I'm struggling to sort this out.

[Dexlowe]

I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of the information on here, and I hope someone can help me to sort it out.

 

I have a NZ passport and plan on spending 5 months in Thailand this year. Thinking an METV would suffice, I went ahead and bought my ticket, but in my haste I did not read the rules for an METV properly. It seems I need $9,000NZ in a bank account for 6 months, which I don't have on paper. I have several thousand dollars in two bank accounts in Thailand, plus several thousand dollars in NZ accounts. Plus I have Thai medical coverage (social security from when I worked in Thailand - it's paid up and valid), and my daughter has her own house (where I'm staying).

 

So, do I apply for the standard tourist visa? With an extension and a couple of border runs, will this suffice for the 5 months?

 

Or is a standard tourist visa exemption enough (with extensions and border runs)?

 

Much appreciate some clarity on this. My thanks in advance to anyone who can put this into a nutshell for me. Sorry, but my head is bloody hurting from the information overload.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Dexlowe said:

So, do I apply for the standard tourist visa? With an extension and a couple of border runs, will this suffice for the 5 months?

Seems best, a single border run and an extension should just cover it. You are only permitted two Visa Exempt entries at the land border in any calendar year.

[ubonjoe]

Best to get a single entry tourist visa that would give you a total stay of 90 days after the getting the 30 day extension of the 60 day entry from it..

After that you could do a border hop for a 30 day visa exempt entry that can be extended for 30 days.

[murraynz]

it says $9,000 on papers that you have to fill in from nz, but i dont think NOT  having that amount, will cause you a problem.

best to do as Ubonjoe advises--he is the reliable expert.

[Dexlowe]

Very much appreciated guys. Thanks -- that gives me some focus and I can get this show on the road. Cheers.