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.
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..
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