JimGant

On 3/19/2023 at 7:57 AM, ThailandRyan said:

If you never leave the country during the year you still need to pay 1900 baht to stay in the country....

...and also physically have to go to Immigration every year! Yes, the Elite hand holders will drive you there, and take you to the front of the line. But I never want to see CM Imm again in my lifetime -- at any point in the line. Heck, for years I paid an agent 3000 baht to drive me to Imm and jump the line; why would I want to pay 2M baht to have Elite Visa drive me to Imm once a year, for 20 years.....?

So, as a non traveler, with an LTR I stay away from Imm offices for 5 years (until I have to revalidate at OSS/BoI). I only have to report once a year my address, and this appears doable by registered mail.

And even if you do travel internationally, LTR has Fast Track, like Elite. Maybe no golf cart for door-to-door -- but that could be more of an annoyance than an Elite Visa "great perk." Same with free golf green fees, which might have been nice when I was younger, but not now. No, not worth it (and the Elite prices are now greater than I'm quoting, right?).

So, it's a complete no brainer to go the LTR route if you're a retiree that rarely/never travels -- and meets the not-too-rigorous financials. Plus, BoI has eased up on the health insurance requirement, if you have a certifiable health insurance plan, like my US military Tricare (and, of course, the self-insuring path is probably an option for most able to meet the other financials).

It's maddening when you do a Google search for LTR vs. Elite visas, and find most hits are totally biased for the Elite Visa....any skids being greased here? And, sure, if you're under 50 and income poor, the Elite may be your option. But for us geezers, the Elite looks like it sucks for what you pay, especially in light of the LTR Wealthy Pensioner option.

Oh, the intial startup hiccups appear to have been eliminated, as all the online application procedure went smoothly for me, and I got my approval in 15 days (June 2023). Yeah, a couple weeks later I required a trip from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to get the LTR stamp at BoI OSS. But, treated myself to a five star stay, so it turned out fun. Plus, all interfaces were smooth and quite professional. No, if you qualify for an LTR visa, the Elite Visa is NOT a viable option.

On 9/2/2023 at 3:44 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Isn't that the point of the original story, can no longer get a retirement extension using transfers of 65k+ a month? instead have to get income document 

The original story is, if you want an annual income letter from the Norwegian Embassy for your retirement extension in Thailand, you can no longer just provide a monthly income statement and have the Norwegian authorities multiply by 12 to arrive at an annual income statement.

But there's nothing requiring a Norwegian to get an annual income letter from the embassy to provide to Thai Immigration. Instead, especially if they can't prove an annual income of the amount required, they can go the 800/400k baht in the bank route -- or the 65k baht per month sent to Thailand -- just like the rest of us. In the latter case, Thai authorities have no way of knowing, under current policy, what kind of "income" this is. Instead, they're completely happy to know and see that it's a "positive cash flow." They don't care if it's earned income, unearned income, money from your savings account, or a gift from Aunt Matilda. In fact, they're probably happier seeing a positive cash flow into Thailand -- than seeing an income letter that shows gross income -- but doesn't show that it's negative cash flow, after taxes, mortgage, and alimony.

37 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

Someone said that 2 forms have to be printed but I can't see where.

You'll need to make an appointment first, as that appointment date is plugged into the TM94 and STM8 forms -- and thus they won't appear until you have a date.

If you've got some wiggle room, I'd get a new passport first, cancel your current application, then start again with your new passport. Even those folks with passports that expire in less than five years should think about getting new passports before applying for an LTR visa in Thailand (otherwise you'll get a less than five year admitted until stamp). For Yanks, State Dept has no restriction on how old your passport must be in order to renew it.

Getting your LTR from an Embassy/Consulate? No need to worry about when your passport expires, as you don't need to do anything when it does. Think it has to have at least 6 months validity, however, when you apply for the LTR.

Email sent today to BoI:

Quote

A lot of confusion about the annual reporting of address for LTR holders. The piece of paper we all got, with the reporting date stamped on it, had instructions that said: "...notify an official at a LOCAL or central Immigration office of his address every year." Ok. This tells me I can report to my local immigration office here at my home town of Chiang Mai. HOWEVER, other reports say I have to either report in person, or hire an agent, to report to your OSS location in Bangkok. Plus, no option mentioned about using a registered mail option, like you can with a SMART visa.

Please advise with the latest guidance, as many of us are approaching the one year date for providing such a report. Thank you.

 

Answer (within hours):

Quote

 

LTR Visa holders staying in Thailand for a period longer than 1 year consecutively are required to report the current address to the Immigration at One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit (OSS) either in person, or by authorized representative (with Power of Attorney) to report for LTR Visa holders on their behalf. This report must be done on a yearly basis counting from LTR Visa issuance date. However, in the case of re-entering the Kingdom, the report will be due in 1 year from the date of the latest arrival. LTR Visa holders can report 15 days before or 7 days after the date of due staying.

