Assistance Request - visa questions

[Storekeeper]

For those expats living in Hua Hin I could use your advice/counsel/recommendations on:

What immigration office do you use for annual extensions and 90 day check ins?

Is there a local business I could use for that as well as assisting with the drivers license?

I’m going to do the O visa based on marriage to a Thai with 400K deposited and then after I turn 62 have my social security directly deposited to Bangkok Bank. I want to keep it simple. Any problem with that?

We would like to live within walking distance of the beach. What kind of living quarters can we get for 20K a month? We want a place with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and minimum of 100 Sqm.

What’s the hospital scenario in HH? Going to use my TRICARE health insurance so that’ll require me to pay up front. Any recommendations for how much of a savings reserve needed for up front care in an urgent situation?

July 2022 is our target date to arrive in Thailand.

Thanks in advance.

[mudcat]

Previously Bangkok Bank through their New York branch was the only option for direct deposit of Social Security. Most banks which accept US customers will work under the new process after you have them complete ssa 1199 op107 (do a google search for the PDF direct from Social Security). Once it has been signed you can scan and email it to the Federal Benefits office in Manila.
Remember that the ThB 400,000 requires that you report your balance (total of all foreign bank accounts above USD ) to the Treasury every year to comply with FATCA, not a difficult form, but the penalties are severe.

Note that the transfer is coded at Bangkok Bank as BAHTNET which may present issues at immigration if they have not seen it before.

[Storekeeper]

Remember that the ThB 400,000 requires that you report your balance (total of all foreign bank accounts above USD ) to the Treasury every year to comply with FATCA, not a difficult form, but the penalties are severe.

Thanks. Had read about that but not put much thought to it yet. Appreciate the heads up.

[Big Boy]

I've made some comment below in red.

What immigration office do you use for annual extensions and 90 day check ins?
Hua Hin Immigration to the West of town is where most Immigration business is done, For 90 day reporting, we are very lucky to have an efficient unit within the Bluport Shopping Mall. However be careful, if you live too far North, I think everything has to be done at Tha Yang, about 30 miles North of Hua Hin.

Is there a local business I could use for that as well as assisting with the drivers license?
TIT, Im sure somebody would happily take your money, but the process is so simple I'd suggest you do it yourself.

What’s the hospital scenario in HH? Going to use my TRICARE health insurance so that’ll require me to pay up front. Any recommendations for how much of a savings reserve needed for up front care in an urgent situation?
My response here will be controversial. Hua Hin has 3 hospitals i.e.:

• Hua Hin Hospital - Public Hospital, but in my opinion the only proper hospital in town, with doctors readily at hand. People look at the queues and get put off, but this can all be by-passed by using the Premium Clinic.

• Bangkok Hospital - Private. It is a beautiful hospital, but very expensive. They are well equipped, but do not have the full range of staff 100% in attendance. Very good for minor ailments such as colds or broken bones. Much more than that and they have to either import a doctor, or send you to Bangkok.

• San Paulo Hospital - Private. I haven't used it enough to comment, but I think diagnostic equipment is not readily available. It really needs somebody else to pass comment.

[Lev]

Welcome to the forum, would suggest posting separate questions in the appropriate sections (or searching in them for existing ones) - you will get a better response that way.