oldcpu

I think the time to obtain the LTR visa can very drastically, dependent on how one is going about to meet the LTR visa requirements. In my case I applied in January-2023 and obtained my LTR Visa in June-2023. I had a total of 11 information requests from BoI. As part of a deliberate (maybe mistaken) effort on my part, I was trying to give BoI the minimum necessary (about my finances) to meet the requirements, and further I likely made insufficient effort to explain my PDF uploads in full filling the LTR-WP visa financial requirements. Also my timing was bad. When I applied in January 2023, I gave BOI copy of my 2020 and 2021 tax returns , but they wanted my 2022 tax return which was not due until end-April-2023. I did not yet have most of my 2022 receipts to enable me to submit a 2022 tax return. So that took me time to submit a 2022 tax return, have it accepted by the Canadian government, and then provide that back to BoI. And as part of proof of investment in Thailand, I purchased some Thai government savings bonds, where currently only a Bond Bank Book is nominally provided as proof of one's bond ownership. I believe BoI were not used to that, and they demanded a Bond Certificate which nominally has a bit extra information (where Bangkok Bank refused to provide a Bond Certificate, after a 5 week or so go-around ) , and overall that took me about 6-weeks to sort (albeit it could have been sorted much quicker, possibly in a week to sort, had I simply picked up the phone and called BoI a few times followed by trips to the Bank). I also took too much time to prove Self Health Insurance as I kept trying to get BoI to accept different accounts (with the prerequisite cash) where stock trading is possible ( as Self Health Insurance) , and BoI kept saying not acceptable. That also added a few weeks before I 'caved' and provided them more exactly what they wanted. So if an agent is taking time to sort an issue, one never knows what is slowing down the process. At least in my case, I always knew what was taking the extra time. Hence that is, I believe, a good reason for one to do this all themselves. I am not convinced an Agent provides any advantage in the case of an LTR visa application. .

Thai BoI working with Thai immigration grant the LTR visa. BoI say no tax on any money brought into Thailand for LTR visa holders. Who is right? Deloitte? or BoI working with immigration? Do Deloitte dictate terms to BoI ? I think not. Frankly, I think Deloitte have this VERY wrong - and they are misleading their customers.

Hmm ... RD 743 says more than just information about no taxation in previous year - so RD 743 was needed for other aspects - lets not go too far here. Further when RD 743 was put out, I speculate that maybe it was already 'confidentially' known within government how they were then going to start taxing anyone deemed a tax resident (for the 'tax residents' foreign money brought into Thailand, under certain circumstances (ie not covered by DTA, and not a foreign saving before 1-Jan-2024). So given the knowledge of taxation efforts (for tax residents) that was to come soon, the RD 743 had information on taxation added to other items in RD 743. That is my speculation, but the main point I want to make is RD 743 is about much more than just the taxation concern you have. Much more. Further - I want to make the point again. When does one pay tax? If one brings money into the country in year 2025, one does NOT pay tax on such in the same year ( 2025 ) when it was brought into Thailand, unless there is a with holding tax. There has been NO announcements of holding tax. So logically, one submits their tax return in year 2026 (for the 2025 money brought into Thailand), at that point in time, the money brought into the country in year 2025 was the PREVIOUS year. Further there is NO mention in the RD 743 about taxing current year foreign money brought into Thailand for LTR visa holders. I think it falacious to assume that one will be subject to tax on something where there are no legal statements saying one will be taxed. Else one could be taxed on all sorts of aspects where is no law saying one must be taxed on such. So by that logic to tax money on the same year in which the money is brought into Thailand, there needs to be a Royal Gazette statement (or Thai revenue department statement) stating one is to be taxed on such. There is no such statement for the LTR visa saying taxed on the year it is brought into Thailand. If the intent was to tax LTR visa holders on money, in the year in which they bring the money into Thailand, then I believe the BoI and the Revenue Department would make announcements of requirements of holding tax for money brought in. There was no such announcement. That means tax accounting for tax residents is the year AFTER the money is brought into to Thailand, and that makes such income the PREVIOUS year. Again - BoI have been clear for LTR visa holders - no taxation of money brought into Thailand, every time they have been asked. Other than concerned speculation on the internet, has anyone read an OFFICIAL Royal Gazette post (or Thai Revenue department, or Boi Statement) stating there would be a withholding tax specifically for LTR visa holders? I think not.

