NorthernRyland

I'm trying to apply for a non-O in the US and used the https://thaievisa.go.th website since I thought that was the new system since COVID (I used it to get a COE last year). It's been 1 week already and they haven't responded so I'm actually curious now, is this the correct way even? I will be sending my passport to the LA embassy since it's closest to me (Colorado) so I referenced their website but notice the DC website doesn't mention anything about doing it online and just provides a download link. https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-o-family-member https://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/non-immigrant-visas/non-immigrant-visa-category-o/ Anyone have any experience doing this recently and does it just take more than 1 week? Also one other question if anyone may know. The LA page said proof of ticket TO Thailand which I provided but the online system required me to enter a return flight also, which I don't have because I'm planning to do my 12 month extension once there. I just put in a random date but there's reason to believe they would reject me for this. Has anyone applied with the non-O via this system and not provided the return ticket?

Deposit the 400k and keep it there for 2 months and then spend it since you're in Thailand and you need money anyways. Next year top it off. Rinse and repeat.

I envy your optimism sir.

everything was better back then. Not having a smart phone and maps, had to explore and find your own way, less traffic etc... etc.... All better.

It's a riddle? "the good old days of 70+ to the £"? I remember for a very brief time 45 baht/1 USD in 2005 when I first came but I have no idea what the pound got then.

What year was this? You can't get anything more than a shack for 660k nowadays.

I just applied for a non-o online and they asked for this also. I found some letters addressed to me sent to my parents house and I took a picture of those. No idea if they'll actually approve me though. Maybe they just want proof you are actually able to receive mail at the address provided?

"If it's not on paper and duplicated multiple times it doesn't count" - some Thai bureaucrat.

Do it yourself. You need your wife and a witness to accompany you anyways so you don't really get much having an agent do it for you. Paper work wasn't too crazy but you may need to spend some time finding an amphur who accepts marriages to non-Thais and setup an appointment.

Godspeed sir and thank you for your service.

also don't forget the nagging women.

I will own nothing and be happy. ????

I have no faith whatsoever that the money I'm paying today for SS will be returned to me in 25 years when I'm 65. I just count the 15% FICA tax as lost income and try to budget around that fact.

but in the context of inflation holding cash is a guaranteed lose. In fact the reason central banks and governments induce it through interest rates and deficit spending is to shift purchasing power out of the hands of savers and into the hands speculators. It's the most insidious tax because only so few actually understand what's happening.

SS is funded by current taxation, hence the endless mass immigration. It's a ponzy scheme of course but they can keep it alive as long as they can get fresh bodies paying taxes.

I'm 100% for this. Excellent policy.

My wife couldn't believe it could be this simple and insisted it needed some high level lawyer-ish language so she looked for examples. For reference here's one she found for the UK embassy which has an additional "will return" portion which I don't believe the LA embassy requires as they didn't ask for a return ticket. It's in English though which doesn't make sense to me. I would expect it to be something like: "My name is XXX and I am currently married to XXX. I hereby request he be issued a visa for purpose of returning to Thailand. Signed XXX."

If I had 40 million baht I could afford not to live in Thailand so what's the point anyways?

I'm going to apply for a non-o in the US for the first time and I have a question regarding one of the requirements. From https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-o-family-member they state: I think it may just be a written/typed letter which states we are married and she's inviting me but I'm not 100% certain it's that informal. Does anyone have any example of what they want? Otherwise the requirements are actually much lower than all the stuff I had to submit in country so that's a pleasant surprise. Thanks!

Nice plan good luck. If they let you off 6 months a year that's already pretty good though. Not sure how many companies would even let you get away with a month or two.

I haven't looked at the bill in a while but isn't 5 baht already about average?

This is exactly the problem the person who made that visa doesn't understand. If you're making 80k/year you're kind of a valuable asset and I don't see why your boss would let you live in another country unless you were 100% remote. I'm surprised it would be hard to find a job in Thailand. Don't they need high skilled programmers and the likes?

Nailed it. I honestly don't think they have any idea at all what types of people earn that kind of money and what their employment terms are. They literally could have plucked that 80k figure out of thin air because it "sounds about right". From all my experience in the country the vast, vast majority of people are here because it saves them money and provides them a way to get by with less. I just can't see people earning a high wage in Western countries being able or willing to relocate full time to a country like Thailand. Sounds like a total fantasy to me but what do I know...

That's a good point. I guess a remote working in that region could save money living in Thailand and it may make sense. Not sure about the wages there but 80k sounds really steep. I don't understand why Thailand needs to set the bar so high as if a person making 60k USD is somehow not good enough. It must be an ego trip or something.

Most likely if you make 80k/year you're going to be based near your place of work or in the case you're fully remote they probably need you in the same timezone as them at least. I know there's some people who are self employed and make that kind of money but how rare is this going to be and are why do they want to live in Thailand instead of any number of other countries? Seriously how many people per year are going to be using this visa? I wouldn't be surprised if it was in the hundreds. It seems like another really poorly thought out plan by the out of touch government.