@Benjamin *****

oops sorry, MTT

@Tod ********

MTT turned away my friend last week applying for non O off amnesty citing 'cannot process non O without an existing visa'

Status update: I went to Chaengwattana today. 1.Good news – yes, they checked my paperwork and will allow me to apply for N-O once I get 30 day extension to ensure at least 15 days left on visa at time of application.

@Tod ********

– correct, I was told the amnesty days are not eligible towards the 15+ day count. 2.Bad news – while I had the required finances including 12 months history of 65,000 pm, it was not all via foreign transfer (some salary, some transfer etc. however was told minimum bank account requirement must be ALL via foreign transfer). So unable to proceed today for insufficient evidence of foreign transfer. Only option now is to transfer 800,000 baht, as Aus Embassy doesn’t provide affidavits (as

@Tod ********

noted above) to meet the 65,000 monthly income criteria. So, once I’ve done this transfer, I will go again. (kindly note that my original plan as of only a few weeks ago was to apply for non-OA in Australia, so foreign transfer was not essential criteria.) Let me add that the IO was very helpful. Another thing: re 30 day extension of visa exempt stamp, IO said, after conferring with colleagues, that I could apply ‘anytime before 30 April’ (even though current stamp expires 19th April) and the ’30 days would commence from application date as normal’ (eg could apply 27th April and still get a further 30 days). I’m not convinced the next IO would interpret it same way, but that is what I was told. Lastly, other good news was that they weren’t convinced I was over 50! Bless their hearts🤩 Thanks team for the valuable guidance during these confusing days

@Tod ********

thanks for the good advice. Yes, in hindsight I should have gone earlier but was in such a flux over flight cancellations and the whole visa thing. Anyway, I'm heading to Immigration now to roll the dice. Will report back