onera1961

7 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

But if it were me using these agency/loan sharks to obtain my yearly extension, I wouldn`t be so smug about it, I would be afraid, I would be very afraid.

Instead of putting 800K in a Thai bank and I can invest it in S&P 500 that will give me let's say 6% return (historical return of S&P 500 is 9%) over a 10 year period. Every year I just take out 25K to pay the agent. Now after 10 years, I still have my 800K (little over 1 mil). Added bonus is agents take care of everything while I sip pina colada on the beach. My criteria is agent fee should be approximately 50% of the return (around 25K). ????

All four pages of useless info. It's  beyond me why people post they have so many accounts but opened 20 years agy, or years ago, or on ED visa, non-O visa etc.  How is that going to help the OP? Do they want to show the world how many bank accounts they have? 

Bangkok bank is a surefire way because they publish in their website that you can open an account with Tourist Visa. If the teller does not want to open, you can talk to the manager. Preferably go to the main branch. Avoid those shopping center branches. But they won't give you internet banking. Only phone card and ATM card. Please read Bangkok bank requirements and go there with all you papers (may also require a visit to your embassy for address authentication). I did it in this year January. 

20 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

For some people, it's worth paying the 15-20k to save the time/effort/p155ing about.

If everything is legit (money in bank and seasoned properly), more than 3K for agent service is too much. 3000 + 1900 immigration fee. So approximately 5000. I won't pay more than 5K

If no money (loan and seasoning waiver), 10K + 5K = 15K. 

25 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

They are not certifying income they are getting extension for a fee.

With legitimate seasoned money? For 10K, it is is a expensive service, I guess. Even though doing it is hassle free If 10K also, includes no money in the bank, then I would say OMG it is the cheapest I've seen so far. What happened? 

6 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

all the agents Agoda etc do this to try and get you to panic buy, its a sells routine,when you get in touch with the hotel direct , and the answer has always been , *yes no problem, we have a room for you *

But they of ten charge more. And each hotel site is allocated a certain number of rooms to market and fill. 

4 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

The Embassies have not always done "income letters".  What was the standard procedure in those days???

Yes, what was the standard procedure in those days and when did embassies start issuing income letters?

41 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

Report from a fellow expat is that the copy shop next to Jomtien IO is charging 10 thousand baht to "certify" your income documents.

What does it mean by certify? Who are they? Are they authorized by immigration to check your documents and certify? Is it acceptable to immigration (with other random backup proof of course, I guess). If it is acceptable to IO, and not approved by immigration, I guess anybody can certify and you can do a self-certification also. 

9 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

But I should not have to pay for the elite when all I need is the basic retirement extension, especially since I will only be planning to be in  Thailand about 6 months total for a year, maybe more, maybe less depending on events.

You can also get an METV/year. I don't think immigration will question if you have an METV/year or a few SETVs from your home country with a month or two break. Of course it does not provide flexibility like an O-A visa (Or yearly extension)  that you can use to enter whenever you want.

7 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I am coasting into retirement with a 1 Million USD portfolio paying over $60,000 a year in dividends and interest,

My thinking is Thailand wants wealthy retirees like you for long-term stay and there is already an avenue like Elite (500K or half a million out of 30 million) for under 50. For over 50, you have to park 800K out of 30 million and that will reduce your 60K USD income by only a meagre 3%). You have even an option to go back home every two year and get an O-A. I saw a YouTube video where the guy got his O-A using his IRA statement as bank balance for O-A. I think embassies are more able to make that determination than immigration inside Thailand.

What they don't want is people living on $1000 USD without even a savings of 800K baht. If you have at least a savings of 800K baht, you can live on $1000/month. 

7 hours ago, ThaiRebound said:

Onera, thank you for that kind summary of options. METV back to back is very risky?

If embassy gives you, I think it is less risky that SETVs from neighboring countries reason being a) You're going back to your home country b) for METV you have to show substantial cash in your bank account b) if embassy rejects METV, you are not forced to buy expensive ticket to your passport country. But always keep 20K baht, a valid ticket out of the country, and a solid story why you're in Thailand for long-term. If you're working online, never mention that to IO. May be just say that you're in SE Asia tour with Thailand as your base or something similar, or have a girl friend, etc. etc. 

I spent three years in Thailand 2011-2013 on tourist visa, visa runs, and ED visa. Never used land-crossing but flew from all neighboring airports. It was easy time. Nobody questioned what I'm doing in Thailand. 

You could also get METV from your home country and if used carefully, that will give almost 9 months. People have reported back-to-back METVs. But long term on tourist visa is becoming hard.

Thailand seems to be wanting wealthy long-term tourists and one option is to use Elite Visa as some poster has suggested. It is 500K (baht) or approximately USD16K.

If you're young (between 30-40 or even less) and only want to spend a few years (2/3), it is not a good option. In that scenario, it is better to go for METV. 

Love, marriage, wife is another option. Another option is to find a job. I don't know your situation and qualification, etc. If you're an independent freelancer working online, you can look into iglu or coffee asia. They will give you Business visa and WP and for a percentage of your incomes. You can look into those also. 

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

It is not your harassment - it is his responsibility renting to a foreigner.  

