10 Year Visa PLUS no 90 day reporting.

[nectar]

Letter in today's Bangkok Post claims that Immigration are introducing a new 10 year visa with no 90 day reporting. Bit early for April Fools, isn't it?

[ubonjoe]

A 10 year visa for retirement was mentioned and separately a amendment to the immigration act to eliminate 90 day reporting by the head of immigration was being considered.

[elviajero]

Unless they change the law even a "10 year visa holder" will have to make 90 day reports.

 

Hopefully 90 day reporting will get stopped for all in the not to distant future.

[NCC1701A]

5 hours ago, nectar said:

Letter in today's Bangkok Post

are you sure it was today and what do you mean by a letter?

[Lovethailandelite]

Highly likely there will be another long term visa option. Like those before it though, you can bet your last Dollar that it isn't going to be as simple as paying 19,000 baht (The cost of 10 extensions) there will be a cost in someway of either investing, a big payment or the visa someway being tied in too your property etc. IMO, once again, it will be out of reach to most expats.
Interesting though none the less to see if and what they come up with.
Another long term visa option can at the end of the day, can only be a good thing however it is applied.

[scubascuba3]

If it isn't a good deal then it will just flop as per usual

[Pattaya46]

24 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Highly likely there will be another long term visa option. //

Why? They already have a 1+1 years (O-A) and a 5+5 years (O-X),

so I not really see the point of another 10 (or 5+5?) years visa... 

[Lovethailandelite]

5 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Why? They already have a 1+1 years (O-A) and a 5+5 years (O-X),

so I not really see the point of another 10 (or 5+5?) years visa... 

Because they have already made mention to it. Along with doing away with 90 day reporting at some stage.
''Proposed changes include abolishing 90-day reports and introducing 10-year visas for foreign retirees, Surachate said. A data link between the immigration and Thailand’s consular affairs around the world was recently established. Experts will also be consulted to see what restricted professions should be open to foreigners''.


http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2019/01/16/superstar-cop-big-joke-on-his-rise-and-plans-for-expats-visas/

Edited January 26, 2019 by Lovethailandelite

[Pib]

5 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Why? They already have a 1+1 years (O-A) and a 5+5 years (O-X),

so I not really see the point of another 10 (or 5+5?) years visa... 

They may just offer an "Extension of Stay" version of the 10 year O-X "Visa."  That is, a 10 year Extension of Stay could be gotten "within Thailand" whereas the 10 year O-X "Visa" must be obtained in your home country. 

 

And the income and medical insurance requirements for the "Extension of Stay" version might be basically the same as the "Visa" version....that is, Bt3M in a Thai bank account with medical insurance.  But where the O-X Visa requires medical insurance from a Thai insurance company your home country medical insurance you might already have if also providing coverage in Thailand could substitute for the Thai medical insurance.   

 

I could really see a 10 year Extension of Stay version being offered since a 10 year O-X Visa version is already available.   Time will tell.

 

 

[KiChakayan]

46 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Why? They already have a 1+1 years (O-A) and a 5+5 years (O-X),

so I not really see the point of another 10 (or 5+5?) years visa... 

Well, the O-X needs only a bit of fine tuning regarding the health insurance. They should offer some flexibility, such as accepting existing overseas coverage and cater for situations where people have preexisting conditions, or are just too old. In Malaysia this is well understood, and covered in the requirements. On the financial side the 3 million baht is quite reasonable, and matches the Malaysian requirement of 350000 MR. I don't believe this figure to be unreasonable for people who want to make a 10 years commitment. We should bear in mind that 10 years would be a shift in paradigm from glorified tourist to near permanent resident.

Regarding the 90 days report, anyone with a modern brain would see that there are much less cumbersome and expensive ways to track the whereabouts of foreigners, or even citizens...

[Pib]

According to the Thai Embassy Washington D.C. website a person could actually convert to a O-X 10 year Visa from within Thailand...see partial quote below.

Quote

– Foreigners who enter Thailand with other type of Visa/Visa Exemption may contact the Immigration Bureau and apply for Non-O-X visa.

 

Also, even once you get a 10 year O-X Visa, or should we say a 5 + 5 Visa, each year you must go to immigration to prove you are still complying with the financial and medical coverage requirements.....see partial quote below.

Quote

– Foreigners must report, in person, to the immigration officer every 1 year for the examination of the qualifications and supporting documents.

 

Go to this link to see full info on the O-X visa and "be sure" to read the "Useful Info" notes at the bottom of the webpage as that the O-X Visa fine print...some devil in the details.

