@Brandon ***********

Do you have any experience with immigration concerning transfers done through the Wise (former Transfer Wise) app? Normally the US Dollars are transferred through international means and this is shown on the bank statements that are shown to immigration. However, the last three months, Wise has been using their Kasikorn Bank account as a middle man between my Schwab account in the states and my Bangkok Bank account in Thailand. These last three transfers are shown as a domestic transfer from Kasikorn Bank to Bangkok Bank. However the word Wise is used and I always click the box on the Wise banking app (for long term stay in Thailand). But I worry that Immigration will not understand how Wise app works and they will consider these transfers to be domestic transfers. Have you or anyone reading this post used Wise for your monthly funds transfers? If so have any of you shown your bank statements to immigration with these domestic looking transfers?

@Brent ******

forgot to mention that if you wait until a couple of days before your Non O marriage visa expires, you can make one last border run and you will get a 90 days entry stamp. That means that you can live in Thailand for 15 months before your next visa run. But sometimes it is really inconvenient to leave Thailand every 90 days. You can also get a 60 day extension to visit Thai family at your local immigration office for 1900 baht. Not sure how many times you can do that in the year. I did it that way only one time in the year.

@Brent ******

I think you are right about the retirement visa. But the marriage visa is far more difficult. The immigration offices hate it because they don't make the final decision. All the paperwork has to be sent to Bangkok HQ for approval. Just remember that there is always the Savanahkeht Thai consulate in Laos as a back up plan if your extension is rejected. The only inconvenience is making the border run every 90 days. There is still no financial requirement for a multi entry Non O marriage visa at that Thai consulate. It is easy to get the visa and there are great places to explore in Laos if you have a car passport. The roads are bad so you need a strong car or better a pick up truck. I have been doing the Savanahkeht visa run for almost 15 years except for three years on an extension. Not sure if the retirement visa can be issued there since there may be a financial requirement.

@Jackie **********

sorry happened again when I tried to type a comma! .... baht from another province. I told them I would give them 1000 baht this time and they got mad again. When I came back from France, I got a 30 day visa exempt entry and on the last day, I drove our Ford Ranger to Savanahkeht, in Laos and applied for another one year non O marriage visa with multiple entry for 5000 baht. We had a passport for the truck and we had to wait for a 4 day holiday to get the visa back from the Thai consulate. So we drove south to Pakse a year ago and had a fantastic holiday. Laos was amazing and especially around the Tad Fan twin waterfall with the amazing zipline! We returned to Savahanakhet to pick up our visa and drove back home. So for the past year I have been going out and back in to Thailand. First time in December sailing my boat to Langkawi and back, second time same to Langkawi and back in March. Third time to Satun by MG EV for a 50 meter walk into Malaysia and back. The last one was the long tail to Burma from Ranong a few weeks ago. Every trip was enjoyable and very low cost driving the EV. Got to visit Songkla one time which was amazing and the hot springs in Ranong the next time!

I will try again to do the marriage visa extension in October in Phuket this time. They tell me that they will only need to see a bank statement for one year showing the baht transfer through Wise every month. They may also ask to see my annual American Social Security statement as well. No money required in my bank account but I will put 100,000 just incase they ask. I hope that Phuket will not ask for the ridiculous bribes being asked for in Issan.

@Jackie **********

Sorry made a mistake with my thumb. As I was saying about 18,000 Baht. This was for me and my Thai wife and we had a wonderful Covid holiday in Cambodia. When I got back, I put 400K baht in Kasikorn for two months and applied for another marriage visa extension. Went through a second home visit where they drank all my vodka from the duty free from Cambodia and got my 30 day "under consideration stamp. But I had to leave Thailand 3 days before the 30 day waiting period because my kidney surgery in France had to be rescheduled 3 days early. Again I was offered a stamp for 25,

@Jackie **********

My immigration officer in Chiang Khan told me that I needed 40,000 baht per month for one year showing transfers by bank statements from Bangkok Bank. After one year, I went in for my marriage visa extension and he told me that there was a new boss and he wanted to see baht per month. Of course by then it was too late and in the worse part of the pandemic. He told me that for 25,000 baht cash with no receipt, he could get me the extension from another province. I offered him 5000 baht and he was insulted by my low offer. So I went home and did the math. For the trip to drive to Bangkok, PCR test, Cambodian E-Visa, flight to Pnom Phen, Cambodia, rapid test in Cambodia, hotel for 4 nights, Non O marriage Visa from Thai consulate, PCR test in Cambodia, flight back to Bangkok, SHA++ hotel in Bangkok for one night, one more PCR test, and drive back home, the cost was about 18,

@Stuart ********

in Phuket, I just got my TM30 stamped going through the drive through window after a border run to Malaysia. They just stamped the old TM30 since I did not change address.

@Jeffrey *********

I never heard about the 100K Thai bank ballance. Where did you see that written? Anyway, I will not take a chance and I will make sure that I have 100K even if I have to borrow from my wife!

@John *******

There is a covered parking lot with security and CCTV cameras on the Thai side of the order. Prices are reasonable for overnight parking. (200 baht per night) You need to park your car before 8 am and then you can ride the bus or a tuk tuk to the Thai consulate. It is really important to arrive early because there could be a long line at the consulate. You will need a Laos visa for $40 US. Must be clean crisp like new $20 bills. If you use Thai Baht you will get a horrible exchange rate. I think you may need two passport photos for the Laos side of the border for your visa.

You will need to show the following documents at the consulate and you should have copies of all the originals.

1. Original marriage certificate to show them plus a copy to give them.

2. Koro 2 proof of marriage certificate from any Ampur in Thailand. You and your wife will have to apply for this together. This document must be dated less than one week from the day you get it and until you apply for your visa in Laos.

3. Tambian ban (house book) original and one copy.

4. Wife's Thai ID card (original and signed copy).

5. Your passport with more than 6 months validity.

6. You may need to provide photo copies of your passport including all pages with Thai stamps either entering or departing Thailand.