Jetsam

Thank you, good to know. What I don’t understand is if I apply 45 days before the expiry of the stamp, when will the period under consider be and when will it likely be approved. Can it be approved before the expiry of permission to stay?

Thank you. CW office. Probably out of TH for the last 3 weeks of March. I realize I can go out and come back VE and convert to non-o later. But I would like to understand the timing if I convert now.

@CMBob thank you. Very helpful. Still trying to sort out the timing for this based on my circumstances and also weighing the merits of the dtv. can anyone help me with this question about 1-year extension timing? if my 90 day stay expires feb 24, but I apply for the extension early (think I can do that anytime with seasoned funds?)) will the time period under consideration still be for 30-days from feb 24 to march 26 or will it be completed earlier? I am going to have to leave Thailand for a few weeks in march. also- am I correct that after receiving the 1-year extension, I can take the 400k out? thank you. 🙏

@DrJack54 Thank you. So that means 2 visits to CW? And then 2 more visits to CW for 12 month extension plus Amphur office, bank, etc. Do you know if my 90 day non-o will be calculated from my current permission to stay Dec 10 (90-dyays to March 10) or will it be from an earlier date? I can't find an answer to that on the threads. I'm trying to plan a convenient time to apply for the 12 month extension as I will need to travel. Thanks!

Hello- quick question: I am on a VE with a 30 day extension until Dec 10. If I convert to a non-o visit thai wife visa here next week, will the 90 day permission to stay be calculated from the day I apply/receive the visa or from the end of my current permission to stay (Dec 10) ? Also, is this visa granted in one visit on the day of application assuming paperwork is in order? Thanks in advance.

@BrandonJT Thanks! Did you happen to see anything about whether or not its possible to apply for visas without appointments now?

Thanks, I thought it could be like that. Also, recent check shows no appointments available at HCMC.

@Liquorice Thank you. Do you know if it will still be possible to apply for the ME Non-I O visa at HCMC once they have switched to the e-visa system?

Thank you. I may still do that. I had that visa (from Savannakhet) maybe 10 years ago and it fit my needs well at that time.

thank you again. So, it seems like I could buy the re-entry permit more than once if needed, based on the validity you described. To clarify, is time slot needed to apply for the 12 month extension 3-4 weeks towards the end of your non-0 90-days? And that is when you would receive a home visit if one happens? We may choose not to stay in Bangkok so I'll have to figure that out also. Bank account: no agent, no COR, no insurance purchase. I went in with my wife who has an account there and who needed to change her phone number in person in order to use their app, (a very tedious process as well). While we were there I asked what was needed to open an account and explained that I needed to open a bank account to deposit 400k to convert to a non-O visa. He requested, original marriage certificate, and the other marriage document K2 K3?, her ID, copy of tabian ban, My passport and another form of ID- (used my US driver license, and a copy of our signed lease. He wanted a 12 month lease, but was satisfied with a month long lease that had wording in it that it was extendable aka month-to-month. He also said that you need to have more than 30 days validity left on your permission stamp. Now that we are getting 60 days VE, it is easy to meet that condition. No mention of Certificate of residence. No mention of additional letter from the embassy. When I asked about opening an account when we were visiting in 2022, they said a letter was needed and showed me a copy of one. I think it was just an document saying that you are who you say you are. Went back the next day with requested documents, went straight to his desk and didn't have to queue, and took care of in less than an hour. I would expect people to have to wait quite a while there in general though. I overheard some officers saying that there are many people from Taiwan and Myanmar opening accounts to purchase property at this time.

@DrJack54 Thank you. I was waiting to reply until I finished this business: I just obtained a bank account on Visa Exempt status at Bangkok Bank Silom HQ branch. That this is possible may be of interest to some people here. As you suggest, I have considered converting to a non-o from either this VE stamp or a future one, but my concern has been leaving Thailand during the first 90 day entry. I have to travel on an unpredictable schedule, and I think that I'd have to be sure that I would be here during the under consideration period, when they visit your home. Is that correct? Do you know if I get a multiple reentry permit during the first 90-day stay, if that would be valid for the entire 12-month extension? Because that could solve part of my problem. Thank you.

@Tod Daniels Very helpful information, Thank you! Either Savannakhet or HCMC would be more convenient than Jakarta. Is it really only 20k baht in the bank for a ME from HCMC? Thai Bank account or any other one? No seasoning? That seems too good to be true.

thank you! missed that one. I noticed that both Savannakhet and Vientiane do not mention ME on their websites with regards to visa types available, but do mention it on their Visa Fees page. I take it that ME is not available at Vientiane.

I've been browsing the threads and I haven't seen any recent reports on anyone getting a ME Non-I O visa for (Thai family visit) in the region. Is that still possible or no longer an option anymore? I looked at the Savannakhet consulate page and ME is no longer listed as an option. Ho Chi Minh City has the ME listed, but does not provide details on what is needed, only- "Applicant’s financial statement of adequate finance is required." Jakarta has ME listed with financial requirements of "Applicant’s bank statement showing at least THB 400,000 or equivalent in other currencies for the past two months." Perhaps Jakarta is a good option, but I'd like to confirm the possibility/financials of Savannakhet/Ho Chi Minh City before making any plans. If anyone has any fairly recent experience at these consulates or other nearby options, it would be great to hear about it. Thanks!

reporting back: because I was staying with relatives in a rural area in the south, I was concerned about the tm-30. I ended up taking a short trip to Hua Hin and doing my extension there. The immigration office is in the basement of the Bluport shopping mall. Took 5 minutes total including waiting. 2-3 other people there at 3:30pm on a Friday.. No photocopies or passport photos - they do that for you at no charge. No TM-30, just the complete address of your hotel in Hua Hin and your Thai mobile telephone number. This was the single greatest experience I have ever had with any government entity in any country! It didn’t seem real. 5 stars.