More retirement visa problems - maybe

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Gaybutton
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:12 am I think the post with the American Citizen Service phone number and your and mine comments regarding contacting the embassy if needed would be a helpful reference for members.
Here it is:
________

Thank you, Dodger. Within Thailand the number would be 02 205 4049. I've made sure to store that number. I suggest everyone do the same.
Dodger wrote:Sun Mar 31, 2019

The Direct Line to The U.S. Embassy American Citizen Services is: (66) (2) 205-4049. Fax: (66) (2) 205-4103.

I know if I were being refused approval for the Combination Method when in fact I complied with the requirements I would walk over to the office (loosely referred to as Special Services) in the rear/left hand corner of Immigration (Jomtien) and place the call to the Embassy from there. After getting them on the line and explaining the circumstances I would hand the phone over to the Immigration Supervisor who manages that office and let the two of them come up with the appropriate resolution.

If you fully comply with Immigration law and feel you're rights are being abused this is the appropriate action to take. If by chance you are applying for a visa using the Combination method and do not fully comply, contacting the Embassy for support would almost certainly fall on deaf ears.
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Dodger »

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Maxxyz
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Maxxyz »

Yesterday I renewed my “Retirement Visa “ for the 16th time using the monthly income method.
This was one of the most seamless renewals ,the most taxing issue in the whole process was the schlep up to Bangkok last week in the the heat to acquire my income verification letter from the Irish consulate in Wireless Rd.
That was the only financial document I submitted to the Immigration dept. in Jomtien nothing else was demanded.
He raced through my papers with his yellow maker not even demanding his usual ”you photo copy this “routine.
My reflections on the recent shenanigans regarding this issue is that much of it could have been avoided with a little more diplomacy by the western Diplomats.
The Irish Consulate has always required you submit supporting documents of income before issuing the verification letter ,This in my case has always been Bank statements .Pension letters and property income statements all U.K based.
The never at any point asked to see Thai Bank A/C”s or money transfers into Thailand.
Now while I am aware that my verification letter might not be of “Price .Waterhouse .Cooper” standard,
this has been the case for the last 15 years and seemingly nothing has changed.
When ”Big Joke” started his “Bad Guys out” Nationalist Bullshit he should have been seen as the latest Puyai who needed to be seen off by skilled diplomacy.
Netting a few Nigerian drug mules,Lao sex workers or a few destitute Americans would have kept everyone happy.
I have no idea what type of income verification he was demanding as apart from the notorious American swearing on the Bible nonsense (American exceptionalness gone mad )to the best of my knowledge most embassies required some documentation before issuing a verification letter.
Surely skilled Diplomats could see the wide range of interpretations that could be attached to the word “Verify “
Some diplomatic silence and mumbled mutterings of “Check “, Check” would surely have sufficed to maintain the status quo.
Instead we had a few of the Big Boys throwing their toys out from the pram creating unnecessary confusion and stress for their citizens
The American system of affidavits was open to abuse and surely a few accompanying documents would not have taxed the Embassy staff unduly.
As for the British consumed as they are by “ Brexit “ and not over taxing their already vastly reduced mission in Bangkok it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
So Such is life In LOS as they say who knows by next year we might all facing entirely new criteria.
Kudos to those Consulates and Embassies who were not panicked into making rash decisions, perhaps they could invite a few of the Big beasts to a refresher course in the art of Diplomacy!
I also managed to navigate this period relatively stress free by avoiding such sites as Thai visa thus keeping my blood pressure relatively stable. I checked occasionally on the Irish Consulate website and when the advice did not change I proceeded as I had done previous years
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Dodger »

Maxxyz wrote:
The Irish Consulate has always required you submit supporting documents of income before issuing the verification letter ,This in my case has always been Bank statements .Pension letters and property income statements all U.K based.
The never at any point asked to see Thai Bank A/C”s or money transfers into Thailand.
Maxxyz. Thanks for the update.

Just for clarification, are you saying that your retirement visa renewal application was approved using the 65k/month method without showing proof (either to your embassy or immigration) that this money is being deposited in a Thai bank account?

If so, either you were just lucky or the requirements posted on the Thai Embassy website are incorrect - or - they (immigration) are simply ignoring Big Jokes broad-brush new policies.

Understanding that income verification affidavits from the Irish Embassy were not being rejected by immigration, the requirement to have 65k/month deposited in a Thai bank account still applied to the Irish. At least that was my interpretation.

