American citizen who lived in Thailand for 9 years on an extended visa. After a 3 year absence what do I need to return?

[pisico]

Your advice will be most appreciated.

American citizen who lived in Thailand for 9 years on an extended visa that I renewed yearly in Changwathana. In 2017 I returned to the US to have a shoulder operated on. Complications forced me to have 3 more surgeries and finally a total shoulder replacement. During that time Covid happened.

Now, after physical therapy I am fully recovered.

I am 81 years of age, retired and in good overall health. I have health insurance that covers evac from anywhere in the world. I have the possessions I accumulated during those 9 years in a storage owned by a good Thai friend. I would like to return to Thailand to resume the thread of my life there. I have a savings account in my name in a Thai bank. My passport is still valid and shows the stamps for every yearly extension.

 

Should I go back on a tourist visa and then apply for a yearly extension as before?

1- Is the US embassy still issuing the retirement statements for this purpose?

2- How much Thai currency should I have deposited in that account?

3- Should I have a certificate of vaccination from the US?

What additional requirements have been added during these 3 years?

TIA to everyone in Thai Visa.

[DrJack54]

You can enter with tourist visa or even visa exempt or obtain non O retirement visa in USA. 

You have a Thai bank account so personally I would enter visa exempt then transfer 800k baht into your Thai bank. Those funds would need to be in your Thai bank on the day you apply for non O at immigration in Thailand.

That visa would be valid for 90 days. You then obtain a 12 month extension. The money would need to in bank for 2 months prior to extension and kept there for 3 months post application for extension then not less than 400k and top back up to 800k two months prior to your next extension

Edited May 12, 2021 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, pisico said:

My passport is still valid and shows the stamps for every yearly extension.

Your previous history in the Thailand is not required or considered. 

Just added note. Depending on how many years your current pp is valid for, you might be advised to renew prior to coming back to Thailand. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

42 minutes ago, pisico said:

1- Is the US embassy still issuing the retirement statements for this purpose?

2- How much Thai currency should I have deposited in that account?

3- Should I have a certificate of vaccination from the US?

1. The US embassy along with others stopped doing a income affidavit at the end of 2018. Now you need to prove your income by way of monthly transfers of 65k baht into a Thai bank account from abroad. Some offices will accept 2 or 3 months of transfers for a new extension application instead of 12 months of transfers.

2. Your best option may be to transfer 800k baht into a Thai bank. 

If you enter visa exempt or on a tourist visa visa you could apply for a 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration. At that time you would need 800k baht in the bank on the day you apply. The latest list of requirements for the visa application does not show the 65k baht of transfers on it and only shows proof from a embassy that you can no longer get.

When you apply for the one year extension you will need to show 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

3. I suggest you have proof you have been vaccinated. If they reinstate it you would only need 7 days of quarantine after entering the country instead of 10 or 14 days.

 

[Tanoshi]

45 minutes ago, pisico said:

Should I go back on a tourist visa and then apply for a yearly extension as before?

You have 3/4 options to return.

a). Enter either Visa exempt or Tourist Visa, then apply for a Non Imm O, followed by a 1 year extension based on retirement.

b) Enter on a Non Imm O Visa (now obtainable in the US), then directly apply for the 1 year extension.

c). Enter on a Non Imm O-A Visa, but this now requires a mandatory Thai approved Health Insurance policy.

(There are Pros and Cons to each of the above methods, which need further explanation).

 

52 minutes ago, pisico said:

1- Is the US embassy still issuing the retirement statements for this purpose?

No.

 

53 minutes ago, pisico said:

2- How much Thai currency should I have deposited in that account?

The financial requirement is 800K THB deposited in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the application of the 1 year extension. The 800K must remain in the bank for 3 months after the extension is granted.

You can then withdraw half but must maintain a balance of no less than 400K for the following 7 month, before topping up to 800K prior to the next extension application.

You could alternatively transfer a minimum of 65K THB per month from overseas to a Thai bank account, or use a combination of funds in a Thai bank + monthly overseas transfers totalling at least 800K for the year.

(The Non Imm 0-A is an exception to the above financial requirement)

 

1 hour ago, pisico said:

3- Should I have a certificate of vaccination from the US?

Irrelevant at this time, unless they reduce the quarantine period in lieu of receiving vaccinations.

 

 

[glegolo]

Some things to worry about besides your VISA-situation which UbonJoe takes care of..

 

a - Storage in the name of a "thai-friend"... Have you checked up that your possessions are still there, and not sold further to third party???  There are many among the falangs that "think" they have thai-friends.... A thai have only family members as friends not non-relatives nor strangers.....

 

b - Have you touched your bankacount during these years of absence??  If not, that thai bank-account in that thiabank in your name, is in that case gone since long. It need to be touched at least once a year, I have noticed of own experience...

