2 or 3 Months Seasoning - OK but which months?

[mike2011]

It is beyond doubt that the 800 K need to be in the bank account for at least 3 months for renewal or at least 2 months for a first application.

In general people (like myself) get the 2 month tourist visa, extend it for a month (?), and during the extension apply for a 1 year extension. This is what I understood from reading the forum and also posting a question.

My situation is a little different. I already have a bank account in Thailand and I am able to transfer from outside Thailand the needed sum AHEAD of my arrival. In other words, I would cover the 2 months needed well before the end of my 2 months tourist visa period. Thus, I wonder if it is possibly to apply within the last 15 days of my 2 month visa for the 1 year extension and just go ahead without the first 90 days (?) or 1 month (?) extension. This seems to me a bit easier.

Has anyone done this or an idea why this might not be a good idea?

[Lite Beer]

You can apply anytime during your final 30 days permission to stay.

IE. 30 days after arriving.

It would be easier if you arrived with a Non Imm O Visa.

[mike2011]

Great! Thanks for the ultra fast reply. This is what I thought.

[ubonjoe]

You can do it with only a single entry visa. You don't have to wait until the last 15 days of your entry. You can do it a soon as you have the money in the bank.

Most offices will do it in two steps. The first is to do a change of visa status to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry (2000 baht).

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 entry do the extension (1900 baht).

Pattaya and Phuket are the only two offices that can recall recent reports of them do it all in one trip.

[MeowBundit]

So, transfer money in 1,5 month in advance for your arrival. Then, when arrived, do not forget to update passbook immediately. Then, when your visa near end, go to Immigration and apply to conversion NON-O retirement, at the same time apply for extension. I think other members will correct me, if something wrong, but in this case you will no need to do tourist visa extension, you can stay under consideration and save 1900 thb, pay 1900 only for extension. Your money deposited will be matured already. before you make transfer, consult with bank, last time bank call my thai mobile while I was abroad, to confim transfer arrival and then put money to my account. Maybe you need to inform bank about incoming transfer? In my case bank wait until I authorise conversion and deposit by phone, but amount more than 50k usd...

Edited March 10, 2014 by MeowBundit

[merijn]

You can do it with only a single entry visa. You don't have to wait until the last 15 days of your entry. You can do it a soon as you have the money in the bank.

Most offices will do it in two steps. The first is to do a change of visa status to a 90 day non immigrant visa entry (2000 baht).

Then during the last 30 days of the 90 entry do the extension (1900 baht).

Pattaya and Phuket are the only two offices that can recall recent reports of them do it all in one trip.

Phuket is not doing it anymore in one trip.

You have to come back during the last 30 days for the one year extension.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[mike2011]

I have made some progress like cancelling my local residence visa and receiving my deposit back plus transferring it to BKK. In other words, I am already accrueing days on the 2 months I need before apply. A non-O from the start was impossible as my passport was away for weeks because of the cancellation, passport applications etc. Pretty much a nightmare most of us are used to by now.... the pleasures of being an expat,

Problem is still the foreign currency deposit and according to the kind info I got here and the other thread it is only at Pattaya, Phuket and BKK that they accept foreign currency accounts that are not locked term deposits. What about Chiangmai and Chiangrai? The former should be also a large office.

The amount is also comfortably over the 800K limit so that exchange rate variations won't be an issue.I will need the letter from the bank, preferably just 1 day old, a letter from my landlord, photos, the filled out application form and, of course, the passport.

I m now thinking of getting a place in Pattaya for a month. The air is simply than BKK at this time of the year. In BKK I got a rush on my neck from the pollution - the doctor said that when i got checked. CM or CR would suit me much more and the air might have improved by May.