Any Path To a Long Term Visa Without Money in The Bank?

[AAArdvark]

I am a former holder of an O-A but I left Thailand about 1 1/2 years ago.  Assuming a time when travelers are allowed in, is there any path to getting a long term, like years, visa that does not require large sums of money in the bank and rely only on income?  I have ample income but not enough in the bank.  I would be ok with a few extensions before the long term visa.

[DrJack54]

Obtain a non O retirement followed by annual extensions using income method.

Min 65k coming from overseas each month. Which country are you from? 

As for long term visa. There is PE. Expensive. Stick with annual extensions. 

Non O-X also skip that.

Edited September 24, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

Entering the country is allowed now but there several requirements to do it. 

You can use the 65k baht option to apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement.

If from a country whose embassy still issue a proof of income document you can use that to prove you income. If not then you will need to show at least 2 months of transfers from abroad into a Thai bank from abroad.

Best to enter with a single entry non-o visa based upon retirement if needing to prove your income by transfers into a Thai bank.

If using proof of 65k baht income from your embassy you can apply for a non-o visa at immigration if you enter with a tourist visa or visa exempt.

[natway09]

"Vast amounts of money in the bank ???????

Please !!!!!!

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, natway09 said:

"Vast amounts of money in the bank ???????

Please !!!!!!

He wrote large amount not vast.

He also wrote he had enough income. Why should he have to put 800k baht in the bank.

[fredscats]

Agent

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, fredscats said:

Agent

Yes, but he has the monthly income so no need for an agent

[fredscats]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yes, but he has the monthly income so no need for an agent

he would need to wait 12 months from now to prove that

[EVENKEEL]

2 minutes ago, fredscats said:

he would need to wait 12 months from now to prove that

Exactly, an agent will run about 26,000 if you enter visa exempt and have a bank account, it will give you the NON O for 15 mos.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, fredscats said:

he would need to wait 12 months from now to prove that

It possible to do it with only 2 months of income since he has been out of the country for a while.

If he is from a country whose embassy still does proof of income he would not need to show it going into a Thai bank.

 

[fredscats]

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

Exactly, an agent will run about 26,000 if you enter visa exempt and have a bank account, it will give you the NON O for 15 mos.

That is one expensive agent   I have been quotes 9 and a half

[ubonjoe]

Just now, EVENKEEL said:

Exactly, an agent will run about 26,000 if you enter visa exempt and have a bank account, it will give you the NON O for 15 mos.

A non-o visa only allows a 90 day permit to stay. Then a one year extension of stay(it is not a visa) can be applied for.

[EVENKEEL]

Just now, fredscats said:

That is one expensive agent   I have been quotes 9 and a half

Not entering the way I stated, without adequate funds.

[EVENKEEL]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

A non-o visa only allows a 90 day permit to stay. Then a one year extension of stay(it is not a visa) can be applied for.

Yes my bad, a 90 day visa plus an extension. 15 mos for 26,000.

[scubascuba3]

17 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Yes my bad, a 90 day visa plus an extension. 15 mos for 26,000.

Expensive, 21,000 is about right plus re-entries

[AAArdvark]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Entering the country is allowed now but there several requirements to do it. 

You can use the 65k baht option to apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement.

If from a country whose embassy still issue a proof of income document you can use that to prove you income. If not then you will need to show at least 2 months of transfers from abroad into a Thai bank from abroad.

Best to enter with a single entry non-o visa based upon retirement if needing to prove your income by transfers into a Thai bank.

If using proof of 65k baht income from your embassy you can apply for a non-o visa at immigration if you enter with a tourist visa or visa exempt.

I am from the US so embassy income proof is out of the question. I have, I think, an active BB account, verifying now, so I could make deposits ahead of time? The single entry non-O based on retirement would be done at a Thai Embassy, correct?

I currently live in the Philippines. 

[EVENKEEL]

30 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Expensive, 21,000 is about right plus re-entries

I've only had one quote. But yeah you're probably right.

[ubonjoe]

36 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

The single entry non-O based on retirement would be done at a Thai Embassy, correct?

I currently live in the Philippines. 

Yes it would be done at a Thai embassy.

A non-o visa is shown on page 17 of this PDF file on the embassy website. 

https://thaiembassymnl.ph/images/stories/2021/CONSULAR/ThaiVisaRequirementListasof27Jan2021.pdf

Note it mentions medical insurance that should only need to be valid for the 90 day entry.

It mentions showing proof of 65k baht income. Not sure what you would need unless they accepted some proof of your income.

