Visas for Aussies changed?

I was under the understanding from what Id read that to retire as an Australian in Thailand that one would need to go there on a 90 day Type O visa then apply for the 1 year OA visa after having a set up a bank account with 800,000 baht which is about $35000 or show monthly income of 65000 baht which is $2800. All of this must be in a thai bank account.
But having just looked on the Australian Thai embassy website it says nothing about a Thai bank account but says you must show a deposit account in the last 6 months with a minimum fund of $54000 or a monthly income of $4545. There is also a 90 day Non immigrant O visa which says you need a "bank statement in the past 6 months showing a deposit account with minimum fund of $2000". It doesnt say if that has to show deposited monthly for 6 months but as Ive just said "in the last 6 months"
Im wondering if anyone knows has the amounts for the 1 year OA changed now or is this only if you apply from within Australia?
For the 90 days O type so all I need to show is that I have had 2000 over 6 months or does that need to show every month of the 6? its really not very clear.
Theres also an OX 5 year which says to show a deposit account in last 6 months with $150,000. But again does not say anything about it being a Thai bank nor how long the money must show as being in the account.

It also says you must have a retirement certificate? What even is that and where does one get one? I was self employed until 6 months ago. Its not like I can just give myself one. Ive never even heard of such a thing.
-@Sourdough101

There are no changes when it comes to the 90 days Non-immigrant O visa applied for in Australia. You are also confusing the O visa based on retirement with the O-A visa. I think the requirements for the 90 days Non-immigrant O visa at the Thai embassy in Canberra is straight forward and easy to understand. When applying for the 90 days Non-immigrant O based on retirement (there's only one) you just need the amount mentioned in your aussie bank account. Why would they mention anything about requirements in Thailand when extending the stay another year? That has nothing to do with the Thai embassy. You extend the stay based on your initial O visa, it never becomes an O-A, which is a 1 year long stay visa applied for in Australia with totally different requirements. The O-X is same type of visa as the O-A but is valid 5 years and is extendable another 5 years. Forget about the O-A and O-X and go for the 90 days Non-immigrant O based on retirement. After ~60 days into those 90 days you can apply for a 1 year extension based on retirement. You must have 800k baht in a Thai bank account 2 months prior to the day you apply for the extension. This is non-negotiable at immigration.

@Leeds forever! 65,000 b or more coming into my Thai bank each and every month enables me to renew my retirement visa

@Leeds forever! 65,000 b or more coming into my Thai bank each and every month enables me to renew my retirement visa
-@takeit135

The topic is actually not about the 65k/month or 800k In the bank. It's a about requirements. I live in Thailand since many years and I don't need any info about financial requirements. You can't start using 65k per month when applying for the first 1 year extension based on retirement if you come from Australia,because of the non-existing income letter from the Aussie embassy starting January 1, 2019.

@Leeds forever! Thanks. Im not confusing it. On the Australian thai embassy website there are 3 visas to apply for. O , OA and OX.   How is OA different to this 1 year extension you have mentioned?   Im not clear why theres two different ways to get year long visa both with different requirements and amounts.  Doesn't make any sense.  WHat youre saying is I need 800,000 baht ie $35000 but the website says $54000?

@Leeds forever! Thanks. Im not confusing it. On the Australian thai embassy website there are 3 visas to apply for. O , OA and OX.  How is OA different to this 1 year extension you have mentioned?  Im not clear why theres two different ways to get year long visa both with different requirements and amounts. Doesn't make any sense. WHat youre saying is I need 800,000 baht ie $35000 but the website says $54000?
-@Sourdough101

You're still confusing the O with O-A. The 1 year extension based on retirement = O is applied for at the local immigration office in Thailand and you need 800k in a Thai bank account 2 months prior to the day you apply. There are only two different long stay visas, the 90 days Non-immigrant O based on retirement is just 90 days,hence the name.

The O-A and O-X are applied for in Australia, and that's why there are financial requirements regarding money in an aussie bank account. This is not confusing at all. Believe me,you don't want an O-A or O-X.

If I understand correctly, the best way to retire to Thailand.  Below is the oversimplified steps as it pertains to what types of visas to get.

First,  come in as an exempt tourist.   

Second, get 90 day non-immigrant O visa at local Thai immigration office

Third, get 1-year non-immigrant O visa also at local Thai immigration office. 

Fourth, renew.

If I understand correctly, the best way to retire to Thailand. Below is the oversimplified steps as it pertains to what types of visas to get.
First, come in as an exempt tourist. 

Second, get 90 day non-immigrant O visa at local Thai immigration office

Third, get 1-year non-immigrant O visa also at local Thai immigration office.

