2 hours ago, jcates29 said:

must show an annual income of 80k

Only 80,000thb per year?  Or am I misunderstanding? 

Or is it in some kind of dollars, or maybe euros??? 

Originally came to Thailand in 2016 for long stays on the OA visa .  Issued at the Los Angeles consulate.

 

I had the time to work on paperwork.  Not really that difficult.  Doctor signed off on the medical certificate after a TB test.  San Diego County Sheriff office issued my letter saying I had no criminal record.

 

No insurance requirements at that time.  Did my yearly extensions and one year the Thai government decided to add the insurance requirement for OA extensions.

I had insurance but not with a Thai company which is what they wanted.  Used a reliable agency to bypass the insurance requirement for a fee of course.

Obtained my Thai bank account and DL.

 

So as others have mentioned the O visa doesn’t require the insurance (yet) so is a better option nowadays.

 

Unlesx one can qualify for the LTR-P which is the best IMO.

 

While one can apply for the LTR in either their home country or Thailand I would recommend waiting until arrival in Thailand and then work towards it especially if one has many other issues to wrap up before making the move.

 

I applied and was granted the LTR earlier this year.  My US insurance was accepted for the LTR Visa but not for the OA.  TIT

On 8/17/2025 at 8:40 PM, NanLaew said:

 

Just to round out a fresh knowledge base of all the options, what is the cost of the bare-minimum, Thai-issued insurance that's needed to support the Non-OA application? I imagine the palaver getting it is seen as not worth it but interested to see the costs, outwith the time wasted, paper chasing aspect.

As I recall I was quoted just over $1000.00 USD while the extra paid to immigration was about 3000  baht or slightly higher extra on top of the normal agency fee.

 

 

24 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

Only 80,000thb per year?  Or am I misunderstanding? 

$80k USD per annum

 

Big bucks for most

On 8/17/2025 at 3:25 AM, Khyron said:

Marriage visa might be easier, but can I do it from the states?

In the long run Retirement extensions will save you tons of paper and unpleasant interactions with TI.

 

When I came here, I thought I'd go for Marriage extension, because this was the reason I wanted to stay in LOS. So I did 7 "Thai Wife" extensions, until the LTR was born. TW ext. costs about two days paperwork with two trips to IO, most guys on retirement extensions spent half a day a year. Anyhow, I was thinking "doable" but feeling kind of a constant pressure, while in the past 2 years  I have almost forgotten that there is an Immigration office in Buriram. 

 

Regarding Non O vs Non OA, I chose the latter as the initial stay is one year (two with a well times border run), which eases opening Bank Accounts (even more so these days),  Driver licenses, Lellow book, tax returns (lol), etc. But I am not sure  what I'd do now, as they have introduced the health insurance requirement in the meantime.

 

And to conclude, since you are from US and probably have a normal pension, have a good look at the LTR, it just beats everything else.

On 8/16/2025 at 10:25 PM, Khyron said:

Hey Guys,

 

House in the US been sold; we have to be out in 30 days. Wife and I have been planning this for 32 years since we were newlyweds.

I am in Northern California; I am going to work until the week before I leave for Thailand. We will be staying in my SIL house after.

We have a place already, "nearish" to Khon Kaen.

Anyway, to the point, What now? 

I have a few options, OA or marriage. Money isn't a problem, so 800k has been budgeted for.

I looked at the OA requirements at the Los Angeles consulate, alot going on there.

 

The few things I picked up are; getting a criminal record that is notarized, has anyone done that recently? How long does it take, and is a Notary all you need, or is there more to be done.

 

Medical certificate, notarized etc.

Bank statement showing monies in the bank. Can I print out a statement and call it good?

Airline ticket copy, everything is electronic, so printing the email is ok?

Health insurance for one year, cheapest one possible.

 

Marriage visa might be easier, but can I do it from the states?

 

Hopefully someone who has done it recently can give advice.

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Don't use an OA-visa, apply for a "normal" non-immigrant type O visa based on retirement. Your 800k baht, or equivalent in foreign currency, makes you eligible, when 50+ years old. It will give you 90-days stay upon arrival.

 

An OA-visa, the so-called "retirement visa", requires health insurance for extension of stay. The normal OA-don't; so. you have more freedom to choose insurance, or self-insured. The benefit of the OA is for retirees only staying a limited time in Thailand can keep funds in their home country, instead of opening a Thai bank deposit. When extendin stay, the conditioons are the same, apart from the extra OA-requirements for health insurance.

 

If you don't have a Thai bank account, open one – the non-O visa will make you eligible – and deposit 800k baht. Preferably have two accounts: One for daily use, ATM-card and transactions; and a 12-month fixed account with 800k baht for extension of stay.