Yes and the said foreigner has to pay a fine for owner's responsibility to avail any immigration services. Welcome to the land of bizarro

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is out of date since it was written when they only issued single entry OA visas. Now it is only multiple entry OA visas allows unlimited entries for a year from the date of issue. 

Have you notice the date on this topic,

Thanks @ubonjoe. No, i have not noticed the date. I did not know that there was single entry O-A once upon a time

OMG, three pages to explain ME O-A visa, Permission to stay, ME O visa, renewal of permission to stay. Do we have a FAQ or similar page that explains succinctly (not more than few sentences) possibly with images of different types of visa, visa validity for each type, permission of stay for each visa type, extension for each visa type, etc.

With an O-A visa (ME), if you leave and enter Thailand multiple times, you may be questioned by TI because their notions of how people move in this cheap airfare world are very very outdated. I entered 10 times this year using an O-A visa and each time I got 365-day permission to stay from the date of each entry. On my 10th entry, the IO asked me what I'm doing in Thailand? 

Can somebody comment on this paragraph found in Royal Thai Embassy, Washington DC?

Recommendations for foreigners with Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” (Long Stay) while staying in the Kingdom:
Upon arrival, holder of this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for 1 year from the date of first entry. During the one-year period, if he or she wishes to leave and re-enter the country, he or she is required to apply at the Immigration office for re-entry permit (single or multiple) before departure. In the case of leaving the country without a re-entry permit, the permit to stay for 1 year shall be considered void.

On 12/15/2017 at 6:41 AM, Lim Yuan Hai said:

How if owner didn't do it?

You constantly harass the owner, demand his signed copy of ID (or Passport), his house book, etc. And you have to do it every time you stay in another place and return to your own place. This is how police state operates and you still want to retire here? Welcome to the Land of Smile. Of course you can pay a fine for your owner's busy schedule and not willing to comply with your constant harassment and demands. ????

On 11/26/2018 at 1:20 AM, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

What countries are those? Iran ? I have not had any problems. Sounds like a bit of fear-mongering rubbish.

Haters had predicted collapse American economy due to FATCA, turmoil amongst American expats, Americans unable to take their money out of the USA, and other untold misery for Americans because of FATCA. And some opportunists even started selling "how to protect your wealth for the coming dooms day." Well, nothing happened, by the dooms day (March 18, 2010), almost all the banks in the World signed up for FACTA compliance just to get access to American financial market. 

1 hour ago, THAIJAMES said:

The amity treaty is for US citizens it allows them to own 100% of the company without any Thai shareholders.  I have a partnership which only requires 2 shareholders.  Employees is a different issue and has nothing to do with the amity treaty.  Depending on the kind of visa you have, the requirement will be different.   No employee requirement for permanent residence like myself.  2 for married to a Thai or four Thai employees for every work permit for most other foreigners.

Thanks. Great explanation. But definitely not for me. Lots of work, legal wrangling, etc. 

6 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I can  provide tons of documentation from my bank and brokerage about my stock and fund dividends, my bond interest etc. 

I think if you over do it, they may not accept. A simple statement as someone suggested detailing total and average per month has more chance of acceptance, I guess.

52 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

I received as dry run the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) online criminal background check and it says, if your name, birthdate, and last 4 numbers of social Security ID do not appear on this form, then you have no criminal history. The hard copy is required for O-A applicatio

Should not you be able to go to a State Police department and get a hard copy? For my O-A, I used a county background check for free and that takes 5 minutes. Of course, the clerk suggested that if I need a state-wide clearance, I have to go the State police department or FBI for a nationwide clearance. I told her thanks, I will take my chance and gamble $200 with the county clearance only. ????

1 hour ago, gk10002000 said:

And I point out that just showing some transfers for x number of months is no proof that one actually has sustainable income. 

Why one needs a sustainable income? They only will give one year of extension. If someone can prove they can live here for one year, that should be sufficient. For example, I live one year in Thailand and then go back to the US to earn money again and save 800K to live in Thailand for another year. I should be able to do that indefinitely. 

37 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

An example of a very low level requirement is Nicaragua (but you don't want to move there now) and a very high level requirement is Australia

Cost Rica, Panama, Ecuador? How are these countries. Retirement visa seems to be affordable. 

On 11/25/2018 at 4:16 AM, possum1931 said:

say round about six months.

Don't they have METV for 6 month. Of course you have to leave the country every 60-day (with extension 90 day), I guess.

50 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

If Thai Immigration goes ahead with requiring people who would like to retire in Thailand, to deposit 800,000 baht in a Thai bank just to get a one year visa with all the nonsense that goes along with it, no one in their right mind will bite on that one.  By this time next year, there will be no one complaining about CM Immigration being crowded.  They will be wondering where everyone went.

There is no change in 800K requirements. A TV survey indicated a little over 50% uses 800K method. Out of 50%, if 10% leave, that will be 5% of the total. Bottom line 99% is not leaving Thailand

58 minutes ago, Misty said:

US Amity treaty

What is amity treaty and why then anybody is going to form a company under treaties that require thai employees? Are the US employees can be in the US/Mexico? I have lots of legal Latinos that I can hire but they don't want to come to Thailand.