imjmn

8 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

I'm considering getting a nonOA in LA as well.  But, the only place I've found to do the medical certificate here in Las Vegas wants $400.  That seems ridiculous.  Has anyone found a better deal somewhere in LA?

 

Thanks.

I suggest if you have primary care physician the you use them or go to an Urgent Care facility. I went to my regular doctor he in LA and he took care of the medical form for me. As noted I would have called a Mobile Notary but my doc took carte of that himself.

As additional info related to notary cost. Bank of America and Wells Fargo will do it for free even if you are not a customer.

MJ

8 hours ago, Visarghhhh said:

What’s a BUPA plan?

BUPA is worldwide provider of medical insurance.

MJ

13 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I am just curious for the reason why you did not further extend your stay as you did for 8-9 years, and re-applied for a Non Imm OA Visa.

The advantage is of course that with the new Non Imm OA Visa you will be able to unfreeze the 800.000/400.000 THB in the thai bank-account if you did choose that method, and have it that sum at your disposition for almost 2 years.  But of course there could be many other reasons for re-applying.

 

I normally extend-renew in February but was in the USA working so the visa expired. I certainly was not going to take time of the job and fly just to renew-extend. That would have cost lots of $$$$$. Lost income and the plane tickets. I also got a new passport in the process. Of course they would have transferred to the new passport if I had been in country

However I did show my old passport with all my Non-OA visas-extensions and no overstays.

MJ

14 hours ago, SpokaneAl said:

Of course you know that Medicare is of no value in Thailand. 

Well it is if you have a supplemental plan as Plan G - it is designed for emergencies and has a $50,000 lifetime limit. Just to go to see the doc - you are correct Medicare does not work outside the USA but I already knew that and the reason for a supplemental plan.

Well my Doctor was very accommodating and took care of the notary. If necessary I would have called a mobile notary to come to his office which would have cost about $50.

On ‎5‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 12:07 AM, JohnOFphon said:

Didn't there used to be a departure tax? I remember going to a machine and paying 500 bt for a ticket that had to be shown,,,at check in or passport control...don't remember which.

This has been added to the ticket price. This started years ago.

MJ

If you are a US citizen and have a foreign bank account(s) with more than $10,000 deposited in total you are supposed to report the bank account to the IRS - https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/report-of-foreign-bank-and-financial-accounts-fbar

It is really painless and I have no idea why some people are so against reporting foreign bank accounts to the IRS. I have been reporting since the requirement went into affect with no issues. I do get paid from off-shore accounts to my foreign and US accounts on a regular basis and as long as your tax return is matching your transactions then it should not be a problem.

MJ

I use my US credit card as there are no foreign transaction fees on a frequent basis at the larger Thai retailers. I have not had a problem to date.

I am vigilant and the card never leaves my sight - the most disturbing action that some of the retailers try to key in my card number into their system even though the card is smart chipped - I am always taking the card away from them before they get it entered. They grumble from time to time. Not all retailers do this and if the cashier complains then I tell them that they already have the receipt from their bank accepting the transaction with my signature.

At one point several years ago the entire credit card number was actually printed on the receipt which made me nervous but I have never had a false charge made. Now the card number is only partially printed. My US bank sends me a message whenever there is a transaction immediately so I always maintain cellular or WiFi connection with my phone.

MJ

A new passport will take about 2 weeks - at least that is what if took for me the past 2 times.

Just follow the process as indicated on the US Embassy website for Thailand. Very painless. You will apply for a new PP and keep your current one until the new one arrives then the US Embassy will cancel your old one.

They stopped adding pages several years ago.

MJ

I did this once back in 1999 or so and NEVER again.

I was in Phuket at the time and sent my PP using a 'service' to do and exit and entry from Thailand to Malaysia and back to Thailand.

The next time I flew out of Phuket to Singapore the immigration officer took a very long hard look at the Thai exit/entry stamps and indicated there were some irregularities  with the stamps but he let me pass.

It was illegal then and is still illegal - not a good option - it is a privilege to live in a foreign country and it is always best to follow the local law unless you have the time to spend in the monkey house.

MJ

On 6/3/2018 at 9:27 AM, djeetyet said:

So I now have to sign up for this Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) just to find out where the June 6th Pattaya outreach location will be?

 

The form had about 100 fields to fill out - or so it seemed. Privacy - gone. And what about people that don't have access to the 'net regularly?

 

Can someone please let me know - will it be at the Amari as usual?

 

Thanks in advance.

There about 18 fields that need to be populated - it is about the same as creating an account to buy airline tickets on-line and the privacy is no more or less that on most sites that do e-commerce.

As for broadcasting the location - going to the 'Out Reach' page and clicking on the 'Pattaya June 6' - takes to to the time and location - so where is the mystery??

MJ

 'The maximum that can now be charged is 6 baht per unit, i.e., normal price plus 20%. More than that, and the landlord can be fined 100 000 baht or go to prison for 1 year.'

Where did you get the 6 baht from?

I have been coming and going LOS with various medications including opiates for years. I have a signed prescription sheet from my USA doctor with name of the medication and the quantity. 

I have never been stopped for any medications and certainly do not broadcast to Customs by going to the Red Lane on exit.

MJ

Been coming to Thailand since 1997 on visa exemption and Non-OA visa and have not once ever been asked to show 20,000. Most of the time I am entering 5-6 times a year and I have only been asked to x-ray my bags once and one other time taken to Customs as I have 'to many bags'. to search for undeclared goods (booze and cigs).

