Ok, would just like to summarize what we are planning to do and hear if it makes sense.

I apply for the Non-O retirement visa in Canada. This does not require money in a Thai bank account. I just need to show that we have the funds. My wife (Helen) applies for the Non-O trailing spouse visa from Canada referencing my Non-O retirement application. She will not have to prove any financials. This will give us 90 days in Thailand.

Once we get to Chiang Mai, make an appointment with the Canadian consulate to show them my annual income using tax statement and get them to issue an affidavit of income letter. After I get the affidavit of income I apply for the 1 year extension based on retirement. Helen applies for the 1 year extension as a trailing spouse referencing my retirement application.

Every year we re-apply for the same extensions before the date that we received our initial extensions.

Couple of questions:

- At what point of the initial 90 day Non-O visa should/can I apply for the extension? Anytime after I get the affidavit or some specific time before the expiration?

- Does Helen have to wait until I get the 1 year extension before she can apply for the trailing spouse extension referencing my retirement visa or do we do it at the same time?

- For subsequent extensions after the initial one, how soon before our initial extension anniversary date should we apply for new extensions?

Feel like we are almost there with a good plan. We will still open a Thai Bank account but it'll be nice not having to move 800K into it. Thanks again! 👍🙏

@Ellie ******

Cool, thanks. I need to do more research on this as it sounds like the US and British (and maybe other) embassies used to do this as well but stopped. While it sounds like the Canadian embassy still does it.

Sound like there's a big "but" looming over your response

@El***

. Are there issues with going this route?

While researching I have come across reports of people using the Canadian Embassy in BKK to get an affidavit of income so they didn't have to show 800K THB for their Non-O extension based on retirement. Anyone know anything about this? We absolutely would still open a Thai bank account for living expenses but not having to move 800K would be a major bonus if possible.

If we enter on Non-O visas (retirement and trailing spouse), would that improve the experience of opening up a bank account (in Chiang Mai)?

@Benjamin *****

> I hope that answers the question.

I think so Benjamin. Need to let the morning coffee (Canada time) percolate a bit more. Here's what I think it means.

So I apply for the Non-O retirement visa in Canada. This does not require money in a Thai bank accout. I just need to show the Canadian Consulate that we have the funds. My wife (Helen) applies for the Non-O trailing spouse visa from Canada referencing my Non-O retirement application. She will not have to prove any finanacials to the Canadian consulate. This will give us 90 days in Thailand.

As soon as we get out of ASQ we should start the process of opening a Thai bank account so that we have the 2 months to season our money. Once the money has been in the Thai bank account for 2 months, I apply for the 1 year extension based on retirement with 800K sitting in the Thai bank account. Helen applies for the 1 year extension as a trailing spouse referencing my retirement applciation. Or does she have to wait until I get the 1 year extension and then she can apply?

Thanks again to everyone for the amazing support you provide in this group!

@Benjamin *****

> It sounds like both of you want to enter Thailand on a Non-O based on retirement, and then one person get a one year extension of stay based on retirement, and another get a one year extension of stay based on trailing spouse, correct? Sadly, that wouldn't be possible 🙁

We are completely flexible Benjamin and still trying to determine what way is best/easiest. Bottom line is we want to come to Thailand on an annual basis for a few months out of the year. Non-O seems easier to setup than Non-OA. The less funds we need to transfer into a low interest Thai bank account the better. Having one of us slide in on the others visa also sounds great if possible. Can you expand on the issue with what Tod mentioned above?

@Tod ********

Interesting Tod. Just to clarify, if we apply for Non-O based on retirement from Canada we would not need a Thai Bank account holding 800K THB? It would only be when we want to apply for a 1 year extension based on retirement that we would need the Thai bank account in place with 800K for one of us (for 3 months?). The other one of us would just slide in on the coat tails of the spouse's extension?

@Benjamin *****

Awesome as usual. Thanks🙏 After further research it appears we were confused by the new thaievisa.gov.th websites description of the non immigrant O visa. We were incorrectly under the impression that the O visa was only applicable if there was a Thai parent, spouse or child involved. However it sounds like the O visa for retirement might work even better than the O-A for us, with no need to provide medical and police reports and no transfer to a Thai bank account. Does it make sense that we could come back to Thailand on visa exempt and then get an O visa while there, followed by an O extension? This would allow us to spend part of the year in Thailand and part in Canada as we would like. Last year we did this by riding the Covid extensions for a few months. We'd like to avoid the stress of having to leave early if they decide to do away with those. Any thoughts on what might best fit our situation? Not comfortable with forking over elite visa $. 🙂

Reason we gave we were applying was "due to Covid epidemic".