LTR Visa is Now available for Long Term Residency

[mrmagyar]

On 8/30/2022 at 12:55 PM, DjChris28 said:

Has anyone working for a private company submitted the company annual report yet for work from Thailand option? My employer is asking if it needs to have a letter by the tax accountant. I can actually find reports you can pay for online of the companies revenue on the internet. I found a company profile report online the last 3 years and the good news is my employer meets the financial requirements. It's just next to impossible to actually prove it was audited or the reports I found on the internet are genuine.

Did you make any headway with this Chris? Perhaps by getting a response from them?

 

It seems that this is going to be the overwhelming hurdle for the 'Work from Thailand' option. Most countries don't have publicly available financials for private companies so the validation of the accounts seems like a very grey area.

[mudcat]

I received my approval letter this morning for my WP visa.  I have submitted documents and await their letter. 

The only thing unusual is that I chose to qualify my medical cover by using my Roth IRA account (> 2x the $100K required in a bank account) in lieu of submitting my Pacific Cross policy when it gets renewed in January. 

 

I had queried staff members about using an IRA and even sent off a description of the account from the web, but I have never received confirmation that it was acceptable.  I dislike all bureaucracies, and tying my Immigration status to my health Insurance is something I want to avoid. 

[Misty]

7 minutes ago, mudcat said:

I received my approval letter this morning for my WP visa.  I have submitted documents and await their letter. 

The only thing unusual is that I chose to qualify my medical cover by using my Roth IRA account (> 2x the $100K required in a bank account) in lieu of submitting my Pacific Cross policy when it gets renewed in January. 

 

I had queried staff members about using an IRA and even sent off a description of the account from the web, but I have never received confirmation that it was acceptable.  I dislike all bureaucracies, and tying my Immigration status to my health Insurance is something I want to avoid. 

Congratulations, Mudcat that's some good news! 

 

After some delay from the IT glitch, we received approvals this morning as well.  I'll have to see what additional documents may be required for the letter. 

 

The item that could cause problems is the medical certificate for the work permit.  I'm outside of Thailand, and have no idea if I can get a medical certificate stating I have no 'tertiary syphilis' or any of the other highly unlikely diseases. 

 

So it would be good if the medical certificate can wait until after I get the LTR e-visa and return to Thailand where such medical certificates are easy to get.

[mudcat]

Assuming it is the same as immigration's four deadly diseases, I had my doctor at Kaiser sign mine, once had to run it through medical records, once he just signed it.

[Pawpal]

4 hours ago, mudcat said:

I received my approval letter this morning for my WP visa.  

Congratulations! I was wondering when you applied/how long it took to receive approval. Thanks!

[stuarty]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:49 AM, Pawpal said:

Congratulations! I was wondering when you applied/how long it took to receive approval. Thanks!

In my case I applied on 1 September and approved today   In early September they required me to upload some further bank statements. That was the only slight complication 

[ThailandRyan]

Finally, got ahold of a live person, my case agent today. The system has been having glitches and issues.  Those e-mails I received which I posted about were never supposed to have come to me as they were internal, but at the same time the system kept changing my VISA type which I applied for.  I was promised today that the IT group has been working on it.

 

I was then sent an e-mail by my case agent and told everything was good and to respond to that e-mail and set up an appointment 3 days or later from todays date.  I returned the e-mail with this Fridays date and a time in the afternoon as when I wanted my Visa sealed into my passport and then to be stamped in.  I was told that I would receive a follow-up e-mail with further instructions.

 

The actual Application has now changed and will not show me the appointment screen which it had in the past.

 

Can any of you who have been approved double check that notification screen that shows approval and see if the scheduling screen is still there for you.  Apparently they have been having many hiccups with the system and are only able to iron it out if we e-mail them the issues we are seeing from our side..

Edited October 4, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[Misty]

38 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Finally, got ahold of a live person, my case agent today. The system has been having glitches and issues.  Those e-mails I received which I posted about were never supposed to have come to me as they were internal, but at the same time the system kept changing my VISA type which I applied for.  I was promised today that the IT group has been working on it.

