I have a question about the LTR-WP visa procurement process AFTER one has received Endorsement Approval from BOI and one wants to travel to Bangkok to get it stamped on the passport.

We want to fill out the on-line form on LTR's webiste but one of the fields to be filled in the form asks for the entry date and duration of stay, which will be based on the STAMP the immigration puts when we land. Now our current plan is to be in BKK on Nov 13th which is already 55 days out from today.

To complicate the matters, the Endorsement Qualification email also said that we have 60days from the date of the Endorsement to fill out this form and submit it for getting a visa date issued by the immigration/visa service. This leaves us a VERY short window of 4-5 days upon arrival to submit any additional documents they'll tell us only after our submisision.

Has anyone gotten an LTR-WP visas and had to travel to Bangkok to get it issued? If so, I would like an opportunity to understate the exact process. TIA

EDIT: Sorry, I have been QUALIFIED for Endorsement by the BOI but have NOT received the formal Endorsement Letter. Before that step I need to fill out an application online and my question is can that be filed before I enter Thailand and if so, what should i fill in the field where it asks "Duration of Stay in Thailand" coz my understanding is that the duration will be determined at the port of entry (BKK) when I get there. Is that correct, or can I put 60d because I hold a passport that allows me visa-free entry for 60d?

I just want to clarify the insurance requirement for the LTR visa.

The Thai Consulate website states "... or social security benefits insuring treatment in Thailand."

After going back & forth with the LTR Visa Unit in Thailand for the past several days on exactly what this statement means, it seems that by "social security" they are referring to healthcare coverage an applicant is entitled to from their home-country government. This makes sense, since it is meant as an alternative to health insurance. In the U.S., social security means something different; it is not healthcare & therefore does not satisfy the requirement.

Fortunately for American military retirees, in an email I received this morning, 12-06-2024/2566, from the LTR Visa Unit, "Tricare or US military healthcare [i.e., FMP if one collects VA disability] meets the requirements for the LTR visa, so you do not have to apply for separate health insurance." For those 65 or older, you must opt in for Medicare Part B to retain Tricare coverage, which is then called Tricare for Life.

On a separate issue, once the BOI endorses your application, you are not required to annually or otherwise update Thai Immigration regarding your eligibility, meaning your visa is essentially maintenance free at least until the five-year renewal point. Plus, they said address reporting is only required annually, vice quarterly, & then only if you haven't left the country.

One other note: for Americans, they mostly rely on annual IRS 1040s for proof of income (total reported divided by number of names included on 1040), though this is not a hard-&-fast rule. Letters from appropriate authorities can be submitted as proof, as well as your written explanation for why you don't file taxes or why there might be a discrepancy or two between your stated income & what the 1040 shows. As an example, VA disability is not reported on 1040s.