Apllying for a Non-OA Long term in the U.S. before going to Thailand

[vallon77]

I was headed to Chiang Mai on a single entry (60) day visa which I believe is a O visa ?

Anyway,. While there I was going to convert to a ''retirement'' .I'm 53 I understand about the income letter , 65,000 b and/or 800,000 b deposit combination.

I take in 1200$ a month so I would have to make up the difference with a deposit into a Thai bank.

That's the part I 'm not too comfortable with...the deposit. because ..

1. Which bank is the safest/reliable?

2.I've read that it's nearly impossible to open a bank account on a tourist visa ,which is what Ill have.Is that true?

i mean if so, how can I season the money nec.to comply with immigration.

3. I just read that if I do apply for the long term O/A visa in the states I'll need the med. certificate and police check.ok no problem

..BUT they don't seem to require any deposit into a Thai bank?? At least they are'nt specific.It seems that it's alright to keep your funds required in your U.S. bank.

I've written them and no response. Has anyone gone thru this.?

thanks ...

[thepool]

Oh dear !

Your visa is not an "O" visa it is a tourist visa !

You can convert your tourist visa to a NON "O" visa entry but only if you can demonstrate the ability to meet the financial requirements of an "extension of stay" based on retirement. This can be achieved by either having 800,000 Bht in a Thai Bank or by having an income of 65000/month (as certified by your Embassy) OR a combination of the two amounting to 800,000Bht.

( Having a NON "O" visa is a pre-requisite to being able to apply for an "extension of stay" based on retirement )

All Thai banks are "safe" and "reliable"

A bank account is easily opened although you may have to make several attempts at differing banks before one is found who will accept you.

An O/A visa would be obtainable in the States and if that route were taken there is no requirement for money to be other than in a US account.

Edited March 31, 2014 by thepool

[vallon77]

Thanks...yes ok tourist visa is just that, a tourist visa..thankyou, sorry that must drive x-expats crazy...

all a little confusing but I'm getting the hang of it

So alright then it should'nt be a problem converting to the non-o visa from my 60 day tourist visa while I'm in Thailand.

i'm thinking the the first step once I arrive in Chiang Mai is to

Go to the U.S consulate and obtain my pension letter/affadavit

Then attempt to open a bank account and have the correct $$ money transfrerred into the Thai bank from my acc. in the states.

Then onto immigration.

Or is there something I need to do with immigration first.?

As you said it mite be easier just getting everything done before I leave .esp. if i can leave my money in a US bank.

thanks

[wayned]

A tourist visa will give you 60 days permission to stay on entry, which can be extended for another 30 days at immigtration for 1900 baht.

When you arrive your first order of business is to open a bank account. Since you are only 53, your $1200/ month isn't from Social Security. BUt when you do get SSA payments and you want to have it directly deposited to your account in Thailand the only bank that you can use is Bangkok Bank, it is the only bank approved to accept the direct deposit. They have a branch in NY and it is the cheapest way of transferring nmorey here as it is a transfered directly into your account through NY. As said you might have to visit more than one branch to open the account as each one seems to have different rules depending on their manager.

Using the combination method, you will have to show an equivalent of 800000 baht, $1200/month + bank deposit = 800000. The current exchange rat is fluxuating and 32baht/dollar so $1200 would be 384000 baht so you would have to have at least 416000 baht in the bank account, I'd out a little more just to be safe.

With about 30 days left on your permission to stay, either your original entry or your 30 day extension, you go to immigration to convert your entry to a Non-O visa to pursue retirement. At that time you will need the letter from the Consulate showing your monthly income, no backup data is needed as it is a sworn statemennt, but backup might be required by immigration. You will also need a letter from your bank stating the amount in the account and a copy of your bank booh showing the same amount on the day or day before you go to immigration. The money in the bank does not have to be seasoned. The cost of the conversion is 2000baht. If sucessful, you will get 90 days permission to stay.

