JimGant

Of course, 'cause SWIFT transfer costs are fixed: I pay $45 front end, 500 baht back end (for amounts exceeding $5900). Period. Wise has a variable fee of around .63% for every dollar sent. Thus, for a SWIFT transfer, all my costs are in the first $5900. After that, every additional dollar sent has zip variable cost -- while Wise adds a variable cost of around 6 cents for every additional $10 sent. You don't have to be a math major to realize that, at some point, total fees for a Wise transfer will exceed those of a SWIFT transfer -- and there's nothing that Wise's favorable exchange rate can do to alter that math. Having said that, the cross over point -- figured out on this forum years ago -- is around $25000. And since that's the amount I usually send, I use Wise, preferring to do the action on my PC, and not with a required phone call to USAA for a SWIFT transfer. Anyway, a lot of variables with Wise, mainly depending on currency being sent, and to where. Maybe Wise does better in all situations involving Sterling transfers.... But I can't imagine how, as long as fixed and variable costs are the players....

...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.

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.

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: Answer (within hours): 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....

Gawd, if that would only happen to Dr Jack....

Wow, what a juvenile response. It's obvious, from other responders, like Pib, that there is a chance you'll be hit up for your TM30. Small chance, maybe. But be prepared anyway -- unless, like Pib, you want to end up in a four hour queue for a TM30. With some luck, DrJack's next extension will require a TM30, and he'll have to spend most of the day at CW getting one. Then, we can all giggle at his trip report, and his historical chutzpah. . By the way, don't throw out your TM6, as CW has suggested. Last month, getting my LTR visa at BoI OSS, the Imm at that location not only wanted a copy of my TM6, but the original. Fortunately, that dog eared original was stapled to my passport. Imm, as we all know, is a box of chocolates -- depending on location, individual personnel, and moon phase. Thus, to argue against one person's experience, is ludicrous.

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.

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.

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.

Thailand has no provision for naming a beneficiary for your bank account, akin to the Pay on Death (POD) policy available in the US, which allows the bank account to avoid probate. This subject surfaces frequently on this forum, as does: will a joint account be frozen upon death of a co-owner? Legally, no. But apparently it has happened several times, with a confused bank manager. Best advice: Have the surviving account owner transfer out the funds to his or her individual account -- should an errant bank manager get word of the death -- just to be on the safe side. For your individual account, that can't be joint for Immigration purposes -- have your companion named as a co-signatory. This will allow her or him to access your account with your passbook, which will have his name affixed to it in UV readable ink -- thus no confusion for Immigration to ponder. He can also get his own ATM card, if desired. Thus, upon your death, have him go to the bank and clean out most of the funds (he can't close the account). Or, if you have online banking, have him do an online transfer, as you've given him your password and set up the transfer procedure ahead of time (where setting up a third party account requires the One Time Password drill). Strictly speaking, the bank is supposed to freeze your individual account *IF* they get word of the owner's death (being a co-signature account doesn't change this). By why would they? -- no one is obligated to tell them. And if your companion is your sole beneficiary and Will executor -- who's going to raise a fuss -- legal or ethical -- about your companion/beneficiary/executor cleaning out your account? Yeah, the lawyer mafia will be upset your companion avoided probate -- and the 50,000 baht fee. But what normal person would be upset about that?

Yeah, if she were your wife, she's automatically your next of kin (NOK) -- and as such, is granted the authority to receive all the death related paperwork, and the authority to dictate disposal of the body. But a girlfriend....? Well, if you made her your Executor in your Will, then she's your "legal representative." And using the US example, the Embassy/Consulate will grant her the same authority as a NOK This is somewhat recent, as apparently the State Dept got tired of trying to locate a NOK, or at least one who wanted to help..... As an aside, for Yanks -- once you parlay the hospital certificate of death into the official "Civil Registry of Death Certificate" from the Tessabahn/Amphur -- you then need to have this translated into English by a certified translator. Then, the Embassy/Consulate will issue -- to the NOK/Legal Representative -- a "Consular Report of Death Abroad," the equivalent of a US death certificate. But, if this requires a trip to the Embassy/Consulate (don't know...) -- obviously a pain for those outside Bangkok or Chiang Mai. But, I checked with everyone in the States that require a death certificate to payout insurance, start survivor benefits, etc -- and they said the Thai death certificate, accompanied with a certified translation, is perfectly acceptable. So, maybe no trip to the Embassy/Consulate required.... Oh, one other possible hickup -- to release the body for burial, some hospitals require authorization from your Embassy/Consulate. Thus, as the NOK/Executor, you may be required to go in person with the deceased's passport and Will -- to get the necessary paperwork. Again, don't know if you could do this all online -- if not today, probably someday. Actually, I like the idea of a bureaucratic SNAFU, where I remain on ice for a year, until the police arrange for a pauper's funeral, using taxpayer funds. Would serve them right for all those annoyances at my annual Immigration extensions..

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.....

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: Here's the prompt email response I received: 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.

My favorite is "Nam Plaa 129 Hour Anti-Perspirant." Good for fending off annoying neighbors, or unruly soi dogs.

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

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!!

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.

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.

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.