 

I was then sent an e-mail by my case agent and told everything was good and to respond to that e-mail and set up an appointment 3 days or later from todays date.  I returned the e-mail with this Fridays date and a time in the afternoon as when I wanted my Visa sealed into my passport and then to be stamped in.  I was told that I would receive a follow-up e-mail with further instructions.

 

The actual Application has now changed and will not show me the appointment screen which it had in the past.

 

Can any of you who have been approved double check that notification screen that shows approval and see if the scheduling screen is still there for you.  Apparently they have been having many hiccups with the system and are only able to iron it out if we e-mail them the issues we are seeing from our side..

Thanks very much for the update. Yes, I can still see the notification screen that shows approval and the scheduling screen.  I haven't tried to schedule an appointment as yet.

 

Before moving forward with requesting a BoI letter to use for an LTR e-visa application from my consulate, I'm trying to get information for what other documents would be needed.  The LTR option has disappeared off the Thailand E-visa site, so have asked my consulate for more information.  If the e-visa application becomes too onerous, may consider entering Thailand visa exempt & then visiting the BoI in person to get the visa.

[stuarty]

I received my BoI letter today with approval letter (i.e. no further documents needed to be submitted).  The letter said the approval is valid for 10 years to October 2032. There is no mention in the letter of having to apply  for LTR visa (in my case evisa at London Consulate) within a certain time from receipt of the letter. Does anyone know the position on this?

 

Also there is no mention of my spouse in the approval letter, only me, even although full details for her were provided in my application.  Anyone got the same, and/or know how the wife would make her application for the visa?

[pepper402]

Qualifications Approved

LTR Visa application number LTRWP XXXXX has been approved.

Please upload the remaining documents and update additional information in order to proceed with the visa issuance

UPLOAD ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

 

On the Check Status page it says “Qualification approved”

 

I’m not doing anything until I get my new Passport (hopefully in about 4 weeks).  When I click on the “Upload Documents” page, it takes me to a screen where I can select where I want to have my Visa issued, and at the bottom it allows me to upload additional documents without specifying which documents it wants me to upload (I believe I have already submitted all required documents)

 

I have not received any other letter or communication.  Do I need to first tell them where I want to get my Visa, or did they forget to send me my approval letter?

 

On the Visa issuance page it states that “The Smart Visa processing fee is approx. 10,000 Baht per year for visa permission.  For example, the permitted duration of 6 months and 1 year and 4 months will cost 10,000 Baht and 20,000 Baht respectively and must be paid to the consular officer.:” -- Will some enterprising Embassies try to charge 100,000 Baht for a 10 year visa?

 

https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/pages/visa-issuance.html

[Misty]

2 hours ago, stuarty said:

I received my BoI letter today with approval letter (i.e. no further documents needed to be submitted).  The letter said the approval is valid for 10 years to October 2032. There is no mention in the letter of having to apply  for LTR visa (in my case evisa at London Consulate) within a certain time from receipt of the letter. Does anyone know the position on this?

 

Also there is no mention of my spouse in the approval letter, only me, even although full details for her were provided in my application.  Anyone got the same, and/or know how the wife would make her application for the visa?

I think spouses create their own separate account on the ltr.boi.go.th site . Once they login to the site, they can then start their own application for an LTR dependent visa, linked to your visa.

[mudcat]

It appears the process is beginning to move faster, at least on the front end.  My application was submitted September 16 and approved October 4 after one document update, so less than three-weeks.  Will see what happens with my use of my IRA in lieu of a medical policy during the document review process.

 

[Boomer6969]

Got the Approval email today. So I went to the status screen of their system and downloaded the attachment. Is this the "Approval" letter that I need to get my visa stamped? Also there are two options/actions "download", which I did, and "pre-approval"; does anyone know what the "pre-approval" would do. I am a bit worried  I could mess up my  file as their system looks a bit glitchy..

