Good News For Thai Non-imm O Visa Holders

[cnxpat]

Hi all,

so what about those younger than 50 years old, as there seems to be no mention of that in the document "national polica order 606/2006 . I'm 42, have been on 3 marriage visa's sofar, the last one expired last September, got another 3 months just before it did, but that's it.

I am supporting my thai wife, (we have thai marriage certificate) and our 3 yo daughter (who has a dutch passport, not have a thai (yet!). I am her father registered on her birth certificate as well as my wife as the mother.

What are the options? requirements?

also, about getting an extension, should that be done before the visa expires (1 year after issuing), or before your last "allowed 90 days" expire (in my case, 1 year after issuing + 90 days).

thanks in advance

[lopburi3]

40K per month family income is the requirement to extend your stay and that should be done when you have between 30 and 15 days remaining on your permitted to stay stamp.

[phormio]

I'm a US citizen, under 50 and have extended my non imm O on support Thai wife basis twice before(I have two Thai kids too). Its time to do it again - permitted stay ends Dec 1. I just wire transferred in 400,000 baht(arrived today) and am checking the forum to find out the rules have changed. Wish I had checked sooner. I will be applying for extension in Bangkok and in the last week of my permitted stay.

My questions are :

1. The 400,000 baht requirement - does it have to be 3 months - is this strictly enforced? Will a letter from the bank indicating my account balance be good enough?

2. Do I need a letter from the bank indicating that the money was transferred in from overseas.

3. Am I too late? I'll be applying next week with my pemitted stay ending on the 2nd of December.

4. Does my wife have to go with me to make the application.

Thanks for your help.

[lopburi3]

1. You are grandfathers so can continue to use the 400k. Do not believe the 3 month is strictly enforced yet although they may make up for it on the under review end. Next time it would probably be an issue.

2. Passbook should indicate that - if not I would get a copy of the transfer paper from bank just in case it is asked for.

3. You should be ok time wise.

4. Positivity.

[OzKev]

...my Daughters Birth certificate...

You didn’t mention your age, but if you are over 50 years old, you should be able to get an annual extension without having to show proof of income or money in the bank.

---------------

Maestro

Hi All,

This all very interesting reading for a newcomer to the issue of living in Thailand. I will be moving to Thailand on New Years Eve and will marry my Thai girlfiend late January. I am entering on a tourist visa because my 5 year old son is coming with me and no-one can tell what sort of visa he is suppose to have. From the response I have had I must be nearly the first single father to bring his son to Thailand to live.

I wonder if any of you guys have any knowledge of what happens in my situation?

I really enjoy reading these forums and learning about life in Thailand.

Thanks in Advance

OzKev

[phormio]

Thanks for the rapid response lop(I always think of you as "LOAP'). I've got a nine month old son who is the cutest thing most Thai girls have seen. I'll take him in with me and I'm geussing they'll give me expedited treatment. Wifey's got to work.

Other questions(see my questions from 3 posts up) about these changes are:

1. Persistence - how long are these going to be around. Will they change these again next year?

2. Which one to choose ?

Advantages/Disadvantages with the 400K in the bank vs. the 40K total 'household' income

per month extension; this is truly the one that surprises me the most - seems like it goes

against the Thai custom(actually think I should say the Chinese custom) of man supporting

the family, etc. Bet'ya these new rules were written by Thai women. I'm lucky - these days

about these changes because these days I'm Mr. Mom.

3. What do you think motivated these changes?

[lopburi3]

Sorry for my typo on grandfathered but that was no typo on question 4. Good luck but I don't believe it will fly without the wife.

1. Nobody knows - suspect they will always be subject to review and all laws should be.

2. You can not return to 400k so if using now it gives you an option others do not have. As most need to keep a bank account of that amount anyway I would suggest keeping it.

3. It opens legal stay options to most people, (even if it means putting the wife to work/taxed income) while removing the often abused bank account problem would be my guess (but guess it is).

[rainman]

does anyone know how much in advance, before renewing your 1-year marriaga extension, the 400k need to be in the bank? when applying for my first extension last april, i put it there approximately 2 weeks before and they didn't ask about it, but somewhere i read you need it there 3 months ahead and one month after applying for the extension, so a total of 4 months.

is that really the case? i invested a lot of my cash funds in offshore businesses and it won't be returned until about february, with my extension due in late march, is that gonna be a problem if i put it there 1 month before?

