Does the 800k Baht for extension based on retirement have to come from outside Thailand.

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

The check for funds-origin is done when doing a "conversion" from a Tourist-type visa to a Non-Imm Visa in-country. 

Get your initial Non-O at a Consulate before applying for the extension-of-stay, and this is not an issue.

If you can't get an initial Non-O in your home-country, and don't want to go to a nearby consulate for one, then you are stuck with doing a "Conversion," which requires proving the origin of the funds (among other headaches).

Which is consulate is hassle free for Non-O and what documents do they need for Non-O?

[JackThompson]

46 minutes ago, XTREME said:

I plan on doing the conversion to the Non -O in Thailand shortly  after I arrive. How much does immigration need to see and how would I show proof of it coming from abroad if I don't have a bank account in Thailand yet.  I didn't realize there were financial requirements for the Non O

A "Conversion" to a Non-Imm Non-O in-country has the same financial requirements as the extension-of-stay which you are using to justify the conversion - 800K in the bank or 65K/mo income for Retirement & 400K in the bank or 40K/mo for marriage to a Thai.  You also need to show the funds came from abroad. 

After the Conversion, which includes a 90-day permitted-stay, there is a separate process for the "Extension of Stay" which follows.

 

22 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Which is consulate is hassle free for Non-O and what documents do they need for Non-O?

 

Savanakhet, Laos is a good choice for both Marriage and Retirement Non-O Visas. 

 

For the Retirement option, you will need to show financial proof, an income-letter from your Embassy (even if using the money in the bank method - just need to show some income), plus a bank-statement/book (with some funds, even if using the income method). 

Referenced this post for the Savanakhet info:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/985047-non-immigrant-o-visa-single-entry/?do=findComment&comment=11927219

 

For the Marriage option you won't need any financial proof.

[merijn]

3 hours ago, XTREME said:

I plan on doing the conversion to the Non -O in Thailand shortly  after I arrive. How much does immigration need to see and how would I show proof of it coming from abroad if I don't have a bank account in Thailand yet.  I didn't realize there were financial requirements for the Non O

You will have to show the 800K in a Thai bank account in your name.

The origin of the money does not mater.

No seasoning is required for the Non-O visa application.

Normal bank papers (statement and certificate) are required from the bank.

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, merijn said:

The origin of the money does not mater.

Not correct. Proof the funds came from abroad or that it was legally earned here is required for the non immigrant visa application at immigratrion.

See: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

[Tanoshi]

If you entered on a Visa exempt or Tourist Visa and need to do a conversion at Immigration to a Non Imm O as a prelude to an extension of stay, then you must show proof the funds came from abroad. (Bank transfer).

 

If you entered on a Non Imm O and just applying for the extension then there is no requirement to prove the funds came from abroad.

[XTREME]

8 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

If you entered on a Visa exempt or Tourist Visa and need to do a conversion at Immigration to a Non Imm O as a prelude to an extension of stay, then you must show proof the funds came from abroad. (Bank transfer).

 

If you entered on a Non Imm O and just applying for the extension then there is no requirement to prove the funds came from abroad.

So I am thinking that the best way to do this would be fly to Thailand first. Open a bank account and fly back to the states and wire the 800k baht to the Thai account. Reason being as I understand I must have 21 days left on my 30 day on arrival to get the 90 day Non O in Bangkok and I don't know how long it will take to get a Thai bank account and get the money transferred in as little as 9 days.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, XTREME said:

So I am thinking that the best way to do this would be fly to Thailand first. Open a bank account and fly back to the states and wire the 800k baht to the Thai account. Reason being as I understand I must have 21 days left on my 30 day on arrival to get the 90 day Non O in Bangkok and I don't know how long it will take to get a Thai bank account and get the money transferred in as little as 9 days.

It is 15 days not 21 days (changed a few years ago).

With a visa exempt entry you can extend the 30 day entry for 30 days and then do the application before the 30 day extension ends. As I wrote earlier it would be best to get a single entry tourist visa that allows a a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 days. Another factor is that it will be easier to open the bank account with a tourist visa entry.

Once you open the bank it account it should not take more than 3 days to get the funds transferred in unless you have problems with getting the transfer done by your bank in the states. The best bank to open an account at is Bangkok Bank since you can do a ACH (domestic) transfer to their branch in New York directly to your account here.

[ThaiFelix]

21 hours ago, JackThompson said:

The check for funds-origin is done when doing a "conversion" from a Tourist-type visa to a Non-Imm Visa in-country. 

Get your initial Non-O at a Consulate before applying for the extension-of-stay, and this is not an issue.

