@Ruth ******

WHOA! I went to a special office to do them. Electronically. That's literally ALL this office does, everyday, so they were experts. I didn't even have time to get back home before I got the notification.

@Andrew ******

I remember being very surprised at how INSTANTLY the FBI Fingerprint Clearance came back. Literally within less than 45 minutes, I was notified by email. Of course, my record is clean, no arrests, but still very fast.

@Andrew ******

Not necessarily. An O-A can have funds in an American bank or IRA (mine was in my IRA). A few extra steps of course, such as the FBI clearance, health certificate (can't have elephantiasis or syphillis!) and health insurance. But my funds stayed in America, earning interest.

I used my US Retirement Account and came over on an O-A visa.

Stayed for nearly a year, and before I left back home, opened two bank accounts, one with Bangkok Bank and one with Kasikorn. Then left during the pandemic, but have been sending $$$ over to those accounts regularly. I'll return in a few years, fully-funded in the Thai accounts and can get an O visa then.

@Paul *******

Kasikorn is one of the three.

@Keith ******

Ditto! I am also planning to retire in Chiang Mai, Thailand. And there are a LOT of US expats retired there. They certainly don't have much trouble getting their Social Security whilst living abroad.

@Rick ********

I used the OA Retirement Visa using funds in my IRA in America. There are many additional requirements for the OA, some hoops to jump through, including insurance, health forms, bank statements and letter from the bank, and FBI fingerprint and background clearance. Once I moved to Thailand, I opened two bank accounts and since moving back to America, I'm sending money into those accounts fairly regularly. I'll be able to use the Thailand banks statements when I move back to Thailand in a few years

@Victor ********

Age 50 and beyond.

The 800K baht is non-negotiable.

Either in country or abroad, some kind of bank account.

If abroad, you follow the guidelines for an O-A retirement visa...having those funds in your account in the US or the UK or Australia or Germany or wherever.

If within the country, the funds will need to be in a Thai bank account.

Or if you are married to a Thai, then the money is half the 800K baht or 400k and you do the visa for that status.

Look into the laws for a work permit. Most jobs that a Thai can do, a foreigner is forbidden.