Exploring Thailand
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Posts posted by Exploring Thailand
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28 minutes ago, Max69xl said:
You're not supposed to show any proof of money when doing the 90 days reports.
There is a requirement that you keep 400k in your account, but they don't check it all?
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6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:
For the initial 3 months non imm O and 12 month extension it's 21k, the subsequent yearly extensions are 12.5k. The cost is fine if you have better things to do with 800k or don't want to play their monthly transfer game
Which office do you use? I've read some accounts of having to show proof of 400k in the bank at 90-day reports. How is that handled if you use an agent?
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29 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:Max, lets put this issue to bed once and for all. There were initially folks who had a visa issued before 10/31, who upon arrival were being asked for proof of insurance and the O-A visa was not accepted. This is why my comment is valid as well as when the time comes for an extension, that should things continue on this path where extension holders are being asked for a Thai policy is RELEVANT. Open you eyes and look past the top of the keyboard and think for a minute. I am so tired of people who have taken this OP and topic off post.
Your post was relevant and useful. Thanks for making it. There is still confusion around this subject and the more data we have the better. A couple of days ago there was a post about someone with an OA issued prior to 30th October who was initially let in, but subsequently asked for insurance on re-entry. Your IO seemed to be switched on and knew what your concern would be. Hopefully, with time all of the IOs will be treating OA-holders in the same way.
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6 hours ago, tgeezer said:
That was clever, I clicked ‘here’ and was there straight away. I have bookmarked that to listen later.
It's easy. Just click on the chain link (next to the quotation marks) which appears above the box when you are typing a message
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You could try here.
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1 hour ago, OJAS said:
That's fine. It wouldn't be problem for me. I thought you were talking about showing them documentation from your home country.
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8 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:
Since the Nov 7 IO Big Boss meeting clarifying that entering Thailand with
- a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa
does NOT require health-insurance, there has been not 1 single report of entrants being denied the 1 year permission of stay they are entitled to.
Indeed, some 'toothing problems' have been reported of seemingly insecure Immigration officials still asking for health-insurance, but if you do not have it - as it is not required -, after some deliberation with their IO colleagues, those queried have all been stamped in for the full year they are entitled to.
So presently (we are day 22 of the implementation!) it is safe to say that it is NOT required on entry.
That's excellent news. I think the toothing problem reports were the ones I'd seen, especially the recent one in which the guy was asked for insurance, showed some travel insurance, and was then allowed in.
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13 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:
If you are on a 'new OA' I presume that its validity date has not expired yet. Exiting and re-entering Thailand before the OA validity date expires provides you again with a 1 year permission to stay, allowing you to squeeze almost 2 years out of your OA Visa.
E.g. an OA Visa issued July 2019, will when - timed right - allow you to stay in Thailand till July 2021.
Exactly, which is why I went the OA route this time. The pound-baht exchange rate was a 10-year low when I had to make the decision, so I went for on OA, thus avoiding the need to bring in another 800k.
QuoteAnd it's only when your extension of stay is due, that the health-insurance requirement will kick in.
If that's the case, then great. I thought I'd read of mixed-results when people either tried to re-enter on a still-valid OA, or asked Immigration what would happen if they tried to re-enter. I could be wrong though. It's difficult to keep track of all of the reports and reports of reports.
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15 hours ago, Thaidream said:
There is no law that states the 800K for retirement or 400K for marriage has to be sent from abroad unless one converts a VE or Tourist Visa to a Non O and then applies.
Thanks. That's useful to know.
QuoteRegarding the income method- if they want to see source of funds, this should be easy to provide- since every financial transaction has some source- pension deposit; investment deposit; rental income deposit etc . Simple letterhead from these entities and amounts should suffice. Most people have to declare this on the yealy foreign income tax.
"Should" being the operative word ???? . It sounds as though what some offices really want to see is a single document confirming a pension of at least 65k per month. The further you are from having that, the more likely you are to hear "Cannot".
I have a new OA so I have the option of doing a border run at the end of the year (and probably having to buy Thai insurance beforehand). As I have no idea what the immigration regulations or baht exchange-rate will be in a year's time, I'm trying to keep open as many options as possible.
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12 hours ago, brianj1964 said:
I did that bit, it said " long stay" or something similar
That's the one you want. There's a guy on here who runs a Facebook group dedicated to TransferWise. They've done some testing and have 100% success rate in having the transfer marked as international using that drop-down option and transferring to Bangkok Bank. The receiving bank has to be Bangkok Bank to be sure of success.
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2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:
Some relevant tips when opting for the +65K monthly income method:
...
Thanks for that. I do have those items covered. The one thing it doesn't seem possible to anticipate is whether or not they will inquire into where the funds came from. As far as I know, there is nothing on their websites about providing them with documentation about that, of course that doesn't mean that they won't require documentation.