BOI-LTR-Rot.pdf

[ThailandRyan]

20 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Got the Approval email today. So I went to the status screen of their system and downloaded the attachment. Is this the "Approval" letter that I need to get my visa stamped? Also there are two options/actions "download", which I did, and "pre-approval"; does anyone know what the "pre-approval" would do. I am a bit worried  I could mess up my  file as their system looks a bit glitchy..

BOI-LTR-Rot.pdf 352.91 kB · 3 downloads

Where was this document found on the App for you. I still do not have mine.

[pepper402]

41 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Got the Approval email today. So I went to the status screen of their system and downloaded the attachment. Is this the "Approval" letter that I need to get my visa stamped? Also there are two options/actions "download", which I did, and "pre-approval"; does anyone know what the "pre-approval" would do. I am a bit worried  I could mess up my  file as their system looks a bit glitchy..

BOI-LTR-Rot.pdf 352.91 kB · 3 downloads

Boomer, thank you for your post.  I don't see anything on my status screen that has an attachment that I can download.  Can you please be more specific as to where exactly you found this attachment?  Merci! 

[ThailandRyan]

What's irritating as I spoke to the case agent yesterday and she sent me an email, however there was no certificate attached nor is there the certificate anywhere to be found on the Application for me.

 

All I have under the Check Status bar is this:

 

02 Sep 2022 08:13

LTRWPxxxxxxx

Wealthy Pensioners

Request

StaffBoi 1147

Pre approved

 

This is under the Notification when I click it

 

Smart visa document no LTRWPxxxxx has been approved.

Please make an appointment for a visa stamp. Document No: LTRWP22090040

2022-09-28 13:39

 

 

Yet when I spoke to the case agent she told me I could make an appointment within 3 days.  So I returned her e-mail yesterday after the call and indicated that I would like an appointment this Friday the 7th in the afternoon.  Maybe today something else will change, but yes glitches in the system are definitely an issue.  I have printed out the e-mails and have all of my copies made and if nothing changes will walk into the BOI at the time I asked for an appointment

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Boomer6969 said:

Got the Approval email today. So I went to the status screen of their system and downloaded the attachment. Is this the "Approval" letter that I need to get my visa stamped? Also there are two options/actions "download", which I did, and "pre-approval"; does anyone know what the "pre-approval" would do. I am a bit worried  I could mess up my  file as their system looks a bit glitchy..

BOI-LTR-Rot.pdf 352.91 kB · 10 downloads

Yes that is the approval letter for your Visa.  Still looking for mine since I was approved over a week ago, and talked with my case agent yesterday who told me to make an appointment after 3 days.

[Boomer6969]

44 minutes ago, pepper402 said:

Boomer, thank you for your post.  I don't see anything on my status screen that has an attachment that I can download.  Can you please be more specific as to where exactly you found this attachment?  Merci! 

Here on the "Status" screen, there is a Menu[ 3  dots] next  to the view button.

 

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Here on the "Status" screen, there is a Menu[ 3  dots] next  to the view button.

 

Thank you, yours shows Qualification Approved my says Pre-approved and I can not get anything when I click the 3 dots.  System is still glitchy.

 

Did you get an appointment screen? 

 

As I said I did not, but talked with the agent who sent me this, so I replied back as to when I wanted my appointment.

 

Dear  Mr.

We have checked your health insurance and found that complete. You can make an appointment not less than 3 working days.

Kind regards, LTR Visa Unit

Edited October 5, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[Boomer6969]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

Thank you, yours shows Qualification Approved my says Pre-approved and I can not get anything when I clicked the 3 dots.  System is still glitchy.

My guess is that they are still waiting for some documents before finalising approval. This could be be that whatever you might have sent is waiting somewhere in a queue to be processed or validated by a human. For instance all HI documents could be channelled to the FIFO basis, before they go back to the main workflow.

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

My guess is that they are still waiting for some documents before finalising approval. This could be be that whatever you might have sent is waiting somewhere in a queue to be processed or validated by a human. For instance all HI documents could be channelled to the FIFO basis, before they go back to the main workflow.

All my documents have been approved. E-mail sent yesterday to me by my case agent.  It is strange that a human says one thing and the system says different.  "We have a Cockpit error it would seem folks".

