Can I switch from 800,000 THB to a 65,000 THB monthly deposit for a Non-O-A visa extension in Thailand?

Nov 30, 2019
5 years ago
Dan *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I just did my 90 day review of my 800,000 THB finances in my Thai bank account for the financial requirements of the type O-A visa extension at Jomtien Immigration. I have wanted to change to the 65,000 THB monthly deposits for some time and use the 800,000 THB for something other than a bank. I showed the immigration officer that I had already started the 65,000 monthly deposits for the last 4 months for my extension that will be applied for in 2020. I asked if I still needed to keep 400,000 THB minimum until I apply for my next extension. She told me that I did not need to keep the 400,000 minimum as long as I continued to meet the 65,000 THB monthly requirement. Has anyone else asked about this or tried to do this?

Admins may want to fix the spelling error in the subject heading that likely will be assigned to this post. “Extension > 50+ years retitement”
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is seeking clarification after being informed by an immigration officer that they could switch from the 800,000 THB financial requirement for the Non-O-A visa to a monthly deposit of 65,000 THB, as long as the latter is maintained. However, several community comments raise concerns about whether this is acceptable, noting that one typically needs to maintain a minimum balance of 400,000 THB and adhere to specific financial rules over the course of the visa extension period. Users are divided on the implications of changing the financial requirements mid-extension, with some advising caution and adherence to both methods to avoid any issues.
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Robin ******
Personally speaking my retirement extension is due for renewal in April 2020, I currently go down the 800,000 route, but have just opened a Bangkok Bank account and as from next month will fire 65,000 a month over in readiness for the extension in 2021, want to make sure it’s all joined up, cannot take liberties here!
James ********
@Robin *****
wise decision.
Peter ****************
I would not take the risk to go below the 400k
@Dan ********
. Maybe only if I had it on signed paper but stays tricky...
Robert *******
Sorry but the requirements are not running the same time. It is 12 months of monthly income BEFORE your apply or 2 months before until 3 months after and the rest of the year not less than 400.000.

Let''s take his end date Sep 2020, so he applied Sep 2019:

The at least 12 months income must have been Aug 2018 till Aug 2019.

Money in bantk 800.000 Thb from Jun 2019 to Dec 2019 and then 400.000 Thb until Sep 2020.
Tod *********
Funny, when I talked to the officers at Chaengwattana about someone switching from banked money to monthly income method i was told they had to follow the seasoning rules for the whole year, meaning they needed to keep the 800K baht in the account for 3 months after the extension was granted (Bangkok doesn't make you go back and show them, they look at the bank book next year) AND they need to keep the balance of the account at no less than 400K baht for the time that the extension was valid for AND then also meet the requirements to transfer 65K baht in every month for the previous 12 month so that they could use the monthly method next time.

Or that's what I was told.

Now seeing as you were told something else BY your immigration officer (which I hope you noted the name/rank of or at least can recognize by sight) I'd follow what they say.
Troy *********
@Tod ********
he went to Jomtien though
Marty *********
I would have him follow what you say. There is no chance that you will run afoul of the rules if you adhere to both financial requirements at the same time.I just saw a discussion in another discussion group where someone was repeatedly told by immigration that he didn't need 12 months of monthly deposits because of the earlier leniency advice. When he went in to apply for his next extension he was denied because he didn't have 12 months of deposits.
Robert *******
And there is no rule that you can switch financial requirements during the running year of an Extension of Stay. It is banked money for a year or monthly income for a year.
Robert *******
Okay, you need to meet and fulfill the requirements of the Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years of age you got for the whole year of this Extension of Stay. The requirement is 2 months prior application date (easy to see in bank book) till 3 months after application date (as nobody can see in the future they ask you to keep that money in the bank and show that after 90 days), the rest of the year not less then 400.000 THB (same problem, you have to keep that money in the bank, as nobody can check your balance in for example July 2020). You "promise" to keep this money in the bank. NOW you want to take all the money out the bank, breaking the requirement of the Extension of Stay you got until Sep 2020 and tell us it will be no problem. if it is not problem why make such a long requirement, it would be much more easy to use the old one, show 800.000 Thb in a Thai bank, okay it is there now you take the money out for what ever reason and make sure next year there is money again for a few days.
James ********
Professor Dan Geisser has asked that discussion be reopened...

"Was hoping to hear from others if they tried to do this but as usual commenting was turned off early.

My question has not fully been responded to. I am still hesitant to do this as it could backfire on me."

-----

Good Luck Dan...
Robert *******
Very strange advice. You used this 800.000 Thb with the promise to keep it 3 more months and the rest of the year not less then 400.000 Thb to get a 1 year Extension of Stay. At the end of the year when you apply for a new Extension of Stay you may use a different way to meet financial requirements but they will check if you kept your promise of last year Extension. And the monthly income method is minimum 12 months prior application date and not a few months during your alread approved Exension of Stay.
James ********
Good Luck Professor Dan Geisser...hopefully your plan will work as planned. BTW...as soon as I can get to a Computer or Tablet, I will correct the noted spelling error. The smartphones programs do not allow me to correct, delete or add topics.

But happily, I can close commenting. Enjoy your Saturday😉
Dan *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Robert Lagas I will apply for my extension of stay in September of 2020 so when I apply, I will meet the requirements since I started the deposits in August 2019. She actually was the second person in the office that told me I could do this. Not sure why you are using the word “promise”. I think it would be more appropriate to use the word requirement. I specifically asked if my bank account can get close to zero and she said as long as I met the 65,000 THB monthly requirement it could. I think they are allowing me to substitute one requirement for the other since one of the two requirements need to be met.
James ********
Thank you Dan for your report.
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