 

Good luck

 

glegolo

[pisico]

As usual, you are the reliable source of advice for this and other Thai Visa topics.

I am grateful for your kind and prompt reply to my plight. ????

 

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, pisico said:

American citizen who lived in Thailand for 9 years on an extended visa that I renewed yearly in Changwathana.

A misconception. You cannot extend a Visa.

You extend your permission of stay each year from the period of stay granted at entry, which is a permit, not a Visa.

[Olmate]

4 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

A misconception. You cannot extend a Visa.

You extend your permission of stay each year from the period of stay granted at entry, which is a permit, not a Visa.

Nicely spotted????

[drtreelove]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

1. The US embassy along with others stopped doing a income affidavit at the end of 2018. Now you need to prove your income by way of monthly transfers of 65k baht into a Thai bank account from abroad. Some offices will accept 2 or 3 months of transfers for a new extension application instead of 12 months of transfers.

2. Your best option may be to transfer 800k baht into a Thai bank. 

If you enter visa exempt or on a tourist visa visa you could apply for a 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration. At that time you would need 800k baht in the bank on the day you apply. The latest list of requirements for the visa application does not show the 65k baht of transfers on it and only shows proof from a embassy that you can no longer get.

When you apply for the one year extension you will need to show 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

3. I suggest you have proof you have been vaccinated. If they reinstate it you would only need 7 days of quarantine after entering the country instead of 10 or 14 days.

 

I'm confused.  I thought that the 7 and 10 days quarantine was nixed and we are back to 14 days for all. 

 

I'm in the same boat, in California and away from Thai home and wife for two years with hip replacement surgeries.  I just booked an airline flight for July and applied for e-visa.  The LA consulate website indicates that there is no current option for 7 or 10 day ASQ.  Or has this changed in the last couple of days? 

 

BTW UbonJoe, thanks for years of dedicated service on this forum and clear, intelligent information.  

[Tanoshi]

8 minutes ago, glegolo said:

Some things to worry about besides your VISA-situation which UbonJoe takes care of..

 

a - Storage in the name of a "thai-friend"... Have you checked up that your possessions are still there, and not sold further to third party???  There are many among the falangs that "think" they have thai-friends.... A thai have only family members as friends not non-relatives nor strangers.....

Absolute nonsense.

Individuals are either trustworthy or not regardless of their nationality.

 

9 minutes ago, glegolo said:

b - Have you touched your bankacount during these years of absence??  If not, that thai bank-account in that thiabank in your name, is in that case gone since long. It need to be touched at least once a year, I have noticed of own experience...

Provided you keep sufficient funds in the account to pay the annual charges, the bank will not close the account. You can also advise them your account will be inactive due to being abroad for a period of time.

[Tanoshi]

3 minutes ago, drtreelove said:

I'm confused.  I thought that the 7 and 10 days quarantine was nixed and we are back to 14 days for all. 

Correct, but that's not to say in the future the quarantine periods may be reduced to 7/10 days again, dependant on proof of vaccination or not.

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, drtreelove said:

I'm confused.  I thought that the 7 and 10 days quarantine was nixed and we are back to 14 days for all. 

I wrote this. Note I wrote if they reinstate it.

 

39 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

3. I suggest you have proof you have been vaccinated. If they reinstate it you would only need 7 days of quarantine after entering the country instead of 10 or 14 days.

 

[glegolo]

33 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Absolute nonsense.

Individuals are either trustworthy or not regardless of their nationality.

 

Provided you keep sufficient funds in the account to pay the annual charges, the bank will not close the account. You can also advise them your account will be inactive due to being abroad for a period of time.

You have a lot of opinions that you claim to be the absolut true... I call that nonsense... I are given one written warning if inactive at your bankaccount and then it is being cancelled.

 

What regards the words about thai people. I suggest that you get some experience in stead of doing the Mahatma Gandhi style here

 

glegolo

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

You have 3/4 options to return.

a). Enter either Visa exempt or Tourist Visa, then apply for a Non Imm O, followed by a 1 year extension based on retirement.

b) Enter on a Non Imm O Visa (now obtainable in the US), then directly apply for the 1 year extension.

c). Enter on a Non Imm O-A Visa, but this now requires a mandatory Thai approved Health Insurance policy.

(There are Pros and Cons to each of the above methods, which need further explanation).

 

No.

 

The financial requirement is 800K THB deposited in a Thai bank for 2 months prior to the application of the 1 year extension. The 800K must remain in the bank for 3 months after the extension is granted.

You can then withdraw half but must maintain a balance of no less than 400K for the following 7 month, before topping up to 800K prior to the next extension application.