Well - this is Thailand ... and things can get lost in translation. I think that would be nice for many, but I suspect that assessment may be too optimistic. While I am not affected - like many I am curious - and I guess with time we will learn the actual interpretation by immigration.

I believe that it is simple logic - if one is required to pay tax, then one files their tax return the year after one brings money into the country. So if one brings money into the country in year 2024, the tax return (if it was required) is only filed in year 2025. Or if one brings money into the country in year 2025, then the tax return, if it was necessary, would only be filed in year 2026. i.e. its always the following year for filing a tax return ( if a tax return needed to be filed ) , for money brought into the country. One does not file a tax return to list income the year in which income is earned. That then means the previous year's foreign income is tax exempt ( for the relevant LTR categories). Hence the "statement about the previous year's income". At least that is my interpretation. I am also not worried about such.

I agree. Further my old Type-O visa clearly states "NON-IMMIGRANT VISA" stamped at the very top of the stamp (and as noted, the LTR visa has no such reference to 'non-immigrant' ) . My 'wealthy pensioner' LTR visa has "LTR" stamped with a hand written "P" afterward - to make it "LTR P". NO WHERE dose it have a stamp nor hand written words stating "Non-immigrant". Given other visas (such as NON-IMMIGRANT-B, and NON-IMMIGRANT-O clearly have "NON-IMMIGRANT" stamped on the visa, one would think they would do the same, if they wanted LTR visa to be included in the same booking keeping category as "NON-IMMIGRANT". However they did not include such a stamp on the LTR Visa. I agree that as noted elsewhere on this thread, the Thai immigration visa implementations of Non-Immigrant and Resident don't necessary match the dictionary definitions of the same terms. I won't go into 'tax definitions' of 'resident' as that opens a massive kettle of fish and not directly relevant to this thread, other than to note that one simply can not go by the dictionary definitions of resident and non-immigrant, in considering how Thailand has chosen to group its different visa categories.

Absolutely true about private hospitals in Thailand being very very good. One can thou, run up a large bill, and health insurance can be of a big financial assist. On the other hand, a public hospital in a small Thai city (which has no private hospital) while significantly less expensive, can be crowded and not so pleasant. I was pleasantly surprised to read the reduction of health insurance for the Type-OA visa, and I thought that good news. I was disappointed that they did not go a step further and allow 'self insurance', like they do for the LTR visa. I was also happy to read that they did not merge the Type-O and Type-OA visas (while retaining the Type-OA health insurance requirement), as that was a concern of mine (not for myself, but for friends I have who are on Type-O visas). Most my friends on Type-O visas have excellent health insurance from abroad, that is superior to the Thai Type-OA visa requirements, but it is not accepted by Thai immigration (if one were on a Type-OA). For long stay extensions, on a Type-OA visa, one pretty much needs to purchase health insurance from the Thai branch of a health insurance company, which can mean double health insurance required for those foreigners who do not want to dump their superior foreign (branch) health insurance. So my friends are happy to stay on the Type-O visa where one need not prove health insurance.

The LTR visa is not a non-immigrant visa.

If you are doing so on a non-immigrant type-OA visa, then the answer is YES. Otherwise, on other relatively short duration visas (or visa exempt) I am not aware of such a requirement. HOWEVER you really really really should have health insurance covering you when in Thailand. I could pontificate on a story of a western man (in his early 20s - but for that matter it would have been the same had he been in his 50s ) who got into a motorcycle accident a couple of years ago, when in Thailand, and ran up a MASSIVE medical bill, before he was finally repatriated back to his home country for more treatment (where back in his home country the public medicare covered him - but it did NOT cover him in Thailand). And the story I know of first hand is only one of many.

When applying for the LTR visa one has to upload documents. It's easy to create a one page explanation ( or cover) letter to any PDF upload. I did that toward the end of my LTR application ( after different BoI requests ), and possibly I should have included such PDF upload explanations sooner.

Yes. I have to list her name. My Thai wife also files a separate income tax return to Canada (and to Thailand). Her income is relatively small. Unfortunately, in the case of my Canadian taxes, I can NOT include her as a dependent for deductions, as I am not a Canadian tax resident. And after cranking the numbers, it makes no financial sense for me to change to be a Canadian tax resident. I have no experience with joint tax returns. I don't think it will be a problem - but honestly, I think the easiest approach is to simply contact BoI. Phone them if you are in Thailand, and email them if outside of Thailand. Ask them first.

