19th June.

 

...and I am always out of the country at least a month before and do not return until July/August.

 

Last year I used an agent but with things getting tougher, and more expensive, I want to handle it myself using monthly income for a retirement extension.

 

This is my plan to change....

 

 

Let the extension expire on 19 June 2026.

 

Obtain a single-entry Non-Imm 'O' visa from the UK after 19th June. 

 

Re-enter Thailand on 16th July. 

 

Apply for 12 month extension in the last month of validity of the Non-Imm 'O' ie after 16th September.

 

I have been transferring/will continue to transfer 65,000 Baht on the 1st of each month ie there will be more than 12 monthly payments when I apply.

 

 

My instinct is that this route is the most comfortable. My plan B would be to return visa exempt and then obtain a Non-Imm 'O' from Jomtien - then apply for a 12 month extension.

 

 

A secondary question linked to my passport which I am about to renew:-

 

The travels that I have booked mean that I will not need to do a 90 day report, or visit an Immigration office, before I return to Thailand on 16th July. I don't plan to transfer the existing Immigration stamps over to the new passport; I would rather wait to do that when I apply for the next extension. Have I overlooked any issues ?

Will you need to do a TM30 when you re-enter on 16th July?

45 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Let the extension expire on 19 June 2026.

And you will have the new passport issued here, while you are still in Thailand, right?

Hmm...no need to visit immigration before your plan to leave the country, OK.

 

When you do leave Thailand, you would normally have to show both passports. Your 'history' on the now-expired one would be linked to your new one, and you'd be stamped out on the new one. BUT, with the new 'auto gates' at the airport, I don't know how that would all go, someone else will need to advise.

59 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

I don't plan to transfer the existing Immigration stamps over to the new passport; I would rather wait to do that when I apply for the next extension.

You will come back on the new passport with a fresh e-visa, that's the plan, right? You will not need to transfer any expired extension stamp from an expired passport when you are applying for an extension based on a freshly-obtained visa. 

 

 

48 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

I have been transferring/will continue to transfer 65,000 Baht on the 1st of each month ie there will be more than 12 monthly payments when I apply

Others with more knowledge will chime in, but I believe you are not able to apply for the initial extension based on the monthly deposits. You will need to have a bank account balance of 800,000 baht, whether on the day of the application, or some period in advance, depending on the immigration office you are applying at.

 

 

15 minutes ago, Smokin Joe said:

Will you need to do a TM30 when you re-enter on 16th July?

 

I would say yes because I am starting the process all over again.

13 minutes ago, rwilem said:

And you will have the new passport issued here, while you are still in Thailand, right?

Hmm...no need to visit immigration before your plan to leave the country, OK.

 

When you do leave Thailand, you would normally have to show both passports. Your 'history' on the now-expired one would be linked to your new one, and you'd be stamped out on the new one. BUT, with the new 'auto gates' at the airport, I don't know how that would all go, someone else will need to advise.

You will come back on the new passport with a fresh e-visa, that's the plan, right? You will not need to transfer any expired extension stamp from an expired passport when you are applying for an extension based on a freshly-obtained visa. 

 

 

Others with more knowledge will chime in, but I believe you are not able to apply for the initial extension based on the monthly deposits. You will need to have a bank account balance of 800,000 baht, whether on the day of the application, or some period in advance, depending on the immigration office you are applying at.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for that.

 

Yes, new passport here, application going in next week.

 

Leaving Thailand I imagine that I will just get an exit stamp in the brand new passport,.... actually, no....... I will be traveling out of Thailand, and back, 3 times on the new passport. Therefore, an IO might give me a hard time for not transferring the stamps over,

 

 

I was assuming that getting the Non-Imm 'O' out of country would not be a problem then applying for 12 months based on monthly income. I can see how that could be different if applying for the Non-Imm 'O' in country.....not something I was aware of, thanks for highlighting it.

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

Apply for 12 month extension in the last month of validity of the Non-Imm 'O' ie after 16th September.

 

I have been transferring/will continue to transfer 65,000 Baht on the 1st of each month ie there will be more than 12 monthly payments when I apply

That most likely will not work. 

You will have a new Non O and immigration may insist on money in bank method for first extension. 

 

Edit: just re read the OP. 

Previously you used agent. 

The new Non O will require money in bank method for extension. 

 

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That most likely will not work. 

You will have a new Non O and immigration may insist on money in bank method for first extension. 

 

 

 

Thanks for that....

 

 

Plan C:-

 

Plan A but apply for the 12 month extension based on 800k in the bank in year one, maintain the 65k per month transfers and year 2 apply on the monthly income basis. 

 

Plan D is to use an agent because I prefer earning western interest rates on my 800k and even higher costs with an agent are covered x2.5

 

Plan E is the compromise - use 400k of my money and borrow a friend's money for 5 months to ensure compliance with 2026 approval ahead of my application in 2027.

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

I was assuming that getting the Non-Imm 'O' out of country would not be a problem then applying for 12 months based on monthly income. I can see how that could be different if applying for the Non-Imm 'O' in country.....not something I was aware of, thanks for highlighting it

It doesn't matter whether having the Non-O visa prior to arrival, and then applying for the 12-month extension based it, or coming in either visa-exempt or on a tourist visa and then applying for the Non-O in-country. You may be reaching for 'a plan too far'.

 

You never say never, but It would be most remarkable if you were given an extension in the first secanario and the visa in the second scenario, and the subsequent extension based on it, by anything other than having the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account. For getting that first extension, or going the visa-and-then-extension combo way, the 800K requirement is pretty much baked-in. 

 

You can switch over to the monthly deposits method starting the following year, provided you've met the requirements for BOTH methods the previous 12 months.

 

Just have to think about 'biting the bullet' and meet 800/400K requirements in a Thai for the first year. That's your 'plan A', and it's probably the best one. After that, you can switch and bail out.

10 minutes ago, rwilem said:

It doesn't matter whether having the Non-O visa prior to arrival, and then applying for the 12-month extension based it, or coming in either visa-exempt or on a tourist visa and then applying for the Non-O in-country. You may be reaching for 'a plan too far'.

 

You never say never, but It would be most remarkable if you were given an extension in the first secanario and the visa in the second scenario, and the subsequent extension based on it, by anything other than having the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account. For getting that first extension, or going the visa-and-then-extension combo way, the 800K requirement is pretty much baked-in. 

 

You can switch over to the monthly deposits method starting the following year, provided you've met the requirements for BOTH methods the previous 12 months.

 

Just have to think about 'biting the bullet' and meet 800/400K requirements in a Thai for the first year. After that, you can switch and bail out.

 

 

Yep. Thanks, got all that. 

 

I have to accept that the plan to use the income method is a non-starter. No issues in being compliant for the income method in year two. I just have to accept the hit to my interest earnings for next year........ or, reconsider continuing to use an agent.

11 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

. I just have to accept the hit to my interest earnings for next year........ or, reconsider continuing to use an agent.

I'm finding your thread difficult. 

Esp one option earlier of borrowing money from friend. 

The old chestnut of loss of opportunity cost is explained ad infinitum. 

At a guess your situation suits use of agent. 

What monthly income would you transfer? 

Asking to see if "income method" is an option. 

However even then you would need to do one year + 3 months using funds in bank (no agent) and at same time do the monthly  transfers of 65k+