You could alternatively transfer a minimum of 65K THB per month from overseas to a Thai bank account, or use a combination of funds in a Thai bank + monthly overseas transfers totalling at least 800K for the year.

(The Non Imm 0-A is an exception to the above financial requirement)

 

Irrelevant at this time, unless they reduce the quarantine period in lieu of receiving vaccinations.

 

 

 

None of the Thai companies approved for insurance under O-A visa will issue a policy past age 75.  While he might - with difficulty -be able to get the Foreign Insurance Certificate signed by his foreign insurer (IF his policy meets in in and outpatient cover requirement, sounds like it might not), that would suffice only for the initial visa issuance and not be accepted for in-country extensions.

 

Therefore I do nto think O-A is a feasible option for him.

 

The Thai Embassy in US is also requiring 400/40 Thai insurance for a non-O visa for retirees. So this too not a option.

 

Unless he is married to or parent of  a Thai, he needs to come in either in a TR or visa exempt then change to a non-O in country and then extend.

[rwill]

6 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Absolute nonsense.

Individuals are either trustworthy or not regardless of their nationality.

 

Provided you keep sufficient funds in the account to pay the annual charges, the bank will not close the account. You can also advise them your account will be inactive due to being abroad for a period of time.

5 hours ago, glegolo said:

You have a lot of opinions that you claim to be the absolut true... I call that nonsense... I are given one written warning if inactive at your bankaccount and then it is being cancelled.

 

What regards the words about thai people. I suggest that you get some experience in stead of doing the Mahatma Gandhi style here

 

glegolo

I agree more with Tanoshi.

 

1)  I have Thai relatives I would never trust with my stuff.  I have some

Thai friends that are not relatives I would absolutely trust.

 

2)  A Thai bank will start taking 50 baht/month from an account that has been inactive for a year if it holds less than 2,000 baht.  They will do that until the balance is zero.  I had an account that I decided not to use and took it as close to zero as I could at an ATM.  About 2 years later I decided to see if I could use it again.  I went to the bank and asked.  They just let me deposit some money back into it and was good to go again.  It never actually was cancelled and was much easier than opening a new account again.

[Tanoshi]

5 hours ago, glegolo said:

You have a lot of opinions that you claim to be the absolut true... I call that nonsense... I are given one written warning if inactive at your bankaccount and then it is being cancelled.

I once received a notice of non activity on one of my accounts.

It was a 12 month Fixed term account.

It is not a pre warning to close the account, call them as I did and you'll find out.

 

5 hours ago, glegolo said:

What regards the words about thai people. I suggest that you get some experience in stead of doing the Mahatma Gandhi style here

Why, did he have Thai friends he couldn't trust.

[Kalasin Jo]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. The US embassy along with others stopped doing a income affidavit at the end of 2018. Now you need to prove your income by way of monthly transfers of 65k baht into a Thai bank account from abroad. Some offices will accept 2 or 3 months of transfers for a new extension application instead of 12 months of transfers.

2. Your best option may be to transfer 800k baht into a Thai bank. 

If you enter visa exempt or on a tourist visa visa you could apply for a 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration. At that time you would need 800k baht in the bank on the day you apply. The latest list of requirements for the visa application does not show the 65k baht of transfers on it and only shows proof from a embassy that you can no longer get.

When you apply for the one year extension you will need to show 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

3. I suggest you have proof you have been vaccinated. If they reinstate it you would only need 7 days of quarantine after entering the country instead of 10 or 14 days.

 

Ubon Joe: thanks a helpful reminder. Just checking : I'm married to a Thai and we have a home in her village near Kalasin, so my local IO is there.  If I enter visa exempt, can I then apply for a non O based on marriage with 400k baht in the bank on day of application?  If so where does that have to be done.? If not what's best for me?

 

I know a retirement extension and 800k is the most straightforward but I'd rather put 400k than 800k baht in the Thai bank really

 

Thanks!

 

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Ubon Joe: thanks a helpful reminder. Just checking : I'm married to a Thai and we have a home in her village near Kalasin, so my local IO is there.  If I enter visa exempt, can I then apply for a non O based on marriage with 400k baht in the bank on day of application?  If so where does that have to be done.? If not what's best for me?

You can apply for the the non-o visa at Kalasin immigration. The 400k baht will only need to be in the bank on the day you apply for the visa.

Requirements are here. https://bangkokimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/06-edit_NON-O.pdf

[Mywayboy]

1 hour ago, Tanoshi said:

I once received a notice of non activity on one of my accounts.

It was a 12 month Fixed term account.

It is not a pre warning to close the account, call them as I did and you'll find out.

 

Why, did he have Thai friends he couldn't trust.

Don't think this guy would trust his own Shadow.

[Kalasin Jo]

45 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for the the non-o visa at Kalasin immigration. The 400k baht will only need to be in the bank on the day you apply for the visa.

