Combo method for the money requirement for a retirement visa extension?

[SmokeandIce]

21 hours ago, ThoMichael said:

I was thinking if I go to Thailand, I will first try to find an immigration office that would accept 300,000 baht transferred into a Thai bank and my monthly (US Social Security) international transfers of $1,400 for 2 or 3 months, to do the combo method.

 

But make sure before I go to Thailand, I have enough money for living expenses and the 800,000 baht in my bank account at home, in case I need to transfer that also, to go the full 800,000 baht route. 

 

Are there any visa service companies in Bangkok that could maybe help me?

 

I arrived back to Thailand after Covid lockout on a visa exemption.  I had 12 months of monthly intl transfers into my Thai bank.  Chaeng Wattana would not accept the monthly transfers to issue a 3 month Non O.  The only two options was THB in a Thai bank or a letter from my home embassy if they were providing.  Just FYI

 

On 9/3/2022 at 9:31 PM, ThoMichael said:

It really would be great if I can make the combo method work. I will probably do the application at the Bangkok immigration office. 

 

Can I go to Thailand on a visa on arrival and open a bank account, and I think I can change the visa on arrival to the required Non-b visa in Thailand?, which would give me three months total to work with? 

 

Thanks for your help, this is all kinda complicated.

I arrived bank to Thailand after 18 months of lockout on a visa exempt.  While away, I continued to make monthly THB 65,000 intl transfers to my Thai bank.  However at Chaeng Wattana they will not accept monthly transfers to issue a 3 month Non O; there only options was the full THB 800,000 in a Thai bank or a letter from my embassy if they were still issuing.

 

Chaeng Wattana will accept monthly transfers for Non O extensions but NOT for Non O issuance.  Beware

[DrJack54]

19 minutes ago, SmokeandIce said:

Chaeng Wattana will accept monthly transfers for Non O extensions but NOT for Non O issuance

For the OP first extension he will not have history of monthly transfers.

Nor can he provide embassy letter re income.

He would need to use money in the bank method.

800k seasoned for 2 months prior to application for extension.

[ThoMichael]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

For the OP first extension he will not have history of monthly transfers.

Nor can he provide embassy letter re income.

He would need to use money in the bank method.

800k seasoned for 2 months prior to application for extension.

Thanks for all of your replies. Now I pretty much know what I am dealing with. And I feel pretty certain I am gonna have to do the 800,000 in a Thai bank. But it will take me some time to put together that much money.

Edited September 5, 2022 by ThoMichael

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, ThoMichael said:

Thanks for all of your replies. Now I pretty much know what I am dealing with. And I feel pretty certain I am gonna have to do the 800,000 in a Thai bank. But it will take me to put together that much money.

Most likely mentioned this earlier in the thread.

Be aware...nothing stopping you entering thailand visa exempt (45 days when you are planning. Plus 30 day extension.

Add couple of border bounce visa exempt entry+ extension would give you lot of time to access your options in Thailand.

You can obtain a non O from that pathway. 

[ThoMichael]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Most likely mentioned this earlier in the thread.

Be aware...nothing stopping you entering thailand visa exempt (45 days when you are planning. Plus 30 day extension.

Add couple of border bounce visa exempt entry+ extension would give you lot of time to access your options in Thailand.

You can obtain a non O from that pathway. 

Thanks for mentioning the border bounce option. I can gather the 800,000 baht right now, I just need a few more months social security deposits to cover travel and living expanses, so if I wait until December I should be ok, unless any unexpected expanses happen. The cost of living increase will be good for 2023, so I will be getting around $1500 per month. I can easily live on around $900 per month, so future months I will be fine.

 

So if I can get 45 days then do a border run or two if needed, that would work for sure!

Edited September 5, 2022 by ThoMichael

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, ThoMichael said:

So if I can get 45 days then do a border run or two if needed, that would work for sure!

Yes you can do 2 visa exempt entries via land per calendar year.

Each one can be extended by 30 days for 1900 baht.

So your entry via air plus 2 border bounce each entry with extention is 

45+30+45+30+45+30. 

Ample time to sort yourself out. 

[ThoMichael]

37 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yes you can do 2 visa exempt entries via land per calendar year.

Each one can be extended by 30 days for 1900 baht.

So your entry via air plus 2 border bounce each entry with extention is 

45+30+45+30+45+30. 

Ample time to sort yourself out. 

Great! thanks for the info on the number of days!

[ThoMichael]

40 minutes ago, ThoMichael said:

you can do 2 visa exempt entries via land per calendar year

So if it is 2 visa exempt entries via land (per calendar year). I could go to Thailand in early October and get one at the end of 2022, and then do two more in 2023?

 

I am hoping I won't need to do this many, but just in case.

