JohnnyBD

19 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

A regular savings account with only passbook access (that is key factor).  

Why do you say "with only passbook access"? Does SS have to go in an account where you are required to go in-person to withdraw monies. Just learning... I am not SS age yet...

The bank officer was probably confused by you calling it a direct deposit account. All you really need is a regular THB savings account. When you send money over, it is automatically converted to THB. If you want to convert USD to THB yourself, then you would also need a foreign currency account, then you would convert it to THB at your convenience. That's what I do...

1 hour ago, SenorJorge said:

Sorry if I seem short/rude by the way.  I am a physical wreck and it's not you I'm angry with, it's years of dealing with societies treating me unfairly as a person with an ethnic handicap and near totally disabled person with limited income (62k baht per month welfare cheque).

You're ok...  no need to a apologize. 62,000 THB is more than enough for marriage extension. If you don't mind me offering a little advice... I got married in Bangkok in 2017 and used Express Translations to do all the paperwork and arrange the marriage at the Amphur office. I would never have been able to arrange it all myself. And, you will need English translations done anyway and you cannot do that yourself. They took us to the Amphur, we were married by an Officer, they translated the Thai marriage certificate & registration and had everything stamped at MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I paid for 3 MFA stamped copies of everything because I had to send one to IRS when filing taxes (the IRS did return it). If you need more specific details on marriage, bank account or anything else, just private message me by clicking on my name and then send me a message. Will be glad to help...

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The other differences are:

--the O-A visa allows you to keep your bank funds in your home country, and doesn't require their being brought into Thailand and deposited into and kept in a Thai bank.

--But the O-A visa also typically requires you to obtain medical and police clearances in your home country that must be submitted to the Thai Embassy or consulate. The retirement extension of stay at Immigration doesn't require those.

 

Some people travel back to their home countries regularly anyway... Others don't and want a solution that allows them to stay in Thailand without having to travel internationally.

 

 

Thanks for explaining... That makes sense...

11 minutes ago, chang50 said:

Only if they are from the US..

Yes, only US citizens can get O-A visas in the USA. I think everyone understood my sentence that "people going back to the US for the O-A visa" meant people who are only from the US. Thanks anyway...

11 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, sorry didn't complete my last post.

The one year of transfers or 800k in the Thai bank are other reasons the 1900 baht extension may not suit you. (Or getting married... ????)

I'm ok, I have the 800k in bank. I'm just trying to understand why some people go back to USA to get O-A visa and then do a border run for a 2nd year stay when they could go to immigration and pay 1,900 THB for a 2nd year stay. Ubonjoe more or less explained...

7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

More or less correct.

You have to remember though that to apply for the one year extension at immigration you would have to meet the financial requirements for it. That would be proof of 800k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 65k baht income.

Thanks... that is understood. So, people who don't have the 800k in Thai bank or 65k in income are more likely to go back to the USA for the O-A visa. Whereas, those with the 800k can just get another year's stay by paying the 1,900 THB at immigration and doing the normal 1-year extension-of-stay.

6 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

It is not a choice, you need to do both! A border run just before the Visa expires to get a further 1 year permission of stay. If during that further year you wish to leave Thailand, a re-entry permit is needed to retain the further permission of stay date. Multiple Re-Entry if multiple trips.

You may have misunderstood my question. Not about re-entry permits. It was about getting an extra year's stay.

The choice for getting another year's stay would be either, 1) doing a border run which costs 2,000 to 3,000 THB or, 2) you can just go to Thai immigration and get your normal 1-year extension-of-stay for 1,900 THB.

In either of those cases, if you wanted to travel, you would need to pay for a re-entry permit...

32 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Requirements are here on the MFA website. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

You can get a total stay of almost 2 years from it by getting a new one year entry just before it expires and then a re-entry permit to keep it it valid if you want to travel.

Ubonjoe,

Just so I understand correctly, to get the 2nd year stay from an O-A visa (almost 2 years as you state), you would need to do a border run (leave & re-enter Thailand) before the expiration of the O-A visa to get the 2nd year stay, correct? And, if you want to travel during that 2nd year stay, you would need to buy a single or multiple re-entry permit. Is that correct? So, the choice for an O-A visa holder is; 1) do a border run at a cost of 2,000 to 3,000 THB depending on your location or, 2) go to immigration and pay 1,900 THB for a 1-year extension-of-stay. Is that all correct?