Requirements are here. https://bangkokimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/06-edit_NON-O.pdf

Many thanks for your prompt reply and the link.

In the link I'm surprised by 6.1.3 and 6.3. We would need to get a copy of the letter certifying my pre marriage status from the office in Bangkok where we married as I can't find the original now. We married in May 2014. Then take it to the British Embassy for certification and also ask them for a certified  letter confirming I am my wife's family member ( if the BE even issues these; what would they need to do this I wonder? I'll have to check their website)...then take both documents to MoFA for legalisation. I can foresee a load of bureaucratic hassle!

 

Now thinking it might be simplest to put 800k in the bank then apply in Kalasin for a 90 day retirement non O and subsequently a 12 month permission to stay! Not that I want to tie up that amount in Thailand.

Perhaps you have a link for those requirements?

 

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Kalasin Jo said:

In the link I'm surprised by 6.1.3 and 6.3. We would need to get a copy of the letter certifying my pre marriage status from the office in Bangkok where we married as I can't find the original now.

They normally will not ask for that unless you are newlyweds. You could show a updated Kor Ror 2 to help get around it.

If it was really needed you could contact the Amphoe where you registered your marriage to get a copy of it from their files.

[Bradmeister]

Dear Pisico,

 

It would behoove you to visit one of the 4 Thai Embassies in the United States.

 

New York, Washington DC, Chicago or Los Angeles. 

 

Along with the information you have been empowered with from our forum members: Do yourself a favor and do your own liaising with The Thai embassy.

 

Then you can compare and contrast your odds of a successful, and uneventful return to The Kingdom. 

 

Check the State Departments website as well, as All carriers that have to comply with US DOT before you embark on your first flight leg. Would not hurt to contact carrier directly, as well. 

 

Happy Hunting 

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, Bradmeister said:

It would behoove you to visit one of the 4 Thai Embassies in the United States.

There is only one Thai embassy in the US and it is in Washington DC. The others are official consulates located in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The all have a designated area of the US they provide service for.

A map for their areas is at the bottom of this page on the Embassy website.

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/07/23/faq-for-non-thais-wishing-to-enter-thailand-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

[Tanoshi]

3 hours ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Many thanks for your prompt reply and the link.

In the link I'm surprised by 6.1.3 and 6.3. We would need to get a copy of the letter certifying my pre marriage status from the office in Bangkok where we married as I can't find the original now. We married in May 2014. Then take it to the British Embassy for certification and also ask them for a certified  letter confirming I am my wife's family member ( if the BE even issues these; what would they need to do this I wonder? I'll have to check their website)...then take both documents to MoFA for legalisation. I can foresee a load of bureaucratic hassle!

If you have your Thai marriage certificate, why not apply for the Non Imm O Visa to return to Thailand.

No Health Insurance requirement.

You can then apply directly for the 1 year extension based on marriage.

[Tee00]

I have 11 consecutive 65000B going into a thai bank(scb) chaengwattana told me to come back in June too apply for O & A visa making it 12 months.where is this immigration office that will except 3 months consecutive payments in a thai bank account 

[Tee00]

11 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. The US embassy along with others stopped doing a income affidavit at the end of 2018. Now you need to prove your income by way of monthly transfers of 65k baht into a Thai bank account from abroad. Some offices will accept 2 or 3 months of transfers for a new extension application instead of 12 months of transfers.

2. Your best option may be to transfer 800k baht into a Thai bank. 

If you enter visa exempt or on a tourist visa visa you could apply for a 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration. At that time you would need 800k baht in the bank on the day you apply. The latest list of requirements for the visa application does not show the 65k baht of transfers on it and only shows proof from a embassy that you can no longer get.

When you apply for the one year extension you will need to show 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

3. I suggest you have proof you have been vaccinated. If they reinstate it you would only need 7 days of quarantine after entering the country instead of 10 or 14 days.

 

Where is this office that accepts 3 month transfers.

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, Tee00 said:

I have 11 consecutive 65000B going into a thai bank(scb) chaengwattana told me to come back in June too apply for O & A visa making it 12 months.where is this immigration office that will except 3 months consecutive payments in a thai bank account 

If you are already on an extension of stay the 3 month rule would not apply to you.

You must have 12 months of transfers.

 

10 hours ago, Tee00 said:

Where is this office that accepts 3 month transfers.

 

[Kalasin Jo]

18 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

If you have your Thai marriage certificate, why not apply for the Non Imm O Visa to return to Thailand.

No Health Insurance requirement.

You can then apply directly for the 1 year extension based on marriage.

Thanks Tanoshi, yes I am  considering that as an option. Use money in my bank account here (France) then once obtained transfer it and any more needed to Thailand before I head back.