 

Can you set an appointment somewhere on the App.

 

Dear  Mr.

We have checked your health insurance and found that complete. You can make an appointment not less than 3 working days.

Kind regards, LTR Visa Unit

 

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[pepper402]

18 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Here on the "Status" screen, there is a Menu[ 3  dots] next  to the view button.

 

Thanks!  I downloaded my approval letter which is identical to yours.  Ryan, mine also says approved (sorry about your cockpit error - hopefully, you will get this sorted out).  The other option I have when I click the three dots is "preapprove".  I'm curious what that is but afraid to click on it.  

[pepper402]

24 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Here on the "Status" screen, there is a Menu[ 3  dots] next  to the view button.

 

Boomer, it looks like you have two additional drafts in your folder.  I also had a couple of extra drafts when I first started this process but successfully deleted them to avoid confusion. 

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, pepper402 said:

Thanks!  I downloaded my approval letter which is identical to yours.  Ryan, mine also says approved (sorry about your cockpit error - hopefully, you will get this sorted out).  The other option I have when I click the three dots is "preapprove".  I'm curious what that is but afraid to click on it.  

Looks like I will try and call my case agent again this morning, or see if the system changes after they open this morning.  Regardless, I will go in on Friday with my documents and they can print out the certificate for me since I was told to make an appointment.  However, that was an appointment I set by an e-mail to my case agent, and not using the system.

 

@pepper402 do you have a drop down menu anywhere like before to set your appointment?

[ashkale]

I was able to download the letter from the 3 dots menu- just thinking ahead- do they accept credit card! lol.

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, ashkale said:

I was able to download the letter from the 3 dots menu- just thinking ahead- do they accept credit card! lol.

It appears that you can only download the document once they have completed it, and even though approved for the Visa the section under status will only change to Qualifications approved once they complete and upload the letter.  Seems they are a little behind for my case from what I was told yesterday and what is actually occurring in real time on the site.  Wishing all good luck and hopefully within the next two days I should be able to access what you folks are.

[pepper402]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

 

@pepper402 do you have a drop down menu anywhere like before to set your appointment?

Ryan, I don't believe I ever had a drop down menu to set an appointment, and I can't find anything related to appointments on my current status.  The only thing related is my ability to select the place to issue my Smart Visa (BKK or foreign Embassy).  

 

Trying to look at the bright side -- If this process was straight forward and easy, we wouldn't have the same sense of accomplishment if we successfully navigate the intricacies of this process and successfully obtain a visa ???? 

 

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, pepper402 said:

Ryan, I don't believe I ever had a drop down menu to set an appointment, and I can't find anything related to appointments on my current status.  The only thing related is my ability to select the place to issue my Smart Visa (BKK or foreign Embassy).  

 

Trying to look at the bright side -- If this process was straight forward and easy, we wouldn't have the same sense of accomplishment if we successfully navigate the intricacies of this process and successfully obtain a visa ???? 

 

Of course you are correct, frustration can either breed contempt or satisfaction depending on how we deal with it.  Living in this country provides challenges everyday and for those of us who do our own visa's it keeps our minds sharp unlike those that pay an agent and sit on a bar stool all day.....????

[Boomer6969]

5 hours ago, pepper402 said:

Boomer, it looks like you have two additional drafts in your folder.  I also had a couple of extra drafts when I first started this process but successfully deleted them to avoid confusion. 

Thanks. But they are nothing to worry about, since there hasn't been any confusion, as only the  formal application has been given a Doc. Number. 

 

Also theses two drafts were the base of a fruitful exchange regarding the HI/SelfHI choice, which ended up with them saying that my UBS statements were fine, but my HI papers could be useful too. Unusually pragmatic for someone who has been dealing with IO nitpicking for years.

[Misty]

22 hours ago, mudcat said:

Assuming it is the same as immigration's four deadly diseases, I had my doctor at Kaiser sign mine, once had to run it through medical records, once he just signed it.

That's hopeful - will see what I can arrange. Having worked in Thailand the past 30 years I don't have a US doctor so will need to find someone and explain.