Hi hapy2rtire,

Congrats on you upcoming move. I can see by your posts that you are excited. Just have to ask... I read where you have to drive 8 hrs to Thai Consulate in LA, probably stay 1 night minimum in hotel, then drive home and you had to see a doctor for medical, do TB test, fingerprints, FBI report or clearance, plus $200 O-A visa fee, etc. Seems like you are probably spending about $800 or so on gas, hotels, fees, etc. If you did in Thailand you would get 30 days visa exempt, 90-days Non O visa (2,000 THB) and a 1 year extension (1,900 THB) + 3,800 more for multiple re-entry (or 1,000 for a single entry) permit, so you would have to travel more than 4 times per year outside to make the multiple more cost effective. Total cost about $250 for 16 months of stay. Your 2nd 12 mth extension is 1,900 THB + 1,000 single or 3,800 for multiple re-entry. I think it would have been easier and less expensive to do in Thailand. Anyway, have a good move...

Just curious.... Why didn't you come to Thailand and enter with 30 days visa exempt, apply for a 90-day Non O visa, put your 800k in Thai bank and apply for your 1 year extension-of-stay after the 800k seasoning at a cost of 3,900 THB (2,000 for 90-day & 1,900 for 1 year) instead of doing everything you posted below. I did mine here... no medical, no police reports, no fingerprints, no traveling to other states in USA; Los Angeles, Chicago, New York or Washington DC. Just asking... Did you know you could do it here? Getting an extra year out of an O-A by leaving Thailand and re-entering before the 1 year O-A expires only saves you 1,900 THB for the 2nd year extension, but it costs to leave & re-enter Thailand to get that extra year, so to me that's a wash. For me, it was so much easier to do it here. Just wondering why you didn't do it here.

7 hours ago, hapy2rtire said:

Hi Sorry for the late reply. I'm crazy busy trying to get all things worked out to rent my house.

For FBI there is a website that tells how to do it. You fill in the application on line and pay ($12 I think, maybe $18 - I forgot), then go some place and get your fingerprints taken. In the states you can get it done at a UPS/packaging /mailing store. The FBI site stated they do not accept the electronic finger prints, only the real ink fingerprints on an official card. Finger prints cost me $38 USD. Then snail mail the prints to the FBI. They say it takes 5 business days to process from the time they receive prints. I received email when the received prints (took about 5-6 business days), then I received email with results and "Clearance Letter" which I printed. Email with results and letter came about 24 hours after they received my prints. Whole thing was about 7-8 business days. I believe I will receive a copy of the clearance letter via snail mail as well but printed copy from email looks good. Somewhere I read that you can get your finger prints taken at any police station in the US. And it is possible to get a State clearance letter (not FBI) from the local police station. I'm not sure if State clearance works for visa. Actually I'm not 100 % sure my FBI clearance will work. I've decided not to go to LA to get my visa until mid April. Leaving April 23.

Ok, medical clearance. I don't have a primary doctor here in the States. Mine retired. They were so booked where I normally am seen that to get an appointment with a new doctor would take over 2 months. So I tried to get a clinic to fill out the form. Called around... no, no, no. Lots of places say they do medical clearance for immigration but they only do it for those wanting to get INTO the US, not those going out. Some would look at the form and see the Thai wording and freak because they didn't know if the Thai wording said the same as the English wording right below it. Really people? I found an urgent care place that said they'd do appt and sign for $158, but they wanted me to get a quantiferon TB test first... that's another $150 here in the States. I got them to finally agree on a regular TB skin test and I went and got that done at a funky little medical place I found online for $35. Took 2.5 days for TB skin test. Meanwhile, I found out that an old primary doctor I had seen a few years ago at a different facility, who had moved to Michigan but (because of popular demand) was coming back to California to see patients a couple of days a month, had an opening the next week. Since he had seen me once before, he agreed to do an annual physical (made it free thru my insurance because of my insurance - 1 annual preventative appt per year is free, the intent care appt would have been out off pocket) and I emailed him the form ahead of time and he agreed to sign it.... if I was healthy.... which I am. At the appt he said he didn't need the TB test that I had gotten, and he signed it.

so that's my story. Your's will probably be different. I hear the medical clearance is easy in Thailand. Walk into any doctors office and if you are breathing they will sign. Don't know if that is true, just what I read on blogs. It seems like US doctors take it more seriously... are afraid to sign anything. Ragarding the FBI clearance, that was easy. Fill out form on line, pay money, get finger prints and mail in, about 10 days later get email of clearance letter.