Edited September 5, 2022 by ThoMichael

[DrJack54]

4 hours ago, ThoMichael said:

I could go to Thailand in early October and get one at the end of 2022, and then do two more in 2023?

Yes. 

[brianthainess]

hope this helps. But as said not all Immigration offices follow the same rules, and IMO b'coz they don't know or understand them, just make them up  for 'their' office. (like many officials here) if not they lose face and will never admit to being wrong.

most don't require the photos.                               

           TRAT I. O.

 

[DJ54]

OP US Social Security direct deposit to Bangkok Bank if possible keep your US bank account open in case it takes more than 30 days for SS to make the change. I made the change via Manila because I’ve Ive in Thailand and it took over 30 days. Being in US the change may not take as long.

Edited September 6, 2022 by DJ54

[SmokeandIce]

On 9/5/2022 at 3:58 AM, DrJack54 said:

For the OP first extension he will not have history of monthly transfers.

Nor can he provide embassy letter re income.

He would need to use money in the bank method.

800k seasoned for 2 months prior to application for extension.

My Non O expired while I was in the  U.S. and locked out of Thailand due to COVID restrictions, I continued to make monthy transfers of THB 65,000+ .  Once I returned on a visa exempt, I went to Chaeng Wattana with a 12 month bank statemen and bankbook showing these monthly transfers.  CW would not issue a Non O ...they only accepted THB 800,000 in a Thai bank or a letter from my embassy which they no longer do.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, SmokeandIce said:

My Non O expired while I was in the  U.S. and locked out of Thailand due to COVID restrictions, I continued to make monthy transfers of THB 65,000+ .  Once I returned on a visa exempt, I went to Chaeng Wattana with a 12 month bank statemen and bankbook showing these monthly transfers.  CW would not issue a Non O ...they only accepted THB 800,000 in a Thai bank or a letter from my embassy which they no longer do.

That's disappointing as you were able to show 12 months of transfers.

 

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, SmokeandIce said:

My Non O expired while I was in the  U.S. and locked out of Thailand due to COVID restrictions, I continued to make monthy transfers of THB 65,000+ .  Once I returned on a visa exempt, I went to Chaeng Wattana with a 12 month bank statemen and bankbook showing these monthly transfers.  CW would not issue a Non O ...they only accepted THB 800,000 in a Thai bank or a letter from my embassy which they no longer do.

That is well known problem. Not sure why immigration will not accept the 12 months of transfers to a Thai bank.

Now that the borders are open a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate would resolve the problem since they would accept your transfers as proof of income to apply for a non-o visa.

[n00dle]

On 9/4/2022 at 9:05 AM, ThoMichael said:

Oh ok. well I think I can scrape together the 800k if I sell my car. So I guess if I go to Thailand and get a bank account and transfer 800k into it, that will work?

why not simply invest less than 1000 bucks on an agent.  After the first year, it is half the cost to renew. 

Lest than 500 bucks a year to avoid locking up 800k or selling a car sounds like a bargain to me,

[ThoMichael]

14 hours ago, n00dle said:

why not simply invest less than 1000 bucks on an agent.  After the first year, it is half the cost to renew. 

Lest than 500 bucks a year to avoid locking up 800k or selling a car sounds like a bargain to me,

I'm thinking a agent would be good for me to use, at least for the first year. Can you recommend any?

[DrJack54]

49 minutes ago, ThoMichael said:

I'm thinking a agent would be good for me to use, at least for the first year. Can you recommend any?

Where are you located. 

[ThoMichael]

29 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Where are you located. 

I will be in Bangkok.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, ThoMichael said:

I'm thinking a agent would be good for me to use, at least for the first year. Can you recommend any?

You could chat with ThaivisaCenter as a starting point.

Some folk use Pattaya agents even though they live in Bangkok.

You could sus out Maneerat for options.

All decent agents are listed on Google.

Most use Line or similar for chat. 

[ThoMichael]

If I end up going the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank route, can that money be in two separate Bangkok Bank accounts that are in my name?

 

The reason I ask is although I doubt it will work, I am first going to try the combo method using a visa agency. So I will transfer 200,000 baht to my current Bangkok Bank account to combo with my social security pension. But if I end up having to do the 800,000 in a Thai bank, I will want to get a separate Bangkok Bank account only for that money. 

 

Thanks again for any advice. 

[ThoMichael]

7 hours ago, ThoMichael said:

If I end up going the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank route, can that money be in two separate Bangkok Bank accounts that are in my name?

 

The reason I ask is although I doubt it will work, I am first going to try the combo method using a visa agency. So I will transfer 200,000 baht to my current Bangkok Bank account to combo with my social security pension. But if I end up having to do the 800,000 in a Thai bank, I will want to get a separate Bangkok Bank account only for that money. 

 

Thanks again for any advice. 

Please ignore the above, I created a new topic for this question at: