@John *****

🙏👍 Problem solved ?

@John *****

👍🙏 please let us know.

Interesting. I don’t have an answer but have you tried calling the Citizens Services tel #?

@Tree ******

: As with most things in Thailand, there is a substantial “grey market” as far as this topic is concerned. By that, I mean most people I know who are eligible for a non-O visa (ie, age > 50 years) simply hire a competent visa agent who will 1) arrange the opening of a bank account (typically Bangkok Bank) and 2) shepherd your non-O application through Immigration without the necessity of transferring any overseas funds into this account (other than a small opening deposit and any additional funds you’d like to have deposited locally). Such visa agent services come at a reasonable cost but this will spare you from having to deposit ฿800k to sit in a bank here, and the hassle of dealing directly with Immigration and any other requirements such as insurance.

I know from a specific case that a visa agent can arrange for a temporary "loan" of 800K THB into a Bangkok Bank a/c on the day of applying for a Retirement Visa during the visit to Main Immigration whereupon the bank book is photocopied showing the THB800K balance then the loan is immediately paid back (ie money withdrawn) with all of this facilitated by the agent and the bank with this documentation (the photocopy of the bank book) then taken upstairs to support the visa application. The application was duly approved/processed and the Retirement visa stamp on the passport promptly issued back to the holder that day. That a Bangkok Bank branch is located in the building of Immigration ensured that this was handled within one hour. In other words, the financial requirement only "notionally" satisfied. I suppose my question is: Is this example unique ?

@Bobby *******

I have a question for you: I recently acquired a 15 month "Non-O Retirement" visa in Thailand after entering on a tourist exemption (US Passport). Is there an appreciable difference between a "Non-O" and a "Non-OA" ? Thanks.

Don't fly Air France, for sure.