Fourth, renew.
-@Bigrad Wolf

The topic isn't about how you arrive, it's about requirements at the Thai embassy in Canberra, which are straight forward. Arriving on a visa exempt is not the best way. The best way is to arrive on a 90 days Non-immigrant O or on a 60 days tourist visa. It's about having enough time to open a Thai bank account and transfer the money +  not spending so much time and money at immigration.

@Sourdough101

I will tell you what I did and this applies to any foreigner, Firstly I obtained a 90 Visa from the comfort of your home country I used these guys free online tutorials, Free consultation https://www.siam-legal.com/?gclid=CjwKE … oCrJvw_wcB

They can inform and process everything for you needed, I’ve been retired in Thailand 6 years as an American 🇺🇸

I do my own visa renewals now at Immigration easy and only 1900 Yearly,

@Sourdough101
I will tell you what I did and this applies to any foreigner, Firstly I obtained a 90 Visa from the comfort of your home country I used these guys free online tutorials, Free consultation https://www.siam-legal.com/?gclid=CjwKE … oCrJvw_wcB
They can inform and process everything for you needed, I’ve been retired in Thailand 6 years as an American 🇺🇸
I do my own visa renewals now at Immigration easy and only 1900 Yearly,
-@Klingon63

Many immigration offices in Thailand have checklists,on paper and/or online. That way you'll always get the correct information about requirements in that province. If you're using websites like Siam-legal, the info you'll get might not be correct in every province because of minor differences in requirements. I've seen information from Siam-legal which is not 100% correct when it comes to visas and extensions. Maybe because of slow updates.

@Leeds forever!

The Immigration Laws are the same in every Province, The local Immigration offices choose to play that game. Siam Legal is extremely aware of the games they play and get your stuff done right and efficiently.

I used them so that I was ready to just climb in the plane land in Thailand and open up my bank account, All completed from the comfort of home in America 🇺🇸 Before I moved to retire in Thailand.

Now I do on  my own at the immigration yearly , Example of Immigration games , 2017-2018 Immigration said that Income affidavits will no longer be honored.

it must be bank book and bank statements, Yet they still tell me to submit a copy , Crazy !! But it’s easy I can get a pension print out anytime online many cannot and have to find acceptable documents. Yet legally it’s not required, This is one example of them making there own rules at each office and honestly a lawyer can confront them

@Leeds forever!
The Immigration Laws are the same in every Province, The local Immigration offices choose to play that game. Siam Legal is extremely aware of the games they play and get your stuff done right and efficiently.
I used them so that I was ready to just climb in the plane land in Thailand and open up my bank account, All completed from the comfort of home in America 🇺🇸 Before I moved to retire in Thailand.
Now I do on my own at the immigration yearly , Example of Immigration games , 2017-2018 Immigration said that Income affidavits will no longer be honored.
it must be bank book and bank statements, Yet they still tell me to submit a copy , Crazy !! But it’s easy I can get a pension print out anytime online many cannot and have to find acceptable documents. Yet legally it’s not required, This is one example of them making there own rules at each office and honestly a lawyer can confront them
-@Klingon63

There have always been minor differences in requirements in local immigration offices and Siam-legal doesn't have a clue about that. FYI, there were no announcements about income letters/affidavits wouldn't be honored in 2017-2018. Who told you that? The only major change came in January 1, 2019 and it only concerned expats from the US,UK and Australia. Those countries embassies/consulates stopped issuing Income letters/affidavits. They must use 12 months bank statements. Some immigration offices also wants copies from an updated bank book. But if you don't update the bank book on a regular basis, copies from it are useless because every transaction might not show up. That's one of the reasons 12 months bank statements are required. Online printouts showing pension have never been officially accepted in any immigration office because you can edit a pdf-file if you know how. They are also not stamped and signed by any pension provider which is officially required if you know what the word "officially" means.

@Leeds forever!

Between 2017-2018 Thai Immigration was no longer ! Accepting Income Affidavits as proof of Income , Subsequently I got the info directly from the so called U.S.Embassy in Bangkok Thailand, Also handed a pamphlet about what there going to do which The U.S. and Thailand had a binding agreement that pensions/ Aka Social Security Included would be allowed direct deposit of said retirement funds into many Thai Banks , Fact I did it with my American 🇺🇸 Pension.

So you see I had some pretty direct info and physical involvement with the very said above

@Leeds forever!
Between 2017-2018 Thai Immigration was no longer ! Accepting Income Affidavits as proof of Income , Subsequently I got the info directly from the so called U.S.Embassy in Bangkok Thailand, Also handed a pamphlet about what there going to do which The U.S. and Thailand had a binding agreement that pensions/ Aka Social Security Included would be allowed direct deposit of said retirement funds into many Thai Banks , Fact I did it with my American 🇺🇸 Pension.
So you see I had some pretty direct info and physical involvement with the very said above
-@Klingon63

You are wrong, and the US embassy were totally wrong if they gave you that info 2017-2018. I repeat, from January 1, 2019 there were no longer any affidavits issued from the US,UK and Australian embassy in BKK. So,it means until the end of 2018 affidavits were issued and accepted at immigration. The rest of the world were not affected by those changes. Where do you think I lived those years? I didn't sit in a sofa in the US. And why wouldn't direct deposits from retirement funds be allowed? They have always been allowed. That was never a problem, the issue was showing those deposits as foreign/international, and that's what bank statements and other documents are for.

