Moving to Thailand from USA

[ricktak]

To keep an US phone number, just get a Skype call-in number. Then forward to whatever local number you are reachable at the moment.

Some people that likes fixed phones uses services like magic jack, Vonage, etc. Others use SIP services, etc.

Thanks for the tip . I will be using magic jack to keep my US phone number and to keep in touch with friends.

[ricktak]

If your wife has been out of the country a year and never used her free personal goods import status. If coming to laem chabang she should be able to clear it herself. I know of a few who have done it but it takes the better part of the day..

My container will be going to Tak so laem chabang seems a much longer distance , I was thinking about Bangkok, has anyone here had any experience with personally clearing their containers in Bangkok.

[Tracyb]

It's been said in this stream before but bears reiteration..... Organize a mail forwarding service in the US, organize banking with an institution that allows ACH transactions performed on-line; and, as it can be critical to your banking and on-line transactions, maintain a stateside phone number. I use a pay as you go phone that costs $10. a month to maintain.

Keep a permanent address in the USA.....

A mail service is better than relying on a friend or relatives who may move, go on vacation, or sometimes be forgetful about getting to the postoffice to forward important info. I use a service that has been in business for over a century. (Send me a message an I'll give you more details about them if you wish.) They aren't going anywhere, they are prompt with mailing, available by phone or e-mail, will look out for "special" arrivals such as tax statements, (1099's- W-2's, etc). They will even open, scan and e-mail contents of mail upon request. The forwarding time from the USA to Thailand for regular mail sent by air is about 12-14 days. Suggest opting for on-line statements for credit cards, bank accounts, etc. to eliminate the bulk of the mail plus to enhance security. No need for those statements to be floating around. Change the address on all of your accounts to reflect the mail service address.

Banking and funds transfers can easily be accomplished if you have a Bangkok Bank account here. You can send an ACH transfer from your bank to Bangkok Bank in New York. The NY branch then transfers the funds into your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand. This process takes about 3 days not counting weekends and holidays. The Bangkok Bank New York web site explains how this is done. You can call them, too.

Find out if your credit cards will allow overseas use with no international surcharges. If not, look for ones that are free to use and don't forget to inform the banks that you'll be traveling overseas. Don't tell them you are moving permanently.... this tends to limit your ability to open lines of credit, etc. Just give them notice on a regular schedule that you are traveling in Thailand ...for the moment...week, month, however long you can give notice for. For example, check out Capital One credit cards if you don't have one already. They are easy to use. Also, consider the benefits of maintaining an adequate cash reserve in the USA held in US dollars.

Good luck! .... and hold onto your hat! Your embarking on a great adventure!

[Gonsalviz]

Once you have an answer from Ubonjoe, you have the answer. Not saying that others don't have valid answers but Ubonjoe has the final answer.

[ricktak]

Well the visa application was no problem I presented the documents listed although the website said certified when I called the person who answered said it did not need to be certified just bring the copies I had my passport my flight schedule marriage certificate and money order and the completed application form and the signed letter from my wife saying that we are currently married. I I dropped it off in the morning and was told to come back 2 days later no other documents for required

[ricktak]

The shipping is another story there were problems even before it left the US my container was pulled by US Customs for inspection that cost me an extra 1500 US dollars I don't know what it will cost me when it gets to Thailand we will find out in about 3 weeks

[bkkfaranguy]

A few suggestions:

- As others have mentioned, maintain your US bank account(s). Set up your accounts for "paperless delivery".

- Maintain your US credit card(s).

- If possible, use a family member's address as your mailing address. They can open and screen any mail you get, and determine what's important and what's not.

- Get a MagicJack with a US phone number corresponding to the address you use for your US bank accounts and credit cards. Only about $3/month, and you make/receive calls with friends and family in the US for free. Use this number for you bank and/or brokerage accounts. Note that MagicJack does not currently support SMS - only voice (see below).

- Check the security procedures your US bank(s) use to allow transfers to be made from your account. Do they require you to receive an SMS message (on a cell phone with a US number) with a security code? Can the security code be sent via email? Do they require a code-generating device? I have a big problem with BofA, since their only options are an unreliable flimsy code generating device, or a security code sent to a US cell phone. E*Trade, on the other hand, sends the security code to your email address.

- In Thailand, open an account at Bangkok Bank, and use their ACH routing number and your Thai account number to transfer money from the US. This is the only Thai bank that participates in the US ACH system for electronic transfers. Its exactly like transferring funds from one US bank to another US bank.

- In the event that you will need to send wire transfers (SWIFT) to Thailand, make sure you understand your bank's procedures for initiating them online or over the phone. For example, E*Trade allows online initiation, but will not allow you to send a wire to an account that is not owned by you.

- If you would like to use a Roku streaming device for watching US TV, buy it and set it up before leaving the US. The setup is very difficult when done outside of the US, and you must have the US version of the box to connect to US services. You will also need to use either VPN or a DNS rerouting service (like TrickByte) in order to use Netflix on the Roku.

