@Stuart ********

do you know if they still manage to assist you with opening a bank account on a visa exemption or tourist visa for the visa process?

@Bruce *********

Yes, the problem is anyway that you won’t get any extension of any of these visas in Thailand without proving 800K baht in a Thai bank for the first year.

@Bill *********

only clothes I wear in Thailand and with sandals and I’ve always got what I wanted by friendly people.

If you plan to move to Thailand the best option is to apply for a regular 90 days Non O visa which don’t require any police check up. And if you don’t have a permanent registered residence in the Philippines at date you can’t apply for a Non O-A visa anyway, which in fact requires a further police check up, a mandatory Thai health insurance and a medical certificate.

And as mentioned on another side, you’ll need to make an agreement with the immigration as it’s quite common that they will do a house visit during the consideration period.

@Lucas *********

Bank account is necessary if you want to apply for an extension of stay and you don’t get a affidavit letter from your embassy confirming your income. Beyond this bank account is convenient but not necessary for your stay in Thailand. Regarding driver licence, it does not require any specific visa, but you’ll get five instead of two years on your renewal after two years. People stay for 5 years on a DTV without being entitled to open a bank account. Probably a bit unconvenient for some, but that’s it.

@Pete ******

You just apply online based on where you currently stay and you’ll be directed to the nearest embassy/consulate that serves your area. UK passport holder residency in SA.

@Rick ********

It’s one or the other, but only one for the first year as you don’t have time to prove the other.

So if you apply for a 90 days Non O based on retirement at the immigration in Thailand you’ll need to prove 800K baht in your account at date when you apply. If you apply for a 90 days Non O through the Thai embassy where you stay before you’ll leave for Thailand you’re able to prove income by showing prove of three months bankstatments with income equal to min 65K baht a month.

For the first year extension of stay after 90 days you’ll need to prove 800K baht in your account two months prior to your application and three months after the extension is issued and it can not drop below 400K baht. For your second year you’ll be able to prove twelve months consecutive transfers of min 65K baht and you can change to the income method.

Only difference is that you’ll get a five years permanent licence on a long stay when you renew the first temporary after two years.

If you didn’t have to prove a mandatory health insurance when you applied for your visa, there’s no mandatory health insurance requirement for the coming extension of stays either.

And

@Dianne *********

I remember you applied in Malaysia where there in fact is a health insurance requirement also for the Non O visa. Thailand don’t have such requirement for your coming extensions in the future.