Thai Immigration Issues NEW Proof of Bank Account Balances for retirement extensions.

Tod Daniels, Moderator at Thai Visa Advice Facebook Forum posted today his recommendation.. .

I agree 100%...
That is what I did last November when I was in the USA.

I applied to the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles for the O-A Non Immigrant multi entry one year visa for retirement. $200.

Received it by US Post Office Priority Mail 2-3 day delivery... in 14 business days. Normal turnaround in 10. But Thanksgiving holidays delayed it.

Can also be applied for in person at Consulate morning and pick up afternoon next day per reports of those who applied in person.

Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, New York City are the Thai Consulate/Embassy sites it can be applied at...no Honorary Consuls can issue the O-A Visa.

Gives me one year multi entry visa and if I leave and return to Thailand the day before my one year date I am stamped into Thailand for one added year. No added fee. But during that second year I must buy a reentry permit ...single or multiple at Thai Immigration whenever I leave Thailand.

I will do this each two years.
Avoiding the hassle of dealing with Thai Immigration in country.

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/servi...spx?link_id=48

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Tod Daniels said:

Given the recent changes where the consulates of 4 countries stopped issuing income affidavits to meet the financial requirements based on monthly income <- meaning you transfer at least 65K baht a month into a bank account from overseas for 12 months before you apply for your extension
AND
the change yesterday of the banked money method where you bank 800K baht in a Thai bank account in your name for 2 months prior to your extension, get a 90 day under consideration stamp, then show 400K baht still in the account when you go back to get the year extension.

I would strongly suggest to ANYONE coming' here thinking they're going to rock up and get a 'retirement visa' in country to get a year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type O-A visa from a Thai consulate in their country BEFORE they wing their way here.

Hands down it is the easiest thing to do. You don't bank a single baht in a Thai bank account, you meet the financial requirements in YOUR country using your bank account or documentation from your govt.

That visa gives you almost 2 solid years of trouble free stay in Thailand and you don't have to worry about ANY changes to the extension rules by the immigration office inside the country because you bought a VISA from a Thai consulate outside the country BEFORE you came here..

Good Luck all.

Tod

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Originally Posted by travelerjim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tod

... because you bought a VISA from a Thai consulate outside the country BEFORE you came here.

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I see dear old Tod is still claiming that visas are for sale from Thai Consulates

As you well know...
The Thai Consulates and Embassy outside Thailand may offer the O-A Non-Immigrant Multi-entry Visa. For those age 50+ retirement.

That in effect is the sale if that visa. .

TJ, I think that you are on shaky ground here. In these instances you apply for and are granted a visa, at the embassy's discretion. I think that the only way that you could be said to "buy" a visa, is in circumstances where, upon receipt of a significant sum or investment, an embassy or government is obliged to grant a visa without discretion.



Do come to one of our Pedants Anonymous evenings hosted on alternate Thursdays by FCCT.

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Originally Posted by travelerjim

The Thai Consulates and Embassy outside Thailand may offer the O-A Non-Immigrant Multi-entry Visa. For those age 50+ retirement. That in effect is the sale if that visa.

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It is not a sale. You pay a fee when you apply. The Consulate have 100% discretion to reject your application, in which case you forfeit the application fee. A "sale" means they they have no right of rejection. I realise you're an American so English is a foreign language for you, but paying a (non-refundable) application fee is not the same as making a purchase

The wonders of semantics...
Bottom line is that I paid in advance a fee of US $200 in a Cashiers Check from my bank with my application for a Non Immigrant O-A Multi-entry Visa to the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles.

The O-A visas for retirement are offered outside Thailand from your home country Thai Consulates and Embassy. Not available from Honorary Consuls.

With all the pending and announced changes Inside Thailand from Thai Immigration, IMHO getting the O-A so called retirement visa in your home country is the way to go.

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Originally Posted by travelerjim

The wonders of semantics...

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If you want a reputation as a poor communicator, knock yourself out. You apparently believe you're adding value whereas you're subtracting it

If you're confused (and I suspect most posters here simply don't care) then you should know that Immigration officials are just as confused, apparently - http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2...ration-source/

For the part-time resident, getting a multiple-entry tourist visa is going to be a far simpler proposition