@Leeds forever!

Ok apparently your here to prove nothing Now your splitting hairs about the year time frame, Come on man !! Ok 2018-2019 Nevertheless what I explained a lot sooner then you did is still exactly what The U.S. agreed upon as I stated in the beginning of this thread !! Your funny

@Leeds forever!
Ok apparently your here to prove nothing Now your splitting hairs about the year time frame, Come on man !! Ok 2018-2019 Nevertheless what I explained a lot sooner then you did is still exactly what The U.S. agreed upon as I stated in the beginning of this thread !! Your funny
-@Klingon63

My info is 100% correct while yours is totally wrong and there's a huge difference between 2017-2018 and 2019. We're talking 2 years. Maybe you're a bit clueless to understand that. US didn't agree on anything regarding the affidavits (or direct deposits). They stopped issuing them because The Thai Immigration Bureau didn't accept bogus affidavits. They gave the US Embassy an ultimatum, come up with a correct income letter with a documented pension, before the end of 2018. The US Embassy said they couldn't verify documents from pension providers. Wrong or not,I don't know. Personally I think the US Embassy was happy to stop issuing that income letter.Less work,longer coffee breaks. They did also announce earlier, I don't remember if it was early this year or late last year, that they will stop issuing several other certificates/legalizations needed by US citizens in Thailand. Go figure.

@Leeds forever!

Yeah your a hair splitter , I know what I did and the reliable sources used.

Before you could only direct deposit to Bangkok bank and that took a lot of time , Thankfully that’s improved but the other options was expansion of direct deposit of U.S. Pensions or other pensions such as example private ones.

I had to submit the Government forms to allow this to happen abd the bank I was choosing , Filled them out and they had me send them to The U.S. Embassy in The Philippines where they were processing them.

Again your just a hair splitter , The meat and potatoes are the same

@Sourdough101 = just apply for a normal Retirement Visa in Thailand. Cost of additional imposed insurances if you apply in Australia is much higher. My former colleague from WA worked it out already. Combination of some money in Thai Bank as you would need for the living expenses anyway & proportionately lower Monthly Income (you can set up monthly bank transfers from your AU account) could be the best option without freezing 800K THB at low interest in Thailand.

@Sourdough101

Hello ,

Im American and I’m certain the process is the same for everyone as I’m under a Marriage Visa or Aka Family visa.

If you are married to a Thai National you have 2 options, Show 400,000 Thai Baht in a Thai bank account , Must be in the account 90 days prior to applying and stay in bank 60 days afterwards or show 40,000 monthly coming from outside Thailand going into your Thai account or a combination of monthly and deposits to equal either 400,000 or 40,000 Baht monthly.

Retirement Visa requires 800,000 deposited into Thai bank account 90 days prior to approval of visa and stay in account 60 days afterwards or 65,000 Thai Baht going into your account from outside Thailand into your Thai bank account or a combination of deposits and cash in you account to equal 65,000 Thai Baht a month or 800,000 Thai Baht totaled.

As for a Thai bank account if your applying for either marriage or retirement visa you definitely need a Thai bank account , I obtained a bank account by showing at least one 90 Day Visa to secure a new account.

I’ve been retired in Thailand 6 years now and when I applied the first time I used these guys a little pricey but well worth it , They have free tutorials and free consultations and a lot of info on there website , The best part was I could do it all from the comfort of my home country and local  Thai Embassy and postal service 

https://www.siam-legal.com/?gclid=CjwKE … oCrJvw_wcB

I now do my own visa renewal at Immigration half a day and 1900 Baht very easy

Good Luck

Best Regards

Robert Tyrrell/Retired American 🇺🇸 in Thailand 🇹🇭

@Sourdough101 = just apply for a normal Retirement Visa in Thailand. Cost of additional imposed insurances if you apply in Australia is much higher. My former colleague from WA worked it out already. Combination of some money in Thai Bank as you would need for the living expenses anyway & proportionately lower Monthly Income (you can set up monthly bank transfers from your AU account) could be the best option without freezing 800K THB at low interest in Thailand.
-@Vlad Doguilev

There's no "normal retirement visa" you can apply for at the local immigration office in Thailand. It's a change of visa from for example a 60 days tourist visa to a 90 days Non-immigrant O visa based on retirement. But only if you have 800k in a Thai bank account.Then you can extend the permission of stay another year. You can't use monthly deposits or the combination method the first year as an aussie citizen because of the non-existing income letter from the Australian embassy. So, the money in the bank method is the only way (unless you use an agent).You're not "freezing" 800k 12 months. You obviously don't know how it works, and the interest at the moment is not very low.