[rainman]

just noticed someone asked the same thing above. dumb me

[corkscrew]

It looks to me like Corkscrew got himself an annual extension of stay or a multiple-entry re-entry permit or both.

Without seeing the new stamp or stamps he got in his passport, I guess we shall never know, nor does it really matter, does it? Nothing has changed, and we were told that nothing would change, for people who previously had extensions for support of Thai wife.

--------------

Maestro

It's actually a "NON-IMM Immigration Thailand Re-Entry Permit" Multiple Entry good for one year starting on the day that the preceding one expired. It is the same procedure that I've used since 2002: bring in bank book with required amount, new photos, filled out forms, wife and her Thai passport and the fee.

The new rules do not apply to people who came in under the old system.

[Guest #1man]

It looks to me like Corkscrew got himself an annual extension of stay or a multiple-entry re-entry permit or both.

[/size]

I think Corkscrew got both an extension of stay and a multiple re-entry permit.

He obviously doesn't understand what he has got by his answers

[lopburi3]

Two fees would be involved. 1,900 baht to extend his stay for one year plus 3,800 baht for a mutli re-entry permit to match it.

[corkscrew]

Two fees would be involved. 1,900 baht to extend his stay for one year plus 3,800 baht for a mutli re-entry permit to match it.

That is correct: I paid 1,900 to extend for one year and 3,800 for the Multi re-entry.

[phormio]

Sorry for my typo on grandfathered but that was no typo on question 4. Good luck but I don't believe it will fly without the wife.

1. Nobody knows - suspect they will always be subject to review and all laws should be.

2. You can not return to 400k so if using now it gives you an option others do not have. As most need to keep a bank account of that amount anyway I would suggest keeping it.

3. It opens legal stay options to most people, (even if it means putting the wife to work/taxed income) while removing the often abused bank account problem would be my guess (but guess it is).

So., I went in to immigration at Suan Phu without the wife and they told me to come back with the wife, which is what I did. Brought her, a letter certifying my account balance from my bank, marriage certificate, copies of my bank book and passport, a photograph, her id card, and 1900 baht. I had just transferred 400,000 baht in from overseas four days previosly. They put a stamp in my passport saying my extension wasunder consideration and told me to come back in a month to get the result of my extension application.

The immigration officer did comment on the fact that the money was only just put into the account(and hadn't been in for fa min of 3 months) and that the requirement was just a total of 400K baht in my and/or my wifes bank accounts. I'll let you know how things turn out.

Accoring to my understanding and experience here, for the preceding two years, immigration was looking for the transfer of 400K baht in from overseas, but this year they couldn't give a rats ass where the moneys coiming from(or if its in your or your wifes sccount) so long as you've got it in there for 3 months. Geuss they're not worried about balance-of-payment nor exchange rate issues any more.

[Lenn2005]

Correct based on 7.17 (5) of the National Police Office Order No. 606/2006

If married with Thai child, then you should not apply under 7.17 (6), if you are over 50 years old.

am wondering if this would apply to my situation. I'm 51 and supporting a Thai defacto and our child.

Lenn2000, and also nuu hope, if you have not yet seen form TM.7 for application of extension of stay, look at it here. If you print it from here for your application, be sure to print both pages on one sheet of paper, two-sided. Most immigration offices will accept this downloaded form.

Now go and read paragraph 7.17, clause (5) of the Police Order 606/2006. There are two English translations on the Internet. One, which I consider to be the better of the two, is by Sunbelt and downloadable here, the other is on the website of the Immigration Bureau.

If you choose to apply under 7.17(5), remember what Sunbelt said: forget about your wife, forget about your marriage certificate and your wife’s ID. And forget about “support”. You are not applying to support your Thai child, but to live with your Thai child. For all anybody cares, your child could be 30 years old, earning a good salary and be supporting you. All you need is a document to prove your relationship with your Thai child, i.e. the child’s birth certificate indicating you as the father and perhaps also proof of the child’s Thai nationality, i.e. Thai passport or Thai ID card. Bring these, and if immigration wants anything else they will tell you (perhaps house registration, I don’t know, have not yet done this type of extension)

Now go back to the form TM.7 and look at the bottom of page 1, where there is the field “Reason(s) for extension”. What do your write here? There’s plenty of space here, so write enough to make it clear in what capacity you apply. For my application, I plan to write “To live with my Thai child, in accordance with paragraph 7.17, clause 5 of the Order of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters No. 606/2549”. (Note that here I use the title as used in the English translation on the website of the Immigration Bureau. When dealing with government offices, use their own language, in order to avoid confusion)