That makes sense to me ... as they only require 2 years going back when 1st applying for the LTR Visa. ... But I guess we won't know for certain until some of those with the LTR visa reach the 5 year mark. A further point to this, I believe many (most ? ) countries (such as Canada) where one is still required to file a tax return , even if one is not a 'tax resident' of that country, where this can occur when one has any derived income (over a certain amount) from that country (where one is not a resident). In the case of Canada, I am a non-tax resident to Canada. But I am required to file a tax return to Canada because I receive Canadian Old Age Security and a Canadian pension. On that same tax return I am obligated to state ALL my global income (even thou I do not pay tax to Canada on any of my global income earned outside of Canada). Canada wants to know my global income total, so they can decide if the 'withholding tax' they already applied was enough, and whether they should tax me more (than the with-holding tax) on my Old Age Security and on my Canadian derived pension. Also, because I am NOT a Canadian tax resident, I can NOT apply all of the nominal Canadian resident tax deductions against my Canadian pension nor against my Canadian Old Age Security payments, so in that regard I pay a higher % tax than most Canadian tax residents would pay, if they received the same Canadian income as myself. I did receive a notification from the Canadian Revenue Service offering to treat me as a Canadian tax resident even thou I resided outside of Canada (this was presumably offered by them so that I could use more of the Canadian tax deductions ??? ) , BUT if I did that, I would have to pay tax on my global income from outside of Canada to Canada. I did a quick check of the numbers, and for me to be treated as a Canadian tax resident (who actually resides outside of Canada), the tax to Canada on my non-Canadian income (that I receive from outside of Canada) would be large, so it made no sense to agree to be treated as a Canadian tax resident. I do thou, file an income tax return to Canada every year, and when I applied for the LTR visa, the official Canadian assessment of my taxes from that did come in handy (as it states my total global income). This is even thou I am not a tax resident of Canada.

In Canada there is a plan called "RRIF" (Registered Retirement Income Fund" ). In the case of this 'government' registered fund, one is required to withdraw a minimum amount out of the fund every year. Money inside the RRIF is allowed to grow tax free in Canada, but once one brings money out of the RRIF it is taxed by Canada. This withdrawal of money would then show up on one's Canadian Tax return as a form of income (where Canada requires one to file a tax return in such a case). So for the Canadian RRIF, I believe the Canadian tax return might possibly suffice as RRIF income proof (for the Thai BoI, albeit I am unsure). Also, in the case of Canada, if one has a "RRSP" (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) , which I believe conceptually similar to a US 401(k), money inside that 'savings plan' is allowed to grow tax free. But when one is age-71, one is required to convert that RRSP to an RRIF (which I described above) and take a minimum amount out of the RRIF every year. Again, I assume the RRIF income could be used as income proof for the LTR-WP visa (as Canadian tax returns would be available), but I don't know. In my case, I decided to not use an RRIF as proof of my income (as I could qualify via the $40k income and $250k investment route for the Wealthy Pensioner LTR category, without having to resort to an RRIF). But I am curious if there are any Canadians who successfully used an RRIF as income proof for an LTR visa? If they have, then that opens a possibility for me when I have to reprove my finances (and go to renew my LTR visa permission to stay) in 4 years time (as I obtained my LTR visa one year ago)..

I mistakenly typed "private" when I should have typed "public". He works in a public hospital. There is no private hospital in the city where he works.. He has been warned more than once by hospital management about prescribing drugs not covered by Thai medical care.

I totally agree there are more places than Patong in Phuket. Yes there are areas of Phuket where the traffic maham and tourist masses would drive me to depart those Phuket areas. But there are other Phuket areas (such as where I live in the far south) that I like a lot and here it does not have such issues. Phuket is not for everyone. A good friend I know is leaving Phuket, because she can't find a good French language school that is close to where she prefers to live in Phuket. She did find one in Jometien (close to Pattaya). I lived in Phuket from 1997-to-1999 (close to Chalong circle) when it was far far less crowded, and now I am retired here in Khao Khad/AoYon area since summer 2019. Retiring here was one of the best decisions I have made. I don't have the taxation concerns some have, as most of my pension income is covered by Double Tax Agreements and further, I also have an LTR visa. Each person needs to find their own best location. For some its Phuket. For some Phuket is the last place. For some living in some other place than Phuket (but still in Thailand) is ideal, and for some, it can't possibly be anywhere in Thailand. If everyone wanted to retire where I live now, the place where I live would not be as nice as it is. .

