Hi all,

 

I will be 50 in September and apply for an "extension based on retirement" in Thailand then. I am planning to enter Thailand in January with a SETV which I just got from the "Thai Consulate in Essen". METV was not an option unfortunately. That will give me 60+30 days, after that I should be able to bridge the time until September with another SETV from Penang, and one VE (visa exempt 30+30).

 

 

Question 1:

 

Does it matter whether I have a SETV or VE when I apply for an "extension based on retirement"?  (Or in other words, which order is better? SETV - VE - SETV or SETV - SETV - VE?). Or maybe there is an even better way?

 

 

Question 2:

 

I have an American and German Passport. Which one is "better" for an "extension based on retirement"? I guess there is no difference since both are G7 countries? And in the worst case, it will be also possible to change the passport later on (no "lock-in"), right?  

 

 

I really appreciate any advice you can provide.

First of all,, you can NOT get an approval to extension of stay based on retirement or marriage for that matter,,, having a tourist-VISA or NO VISA at all in the buttom.

 

Yoi need to buy yourself a non immigrant O by the time you are going to apply for an extension.

UbonJow will probably be back here for the rest of the answers to your questions.

 

Glegolo

If you have already gotten your SETV I hope you will be entering in early January or its 3 months of validity may be over.

1. You will need a non immigrant visa (non-o) entry to apply for the extension of stay based upon retirement. You can apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at some  immigration offices but will need to have at least 15 day remaining on your entry to apply for it. You will need to meet the financial requirements for an extension to apply for the visa.

You may find it easier to go out to a nearby embassy or consulate to obtain a single entry non-o visa based upon being 50 or over.

2. There would be no difference between the two passports to apply for the extension. There might be difference in getting proof of income needed if you will be using the income or combination method to meet the requirements for the extension.

You need to decide which passport you want to use for the extension and be prepared to keep using it unless you want to start all over again by leaving and getting a new non-o visa. You are "locked in" to keep using the same passport that you used for entry to the country.

Another factor to consider is the ease, cost and etc of renewing your passport when the time comes to do it.

Use your German passport.

 

You will at some point have to open a bank account to transfer the necessary funds for your planned 'extension based on retirement'.

Using your US passport will create an unnecessary amount of paperwork.

You can't go directly from a tourist visa entry or an visa exempt entry to an extension based on retirement.

 

You either need to get an actual Non-imm O visa or apply at immigrations to change your entry to a non-imm O entry before applying for the extension. The latter would require two visits to immigrations and, depending on where you stay, you might have to travel to Bangkok since some immigrations offices won't process an application to change to a non-imm O entry.

 

If you have a non-imm O entry using either method above, you can apply for an extension based on retirement during the last 30 days of your permission to stay, assuming you meet all the other requirements.

 

The tourist visa you have obtained should expire 3 months after it was issued. Check to make sure you arrive in Thailand before the expiration date shown on the visa.

I personally think FAZ have a point here by using the german passport it will be MUCH MUCH MUCH easier to transfer money from abroad into Thailand.. In Europe we have worked out the way of transferring money online, which the americans yet have to find out.

 

Glegolo

Edited October 24, 20169 yr by glegolo

that's right.  enter with a nonimmigrant O.... important....  not the tourist things.... and use the German passport.  although everyone who uses a Thai bank should have to comply with FATCA.. including every Thai national.... actually even more so than Americans as they love the automatic cover in Thailand of a nominee just by also having overseas account(s), which FATCA would snag as well... that's not how it actually works out. 

Edited October 24, 20169 yr by maewang99

4 minutes ago, glegolo said:

I personally think FAZ have a point here by using the german passport it will be MUCH MUCH MUCH easier to transfer money from abrad into Thailand.. In Europe we have worked out the way of transferring money online which the americans yet have to find out.

 

Glegolo

That would only be relevant if he was transferring the funds from Germany.

I think you need to do a little research and you will find there are banks in the US that allow international transfers online. They certainly allow it for domestic transfer as well.

4 minutes ago, maewang99 said:

that's right.  enter with a nonimmigrant O.... important....  not the tourist things.... and use the German passport.  although everyone who uses a Thai bank should have to comply with FATCA.. including every Thai national.... that's not how it actually works out. 

It does not matter which passport he uses to enter the country. As long as he has US citizenship he has to do the reporting of fundsin a foreign bank.

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That would only be relevant if he was transferring the funds from Germany.

I think you need to do a little research and you will find there are banks in the US that allow international transfers online. They certainly allow it for domestic transfer as well.

yes if you use bangkok bank they have branch in new york  so if funds are in the states you just need to do a ach bank  transfer on  line from your us bank and  transfer to bbk bank . once its there it will transfer to your account here i thailand 

 

28 minutes ago, camsouth said:

yes if you use bangkok bank they have branch in new york  so if funds are in the states you just need to do a ach bank  transfer on  line from your us bank and  transfer to bbk bank . once its there it will transfer to your account here i thailand 

 

Yes but if you have one of the several other hundreds of banks in the USA, you will have huge problem in stransferring them money,  because the US system is so enormously dated,,, sorry to say

 

Glegolo

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

That would only be relevant if he was transferring the funds from Germany.

I think you need to do a little research and you will find there are banks in the US that allow international transfers online. They certainly allow it for domestic transfer as well.

 

I use Chase on-line without any problems. Have to set up your receiving account in Thailand (Use Bangkok Bank - the only Thai bank with an ABA number.)

I have to disagree with a number of posts on here.

 

i got retirement extension last march using a tourist visa, and i had checked this possibility with the Thai consulate in UK before i went to Thailand.