If you can't get an initial Non-O in your home-country, and don't want to go to a nearby consulate for one, then you are stuck with doing a "Conversion," which requires proving the origin of the funds (among other headaches).

It was different in my case??  I had a Non-Im B and work permit but when I finished working here I got a tourist visa In Laos and then had it converted in Bangkok to a Non-O.  My 400,000 came from savings accumulated while working here.  I was never questioned re its origin.

[lopburi3]

10 hours ago, XTREME said:

So I am thinking that the best way to do this would be fly to Thailand first. Open a bank account and fly back to the states and wire the 800k baht to the Thai account. Reason being as I understand I must have 21 days left on my 30 day on arrival to get the 90 day Non O in Bangkok and I don't know how long it will take to get a Thai bank account and get the money transferred in as little as 9 days.

You should arrange ability to make wire transfers with your US bank before you leave the USA (they do not need to know overseas transfer account until later) and have the ability to use phone or better internet to make such transfers - you may have to sign an agreement in person to set up such a process.  Then when here and account set up you can make the transfer using SWIFT (or if with Bangkok Bank domestic ACH) or even a third party system.  Should be no need to return to USA.

[onera1961]

Let me summarize the steps  from others' postings.

 

• 1. Reach with a 60-day Tourist visa from USA.
• 2. Go to US embassy in the morning for a US address certificate  (appointment made prior to coming to Thailand) to open a Bangkok Bank account. This will also require a Thai address. Hotel address is not acceptable). So step 1a may require finding an apartment with at least a month's lease if you don't have one.
• 3. Go to Bangkok Bank and open an account on the same day in the afternoon
• 4. Connect your US bank to Bangkok bank and do a test transfer of $1000
• 5. When test transfer is successful, send 800K baht to Bangkok bank
• 6. When money arrives, get papers and update saving book from Bangkok bank and go to immigration the following day
• 7. Apply for visa change to Non-O. If they require money to season for two months, apply for an extension and comeback again for visa change to Non-O when money is seasoned for two months

 

In step 7, if they deny Non-O visa because the money is not seasoned for 2 months, do I still pay the visa change fee?

Edited December 6, 2017 by onera1961

[ajahnlau]

On 12/5/2017 at 9:16 AM, lopburi3 said:

As said proof of foreign transfer will be required if change of entry status required (as it seems is your plan).  For a large transfer see no reason to try and avoid the small cost of normal SWIFT bank to bank transfer fee as that will be a set amount so not a large percentage of 800k.  The money should be sent as USD  (very poor exchange rate if done outside Thailand) and the conversion to baht will take place at the receiving Thai bank (max cost 500 baht).

 

You are aware the financial requirements in Thailand do not apply if you obtain a non-immigrant O-A visa from Thailand Consulate prior to travel here?  Money can stay in US for one (or almost 2 years) before there would be a requirement to show funds here.  Yes there is a police report and medical certificate required but for most people these are minor if they have time for advance planning and there would not be any need for change of status once here as at entry you would get a 1 year stay.

Changed from VOA to non-imm. Did not have to show funds came from abroad.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, ajahnlau said:

Changed from VOA to non-imm. Did not have to show funds came from abroad.

Not sure how you got a VOA. I am sure it was a 30 day visa exempt entry.

How many years ago did you do the visa application?

[Tanoshi]

9 hours ago, onera1961 said:

Let me summarize the steps  from others' postings.

 

• 1. Reach with a 60-day Tourist visa from USA.
• 2. Go to US embassy in the morning for a US address certificate  (appointment made prior to coming to Thailand) to open a Bangkok Bank account. This will also require a Thai address. Hotel address is not acceptable). So step 1a may require finding an apartment with at least a month's lease if you don't have one.
• 3. Go to Bangkok Bank and open an account on the same day in the afternoon
• 4. Connect your US bank to Bangkok bank and do a test transfer of $1000
• 5. When test transfer is successful, send 800K baht to Bangkok bank
• 6. When money arrives, get papers and update saving book from Bangkok bank and go to immigration the following day
• 7. Apply for visa change to Non-O. If they require money to season for two months, apply for an extension and comeback again for visa change to Non-O when money is seasoned for two months

 

In step 7, if they deny Non-O visa because the money is not seasoned for 2 months, do I still pay the visa change fee?

1. Correct

2. You'll need to find a permanent address if your moving to Thailand anyway. A copy of your landlords Tabien Baan and ID card will suffice for your address, no need to visit your Embassy. (You'll need copies of these for use at Immigration in the future)

3. Open a 'Savings' account (not a current account) in the Province you will live, not necessarily Bangkok.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BANGKOKBANK/PERSONALBANKING/SPECIALSERVICES/FOREIGNCUSTOMERS/Pages/Account.aspx

Open the link and click on document requirements to open the account.