Hmm ... My Thai nephew is a doctor , working in a private hospital in Ranong. That is not the guidance he was given. He was specially advised by his superiors when he is on shift in the hospital, NOT to prescribe drugs not paid for by the Public Health Care system. Outside of the hospital, he is not limited. The same is true for my Thai niece, who is also a doctor in a different hospital. Perhaps the policy of hospital management varies dependent on the hospital. Perhaps. Again, has anyone been successful here (in getting the discount)?

I have an LTR visa, and I am age 70 (and I have a Thai wife). I always go through the Thai line, with my wife. When I was age-69 (with the LTR visa) when leaving Phuket, the immigration line for foreigners was massive. I entered the Thai line with my wife, and when we got to the immigration section for Thai, my wife and I ended up going to different IO booths. The IO in my booth (for leaving Phuket) could not have known we were married. I had no issue. There was no line at the Thai section, so it was like fast track. It was the same when I entered Thailand (at age-69) when returning to Thailand, I went through the Thai line (this time my wife was ahead of me). The IO did not know we were married. And I had no issue in the Thai line (except the LTR visa created a bit of a buzz, and hardly anyone at Phuket immigration had seen it, so my IO called over a bunch of other IO to look at the LTR stamp). Then earlier this year, now age-70 (with the LTR visa), after checking in my luggage and getting my boarding pass to depart Phuket, the airline attendant told me to go through the Thai line. He knew (1) I was age-70, and (2) I had an LTR visa. I then walked through the Thai entrance (to get into the immigration hall) and they accepted me either because I was age-70 or because of my LTR visa. The foreigner entrance was massive with hundreds in line. Must have been more than a 30 minute wait for the foreigners to get to the departures immigration booths. The Thai line had NO one in line, and my Thai wife and I went through separate booths with no issue, and the IO could not have known we were married. Then when I re-entered Thailand (again I am age-70, with an LTR visa) I went through the Thai line because it was empty (and the foreigner line had a number of people waiting). Once again my wife and I ended up at different Thai IO booths. Again, the IO did not know I was married to a Thai. This time the IO was totally puzzled by my LTR visa, and he held it up to the booth glass to another IO booth, and that IO officer stated back "something in Thai and LTR visa". The second IO (from the other booth) then walked over to the booth where I was and I believe explained to the IO in my booth, how to process the LTR visa 'entrance stamp with the permission to stay date". Again , this was the Thai line. If not having an LTR visa and not being married to a Thai enough to use the Thai line (if one is entitled to "Fast Track" ) ? I don't know for certain, but I believe it worth a try. I suspect age-70 may be adequate. So my suggestion for Phuket, if one is entitled to the fast track ? Try going to the Thai line if that line is shorter. The worst that could happen is they send one to the foreigner line, and that has never happened (yet) to me.

The OP claimed he was told " At the Vachira Phuket Hospital hospital, the head of their International Department said that I would be eligible for a Thai pink ID card for foreigners. This ID would give me 20% to 25 % discount off the hospital fees and charges. " Again - Has anyone reading this thread (with a 'Thai pink ID card') actually received such a discount? My wife tells me that Vachira Phuket Hospital, a public hospital, is also the most reputable of the Phuket hospitals. Many good doctors like to work there because of its relatively high reputation. Also, I was told many of the doctors only work in the Vachira Phuket hospital part time, and they run a private clinic outside of the hospital outside of the hours when they work at Vachira. By working in the hospital, they are able to refer patients to their clinic. Purportedly one of the reasons the doctors like to have a private clinic, is because in a public hospital, they are only allowed to prescribe medicine that the Thai public care health system will pay for. So if there is a superior medicine that is not covered by Thai medical care, when working on shift at the hospital, the doctor is not allowed to prescribe that medicine to a Thai patient. BUT if the same patient, were to show up at the doctor's private clinic, then the same doctor would be able to prescribe the 'superior' medicine (although in that case, the patient would could not get the Thai medical care to pay for the medicine). Purportedly the doctors like this, as then their hands are not 'tied' and they have a means in their clinic to propose the best medicine. And those Thai who have the money (where the Thai medical system refuses to pay) those people can then still get the superior medicine. As to whether a 'pink ID' will offer a discount? I am skeptical - which is why I am asking.

