@Steve ******

understood. Not sure why it’s a pain. Here in CM, the consulate is quick easy and painless. We need a marriage affidavit each time because my wife isn’t 50 so she “follows” off mine. You simply make an appointment, fill out the boilerplate template form and walk in with no real wait time. Easy as pie

Dan Geisser nothing you say is incorrect but lo and behold. Now you know an American that does use the 800K in a Thai bank account to maintain a retirement visa

We lived in Malaysia for two years on the MM2H visa and wanted to move to Thailand. As you can’t get an O-A visa outside the USA, we got two single entry non O visas in Penang issued on the basis that we’d extend based on retirement once in Thailand long enough to do this (45 days or less til the expiry date).

In order to extend to one year based on retirement we did have to transfer and keep the 800K THB seasoned for 60 days. We opened an account at Bangkok Bank which makes transfers cost efficient and easy via ACH from another US bank.

Although it’s possible to get the “income letter” from the embassy here in Bangkok, we also have a large retirement brokerage portfolio but will not be using it for years and I’m old fashioned and not comfortable swearing income than I’m not actually drawing despite having enough investments to back it up. So we actually live on the 800K as living cash and it’s enough for at least a year. We transfer another few hundred thousand THB at the same time to account for the 90 days you can’t use the 800K

When 90 days before the extension period arrives, we will repeat the process and keep it seasoned for 90 days and then reapply for continued stay based on retirement for as many years as we wanna stay. We have liquid cash in fixed deposits in the USA so don’t need to use the investment income. But you are mistaken when you say nobody uses the 800K process. We know several others that do. In fact, we followed everything

@Tod ********

told us to do to the letter and if worked like a charm.

@Tod ********

ok. Thanks so much. Cheers

@Tod ********

I think I missed that last part so let me re clarify. You’re saying the window for an online report begins 15 days before the actual 90th day and continues only until 7 days before the actual 90th day? So that would mean I’d have 8 days to do that 90 day online report but if you go in person the window goes until 7 days after the actual 90th day? Thanks

thanks Tod. Our 90 day reporting period starts later this month (thankfully, since immigration would be fun after two days closed) so figured I'd ask ahead of time to be familiar with the process. I assume it's OK to try on the first day of the 14 day prior to 90 day period? Are you confident that CM participates in the online program?

I agree with this. Starting with a non O single entry 90 day visa obtained outside Thailand with the reason for the visa being “intent to extend based on retirement” is a good option. It gives you enough time to get in the country, get a place to live, open a bank account and place the 800K THB in the account with plenty of time to extend it to a one year retirement visa

We did this one. Works quite well. Got the non O single entry while still living in Penang; opened a bank account and made sure that 800K THB was in there for 60 consecutive days and 45 days before the expiry, we applied to extend based on retirement. (You have to wait until 45 days or less is on the non O before applying to extend)

We the kept the cash in the bank as living expenses for the first year but you don’t have to once they stamp the extension. We do 90 day reporting which you have to do in person the first time then you can use mail or online if it works. And then 90 days before the expiry of the one year retirement extension we’ll put 800K THB more in the account. And like a shampoo, wash, rinse and repeat.

@Ivan ***********

oh. Big difference. In that case; never mind. 555

Jeremy Miller hmm. That’s a great way of putting it. The MM2H cost us $34,000 USD that has to be tied up in a Malaysian fixed deposit while in the program. BUT, it pays 3.5% albeit in Malaysian Ringgit. Still more than we can make if we withdraw it while living in Thailand unless we invest it in the stock market. But here in Thailand, I only need to tie up $23,000 USD making 0.5% for 90 days a year.

And almost any nation issues non immigrant visas with small print stating they have the right to change the program rules without notice at any time. Our Malaysian MM2H is an example of that.