 

The tourist visa can be exchange etc once in Thailand. But of coirse you still need the money in a bank account etc etc. 

 

you will, however, NOT be able to get retirement with a VE.

 

 

29 minutes ago, anfh said:

I have to disagree with a number of posts on here.

 

i got retirement extension last march using a tourist visa, and i had checked this possibility with the Thai consulate in UK before i went to Thailand.

 

The tourist visa can be exchange etc once in Thailand. But of coirse you still need the money in a bank account etc etc. 

 

you will, however, NOT be able to get retirement with a VE.

 

 

 

No you didn't.

You first obtained a Non O Visa by doing a conversion of Visa type.

You cannot get an extension direct from a TV.

 

Ubonjoe already covered this option in his reply.

The problem is that only a very few select Immigration offices can do this conversion process, and it may be easier to get a Non Imm O direct from Vientiane .

Edited October 24, 20169 yr by Faz

As pointed out, Vientiane is good place to obtain non o. AA do direct flight or fly to udon and minibus to border. As far as pp I would use the one where my money is coming from. If OP thinks he might like to travel a bit to Vietnam, keep in mind that German pp holders obtain 15 day visa exempt. USA do not. 

33 minutes ago, Faz said:

No you didn't.

You first obtained a Non O Visa by doing a conversion of Visa type.

You cannot get an extension direct from a TV.

Yes I did 

 

i will I'll copy my passport later and send copies . 

 

It it was a standard tourist visa ,  just took proof of money and chanoot  for condo, they then issued retirement which started at the end date of the tourist visa . 

5 hours ago, Faz said:

Use your German passport.

 

You will at some point have to open a bank account to transfer the necessary funds for your planned 'extension based on retirement'.

Using your US passport will create an unnecessary amount of paperwork.

With the US passport you do not need to put any money in the bank here, you can get the income affidavit at any of many US embassy outreaches here. I don't know what Germany does.

35 minutes ago, anfh said:

Yes I did 

 

i will I'll copy my passport later and send copies . 

 

It it was a standard tourist visa ,  just took proof of money and chanoot  for condo, they then issued retirement which started at the end date of the tourist visa . 

 

Every page from TV onwards please.

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That would only be relevant if he was transferring the funds from Germany.

I think you need to do a little research and you will find there are banks in the US that allow international transfers online. They certainly allow it for domestic transfer as well.

I would highly recommend using the US passport and the easily obtainable affidavit from the US embassy at any of its many outreaches here, then leaving your money in the US or Germany, only getting it when you need it. ATM is OK and only a little more expense than any other method of transfer I have seen. I had a friend who died here and his money is tied up in a Thai bank and will be for a minimum of two years, this is with a rock solid will. Also the money could not be used for his health care he desperately needed. I put my pin #s and home contacts in an envelope for my Lady to open and use in the event of such occurrence. 

Thanks for all your advice!

 

Quote

Ubonjoe already covered this option in his reply. The problem is that only a very few select Immigration offices can do this conversion process,

 

I am planning to live in Pattaya. Is the immigration office there one of those select that can convert a SETV to a non-o visa?

 

Quote

but will need to have at least 15 day remaining on your entry to apply for it. 

 

Good point. I will make sure that the SETV expires 16 or more days after my birthday (which falls on a Sunday).

 

 

 

Quote

 

> You cannot get an extension direct from a TV.

 

Yes I did 

 

i will I'll copy my passport later and send copies . 

 

It it was a standard tourist visa 

 

 

 

@anfh Great. Thanks!

Not only are the fees lower for Americans using the BKK Bank NY method...the spread on the USD/THB is narrower, and that can really add up.  It always seems like when someone is trying to do things the hard way, and has a convulted distorted sense of reality; there is a German close by, let alone someone with two passports.  Deutche Bank?  Really?  and the country that invented the 50,000,000,000 Mark loaf of bread?  Don't embarrass yourself.

7 minutes ago, soon50yeah said:

I am planning to live in Pattaya. Is the immigration office there one of those select that can convert a SETV to a non-o visa?

 

Yes they will do the change of visa status to get a non immigrant visa.

8 minutes ago, KhonKaenKowboy said:

Not only are the fees lower for Americans using the BKK Bank NY method...the spread on the USD/THB is narrower, and that can really add up.  It always seems like when someone is trying to do things the hard way, and has a convulted distorted sense of reality; there is a German close by, let alone someone with two passports.  Deutche Bank?  Really?  and the country that invented the 50,000,000,000 Mark loaf of bread?  Don't embarrass yourself.

Your post started OK and show some knowledge, but the ending was terrible. You have no clue at all about the world, so do not jump on the germans. By the way, google EURO and maybe something pops up........

 

Glegolo

Quote

Good point. I will make sure that the SETV expires 16 or more days after my birthday (which falls on a Sunday).

 

Revising my post since Pattaya apparently requires 21 days.

 

Good point. I will make sure that the SETV expires 22 or more days after my birthday (which falls on a Sunday).

 

On 10/24/2016 at 2:00 AM, anfh said:

 

you will, however, NOT be able to get retirement with a VE.

 

 

Actually it can be done, but it is a process and takes WEEKS. 2 American guys I know did it recently...1 in Jomtien and 1 in BKK. They entered on 30-day VE and did it all immediately afterwards. The VE's needed a minimum of 15 days (i think) remaining.

 

Also, can do it using one of the many Visa services, but be prepared to pay BIG BAHT for their all-inclusive and speedy start to finish services. If not mistaken, they even deposit 800k in a bank account for the "appy"...temporarily of course.