More retirement visa problems - maybe

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Dodger
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Dodger »

Maxxyz wrote:
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
Sorry to bother you with this again, but are you receiving international deposits into your Thai bank account which meet the 65k minimum, or not.

If so, and assuming you could easily get a bank statement proving this income, then why was it necessary for you to even go to the embassy in Bangkok?

If in fact your embassy included a review of your Thai bankbook showing these monthly deposits in a Thai account then I understand perfectly why immigration would accept the embassy affidavit.

I'm only asking for further clarification because the way you're presenting this it appears as if immigration is side-lining the requirement as long as applicants have an embassy affidavit.

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Maxxyz
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Maxxyz »

" Sorry to bother you with this again, but are you receiving international deposits into your Thai bank account which meet the 65k minimum, or not."

I do not transfer 65k monthly, for a few years I have been transferring 5K sterling 206K Thai baht every 3 or 4 months I always top it up when my Thai a/c falls to 100K so the maximum I would have in my Thai Bank would be 300k.
Over a year this would meet the 65K monthly income but not perhaps to the Thai authorities strict criteria and certainly not reaching their minimum of maintaining a minimum deposit of 400K.
Transfers from the UK take about 24hours and using this method my transfer charges are minimal
It has worked thus far for me,

" I'm only asking for further clarification because the way you're presenting this it appears as if immigration is side-lining the requirement as long as applicants have an embassy affidavit."

I can only repeat that Thai immigration did not ask me for any other Financial documents other than my Letter of Income from my consulate
I'm reluctant to call it an affidavit as I'm getting grief over at Sawatdee from a poster who appears to be constipated by the use of the words "certification " and "verification"
Up2u

Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Up2u »

A friend got his "retirement" visa extension today at Jomtien Immigration. Every year he gets his Income Affadavit from the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok. The Affadavit is the only documentation required and accepted by TI, and that has been the case for a number of years.
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Bob
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Bob »

fountainhall wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2019 4:09 pm 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.
In Chiangmai, there's no follow-up routine, at least not as yet. I renewed my annual extension yesterday and nothing was mentioned about any follow-up nor has it been mentioned to other friends (who also use the bank funds method) that have extended in the last few months. And, when I have to do the 90-day address report, I always do it by mail so that presents another problem for them as to checking up on any bank balance 3 months later.
I'm presuming that they'll check on balances over the year next April when I extend again and, if I've violated their rules (presuming the "new" rules are not altered by then), no extension will be given. No worry for me as I permanently park the required amount in a separate term account.

As I mentioned before, Big Joke's visit to CM Immigration has caused huge improvements. Arrived there yesterday at 11:01AM and walked out with my extension and re-entry permit at 12:26PM.
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Smiles
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Smiles »

I'll keep this question post quick and easy. I would expect short replies if you know the answer (or think you know the answer ... this is a Thai Imm post after all). Just a number if you wish. I don't want this particular post to spiral.
In September I will be going to Immigration for my annual Extension. This year it looks like I will have to go the 800,000-Baht-in-a-Thai-bank route. (For the last 10 years I've used the Income Letter from Canada Embassy route with nary a problem.)

My question is very short: must the 800,000 Baht in my Thai Bank account be sitting in there 3 months or 2 months before applying for my Extension in mid-September?
I have heard both, which sounds weird, but there you have it.

Here is a link to a ThaiVisa query on this: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/108167 ... s-granted/ and if you scroll down a bit you'll find a short sentence within the whole site:

"Foreigners must still be able to show the 800k baht in a Thai bank two months before the application for the retirement extension."
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 »

My understanding is that the new rules came in on March 1. I renewed on February 6 - so I had to have the 800K in the account for 3 months as per the old rules. With the new rule, surely it should only be for 2 months.
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Gaybutton
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Gaybutton »

Smiles wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:32 am My question is very short: must the 800,000 Baht in my Thai Bank account be sitting in there 3 months or 2 months before applying for my Extension in mid-September?
Since still none of us can be certain what we will be walking into when we apply for the retirement Visa renewal, despite what the rules are supposed to be, to make sure you're on the safe side I would recommend leaving the 800,000 baht in the Thai bank account for at least three months prior to applying for the renewal.
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by thewayhelooks »

I agree with fountainhall. It was three months BEFORE the extension date and nothing after. Now it's two months before and three months AFTER. Five months total. But gaybutton's recommendation of three months before is prudent if you are unsure or cannot go to Immigration to clarify.
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2lz2p
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by 2lz2p »

If your embassy still issues the monthly income certification letter, under the new rules, that is all you need. The "proving" 65k deposited monthly to your account from outside of Thailand apples only if you cannot get the letter (UK, USA, & Australia). I read one post on Thiavisa where a person whose embassy still issues the letter, tried to use the "proving 65k month method" and was told it was not acceptable, he had to get a letter from his embassy.

As to Smiles question, the new rules effective March 1, is 2 months before applying (not your renewal date) using 800k in a Thai bank, must keep it on deposit for another 3 months (after extension date or application date ??), and a minimum of 400k at all other times. That said, reports on Thaivisa indicate that some Immigration Offices (or Officers in the Office) are still saying 3 months before for renewals -- so, best to check with your local Immigration Office long enough before hand to meet their requirement (or to be on the safe side, just do it 3 months before).
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Gaybutton
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Re: More retirement visa problems - maybe

Post by Gaybutton »

thewayhelooks wrote: Fri Apr 26, 2019 10:54 am or cannot go to Immigration to clarify.
Personally, I wouldn't count on what they say even if you can go. That will mean nothing if when you go later to actually renew your visa they tell you something different. That is why I'm recommending keeping the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account for at least 3 months prior to applying for the renewal.

I also still recommend renewing as far in advance of the expiration date as possible. It is my understanding that you can renew up to 1 month in advance. That way, if you do encounter problems you should have time to deal with it. Don't forget, even if you do renew a month in advance, the next expiration date will still be 1 year after the current expiration date.

As far as I know, those who no longer can get a proof-of-income affidavit, but can prove at least 65,000 baht per month coming in from a foreign source for a year or longer, are still supposed to be eligible for renewal. However, exactly what constitutes proof immigration will accept still is not entirely clear. I would imagine your bank passbook and letter from the bank will suffice, but does anyone know that yet? I'm planning to renew that way and will be bringing along additional evidence, such as a statement downloaded from my retirement income source. But just in case, I will also have the 800,000 baht and a letter from that bank ready. I'll dig that out if they reject my 65,000 baht per month proof.

I'm hoping they will accept the 65,000 baht per month. That will free up the 800,000 if something happens that necessitates spending it. But since we, at this point, have no idea what immigration will require a year later, I'm planning to just leave the 800,000 sitting there in the bank account, untouched.

That's part of the problem. There is just nothing we can rely on. If immigration allows the 65,000 baht with the evidence you provide this year, how do we know immigration won't yet again decide to change the requirements next year? The answer is we don't know. I wish immigration would put all the requirements in writing and give us some sort of binding guarantee that they won't change the requirements again.
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