47k x 12 = 564k + 236k = 800k required

Thank you Sir.

Please describe your personal case (financial situation, income, savings, etc.).

If you are financially qualified you can do a change of visa status in Thailand to O, and then as the second step apply for the annual retirement extension.

Three basic options --

800K in Thai bank (seasoned 2 months for first application)

Income letter from embassy showing 65K baht income per month

COMBO method, banked money in Thailand PLUS income letter from embassy totally 800K

Just completed RETIREMENT VISA and the Immigration people in Bueng Kan province would not accept 2 months for the 800K in the bank , had to be 3 months , said it was the " new rules " , so be wary guys , the rules " may ' have changed .Changed from a non immigrant to the retirement , seems like it doesnt matter what visa you have you just need to meet the financial requirements in one way or another and you can have your retirement visa , would be much nicer for retirement if you didnt report every 90 days and didnt have to renew every year

Edited September 4, 201114 yr by philhal2

I doubt there are new rules as you were told.

Also, you didn't change to a retirement visa. You simply got an extension based on retirement.

The national rules are as follows for money seasoning using the 800K bank account method --

1. TWO MONTHS for the FIRST extension

2. THREE MONTHS for all subsequent extensions

I was addressing the OP in the quote you cited, who is clearly going for his FIRST extension. So I told him TWO MONTHS for his case.

Enforcement policies between offices may vary. For example, some offices may require money seasoning for those using the combo method, even though that is not required in the national rules. Some may even require three months for the first extension, but again they are not following national rules.

Edited September 4, 201114 yr by Jingthing

Regarding: first application for an O-A in America:

The additional form asks for "Monthly Income" and "Amount of Savings".

If I plan to use Monthly Income only should I enter anything for Amount of Savings (as I fear

putting something there would then mean I'd have to get an offical letter from the bank

to back that up).

Can my employer simply write a letter asserting my monthly income (which I then get

notarized)? I assume that it's only those in Thailand that need to deal with

the US Embassy.

You should be asking Consulate as what they accept does vary from place to place. No you would not be using US Embassy.

Can my employer simply write a letter asserting my monthly income (which I then get

How can you have an employer if retired?

How can you have an employer if retired?

The O-A visa is also called the Long Stay visa. I've read here that there's no need to prove you're retired

to get the O-A visa, just that you have sufficient income and are not working in Thailand. I've got an

American company (that does no business with Thailand) willing to pay me for my expertise even while I live the good life in Thailand.

That is true it is for long stay and a person could be working outside Thailand during part of the year but poster termed it retirement so if he puts retired in occupation and then has verification of monthly income from a current employer it could cause questions to be asked if he plans to live full time in Thailand and receives a salary as would appear to be a work permit issue. Best to avoid in my opinion.