First Non-OA extension - Pattaya

[TimBKK]

I will soon apply for a Non-OA extension at the Pattaya immigration office in Jomtien.  This will be my first extension and I have a few questions:

 

I would like to do the monthly 65K option - is this an option?  I ask because I stopped by a visa agent to inquire about their prices and the agent insisted that the monthly option was not possible and that only the 800k option would work.  I presume the agent is wrong?

 

My OA visa expire in mid-December - by that time I will have made three (3) 65K deposits, Oct-Dec.  Is this sufficient?  All will be coded FTT.

 

Presuming the income method is acceptable, does Pattaya immigration (generally) ask for proof of the source of these funds?  For example, should I bring investment statements of letter from my home country bank?

 

Is there a list somewhere of all the docs I need to put together to process the Non-OA extension at Pattaya immigration?  If someone has a home copy, mind sharing by PM?

 

Thanks in advance.

[EVENKEEL]

Health Insurance.

[ubonjoe]

31 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

My OA visa expire in mid-December - by that time I will have made three (3) 65K deposits, Oct-Dec.  Is this sufficient?  All will be coded FTT.

Since you have been in the country on a permit to stay from OA visa for long period of time the will probably not accept them. They will want 12 months of transfers equal to or greater than 65k baht.

I assume you are from a country whose embassy does not issue proof of your income for the extension of stay application.

You will need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

You will need the 40/400 baht medical insurance valid for 12 months from a Thai insurance company that is listed here.

https://longstay.tgia.org/companiesoa  They will not accept insurance for a foreign insurance company.

 

 

 

 

[bikestorm]

for your information: As I need to sign a new "local" health insurance for my first extension of stay I contacted LMG a few days ago.

They stopped signing new contracts based on the "old(recent?)" requirements and only sign new contracts with the "new(September 2022?)" requirements. Now they offer three different plans with different deductibles: 300,000 and 500,000 and 1,000,000. For the cheapest plan under the old situation I would have had to pay 6,000 Baht per year but due to the new situation I will have to pay 14,500 Baht per year (with 1 Million dedutible) at the age of 58 years for the cheapest plan now. That plan is a real never use insurance for me ... just for the extension of stay as some sort of fee. PS.: Of course I make sure that I will be coverd by another insurance (worldwide). I have attached the document from LMG for your information.

Brochure -Long Stay VISA 100K USD.pdf NEW.pdf

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, TimBKK said:

My OA visa expire in mid-December

Assuming this is the permitted to stay date.

Then you are quite late with getting your stuff in order.

Am afraid you have to check with your agent what is doable at what price.

 

[KhunBENQ]

5 minutes ago, bikestorm said:

They stopped signing new contracts based on the "old(recent?)" requirements and only sign new contracts with the "new(September 2022?)" requirements.

Wow, that's bad expensive news.

For me the final kick to overcome my lazyness next year and do marriage extension.

As much as I hate the paperwork and under consideration nonsense.

[KhunBENQ]

30 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You will need 800k baht in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day you apply.

So much too late even for that.

@TimBKK what is your nationality?

 

[TimBKK]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

So much too late even for that.

@TimBKK what is your nationality?

 

Yes, looks like the agent route    at this point - I might leave and come back visa exempt, apply for a 90 day O based on retirement and then extend from there.  I was hoping to avoid keeping 800k in the bank though as I think the opportunity cost lost on this amount is a wash with the agent fee, at a minimum, and so much easier.  My nationality is USA.

[KhunBENQ]

5 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

My nationality is USA.

So the last resort is gone (income statement based on your home country funds).

[chilly07]

As you have left it so late you will have to use an agent. Unfortunately you have to plan a year ahead no matter which financial route you wish to follow. The family extension is no more onerous than retirement but does require a financial plan for the whole year

[Jingthing]

17 hours ago, TimBKK said:

Yes, looks like the agent route    at this point - I might leave and come back visa exempt, apply for a 90 day O based on retirement and then extend from there.  I was hoping to avoid keeping 800k in the bank though as I think the opportunity cost lost on this amount is a wash with the agent fee, at a minimum, and so much easier.  My nationality is USA.

Yeah you could start over that way or you could just pay for an agent to work his magic. Personally I wouldn't like either choice but you created this problem by not asking questions much earlier. 

[TimBKK]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah you could start over that way or you could just pay for an agent to work his magic. Personally I wouldn't like either choice but you created this problem by not asking questions much earlier. 

Live and learn - I was under the mistaken impression that because this is my first extension of the OA that 2-3 monthly deposits of 65k would suffice.  
 

If anyone has an agent recommendation I would be happy yo hear by PM.  Have used Cambodia Inter Tour & Travel on Buakhaow for a few minor things and they seem reasonable…

[EVENKEEL]

39 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

Live and learn - I was under the mistaken impression that because this is my first extension of the OA that 2-3 monthly deposits of 65k would suffice.  
 

If anyone has an agent recommendation I would be happy yo hear by PM.  Have used Cambodia Inter Tour & Travel on Buakhaow for a few minor things and they seem reasonable…

Hit up some eating places in Patts and make conversation. The agents can sell a throw away health ins policy for 3K bht.

