What are the steps to obtain a criminal clearance for an O-A visa in Chiang Mai while living in the US?

1. Apply for the O-A Visa in the USA BEFORE you come to Thailand. Easy to do.

2. Keep your money in US Banks earning interest. NO need to transfer any money monthly to Thailand.

3. Get your local doctor to sign the simple medical form. My doctor did..no fee.

4. No need for police report from Chiang Mai.

Just take the Police Clearance form to your local police department. Mine returned the form with NO POLICE RECORD in twenty minutes...Free.

5. Take the forms which require a notary Public to notarize your signature to your local bank. I signed all forms and Bank Notarized my signature as me.

6. Submit copy of your annual Social Security earnings statement plus company pension 1099 given you for preparation of federal income taxes...if they total 800,000 Thai baht annually...no need to submit added income statements such as bank interest, annuity income, rental income, brokerage income etc. Keep it simple. Sign the documents and have bank notarize your signature.

7. $200 fee for each of your applications. Gives you one year Multi-entry visa plus added year if you leave and reenter Thailand just before end of first year.

8. Can submit by mail...usual 10 days return of your visa.

If walk in...submit morning of first day, pick up afternoon of second day in Los Angeles Thai Consulate.

9. Keep a US address for bank purposes. Do not close your US bank accounts. Keep your credit cards with US address. They come in handy for emergency use such as hospital medical care needs. Keep your health insurance...I recommend a Medicare Advantage Plan as it does have a worldwide benefit for emergency care.

Get a Charles Schwab Bank checking account with ATM card. No minimum balance required, but can use ATM card in Thai banks and Schwab reimburses to you monthly any ATM fees charged by the Thai bank. Usually 220 Thai baht.. $7... each time you use the ATM.

10. At end of second year return to US and repeat the process for a new O-A visa...keeps your $$$ in USA..

Feel free to ask any questions.

Good luck...enjoy your retirement in Thailand.

I am now in my 13th year retired in Thailand.

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Google criminal background check for your city. Some people in the US get the check from their local police department. I submitted my fingerprints and a form at a UPS office and got the results mailed to me a week later. You only need to do the criminal background check in the US for an O-A visa. Medical report in the US too. Just ask your doctor to sign the form. Your money to meet the financial requirements can be in a US bank. Pick a Consulate in the US and look at the requirements on their website. I used the LA Consulate.

Apply for the Non Immigrant O-A visa before you make your way into Thailand. This 1 year Multiple Entry visa gives you 1 year of stay on each entry and if you enter Thailand just before the valid until date you have almost 2 years of stay inside Thailand to sort things out.

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