@Sourdough101
Hello ,

Im American and I’m certain the process is the same for everyone as I’m under a Marriage Visa or Aka Family visa.
If you are married to a Thai National you have 2 options, Show 400,000 Thai Baht in a Thai bank account , Must be in the account 90 days prior to applying and stay in bank 60 days afterwards or show 40,000 monthly coming from outside Thailand going into your Thai account or a combination of monthly and deposits to equal either 400,000 or 40,000 Baht monthly.
Retirement Visa requires 800,000 deposited into Thai bank account 90 days prior to approval of visa and stay in account 60 days afterwards or 65,000 Thai Baht going into your account from outside Thailand into your Thai bank account or a combination of deposits and cash in you account to equal 65,000 Thai Baht a month or 800,000 Thai Baht totaled.
As for a Thai bank account if your applying for either marriage or retirement visa you definitely need a Thai bank account , I obtained a bank account by showing at least one 90 Day Visa to secure a new account.
I’ve been retired in Thailand 6 years now and when I applied the first time I used these guys a little pricey but well worth it , They have free tutorials and free consultations and a lot of info on there website , The best part was I could do it all from the comfort of my home country and local Thai Embassy and postal service

https://www.siam-legal.com/?gclid=CjwKE … oCrJvw_wcB

I now do my own visa renewal at Immigration half a day and 1900 Baht very easy

Good Luck
Best Regards
Robert Tyrrell/Retired American 🇺🇸 in Thailand 🇹🇭
-@Klingon63

First: it's not 40,000 baht/month when married to a Thai when using monthly deposits, it's an "average" of 40,000 baht/month.For example, if a deposit one month is only 35,000 baht, next months deposit must be 45,000 baht = an average of 40,000 baht.

Second: When going for the 800,000 baht in the bank method and applying for a 1 year extension, those 800,000 must be in thai bank account 60 days prior to the day you apply for the extension and 90 days after the application,nothing else.

@Leeds forever!

Hello ,

I’ve been doing the marriage visa myself for 4 years now , 400,000 or 40,000 Thai Baht per month coming from an outside Thailand if you choose monthly income.

It must be 40,000 Thai Baht per month , If you miss one month or think your going to do 35,000 Thai Baht one month and 45,000 Thai Baht the following month good Luck with that

verbatim from Immigration !!

ried to a Thai citizen or a foreigner with a valid Thai residence permit. Be able to meet the financial requirements, such as having a minimum monthly income of 40,000 THB or a deposit of 400,000 THB in a Thai bank account for at least 2 months before your visa application.27 Mar 2023

@Leeds forever!

Apologies I got the 60 and 90 day bank balances wrong , Instead I said 90 and 60 , Split hairs much ??? 5555

@Leeds forever!
Hello ,

I’ve been doing the marriage visa myself for 4 years now , 400,000 or 40,000 Thai Baht per month coming from an outside Thailand if you choose monthly income.
It must be 40,000 Thai Baht per month , If you miss one month or think your going to do 35,000 Thai Baht one month and 45,000 Thai Baht the following month good Luck with that

verbatim from Immigration !!

ried to a Thai citizen or a foreigner with a valid Thai residence permit. Be able to meet the financial requirements, such as having a minimum monthly income of 40,000 THB or a deposit of 400,000 THB in a Thai bank account for at least 2 months before your visa application.27 Mar 2023
-@Klingon63

It's officially an average of 40,000 baht/month,nothing else, compared to at least 65,000 bath/month when retired. Don't argue against better knowledge. I think I've been living in Thailand much longer than you, and I know the financial requirements by heart. I don't have to look them up.

@Klingon63 1900 baht or dollars?

@Leeds forever! What health insurance do I need? Just 90 days certificate?  Then another year when I apply for extension?  Do I need to show an ongoing flight on arrival ?

    @Klingon63 1900 baht or dollars?        -@Sourdough101

฿1.900 of course, if you're talking about the annual extension at immigration.

@Leeds forever!  Hello I was wondering if you knew of a dependable business that does American IRS taxes for expats living in Thailand.  Thanks for your help.   Patrick

    @Leeds forever!  Hello I was wondering if you knew of a dependable business that does American IRS taxes for expats living in Thailand.  Thanks for your help.   Patrick
   

    -@thailand4me

Sorry, I don't have a clue. I'm retired and I have officially migrated (from Europe) and I pay tax on my pension (four providers) back home. I don't have to submit a so called Income Tax Return to the Tax Agency. Try google it.