During the last 30 days of that permission you then apply for a 1 year extension for retirement purposes. You will need the same financial information all over again with the bank letter updated and the bank book showing that the moeny has neen seasoned at least 2 months, The cost is 1900 baht. The cost of the letters from the US consulate is $50 each and you will need 2 as immigration will want the original each time. It's been stated here that they are good for 6 months so you could get both on one visit but I would check with immgration when I did my conversion.

In addition, I think that appointments are required at CM immigration and they are booked far in advance so I would make your appointments very earlyin th processss. Sounds difficult, it;s really not just a lot of hassle the first time especially when you do it in a city like CM. I live in the country and my yearly extension takes about 20 minutes other than the hassle of going to Bangkok to get the income affidavit, but it a yearly shopping trip.

Good luck!

Edited March 31, 2014 by wayned

[ballbreaker]

In reference to the O/A visa you don't need funds deposited in Thai bank. Some years ago when I obtained my O/A visa I justed provided copies of bank and brokerage account statements.

I suggest using Bangkok Bank after you arrive in Thailand only because they have a New York branch which makes it easy to wire funds to your Thai account.

[IBoldnewguy]

Some issues in OP's initial post are not clear: For instance are you planning on living in LOS on $1200 x 32 = 38,400baht per month? That seems to me to be bare bones living (no booze, no cigs, no ladies) as you did not mention if you had been to LOS before and knew what you are getting into?

You only have to have 65,000baht monthly income available and not necessarily in a Thai bank. Why not get the income affidavit for 65,000+ (along with backup copies as mentioned above to prove addn'l income).

As an alternative plan you could apply for a multiple (3) entry visa which would give you to 270 days (2 visa runs + 3 extensions) before you leave US ($40 per entry + $40 RT USPS =$180) that would give you close to 9 months to get all the other details ironed out.

I only suggest this because I applied and received Non-OA in 2011 - landed gung ho and was wore out at the end of 90 days - I didn't bother to report I flew out - I did discover later that I was dealing with a serious ilnesss and that may have affected my mood & decision. The point being that the reality of LOS (for me) was very different than the dream. My plan is to return this coming Aug for a long stay as above and see how I feel about LOS.... no forever plan this time.... just a we'll see what happens plan.

Best regards and good luck...

[wayned]

Was early in the mornibg and I screwed up on my math in post #4. $1200/month at 32 baht/$ would give you 460000, so you would only have to have 340000 in the bank. There are 12 months in a year, not 10!

[Pib]

Was early in the mornibg and I screwed up on my math in post #4. $1200/month at 32 baht/$ would give you 460000, so you would only have to have 340000 in the bank. There are 12 months in a year, not 10!

No, I'm pretty sure there is only 10 months in a year--maybe even 9-- for us older folks as time sure does seem to fly by faster as you get older.

[vallon77]

wayned thanks for the info.very nice of you to take the time . i've printed out your instructions.

BB. you know the embassy still has'nt got back to me on that..(funds needed in a thai bank), and their info . on their site is;nt clear.but i hope you're right . i mean the only hassle is the medical report .stating that I dont have leprocy .or TB or elephantitis or the black plague..

..jeez i cant even spell these diseases..the police report I can get altho if you don't mind me asking, do they require a local report, state , or FBI?

IBoldnewguy-

I appreciate your post.but no i dont plan on living on 1200$ x 32=38,400 per month

i plan on living on 1200$ x12=38,400 per month

in fact I plan on saving 400$ as well..