---------------

Maestro

hi Maestro,

got some bad news regarding the TM7 form..paragraph7.17, clause 5. went to immigration yesterday armed with a copy of my passport and my daughter's birth certificate and was turned down. I couldn't understand why. they kept pointing to something in the clause and saying that I have to go to an Ampur to do something. I'm just wondering what it could be. I went through a process of elimination and couldn't work what it that's required. Perhaps it's the copy of census registration..what ever that is. Perhaps it's because I'm not married to the mother and I'm not recognised as the legal father. From what I've heard, I have to register myself as the father and this is a long and costly process. any thoughts on this?

cheers

3. Copy of the proof of relationship

such as marriage evidences, birth

certificate, certificate of child

adoption registration, copy of census

registration, certificate of adopted

child adoption registration, or other

papers issued by the related official

organization or government

agencies.

4. The evidences of having Thai

nationality of the marriage couple,

father, mother, ordinary child, or

adopted child such as ID Card,

census registration, or other papers

issued by the related official

organization or government

[Nawtilus]

Your on the same ship as me....not married and have a thai child.

Unfortunately you are not recognised as the father in this countyr, even if you are on the birth certificate, even if you get your daughter a passport from your own country, even if you get her citizenship from your country, she still aint yours here.

So once that croc of shit settles in and you throw something around the house, you have to go about getting legally recognised.

To do this you have to go to court....family court....and get the documents formerly recognising you as the father....it was once quoted to me a s adoption of your own child, but it is not this, simply recognising it....what the birth certificate is for then buggered if I know.

Anyway, I got a lawyer i know to do it for me last year. It cost me a reasonable figure and she is since doing it for someone else I know for just over half the price, I was the trial run I guess.

It is much easier and simpler if you just get married, then you do not need this extra cost and time frame, it takes around 4 months or so at least.

But maybe, like me you do not want to be told to get married by some <deleted> that has no idea.

[Lenn2005]

hi Nawtilus,

doesn't seem to be an end to all this shit....

am wondering...if we got married...would I be recognised legally as the father? they could turn around and say that the child was born before we got married and therefore would still have to go through some bullshit process.

this place is really starting to give me the shits...I'm seriously contemplating just packing up and going back to Auss and have my daughter and the mum come later when I've settled a bit.

[Maestro]

got some bad news regarding the TM7 form..paragraph7.17, clause 5. went to immigration yesterday armed with a copy of my passport and my daughter's birth certificate and was turned down. I couldn't understand why. they kept pointing to something in the clause and saying that I have to go to an Ampur to do something. I'm just wondering what it could be. I went through a process of elimination and couldn't work what it that's required. Perhaps it's the copy of census registration..what ever that is. Perhaps it's because I'm not married to the mother and I'm not recognised as the legal father. From what I've heard, I have to register myself as the father and this is a long and costly process. any thoughts on this?

Based on reports of Sunbelt in this forum, Sunbelt got this type of extension for more than one client in Bangkok with only the child’s birth certificate (original and copy), but apparently the Sunbelt lawyers had to do some “educating” of the immigration officials about this new rule.

From an earlier post of yours in this topic I know that you are over 50 years old and therefore you obviously qualify under 7.15(5). The fact that you are not married to the child’s mother should make no difference as long as you are listed as the father on the birth certificate. It would be interesting to know what additional document your Immigration Office – you may have mentioned where you applied but I can’t remember – requested. The census registration would probably be the book generally know as “house registration”, but Sunbelt did not need this in Bangkok but perhaps other immigration offices are free to request it.

Your experience shows that some immigration officials are still not quite clear about the implementation of the new rules. It is unfortunate that a negative decision of the immigration office is not given in writing with an indication of the reason for the rejection, and that there seems to be no standard procedure for an appeal of a rejected application.

---------------

Maestro

[brahmburgers]

sounds like you got a better Thai lawyer than the two I had. My 2 ex-lawyers (working independently) used to tell me info that was out-dated. Sometimes I would question what they advised on the spot, and sometimes I would go elsewhere to get the best info I could, and then comeback later to set them straight. The message here is two-fold:

1. Don't take all that a Thai lawyer tells you at face value. Always double check any important info.

2. Don't pay before they've done the designated job. They'll always happily take an 'advance' and they'll never ever offer any refund it it turns out their services are faulty, miscalculated or non-executed.

