@Brook *******

Embassies have requirements they need to meet and perform as government representatives of their country. They are not there to meet each whim you might have and think they should provide.

@Charlie **********

The British Embassy in Bangkok has nothing to do with issuing a Non-O Thai Retirement Visa. They would be unable to do anything this woman requires.

I just moved here from the US 11 days ago. I applied for the Non-O Retirement Visa through the Thai Embassy in Washington DC and had my approval in about 10 days. While I had the equivalent of 800,000 baht in my account and documents I sent to the Thai Embassy they still requested proof of retirement income from me. The day they sent their request I provided it to them via upload and I had my approval visa the next day.

Once you get to Thailand you will need to get a Thai Cell Phone Number and a Thai Bank Account. The Cell Phone Number is easy and all I needed was my Passport. However, the Bank Account is a bit more difficult and I've gone to immigration in Bangkok to get a Certificate of Residence 1 week ago today and I'm still waiting for them to mail it to me. Once I have this will go back to the bank and open the account.

Funding the account and transferring money depends on your circumstances. Swift transactions may be better for you or not. I looked into this and the fees through NFCU were higher for me than using Remitly, I would suggest you check various options -- Right now you are looking at about $25,000 U.S. to make the equivalent of 800,000 Baht.

If you don't know where in Thailand you wish to live I would recommend looking at renting Airbnb for 2-3 months in various locations to see where you enjoy, but if you start here I would make sure you complete your first 12 month extension of your retirement visa before going somewhere else. Personally I chose Bangkok for the time being because of everything it offers and the ease of travel from here to everywhere else. Good Luck!

@David ******

I don't know if Brook had a bad experience or not, but I've seen enough posts on various expat, visa and Thailand groups from many people outlining the problems experienced.

Everyone should feel free to open their account with whoever they wish to, but I have yet to see one person outline any trouble with any other back other than BB especially with freezing accounts (I have seen several people talk about having their account opened for years getting their accounts frozen and even a couple of those who have business accounts with the same branch).

Try any or all of the below:

1. Thailand Fingerprints (Fingerprinting Services)

Services: Specializes in providing fingerprinting services for U.S. background checks (including FBI checks). They offer both ink and live scan fingerprinting.

Location: Bangkok

Website: thailandfingerprints.com (Check their website for detailed contact info and services)

Phone: +66 92 504 7979

Email:

2. Thailand Visa & Immigration Services

Services: While they focus primarily on visa and immigration services, they can assist with fingerprinting for FBI background checks and other U.S. legal purposes.

Location: Bangkok

Phone: +66 2 256 2588

Email:

3. Asia Visa Services

Services: Provides a wide range of visa and immigration services, including U.S. FBI fingerprint card services (FD-258). They have relationships with fingerprinting services and can guide you through the process.

Location: Bangkok

Website: asiavisaservices.com

Phone: +66 2 639 0165

4. Expat Services Thailand

Services: A general expat services agency that can arrange fingerprinting for U.S. background checks. They also assist with notarization and document translation services.

Location: Bangkok

Website: expatservices-thailand.com

Phone: +66 85 337 5871

Email:

5. BCI (Background Check International)

Services: They provide a range of background check services and can assist with fingerprinting for the FBI, including live scans and inked prints.

Location: Bangkok

Website: bcithailand.com

Phone: +66 2 117 6242

Email:

6. Thai Fingerprinting Services

Services: Offers fingerprinting for legal and immigration purposes, including U.S. FBI background checks. They handle FD-258 cards and have various options for expats.

Location: Bangkok

Phone: +66 86 307 5855

Email:

7. Notary Services Bangkok

Services: This company provides a variety of services for expatriates, including notarization and fingerprinting for U.S. immigration or background checks.

Location: Bangkok

Phone: +66 2 258 7442

Email:

8. VFS Global

Services: VFS Global is a global visa and immigration services company. While they mainly focus on visa applications, they offer fingerprinting services for the U.S. and other countries for various purposes.

Location: Bangkok

Website: vfsglobal.com

Phone: +66 2 118 2410

@Kim *********

I would try reaching out to a DoJ or FBI representative at the embassy and plead your case to see if you could get some assistance.

Try contacting the embassy

Of course you can apply. Question is do you meet the requirements laid out by the Thai embassy or consulate in Australia which is going to handle your application.

@Richard *******

if only you actually knew what you were talking about! Funny how you call someone out but then show your ignorance!

@Andreas ********

bank should have had everything they needed when they opened the account — this is all bullsh&t!! I wouldn’t go anywhere near any branch of this bank, but maybe that’s what they want!