I'm not a drunk ,I don't smoke and I'm don't need to pay prostitutes

My post is'nt clear?? I asked a technical question and you want to know personal information, i dont think 1200$ is bare bones living, I 've lived in Colombia,Honduras,Ecuador and Nicaragua. All in major cities places where the cost of living is higher than Chiang Mai and not only lived on that income (in nice apartments) but managed to save money . As I said I dont smoke , not into the bar/nightclub scene , I'm too old and smart to be wasting my time with hookers and as far as expensive resturants go , I like to prepare my own food. From what I've seen I can get a decent place to live for 6000b a month.. I dont need to rent a palace.A furnished studio would be fine.I think alot of guys throw away their money on garbage,

I 've known guys ,ex-pats that make 2, 3x, my income and dont have a pot to pis in or a window to throw it out of because of just what you mentioned,booze,drugs, smoke, bar girls,But hey if that's what their into that's their problem.

If you really need to know ,well no I've never been to Thailand, or Asia for that matter. So yeah you're right I really don't know anything about it other than what I've read and researched. But the same can be said before I joined the Marines and was stationed in Europe or when I lived in Central and South America.

I am not doing border runs. And I'm not claiming to make 65,000b per month when I dont.

''You only have to have 65,000baht monthly income available and not necessarily in a Thai bank. Why not get the income affidavit for 65,000+ (along with backup copies as mentioned above to prove addn'l income).''

I said 1200$ is the monthly income I make.

anyway thanks for the post, i guess

[soundman]

I have just removed inflammatory post and the following bickering session. Please be civil.

[IBoldnewguy]

I have just removed inflammatory post and the following bickering session. Please be civil.

Thank you moderator.... for removing the posts as requested.... to all other members.... I apologize for my share of the bickering.... Best regards....

[NancyL]

The process that Wayned described in Post #4 is essentially correct, but I live in Chiang Mai and here's what I've learned from several people who have recently done the conversion he describes.

Seems that now Immigration will accept a copy of the U.S. consulates income letter for the second step of the process and not make you go back to the consulate for a fresh $50 letter. Didn't used to do that. The kind folks at immigration even go so far as to copy the income for you if you forgot. Must be part of their new customer service attitude.

Forget about trying to use the on-line appointment system for Immigration for this exercise. All the queue slots book out at least 90 days in advance and the OP will be needing appointments sooner than that. Instead, he should plan on showing up at Immigration at 6 am on each day he has to do business to join the pre-queue line-up. However, he does have to use the on-line appointment system to get into the U.S. Consulate to get his income letter.

Forget about needing the police/background check or the medical check letters. Those are needed when applying for an O-A visa in one's home country. What Wayned is describing is the process of obtaining an O-visa with a 12-month extension due to retirement. That's not the same thing as an O-A visa. With the O-A visa, you don't need to have the funds in a Thai bank, although at some point the OP is going to have to if he plans to stay in Thailand since his income is just $1200 per month, unless he plans to return to his home country every two years to reapply for another O-A visa.

Bangkok Bank is perfectly safe and pays better interest than a U.S. bank. That's the only bank that makes sense for a U.S. citizen who plans to receive Social Security income here in Thailand. Also, you can arrange ACH transfers from your U.S. bank or credit union on-line just as if you were transferring into a U.S. bank -- no expensive overseas wire transfer fees. The branch at Kad Suan Kaew mall serves many U.S. retirees, although other large branches in town are good too. If you don't like the vibe at one branch, just go to another. Pick a branch near where you plan to live, because you'll have to go to your "home branch" for services like getting your income letter for Immigration, replacing a lost ATM card, etc. It's a pain if your "home branch" isn't near your home.

Oh and as for the wisdom of living on $1200 per month. It can be done in Chiang Mai by a single guy, no problem, if he doesn't have a big appetite for alcohol, women or western food. AND if he has financial reserves for emergencies. Sounds like the OP does, since he's asking about opening a bank account for the combo method for a visa. I'd just add that the OP should be sure to get health insurance, or at least personal accident insurance, right after arrival. It's easy to purchase a policy while still young (age 53 is young) and keep making payments as one ages. Pay for a few years and you're past the pre-existing condition window. Go for something with a high deductible to keep it affordable. Most routine medical care is cheap, but an accident with broken bones can easily create a hospital bill of 200,000 baht and up.