@Chang *****

I know. On a Tourist Visa, I was rejected by four banks after running around in Hua Hin. Then I went to the SCB branch with the landlady of the premises where I lived. She was a standing customer of the SCB Hua Hin branch, and I managed to get a bank account opened. I even didn't have my own Thai mobile number - she gave them hers! Before my next trip to Thailand, I got myself a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement visa, entered Thailand, transferred 900,000 THB from my German bank account to my SCB account, and 2 months later applied for the 1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on retirement. I had just turned 50 years old 4 months before. I keep getting my next 1-year Extension since 17 years

@Jeff *******

I got many pre-texted templates on my computer, ready to copy & paste. I am prepared to reply to the most common questions in the groups. It saves you the search

@Bertie ********

As a resident of Dubai and being over 50 years old, you will be able to apply for the 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa by the E-Visa online system with the Royal Thai Embassy Dubai as the processing Thai authority.

*** you need a financial proof, you said you would be able to show a minimum of equivalent 800,000 THB in your bank account in Dubai.

So YES, you would fulfill the financial requirement for the application to the initial 90-days Non-O Visa

*** when you enter Thailand on this visa, you will get stamped in for a 90-days stay permit.

As soon as you can, get your accommodation TM30 registration, visit Immigration and ask them for the “certificate of residence”. Get a Thai mobile phone number.

Then open a Thai bank account either by yourself, or let an agent help you with this service. It should not cost much more than 5000-7000 THB.

***using an agent saves you from running around trying to open a bank account by yourself – some branches will still give you problems, even on a Non-Imm-O visa, and some will try to sell you unnecessary insurances as a side product.

***you can apply for the “1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement” (which some people wrongly call “retirement visa”) on Immigration, as soon as the 800,000 THB have seasoned in your Thai bank account for 2 months, and you can show the “bank letter of guarantee” which confirms this.

***it all is doable within the 90-days stay permit an entry on a Non-Imm-O Visa will grant you. All you need is getting your ducks in a row and get things done properly. Every Immigration has slightly different rules on the requirements to an application for the “one-year Extension”, so you should pick up their list of requirements in their office in the first week after arrival.

***alternatively use an agency for peace of mind, for the service of opening the Thai bank account and taking care of your Extension application

Good Luck and a good time in Thailand

@Stuart ********

according to his profile,

@José ******

is either a Portuguese or a British citizen. He can get a 30 days extension on Immigration, on a 60-days visa-exempt entry and on a 60-days tourist visa as well

@Mohsin *******

You received a 60-days stay permit stamp in your passport when you entered visa-exempt. When you exit Thailand after 30 days, your 60-days stay permit will become invalid. So when you want to re-enter Thailand visa-exempt, you again will get stamped in for a 60-days stay permit. But you cannot repeat this infinitely. At some point after two or three visa-exempt entries, the border official will pull you aside and ask you about your intentions, to find out if you are a "real" tourist, or if you are misusing the visa-free policy for illegal work or for a longstay. At this point you might be asked for the "3 famous proofs": proof of accomodation, cash 20,000 THB or equivalent, and an onward travel proof out of Thailand within 60 days

@José ******

a 60-days single entry tourist visa you got issued after you applied for it in the E-Visa online system, gets you stamped in for 60 days. You can extend it for 1900 THB on Immigration for 30 more days. Then before the expiry of the 90th day, you will need to exit Thailand. You can then re-enter visa-exempt (without a visa) and will get stamped in for a 60 days stay permit (at least until now as nothing was changed, yet) and you can also extend these 60 days stay permit with 30 days one more time. After this I would say your chances to repeat it are coming to zero

@Greg ********

the O/A visa is commonly called "Longstay Visa". Was showing you the proof not enough? 🤣 You should call the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. and tell them they are naming the O/A visa wrongly Let's hear what they say

@Greg ********

I know all this and more! You don't need to lecture me. The topic was about the Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa, and NOT about the Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa, not about the Non-Imm-O/X and not about the LTR. If the OP had asked for speicific details, I could have explained them singlehandedly - I got all my text templates ready for that

@Doug ******

you can rent one month in a guesthouse or cheap hotel for something like 250-300 US Dollar, and they will do the TM30 registration. With this you can get the agent's service

@Greg ********

I did all that within 90 days, at ease. 90 days are plenty of time if you got your ducks in a row. Many people open a bank account during previous holidays so they don't have to include that as the part of the process for the application to the 1-year extended stay permit. Myself 17 years ago, I entered on a single entry Non-Imm-O visa, opened a bank account with the SCB bank, transferred the required minimum 800,000 THB onto it, and 17 days before the 90 daysstay permit expired, applied for the "1-year Extension of Stay Permit" on Immigration. I was living in a friend's house who had me registered TM30 properly. If you know the different steps need to take, it is a walk in the park, costs 1900 THB fee and on the day you get the Extension stamp issued, you buy a re-entry permit for 1000 THB which will ensure that you can exit and re-enter at least one time while keeping the extension active. Since 17 years, I only stay in Thailand for 6 months in a one year period, so I only need a good health insurance for these 6 months abroad, and not for the full year.