[Lenn2005]

sounds like you got a better Thai lawyer than the two I had. My 2 ex-lawyers (working independently) used to tell me info that was out-dated. Sometimes I would question what they advised on the spot, and sometimes I would go elsewhere to get the best info I could, and then comeback later to set them straight. The message here is two-fold:

1. Don't take all that a Thai lawyer tells you at face value. Always double check any important info.

2. Don't pay before they've done the designated job. They'll always happily take an 'advance' and they'll never ever offer any refund it it turns out their services are faulty, miscalculated or non-executed.

absolutely right...can't trust any these buggers. they're all out to make a buck any way they can and I think that goes for the farang lawers as well. they'll twist the laws to suit them and we have absolutely no say to any of this. there is no law in this country.

[Nawtilus]

Lenn, I was not and still not married when I went through my visa, but I was simply told by the Amphur and my lawyer and someone else as well, to get married, it would be much simpler, quicker, cheaper etc and this was after the child was born. So to answer your question, as far as my experience goes, it should be ok.....but TIT as you know.

By the way, you have not answered my last PM to you about this ??

Maestro, you mentioned it should make no difference being married or not as long as you are on the birth certificate. Now I am not sure if your comment is purely for the over 50yo, or for anyone. I can assure you that it does matter and it means absolutely nothing, if you are not married...but I am 42yo, so not sure if something else kicks in at 50yo re this, I would presume not.

Here was my situation.....

I had been here on a non imm O visa, originaly issued in Oz, then I think the second renewal we happened to be going back to Oz around that time, so I simply got it again from Oz. In the meantime I did the 3 monthly visa runs to wherever.

When the 3rd year came around, I was tired of being told that I have to go somewhere every 90 days, while I enjoyed going away for a few days, I started to be pissed off with being told I had to do this on this day etc etc.

So I started to research my options, I had just had my second child, she was born here in Los and I am not married, village way or legal registry way. I found the only real option was the support of a thai child visa. But I was told by immigration that because I was not married, I could not get it as the child is not recognised as mine.

Now as I found this to be incredible, even for Los, I asked several visa outlets and lawyers and with some variations, basically it all meant the same thing. We also went to the Amphur to discuss options.....all said just get married, nobody could understand why i would not just get married (I was not going to be told to get married by anyone[edited by moderator to delete abusive language])

I eventually got a lawyer we know to look into it, she said she can do it, but I had to go to court and be formerly recognised as the legal father, regardless of being on the birth certificate or not. I had to provide proof of income, photos of the family together, a reprasentitive from the family court was going to come and check the house, but they never did and then I had a prelimery interview at what I think was the family court offices. We were asked many questions, provided documents which were prepared by the lawyer and basically what this interview was for, was a prelimary to the actual court appearance.

If we pass this interview, all was sweet, we get the court date and recommendations for it. About a month later, we had the family court appearance. I had a list of questions that the judge was going to ask, I had to basically remember them and there was a translator for me provided by my lawyer. This went without problems and the documents were granted stating I am the legal father etc.

This was then taken to immigration a week or so later and along with the standard required documents, it was processed and then had to wait 1 month for approval, went back and it was all approved without fuss.

A year later I went in for a renewal, provided the docs required and paid the 1900 I think it was, same deal wait a month and all was processed ok. I have now been in the country for 19 months without leaving, nice to know I can stay without the visa run demands.

The simple thing to get from this is, if your married, it should be relatively plain sailing as long as you have the requirements. If you are not married, then you have to jump through all these hoops.

Also keep in mind this was nearly 2 years ago and things change as we know here.

Hope it helps someone.

My lawyer is also doing the same thing for a friend, for cheaper than what I paid, so I guess I paved the way. So if anyone else would be interested let me know, I do not want to be recommending just anyone to her as I am sure you can understand that I do not want her doing this for someone who may then do the wrong thing or may be unable to provide what they need to provide. Most important thing is to prove funds and support either way.

I would also be very interested to see what sunbelt says about my experience above as someone mentioned that thier lawyers are doing this matter of factly and easily without the court appearance, or was that in relation to a married person only.

Edited December 1, 2006 by maestro

[Lenn2005]

Lenn, I was not and still not married when I went through my visa, but I was simply told by the Amphur and my lawyer and someone else as well, to get married, it would be much simpler, quicker, cheaper etc and this was after the child was born. So to answer your question, as far as my experience goes, it should be ok.....but TIT as you know.

By the way, you have not answered my last PM to you about this ??