I hope this helps ????

Thanks Ubonjoe.

55 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Many people have been doing it for some time now but it calling a transfer is not correct.

You get the funds in cash or you can have it deposit in you bank account.

It will not work to use it as proof your funds were transferred into the country for proof of income when applying for an extension at immigration.

Unbonjoe,

Does the 40,000 THB for extension based on marriage need to be money transferred from overseas or can it be from any source? If it can be from any source, then doing debit card withdrawals and deposits could be a cheaper option than doing international transfers for some, correct?

You probably should have left the details out about your fiancée, the cost of the ring and your wedding plans and just asked about the bank. Reason, you will probably get lots of comments about those things and they have nothing to do with your question, which is; what is the best bank to open an account while on a 30 day visa-exempt stay? I would try Bangkok Bank or Krungsri. Just tell them you have just moved here and need the account to qualify for a long-stay visa. I doubt they will care about your fiancée and wedding plans. I believe you will need 400,000 THB in the bank seasoned for 2 months unless you're planning to use the income method. Oh, and just to clear something up. It's not a marriage visa. You would get a 90-day Non O visa for the seasoning period, then a 1-year extension-of-stay based on marriage at the end of those 90 days. Good luck...

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

If that were the case, that person must have been making a fraudulent declaration to the embassy in previous years. 

Both of you are correct... There are lots of Americans (and Brits, Aussies & other nationalities) who don't & didn't have the 65k per month income from either a guaranteed private or govt. pension and I would guess many of those expats were getting the income letters, stat decs and income affidavits fraudulently. Maybe, that's the main reason TI finally said it needs to stop.

There are also many Americans that do have the 65k or more from either a private pension or US social security and they are being affected by this too. I'm upset too just like everyone else posting on this forum... I have both, a private pension & US social security and each one is well over 65k, but without the income affidavit I can't use either one of them. Hopefully, TI will at least accept the private & US social security statements & 1099s going forward, but I'm not counting on it, so I already put the 800k in the bank.

Good luck with TI understanding & accepting all the other 1099s from IRAs, interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income, etc.

Some may call it corruption while I look at it more like paying for a special/expedited service. Please don't start attacking me, ok. I look at it the same as when I buy a business class ticket and you go thru the business class check-in lounge where you're waited on one-on-one at check-in and then provided with an executive lounge pass. It's really up to me whether I want to pay extra for that service or just buy an economy class ticket and run with the herd. For me, it's the same as buying the Thai Elite Privilege Visa and getting those special benefits. When I first came, I was planning to pay an agent to help with my initial 90-day & 1-yr extension because I prefer "easy" and am willing to pay for convenience. But, I was referred to an IO officer by a friend. I met with the IO officer and within 15 minutes I was out of there. She took care of everything for me; my initial 90-day & 1-yr extension both at the same time, good for 15 mths. I just had to come back about 2 wks later when she call to pick up my passport with all the stamps (no waiting in line). I paid a total of 20k (2,000 for 90-day, 1,900 for extension, 3,800 for multiple re-entry permit and 12,300 for the IO special service). I was very happy to be able to get it done that easy. The following year, I checked back with her and she said no need this time, just take my paperwork to the window and they would do it for the normal fees only (1,900 & 3,800). So, you can call it corruption, but I prefer to look at it as a special service rather than paying outside agents who basically do the same and cost more. And, at the time I did think was a special service and I would happily do it again and every year if it makes my life in retirement a little easier.

With kind regards...

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 4:04 PM, Speedhump said:

Ah. I own my house. Maybe it's different. 