4. To transfer funds from US bank to your new Thai account

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUSA/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUSA.aspx 

5. If that's your preference.

6. You'll need a letter and an updated passbook from the bank. Some Immigration offices insist these are dated the same day you apply.

7. You must have at least 15 days left on your permission to stay to apply. If you entered on a TV, this means you have 44 days to find permanent residency, open an account and transfer the funds. You also have the option to apply for a 30 day extension (60 + 30) if you need more time.

[onera1961]

4 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

3. Open a 'Savings' account (not a current account) in the Province you will live, not necessarily Bangkok.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BANGKOKBANK/PERSONALBANKING/SPECIALSERVICES/FOREIGNCUSTOMERS/Pages/Account.aspx

Open the link and click on document requirements to open the account.

Document requirement  foreigner with visa says

• A Letter of Reference issued by: (One of the following)

• Embassy or international organization
• Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via the SWIFT messaging network
• Person acceptable to Bangkok Bank e.g. branch officer, customer, government officer or company executive
• Educational institution located in Thailand and acceptable to the bank
• Company that is acceptable to the bank, confirming the customer is in the process of getting a work permit

The easiest way to get a letter of reference I assume is Embassy. That's why I said Embassy. The form Bangkok Bank has for Embassy certification already has US address and Thailand address. Bangkok bank officer told me that I don't need Thailand apartment lease or any other Thai permanent address verification if I have the letter from US embassy because the letter already has that address.

[Tanoshi]

12 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

The easiest way to get a letter of reference I assume is Embassy.

It's also the costliest method.

You'll still need proof of an address (landlords Tabien Baan and ID card).

 

Verbal references are also acceptable. (Existing customer of BKK)

[JackThompson]

18 hours ago, onera1961 said:

4. Connect your US bank to Bangkok bank and do a test transfer of $1000

The beauty of this system, is you can send money via ACH, and avoid the "wire transfer" fees.  But, the process to set up an ACH transfer often involves your bank in the USA sending "test deposits" of a few pennies each.  Then, you are asked to tell your bank how much these deposits were - thus, verifying you have access to the receiving bank-account. 

 

If you just run a bank-book printout, these tiny amounts, combined with variable exchange-rates, may not be easy to turn back from satang into the 'cents' required for your US-Bank.  The solution I used, was to get the bank to print out my "deposit receipts," which showed the USD-amounts that were deposited.  With that, I could correctly answer the "How much did we send?" question from my US-Bank, and complete "connecting" my US Bank to Bangkok Bank NY to allow ACH transfers.

 

Note that these "deposit receipts" can also be requested for use in verifying the origin of funds in your Thai account.

[uncleeagle]

havent read the whole thread so i am probably repeating stuff others have said but i can confirm that a transferwise payment will not indicate the money has come from abroad and in fact it doesnt. you pay transferwise and they pay to you using their dometic account so it will be a domestic transfer so dont use them for your 800,000 baht transfer.

 

how do i know this...i tested transfer wise yesterday and the money showed up in my thai bank account today.

[Evilbaz]

It's simple to print out transfers received by Transferwise, Bahtsmart et al from your home country account, proving the deposits origin.

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

It's simple to print out transfers received by Transferwise, Bahtsmart et al from your home country account, proving the deposits origin.

Sure but the only thing immigration will accept is a letter from a Thai bank confirming the funds came from abroad.

People that brought in cash and exchanged it to baht have tried showing the exchange receipts and they were refused.

[zombie nights]

cancelled my post.

Edited December 7, 2017 by zombie nights

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, zombie nights said:

Well I have used transferwise for my 800,000 transfer (sent from my sterling account in UK) and it shows up in my Thai bank account as "International Transfer" which will -as far as I know- satisfy immigration for my renewal when I apply in the new year.

If you are already on an extension the proof the funds came from abroad when you apply for another extension.

It is only needed when applying for a non immigrant visa (category O) at immigration.

[merijn]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you are already on an extension the proof the funds came from abroad when you apply for another extension.

It is only needed when applying for a non immigrant visa (category O) at immigration.

Phuket Immigration does not care where the funds are coming from when converting to a Non-O

They are only interested in the balance.

[ajahnlau]

14 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure how you got a VOA. I am sure it was a 30 day visa exempt entry.

How many years ago did you do the visa application?

Last month.

 

[BritTim]

18 hours ago, ajahnlau said:

Changed from VOA to non-imm. Did not have to show funds came from abroad.

