Pib

@Liverpool Lou @jacko45k Keep in mind there are 5 different types of LTR visa....each one with a different income requirement...and different ways to meet that income requirement. The $500K amount only applies to the Wealthy Global Citizen LTR visa; not the other LTR visas like Wealthy Pensioner, Work-from-Thailand Professional, Highly Skilled Professional, or Dependent. The Wealthy Global Citizen visa according to the stats so far is the least popular. Now if a person is apply for a LTR Pensioner visa (which is the most popular LTR visa type right now) then income requirement is at least 80K USD/year in pension/fixed income....or if having 40K-80K USD/year in pension/fixed income then a 250K USD investment in Thailand is also required. And that 250K USD investment can be something like a condo/house that was bought years ago....does not have to be a recent buy. But the value will be based on what the land department shows your originally paid for the residence and not its current value. Lot of good info straight from the horse's mouth at the BOI LTR Visa website. Different types of LTR visas....all with different requirements. https://ltr.boi.go.th/index.html

The application process for an LTR is pretty much all done "online"....all required docs submitted to the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) based in Bangkok vs a paper-based application to any Immigration Office. The BOI does do some coordination with a few other Thai agencies like immigration to insure you are not on some bad-boy list, but it's basically the BOI that approves or rejects a person's LTR application. If approved the BOI not immigration, issues an approval letter which is like a golden ticket. Then the person can take the final administrative step of paying the 10 year LTR visa fee and either having it issued at the Immigration office colocated with BOI at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok "or" by a Thai Embassy/Consulate via the online evisa system. Currently, only the BOI Immigration Office (vs any immigration office) can issue the actual visa within Thailand. Currently there are no Certified Agents authorized by BOI....and the BOI warns of such on their LTR website. But the BOI has issued a formal request for interested parties to become Certified Agents...that request closes 31 Jan 2023. Then the BOI will evaluate and hopefully approve some Certified Agents which will basically be under contract to the Thai govt to assist applicants (for a fee) in applying to BOI for an LTR visa. There are already a few visa agencies who offer LTR visa assistance but none of them are authorized by the BOI...and even with visa agency assistance the individual will still be the one required to provide income proof, insurance proof, etc. All any visa agency will be able to do is hand-walk a person thru submitting the required docs online.

I can't (it's not like I've read all posts on AseanNow)....but stuff can happen...Murphy's Laws. As said I would play it safe by getting a reentry permit at your servicing immigration office before your flight day versus waiting until you are at the airport within hours/minutes of your flight's departure. Up to each individual as to which location and when they get the reentry permit.

Do it at your servicing immigration office or at the airport. But if for some unforeseen reason it can't be done at the airport because of some unexpected reason out of your or the airport's control then you will have a tough choice between making your flight without getting a reentry permit or rescheduling your flight until you do get a reentry permit. Personally, I would play it safe by getting the very important reentry permit at your servicing immigration office before your flight....OR, play it less safe by waiting to get it at the airport. The risk is up to the individual.

After reading LTR tax law announcements on the LTR website (weblink/snapshot 1 below) multiple times which left my head spinning with all the references to the different Thai tax code sections, maybe we are all over complicating things whether being in Thailand 1 day or 365 days per year. Maybe it's simply boils down to the LTR infographic below (snapshot 2) which basically says for the LTR Highly Skilled Professional visa category the personal tax rate is 17% max for accessible income from Thailand......and for all LTR visa categories (except maybe the Skilled Professional category based on the announcements) overseas income is tax exempt. I think the most confusing laws/regulations/agreements "for any country" on Earth is their tax laws/regulations/agreements. And all too often info published on tax accountants/law firms websites can sometimes confuse things even more just to round-up business. https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/laws-regulations.html https://ltr.boi.go.th/documents/LTRbrochure_EN.pdf

Various fixed deposit accts exist. Some you can add to after opening....and some that can be added to only during a special window of time like the first few months after opening. And interest is only usually paid when the fixed deposit matures and/or annually. All of this usually results in few transactions like if a person had a 12 month fixed acct the only transaction to appear over those 12 months could be the interest payment after 12 months. Without no or very few transactions appearing and immigration in a grove of wanting to see frequent transactions to give them a warm fuzzy the acct balance probably never dropped below minimum extension balance requirements a passbook showing few transactions can easily trigger immigration into asking for a 3 to 12 month statement since immigration knows a statement will show all transactions/all balance changes....no consolidated entries. Yea, as the era of many paper-based banking docs like passbooks slowly fades in Thailand I expect immigration will start requiring statements especially since a statement provides a more accurate confirmation of transactions/balances over a selected timeframe.

