Thai embassies scrap 500k THB financial requirement for single entry tourist visa

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, thaijett said:

not while Europe & USA are CoVid19 cesspools !

 

The US is about to roll out its Covid vaccine. Once distributed sufficiently and herd immunity is in place, the shoe will be on the other foot. The US will want to isolate US travelers from going to Thailand.

[JJBloke]

On 11/20/2020 at 4:21 PM, Peter Denis said:

The 60-day SETV can be used as 'entry-ticket' to Thailand and allows to subsquently apply at your local IO for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement.  Those from countries that do not provide the Non Imm O Visa for retirement (e.g. USA or Australia) and that cannot meet the requirements for a Non Imm O-A Visa, could now use that 'tourist option' and once in country apply for the 90-day Non Imm O visa for reason of retirement and subsequent 1-year extension of that Visa.

I can't find any info about this. Are 2 months of seasoned funds still required? I'm really looking for a solution of how with the quarantine someone could open a bank account and transfer in and season the money in time on a 90 day entry. With 15 days ASQ and needing 15 days left on visa to apply for extn, and allowing for the bank transfer I can't see how you could do this. I haven't seen any posts about this subject..........., I've even looked into getting HSBC Premier in home country and getting them to open the Thai HSBC account. (Would the thing you refer to even work for a Brit where they actually do issue a 90 day O visa?)

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, JJBloke said:

I can't find any info about this. Are 2 months of seasoned funds still required? I'm really looking for a solution of how with the quarantine someone could open a bank account and transfer in and season the money in time on a 90 day entry. With 15 days ASQ and needing 15 days left on visa to apply for extn, and allowing for the bank transfer I can't see how you could do this. I haven't seen any posts about this subject..........., I've even looked into getting HSBC Premier in home country and getting them to open the Thai HSBC account. (Would the thing you refer to even work for a Brit where they actually do issue a 90 day O visa?)

There is no 15 days before the 90 days ends to apply for an extension of stay. That is only to apply for a 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration.

You should be able to open a bank account soon enough to have the 800k baht in the bank for 2 months before the 90 days ends.

 

[JJBloke]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no 15 days before the 90 days ends to apply for an extension of stay. That is only to apply for a 90 day non-o visa entry at immigration.

You should be able to open a bank account soon enough to have the 800k baht in the bank for 2 months before the 90 days ends.

 

Much appreciated as always Joe, actually for a friend: As I remember for my O extn I needed 15 days of life on my TV because there are 2 visits to CW while it processes. Wary to look like I'm debating you, but a quote from you on a 2016 thread: "You can apply for a change of visa status (TM86  form) at [Jomtien] immigration [in Pattaya] up to the last 15 days of your 60 day entry or 30 day extension of it."    Also what's a '90 day non-o visa entry at immigration' ?  thnx and excuse my puzzlement!

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, JJBloke said:

Much appreciated as always Joe, actually for a friend: As I remember for my O extn I needed 15 days of life on my TV because there are 2 visits to CW while it processes. Wary to look like I'm debating you, but a quote from you on a 2016 thread: "You can apply for a change of visa status (TM86  form) at [Jomtien] immigration [in Pattaya] up to the last 15 days of your 60 day entry or 30 day extension of it."    Also what's a '90 day non-o visa entry at immigration' ?  thnx and excuse my puzzlement!

Reading your post made me think you were asking about entering with a non-o visa to get a 90 day entry.

To apply for a change of visa status to get a non-o visa at immigration the 800k baht only has to be in the bank on the day you apply. But proof it came from abroad is also required. He would have plenty of time to open a bank account, transfer the money and do the application.

The 90 entry is what you get when you apply for a non-o visa at immigration. The visa is stamped used as soon as it issued and a 90 day entry stamp is done in the passport.

[JJBloke]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

only has to be in the bank on the day you apply.

Ok, thx, that's definitely (fanatastic) news to me. Still unclear about the 15 days too, though that news above means ample time anyway to transfer.. I wonder if there's link to explaining the getting a non O entry stamp actually at CW, which I knew nothing about and don't really get, I'm a 10 yrs + 'vet' fwiw.... thx so much for your response and time.

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, JJBloke said:

Ok, thx, that's definitely (fanatastic) news to me. Still unclear about the 15 days too, though that news above means ample time anyway to transfer.. I wonder if there's link to explaining the getting a non O entry stamp actually at CW, which I knew nothing about and don't really get, I'm a 10 yrs + 'vet' fwiw.... thx so much for your response and time.

The 15 days is the time needed for the visa application to be approved.

Requirments for the application is here. https://bangkokimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/08-edit_NON-O.pdf

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, JJBloke said:

I can't find any info about this. Are 2 months of seasoned funds still required? I'm really looking for a solution of how with the quarantine someone could open a bank account and transfer in and season the money in time on a 90 day entry. With 15 days ASQ and needing 15 days left on visa to apply for extn, and allowing for the bank transfer I can't see how you could do this. I haven't seen any posts about this subject..........., I've even looked into getting HSBC Premier in home country and getting them to open the Thai HSBC account. (Would the thing you refer to even work for a Brit where they actually do issue a 90 day O visa?)

UJ already responded, but just to confirm/clarify for you.

1 - Anybody can now apply for a 60-day SingleEntry TouristVisa at any Thai Embassy/Consulate abroad.

2- When you enter Thailand on that SETV you will be stamped in with a permission to stay for 60 days  The first 14 days of those 60 days you will have to spend in the ASQ Hotel you opted for when you applied for the CoE (Certificate of Entry) like anybody currently entering Thailand.

