Everything is done by mail. Using an agent is a complete waste of money. Just follow the instructions exactly and you should have your new passport mailed to you in anywhere from six to eight weeks (possibly sooner):

@Brian *******

They can certainly do that. I've been doing that with my Schwab account for about 7 years and no problem. But there could be a problem in the future. Just because they don't care today doesn't mean they won't care one day.

@Dennis ********

It's a checking account at a bank. You also get a brokerage account which costs nothing and you don't need to use.

What service do you expect from a bank that you think the Charles Schwab Bank won't provide?

@Dennis ********

@John *****

Charles Schwab is one.

@Brad ******

Established domicile in Florida before moving to Thailand. Completely eliminates state income tax issues. There are seven other states without state income tax:

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@Brian *******

In general you would not want to let your US financial institutions know that you are living outside of the US. Use your US mailing address instead. Having a non-US resident customer can cause problems for US financial institutions that may be solved by the US financial institution closing your account or placing restrictions on your account.

@Stacey ***************

If by "International Driver's License" you mean International Driver's *Permit* (obtained from AAA in the US) then yes in combination with your USA license you can obtain a Thai driver's license without taking the written or practical driving test. You will still need to pass the physical tests (reaction time, color recognition) though.

@Simon *******

I don't know which immigration office you use but I guess a Non-O visa being issued is discretionary and perhaps your particular office has decided not to offer it. Here's how it is handled in Phuket:



If your local immigration office doesn't offer this service, then I guess the alternative would be to acquire the Non-O visa at a Thai consulate outside of Thailand. I believe they can be obtained in neighboring countries, but I don't have any details about that.

No, but you do have some flexibility depending on your local immigration office. It is generally possible to do your application for an extension 30 days before it is due. In some immigration offices, you can do this 45 days before it's due (e.g., Phuket).

This doesn't get you to January though. To do that would require leaving Thailand and re-entering on a date about 2-3 months before you wish to do your extension. This gives you time to obtain a Non-O visa in Thailand (90-day permission) to stay, and then to apply for an extension of stay about 2 months later. This application for an extension to stay is what will determine the date on which you can renew your annual extension.