 

Thai Embassy - Washington D.C.

https://thaiembdc.org/non-immigrant-visa-category-o-x-long-stay/

[sfokevin]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

They may just offer an "Extension of Stay" version of the 10 year O-X "Visa."  That is, a 10 year Extension of Stay could be gotten "within Thailand" whereas the 10 year O-X "Visa" must be obtained in your home country. 

I have not seen any reports of anyone actually wanting/applying for the 10 Year O-x Visa so I doubt people will line up to plop down 3 million baht for a extension based on the same rules... 

[MRToMRT]

Its just a post bag opinion/wish by some expat. rather than anything from the Thai Gov

 

 

Edited January 29, 2019 by theoldgit
Link removed as per Forum Rules, the Bangkok Post don't allow links to their website on this forum.

[Pib]

28 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

I have not seen any reports of anyone actually wanting/applying for the 10 Year O-x Visa so I doubt people will line up to plop down 3 million baht for a extension based on the same rules... 

 

Me neither. 

 

However, after the first year the Bt3M on deposit can be lowered to Bt1.5M for years 2 thru 10.  And if they allowed a person's home country medical insurance (assuming it provides coverage in Thailand also) to substitute for the Thai company medical insurance which currently is not the case, then I think you would see a fair amount of people taking advantage of a 10 year Visa/Extension of Stay. 

 

Many folks already use the Bt800K in the bank option (like me) for their annual O-A Extension of Stay renewal...going to Bt1.5M to meet the O-X Visa income requirement would be doable......and some have home country medical coverage that includes coverage while in Thailand (like me with my US military retiree Tricare medical coverage which is worldwide coverage). 

 

In my opinion it's the current "Thai medical insurance coverage" requirement that makes the O-X Visa option unattractive/out of reach for the great majority...just a non-starter for the majority especially if over 65 when Thai medical insurance usually starts costing A LOT and may not be renewable after around age 65-70 or getting sick.

 

From Thai Embassy Washington DC webpage

• Quote

  – Applicant must have a bank deposit of no less than 3 million bahts in Thailand or a bank deposit of no less than 1.8 million bahts and annual income of no less than 1.2 million bahts. Such amount must be maintained in bank deposit in full for at least one year, and keep at no less than 1.5 million bahts thereafter.

   

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Pib

[Snow Leopard]

1 Million US$ of dead money for 12 months and then 500K US$ of dead money for 9 years. What a joke. 

 

1 Million US$ invested correctly should long term make you +7% = 70K US$ per year. Not touching your capital. 

 

You can live in many places better than Thailand on 70K US$ per year. 

[arithai12]

10 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

1 Million US$ of dead money for 12 months and then 500K US$ of dead money for 9 years. What a joke. 

 

1 Million US$ invested correctly should long term make you +7% = 70K US$ per year. Not touching your capital. 

 

You can live in many places better than Thailand on 70K US$ per year. 

1 USD = 3 Baht... wow I read the Baht was getting stronger but I had no idea!

[farangx]

18 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

1 Million US$ of dead money for 12 months and then 500K US$ of dead money for 9 years. What a joke.

What type of visa is this with USD1,000,000 for 12 months and USD500,000 for 9 years?

 

18 minutes ago, Snow Leopard said:

You can live in many places better than Thailand on 70K US$ per year. 

Why live elsewhere at USD70,000 a year when you can do that for less than USD25,000 a year in Thailand?

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by farangx

[arithai12]

26 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

Many folks already use the Bt800K in the bank option (like me) for their annual O-A Extension of Stay renewal...going to Bt1.5M to meet the O-X Visa income requirement would be doable......and some have home country medical coverage that includes coverage while in Thailand (like me with my US military retiree Tricare medical coverage which is worldwide coverage). 

ok I have 800k THB in the bank, I do retirement extensions every year. I have intl medical coverage from abroad. Suppose they ok'd this coverage. Why exactly would I want to put 1.5M THB in a deposit with 1.5% interest for 9 years? To save a few hours/year of extension renewal? Time is money ok, but as a retiree my 2 hours are rather cheaper than that.

[Pib]

ok I have 800k THB in the bank, I do retirement extensions every year. I have intl medical coverage from abroad. Suppose they ok'd this coverage. Why exactly would I want to put 1.5M THB in a deposit with 1.5% interest for 9 years? To save a few hours/year of extension renewal? Time is money ok, but as a retiree my 2 hours are rather cheaper than that.

You wouldn't if financial gain was your primarily concern.

[farangx]

3 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

ok I have 800k THB in the bank, I do retirement extensions every year. I have intl medical coverage from abroad. Suppose they ok'd this coverage. Why exactly would I want to put 1.5M THB in a deposit with 1.5% interest for 9 years? To save a few hours/year of extension renewal? Time is money ok, but as a retiree my 2 hours are rather cheaper than that.