A quarter of a century ago (in the 1997 to 1999 timeframe) I used to constantly do border runs from Phuket. i would either fly to (a) Singapore - a great city so sometimes I would fly there from Phuket, stay over night, and fly back sometime in the next few days (b) Kuala Lumper - where I would fly there from Phuket, clear immigration, and walk back through immigration to catch my flight back to Phuket. The 2nd and 3rd times I did this, when leaving KL (at immigration) the KL immigration officer at KL departures suggested to me (both times), " Why not stay longer in KL? We have a great city". (c) Fly to HatYai. A taxi would meet me at the HatYai airport, and drive me to the border. My Thai girlfriend in Phuket at the time, had HatYai contacts - and was able to book a HatYai taxi for me in advance. With the taxi, after driving me to the border, I would walk across the border, turn around, and walk back and be stamped in. My taxi driver would be waiting and he would drive me back to the airport. On another occasion when I did this, I stayed overnight in HatYai ... on the other two occasions, I was back in Phuket the same day (as the filght times worked). But that was 25 years ago ! I left Thailand in 1999 and returned only in 2019. Times change. One can not as easily hop in and out of Thailand today as many times, as one could do then. Immigration is 'more strict' today. Someone will need to chime in and give you up to date approach (I have no longer need to worry about this with my current Thai visa(s) since 2019). I am curious as to what the response may be.

That would be strange. I was given multiple opportunities to prove I could meet the Health Insurance requirements. I kept pointing to different accounts until I found one they would accept. In what you provided, I am puzzling over the word "endorsement". According to the BoI website, one submits an application on line for qualifications endorsement ... It then notes, after receiving complete and valid documents, the application will then be registered and sent for the qualifications endorsement by relevant agencies (such as Immigration, Thailand's Board of Investment, Department of Consular Affairs, etcc ... ). .... It also states "any decision or judgment made by the government agency regarding the LTR Visa qualification endorsement result is considered final and binding". From that I assume you were refused either at Step-4 (Status: Consider by by Government Agencies) or Step-5 (Status: Qualifications approved). That makes me think you were not 'endorsed' by either: - Immigration or - Thailand's BoI or - Consular Affairs I note they in their refusal to you state "you are welcome to reapply when you meet the necessary qualifications". This makes me believe the refusal was in step-5 and that it has NOTHING to do with Immigration nor Consular Affairs, but rather is strictly due to something within BoI. They state "LTR Visa staff do not have the authority to endorse applications" ... but they do NOT state "BoI does not have the authority to endorse applications". So if I had go guess, its someone more senior in BoI who made a policy decision over riding the LTR Visa staff on your application? PURE SPECULATION on my part. Likely you deduced this already. When senior staff over rule more junior staff, especially in government organisations, there can be all sorts of reasons, and sometimes others in the vicinity are impacted by the 'collateral damage' (such as LTR applications denied). PURE SPECULATION by me. Best wishes in what ever your decision is to do next.

wow! That is most puzzling. It almost reads like the LTR application was approved at a lower level - but then someone in a higher level, did not like something in the process, and veto'd the application? Pure speculation on my part. It might be worth trying again - if you have the energy to do so.