For the benefit of other Irish members here could you please clarify.
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Maxxyz »

"Just for clarification, are you saying that your retirement visa renewal application was approved using the 65k/month method without showing proof (either to your embassy or immigration) that this money is being deposited in a Thai bank account? "

Yes exactly that . Neither embassy or immigration asked for any proof of Thai deposits.
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Maxxyz »

On further reflection if income verification affidavits from the Irish Embassy were not being accepted at face value by immigration there would not be any point acquiring an Embassy Letter rather then join the great unwashed and go direct for a Thai Bank letter.

It is as it is as they say and while I agree that the Irish Embassy is rather liberal in it's interpretation of the word "verification " I would be interested to hear from anyone who has gone down the income verification letter from a different embassy.

I was of course prepared to go down the Thai Bank letter route if necessary but the Irish Consul letter was in my opinion less tedious
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by fountainhall »

Let's face it, the new Immigration requirements are idiotic and it seems the attempts to implement them becoming close to pathetic.

There is a touching letter in today's Bangkok Post from a 90-year old who has been forced to leave the Kingdom presumably because he is unable to meet the new requirements. He has no relatives and no country to go to. But he will fly out of the Kingdom on 2 May. When closing his bank account, the teller asked why. When he informed her, she was full of sympathy suggesting the new rules should not apply to old people (although no definition of old was provided). Assuming this letter is fact, it merely illustrates how rigid rules brought in without due consideration of all the consequences prove that the law is sometimes indeed an ass.

The letter cab ve found here.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/pos ... -stupidity

Meantime, we are told Big Joke has actually left the military and is now a civilian. So what big brown envelopes did he receive, I wonder, and from whom? Or did he simply fail to pass enough up the chain?
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Smiles »

. . I would be interested to hear from anyone who has gone down the income verification letter from a different embassy.. . . "
I've been receiving a notorised letter of income from the Canadian Embassy since 2007 ... and it has been accepted by Thai Immigration time with no questions asked. Unlike some embassies Canada insists on actual proof before giving out the letter (in my case I bring in my tax return).
Frankly I rather enjoy taking in a few days in Bangkok as well as visiting the Embassy ... so it's not an issue with me.

But, things changed this year with the new Thai Imm criteria and it seems I will have to go the 800,000 baht route. I can do it, but I don't like it.
I had gotten use to the Letter of Income method and then I noticed your post on this board as well as Sawatedee. Thus my questions, as well as my hope that things will go back to the previous rules.
But your experience seems rather odd (I.e. ... being able to use the Letter of Income so nonchalantly) simply because of the gnashing of teeth -- including mine -- that the Thai Immigration's wholesale change of criteria with what seems like little thought.
Cheers ... ( and just one more reason why I love living in Thailand )

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fountainhall

Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by fountainhall »

Thai VIsa posters are claiming that the 90-day report can now be done on-line. Yet is appears only to be available for non-Apple computers.

This raises another problem. It was reported elsewhere that for those taking the 800K route, a bank letter would be required for the first 90-day report, this to confirm that the 800K had been in your account for the full 90 days following renewal. So another problem for me. I have never once required to make a 90-day report as I am too often travelling and the Immigration exit/entrance stamps are acceptable. If I have a 3-week trip covering the end of 90 days. I cannot do the report. And i am not prepared to get a letter from the bank to show to Immigration at BKK since I am certain it will b meaningless to them. Another piece of ill-thought-through idiocy.
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Maxxyz »

Smiles wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2019 3:32 pm
. .

But, things changed this year with the new Thai Imm criteria and it seems I will have to go the 800,000 baht route. I can do it, but I don't like it.
I had gotten use to the Letter of Income method and then I noticed your post on this board as well as Sawatedee. Thus my questions, as well as my hope that things will go back to the previous rules.
But your experience seems rather odd (I.e. ... being able to use the Letter of Income so nonchalantly) simply because of the gnashing of teeth -- including mine -- that the Thai Immigration's wholesale change of criteria with what seems like little thought.

Smiles I think the crucial issue here is will the Canadian Embassy issue a Letter of Income ?
If so there is no reason that Thai Immigration would refuse it.
Have you ever had to present Thai a/c Documents to them in the past ?
The criteria have changed only because certain Embassies refuse to issue such letters.
My presumption is that Thai Immigration believe that Embassies issuing Letters of Income are following those criteria.
Again I repeat I was not asked by my consulate to produce any Thai Financial documents
And as for nonchalantly presenting my Letter of Income it was with some trepidation that I went to Jomtien this week In fact I was 8 days early with my renewal as I felt that if I ran into difficulties I had sufficient time to approach my Thai bank for any other
Financial documents I may have needed
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