Regardless if having 20,000 and the proper visa etc - Immigration in any country has the right to refuse you entry.  It is at the discretion of the Immigration officer.

MJ

As each persons experience is subjective - what is enjoyable for me may not be enjoyable for the next person.

About getting first a tourist visa, I don’t know. I already spent about 3 months on a whole in Thailand over the last few years. It’s not much ... but I think this country would be ok for me though the heat is a bit over the top at times. But it’s ok ... :-)
I think I would enjoy some nightlife ... but not too intense either. To be honest ... I’ve got to know Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhotai, Ayuthaya, Kanchanaburi, BKK, ... Not that much.
I haven’t seen any beach !!! ... SO I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT LIFE in those places 
I DON’T THINK I’D LIKE SOMETHING TOO TURISTY but there maybe lots of places I’d like ...
I THOUGHT I COULD JUST GO AND LIVE THERE ... 
I THOUGHT PERHAPS I could get advice on this forum about agreable places on the coast ... not very far from towns.

Seems like a bunch of 'I think' or 'I thought' - you just need to come do it and see if you enjoy and not worry about another persons experience  - note I did not say wisdom - as noted by others there are pitfalls in Thailand - read this  - http://www.snouts-in-the-trough.com/archives/3500.

As noted get a Non-OA retirement visa and come enjoy Thailand LOS.

MJ

Coming as a tourist - not that I know of - been coming and going for 20 years and never asked by Customs.

If moving and bringing a house hold - that is different rules and you can check the relevant Thai gov't sites for guidance.

MJ

On 02/03/2018 at 9:39 PM, saakura said:

I can understand elderly retirees being conned, but a 49 year old?? There is much more to this story, most probably a thai gf whom he has trusted with his phone & ATM pin. All sorts of documents have to be personally signed for opening internet baking account.  Even then, transfers absolutely cannot be done without access to OTP (One Time Pin) sent to your registered phone. And it will also send a message to your mobile when transfer is effected. Anyway, lucky he got away with losing just 100k. 

Saakura - So if you are elderly that means there is a greater chance of being scammed? - news flash - age has nothing to do with getting scammed. When you get a bit older you might understand being scammed. As the account only had 100,000 deposited that was all they could get - oh wait - older folks cannot read and understand as well as the younger folks.

My Ukraine experience.

It would be interesting to know which airline he was travelling on and if it was a direct flight or via a hub?

I  was told I could get a visa on arrival by KLM - I flew to Ukraine via Schiphol and was denied entry to the Ukraine. I challenged KLM and in the end they said that it is at the discretion of the immigration officer at any point of entry regardless what the IATA rules state. the IATA rules indicated a visa on arrival was possible.

KLM put me back on the plane and told me I had to go back to BKK via Schiphol - to which I asked if I needed a visa to the EU (I hold a US passport) and was told 'No' - I had them check my bag back to Schiphol and deplaned and went to the Hague to get a proper visa - sorted no problem.

I then flew back to the Ukraine on another airline - never KLM again if I have my say - and entered with no problems.

MJ

13 hours ago, just plain different said:

Thanks.

I've read that as well, and I think it was the first thing I read.

My question was whether the American consulate in Chiang Mai (or the Embassy in Bangkok, but I'm closer to CM) would provide income affidavits to people just over 50. Just because the Thai government considers 50 retirement age doesn't necessarily mean the US consulate or embassy does.

And then my questions were about logistics.

 

Note that you can e-mail questions to the Consulate - yes they do answer e-mails questions - at least for me:

U.S. Consulate Chiang Mai
387 Witchayanond Road
Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Phone: +66-53-107-777
Fax: +66-53-234-472
Email: [email protected]

Why did you pick Thailand?

As noted - tell no one what kind of work you do - not even the place you will be living.

A Thai Elite visa - as noted covers all bases - that said - it is lot of $$ unless $$ are of no issue for you. A 5 year TE visa x2 - 1 million Baht sure will buy a lot of plane tickets and rent a lot of condo/house/apartments.

You are also aware that Thailand is very restrictive about property ownership??

MJ

ATM - local cost of 220 baht plus ATM fee from my US bank ($5) plus 3% foreign exchange fee from Visa/Master Card - previously it was 1%.

To move 30,000 baht (KrungSri ATM) from my US BofA account to Thailand costs about 1,280 Baht (about $40).

Using a wire transfer of any amount sent in USD to my Thai account will cost $45. I believe the maximum receiving fee is 500 baht. I let the local bank do the exchange in Thailand as the Thai banks always - so far - have given a better rate than the US banks.

MJ

On 11/5/2017 at 12:45 PM, fellig said:

Thanks JingThing and sqwakvfr. 

 

sqwakvfr, glad to hear it went smoothly in your experience. 

 

1. Did you have a letter from the bank as specified on the L.A. consulate site, or just a bank statement?
2.  Where do you get police background check?

 

I did find the requirements at the consulate:
http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

I got a letter from Bank of America. I told them what the letter was being used for and they provided a letter showing current and average account balance. I forget over what period of time. I also went to the local cop shop - in my case Fountain Valley - and asked for a letter and told them what it was for - paid my $$ and came back the next day to pick it up. I then bundled up all the doc's and sent them to the Honorary Thai Consulate in Houston. I did not use the LA Consulate.