Just curious Speedhump, do you own a house? Or, were you just joking with someone with above comment? I thought foreigners could not own land unless they had been granted permanent residency. If you do own a house, can you explain if you own just the house or the land also. I have Thai wife that's been wanting me to buy a house & land, but I will not do that if I have to put it in only her name because I wouldn't want to lose my $ in case of divorce. Kindly, Johnny

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 11:29 AM, Wanderlust said:

I do have a question for you though - you would have had to get both a medical and a police check in your home country, and I believe the amount required in the bank is lower for applying in your home country, so why did you not apply in your home country?

I thought about your question and wanted to respond to you. If you were living in the US and planning to live in Thailand and you lived near a Thai Embassy, it would probably have been just easy to do in the US. If you were getting an O-A visa then you would have probably needed to get medical & police reports, so that would have been a little extra work & cost. Up until now (2019), you didn't need to have money in a Thai bank because you could have used the income affidavit. For me, the reason I did not do in my home country, was I had already taken a trip to Thailand and had put a deposit down on a condo (rental) and got my income affidavit while in BK, so when I went back to US to get my stuff, the last thing I wanted to do was wait around in the US to apply for a visa. When I flew back, I moved into the condo, went to TI and applied for the 90-day & 1-yr extension both at the same time. And, it was easier to do my yrly extensions here with the income affidavit even though I go back to the US every Dec for a 1 month visit. Again, the last thing I want to be trying to do is fooling with a visa in the US while I'm on holiday. For me, it's easier to do here. I know TI is making it more difficult, but I can use either the 400k marriage, the 800k retirement or the income method (if they ever decide on the rules) since I have company pension & government pension. Good luck to you and whatever way is easier for you...

Ubonjoe could probably advise you the best way to proceed, just message him. You don't have many options being you are only 45. You can continue doing what you're doing now until you turn 50, then you can get an O-A visa. And, if you intend to live here after turning 50, you can do the yearly extensions for 1,900 THB. That is what most of the single people age 50 and older do if they are retired and living here.

4 hours ago, Russell17au said:

He has stated that they gave him a 40 day extension on top of his 1 year extension. Go and read it for yourself. That is what he has stated

Just so you know, when you apply for example, 23 days early, you still get your 23 days that's left on your old extension plus you get the new 1 year extension. Your new extension starts on the date the old one expired, not when you go in early to apply.

That is what Mr. elviajero was trying to explain...

51 minutes ago, tropo said:

LOL> I can get 2.65% in Australia with a regular bank account handled online. I'm sure there's plenty higher if one searches the market. I suppose that's about a month's rent for the average expat on 800k (21200 baht). Then you'll save about 1700 for an income letter and a trip to Bangkok. 

The difference between 2.65% in Australia versus 2.50% on 800k in Thailand over a year's time is about 1,200 THB. Is that really enough to worry about?

30 minutes ago, jimn said:

Well done mate looks like you are the first. Long may it continue

Wow, is this the first, first-hand account of anyone getting their extension based on income method without an income affidavit. Congrats... that should give all some hope...

42 minutes ago, jimn said:

Anyone using an agent would not require an embassy letter because the agent would not be using the income method for his client. Almost 100% the agent deposited 800,000 baht into the guys bank account, he obtained a bank letter and immigration weived the seasoning requirement for a fee. This is not news it happens all the time. Get back on subject its about the income method and embassy letters not money in the bank. 

This was specifically about the income method and NOT about the bank account method as per my original post asking if anyone was using the income method without having to get an income letter and he was responding to my original post, so it was on subject... Kindly, Johnny

17 minutes ago, rodknock said:

i figure i am good till june 2020. embassy letter on 27dec. good for 6months. renew extension of stay in june 2019, 3weeks early takes me to 2020. if no new rules come out. i fly back to the u.s. once a year to see my daughter, i will just apply for another o-a visa and good for another year.

the only additional cost is the $200.00 visa fee and fingerprint charge.

Just a question if you don't mind... when you apply for your O-A visa in US, do you have to go to Thai Embassy/Consulate? And, do you have to have medical & police report? If so, what is the cost of medical certificate & police report? I travel back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana so it would be quite costly for me to go to a Thai embassy in US if I have to go there in person.