It's been years since I called the SSA central number of 800-772-1213. But I did give it a try tonight/Thursday/10pm Thailand time which would have Thursday/10am U.S. east coast time. Boy, oh boy, they have nothing but announcements for several minutes before you can do anything like ask for specific help. I didn't procedure pass the announcements as I didn't have anything to talk about if I did get a human on the line other than maybe how messed-up our elected officials (both parties) in Washington D.C. are. Now the announcement did start off saying they are having various problems with their phone system such as dropped calls. So, maybe the problem is all on their end. And since you said you had the same problem when calling the Manila Embassy U.S. numbers "and since your are using a VOIP service/number (Skype) maybe certain U.S. govt systems are having problems dealing with VOIP calls. Don't know...just guessing. Heck, just last night I called a Dept of Defense (DoD) Customer Service number from my VOIP Magic Jack U.S. number (but I use the Magic Jack app on my mobile phone) and my calls were also dropped after listening to all the announcements and being transferred to a human....when the human came online just a couple seconds later the call dropped. But fortunately that DoD CS immediately called me back as apparently they could see the number calling and when it just dropped they called me back just a few seconds later....then we had our 15 minutes conversations....no dropping of the call. I too thought it was strange how my two calls dropped last night just as soon as I started talking to a human....and now that you said you were having the same problem using a VOIP service like Skype, Magic Jack) maybe something is going on with some U.S. govt agencies being able to properly maintain a call from a VOIP system. Don't know....just guessing. All I can recommend is call back...try again.

What it boils down to is a passbook may not report varying balances, whether a typical savings acct or a fixed savings acct, since a person may not frequently update the passbook, transactions (e.g., deposits/withdrawals/charges) may not be individually reflected but consolidated into one updated balance, just various things that can cause a passbook not to reflect all transactions which affects the daily balance. But when getting a 3 to 12 month statement "every" transaction/daily balance will be reflected. And there are some accounts that don't come with bank passbooks...so, with no passbook then a statement is required. I expect the age of passbooks will continue to slowly fade away in Thailand like it has faded away years ago in many countries....and all Thai banks will have improved bank IT systems which will allow them to produce 12 months (or more) statements on-the-spot/within minutes......all of this will drive a statement vs a passbook becoming the required document to prove a person's acct balance met visa/extension requirements.

Here's the English translation document (one and half pages) of the revised TM30 law which came into effect in 30 June 2020. Got it from the Aseannow Visa forum where they list all the various immigration laws/regulations/memos and other immigration confusion. 833830297_TM30reportingregulation.pdf To me the two key paragraphs are shown in below snapshot from the doc. Now I don't see where it specifically says if you get a new visa then you have to do a new TM30. However, since the 2nd paragraph below says/implies if you leave Thailand on a visa/reentry permit and then come back in within the validity of that visa/reentry permit then no TM30 is required. Therefore, since that paragraph makes no mention/gives no TM30 waiver for entry on a "new/different" visa then that can imply a TM30 "would" be required in such a case. And from reviewing various posts since the new TM30 law came in effect it seems most agree a new TM30 would be required when switching to a new Visa...like leaving the country to kill off a Non-OA and then coming back in on a Non-O or visa exempt even when returning to the same residence you lived at before switching visas. To me whether a new TM30 is required when switching to a LTR is murky water. Since I have a TM30 online acct where I can do a TM30 myself, I did a new TM30. In fact did it twice....once on immigration extranet TM30 website at: https://extranet.immigration.go.th/fn24online/ which I find very confusing and couldn't see where it had a pull down menu for a LTR visa....longest visa shown was 1 year visas....so that is what I used. And then I did it again using the Android Section 38 mobile app (which apparently is no longer available for download according to Google Play, but if you still have it on your phone it still works)....using the mobile app it did have the various LTR visas in the pull down menu. Both systems apparently accepted my submissions.....I printed out a snapshot of the screens from both submissions and stapled them in my passport. But if hadn't had a TM30 online acct, I wouldn't have submitted any TM30....would just waited till sometime in the future when immigration might once again "go crazy" about how important (giggle, giggle) submitting a TM30 is to national security and safety of farangs in Thailand.

I love that "self insure" description as it can give the impression of being insured...having plenty of money to cover medical costs. Unfortunately, self insure all to often really means no money to cover medical bills....only using GoFundMe.