 

The required documents must be submitted to the immigration are as follows;

1. Passport

2. TM.95 Form (completely filled out and signed) (attached via this email)

3.T.M. 6 Card (or arrival/departure card If any)

4. 1-Year report notification card (if any)

 

Nobody home, I guess -- at least in the email answering department. Pib, time for you to take another trip to OSS and grab some short and curlies....

On 8/17/2023 at 5:37 AM, Jelli said:

no TIN used her passport number.

Why no TIN? For 2023, unless wife earns more than $13,850 equivalent (and declarable), filing jointly would be money in your pocket over filing 'married filing separately.' Anyway, too late this year -- need to wait until you file next year to get an ITIN -- if that should be to your advantage. If you survive surgery, think about it (if you don't -- nevermind).

And I mention this, because if you make your bank accounts in the US with your wife as Pay On Death (POD) beneficiary, they won't have to go through probate -- same as your IRA, which now has your wife as beneficiary, with apparently her passport number sufficing. And maybe your bank would do the same, setting up PODs for the wife with only her passport number as ID, as there's no Federal requirement PODs need an SSN attached - only a bank, and some States', requirement. Worth a try, to avoid probate in the US.

You can draft a Will yourself, using one of many Will templates floating around on Thai websites (these templates cover the basic necessities required by both Thai and US Will preparation). Make it all encompassing, meaning it can cover all your world assets (in your case, just state: this covers all my assets in both Thailand and the US, including Thai bank accounts XYZ; US bank accounts ABC; and any subsequently established bank accounts; and my US IRA. Name wife as executor and sole beneficiary. Have two witnesses (yes, not your wife), of sound mind and over 18, witness your signature. Include their Thai ID numbers. Cell phone video the signing and the Will. Give the Will and thumb drive to your wife. No need to register the Will, nor in any way involve the Amphur (this is a persisting myth).

Hopefully, your wife can clean out your Thai bank accounts, assuming you use online banking. Or make her a co-signatory on your accounts, allowing her to go to the bank in person, with your passbook, and remove most of your funds (can't close account). If this runs into a snag, and she must go through probate, well then she must hire a lawyer, plus have your English original Will translated into Thai. Probate is advertised to cost around 50,000 baht. [By the way, you can get a Will drafted by a Thai law firm for between 5000 - 10000 baht, at least according to reports on this forum.]

And hopefully you can POD your US accounts. If not, ask the bank as to whether or not they'll honor your Thai Will as the legal designator of your beneficiary (the US is pretty flexible on ways around probate). But certainly there should be no need to prepare a separate US Will, hire a lawyer in the US as contingent to possible probate, etc. And certainly a Will you write or have prepared in Thailand, in English, that covers your worldwide assets, would be acceptable in all the US States and territories.

Good luck with your surgery.

33 minutes ago, connda said:

Upper Right-Hand corner.

Unfortunately, my upper right hand corner has a word in Thai, which, yes when I did a Google translate, it said: Select Language. But clicking the select button gives me about 80 names, in Thai. So, another Google translate and: No English option, country or language, shown.

What website did you use to get the "select language" in English?

I think Bank Drafts were a better option for return envelopes. But, I guess this new way gives embassy employees less work.

On 8/18/2023 at 8:18 AM, newnative said:

now we are going to be even more stingy--if possible--on who receives it.

No, via means testing, 'we are going to be more stingy on who SHOULDN'T receive it.'

Means testing makes complete sense -- it's the implementation that's problematic in Thailand. Oz does means testing with their Age Pension, apparently with acceptance by most. And the US will eventually have to do it with its Social Security and quit playing the game that it's a retirement program, not a welfare program.

Does "Thailandpostmart.com" have an English button to push? If so, I can't find it -- and if not, doubtful many of us could fill out the Thai version.

7 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

If he did get his LTR outside of Thailand & entered on it (not picked it up in Bangkok) then the only reason I can think off why they would put details of his old Visa in his new Passport........

As reported here a few days ago, if he got his LTR at an Embassy/Consulate -- he'd never would of had to go to Bangkok/BoI/OSS with his new passport. Instead, the instructions for folks getting their LTR visa via sticker or eVisa is: When you get a new passport, just carry your old (cancelled) passport, as the LTR sticker and LTR eVisa have NOT been cancelled along with your old passport; but the cancelled passport does have historical information that may be asked for by Immigration (doubtful) -- and, of course, that old passport contains your still valid 10 year LTR visa sticker.