Maestro, you mentioned it should make no difference being married or not as long as you are on the birth certificate. Now I am not sure if your comment is purely for the over 50yo, or for anyone. I can assure you that it does matter and it means absolutely nothing, if you are not married...but I am 42yo, so not sure if something else kicks in at 50yo re this, I would presume not.

Here was my situation.....

I had been here on a non imm O visa, originaly issued in Oz, then I think the second renewal we happened to be going back to Oz around that time, so I simply got it again from Oz. In the meantime I did the 3 monthly visa runs to wherever.

When the 3rd year came around, I was tired of being told that I have to go somewhere every 90 days, while I enjoyed going away for a few days, I started to be pissed off with being told I had to do this on this day etc etc.

So I started to research my options, I had just had my second child, she was born here in Los and I am not married, village way or legal registry way. I found the only real option was the support of a thai child visa. But I was told by immigration that because I was not married, I could not get it as the child is not recognised as mine.

Now as I found this to be incredible, even for Los, I asked several visa outlets and lawyers and with some variations, basically it all meant the same thing. We also went to the Amphur to discuss options.....all said just get married, nobody could understand why i would not just get married (I was not going to be told to get married by anyone let alone these monkies)

I eventually got a lawyer we know to look into it, she said she can do it, but I had to go to court and be formerly recognised as the legal father, regardless of being on the birth certificate or not. I had to provide proof of income, photos of the family together, a reprasentitive from the family court was going to come and check the house, but they never did and then I had a prelimery interview at what I think was the family court offices. We were asked many questions, provided documents which were prepared by the lawyer and basically what this interview was for, was a prelimary to the actual court appearance.

If we pass this interview, all was sweet, we get the court date and recommendations for it. About a month later, we had the family court appearance. I had a list of questions that the judge was going to ask, I had to basically remember them and there was a translator for me provided by my lawyer. This went without problems and the documents were granted stating I am the legal father etc.

This was then taken to immigration a week or so later and along with the standard required documents, it was processed and then had to wait 1 month for approval, went back and it was all approved without fuss.

A year later I went in for a renewal, provided the docs required and paid the 1900 I think it was, same deal wait a month and all was processed ok. I have now been in the country for 19 months without leaving, nice to know I can stay without the visa run demands.

The simple thing to get from this is, if your married, it should be relatively plain sailing as long as you have the requirements. If you are not married, then you have to jump through all these hoops.

Also keep in mind this was nearly 2 years ago and things change as we know here.

Hope it helps someone.

My lawyer is also doing the same thing for a friend, for cheaper than what I paid, so I guess I paved the way. So if anyone else would be interested let me know, I do not want to be recommending just anyone to her as I am sure you can understand that I do not want her doing this for someone who may then do the wrong thing or may be unable to provide what they need to provide. Most important thing is to prove funds and support either way.

I would also be very interested to see what sunbelt says about my experience above as someone mentioned that thier lawyers are doing this matter of factly and easily without the court appearance, or was that in relation to a married person only.

hi Nawtilus,

thanks for sharing this. I really don't think it's going to make any difference weather I'm married or not. declaring the money you earn is the real issue for me. I'm working for three different schools and none of them are prepared to give me a work permit, so I can't declare my income. I am so jacked off at the moment with these monkeys it's not funny. my employers should be giving me a work permit but they won't because they don't want to fork out the money and they can get away with it by paying some prick off probably. it's a no win situation for me at the moment. the only option I have is to keep going to embassys every 2 or 3 months and getting a tourist visa. I'm doing an online TEFL course at the moment and when this is finished, one of my employers said that they will issue me with a work permit. until then, I really can't afford the headache and time dealing with these idiots. I don't know about you, but I've just about had a gutfull of this country and will be heading back to Oz when my daughter is a little older.

cheers

[Sunbelt Asia]

I would also be very interested to see what sunbelt says about my experience above as someone mentioned that thier lawyers are doing this matter of factly and easily without the court appearance, or was that in relation to a married person only.

Yes we did the same experience for clients as well before Oct 1st, 2006. If the child was under 7 years old, you had to sue for child custody. Now with the new laws, no need as the foreigners name just has to be on the birth certificate. You now are living with your child, not needing to support them to get the extension of stay. Now if someone wants to get a extension of stay based on support of a Thai national, they can't get it, unless they were grandfathered in. The new law is all about having to be over 50 years old and living with the Thai child.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[Guest #1man]

Nawtilus said

"but I had to go to court and be formerly recognised as the legal father"

Sorry to nit pick but I think you will find that you were being recognised as the legal guardian. You will always be the father if your name is on the birth certificate.

