Getting a 60-day Tourist Visa from Malaysia on heels of expired retirement visa

[Isaanman]

My Non O-A (retirement) visa extension expires at the end of April '19. There is no way for me to meet any of the income verification requirements before this time; so, I have decided to return to the US and request the same visa from the Thai consulate in D.C again via an 800K USD equivalent deposit in my bank there, etc. Hopefully, all the messy details of monthly income verification acceptable to Thai immigration will be ironed out in the 2 years I will get from this new O-A visa. 

 

My family and I are hoping to get a 60-day tourist visa from Malaysia that will enable us to be here for a wedding in early June before returning to the US. I have a number of questions related to this: 

 

1)  From current experience, where would it be better apply for this tourist visa: Penang, Kota Bharu, or KL?

2)  The checklist for this visa at the KL consulate indicates that I can obtain this visa and get back in the country, even if I drive there in my Thailand registered car. Can anyone confirm this by recent experience? 

3)  Exactly how much money do I need for myself, farang wife, and 2 kids? Must it be in cash? Or in a bank account? US or Thai? Must I show them my present passbook, in case of the latter? 

4)  Which Thai-Malaysian border is presently preferable?

5)  Is it absolutely necessary to have ongoing plane tickets out of Thailand for each member of my family?  

 

Regarding #5: If I had departure tickets from Thailand for the month following the 60-day tourist visa (July)--on the premise that my family would get a 30-day extension, do you think this would this suffice for IOs at the border to allow us to enter for the first 60-day period?

 

Thanks ???? 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2019 by Isaanman
typos

[DrJack54]

You have 800k in USA, why not transfer 800k to Thai bank and use "money in Thai bank" method. Or use agent for funds. Seems your plan involves lot of extra steps if financials is only reason.

[Isaanman]

We were going back to the States for 4-5 months in the Fall anyway. I will have to work some to make up the deficiency in funds. I simply do not have that kind of money lying around. ????

 

I also just remembered that my wife has an over-stay stamp in her US passport, due to our local IO not accepting our US notarized marriage certificate (the same one accepted by the Thai embassy in the US) needed for her to get on to my O-A visa, forcing me to travel to the US embassy in BKK to get all the proper paper work. 

 

Will this over-stay stamp affect her getting either a 60-day SETV or a 30-day visa on arrival? 

[DrJack54]

4 hours ago, Isaanman said:

We were going back to the States for 4-5 months in the Fall anyway. I will have to work some to make up the deficiency in funds. I simply do not have that kind of money lying around. ????

 

I also just remembered that my wife has an over-stay stamp in her US passport, due to our local IO not accepting our US notarized marriage certificate (the same one accepted by the Thai embassy in the US) needed for her to get on to my O-A visa, forcing me to travel to the US embassy in BKK to get all the proper paper work. 

 

Will this over-stay stamp affect her getting either a 60-day SETV or a 30-day visa on arrival? 

I'm bumping  this thread, because you have received zero replies from legit specific questions. Hopefully ubonjoe or another expert will be along soon. In mean time...the overstay (IMO) means very little. They are very common. Few hours since I read you op. So to clarify .. Your wife, kids etc are Thai? 

I refer back to my first post.. Even though you plan to spend few, 5?, months in usa ,  is your plan the best idea. I guess it depends on your visa options. Again hard to advise until you give exact details about your ball and chain and  billy lids

Edited January 21, 2019 by DrJack54
Error

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, Isaanman said:

1)  From current experience, where would it be better apply for this tourist visa: Penang, Kota Bharu, or KL?

2)  The checklist for this visa at the KL consulate indicates that I can obtain this visa and get back in the country, even if I drive there in my Thailand registered car. Can anyone confirm this by recent experience? 

3)  Exactly how much money do I need for myself, farang wife, and 2 kids? Must it be in cash? Or in a bank account? US or Thai? Must I show them my present passbook, in case of the latter? 

4)  Which Thai-Malaysian border is presently preferable?

5)  Is it absolutely necessary to have ongoing plane tickets out of Thailand for each member of my family?  

1. The all have about the same requirements. 

2. Yes since it states that it can be done. Just be prepared to show what they require to prove you are driving back to here.

3. The checklist does no mention financial proof for a single entry tourist visa. If they did want proof it would be the equivalent of 40k baht for a family doing the application in any bank.

4. Pedang Besar is the better than Sadao.

5. Not if you can prove you are driving back to here.

You wife's overstay will not be a problem.

[Isaanman]

On 1/21/2019 at 6:21 PM, DrJack54 said:

I'm bumping  this thread, because you have received zero replies from legit specific questions. Hopefully ubonjoe or another expert will be along soon. In mean time...the overstay (IMO) means very little. They are very common. Few hours since I read you op. So to clarify .. Your wife, kids etc are Thai? 

I refer back to my first post.. Even though you plan to spend few, 5?, months in usa ,  is your plan the best idea. I guess it depends on your visa options. Again hard to advise until you give exact details about your ball and chain and  billy lids

Wife and kids are all farang (US).

 

To clarify the issue about the money, I am talking about any money I might need to show IO officers at the border upon re-entry. I have read in other threads here (without any consistent answers) that actual cash money might be required. Would such need to be cash? Or, can a bank statement suffice? I will already have the later to request the visa in Malaysia.  

 

As to the best visa plan, I simply do not have the stable monthly amount of income to ensure ฿65,000 coming in every month before my deadline for the extension. Over the course of a year it averages out to be a little more than ฿800k (unless the $ plummets again!). Especially with the present uncertainty, missing even one month seems to disqualify one for the extension. ???? I cannot risk it right now. It is far more easy for me to return to the US as planned and help a friend with a building project for 8-10 weeks in order to have sufficient funds to park ฿800k in the bank long enough to request an O-A visa there, giving me 2 more years to work out this monthly income thing. 

 

Thanks, UbonJoe, for the requested info. Hats off to you, bro! ????

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Isaanman said:

To clarify the issue about the money, I am talking about any money I might need to show IO officers at the border upon re-entry. I have read in other threads here (without any consistent answers) that actual cash money might be required. Would such need to be cash? Or, can a bank statement suffice? I will already have the later to request the visa in Malaysia.  

At a border crossing the would want to it in cash. For a family it would be the equivalent of 40k baht.