I found the file on this page of their website. https://thaiembassymnl.ph/index.php/en/?option=com_content&view=article&id=118

[Tony125]

2 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I am from the US so embassy income proof is out of the question. I have, I think, an active BB account, verifying now, so I could make deposits ahead of time? The single entry non-O based on retirement would be done at a Thai Embassy, correct?

I currently live in the Philippines. 

No one mentioned  this but you need to be over 50 to apply for the non-o retirement extension. Just a question but what went wrong  with the Phillipppines that you now want to return to live in Thailand?  If you are ex-US Military you can get a lifelong visa in Phillippines for a depost of $1,500 in P  bank and $1,400 application fee.

 

[malthebluff]

From experience I used the monthly income but for my 3nd year as I remember that i had to show the full 12 month bank statements and I didnt have them at the time. Things could have changed as many years ago. So I used a agency for the 1st nd 2nd years didnt need to show anything not even insurance. I think I paid about 10.000 baht and had no problem with 90 day reports. Wish I had carried on with them so easy and no paperwork or going to immigration 

[NoshowJones]

14 hours ago, fredscats said:

That is one expensive agent   I have been quotes 9 and a half

My agent charged me about 31.000 Bt fbecause I had to start again from the beginning again

 

14 hours ago, fredscats said:

That is one expensive agent   I have been quotes 9 and a half

15 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Exactly, an agent will run about 26,000 if you enter visa exempt and have a bank account, it will give you the NON O for 15 mos.

 

About 4 years ago I arrived from the UK on visa exempt and had to start my retirement exts from the beginning again (long story) my agent charged me about 31,000 Bt, I don't think it was for 15 months though.

[EVENKEEL]

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

My agent charged me about 31.000 Bt fbecause I had to start again from the beginning again

 

About 4 years ago I arrived from the UK on visa exempt and had to start my retirement exts from the beginning again (long story) my agent charged me about 31,000 Bt, I don't think it was for 15 months though.

Yeah, that's what I posted on price being 26,000 tbh from the start with visa exempt. Some a little more and I'm sure some less. you find someone with a long track record then go with it Vs. trying to get the cheapest. Of course it's best to have cheapest and best in one package.

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

Yeah, that's what I posted on price being 26,000 tbh from the start with visa exempt. Some a little more and I'm sure some less. you find someone with a long track record then go with it Vs. trying to get the cheapest. Of course it's best to have cheapest and best in one package.

I was already with this agent and his annual fees for the retirement exts is/was about 17.000Bt, then he charged me 31.000Bt just because I didn't have my re entry permit which was in my old passport.

I had gotten a new one when I was in the UK.

[AAArdvark]

18 hours ago, Tony125 said:

No one mentioned  this but you need to be over 50 to apply for the non-o retirement extension. Just a question but what went wrong  with the Phillipppines that you now want to return to live in Thailand?  If you are ex-US Military you can get a lifelong visa in Phillippines for a depost of $1,500 in P  bank and $1,400 application fee.

 

I have a Philippine SRRV visa.  The country is just totally messed up.  There is next to zero law and order. People are begging all over the place.  In the bigger cities there are slums that are unbelievable.  Internet is hit and miss.  Very difficult to go between provinces, it can be done with some local places being easy but most being a nightmare.  Corruption is much worse than in LOS.  They have a mismatch of rules that change frequently without notice.  We still must were face masks everywhere and face shields in all public places.  Although it doesn't apply to me, COVID vaccinations are way behind. Where I live, Angeles City, people are dyeing do to to lack of hospital beds for non-COVID cases.

But the number one positive thing remains, almost everyone speaks some English with quite a few being very good at it.

[scubascuba3]

6 hours ago, possum1931 said:

I was already with this agent and his annual fees for the retirement exts is/was about 17.000Bt, then he charged me 31.000Bt just because I didn't have my re entry permit which was in my old passport.

I had gotten a new one when I was in the UK.

Your agent is ripping you off, it's worthwhile getting alternate quotes for the next extension. The ones charging more claim they are doing more, yes it's true they are ripping you off

[NoshowJones]

16 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Your agent is ripping you off, it's worthwhile getting alternate quotes for the next extension. The ones charging more claim they are doing more, yes it's true they are ripping you off

I left that agent when I renewed my exts and yes he ripped me off, also, when I arrived at the airport from the UK, the IO made a genuine mistake with the date in my passport, I told the agent about it, he said he would fix it for me but it would cost me 1000Bt, I told him I was passing through Swampy on my way back to Bangkok, so I could fix it myself, he said that if I did I could have "problems" his exact words, so I gave him the 1000Bt.

I cannot name him due to the defamation rule, but he is probably about the most well known agent in Pattaya.