How can an American citizen open a Thai bank account and obtain a criminal record report for a retirement visa?

I'm shutting this down because this is not a banking advice group or a how do I get my criminal record group.

>How do I open and securely deposit money in a Thai bank account?

You would open a bank savings account (NOT a current account). You will need the following:

1. The applicant’s passport and a copy of:

a. The data “picture” page.

b. The most recent visa (if applicable).

c. The most recent entry stamp or extension of stay (if applicable).

d. The departure card (“TM 6”) that should be stapled in the passport.

2. A Residency Certificate either issued from the local immigration office or issued from the foreigner’s embassy. The US Embassy issues these on the Affidavit.

You will also need an opening account balance, usually around 1K THB. Expect the first couple of bank branches to reject you. There are over 6,000 banks in Thailand, and one will open an account for you. ASK on one of the many local Facebook for the best bank branch where you are going to live.

> Where do I get the report on my criminal record?

You would contact the FBI, or your local Department of Justice, or your local police department. There are 50 States in the United States, and different processes exist for each state. The Thai government is looking for major crimes, such as murder, rape, etc., or being wanted as part of a pending investigation. These crimes will be pulled up on a transnational criminal report.

Thank you

For the criminal background check that meets the OA Visa requirements I have used a company that is commonly known as an "Channeler". I do not believe I am allowed to mention the company name but use Google to find these companies.. In short you go to a local fingerprint/notary type location and electronically submit digital fingerprints and a criminal background check will be conducted either with the FBI or State Police. Then the background report will be emailed to you. The Los Angeles Thai Consulate has accepted my past criminal background check reports from this company. The days of going to your local police department for a simple name only criminal background check are over.

I agree. Come in as exempt tourist and apply for non O while you are here. That is what my husband and I just did from USA in October. Hardest part was opening a bank account....

John, I was/am in the same boat and was urged by multiple folks to go with this way:

<You come in on a visa exempt or tourist visa entry, get your funds in place then apply for the 90 day Non-O visa inside the country at the immigration office where you live, THEN after you get that you wait and apply for the yearly extension.>

That is my plan at this point. It sounds like it's the easiest. Plus I was a bit worried about the police clearance certificate thing because I have an expunged 27-year-old misdemeanor on my record, and no one could tell me whether the Thais would understand that it was an expunged charge or would just deny me because there was something there on my record. Thus, I will need to go with the Non-O applied for within Thailand because with that route they don't do the police clearance thing.

Do you plan on getting an OA visa purchased in the US or is your goal to get an O visa? There are two different sets of requirements.

As you are in Arizona .

You follow the Los Angeles Thai Consulate...

By doing what

@Tod ********

has suggested in his replies...

No police report is required...

And no one year health insurance is required for the tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

Your state police usually run the criminal report. In Oregon I had to go to the local sheriff and get prints. Then mail them off with a check to the state police. And since it needed to be an apostled report - that took a bit longer and cost a bit more. Arizona probably works in a similar manner.

Keep it simple..

Get a tourist visa and enter Thailand...that gives you 60 days on arrival plus a 30 day extension from Thai Immigration for 1,900 Thai baht.

Once you are in Thailand go to your local Thai Immigration office and ask for their list of requirements for the Non O as retiree plus one year extension of stay as retired.

@Tod ********

gave a good post about the steps ...you open a Thai bank account when in Thailand and do wire transfer of the 800,000 Thai baht into a Thai bank account in your name only.

Read Tod's reply here...

There are three ways to meet the proof of funds for extensions based on retirement;

800K baht banked in a thai bank account in your name only. The funds need to be there 2 months before you apply for your extension, the balance needs to stay above 800K baht for 3 months after your extension is granted and then the balance can't go below 400K baht the rest of the year

OR

65K baht a month in income from abroad transferred into a thai bank acocunt in your name only each month, every month for the previous 12 months

OR

A combination of banked and monthly income

The way the process works is you either get the 90 day Non-O visa based on retirement from a thai consulate in your country before you come here, then get your funds in place and apply for the yearly extension

OR

You come in on a visa exempt or tourist visa entry, get your funds in place then apply for the 90 day Non-O visa inside the country at the immigration office where you live, THEN after you get that you wait and apply for the yearly extension.

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