I am surprised that you were given no indication as to the refusal. In the process of my application, I received 11 !!! document requests - Some of which they had simply missed my documents, another case they had misunderstood my finances, and in other cases they wanted more detail than what I had sent. The requests I received (to get my LTR visa) 1. They asked for a proof of pension document, or a tax return. I had ALREADY provided such (year-2020/2021 tax years) in my initial application in early-January-2023, so I simply sent it to them again. It turns out, I learned later, they wanted a 2022 tax return, even thou this was January-2023 (and it was too soon for a year 2022 tax return to be submitted). I should have phoned BoI and asked why? 2. For proof of investment in Thailand, they wanted proof of sale purchase of my condo - They noted they wanted an Or.Cor.16. I had mistakenly provided the 'real estate agent' contract to buy my condo (and the deed to my condo), and so I then provided the Or.Chor.16 purchase document. (My Thai wife had the Or.Chor.16 document in our file cabinet - and I foolishly had never asked her what the document was). 3. They again asked for proof of a pension document, or a tax return. Again I sent them my (year-2020/2021 tax returns and I also sent proof of my passive pensions via official documents - hoping that would be enough). As it turns out, it was not enough, they wanted my year 2022 tax return, even thou this was end-Jan-2023 and too early to submit my year 2022 tax return. I should have phoned BoI and asked why? 4. They again asked for proof of a pension document, or a tax return. So I called BoI. They stated this time, they stated on the phone wanted my year 2022 tax returns. Clearly, I should have phoned them earlier. Possibly if I had stood my ground, they would have accepted the official proof of government pension documents I had given them, but I decided not to fight city hall, and that I would 'rush' doing my year-2023 tax return to satisfy BoI. This was early year 2023 and I had not yet submitted my tax return to Canada for tax year 2022. So it was some weeks went by before I could (a) get receipts for my 2022 tax return, (b) submit year 2022 tax return to Canada, and (c) get official Canadian acknowledgement of my tax return (which also listed my Global income that BoI wanted to see). However BoI knew my Type-O Visa permission to stay in Thailand was good for another 11 months, so I was not rushed to get the LTR visa. 5. They again asked for proof of investment in Thailand. I had already provided the Or.Chor.16 and my proof of 2-million THB purchase (copy of my bond book). So I sent that to them again, figuring they had misplaced such. I learned later they wanted different proof for the bond purchase. I should have phoned them asking for clarification and I did not. 6. By this time, they had my Canadian tax return. But they then asked for my Canadian T4A tax form (associated with a Canadian Pension, that I did not yet receive as I had deferred my Canadian pension to age 70). So I phoned them, and also sent them an explanation letter, stating that I was not (yet) receiving a Canadian pension, and I was NOT using a Canadian pension for proof of passive income , and I noted I already exceeded the $40k US$ equivalent passive income with my application. I can't for this day, figure out why they asked for this, unless it was some sort of 'quality check' to try and figure out why as a Canadian I was claiming a "Canadian Old Age Security" (as part of my income), but not claiming a Canadian Pension as part of my income. 7. They again asked for proof of my investment in Thailand, noting my condo purchase was inadequate to achieve the $250K US equivalent (since 50% ownership was with my wife). I once again sent them the Or.Chor.16 and a copy of my bond book showing $2-Million THB in bonds. It turns out, they wanted something different, and that was not clear until the next request. I should have phoned them asking for clarification and I did not. 8. They again asked for proof of my investment in Thailand, but this time they made it clear they wanted more information on the Thai government bond that I had purchased. I called BoI on the phone, stated the bond book is all the bank gives, and learned that was NOT enough for them they wanted a bond certificate and they did not only want the 'bond book'. As it turns out, getting a bond certificate was not feasible from the Bank - and it took me 6 weeks (almost) to sort that, where Bangkok Bank, to help me, wrote a letter to BoI for me exlaining "NO CERTIFICATE", and also Bangkok Bank added extra information to my Bond Book (giving BoI information they wanted which would nominally be on a bond "CERTIFICATE"), where this Bangkok Bank solution satisfied BoI. 9. They asked for health insurance proof. I had previous given them proof of a trading account in Canada which significantly exceeded the $100k USD equivalent in cash, but they had missed my documents in the past, so I sent that to them again. 10. They again asked for health insurance proof. I had previous given them proof of a trading account in Canada which significantly exceeded the $100k USD equivalent in cash, but this time they advised they would not accept an "investment account". They specified it had to be a SAVING account '12 months past'. So I then sent then details of my Canadian "Registered Retirement Savings Plan" (RRSP) (like a USA 401k) which also significantly exceeded the $100k USD equivalent in cash. Note the word "savings" in RRSP. 11. They again asked for health insurance proof. I had previous given them proof of a RRSP (like a USA 401k) in Canada which significantly exceeded the $100k USD equivalent in cash, but this time they again advised they would not accept an "investment account". They specified it had to be a SAVING account '12 months past'. I phoned them, and they noted my RRSP (a self directed one) allowed me to trade stocks, and it was not acceptable even thou called a "Savings Plan". So this time I sent them proof of a Foreign Currency Account (in Thailand) with money in Euros that exceeded the $100k USD equivalent in cash. I had not wanted to use this account (as I had other plans for the money), but I decided I could "restructure my finances" for my other plans, and use this acount as my Health Insurance proof. They accepted that, and at that point, I had met all of their requirements to their satisfication. In hindsight, I should have used this account immediately (or as noted in this forum - asked my European Cigna to write a letter stating my European Health Insurance (which has unlimited coverage) will provide up to $50K US$ equivalent coverage - I did not know that approach would work (ergo showing $100k US equiv in cash was not necessary for me). While this seems a LOT, other than having to go to the bank to sort the bond book aspects, for the remainder of this I was sitting on my condo balcony with a fabulous sea view, my feet up, and sipping a glass of wine - and doing my phone calls and doing my data uploads from there. This was a very comfortable process for me (given my situation) despite it being repetitive. Being able to so all this from home - made it very easy. ... Just a bunch of repetition (a lot of which was due to my stubbornness to not provide more information on my finances than necessary, or my not calling BoI to get clarifications). I could have sped this up if (1) I had instead not applied in January-2023, but rather applied in March-2023 (when I would have already done my year 2022 tax return to Canada), (2) I was not so stubborn in not wanting to use my Foreign Currency Account as my health insurance proof, or (3) obtained a letter from my European Health Insurance provider with the $50K US coverage note (I had a generic European 'health insurance' coverage document which was not acceptable to BoI) and (4) if I had known at the start to get Bangkok Bank to add more information to the Bond Book to satisfy BoI I could have sorted that ASAP, and (5) I should have phoned BoI more often for clarification. Again - I am surprised you were given no indication as to why the refusal. I assume you called BoI and asked why?

