64,300 Baht Income Close Enough To 65,000?

[ThailandLovr]

With the U.S. dollar strengthening lately, my $1917 monthly social security income translates tantalizingly closer and closer to the 65,000 baht minimum monthly income requirement to qualify for a retirement visa. As of today, the $1917 converted to 64,300 baht. I will be going to Thailand next month and everything would be a lot, lot easier for me if I could get the retirement visa from the Thai embassy in Chicago before I left and was able to avoid depositing money into a Thai bank, waiting 90 days, etc, etc. Does anybody have any experience which might suggest the Thai embassy would consider my income "close enough" to 65,000 baht? Is the calculation based on the exact value of the baht/dollar for a given day? Maybe a rate of, say 34 or 35 baht/dollar is currently used and the exact daily date is not utilized (could I be so lucky?). Anybody have any related experience or insight into this? Thanks!

[Jingthing]

You do not need the money in a THAI bank to get an O-A visa OUTSIDE Thailand even if you do not have the 800K baht in pension income. If the question becomes can you qualify for continuing retirement extensions in Thailand with a pension UNDER 800K per year, the answer is obviously no. You would need a small Thai bank account to make up the difference as you would need to use the COMBO method. You don't have a problem as far as I can tell.

Regarding the question about the exchange rate that any consulate uses, best thing would be to ask them directly.

Edited June 28, 2008 by Jingthing

[ThailandLovr]

You do not need the money in a THAI bank to get an O-A visa OUTSIDE Thailand even if you do not have the 800K baht in pension income.

Really?? I am able to get the O-A visa without proving 800K (65K/month) income? How can this be? Please explain further - I am missing something.

Regarding the extensions, I am not at all worried about those, because as you mentioned, all I need is a small deposit account to make the COMBO method work.

Thanks for your input.

[ThailandLovr]

Maybe you are saying when I apply for the O-A visa from the Chicago embassy I include a bank statement of my U.S. savings account along with my pension verification. I guess that makes sense. Duh, do I have it right now?

[Lite Beer]

Maybe you are saying when I apply for the O-A visa from the Chicago embassy I include a bank statement of my U.S. savings account along with my pension verification. I guess that makes sense. Duh, do I have it right now?

Yes you do.

[lopburi3]

For the OA it is your money anywhere so you can use a US account.

For extension in Thailand it is money in Thai bank account and/or Embassy letter of income.

Last week Immigration was using 32 baht to USD (although they might use another if close and you ask). There is no set rule that I am aware of.

As you know if pension falls below 65k you only need enough in a bank account to meet the 800k level so should not be a major problem.