 

Your funds in the Thai bank need to be matured for two month before applying for one year extension of stay – some calls it "visa extension" – which you preferable shall do about one month before the initial 90-days stay end. There are several threads in the forum about extension of stay based on retirement.

 

Choose "retirement" for your extension of stay. It's more easy and less paperwoirk than extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai when you have the funds. Just leave the 800k baht in the fixed account and withdraw interest once a year.

6 hours ago, Peter Crow said:

you are from US and probably have a normal pension

What makes a pension “normal”? 

22 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

What makes a pension “normal”? 

IMO 50K to 100K USD

On 8/17/2025 at 7:43 AM, Khyron said:

I can have the mayor come with us to vouch for where we are staying, he is a nephew.

 

I would think the mayor accompanying you to the bank would get results were you to arrive on a visa waiver and then apply for a non-O at immigration.

So, when I apply for the non-O, how long is the enter by date? Or is the 90 days started when they approve the visa?

Trying to get the timing down, as I haven't purchased airline tickets yet, or given final notice at work.

They are aware, I just haven't said when. My ideal plan would be leaving work and getting on a plane the next day, 

 preferably sometime near the end of October.

 

The bank transfer limits, is there going to be a problem transferring 800k? Or do I need to break it up in small quantities. I plan on trying K bank first, not even going to go to BBL.

 

In Khon Kaen or Chumpae, is there a Farang friendly K-bank that I should try first? Hopefully they won't have an issue with just an O visa.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

 

 

48 minutes ago, Khyron said:

So, when I apply for the non-O, how long is the enter by date? Or is the 90 days started when they approve the visa?

When you apply for Non O e-Visa the approval email lists details of the visa. 

It will have an valid from date to "enter by " date. 

This gives you a window to enter Thailand. Generally 90 days. 

When you enter Thailand between these dates you will be stamped in for 90 days. 

In the first month you will need to obtain Thai Bank account. 

 

With the Non O and lease and perhaps a COR (if required by Bank) 

 

48 minutes ago, Khyron said:

The bank transfer limits, is there going to be a problem transferring 800k? Or do I need to break it up in small quantities.

No need to transfer smaller amounts. 

Personally I use WISE. The limit using WISE to Kasikorn is 2mil baht. 

 

48 minutes ago, Khyron said:

. My ideal plan would be leaving work and getting on a plane the next day, 

 preferably sometime near the end of October

Why on earth would it need to be next day. 

As explained above.... You will be stamped in for 90 days provided you enter prior to the "enter by " (Validity of the eVisa) 

 

 

56 minutes ago, Khyron said:

So, when I apply for the non-O, how long is the enter by date? Or is the 90 days started when they approve the visa?

Trying to get the timing down, as I haven't purchased airline tickets yet, or given final notice at work.

 

My understanding is the 90-day Type-O Visa issued abroad  will have a validity period (that may also be 90-days).  You must enter Thailand before that validity period expires else the visa will be invalid.

 

Once you enter, anytime during that 90-day validity period, you will get in your passport a 90-day permission to stay in Thailand stamp. Do not confuse the 'permission to stay' 90-day, with the visa validity (or expiry) date.     With that 90-day permission to stay stamp, you can ignore the visa expiry date (edit - unless you want to exit and re-enter ... and then that gets complex and I won't cover that here).. 

 

it is the permission to stay date that counts.

 

Others on this forum know far more than myself on this aspect - so if i am wrong i hope they will correct me.

 

As soon as you can upon arrival, go to your local immigration and get a one page letter (with a picture of you on it) which is a COR (certificate of residence). Simply tell the immigration office you need it to open a Thai bank account.

 

Immediately open a Thai bank account

 

Then go to a local bank with your passport, and that COR ... and apply to open a bank account.

 

As soon as you get that bank account transfer as a minimum the 800k Thai baht equivalent to the Thai bank account (if you wish to use 'retirement' as a reason for extensions to  your permissions to stay in Thailand) or transfer 400k Thai baht equivalent to the Thai bank account (if you wish to use 'marriage' as a reason for your extensions permission to stay in Thailand).  

 

Transferring the entire 800k at once should not be an issue. Note thou what I think about taxation ...

 

Marriage vs Retirement for the visa application & the permission to stay in Thailand.

 

Note using 'marriage' to a Thai as a reason has vastly more paperwork required than 'retirement' and further dependent on the Thailand province, it can take a lot longer to get approval, which is why many of us, who are married to a Thai person, still go for the 'retirement' reason for staying in Thailand.  We would rather tie up an extra 400k Thai baht in the bank, than suffer through the extra work associated with an extension of our permission to stay in Thailand for reason of marriage.  ... of course, not everyone shares that view.

