onera1961

12 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

How can you be 'legally present in Thailand' if you do not have an extension, assuming you are retired or married.

Based on my prior year extension date unless the extension is voided as soon as the bank deposit drops below 400K. How are they going to monitor it? Is the bank going to report to immigration as soon as bank deposit drops below 400K and immigration will send police to my address to arrest me? Or they will deny my renewal the following year. If they are going to arrest me, it's a dangerous situation and better to avoid Thailand on a retirement extension. The only option left for me now is getting O-A visa every two years from the US as rules are murky and it can risk arrest, IDC, and ban.

14 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The requirements for a retirement extension according to the new police order are as follows:

Does it mean your extension will be denied if you don't meet the criteria and your extension won't be voided or you won't be arrested if you don't meet the above criteria but legally present in Thailand. My guess is the first one. I guess it can be interpreted both ways. Any clarification?

On 6/15/2016 at 7:48 PM, ubonjoe said:

Getting a multiple entry non-o visa would certainly not be better than applying for an extension at immigration.

I am exploring options besides an O-A visa. Does Penang require money in a Thai bank or oversees bank is OK? Do they require police report or health certificate?  I stay in Thailand from Oct - March. One out/in will cover me for the six month of my stay in Thailand. What are the other places I can get an ME O visa (no Thai family) with funds. I know in the US I can only get O-A. I am afraid to get an extension based on 800K in the bank method because rules are not yet clear what happens if money drops below 400K. Can they void my extension and arrest me for overstaying? 

7 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Not if you stick 400K in a fixed term account.

Is fixed term account acceptable? And what's the highest  interest rate in a  fixed term account?

4 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Yes there's probably a lot of people who stand to lose their families and everything, with little option but to go to ground. 

For people with Thai Family, I don't see any problem. They can go to neighboring countries and get Non-O ME without showing any money. They have to leave every 3-months but it is still an option. For single retirees, there is no option except go back to home country and get an O-A

54 minutes ago, zydeco said:

My biggest problem with this is I don't want to go to Chaeng Wattana an extra two, three, four or eight times per year?

My interpretation of this order is your following year's retirement extension will depend on the money you have the past year. You can always withdraw the entire balance after getting an extension but you can't renew the following year. I don't think they will ask people to go every three months. That is too much work load on the TIs. 

12 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

Mmm - If the intention is to freeze out agents why not issue an order banning agents from immigration offices.

They don't want agent services to be stopped but they can certify the agents and allow only certified agents to submit valid applications, just like in all other countries, for example Portugal's golden visa or USA's E5 visa. 

Does it mean one has to keep 400K throughout the year. May be this is another way to ensure people have some money for emergency medical expenses. 

My interpretation is that people who are keeping the money through out the year, are not affected. There is no 90-day visit to immigration for verification. They want to check bank book for past activity to determine if the rule was followed or not. It is at least better than what Fabulous 103 FM reported. 

In my situation, I bring 15,000 baht every week. So I fall short of 5K baht every month. If I keep 100K through out the year, I will be OK for my extension in 2020. 

If no seasoning is required, showing 800K every three month is not a problem. You draw down for three month and then top it up before 800K verification. But it is a hassle every three months going to immigration. What about people who don't stay in Thailand through out the year like me? What happens if somebody does not show up for 90-day report because they are not in the country? Does it get reset like 90-day reporting. So many issues they have to resolve before they can put this in practice. By 2034, Thailand will be asking for Malaysian style retirement requirements. Good for them. 

 

20 hours ago, fusion58 said:

I just need to do a new extension. My question: Can an agent do that extension for me, and, if so, would the Thai bank account still be necessary?

Yes, but agent will help you open a new bank account. When you go to an agent all problems disappear. That is the magic of connection. Do you have connection with a high ranking immigration official? If so, all your problems will disappear. Otherwise, you need an agent.

Opening a bank account is easy if you know a Thai with a good job or a government job.

20 hours ago, fusion58 said:

I have used the income affidavit from the US Embassy for every extension I’ve done hitherto. Now I have no affidavit, no Thai bank account and my current extension expires in just under a month.

People, people, people. Still confused about visa and extension of stay. OMG when they would learn. How many years it will take? 

Can't you go to a nearby embassy to get an Non O visa based on marriage? Some embassies won't ask to financial proof and some will but you can show you USA bank account also. 

I don't understand what is the big deal if someone is married and don't have a Thai bank account. 

9 hours ago, thedemon said:

For a Bangkok address, go check-in to a THB300/night hotel or even better make a hotel reservation before going to CW then afterwards you can change your mind and cancel the reservation.

How does this work? What happens when 90-day reporting is due? Does he have to submit a new TM30 (and possibly an address change also) when he goes back to his permanent place?

3 hours ago, keithet said:

Be nice if by the first quarter the embassies start the letters again. I for one would be happy to show proof of the income stated in the letter. 

I can bet it's not gonna happen.

13 minutes ago, Ahab said:

My comment was regarding reports that some immigration offices are not accepting the bank statement methods of proving income.

Can you please cite an use case (except this one. The gentleman is able to get his letter) when "income in the bank" method was not accepted

My real estate agent reported my TM 30 almost two weeks after I started living in the rented condo and the TM 30 was backdated. I don't know how she did it. Your host can backdate 24 hours as your start when she reports. But that opens up lots of other issues as AirBnb is still in gray area and there may be tax implications also. Not sure how much risk she wants to take. But I don't think immigration is after tax avoiders and there is interdepartmental communication also. 

On 1/24/2019 at 6:41 PM, jesimps said:

So should sworn declarations.

The worst kind of verification. No meat in it. Thousands of people do lie under oath. They hesitate when the officiating officials threaten them with consequences.

12 hours ago, SamuiGeezer said:

People that use agencies are normally trying to avoid complying with the rules, seems like that is what you are trying to do? 

What specific rule they're trying to circumvent? If they are less than 50 agent will not take the application. If they are on TE or visa exemption, agent will take it and process it by first converting it to Non-O. I don't see any rule they are trying to circumvent. There is no rules against borrowing 800K. There is already a rule for IO to waive the seasoning requirement. On the other hand, I will say people with less income than 65K/month were getting away with an "income letter" easily and cheaply. 

20 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

My view on it is expressed in my final sentence - convoluted logic, but a loophole nonetheless, and legal. 

Why does this loop hole exist? We can debate all along but we would never now the intent of the law makers. Intent is always interpreted by a judge (at least in the USA). May be if one goes through an agent the IO believes the agent more than an unknown desperate farang entity because of agent's personal rapport with the IO cultivated over the years. For example, if you want to get a job, who the hiring guy is going to believe? Your sad story of unable to feed your family or somebody the manager personally knows who can explain your current predicament? 

People running around in a motor bike with an expensive iPhone and 100K baht in the wee hour of 3AM.

20 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Its perplexing how you can take your kid to work and forget you have for an hour and a half but she will have to live with that amnesia RIP

So many mothers through out the world do that because they are unfortunate to have not won a genetic lottery by being not born in a high wage country. It's so sad.

7 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

You could have just gone out and come back in on a visa exempt for 30 days, then extended that for 60 days to visit your wife !!

Seems like you went about it all the hard way ??

That will require another trip to immigration to extend it for 30-day. He already has 90-day now to sort things out. 

11 hours ago, Jonah Tenner said:

My embassy still gives income affidavits, but is Roi Et Immigration likely to demand any additional income verification when my time to renew ccomes around in June?

Any office can demand "verification" but in rural areas it is most unlikely.