JohnnyBD

That's good news. If they only require one year of data, I can stop buying the health insurance now, and use the $100k in bank method for my 5-year renewal. I couldn't use the $100k when I applied in 2024 because the money was in my brokerage acct, but I moved it to a high-yield savings acct in January. I guess the worse can happen is I would have to re-apply and pay 50k again. That would still be cheaper than paying 3 more years of insurance premiums.

So, someone who used IRA distributions as passive income to qualify, could quit making those distributions after receiving their visa, then one tax year before the 5-year renewal, start making the $80k in distributions again to get another 5 years, then quit again. I'm curious if it's the same for the health insurance requirement. Stop buying the health policy after visa issuance then buy it again 1 year before 5 year renewal date? What about the $100k in bank method in lieu of health insurance. Can one take the $100k out of the bank after visa issuance and then put it back 1 year before renewal? It doesn't sound like they are requiring people to show continued compliance.

Foreign banks probably don't like opening accts for US citizens due to the additional reporting requirements. I never had any problems opening accts with Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn, SCB or UOB, but I live in Bangkok, and not some rural area. Key Requirements for Foreign Banks Regarding American Accounts: FATCA Reporting (Form W-9/W-8): Foreign Financial Institutions (FFIs) must identify "U.S. indicia" (place of birth, address, phone number) and typically require American clients to complete a Form W-9 to disclose their Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number. Direct Reporting to IRS: Under FATCA, foreign banks report information about American accounts—including owner identity, account number, and balances—directly to the U.S. Treasury/IRS. Compliance Penalties: If a foreign bank does not comply with FATCA reporting, they risk losing access to U.S. markets, including a mandatory 30% withholding on certain payments.

I'm pretty sure your annual fee is for the debit card use. I have two savings accts. One has a debit card and an annual card fee. The other savings acct doesn't have a debit card and it doesn't have an annual fee. See snippet below

That's good to know. I will put a reminder for Oct 2028 to renew my card before it expires in Nov 2028. BBL automatically deducts my card fee annually. I never thought about what would happen when it expired. I know they have different card fees depending on which card is selected. My wife selected a card with a higher annual fee than mine because she wanted to earn some points for shopping.

DrJack54, Thanks for posting about the e-Visa online. I am planning a trip to Vietnam next month. Last time I went a few years ago, I applied at their embassy in Bangkok. I will give the e-Visa online a try.

Here's how you know https://www.usa.gov/themes/custom/usagov/assets/img/icon-dot-gov.svg Who can and cannot voteLearn if you meet the qualifications to vote in federal, state, and local elections. Who can vote?You can vote in U.S. federal, state, and local elections if you: Are a U.S. citizen (some areas allow non-citizens to vote in local elections only), including: U.S. citizens living outside of the United States. Learn more from the U.S. Department of State about voting as a U.S. citizen abroad. U.S. citizens who were born abroad and have never lived in the United States. Your eligibility to vote is based on the state where your parents last lived or were registered to vote. Find out what states may permit you to vote absentee. Dual citizens living in the United States or abroad Who cannot vote? Non-citizens, including permanent legal residents, cannot vote in federal, state, and most local elections.

Many don't seem to like BBL anymore due to the difficulties with yearly extensions. I never had a problem, but I don't use it for yearly extensions. I use it mainly for USD acct to THB acct conversions. It's the only Thai bank I found that let's me convert USD to THB using their App or their web based internet banking. All the other Thai banks I use requires me to go in the bank to make the conversion.

I agree. Every coffee shop that I go in Bangkok have foreigners using their laptops. No one knows if they are working or not. The easiest option is to get a Non-O, open bank account, put required 800k in, then get extensions-of-stay. I read on this forum that some pay agents to help with opening bank accounts, and with getting visas & extensions. That's another option.

Thanks. I will email BOI on Monday to check on this event.

Please post the email so we all can see the details on where & when the meeting will be held.

You can post a pic of the email and redact your personal information. If it's truly from BOI, it will look like the email below:

You can post a pic of the email and redact your personal information. If it's truly from BOI, it will look like the email below.

My guess is most people qualified for the LTR-WP visa using the $80k per year in pensions, or a combination of pensions & passive income. Some people probably used the $40k in pensions and/or passive income + $250k condo route, but they probably already owned their condo, or were planning to buy one anyway. It doesn't make sense for someone to buy a $250k condo (they didn't need) in order to get a LTR visa when that person could just get a Non-O.

