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How long can I keep my funds in a US bank before needing to transfer to a Thai account on a Non-OA retirement visa?
Non-OA VisaRetirement VisaThai Bank RequirementsMonthly Income TransferVisa ExtensionsLong Stay VisaFinancial RegulationsImmigration Rules in Thailand
Sep 16, 2023
3 years ago
Ellen *******
ORIGINAL POSTERIf I come in from the US on a Non OA retirement visa, how long can I keep my funds in a US bank before I am required to transfer into a Thai account? If and when I am required, may I just transfer in the 65000 baht per month for the first year, or would I need to do the lump sum? I currently earn decent interest on my account, and would like to maintain that as long as possible. Thanks in advance for your help
TLDR : Answer Summary
When entering Thailand on a Non-OA retirement visa, you can initially keep your funds in a US bank account. However, to qualify for an annual extension of stay, you should start transferring at least 65,000 baht monthly into a Thai bank account about a month or two before your visa expires. This allows you to document the required funds for your extension application. Some users mentioned that it's possible to leave funds abroad as long as you plan your visa applications strategically, including renewing your visa while outside Thailand.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
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Tod *********
Sheesh, this turned into a train wreck (and now you see WHY we close posts once the O/P's question is answered)
This is not about getting yearly extensions, this is not about going back to your country and buying a new Non-OA, this is not about getting yearly extensions from Non-O visas,
This was a simple question about WHEN would the person on a NEW OA visa have to start transferring money into their thai bank account so they could get a yearly extension INSIDE the country when their OA visa ran out ...
AND
The answer is, because you can get almost TWO years of stay out of an OA visa if you work it right, you would need to start the monthly transfers just a month or two before you bounced out and back to get that "second year" entry stamp. <- That would give you 12 months of incoming transfers when the second year stamp was running out so they can apply for a yearly extension using monthly income method..
This is not about getting yearly extensions, this is not about going back to your country and buying a new Non-OA, this is not about getting yearly extensions from Non-O visas,
This was a simple question about WHEN would the person on a NEW OA visa have to start transferring money into their thai bank account so they could get a yearly extension INSIDE the country when their OA visa ran out ...
AND
The answer is, because you can get almost TWO years of stay out of an OA visa if you work it right, you would need to start the monthly transfers just a month or two before you bounced out and back to get that "second year" entry stamp. <- That would give you 12 months of incoming transfers when the second year stamp was running out so they can apply for a yearly extension using monthly income method..
Ellie *******
just an alternative
You don't need to have funds in Thailand if you go back to your home country at the end of the so-called 'second year' to apply for a new Non-OA... You can repeat that two-year's routine which Tod described above, as many times as you want.
well, if the consulate in your home country doesn't have 1 time only for Non-OA policy, anyway.
You don't need to have funds in Thailand if you go back to your home country at the end of the so-called 'second year' to apply for a new Non-OA... You can repeat that two-year's routine which Tod described above, as many times as you want.
well, if the consulate in your home country doesn't have 1 time only for Non-OA policy, anyway.
Brittha *********
@Ellie ******
if you go back, if you donโt?Ellie *******
@Brittha ********
, if you get non-OA VISA again, you donโt need to have a thai bank account to keep you money in Thailand to meet the requirement to apply for an extension inside ThailandReply to
Ellie *******
Reply
Tod *********
If you get the year-long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type OA (Long Stay) Visa from the Thai consulate in your country before you come here (that's the visa that requires the police background check, the medical certificate and the mandatory 100K USD health insurance) you can get ALMOST 2 years of stay out of a visa valid for one year..
You come in, show the visa/proof of insurance and will be stamped in for as long as the insurance is valid for (up to a year).
Then, just before the VISA expires you get another year of insurance, bounce out and back and you will get a whole new year entry stamp. Giving you 2 years of stay on a visa that's valid for just one year..
It's at the beginning of the second year that you'd need to start transferring in the 65K baht a month each month every month into a thai bank account in your name only so that when that second year stamp was running out you'd have 12 months of incoming international transfers of the 65K baht a month minimum so you could get the year extension at the immigration office based on monthly income
You come in, show the visa/proof of insurance and will be stamped in for as long as the insurance is valid for (up to a year).
Then, just before the VISA expires you get another year of insurance, bounce out and back and you will get a whole new year entry stamp. Giving you 2 years of stay on a visa that's valid for just one year..
It's at the beginning of the second year that you'd need to start transferring in the 65K baht a month each month every month into a thai bank account in your name only so that when that second year stamp was running out you'd have 12 months of incoming international transfers of the 65K baht a month minimum so you could get the year extension at the immigration office based on monthly income
Serge *******
@Tod ********
thanks Tod for this useful comment, as usual. Would you gently clarify a little, since Iโm in this case, entered Thailand with an initial non OA 1 year visa obtained in my home country with all the required docs.
So if I get you correctly, at the end of my first 1 year stay, I shortly get out of the country and re enter, and at the border, I simply show a proof of 1 year insurance and I get a new 1 year stamp? Correct?