- If you're bringing any electrical equipment from the US that does not have a switching power supply (e.g. runs on both 110 and 220V), then make sure you buy a few strep-down transformers and load them into your container. These are relatively inexpensive, but fairly heavy (making shipping prohibitive), and not easily obtained in Thailand. While most newer electronics (TVs, computers, etc) have switching power supplies, things like stereo equipment typically don't. Check the voltage requirements of anything you plan to bring. You can easily buy stepdown transformers online in the US.

- As others have mentioned, once your container arrives in Laem Chabang, arrange for customs clearing and local delivery yourself. We had an excellent agent in the US handle the paperwork and shipment to Laem Chabang at a very reasonable cost with great service. We opted to use his "partner" in Bangkok to handle customs and delivery to Phuket, and we ended up paying way too much.

Good luck, and please post your experience (and costs) here on TVF after your move is complete, as I'm sure other members will find the information very useful.

Very good info but most TV's work off a different signal and will not work over here unless you go buy a signal converter box. At least that's how it was 6 years ago when I shipped mine over and it was only about 2 years old high end Sony, so not sure if the new TV's can switched to the Thai or European cable input signal. Worked OK but I have since purchased a new TV here in Thailand, so if you need a box let me know when you get here they are very hard to find. In hindsight I would have never spent the time and money to ship all my electrical equipment over, should have sold it and just purchased new over here, the 110 to 220 converter I bought for my high end stereo equipment was massive and expensive.

[bkkfaranguy]

If your wife has been out of the country a year and never used her free personal goods import status. If coming to laem chabang she should be able to clear it herself. I know of a few who have done it but it takes the better part of the day..

My container will be going to Tak so laem chabang seems a much longer distance , I was thinking about Bangkok, has anyone here had any experience with personally clearing their containers in Bangkok.

At the time I shipped I had a Thai wife in USA who had been there for a year so I put everything in her name and was not charged any duties. I shipped 4 very large pallets and it cost me around 3K and I used a freight forwarder who handled everything through Bangkok port then delivered to my doorstep.

[MiclB]

Once you have an answer from Ubonjoe, you have the answer. Not saying that others don't have valid answers but Ubonjoe has the final answer.

Ditto that! UB Joe is always on target.

My wife and I encountered most of the same issues while setting up a second residence where we split the year between US and Th.

just 1 small hint: The ACH funds transfer setup is a big deal. Some US banks may resist and push wire transfer instead. They make a small fortune on it. Best of luck.

[riclag]

Don't forget about Uncle Scam and the FBAR(foreign bank account report).In your case it will be for 2015 tax year.

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-FBAR

[DrDave]

Very good info but most TV's work off a different signal and will not work over here unless you go buy a signal converter box. At least that's how it was 6 years ago when I shipped mine over and it was only about 2 years old high end Sony, so not sure if the new TV's can switched to the Thai or European cable input signal. Worked OK but I have since purchased a new TV here in Thailand, so if you need a box let me know when you get here they are very hard to find. In hindsight I would have never spent the time and money to ship all my electrical equipment over, should have sold it and just purchased new over here, the 110 to 220 converter I bought for my high end stereo equipment was massive and expensive.

Not an issue for newer TVs that support HDMI input. The newer cable and satellite boxes from TrueVIsions support HDMI, so no problem.

Prior to HDMI, most TVs were tied to either the PAL or NTSC standard, which in turn tied them to the region that uses that standard. In the US, I've noticed that most of the LED TVs now have built-in switching power supplies, so that they'll work on both 110 and 220VAC. This is especially true with the cheaper Chinese manufactured TVs from Changhong, TCL, etc that are now available in the US. In retrospect, I'm sorry I didn't buy a couple of these and ship them over with our household goods as they cost about 2x more in Thailand.

While in the US, I wasn't able to find much in the way of stereo receivers that supported both 110 and 220VAC, so as bkkfaranguy noted, you would most likely need a step-down transformer for any stereo equipment you bring from the US. A 500-800 watt transformer of dubious quality will run about $35USD here. As with TVs, decent quality stereo equipment is quite a bit more expensive in Thailand as compared to the US.

[GinBoy2]

Ok my 2 cents.

Keep a US bank account and credit cards.

Use a mail forwarding service which keeps a US address

The IRS are pigs, but unfortunately they are powerful pigs, don't get on the wrong side of them, you still need a passport!

File an FBAR

I'm an old fart so cant comment on the work visa thang

[phuketrichard]

better keep under $10,000 in accounts and dont fubar!

the less paper work the better

[riclag]

better keep under $10,000 in accounts and dont fubar!

the less paper work the better

Thats not a issue.The OP has to season money in a Thai Bank 400,000+ ,hence the Fbar

[ricktak]

Do i still need to FBAR if I will be showing money coming in monthly from my retirement instead of the 400,000 in the bank and is the US consulate the only place to get this document?

[ubonjoe]

Do i still need to FBAR if I will be showing money coming in monthly from my retirement instead of the 400,000 in the bank and is the US consulate the only place to get this document?

You only need to file it if you have a total of $10,000 in local banks. You do not have to report if you just have your monthly income deposited,

The reporting can be done online. http://bsaefiling.fincen.treas.gov/NoRegFBARFiler.html

[Sofaking]

I'm curious how this turned out for the OP.

How was your experience?