Sadly, if they had thought things out before final implementation, they would not have put the phrase (I'll paraphrase): This visa remains valid only as long as the passport is valid. Without that phrase, those of us who got our LTR visa stamp at OSS could just carry our old cancelled passport, with a still valid LTR visa stamp -- and not have to visit OSS with our new passport (although you can, reportedly, do this with an agent). 

Anyway, as long as the BoI/OSS/Imm service remains as I and others experienced, a trip from Chiang Mai, with hotel, transportation, and meal hyper pampering -- would actually be a nice diversion from old age day-to-day syndrome.....

56 minutes ago, Soondae said:

I needed $100,000 for home purchase, Wise would require me to perform 4-5 transfers to make that sum

Interesting. I could go online right now and transfer maximum $50000 per day (ACH pull from my US bank) to Thailand. Why you're restricted to a lower maximum is curious. But, you're right -- SWIFT is cheaper over Wise, at about the $20000 level.

Nope. This morning, if I had done a $23000 ACH "pull" from my US bank, it would have taken "7 hours," according to Wise. $24000 would have taken until Tuesday of next week (a four day gap, but it is a weekend and Thai holiday....). $1000? Instantly.

I have found, over the last year, that these projected transfer times are pretty accurate -- for US dollars from US.

For these discussions, make sure you delineate the country your sending from -- a lot of difference between source country of your funds and time of delivery.

Here's a question I recently asked LTR BoI:

Quote

I have an LTR-P visa, issued in July, and for future planning purposes,
was wondering whether or not I would have to go to BoI/OSS to get my new
five year permission of stay stamp in July 2028? I'm sure most of the
re-authorization information could be provided online, as was the
original application. But having to travel from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is
becoming more difficult as I age. So, just hoping, after you issue me a
new five year qualification endorsement, that I can take this to my
Chiang Mai Immigration office for the new five year stamp.....?

Or, if not, could I have an agent do it for me at BoI/OSS?

Oh, speaking of agents: When my passport expires in six years, I note
that I need to get the transfer LTR Visa stamp applied at OSS
Immigration? Much can change between now and then, I'm sure -- but if
not, can I get an agent to do this for me?

Here's the prompt email response I received:

Quote

Currently, our LTR Visa office is located in Bangkok, and for visa extensions, you will need to visit our office in person once your extension has been approved. The in-person visit is required as the Immigration authorities will need to take a current photograph of you.

 

However, for visa transfer, you can have a representative do it on your behalf, so you don't have to be present in person for this process.

In case you need to transfer a LTR Visa to a new passport, you must apply to have your LTR Visa transferred at the Immigration at One Stop Service Center for Visa and Work Permit (OSS).

So, I can hire an agent to go to OSS to do the stamp transfers when my old passport is replaced with a new one; but I can't hire an agent to get my new five year permission stamp, 'cause Immigration needs me there, in person, to take a picture....

But why, as they say, do I need to go to Imm/OSS to get my second five year visa permission? Certainly, if they need a picture, this could be done at my home Chiang Mai Imm office. And, certainly, CM Imm has one of those square admit/until stamps, whereas they might not have the LTR Visa stamp that Imm/OSS has -- necessitating going to Bangkok to get that LTR Visa stamp transferred to a new passport.

So, when BoI re-authorizes my second five year stay, and issues a qualification endorsement -- flashing this endorsement to any Imm officer with a square permission of stay stamp should suffice. Heck, all the folks with LTR Evisas or stickers issued at Embassies never had to visit BoI/Imm OSS; they got their five year "until" stamp at the airport. And what if I'm out of Thailand when I have to get my new qualification endorsement from BoI? Can't I just, then, flash this endorsement at the airport, when I re-enter, and get my new five year stamp there, akin to what the Evisa and sticker folks did....?

Anyway, this will all sort out in the several years we have to do it in.

3 hours ago, MPoll said:

 

On 7/30/2023 at 10:41 PM, Sheryl said:

More than questions, had to come back with stack of credit advices etc to prove I was living off money brought in from abroad and eventually speak to a supervisor...with many deeply persobap questions unrelated to finances along the way . Was such a hassle I decided not worth it this year, but the amount in my case would nto have exceeded 1,000 baht.

Yeah, we keep getting an argument against taking a tax credit on your US tax return -- because Pub 514 says:

Quote

You cannot take a foreign tax credit for income taxes paid to a foreign country if it is reasonably certain the amount would be refunded, credited, rebated, abated, or forgiven if you made a claim.

So, take the US tax credit, as there's nothing 'reasonably certain' in this situation about a Thai tax refund.

And from an ethical point of view -- no tax evasion here, just that the country where the income is earned, and in which it is paid, and in which you live -- gets to keep the taxes. Sorry, US, the tax credit trumps your ability to tax.