The access denied problem could be caused by a problem on your end. See weblink below for possible solutions. And if possible try using a different device (I.e., different computer browser, phone browser, etc). https://softwarekeep.com/help-center/fix-access-denied-you-dont-have-permission-to-access-on-this-server-on-windows-10 Also you can call the Manila SSA FBU at their Philippines phone number or their "U.S. phone numbers".. US numbers but rings at the Manila Embassy, listen to interactive menu, then press 3 for the SSA FBU but only on Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 11am Manila date/time. The US numbers are 202-370-6642/6497. I just tried calling both from my US number and they both worked....rang/answered at the Manila Embassy.

The email and letter are basically saying you are officially endorsed to receive the 10 year visa and you have 60 days to take the final step to actually get the 10 year visa issued which involves a little more paperwork and paying the visa issue fee. If you take that final step within 60 days then the visa will be issued and is good for 10 years. If you do not take the required action within 60 days of having the visa issued at BoI Immigration or a Thai consulate then the visa is void....you'll have to start all over with a new application.

Could be...I hope so....more the better. Will be interesting to see how many get approved in January. Right now we know of one approval which was TaiMaiTai on 4 Jan...a brand new AseanNow member. But there could be a lot of folks getting approved, but unless they are AseanNow members "and" post in this thread we are unlikely to find out about the approval unless stumbling across the approval in another thread or forum. I hope BoI releases some stats on the first four months of the LTR visa program. I know the approval numbers will be no where near the aspirational number the govt initially talked....I would just like to know from a curiosity standpoint what the LTR stats look like. I'm sure the LTR program will be much more successful than the SMART visa program.

Update: Known LTR Visa Approvals as of 9 Jan 2023 "based on posts in this thread I saw." Added in bold text "TaiMaiTai" who received his LTR Work From Thailand visa approval notice 4 Jan 2023. See his post above for more details. Congrats to TaiMaiTai!!! Although it appears approvals might be slowing down a bit since the end of 2022 I don't expect that is really the case but it's just the case of only some people who use Aseannow.com posting their results in this thread. Remember, this list only accounts for those who have announced an approval in this thread. I expect the well may be drying-up for those Aseannow posters who have LTR applications in process "and" also follow/post in this thread. Heck, I see even TaiMaiTai is a brand new member of Aseannow and his post is much appreciated. Hopefully/maybe the BoI will release some stats soon reflecting info on the first four months of LTR applications 1 Sep - 31 Dec 2022 versus all of us trying to extrapolate/guess about LTR stats. Poster & Date Approval Notice Rec'd 1. BKKNono - 15 Sep 2022 2. ashkale - 28 Sep 2022 3. ThailandRyan - 28 Sep 2022 4. pepper402 - 29 Sep 2022 5. gajah - 30 Sep 2022 6. Alotoftravel - 4 Oct 2022 7. James7 - 4 Oct 2022 8. & 9. Misty (and family member) - 4 Oct 2022 10. mudcat - 4 Oct 2022 11. & 12. stuarty (and wife) - 4 Oct 2022 13. Boomer6969 - 5 Oct 2022 14. aublumberg - 12 Oct 2022 15. JJJJJJJJ - 8 Nov 2022 16. smic - 28 Nov 2022 17. Paul3456 - 30 Nov 2022 18. anotherexpat4444 - 7 Dec 2022 19. User3847385 - 8 Dec 2022 20. & 21. Zuman - 16 Dec 2022 (and Mrs Zuman on 27 Dec 2022) 22. lextsy - 21 Dec 2022 23. Pib - 23 Dec 2022 24. Saraburi121 - 23 Dec 2022 25. khunjeff - 26 Dec 2022 26. TaiMaiTai - 4 Jan 2023

Congrats. Yea, I also did not get any online acct notification or email when they asked for additional docs in late Nov 2022 regarding my LTR Pensioner application. In my online acct it only appeared as a Status change and when looking in the Step 4/Upload area of my application where the vague request for additional docs existed. No reason was given as to why my initially submitted docs was not good adequate; just a request for certain additional docs. Now once I got the approval notice several weeks later in December then I did get online acct notifications and emails (and even one phone call) along with the status change in my online acct as BoI/Immigration needed a rescanned copy of my passport and a copy of my latest 90 day address report. So, for all of your folks with LTR application still going thru the process "be sure to check your online acct daily" to see if there has been a status change and/or any requests in the Step 4/Upload area because you may not get any online acct notification message or email. I got the impression from those folks who applied when the LTR application gate opened in September that a person would "always" get an email when additional docs were needed but it doesn't appear to work that way anymore. Just be sure to check your acct daily/frequently.