I do not think it is possible to do a conversion from a visa on arrival to a non immigrant entry. Are you sure you are not confusing a 15-day visa on arrival (available to some nationalities not eligible for visa exempt entries) with a 30-day visa exempt entry?

[merijn]

13 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I do not think it is possible to do a conversion from a visa on arrival to a non immigrant entry. Are you sure you are not confusing a 15-day visa on arrival (available to some nationalities not eligible for visa exempt entries) with a 30-day visa exempt entry?

Looks like he did the conversion from a visa exemption arrival to a Non-O which is possible of-course.

 

[madisongy]

On 12/4/2017 at 9:16 PM, lopburi3 said:

You are aware the financial requirements in Thailand do not apply if you obtain a non-immigrant O-A visa from Thailand Consulate prior to travel here?  Money can stay in US for one (or almost 2 years) before there would be a requirement to show funds here.  Yes there is a police report and medical certificate required but for most people these are minor if they have time for advance planning and there would not be any need for change of status once here as at entry you would get a 1 year stay.

I am not aware of this.  The majority of this conversation seems to center on the best way to get your money into a Thai bank account.  Is this correct that as long as I apply for the O-A from the Thailand Consulate in Chicago, for example, I can simply provide them with my current US bank statement showing I've got 800,000 baht equivalent in USD?    

 

If I am interpreting this incorrectly, I have had a joint SCB savings account with a Thai national for about 10 years.  Would it be acceptable to make the transfer from my US account to this joint account for the purpose of satisfying the requirement?

 

 

Couple of other questions.....I copied this from the Thailand Consulate Chicago site.....

 

1.  What do they need for "proof of retirement".   Not sure I have a formal letter from my employer.  I'm 61.

2.  "Bank statement" would seem to support the suggestion that it does not have to be a Thai bank.

3.  I have a police report from Oct 2017 and health cert from Jan 2017.   What is the requirement on age of documents?

4.  Finally, what about this notary thing?   What would a notary be notarizing....obviously these things are printed off or mailed to me, and the notary will not witness who signed them.   A friend sent me his documents and he simply wrote "I certify these documents are true and correct" and then signed that and the notary stamped it.   It worked as he got the visa, but seemed a bit silly to me.   Is that actually what they are looking for?

 

Generally speaking, does anyone have an opinion on whether it's better to get the visa in the home country or in Thailand?   

 

Also, FYI.... on the Chicago site, the retirement O-A cost is $200 USD, and it indicates it's multi entry.

 

Thanks in advance for any info.   I'm planning to call Bangkok Bank in NYC to find out if I need to be there to open a USD account, or can i do that over the phone.....I see I cannot open it online.

[KarenBravo]

Yes, the money is supposed to come from outside the country for every extension, though, this is a rule that immigration don't enforce.

[Tanoshi]

Just now, KarenBravo said:

Yes, the money is supposed to come from outside the country for every extension, though, this is a rule that immigration don't enforce.

In the case of applying for a Non Imm O as a prelude to obtaining an extension of stay at a local IO, (know as a conversion) then the funds must be proved to have come from abroad, or from an income within Thailand.

 

If you are applying for an extension from an existing Non Imm O Visa or previous extension, there is no requirement to prove the funds came from abroad.

[lopburi3]

Last first - Bangkok Bank accounts can only be opened in Thailand.  New York does not offer consumer accounts.  It is used for ACH transfers to your account in Thailand (to avoid high foreign transfer fees).

 

Believe Consulate wants your signature on documents verified by Notary Public - in Thailand your signature on document acts a confirmation by itself

 

If nothing else suspect a letter signed by you that you are retired and date of such being notarized would be fine.

 

You would have to ask Consulate about age of documents but suspect they would want newer.

 

Doing in home country provides one year multi entry (one year stay each entry) and extra year stay (needing re-entry permits for travel) if you make a return just before visa expires.  But most people probably extend stay in Thailand directly from conversion or a non immigrant visa entry (many qualify by married but extend for retirement so getting visa is easy).  An up-to-you decision.

 

A joint bank account is not normally accepted for extensions of stay (and when has been only at double the required amount).

Edited January 4, 2018 by lopburi3

[KarenBravo]

1 minute ago, Tanoshi said:

In the case of applying for a Non Imm O as a prelude to obtaining an extension of stay at a local IO, (know as a conversion) then the funds must be proved to have come from abroad, or from an income within Thailand.

 

If you are applying for an extension from an existing Non Imm O Visa or previous extension, there is no requirement to prove the funds came from abroad.

That's right. It's not enforced.

Immigration can see where the money has come from by looking at the code in your bank book.

If you are retired and are not allowed to work, then logically, the money should come from overseas.