ilms

I've traveled out of the country several times during under consideration periods. Just make sure you have a re-entry permit that covers it. Some IO's will allow you to submit the application for the new extension up to 45 days before your current extension expires. If you could do that, it might give you some extra time to make travel plans. Check with your IO. Also, I've found that no matter when I submit my docs, the under consideration period is always 30 days from the date of expiration of the current extension. That date seems to be set in stone for the IO and it is very hard to get them to change it.

Thanks for the replies. The IO where he would apply for it (Krabi) has said that in order to get the Type-O from them, the applicant would need to have the 800K seasoned for 2 months in an account at a Thai bank when the visa application is made. The IO suggested getting the Type-O in one's home country, as they think it would be difficult/impossible to open an account if here on visa exempt or tourist visa. Of course, an agent may be able to help with that, but my friend was hoping to just get the Type-O before he arrives. Hopefully the LA Consulate will adhere to what is on their website (no ins. requirement for 90-day Type-O). We've emailed the consulate to confirm this, but they just reply with a link to their website.

A friend would like to get a Type-O visa (90-day, based on retirement) at the Thai Consulate LA and then apply for a 1-year extension in Thailand. He would like to avoid the Type O-A due to the health insurance requirement (he has good insurance, but as it's from a non-Thai company, it may be a hassle to use it for visa purposes). The Thai Consulate LA's website lists the Type-O for retirement in the "visa types" section and there is no health insurance requirement, but we wanted to check as we have been hearing reports of some Thai Consulates now requiring health insurance for Type-O. Have emailed LA Consulate but they only respond with a link to their website. Hopefully, it will be as the website seems to indicate (no health ins. required for Type-O), but sometimes information is outdated or inaccurate. If anyone has recent experience with this and can share, we would appreciate it. BTW, we're aware that you can apply for Type-O in Thailand (with no health ins. req.) but local IO advised against it saying that it would be difficult/impossible for a person to open a Thai bank account without some kind of non-tourist visa. IO here requires that 800K be in Thai bank for 2 months before applying for Type-O. If they came on a tourist visa, maybe an agent can help with the bank account, but it would be preferable to just get the Type-O before coming to Thailand.

A couple of other points to bear in mind (some of these may not apply to all Imm. offices, but forewarned is forearmed): -the bank account you use must be in your name only--no joint accounts -if using the deposit method, in addition to the letter from the bank, you should also get a statement showing transactions from the last 2 months. Get the statement stamped by the bank if you can. It's best to have the bank letter and statement be from the same day as you are submitting your paperwork to Imm. Many offices will ask you to do a transaction on that day (deposit/withdraw 100 baht). They will want to see that transaction on the bank statement you submit to them. So, plan to stop at the bank before you go to Imm. -some Immigration offices want copies of all the pages in your passport or at least all the pages that have stamps on them (not just the stamps you get when entering/exiting Thailand). Have your wife call and ask them exactly what pages they will want copies of. -if you are going to submit the birth certificates of children, you should also have copies of their blue house registration book. The copies should have the front page (inside) of the blue book and the page with the names of the individuals that are registered -if never gotten a clear answer when asking how many photos are required. They seem to want pics of you and your wife standing in front of your house (with the address clearly visible) and a pic from inside the house. I usually throw in 4 more pics of our family together for a total of 6 -many offices want the map to be hand-drawn and not a screenshot from google maps. Put the coordinates on the map if you can. -all photocopies of identity documents (your passport, wife's ID) should be signed by the owner in blue ink -you'll need 2 photos (4x6cm) to put on the TM-7 application form -many offices want 2 sets of the above-mentioned docs. -when they accept your paperwork, they will usually put a stamp in your passport that says that your extension request is under consideration along with a date that you have to return to Imm. to get the actual extension stamp. You must return on that date only (unless it falls on a weekend or a holiday) -if it's your first time, immigration will probably want to do a home visit -if you leave Thailand during the period that your extension is valid, you will need to get a reentry permit before you go. Otherwise, when you return to Thailand, your extension will be invalid and you'll have to start the process all over again. Single entry costs 1,000 and multiple entry costs 3,800 And yes, they love to add things when you're sitting in front of them or tell you that what you brought isn't sufficient. It's annoying but don't lose your cool with them or you might make an enemy in the office, which will only make things worse. Keep at it and eventually you'll get what you need

As many have said, skype is good. Can call both landlines and mobiles. Rates vary according to the country you're calling, but generally quite cheap. If calling toll-free numbers in the US, no charge. You need to download the app and set up an account, but that's free. You can use it on both mobile and desktop.

I will add my voice to others who have said that they are probably more interested in what you are doing in Thailand and if it looks like you will want to stay here and not move back to the US. And, she has to convince the consular officer of that in the 3-5 minute interview. Her stable job, assets, etc. would probably be more influential in the process if she was not married to an American. In my experience, using an agent is a waste of money. They very likely don't have an "in" at the consulate. You can fill out the application yourself and get plenty of good advice for free. I'd be happy to share more about my own recent experiences with this issue. PM me if interested.

Nice sentiment, but won't change a thing until there is actually enforcement of laws (I know, 555!). People's behavior can change--most people on this forum can probably remember a time when use of seatbelts wasn't mandatory in their own countries. When I was a kid, my mother's arm was the only child safety restraint used in the car. Now, most people there use seat belts without a thought. Seems like the only way to get people to change is to hit them in the wallet. Sad that the child safety isn't enough to motivate most folks.

If your expiring license is 5-year validity, you (likely) won't need the medical certificate for renewal. You need the medical cert. when going from 2 to 5-year license. Not quite sure why this is. In any event, it's always a good idea to have a Thai speaker call the DLT office where you'll be doing your renewal in order to confirm what documents are needed/not needed.

At least several private hospitals I know of will allow people who paid for the Moderna shots to give them to someone else. Once they actually arrive, I imagine many people (esp. Thais who for the most part, can't get mRNA vaccines in Thailand) will be interested. If you no longer need them someone will likely buy them from you. Just ask around. Or, you can donate them to someone in need who doesn't have the resources to pay for it themselves. And if they never come, too bad. Pre-paying was a hedge that for some, could make sense in times of great uncertainty. Paying and not getting sucks, but it probably won't ruin anyone financially in this case.

I own a hatchback and have rented sedans on trips. Definitely much easier to get things in and out of the hatchback. Never had a problem fitting buggies, toys, stuff in it. Someone sitting in the back seat can access the boot space from inside the car too. BTW, we own a Honda with a 3rd row of seats, which can be folded down to make the space larger. Consider fuel consumption. I drove a friend's Fortuner (3L engine) on some long trips and while it was spacious, it also uses nearly 2x the fuel of many cars with smaller engines (1.5L). Even though it's not the law here (or is but isn't enforced), invest in a good car seat. In our case we got one here locally that we used for the first year. After that we bought another one that could go from rear to front facing and eventually become a booster seat. Good brands, if available, are much more expensive here so maybe think about getting one when you're abroad or have someone bring it when they come to visit. Good luck and enjoy the ride!

As others have stated, if you want to have any say about what happens to your Thailand-based assets after you die, you need to make a will in Thailand. I've been told that a foreign-made will carries no weight in Thailand and even if it did, one could imagine the process of translating, certifying, legalizing a foreign document like that would be a massive and expensive headache for your heirs. The process of making a Thai will need not be overly complicated or expensive. There are DIY options. I chose to do it via a lawyer who is very well-regarded by expats in our area. It wasn't too expensive and I feel that it will give the best chance of things being done correctly once I pass on.