Financial requirement 500K THB for one-year extension of non-O visa

[MART]

Hello,
My wife has applied for a non-O based on living with non-Thai family members. My son will study at an international school in Thailand. 

 

We've been told that she will have to show 500K bahts on her Thai bank account to apply for a one-year extension - which was no surprise to me, I knew about it. She had planned to bring cash and deposit it in the bank. My issue: I've read hints here and there that one is supposed to prove that the money comes from abroad. Is it the case in our situation? Do we need to wire the money to her bank account or is there a way around it?

Thanks for your help!

[DrJack54]

@brewsterbudgen thinking you went through this? 

Any advice. 

 

Edit: the important thing is to obtain the Non O prior to entering Thailand. 

[brewsterbudgen]

45 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

@brewsterbudgen thinking you went through this? 

Any advice. 

 

Edit: the important thing is to obtain the Non O prior to entering Thailand. 

We haven't done it yet, but I have never heard that the money needs to have come from abroad.  In our case, we've been living as family in Thailand for 10 years, so all our (and my wife's) money is here in Thailand.  

[MART]

15 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

We haven't done it yet, but I have never heard that the money needs to have come from abroad.  In our case, we've been living as family in Thailand for 10 years, so all our (and my wife's) money is here in Thailand.  

Thank you. 
Hopefully someone will be able to answer for sure.

[MART]

I will ask my son's school admins and report back.

[Liquorice]

12 minutes ago, MART said:

Thank you. 
Hopefully someone will be able to answer for sure.

If I'm reading your situation correctly, your son has been accepted to study at an International School in Thailand, pursuant to clauses 2.8 or 2.9 of Immigration order 327/2557. 

 

 

Your wife intends to stay in Thailand during his education period at an International School.

In that situation, your wife would be required to enter Thailand with a Non Immigrant 0 visa.

The requirements for her to extend her period of stay for a further 12 months are in Clause 2.11

 

 

 

To expand and in agreement with @DrJack54, your wife should obtain the Non Imm O visa from the Thai Embassy in your home Country before entering Thailand.

 

2 hours ago, MART said:

She had planned to bring cash and deposit it in the bank. My issue: I've read hints here and there that one is supposed to prove that the money comes from abroad. Is it the case in our situation? Do we need to wire the money to her bank account or is there a way around it?

Firstly, does your wife already have a bank account with a Thai bank?

Apart from the 500K THB Immigration requirement, she would need initial additional funds for rent, travel and living expenses.

Whilst there is nothing in Immigration Orders stipulating that the 500K must come from overseas, I wouldn't want to carry 500K + in cash.

Sufficient funds to meet immediate needs, yes, but I'd transfer the 500K to a Thai bank account.

[MART]

17 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

If I'm reading your situation correctly, your son has been accepted to study at an International School in Thailand, pursuant to clauses 2.8 or 2.9 of Immigration order 327/2557. 

 

 

Your wife intends to stay in Thailand during his education period at an International School.

In that situation, your wife would be required to enter Thailand with a Non Immigrant 0 visa.

The requirements for her to extend her period of stay for a further 12 months are in Clause 2.11

 

 

 

To expand and in agreement with @DrJack54, your wife should obtain the Non Imm O visa from the Thai Embassy in your home Country before entering Thailand.

 

Firstly, does your wife already have a bank account with a Thai bank?

Apart from the 500K THB Immigration requirement, she would need initial additional funds for rent, travel and living expenses.

Whilst there is nothing in Immigration Orders stipulating that the 500K must come from overseas, I wouldn't want to carry 500K + in cash.

Sufficient funds to meet immediate needs, yes, but I'd transfer the 500K to a Thai bank account.

Thank you for your help.
Yes, my wife has applied for a non-O. My son already has a non-ED.

No, my wife hasn't got a Thai bank account yet, she will have to open it once there. 

We're used to travel with big amounts of cash. In our current situation, we'd even better do so, because if we want to transfer funds from the country we currently live in, we're looking at a 7~8% fee.
And yes, of course I know my wife needs to pay a rent, eat food and pay for utilities. My question was only about the deposit for a one-year extension.

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, MART said:

We're used to travel with big amounts of cash. In our current situation, we'd even better do so, because if we want to transfer funds from the country we currently live in, we're looking at a 7~8% fee.

Many of those who stay here long term use 'Wise' as a transparent and very affordable way to send funds from overseas.

https://wise.com/gb/send-money/

 

Where does your wife intend to reside, this will determine which Immigration office she will use.

There are other Immigration formalities to be aware of in Thailand.

Filing a TM30.

Opening a bank account.

[MART]

11 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

Many of those who stay here long term use 'Wise' as a transparent and very affordable way to send funds from overseas.

https://wise.com/gb/send-money/

 

Where does your wife intend to reside, this will determine which Immigration office she will use.

There are other Immigration formalities to be aware of in Thailand.

Filing a TM30.

Opening a bank account.

 

Thank you. I am not a newbie, I have lived and worked in Thailand before. I know about the TM.30, TM.47, and so on.

 

Well obviously the school we have enrolled our son in is the major criterion for looking for a place of residence.

 

And by the way, we cannot use Wise to transfer funds out of the country where we are currently residents. The same goes for Thailand, one can transfer funds using Wise into Thailand, but not out of Thailand. I know Wise, and they provide a great service, which I have used to transfer funds into our current country of residence, but they're of no help in our current situation.

[MART]

Oh and I'm aware that opening a bank account is not as straightforward as it used to be. However the admins at my son's school told us that my wife should not have any issue as a non-O visa holder.

[DrJack54]

3 hours ago, MART said:

However the admins at my son's school told us that my wife should not have any issue as a non-O visa holder

That is correct. 

The bank may also want a certificate of residence from immigration.