Martyp

There is a Facebook group dedicated to Transferwise issues. I think it is called Transferwise Solutions. You might try them too.

47 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

  Maybe the Thai officials are more concerned with how and where the monies are spent.  Spending on a long term discount rental, or school fees, or bulk grocery shopping as a frugal expat may spend, is not quite the same as how a tourist may spend his money on touristy things, propped up drink prices, more expensive eating establishments, entertainment venues (discos, gogos, shows, etc).  Different Thai factions care about different things

Yes. Even if a tourist is only here 2 weeks there are still 10 tourists per expat on any given day undoubtedly spending more per day than an expat.

3 hours ago, bangkokgalaxy said:

I originally had an O Visa.

 

For the first issue with TransferWise, my bookkeeper didn't properly allocate the transfers as "For long-term stay" and they coded several as domestic transfers. To get documentation, I went to my bank, Bangkok Bank, and got a letter showing all the properly coded transfers were from the US. Then, I went to Kasikorn (the partner, 'pass through' bank used by Transferwise) and got a letter showing that the improperly coded transfers were indeed international because money flowed from the USA, to Kasikorn to Bangkok Bank. 

 

For the second issue, the IO showed leniency on my only having 11 total transfers (I missed Jan 2019). 

 

Siam Legal wasn't exactly cheap (30k), but it worked. I was ready to give up after another local legal firm (to remain unnamed), told me there was no way an IO would bend on either of my issues. So, whatever happened it worked. And I didn't have to fly back to the USA to get an OA, along with Thai health insurance, etc. So, I'm happy.  

Thanks for the additional info. I might suggest a plan B (If necessary) to get a non-O visa either from a nearby country or inside Thailand. The 1 year extension and financial requirements are the same as an O-A and there is no insurance requirement.

Was your original visa an O or and OA?

Was the cost of the legal help reasonable?

There is a Facebook group dedicated to Transferwise transfers and how to do it to get the desired international coding. That is if you haven't figured it out yourself already.

2 minutes ago, Emdog said:

I did my 90 day report last Thursday at Jomtien. Put 100 baht in bank to get book updated that same day. Had to wait 10 min or so, then to desk. Had bank book out, didn't need it or ask for it. Wham bam and out of there.

Friend went this morning, no wait, no bank book check for same 90 day report.

Maybe those with problems need to dress a little neater? Long pants?

I believe the bank book check at Jomtien is a one time check 3 months after receiving a 1 year extension. It has nothing to do with 90 day reports which you do if you are continuously in the country for 90 days. 

26 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

  

I can not understand why Immigration needs proof of residence. Can anybody see any advantage in making a false report of residence? 

The OP was applying for a 1 year extension. If you are going to update your address then a once a year application for an extension is a reasonable time to do it. People move around, in Thailand and everywhere else. It sucks that it is difficult to impossible to get permanent residence. However, if you are here year by year then updating your residence is hardly unreasonable. Not to mention how easy it is.

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You cannot change your you OA visa to non-o visa unless you leave and re-enter the country on tourist visa or a 30 day visa exempt entry.

If you are on a tourist visa entry you complete a TM86 change of visa status form. If on a visa exempt entry you do a TM87 non immigrant visa application form.

The financial requirements are the same as needed for a extension of stay application but the 800k baht only has to be in the bank on the day you apply. Note that is says you need proof the money came from abroad.

 

Ubonjoe - if you have been in the country several years on an O-A and have maintained the 800k in a Thai bank for several years do you still have to demonstrate that the money came from abroad? Does that depend on the Immigration office?

I don’t understand why drawing a map is such an inconvenience. Insurance requirements? Yes. Financial requirements? Yes. But drawing a map and a couple of selfies? 

1. The area outside my condo where it shows the name of the condo complex; 
2. The front door of my condo which shows the room number;
3. Two photos inside my condo.
    

The requirements themselves are trivial. Just add them to the checklist. The problem is if they weren’t announced and you show up without them.

When I see reports like this In other provinces I just add them to my checklist of things to do for my next extension. They are easy and no cost. They are not at all in the same category as, say, financial requirements.

You are looking for a consensus on TVF? LOL!!!

I've read all the the threads too. My summary is that

1. Buy the cheapest insurance policy. I have Pacific Cross and another poster suggested this too. You already have insurance you like and want to keep. Don't think of this as insurance but simply a yearly fee to continue to remain on your current retirement status based on a previous non-O-A visa.

2. Change the reason for your extension to marriage. I've seen suggestions that this would eliminate the insurance requirement even though your original visa was O-A.

3. Change to a non-O then 1 year extensions. Either retirement or marriage.

I am in a similar immigration status. I came on an O-A. I have 1 year extensions as a retiree. I have 800k in the bank. I was married this year and chose to continue to extend as a retiree. I have PC insurance but I no longer have US insurance. I am OK with all this but if I were planning to come to Thailand today I would come on a tourist visa, get an non-O, and then 1 year extensions. So far I still like the ease of the 800k method but would be OK with the marriage method if necessary.

I doubt you are going to get any new info with this thread. The longer it gets the more confusing it will get. That is the TVF way!

1 hour ago, Langsuan Man said:

For now

Speculation and fear - not helpful. He is looking for an answer for now and a non-O doesn't require insurance now. It is one of several options.

1 hour ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Im curious. I've always had non immigrant O visas. Current one multi entry based on marriage from Savanakhet. When I first started I came in several times visa exempt tourist. Then paid a Bangkok agent to "expedite" transition to non immigrant retirement and got 90 days which was at the same time converted to non O retirement which ran on from the 90 days, giving me s total of 15 months before I needed to extend.  By the time that was expiring  I had married and my extensions were based on that. Then I discovered the Savanakhet multi entry non O visa, which suited me best as I don't spend more than 5 months in country a year  and Savanakhet not so far from my Thai home.

 

My question is simply what is the difference between that and an O-A? Why do some have an O-A and others an O.

I had never purchased a visa before. Never had to think about until I decided to move to Thailand. I went to the Los Angeles Consulate website and saw what was available. I was coming as a retiree so O-A was the obvious choice. It was a 1 year visa obtained in the US and there was a straightforward list of requirements. No more thought than that.

It wasn’t until a year later, when I discovered the Thai Visa Advice Facebook group and later TVF, that I had any idea that visas in Thailand were so complicated. In reality it still isn’t complicated for me. I use the 800k method and I had Thai insurance before the requirement was announced. Not much has changed for me. With the insurance requirement though I wouldn’t recommend an O-A to others at this point.

20 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

"What do you think would prove you are retired?"

A pension letter from the authority where your pension comes from,or the income letter from your embassy/consulate (unless you come from the US,UK or Australia). A bank statement will not work. 

I was continuing my suggestion of a Social Security statement. Not a bank statement. Sorry, my misstatement 

I’ve got a pension letter from the University of California but there is nothing impressive about it. They send a printout in the mail. In the end it is whatever the Consulate will accept. 
 

Proof of retirement is a silly requirement. Proof of income should be the requirement.

1 hour ago, Genericnic said:

Thanks. I thought about that however getting SS does not mean you are retired. You can get it and still work.

 

David

That is true with any pension statement. I would certainly give it a try. Anyone can write a letter saying you are retired. A statement showing a bank transfer would be a lot more convincing. US Social Security is widely recognized as providing income during retirement.
 

What do you think would prove you are retired?

15 minutes ago, Genericnic said:

I would prefer to go the Savanakhet route just because the trip would be more fun and easier than dealing with Cm immigration but, despite multiple searches, I have found nothing that gives me a clue as to how to prove that I am retired. I could show them my original O-A visa from 9 years ago but I am not sure that would suffice. Are they looking for something from the US consulate/embassy? Does anyone have an idea of exactly what they want at Savanakhet?

 

David

 

Are you getting Social Security? A SS statement might work.

I will be trying the same thing next November. Have you discussed the strategy with your insurance agent?