But what about the 800k THB i had to hold in my account when I first applied for this visa in my home country (Iโm not in the case of a monthly income)
Thanks a lot for your help
Wannikea *********
@Serge ******
in addition to Tod's reply, if you intend to go out of the country after the visa expires while you're on your 2nd year you need to get a re-entry permit if you wish to keep the 1 year permission to stay stamp alive.Tod *********
@Serge ******
๐ฆ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐น๐, ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ญ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฎ๐, ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐น๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ญ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ญ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ? ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐?Correct just before the VISA (the pdf they email you) expires you bounce out and back at a border or by air and get a new entry stamp (as long as your new insurance is valid for up to a year)
๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ธ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ถ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐บ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ป ๐บ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐
Doesn't even come into play at all, The Non-OA visa you get in your country is multi-entry and each entry gets you stamped in for a whole new year (or as long as your mandatory insurance is valid for) there is no proof of funds to enter the country on that visa as long as it's valid and you have insurance
Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Hunter ********
@Tod ********
I don't understand why people choose this option. The non-O visa is much more cost effective and easier. I just renewed my non-o for the sixth consecutive year.Steve ********
@Robert *********
Non-O requires 800k to be sitting in a Thai bank account earning miserable interest. Regular visitors to their home country (say every 18-24 months) can continually get a new OA (which has an effective life of two years) and never need transfer one baht to Thailand (in practice you would of course because you need money to live on, but there's no mandated requirement). In Australia I can earn 7-8% tax free interest on that 800k. With a mere fraction of this interest I can buy a cheap insurance policy which ticks the OA, and I'm still $1500 to $2000 in front. So the OA is more cost effective than the O in this case.Hunter ********
@Steve *******
I do agree the interest rate here is pretty sad and I only keep what is required here, the rest sits elsewhere earning a much higher rate similar to your own.Brittha *********
@Steve *******
OA requires the 800k in the bank as well. You also need 100 USD ( medical cover). Limited amount of companies to choose fromโฆSteve ********
@Brittha ********
Sorry, but OA doesn't require 800k in THAI bank, you just need money in home country bank. From Australia the insurance requirement is 400k baht. A policy can be bought for around 8000 baht. Not a good one but it covers the criteriaBrittha *********
@Steve *******
I donโt have money coming in ( not enough anyway) so need 800 k in bank. Requirement. The medical cover has changed, it is now 3 million Bhaat or 100,00 USD cover. ( I live here last year insurance was 400k Bhaat cover. Only 11 companies accepted for insurance for OA visa).Steve ********
@Brittha ********
As you can see Sydney Consulate criteria is 400k baht insurance. A policy can be bought for around 8000 baht.Brittha *********
@Robert *********
we are already living here. On OA and itโs 3 million Bhaat from this yearHunter ********
@Brittha ********
I'm here into my sixth year now on an O (retirement) and it's 1,900 baht annually + 3,800 annually for the multiple reentry.Brittha *********
@Robert *********
thanks, trying to move to O visaSteve ********
@Brittha ********
Yes I understand. My point in this thread is the OA is great for those who visit their home countries on a fairly frequent basis, NOT for those already on an extension of stay, which it seems you are. You would be better advised to move off the OA onto a non-O, because you're not getting the OA benefitsBrittha *********
@Steve *******
yes thanks trying to do that due to age and ltd insurance choice ..Steve ********
@Brittha ********
My example was if someone makes regular visits to their home country. Get a new OA each visit and never have to transfer money to a Thai bank account. That suits a lot of people who have money sitting in high interest earning accounts in their home country, so it's very much a matter of individual considerationReply to
Steve ********
Reply
Brandon ************
@Robert *********
some people already have the insurance through work or their government or some other method that doesn't cost them anything extra, or they just want to have insurance anyways. So for them they never have to lock any money away in Thailand or worry about showing anything at all. Just come and go as they want with insurance they already have and go back home at least once every 2 years. Not a difficult choice in certain circumstances.Hunter ********
@Brandon ***********
Lucky are those who's company sponsored insurance would continue after retirement and pay for foreign medical treatment. The same goes government controlled health insurance such as Medicare in the US which does not.Steve ********
@Robert *********
The OA is colloquially known as a "retirement" visa, but it's actually for people above 50 years of age. There is no requirement to be retired. Same with O and OX. I know one guy who works as a FIFO employer and he's on an OX visa, but he's far from retired. The visa simply suits his lifestyle as he's in and out of Thailand a dozen times a year. It's cases like these where companies may provide insurance. Remember every situation is different.Hunter ********
@Steve *******
Coming here that often I can understand his choice if he stays longer than 30 days at a time. Any less than that wouldn't seem practical...Steve ********
@Robert *********
I understand he used to come in on visa exempt basis, and because he was doing it so often he was being questioned by immigration, so it was easier for him to get the five year OX with unlimited entries, and being Australian he didn't have to transfer a lump sum into a Thai bank accountHunter ********
@Steve *******
Totally understand not wanting to be questioned by immigration that's for sure! Keeping a low profile is always best ๐Reply to
Hunter ********
Reply
Tod *********
@Robert *********
different choices for different people Just so we're clear, you aren't renewing anything ๐ฎ your Non-O expired YEARS ago, and you've been getting just yearly extensions of stays every year after that
Hunter ********
@Tod ********
True... This can be a distinction without a difference in some situations, but in complicated contracts it can have legal consequences as if it lapses while I was out of the country I would need to start the process all over again. But you know what I meant ๐Reply to
Hunter ********
Reply
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