 

Taxation

 

Another thought, dependent entirely on your tax situation, if you enter Thailand in the second half of the calendar year, you will not be a Thai tax resident for the calendar year in which you enter Thailand. So that means you can transfer a LOT of money to Thailand in that first year, and it is not subject to Thai taxation considerations.

 

However, if you enter Thailand in the 1st half of a calendar year, and stay in Thailand all year, Thai taxation is something you need to consider for that first year in Thailand.  That does NOT mean you will be taxed nor does it mean for certain you will have to file a Thai tax return,  as other aspects come into play, such as was the money you bring into Thailand savings from before 1-jan-2024, and what are the details of the Double Tax Agreement (DTA) between Thailand and the source country of your income.  .... 

 

so from my view, entering Thailand in the 2nd half of the year, has certain advantages to reduce having to think too much about any taxation aspects.  ...Frankly, i think most expats don't think too much about taxation aspects, but this is Thailand, and one never knows what the future has in store.

 

In my case, I managed to open a bank account in 2016 in Thailand, even thou i spent less than 6 months per calendar year in Thailand from 2016 to 2019 inclusive. So I bought a LOT of money into Thailand then as a non-tax resident to Thailand. Being an non-tax resident to Thailand, that money is not taxable by Thailand as Thailand uses a remitted taxation system.

 

Extensions of Permission to stay application timing

 

Dependent on your province in Thailand, you can apply either 30-days before your permission to stay in Thailand expires, or 45 days before. My recommendation is to show up at the provincial immigration as soon as you are either 30 or 45 days before the permission to stay expires, to apply for your 1st one year extension of your permission to stay in Thailand.

 

 

4 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Frankly, i think most expats don't think too much about taxation aspects, but this is Thailand, and one never knows what the future has in store.

I think zero about taxation as for the vast majority on folk on annual extensions it will change nothing. 

 

Just one person's opinion. 

There are zillion threads on AseanNow regarding taxation and people can address concerns in those threads. 

9 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

 

 

Why on earth would it need to be next day. 

As explained above.... You will be stamped in for 90 days provided you enter prior to the "enter by " (Validity of the eVisa) 

 

 

It wouldn't need to be next day, just wishful thinking. Actually, I won't have medical insurance once I leave my employer. My wife has medicare already, I'm not old enough yet, so It will be a gamble to not have insurance. 

 

Realistically, a week after I leave my job will be fine. I'll just stay indoors that week to avoid accidents, 🙂

 

I am going to apply for the non-O with a one way ticket, even though it specifies return trip needed. I figure if they reject it, I can apply again.

 

The cat MAY come with us, we are trying to pawn her off on someone, but no luck yet. I like the cat, so it isn't a problem, but more paperwork hassle. So that may take more time.

 

Will keep updating as things happen

 

Thanks to everyone for the time taken to answer my questions, hopefully it will help another person in the future.

 

 

On 9/4/2025 at 2:06 AM, Khyron said:

Actually, I won't have medical insurance once I leave my employer

Your employer / HR-Dept may offer you "COBRA" - continuation of benefits, where you pay the full-premium - during your off-boarding process.

 

You could get a shorter "travel" policy, which buys time to switch to a new provider after your move.  Private insurance which specifically does not cover the USA, are a fraction the cost of policies which do cover in the USA.

1 hour ago, Rob Browder said:

Your employer / HR-Dept may offer you "COBRA" - continuation of benefits, where you pay the full-premium - during your off-boarding process.

 

You could get a shorter "travel" policy, which buys time to switch to a new provider after your move.  Private insurance which specifically does not cover the USA, are a fraction the cost of policies which do cover in the USA.

 

I found this interesting (my not being a USA citizen), I was unfamiliar with the term "Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act" (COBRA) which I guess is supported by a USA federal law.

 

Still, I believe the concept applies to everyone who is leaving a company, where the company provided (or subsidized) the health insurance.  

 

I was employed at a European organisation for almost 2 decades, where they provided global health insurance for the entire time I was employed with them.  Upon my retiring, I was given the option to continue using that global Health Insurance. So I guess one could say that European organisation has sort of a 'CORBRA' equivalent.

 

I believe typically (most of the time) one can get lower rates if one can stick with the same old health insurance company after departing from a company that previously bought the Health Insurance for one.

 

However, perhaps "global" is important here in regards to such. Not all Health Insurance plans are global, so it is good to check into that.  

 

Also for the OP, what was noted by Rob Browder about getting a policy that limits USA and also Canada coverage, can reduce the rates. In the case of my current Health Insurance (European with Cigna), it only gives me limited travel insurance coverage in Canada and the USA for short periods (but gives me full coverage 365-days/year) in pretty much the rest of the world.