You can apply for a 60 day visa from the Thai embassy in America or you can get a 30 day visa exemption stamp on arrival in Thailand. Either are eligible for a single 30 day extension at an immigration office inside Thailand for a fee of 1900 baht.

Based on you trying to move to Thailand and transfer to a retirement visa I would suggest you get the 60 day visa just to be sure you have lots of time.

@Armin ****

every office will seem to apply some variant of the rules, but you do not need to have any number of reports done before you can request a residency certificate. We got our first one while on a tourist visa after less than a week after arriving.

You will need a copy of your TM30 though and a passport photo, along with a copy of you passport and a copy of the page(s) in your passport with your visa.