Fantastic. So, I can go ahead & apply for the non-O (non-OA is out of the question) BEFORE seasoning the money! Thanks a million, Chris.

Is it true I’ll need to show a return flight ticket, or maybe just a follow-on to a nearby country such as Malaysia? I’ll never use it.

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

Well, since ACS no longer notarizes income letters,seems money in the bank is all there is, regardless of whether it’s marriage or retirement. Meaning, 90-day tourist visa may be my only option.

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

I mentioned the switch as a stepping stone to whether the same requirement applies to the marriage visa.

My problem is that my Bangkok Bank account of 20 years is a joint account. My family & I plan to return next summer from the U.S. But I have to be there to open a new, my-name-only account, meaning a bit of a headache wrt time. Best I can do is come on a 90-day tourist visa, open a new account, transfer 800k from joint account, extend visa at 60-day point, & then apply for non-O once my money has sat for the minimum two months. Seems it’d be easier & quicker to just go marriage visa IF there’s no two-months prior rule to deal with. Later, I, or as arbitrarily happened to me in the past, a Thai immigration officer can always change my type of visa to retired.

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

Brandon, do you know if the marriage visa works the same way, or can I simply start with monthly income as proven by a bank letter?

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

You’re correct, I’m confused. It has been my understanding that you do not need to provide income verification if you meet the requirements associated with 800k in the bank. Seems a bit redundant.

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

If your embassy does not do income verification letters, I believe a letter from your Thai bank will work.

@Paul ******

I agree, but there are two drawbacks to the retirement visa that I can think of: you cannot get a worker’s permit & you cannot accumulate time toward citizenship, if you’re so inclined to either.

I got a yellow book early on, within six months of moving to Thailand in 2004. I never had a problem after that. And what’s a pink ID card?

Do you have any friends who regular Thai see as higher cast? Such as a policeman or teacher? When I opened my first Bangkok Bank account in early 2004, I was on a 60-day tourist visa. A Thai friend of mine, a pilot with Thai International, came with me, & spoke directly to the bank manager. Perhaps a half hour later, I had my bank book.

A couple of years ago, my family & I thought we’d be returning to the LoS. So we bought two new iPhones & subsequently got them unlocked so we could replace the sims after the move. iPhones typically cost two to three times more in Thailand than in the U.S.