Thanks. I think I understand now. So, if someone wants to take monthly withdrawals from their superannuation (like a pension), they could then use those withdrawals to qualify for a LTR-P visa, right? Just curious, are there any requirements that one must start taking withdrawals at a certain age? In the US, we have Traditional IRAs (tax-deferred) that we much start taking distributions at a certain age. In my case it's at age 73. The gov't sets the formula for how much one has to withdraw based on the balance. They want to start getting their tax money on the distributions.

My home country is the US, and our system is called Social Security. I started working at age 18, and contributed a percentage (it's compulsory too) of my salary to the SS system each year, and when I reached age 66, I started drawing monthly payments. My employers also had to contribute the same amount as I did. It will take many years to recoup mine and my employer's contributions. So basically, I/we have been funding my own retirement also. It sounds very similar to what you described. If I pass away before recouping all of our contributions, no one in my family gets the extra. The SS system keeps the extra. Just curious, does anyone get what's left in your Superannuation account if you pass away before you start collecting, or before you recoup what you had contributed?

I'm fortunate to be from a country that doesn't discriminate against those who have plenty of money / income when it comes to receiving their gov't social security/pension. The longer one pays, and the more one pays into the system, the larger one's SS benefit will be, no matter their net worth. Also, one can have a company pension and still get their SS money. Fortunately, I didn't need to hand over all my financials, just my SS and company pension info. I was on Non-O extensions for many years, but I much prefer the benefits of the LTR visa. Everyone's situation is different. To each his own.

Passive income would be things like; pensions, social security, interest from bank savings, CDs, money market funds, and stock dividends, etc. Rental income is probably considered passive income also. You can browse the LTR webiste below for more information. https://ltr.boi.go.th

My guess is NO. I was told by BOI the $100k had to be in a bank savings account only. I had enough cash in each of the following: cash in my Fidelity brokerage acct, cash in bank CDs (certificates of deposit), and cash in my IRA acct. BOI said none of those options were acceptable. If you want an answer from an official source, you should email BOI.

I don't doubt you were told what you wrote above, "that all foreign income ... now shall be stated in a tax return", but what you were told is between you and those local tax officials. What those local officials told you have nothing whatsoever to do with my tax situation, or anyone else who lives outside of their jurisdiction. Despite what you were told, there are absolutely some types of income that are tax exempt and do not need to be declared on a Thai tax return. I posted some examples earlier. The local officials you spoke to do not have the authority to override DTAs & Royal Decrees. If the Director-General of the Thai Revenue Department ever issues a statement similar to what your local officials told you, then I will be concerned. Until then, I will continue to follow the Thai tax laws, DTAs & Royal Decrees, and the advice from my tax firm, PwC. Have a good day...

Are you a tax accountant? Because, my tax accountant (PwC) said any tax exempt income (non-assessable income) that I remit to Thailand does not need to be reported on a Thai tax return. Since all of the income I remit to Thailand is tax exempt by DTA (US social security) and tax exempt by Royal Decree 743 due to my LTR visa, I do not need to file a Thai tax return (as per PwC).

I find the following thread very useful in determining which types of income are taxable by Thailand (assessable), and which types are not taxable (non-assessable). For example; US gov't pensions & US social security benefits can only be taxed by the US gov't, so both would be non-assessable income. One does not need to file a Thai tax return if one only remits non-assessable income.

I agree. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but that doesn't mean their opinion is correct, no matter what some official told them. I do not believe everyone needs to file a tax return. I do not need to file a tax return. All monies I remit will be tax exempt by DTA or by Royal Decree. Thanks for pointing out the Thai tax laws. Maybe it will help some who received the wrong advice.

Can someone please confirm that my US gov't social security payments will be tax exempt as per DTA if remitted to Thailand? I want to be sure before I start my remittances this year. Otherwise, I will need to remit only monies that are tax exempt (as per BOI & TRD) for LTR visa holders. Thanks...

Sorry for the misunderstanding. The email I received below was sent directly to me from the BOI LTR Visa unit a few weeks ago. It's the latest tax ruling by TRD for LTR visa holders. I am a LTR-WP visa holder, and the monies I remit to Thailand are tax exempt. Have a good day.