The legal guardian has more rights than the father.

[Nawtilus]

Could possibly be so, but why does a legal guardian have more rights.

And if it is so, why then does the married father not have to do this ??

I was told on more than a couple of occassions that I was not recognised as the 'father' here. Now this could be 'a lost in the translation' moment and in deed be what you say, but I then fail to see why a married father does not have to be recognised as the legal guardian also.

[Banyai]

I would also be very interested to see what sunbelt says about my experience above as someone mentioned that thier lawyers are doing this matter of factly and easily without the court appearance, or was that in relation to a married person only.

Yes we did the same experience for clients as well before Oct 1st, 2006. If the child was under 7 years old, you had to sue for child custody. Now with the new laws, no need as the foreigners name just has to be on the birth certificate. You now are living with your child, not needing to support them to get the extension of stay. Now if someone wants to get a extension of stay based on support of a Thai national, they can't get it, unless they were grandfathered in. The new law is all about having to be over 50 years old and living with the Thai child.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

I turn 50 in jan. do just go to bangkok and get it i have a son but am not married yet?...from chiang rai

[MikeWill]

This topic/tread is quite similar and interchangeable with the other one called "Non-o For Supporting A Thai Child", at: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...id=1018256&

It probably would be helpful to combine them. Mods are welcome to take an action!

P.S.

May be here someone have a knowledge of the vantages of the "yellow book"...

Edited December 6, 2006 by Condo_bk

[barryofthailand]

I have been living in Thailand since July 2003. I adopted my Thai wifes sonand registered the adoption in Banglamung at the Amphur, and his last name was changed to mine. I do not have enough income as of yet so I have always put 400,000 baht in the bank. This year the Immigration office in Jomtien informed me that I can combine my 18,000 baht a month income with money in the bank. So I transfered 375,000 baht. When the packet came back from Bangkok it said not approve due to inproper bank statement. I informed them that I have an adopted son registered in Thailand, and they did not ant to go that rought so I transfered 72,000 more Thai baht to give me a balance of 447,000 baht.

I'm assuming that for support of a Thai wife you cannotcombine income and money in the bank. I have to return to Jomtien on the 22nd of this month. They also required my wife to fill out a statement explaining what the money in the bank was to be used for, which she has never had to do before. My question is, how should I go about this in the future?

Barry

[fiddlehead]

Help Please!

I am presently in the states planning to return to Thailand on Jan 11, 2007. I am working on jumping through the hoops necessary for obtaining either a retirement visa, or a non-imm "O" as i have a 1 year old son in thailand with me on the birth certificate although i am not married to his mother (yet)

I am under the impression that under the new rules, i don't have to be married if i am on the birth certificate. Right? or wrong assumption??? anyone know?

I got a statement (here in us) from the county sheriff's dept saying i've never been arrested.

I am seeing a doctor next week to certify that i don't have any diseases.

I am going to the bank (here) this afternoon to get a statement from them saying i have the money in their bank. (the equiv. of 800,000 baht +) Does anyone know if this must be notorized? (or if i can keep the money here in the US or must have it in my Thai bank account?)

What kind of visa should i apply for. I am under the impression that i will have to bring all of this paperwork to thailand and get the one year there after i get some kind of 90 day visa to enter.

What do i apply for? and where is the best consulate in the US to do this?

I realize this is a ton of questions and i am doing my best to follow the rules. It's not easy as most of you know.

I want to be with my family in thailand and dread being locked out so i am doing everything necessary.

I just don't want to get there and find out i didn't do something they want.

Please help. thanks, fiddlehead

[lopburi3]

You seem to have the money and have started the non immigrant O-A visa process in the States so I would continue and contact the Consulate for detailed instructions. This will provide a one year permitted to stay stamp when you enter Thailand and you should obtain the multi entry version and with that you can come and go as you please and receive the same one year stamp on any entry while visa is valid (up to one year) so in effect you have almost two years before you even have to visit immigration for anything other than 90 day address reports and the money does not have to be transferred until 3 month before the renewal time if you use bank deposit rather than pension/income.

You currently have an option, being over age 50, to live with child. This could be done here in Thailand but presently Bangkok is the only known location to accept and am not confident in the long term viability myself.

You do not need any of the paperwork for a retirement visa here in Thailand but the money would have to have been in your Thai account 3 months prior to application.