Hey you guys, still on the fence with the METV. Hope I can get some more decent input. US passport. Over 50

On the final online application payment page, it says $200 fully non-refundable. What happens if the application is denied or not completed? Or more info is requested, but I am unable to supply it as I may have already departed?

Second. My Thai wife thinks I should just enter with visa exempt and do an extension and maybe a border bounce etc. My end plan will be to apply for one of the long term retirement/Marriage visas, but I read posts of difficulty of getting a bank account secured and the 2 months seasoning the 800K before applying. Time will feel tight.

There are a lot of moving parts with the family moving over, so I am trying to get some time to deal with family matters before applying for the long term visa.

Thanks again