6 minutes ago, DennisE said:

And I’m making copies of my bank book now so I’m going to immigration on Monday ????. 

Be sure to takes notes on everything up to now and at Immigration. Create a simple checklist for next year. Keep abreast of changes over the coming year. Everything will be easier and less anxious next time. 
 

sabai sabai and good luck ???? 

4 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Could you share with us the facts for saying that Thai banks are in a pretty dodgy financial shape.

???? Agreed. I think many people in the western world, since late 2008, could be forgiven for not having much confidence in the stability of western banks. You have to put your money somewhere. I don’t see a Thai banks any better or worse.

On 12/30/2019 at 6:08 PM, uncleeagle said:

Don't know about Phuket but in CW office in Bangkok they require a “TM30 receipt” which is only obtainable from their desk B and involves waiting in a queue of several hundred people. 

 

As far as I understand it, a screen shot print out is not always sufficient, however stupid and illogical that may seem given they can themselves see on their computer that you are registered.

 

And if in the event somebody is staying at a hotel and the hotel wont or cant produce a screen shot print out then a receipt from the immigration office is then the only way.

 

I would love to be wrong about this, but I don't think I am and this is the straw that has broken the camels back for me, i.e., I wont be renewing my retirement extension next year as it has become more trouble than its worth and its time to move on.

 

I returned from the US in a September. My landlord went to CW to file my TM30. She took a photo of the paper receipt and sent it to me. I printed out the photo of the receipt and submitted It with all my other documents when I applied for my 1 year extension. They accepted the print of the photo without question. You do not need the original receipt.

32 minutes ago, Isaan Alan said:

I learnt this thru bitter experience. I had an O-A obtained in Australia, left Thailand and re-entered before the end of the first year and got (so I optimistically thought) stamped for almost another full year when I re-entered. I left again in the 2nd year and lost most of my 2nd year because I didn't know about re-entry permits. Naive I just saw the O-A visa was multiple entry. But not in the 2nd year without a re-entry permit.  Such a trap and a revenue-raising scam really. A visa is either multiple entry or it isn't. Thai logic at work. but it was Thai logic to allow 2 years if you followed their other Thai logic. 

There is no scam. If you had read your visa you would have seen that it expired after one year. The expiration date is printed on the visa. Your error, a common one for many people, was not understanding the difference between a visa and a permission to stay stamp. I didn’t understand it either but I learned about it when I tried to apply for a 1 year extension and they showed me that I had 9 more months on my permission to stay stamp. 

What is a referee (in this context)?

26 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I thought there is a 180 days limit in a year for 'tourist'. Is there an official website that confirms or refutes that there is no limit to the number of days in a year.

 

If not, nobody would want to apply for retirement or marriage visa if it is so easy to stay long-term in Thailand. 

 

Having a tourist visa approved doesn't mean they will let one in at the airport as reported many times in this forum.

 

 

I think the OP will be OK with his plan for one year. He might get questioned on the 3rd entry. I would say it is a good enough plan to not worry about losing money on the risk of being denied. Even though it is not back-to-back I think in the second year it would become "too many" and "you are spending more time in Thailand than your home country"

Just now, samsensam said:

 

just a quick aside question, i believe i can go to renew my extension anytime in the two weeks prior to the renewal date - is this correct?

At CW you can apply CW you can apply for a 1 year extension 45 days early. Most other places you can apply 30 days early. 

1 hour ago, Vacuum said:

I have an fixed account with 800k. Had it for years and never touched the money, would I need a bank statement on top of the bank letter?

I use the 800K method and have not touched the money for several years as well. Since the 800k is supposed to be in the bank 2 months prior to application I got 3 months of bank statements at the same time as I got the bank letter. It is easy and inexpensive. The IO accepted the bank statements when I handed her the pile of documents. And why not? They don't know that you haven't touched the money yet. They also took my bank book to examine.

Others have said they didn't need the bank statements. OK. That's fine. If you read conflicting experiences then why not just bring more than you may need rather than risk being frustrated by not having something they ask for?