3 - When coming out of quarantaine, you then need to open a personal Thai bank-account and transfer +800K THB to that bank-account with foreign origins of the funds proven.  When that is done you can then apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement at the local IO of the province where you intend to stay long-term in Thailand. 

4 - You need to apply for that 90-day Non Imm O Visa when you have still at least 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on the permission to stay stamped into your passport when having entered Thailand on your 60-day SETV, and you can do it from the moment you still have 30 days left on your permission to stay.  The funds (see #3) only need to be on that bank-account at the moment of application, so you have between 2 weeks and 1 month to open the account and ensure the funds are transferred at the moment you want to apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa.

5 - Once you have the 90-day permission to stay in your passport from that 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, you need to keep the +800K funds on that account.  In the last month of those 90 days you can then apply for the 1-year extension of stay based on that Non Imm O-Visa, and this has to be done at the SAME IO where you applied for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa.  Doing so the funds will have been more than two months on your bank-account and thereby meeting the 2-months seasoning requirement.

6 - Once you have the 1-year extension of stay stamp in your passport, you still need to maintain the +800K funds on that personal Thai bank-account.  The +800K needs to be for 3 months on that account, for the next 6-7 months the amount can be lowered to +400K, only to top up again to +800K in the two months preceding your NEXT application for a 1-year extension of stay application based on that Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement.

 

>> I did PM you a comprehensive guideline document for long-stay in Thailand on a Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement.  That document outlines in far more detail the options you have.

To access your PM-messages just click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum. 

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[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

The US is about to roll out its Covid vaccine. Once distributed sufficiently and herd immunity is in place, the shoe will be on the other foot. The US will want to isolate US travelers from going to Thailand.

Well I hope the population is more accepting of the vaccine than they were of all the requirements and recommendations to avoid the spread of Covid, which they were far from successful at.

Although I fail to see why the USA would have issue with travel to Covid free Thailand.

[Polaky]

On 11/23/2020 at 9:54 PM, Peter Denis said:

UJ already responded, but just to confirm/clarify for you.

1 - Anybody can now apply for a 60-day SingleEntry TouristVisa at any Thai Embassy/Consulate abroad.

2- When you enter Thailand on that SETV you will be stamped in with a permission to stay for 60 days  The first 14 days of those 60 days you will have to spend in the ASQ Hotel you opted for when you applied for the CoE (Certificate of Entry) like anybody currently entering Thailand.

3 - When coming out of quarantaine, you then need to open a personal Thai bank-account and transfer +800K THB to that bank-account with foreign origins of the funds proven.  When that is done you can then apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement at the local IO of the province where you intend to stay long-term in Thailand. 

4 - You need to apply for that 90-day Non Imm O Visa when you have still at least 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on the permission to stay stamped into your passport when having entered Thailand on your 60-day SETV, and you can do it from the moment you still have 30 days left on your permission to stay.  The funds (see #3) only need to be on that bank-account at the moment of application, so you have between 2 weeks and 1 month to open the account and ensure the funds are transferred at the moment you want to apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa.

5 - Once you have the 90-day permission to stay in your passport from that 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, you need to keep the +800K funds on that account.  In the last month of those 90 days you can then apply for the 1-year extension of stay based on that Non Imm O-Visa, and this has to be done at the SAME IO where you applied for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa.  Doing so the funds will have been more than two months on your bank-account and thereby meeting the 2-months seasoning requirement.

6 - Once you have the 1-year extension of stay stamp in your passport, you still need to maintain the +800K funds on that personal Thai bank-account.  The +800K needs to be for 3 months on that account, for the next 6-7 months the amount can be lowered to +400K, only to top up again to +800K in the two months preceding your NEXT application for a 1-year extension of stay application based on that Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement.

 

>> I did PM you a comprehensive guideline document for long-stay in Thailand on a Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement.  That document outlines in far more detail the options you have.

To access your PM-messages just click the letter-icon next to your profile when logged in to the Forum. 

Success!

Well said Peter, This should be put up as a sticky in the tutorials section, If there is a tutorials section, you could also suggest what the best way is to transfer funds and obtain proof that it came from out of country, Tips on opening a bank account, all under the heading " How to Obtain a Non O in country for dummies", no pun Intended.

[spidermike007]

And they just rolled out a big plan yesterday to promote Thailand to the Middle East. 500k requirement still in effect, special permission (much groveling) from the consulate, home testing, 3 million baht insurance plan, 14 day quarantine and testing upon arrival, all at the tourists expense, and testing at the beginning of the second week and at the end of quarantine. Then, thousands of dollars later, you can enjoy your vacation. 

 

No thanks, says the entire planet. Perhaps 5,000 tourists will take advantage of this plan, in the next 6 months.

 

Courage and competency are needed, not huge degrees of army cowardice. 

[Peter Denis]

11 minutes ago, Polaky said:

Well said Peter, This should be put up as a sticky in the tutorials section, If there is a tutorials section, you could also suggest what the best way is to transfer funds and obtain proof that it came from out of country, Tips on opening a bank account, all under the heading " How to Obtain a Non O in country for dummies", no pun Intended.

Hi Polaky, I did PM you rev-7 of the comprehensive guideline document I compiled for staying long-term in Thailand when +50 years of age and navigating the complex Thai Visa-jungle.

The Guideline includes several attachments one of them being on the subject of TransferWise and how to ensure you can provide evidence to your local IO of the foreign origins of the transfers you did.