I wore a short sleeved white shirt (with collar), with a tie ... and I also wore an "off-the-shelf purchased" sports jacket (looks like a very informal suit jacket), long pants, and shoes. After I finished with BoI and then in possession of an LTR visa (when in the elevator heading down) I took off the tie. When in the skytrain later, I took after the sports jacket (and hand carried it). I suspect you will be able to find an appropriate shirt and tie from somewhere. Possibly the sports jacket might be the hardest part - but I would think it possible to find such. Although it would be overkill - its not difficult to find tailors in Thailand who are more than eager to make a sports jacket (or a suit) for someone willing to spend the money. You won't need a perfect fit, so no need to go for the most expensive tailor (if it should come to that).

Indeed ! As noted I was most surprised when I received an official letter from the German government (ie European) advising I no longer needed to file a German tax return (as I was no longer a German resident and my small German pension (where there IS withholding tax withdrawn before I receive the monthly pension amounts) was too small for Germany to want to process a tax return). Hopefully as noted elsewhere, you will find a way to convince BoI that you do indeed have the funds needed to achieve the philosophy of the LTR visa - despite your legally not having any tax returns to show them. Best of luck here !

For most of us, its pretty hard to avoid filing a tax return somewhere. EVEN if in some cases we were not a resident of the country. I have not lived in Canada since 1995. I lived in Germany from 1999 to 2019. I have been living in Thailand for 5 years now. I still have to file a Canadian tax return every year !!!! (again I don't live in Canada and further I have not lived in Canada for almost 30 years) , because I now receive Canadian sourced "Old Age Security" (a very small amount of money) from the Canadian government. Further in my Canadian tax return, I am obligated to state the total of ALL my global income. If I were not to state that, I could be legally prosecuted by Canada. I am fortunate thou, in the case of Germany, because my German pension is small (and because I am a non-resident to Germany), Germany specifically asked me to STOP filing a German tax return every year (unless my tax situation in regards to Germany were to change). That (not being asked to file a return) astounded me - I had wished Canada would have done the same, although as it turned out (for the LTR visa) my having those Canadian tax returns did come in handy in the end - because I could show them to BoI (and the Canadian tax returns state the total of my Global income). The area I am watching carefully in regards to having an LTR visa, is I am attempting to keep my Thai sourced income (from interest and such) under 150,000 THB year. I want to avoid what I think would be an inconvenience of being legally required to file a Thailand tax return - although reading this forum, I note some expats consider it not such a big thing to file a Thai tax return.