The O-X is a long term visa, whereas the retirement based on extensions is not a visa but a short term stay of 1 year.

 

[arithai12]

2 minutes ago, farangx said:

The O-X is a long term visa, whereas the retirement based on extensions is not a visa but a short term stay of 1 year.

 

This I know. So?

Does it allow you to work? No.

Does it have a different policy regarding 90 days reports? No.

Even the cost of the visa is not economical over the yearly extensions.

All I can see is that in one case I have to spend a few hours getting a letter from the bank, a few photocopies, and getting a stamp at immigration once per year*.

In the other case I do the same once every 5 years.

Am I missing something really worthy the extra sleeping money?

 

*fact: a few days ago I was at my bank 10:30am, and out of immigration by 14:50 same day with extension and re-entry done.

[arithai12]

11 minutes ago, Pib said:

14 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

ok I have 800k THB in the bank, I do retirement extensions every year. I have intl medical coverage from abroad. Suppose they ok'd this coverage. Why exactly would I want to put 1.5M THB in a deposit with 1.5% interest for 9 years? To save a few hours/year of extension renewal? Time is money ok, but as a retiree my 2 hours are rather cheaper than that.

You wouldn't if financial gain was your primarily concern.

I admit it is.

I fail to see what would be your gain instead, but by all means I wish you success.

[yogavnture]

I have a ten year visa to india.  as an American.  all they have to do is make you leave every so often for a certain time period. it would work

[farangx]

21 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

This I know. So?

Does it allow you to work? No.

Does it have a different policy regarding 90 days reports? No.

Even the cost of the visa is not economical over the yearly extensions.

All I can see is that in one case I have to spend a few hours getting a letter from the bank, a few photocopies, and getting a stamp at immigration once per year*.

In the other case I do the same once every 5 years.

Am I missing something really worthy the extra sleeping money?

 

*fact: a few days ago I was at my bank 10:30am, and out of immigration by 14:50 same day with extension and re-entry done.

So?  Does it look like they need the money if they get their O-X visa? No. Do they need to work? No.  Do they need to devote a few hours of their lives to assembling all these paperwork for yearly extensions? No. 

 

[lamyai3]

19 minutes ago, yogavnture said:

I have a ten year visa to india.  as an American.  all they have to do is make you leave every so often for a certain time period. it would work

I had a five year one back in the 90s. Didn't even need to leave periodically back then. Resident papers cost next to nothing and got you local prices on domestic flights etc. The official who did mine made a mistake and only wrote one year on the paper, when I pointed it out he pulled a razor blade out of the drawer and scratched it off and inked in the five year date instead ????

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, sfokevin said:

I have not seen any reports of anyone actually wanting/applying for the 10 Year O-x Visa so I doubt people will line up to plop down 3 million baht for a extension based on the same rules... 

I remember the same kind of comments when the Elite Visa appeared...

and there are now thousands of people using it. 

[onera1961]

4 hours ago, elviajero said:

Unless they change the law even a "10 year visa holder" will have to make 90 day reports.

For smart visa holders, no 90-day reporting is required. 

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, Snow Leopard said:

You can live in many places better than Thailand on 70K US$ per year. 

70K USD one can live any place in the world, I guess. I lived in Zurich with 5K USD/month. And Zurich is one of the most expensive place on earth. 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, farangx said:

The O-X is a long term visa, whereas the retirement based on extensions is not a visa but a short term stay of 1 year.

But you still have to show up and re-qualify every year anyway - so not much is gained. 

 

32 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

I remember the same kind of comments when the Elite Visa appeared...

and there are now thousands of people using it. 

How many thousands, at last count?

 

Priced properly (30K or so paid-annually) it could have had many times the customers and total revenue for the program (ideally used for schools and/or hospitals) - plus all the extra spending into the economy from those additional people. 

 

But even as-is, it would be more appealing to many than the O-X, as it gets officialdom's fingers out of your life for a set-period. 

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

cater for situations where people have preexisting conditions, or are just too old. In Malaysia this is well understood, and covered in the requirements.

It seems odd they let people in who could cost them a lot of money in health-treatment.  I could understand a special type of insurance that would be just enough to "get them home alive" if needed - though even that would not be cheap, if only the very old and w/ pre-existing conditions persons were in the pool.

 

I suppose the goal of their insurance-requirement is to use it as a sort of subsidy for the insurance market?  And, with enough capital required for the visa, even those who cannot get insurance can see their capital used to cover hospital expenses - so boosting that market as well?