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9 minutes ago, Max69xl said:
Imo Bangkok Bank is better than K-Bank when we're talking Immigration matters. CW Immigration in BKK might ask for the source of the money. Normally on a retirement visa/extension you are supposed to be retired. Just telling them that the money comes from savings back home "might" not be enough. They want the transfers to be foreign,and when using TransferWise as you said, correct 'reason for transfer' is still important = 'Funds for long term stay in Thailand'. They want a bank letter from your thai bank and bank statements showing the transfers as foreign. Are you still on your 90 days Non-Immigrant O Visa?
I'm on an OA. I was previously on a retirement, using the 800k method. This year, I'm going to start bringing 65k monthly to give me more options when it is time to extend. For the 800k, they wanted proof that it was an international transfer, but there was no requirement for me to tell them where I got the funds from.
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1 minute ago, Max69xl said:
To which bank do you transfer your income/pension?
I am in the first month of the twelve, so I can transfer it wherever I need to. I've made one transfer to Bangkok, but I can make another to Kasikorn. I'm aware that the transfer must be marked as international. From what I've read, using transferwise to transfer to Bangkok Bank, the transfer is guaranteed to marked as international, providing that you select the correct option from the drop-down when making the transfer.
My query to OJAS was more concerned with Immigration wanting information about the provenance of the funds. I am transferring my own money. It is not a pension.
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2 minutes ago, Max69xl said:
Which thai bank do you have?
Kasikorn and Bangkok.
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3 hours ago, OJAS said:
and (2) Americans, Aussies & Brits using the 65k monthly income method to obtain a special bank letter listing details of transfers from abroad including home country currency debits (with standard 6-month/12-month bank statements, which are generally accepted by most other offices, not proving adequate)
Could you expand on this "including home country currency debits"? I read in another thread that some offices won't accept a transfer from your own account in your own country. I'm trying to understand what they actually want to see. I'm in Bangkok, but all information is helpful.
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1 hour ago, Max69xl said:
The source of income can never be your own bank account in your home country.
Is that explicitly stated anywhere on the Immigration websites, or is it just a rule they apply in practice?
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6 hours ago, Raphael54 said:
In pre-announcements it was always and everywhere confirmed that foreign health insurance policies would be acceptable as long as they met the minimum requirements of 400,000 THB (in-patient) and 40,000 THB (out-patient).
Could you share which pre-announcements you're referring to? Do you have any links? Cheers.
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1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:
Meanwhile, the Thais certainly do love their "One Stop Service Centers." First I've ever heard of such a thing existing, if it actually does, re the O-A insurance issue.
I think think it's probably a reference to the TGIA website.
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4 minutes ago, brianj1964 said:
Having just arrived last week I have best part of 12 months to see how it plays out, got a 12 month stamp so I'm happy...at the moment
I'm in the same situation. I was stamped in for a year on the 30th.
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1 minute ago, lkv said:Person A will need insurance at one Immigration office but not another.
Person B will not need insurance at one Immigration office but will at another.
There will be a meeting eventually, and they would all need or not need insurance.
That's cleared that up then. ???? Have you ever thought about applying for a job at Immigration?
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5 hours ago, brianj1964 said:
So is clarification now issued before 31/10 no insurance, issued after 31/10 yes insurance? And ALL extensions yes insurance?
5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:No
Just to clairfy, @ubonjoe, what is your opinion on whether these people will need insurance for an extension based on retirement?
1. Person A has a current OA issued before 31st October, but has never extended.
2. Person B has at least one retirement extension based on an OA issued at some point in the past.
Thanks.
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I guess they could argue that it is not retrospective because it applies only to new extensions of stay, not existing ones. Anyone who has a current extension of stay is not required to go out and buy insurance to maintain it, but when the current extension expires and they apply for a new one, they will (possibly) have to have insurance.
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Just now, Jingthing said:
Yes but we can say that about any "experts" in earlier stages of major changes here!
True. I give him about the same credence as I do the more knowledgeable posters on this board - worth listening to but not infallible ????
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11 minutes ago, zydeco said:
Yea, and a few weeks back, the same guy in his videos was saying that every type of extension would need insurance. He's all over the map. Maybe it's unfair, but looking at him and his presentation does not fill me with confidence.
Yes. I listen to him, this stuff is his job, after all. For laws that haven't changed for years, he is probably a good source, but when something new and untested like this comes along, he can do nothing more than offer his best guess.
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O/A visa and insurance experience today
in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Posted
So you've done 90-day checks without showing your bankbook? I think this may be one of those thing that varies from office to office, or even IO to IO.