[ubonjoe]

53 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

Live and learn - I was under the mistaken impression that because this is my first extension of the OA that 2-3 monthly deposits of 65k would suffice.  

The way the amendment to immigration order 138/2557 is does state 2 months is enough but the wording allows them to deny it if you have already been here for while.

 

 

[stat]

I would like to bring up another option. How about to apply for a "new" OA Visa in your home country. No need for a throw away health insurance and seasoning of money in LOS. If you have 2 passports (even from same country) it could be done "remote" with you being in Thailand. When the time comes, you fly to Singapore and re-enter Thailand with the other passport and a brand new OA Visa. I have done the same with tourist visas some years ago, actually came back the same day. They were issued in Germany while I was in TH. Passport was then mailed to me by a friend. Worked like a charm. However I am not sure if this still works today, because technically you are supposed to still live in your home country. Today I guess the immigration official could see that you have been in TH before with an OA Visa when you re-enter Thailand. Anyone tried this in the last 2 years? Thanks!

 

PS: Are the agents a grey area or are they perfectly legal?

Edited December 3, 2021 by stat

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, stat said:

I would like to bring up another option. How about to apply for a "new" OA Visa in your home country. No need for a throw away health insurance and seasoning of money in LOS.

A OA visa requires a year of $100,000 of health insurance to apply for it now. It also requires a medical certificate, police clearance, proof of the funds in bank is sill required as well.

[stat]

15 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A OA visa requires a year of $100,000 of health insurance to apply for it now. It also requires a medical certificate, police clearance, proof of the funds in bank is sill required as well.

Thanks for your post! I get your point but in my case the OA is a better solution if I mange to get one before I plan to go to Thailand.

 

Hailing from Europe, all our health insurnances are usually unlimited or limited to 2 Millions € etc so for the europeans no difference if 100.000 is asked or 50.000, but this may change according to your home country. I rather have my funds at home then in a Thai Bank o this is the plus for me. I am still missing some docs for my OA application.

Just to get an idea I can have health insurace for 1 year for 480€ per year that is unlimited as long as one is below 65. This is a great company and an insurance I can make clainms and get paid. To my understanding for the thai based insurace that is required in some visa in TH I pay and I am insured up to 400.000 Baht which I deem coming close to not having an health insurance at all. I need insurance for catastrophic events that cost several million Baht.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, stat said:

Thanks for your post! I get your point but in my case the OA is a better solution if I mange to get one before I plan to go to Thailand.

Getting non Thai insurance works for the OA visa application and for entry to the country.

But later if you want to apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration you would have to have insurance from a Thai insurer.

[Boomer6969]

On 12/1/2021 at 7:54 PM, KhunBENQ said:

Wow, that's bad expensive news.

For me the final kick to overcome my lazyness next year and do marriage extension.

As much as I hate the paperwork and under consideration nonsense.

Unfortunately this will work only if you stay in Thailand, as everyone will have to show an insurance when coming back. I am on OA with marriage extension and have unlimited  health cover, but I might just cough up the 27/37 K to keep things simple and stupid.  

 

Unfortunately it seems we are all frogs in water that will soon reach its boiling temperature: 400/40 two years ago, 3500/60 now...

[TimBKK]

Minus the costs that I otherwise would have paid if I self-processed the OA extension (6000b for insurance; 6000b [roughly] for money transfers) the final agent total comes in under 5000b.  I think this is a fair price and is probably even a bit less now that I am able to invest the funds that would otherwise sit in a Thai bank account.

 

 

[OJAS]

On 12/2/2021 at 5:46 PM, EVENKEEL said:

Hit up some eating places in Patts and make conversation. The agents can sell a throw away health ins policy for 3K bht.

But said agents would, of course, also need somehow to make the magical figure 800,000 appear under the Balance column in his Thai bank passbook over a period of at least 2 months!

[stat]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Getting non Thai insurance works for the OA visa application and for entry to the country.

But later if you want to apply for a one year extension of stay at immigration you would have to have insurance from a Thai insurer.

Thanks for the clarification! So my understanding is correct that I should go with OA visas back to back instead of the yearly extensions if I want a cheap and much better insurance then the thai insurance. However I am not sure how long I am going to stay anyway. Thanks again Joe!

[stat]

2 hours ago, TimBKK said:

Minus the costs that I otherwise would have paid if I self-processed the OA extension (6000b for insurance; 6000b [roughly] for money transfers) the final agent total comes in under 5000b.  I think this is a fair price and is probably even a bit less now that I am able to invest the funds that would otherwise sit in a Thai bank account.

 

 

I agree 5000 Baht is cheaper then having to season 800K Baht . But are the visas "provided" legal or do I run a risk that a change of wind deems me a criminal for having obtained a visa without having fullfilled the requirements? Thanks!

[TimBKK]

1 hour ago, stat said:

I agree 5000 Baht is cheaper then having to season 800K Baht . But are the visas "provided" legal or do I run a risk that a change of wind deems me a criminal for having obtained a visa without having fullfilled the requirements? Thanks!

I suppose there is a risk but I have neither the knowledge or experience to quantify it.