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What are the differences between converting a visa exemption to a Non O and obtaining a Non O 1 year extension based on monthly income requirements?

Non O visa visa exemption Thai immigration bank statement requirements monthly transfers expat advice visa rules Thailand

Jun 4, 2021

4 years ago

Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Are the requirements for converting a visa exempt to a Non O based on being 50 and transferring THB 65,000 per month to a Thai account different than a Non O 1 year extension ?

I went to Chiang Wattana today under a visa exemption and applied for a Non O using a bank statement showing 12 months of international transfers, but the officer at the desk said to use this method, I would still need a letter from my Embassy (which is no longer an option).

Am I missing something...I thought I understood what was required.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is seeking clarification on the requirements for converting a visa exemption to a Non O visa based on their monthly income of THB 65,000, particularly in comparison to the requirements for a Non O 1 year extension. They reported a negative experience at the immigration office regarding bank statement requirements and the need for additional documentation that was unavailable.

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Scot *******

So were you able to obtain the 90 day non-o visa from a visa exempt status? We all know now that the 800k Thai bank account is required. I think.

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I go back in 1 week...but when I tried to go from visa exempt to 3 month Non O...the only issue the clerk had was not allowing 12 months of 65,000 and wanting 800,000. I have done once before pre Covid going from visa exempt to 3 month Non O at Chaeng Wattana

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Scot *******

- so it would seem that the only trick is getting the Thai bank account opened while on a visa exempt entry. This, was my understanding, is the hard part to do.

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Jeff **********

very hard.

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

yes.i was lucky to have opened an account when I was on a year visa earlier.

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Scot *******

- does it make any difference when trying to open an account whether you are on a visa exempt or a tr visa?

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

it is a bit of a catch 22...you need the account to get a 1 year visa but the banks are reluctant. Crazy

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

not specifically...the rule of thumb about opening an account is to keep trying until a bank says yes. Just visit many offices until you get one.

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Ken ***********

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Kool *******

Immigration is very specific on how your monthly transfers are made, and recorded by the Thai bank. I use Bangkok Bank, and the statement each month from them showing the deposit coming from an overseas source is a debit/credit statement for each month showing the foreign currency transfered in, the exchange rate used for that month, and the amount in Thai baht, with the exact date, and time, and where exactly it came from. There is a separate statement for each month. Immigration will not accept a simple statement showing 12 monthly deposits on a single sheet of paper. They actually have precise examples of what they want and accept depending on the Thai bank you are using. Talk to them. They are helpful.

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

here is the info she showed me when denying the monthly transfer

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Kool *******

I deal with this every year. You need 12 separate statements called debit/credit statements as I have mentioned above. That is the requirement for using Bangkok Bank. Immigration will not accept a single page statement showing your 12 monthly deposits. The first 5.1 is reference to the other letter from the bank stating that it is your account, and in your name only. Then you need copies of every page in your bank book for the last 12 months. From the bank itself, not counting the bank book, you should have 12 different statement sheets and the letter stating it is your account only. That is what is required. It normally takes Bangkok Bank about 3-4 days, and up to a week, to get these documents ready. They do not do it on the same day you request them, as it is pretty involved. Then the cost is usually bt300. Forget the "or" part, as very few embassies are giving those letters anymore. The US stopped them 3 years ago, as did other embassies.

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John *********

do in udon

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I was at the C5 area for a 3 month Non O. Not sure how my physical location over the year is relevant. Never been to L 1 in 10 years of living here

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

thanks. I assure you...she turned me down for not having THB 800,000 or an Embassy letter...she never mentioned the statements. I may go back with a Thai friend to get clarification from a supervisor

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Kool *******

have you physically been in Thailand for the last 12 months? If not then you do need the bt800,000 deposited. You should be in the L-1 section of immigration there. I deal with them every year, and have now had the same lady the last three years. She likes my wife, and let's her know everything, in detail. The other possibility, when did you turn 50. If it was within the last year, that could also be the problem

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George *************

The reason for the refusal has been explained in the Thai Visa immigration forum. The crux of the problem is that the applicant is trying to get a Non-O visa (note well, a visa, not an extension). He arrived in Thailand with visa-exempt entry, not on a Non-O. in Thailand. The applicant has ample documentation to support an extension of stay, but he is not trying to get an extension of stay, he is first trying to get a Non-O visa. The problem as explained in the other forum is that when the English-speaking embassies decided to get out of the income letter business and stop providing them for their citizens, Thai immigration came up with the monthly deposit scheme as a workaround. However, they did not go back and retrofit that workaround into the process of getting a Non-O visa in Thailand. The ONLY legitimate ways of getting a Non-O visa in Thailand are to have 800,000 baht in a Thai bank OR to have an income letter from your embassy (note the monthly deposit workaround is missing from the regulations).

His immigration office is balking at giving him a Non-O because technically as the law is written he doesn't qualify for a Non-O using the monthly deposit method because the monthly deposit method is not mentioned in the rules for getting a Non-O. If by some miracle he were able to get the Non-O issued, then with the evidence he already has he would have no problem getting a retirement extension based on the Non-O. But he doesn't have the Non-O and he can't get one using the monthly deposit method.

This would be a great time for the immigration officers in charge to use their discretionary powers to waive the requirement that it be a lump sum 800,000 or an income letter, and allow the applicant to get a Non-O visa in Thailand. Frankly, it will probably take an agent. Unfortunately.

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@George ************

your assessment I believe is true and correct. Luckily I do have the necessary funds to put THB 800,000 in my Thai account so no need for an agent. Silly me for thinking the financial requirements for a one year extension would be the same to obtain the initial Non O.

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George *************

Yes, one would naturally assume they would be the same. Thai immigration is infamous for making half-thought-out changes to laws and this is a prime example of that.

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@George ************

and while the immigration officer was not glib, she did look at me bewildered when I thought I had sufficient financial documentation. But in that regard, I did snicker a bit when she mentioned a letter from my Embassy which has not been possible for 95% since 2018.

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I am talking about Bangkok. Chaeng Wattana

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Ken ***********

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

thanks but I don't think this is the problem. I have a 12 month statement/letter from Bangkok Bank and my bankbook all showing international transfers every month THB 65,000 +.

On another forum, someone supposed that when the policy shifted away from the Embassy letter and toward either 800,000 in the bank or 12 monthly intl transfers of 65,000 the Non O extension changed their policy but the Non O issuance from TR60 or visa exempt did not.

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Paul ********

here in Phayao the income method has to be more than 65,000, they actually wanted the 12 monthly transfers to add up to 800,000, which is 66,666 per month

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Ken ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

crazy that many province offices make up their own rules.

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Paul ********

yep

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Paul ********

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