Agree...it's nice to go from 90 to 365 day reporting. But my earlier post was "Purely from an annual fee standpoint" and not from the standpoint of the other nice/intangible benefits.

I can't help with your evisa questions since my LTR was inked into my passport in Thailand/at BoI immigration, but it would be interesting to know what type of LTR visa you got, the date you applied, and when you got the approval notice from BoI. Plus, any other details you might want to provide like any request for additional docs, etc. Thanks.

In your online acct is it also displaying like mine....as in no place to start another application....LTR tab showing application still in process, etc.

This is just a curiosity question at this time, but for you LTR holders whose online acct shows Complete (like in the 1st snapshot below) because you have the LTR inked into your passport "is there any menu/selection in your online acct to "submit another application?" Now if I click the LTR menu I get the popup message shown in the 2nd snapshot which says "Your LTR Application Is In Process." Maybe I get this popup because I didn't request a Work Permit. Like say it was almost 5 years later and it was time for the LTR mid-point/5 year renewal process and assuming another application (maybe a full application, maybe a mini application if BoI decides such) how could a person start another application from within there current online acct? I just don't see any place to do it.

When you get the bank letter the letter will state the balance for a certain date---typically the day before---although the date on the letter might be current or previous day. This is fine. The reason IOs typically want you to show a balance update same day of application via a small deposit/withdrawal or Balance Forward transaction (although your bank letter may report the previous day balance) is to ensure the account is still open with the required balance amount on the day of application.

I see the LTR issue fee for the Thai Embassy in London is 1,500 pounds/approx Bt60K. (1st snapshot below) And the LTR issue fee for the Thai Consulate in New York City is 1,600 USD/approx Bt54K. (2nd snapshot) And per lextsy's post posts above the Thai Consulate in Sydney is 3045 AUD/approx Bt70K. Yeap, governments all too often use fees to fund a major part of embassy/consulate operations & services in other countries....and those fees can vary form country-to-country vs being a standard fee. Thai Embassy in London LTR Fee Thai Embassy at New York City LTR Fee

Yea, $3045 AUD works out to about Bt70K THB. But I expect Thai embassies/consulate have to cover a major part of cost of operations in foreign countries based on fees vs the Thai govt covering all costs. And cost of operations/living in each country can vary a lot. Like U.S. Embassies/Consulates around the world "by U.S. law" must cover a major portion of certain services like many services to U.S. citizens and foreigners based on fees and not funding direct from the U.S. govt. Like charging $50 USD for each document you need notarized.....you are basically helping to pay for that manpower position, salary of that person, benefits, housing, etc.....and all of that does get expensive. I expect the Thai govt follows a similar policy in ensuring people needing service at a Thai embassy/consulate foot a lot of the bill to keep that embassy/consulate running for various services.

Purely from an "annual fee standpoint" a Non O retirement or marriage extension of stay is better (cheaper) unless you get a multi-entry permit each year to go along with the Non O. Then a Non O + multi reentry permit costs more over a 10 year period than an LTR visa. See below Cost/Fee Comparison Chart where a 1 year Non-O extension of stay is compared to a 10 year LTR visa. Not included in the cost comparison is agent fees for those also paying an agent fee to assist them each year to renew their extension....agent fees that can cost far more than the visa govt fees. Then those annual agent fees over 10 years can make an LTR visa look even better. Also not included in the chart is LTR medical coverage requirement if you don't have an acceptable foreign/Thai insurance policy, Thai social security, or can self-insure. The chart is just comparing the core fees. But of course with an one year extension you have the "annual" approval process to prove you still meet visa requirements. That "every year" process combined with the concern over a change in requirements is what many consider a pain in the rear accompanied by stress that they would prefer to avoid. And it seems one year flies by so fast! How much is it worth to avoid that pain and stress "each" year.....what's it's worth over 10 years. With a 10 year LTR visa a person only has the mid point/5 year review process since the LTR visa is really a 5+5 visa.

Not true. Your old visa is not cancelled until the LTR visa is issued to your passport which you have 60 days to do after you get notification from BoI your LTR application has been approved...pay the Bt50K...."take the final step to have the LTR visa actually issued." If you don't take action within 60 days of that approval letter then that approval is void....kinda like running a marathon but never taking the final step to cross the finish line. Your then have to start all over with a new application. Assuming you want the LTR visa inked into your passport at BoI Immigration in Bangkok on the day you have your appt to do such Immigration will first cancel your old visa and then issue/link your LTR visa to your passport....all of this just takes minutes. If using a Thai embassy the cancellation of your old visa would happen in the background as they issue you the LTR visa.