Yes, there are some fine points against the credit that could be argued. But my limited years as a CPA saw some letter audits that were won with less evidence than I could provide here, namely, the many situations reported on this forum, like no work permit, thus no tax ID, thus no tax refund. Yes, this is cherry picking, since there are many reports on this and other forums stating that getting your Thai tax back is easy. But -- big BUT -- you're no obligated to provide the IRS with counter arguments against your case -- those arguments need be provided by them.

But, again, this is not an ethical situation, as there's no tax evasion. It's just a matter of detail and interpretation. So, take the bloody tax credit and don't waste your time trying to get a Thai tax refund. The chance of an audit, for a three figure, or less credit, is zip -- the IRS still can't afford to audit the billionaires. But if you do get audited -- PM me for a pro bono assist.

On 7/29/2023 at 9:25 AM, zzzzz said:

Dear Immigration official of the Royal Thai Government Please be informed that as of April 10, 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and the Consulate General in Chiang Mai no longer issue passport linkage letters. For purposes of transferring visas for cancelled U.S. passports to new U.S. passports, please refer to the passports themselves. 

Arrogant Yankee!

What do you mean, refer to the passports themselves?! You're in Thailand, where we, not you, define the requirements for transferring immigration information between old and new passports. Are you telling us that, since you've stopped issuing linkage letters, that it is no longer a requirement? Man, you're messin' with the wrong country...

Anyway, hope your citizens will put this action in their portfolio of gripes, along with no more income letters issued. In the meantime, no linkage letter, no immigration stamp transfer. Understood, Uncle Sam?

Geez!!

29 minutes ago, MPoll said:

They also have a list of forms & documents/copies needed. 

As I'm sure you're aware, this link lists 10 items related to transferring your LTR stamp:

https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/transferring.html

Hopefully, the OSS Imm has gotten the word that the US Embassy no longer issues certificates related to transferring stamps from old to new passports. This seems to be a continuing problem at provincial Imm offices.

4 hours ago, MPoll said:

and I am expecting that I will get a permission to stay stamp to 5 years from January.

I would think so, although stranger stampings have occurred with the LTR's learning curve. For sure, you'll have five years permitted to stay, regardless of "until" date, since now you have a passport whose longevity exceeds five years.

Since most of us reading this, with in-country LTR stamps, will have to go through this drill -- could you please report on (assuming you interfaced first with BoI LTR, not Imm): Did BoI LTR folks hold your hand in this process, mainly in the interface with Immigration? Any surprises on paperwork required? Could you just "walk in," or would an appointment, or at least a before hand phone call, be advised? Any photos required during this process by Imm (if not, maybe I could have an agent do all of this for me...). Thanx.

4 minutes ago, Pib said:

Now you saying when he gets a new passport probably in early/mid 2024 and goes to transfer the LTR visa stamp from the old to new passport that BoI Immigration will not transfer the LTR visa stamp "AND also not give him a new Permit Stay date?   

How'd you get that idea? Why wouldn't they transfer it -- we've already had a forum member report on the transfer drill at IMM OSS for LTR visas. And, sure, the permission of stay will only go to the 5 year demarcation for getting your last 5 year permission.

My only point was the fact that, when his passport died, he had to transfer it, and in Bangkok (not his local provincial Imm office). This inconvenience is eliminated with a eVisa or sticker visa.

2 hours ago, Pib said:

Just a clarification...the LTR "visa" does not expire 22 Oct 2024 as it's still good up to 17 Oct 2032 but the Stay Permit is only good till 22 Oct 2024 since his passport also expires 22 Oct 2024.  The Stay Permit date is limiting factor and not the visa date. 

Visa remains valid until the passport is no longer valid. So, yeah, maybe "expire" is the wrong word, as the visa will be re-validated with a new, valid passport.

But the boilerplate language on the stamp says visa remains valid for 10 years (paraphrasing) "if passport remains valid." Red stamp at the top reinforces this, with "permitted for validity of passport." Thus, your visa is no longer valid when the passport is no longer valid.

Quote

but the Stay Permit is only good till 22 Oct 2024 since his passport also expires 22 Oct 2024.

Not the primary reason. With an LTR visa, Stay Permit is entirely dependent on validity of visa, not validity of passport. Again, using Misty's five year permitted stamp, which was issued in spite of her passport expiring well before that five year mark -- this five year permit was entirely due to her eVisa being valid for ten years, as it is not affected by passport expiration date.

So, in the situation described above, his permission of stay died on 22 Oct 2024 -- due to the death of his visa, not the death of his passport -- although the death of his visa was due to the death of his passport. Sure looks like it died due to passport expiration -- but this was only a secondary cause. 

Anyway, bottom line is: If you want your LTR visa to be valid for an uninterrupted 10 years -- get an eVisa or sticker visa, not a stamp from IMM OSS.