LivinLOS

Asking for a family member who (rapidly) needs an international bank account at a Thai address. He has Thai utility bills, Thai license, etc to prove things address for KYC but doesnt want a domestic Thai account as he will need to move a chunk of foreign currency. I am aware some Brit expats had UK banks (or building societies) and have kept them even after formally moving to Thailand. I just dont know which UK high street current accounts (not offshore channel islands etc) support that. Asking at Lloyds they said no, overseas tax residency and they will close the account.

Theres a caravan dealer on facebook, theres a guy in CM who sells pickup bed backs like Americans often utilize.. There were some cheap buses sold off recently which would have made superb traveler / hippy busses, if I had more time space I considered one as a plaything. All that said, Thailands climate is not great for them, the infrastructure isnt readily there so it needs to be a wild traveler type setup, and rooms can be found so cheaply that they dont have the same comparative upsides as expensive hotel countries. I like this style of travel, I have done multiple N Africa overlanders, brother had a converted merc 7.5 tonner as a Portugal / Morocco surf hunter for years.. I grey up on and off the road lifestyle as a child in a bunch of things from converted horse transport, military a postal van, a 4x4 one for Sahara, etc. Even enjoying them I wouldnt be too serious about one in asia. I actually know of a nicely restored one for sale in CM at a fair value..

You could push it back with a 60 day family extension as said above (but that would then mean applying in the dec jan holiday period) or you could simply leave the country without a re-entry, lose the current extension totally, restart the app either returning with a single entry applied outside Thailand or going visa exempt -> non imm O -> Extension of stay. I did similar a few years back as my extension was at an award time for me, however work travel prevented it being renewed and I am back to an annoying schedule (I actually have to extend on my birthday !! And no matter when I go an apply the return for under consideration end is always my birthday !!).. These annual annoyances are why I hope to get an OX once I am 50, just ignore them for 5 years at a time.

OK to add closure to this topic and to answer for any future applications. London does not need onward travel for the first entry of a Multi Entry TR, at least in this application they issued the ME TR with a 6 month return air ticket.

OK amazed that this doesnt have an easy clear answer. Surely its established ? When applying for a ME tourist visa, do I need an onward ticket for the first entry, or only for the full duration ? Will apply this morning with a 6 month, if its rejected I have time to re-apply with a throwaway ticket.

OK to go to the non imm initially, I understand. Well I believe one of the care facilities we are considering have a way of handling the process so the 6 month ME buys us time to see how it all works with the various care options, get banks, get a living option decided, or even if my mother can tolerate Thailand (we tried and failed 15 years ago) etc etc.. Either way.. What I am asking is when applying for a ME tourist visa, (in the UK if it makes a difference) can the onward ticket be 6 months or does she need an onward ticket in 60 / 90 days for the first entry? Thats what I need to know at this stage.

Yeah thats of course what I will do if they dont accept a 6 month ticket. Surely someone knows this, it seems a simple question. London simply unreachable by phone (2 hours plus on hold last time I gave up).

That my mother is elderly, frail and in poor physical and mental health, unsure she will be able to remain in Thailand, and needs a test period as we search for care options. We also simply can not cope with the level of pressure that a 45 day entry generates. I wanted a ME non imm but she wont meet the financials London ask and its too late for me to provide it. I understood the 800k needed seasoning for retirement extension also ?? Back to the question.. Applying for a ME tourist visa with a 6 month air ticket ??

Yes we want the multi.. Yes I also intend to move her to a non imm O once I get her a bank account and season some money.. This will be a 6 month bridge to enable that with all the usual hassles of +30 visa run etc.. Shes elderly so these things are non trivial. I have a ticket Oct 4th to April 4th booked for her. I just dont know if they will issue a 6 month ME TR visa without an onward travel outbound ticket at 60 or 90 days. Logic says they should, on a 6 month TR visa, but logic isnt always the outcome.

Looking for a travel policy for a UK resident to come all winter. Female, 70 years old, must include flight insurance against (her) cancellation.

Trying to solve visa for my mum ASAP. London now demands more for the non imm O than I can provide (money in her bank for prior 3 months) and health insurance etc for the O not only the OA. Even the Tourist visa demanding 200k in her bank for 6 months prior or pension income (unspecified amount), I think I have this covered with her documents and added a sponsor letter and healthy bank statement with it all. Only question now is, can I book a 6 month return (or even a one way flight ?) ? given the entry is 60 plus 30 ? Any guidance for what London demands in the way of outbound ticketing for a multi entry tourist visa ?

Damn !! Would have been ideal.. I thought there was something in the first application for extension which needed longer ?? Either way, it seems very tight to achieve with arrival to bank to deposit to seasoning to applying prior to expiry, possible yes, but extremely hard. I am in UK now trying to assess and solve her uk issues. Changing tack, what do residential care homes for senile people do about this ??

I am on a non imm O annual extension of stay issued on the basis of married to a Thai national. Just done in June and issued after 30 days under review in July so good for another 10 months. Can my mother piggy back on my extension ?? With no money shown ?? That would be superb. I assume I am miss understanding you. I was sure the money had to be in the account for 2 months prior and 3 months prior for the first extension of stay. Also I believed that the funds had to remain in there in full for some period (3 months) and 400k remain untouched all year but am hazy on this as I am not yet eligible for retirement option. Chiang Mai ?? Any idea or feedback ??

Backstory is I am considering bringing my elderly and infirm mother from the UK to Thailand. I would rather not do the OA route, it would be hard to organize and the ongoing insurance drawbacks so trying to stay with basic non imm O. I believe multiple non imm Os are hard to obtain in the UK now (unsure as all the consulates seem to have closed, input welcome) and suspect that I will be obtaining a non imm O 90 day single entry for her. Given she will arrive without any bank account, and in her medical state traipsing around to obtain an account sounds like a nightmare but one I will have to solve. So assuming we obtain a bank account in the first few weeks I still don't see how she obtains an extension. The preferred way would be 65k a month, but she will only be here < 3 months at extension time so how do they view this ?? Can you use this route from a single entry, it seems impossible ? The fall back option is I provide her the 800k for the extension but again, doesn't the first retirement need 3 months seasoning ?? And then I dont have access to 'my' funds for how many months ? and must leave 400k all year ?? The lack of access is an annoyance, but the seasoning looks like another closed option ?? How do the care facilities handle this with people with who have dementia and a lack of ability to process things ?? I am of course aware that agents 'solve' this, its an option but I prefer to go by the book if its not too punitive.