need to have all your ducks in a row... 

OP:

It's worth doing. Contact HMRC by phone/Skype:

+441912037010

Hrs:  0800 -1700 GMT

Thanks for the replies.

Anyone have recent information on this one?

Looking for a simple out & return (with a 30 day exempt).

No existing land border stamps in passport yet.

A very helpful travel agent near the Thai Consulate in HCMC.

Turn right outside the Consulate gate.

Staying on the same side of the street, walk until the first intersection. Continue across the intersection . Do not turn right at the intersection, as the Thai staff in the Consulate will direct you - there's absolutely nothing of immediate use on that street. The travel agent is about fifty meters further on down the road on the same side of the road as the Consulate. Some cafes on the opposite side of the road near the Consulate - one prominently advertising a popular Thai beer.

My info is three weeks old, so the situation may have changed!

I applied for a SETV in HCMC. They wanted to see:

• bank statement
• evidence of onward flight
• evidence of accommo

Make sure that you have everything printed out before you attend. USD40, in cash, upfront, other currencies unacceptable.

I wouldn't describe the visa section as being very comfortable or welcoming. Immediately after their lunchbreak at 13.30, the place is very crowded with people collecting visas.

A friend has two valid passports, both from Commonwealth countries. In theory, could the person use these, alternating between the two for a year, on SETVs from neighboring countries? For example passport 'A' could be used twice (60 days plus extension) and passport 'B' used the same way, giving an effective total of nearly a year. What evidence is there to suggest that, at some point, the two passports would be linked and questions asked at DM or S? 

Slight correction to that info: the Thai Consulate HCMC visa section hours are 08.30 - 11.30 and 13.30 - 15.30. Make certain you have any necessary photocopying done before you arrive. Zero facilities on site.

1 hour ago, Khun Robert said:

I carry a 40 kg suitcase with every paper, utility bill, internet bill etc and at least 2 copies and I wear adult dipers just in case, because you never know what questions they could or will ask.

2

I love it!

But the post about the "age card"? Sorry but it's complete twaddle, at least as far as immigration are concerned. If you look clean, wear sensible clothes, appear to have money and manage to remain calm and polite, you may as well be 18 or 80. 

Easy. Online. $45 AUD.  Takes about three weeks to get to you:

https://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/services/criminal-records/national-police-checks

Don't be so harsh on him. As a good Buddhist leader and representative of the Sangha in Thailand, he wasn't attached to material, earthly possessions. No - not at all. He just flew in them, drove in them, played with them, wore them, ate them, probably spent lots on buying them, probably stashed lots of them away, sat in them, lived in them, abandoned them, listened to them, drank them and did all sorts of other activities with them...ad nauseum. What a role model - especially for the working class and bourgeoisie!

Our prat Nat.

Peking duck.

Needs to be conscripted for the Thai Army. Standard issue two years' compulsory service. He could make loads of videos - all in Thai...

O.P: if noise is your main concern, you're in the wrong country and probably (with the exception of Japan) the wrong continent. Don't go to China! Having said that, cigarette smoke will be a problem in Japan as well, although not noise. The Russian Roulette comment was correct for Thailand, so get someone else with graydit  - ideally the police - to make the complaints about noise for you, or if practical, move. You'll be glad you did.

Oh - shag e dog story, ler?

On 6/22/2017 at 1:48 PM, moojar said:

I don't suppose you can get the dole or anything, are you expected to just go live under a bridge for the next two years or something?

That's a valid point. The imaginary conversation at CL might go something like this:

"OK - so you're not going to give me the pension. That means I'll have to seek employment - tricky at my age, with little chance of success - but I'd like to sign up for the Newstart Allowance, immediately please." I wonder what the response would likely be, particularly if the dole - oh sorry - Newstart Allowance, was likely to be more than the part pension...

Unattractive: until conditions for the ''extension of stay based on retirement " are substantially altered...

4 hours ago, smotherb said:

executive summary

Executive summary? Twaddle. Summary execution, more like it - if one can't enjoy old Rooster59...