SailingHome

Expires Friday. The manager at Siam Paragon told me in no uncertain terms that I should come the day before going to Immigration and it takes 10 minutes 😞

I don't keep my bankbook up to date and even if I did, it does not say who sent the money.

I called 1111 and the officer explained to the bank worker what to do. He just said to me shoving the documents back, "can not.  go ask immigration for different way or get a certified letter from them explaining exact detail." Same guy I spoke to on the phone this morning who said no problem!

I am at Bangkok Bank Siam Paragon right now as the manager advised to do 1 day before I go to immigration. As it is my first time I came a minth ago to check what to do. Obviously, I need the 12 months of USA Social Security direct deposits certified. She showed me a 3 month sample if my deposits that say SSA but did not let me keep it. Said can be done in 10 minutes the day before immigration, no problem.

No one knows what to do, says all reports more than 6 months is done at the main branch only, and I will be a week or more overstay. Will the Bangkok Bank at Immigration 1 do this properly

tomorrow morning before my apointment?

Right now after half an hour, he was able to print one deposit that says social security, but will not certify it. What do I ask for?

Apologies. All people involved are from the Philippines. I am from the USA on a retirement visa.

While this is still a good question to have answers for others, things for us have changed and we are no longer needing answers. The school will take things for the Nephew, and the sister is actually going on to a scholarship program at home 😃

Interesting question has arisen in two flavors. In both cases, the person visiting Thailand has guardianship and custody of a child.

1) My fiance will be bringing her 23 year old sister. Obviously once married my wife can stay as a dependent on my Retirement visa, but can the child? What if I become the guardian? Can the child go to public school? Would going to school allow them their own visa if the other option is not available?
 

2) My friend is coming to study in a Thei language school. She is bringing her nephew, a very skilled football player that West Ham United Thailand 13-17U team would like to go to the school and play on the team. They can not offer a visa for this, so can he stay on his Aunt's ED visa? Could I take guardianship and put him on my Retirement visa?

I received email and FB Messenger confirmation from Immigration Division 1 that it is perfect.

So being on a lease with no intended move out date is not ok? I'm not sure but I think the sire said it is ok.

What about the lack of visa info and such? Sadly, immigration will no longer answer emails from me or the Messenger chat. For a month I have been asking questions how I can do this so I can renew my visa. They got tired of telling me to have the owner do it - it is their job.

Wow,,, I have never enougnter a Thai person so hellbent on negative  re government, and country and refusing to obey any law. I did what I could and used an non-immmigraion Web site that makes reporting easier. It let me log in to the Immigtration TM30 site and I got this. This time when I go in to Immigration are they still going to say that I don't have a residence in Bangkok?

FYI calling 1111 they are extremely fast to answer and knowledgeable. No, can not have a friend do it for you. Yes, for USA the bank version is needed. You can make an appointment immigtation.go.th and not have to wait around all day like before.

It is USA and greater than 65k and clearly states on the bank papers they officially stamp it is from SSA. That part is covered.

I need to know if I can send a friend to immigration for me since I am ill.

7 minutes ago, bubblegum said:

Some embassies (like the Netherlands) still provide proof of income others like USA do not. So depending on your situation you go with bank or embassy.

I think you are saying since US embassy does not, the bank version is good enough. Is that correct?

Can someone else go to immigration and do it for me? I have been ill.

I read that 800k or 65k/mo is required for renewal. Bangkok Bank says all I need is an official deposit statement of monthly pension deposits from them to renew. Other sources say I need embassy proof.

Could we just sticky the correct info so that so many don't have to ask, please? If not, does anyone (Cheryl?) have the right answer?

Also, can I send a friend to do the actual renewal? I am down with Parkinson's and the visa company is getting quite expensive.

1 hour ago, farangbuffalo said:

FTX is pretty good

555555! After the day I have had, I want to trly thank you! I needed a good belly laugh :D

Been using coins.co.th for many years. Running in to too many technical issues and non-availability of service (not 24 hours) and they can't even figure out why their server won't send me a security code to email.

Any other I have tried do not allow an American to sign up, and I do not have a USA Bank account.

Can anyone recommend another exchange that will let me transfer via iBanking or at least by Thai debit card and not get ripped off? (not that coins.co doesn't charge heavily on the rate.)

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 SS started direct international deposits to Thailand a few years back so the old system some used of ACH transfer into a Bangkok Bank account that then had to be physically collected is unnecessary. You can have your SS directly deposited into your regular Thai bank account. You could of course also have it directly deposited in the US and then arrange your own transfers as needed but that incurs bank transfer charges (SS direct deposit is free) and also would make it harder to establish source of the funds should you ever need to do so. While I am not one of those who think it at all likely that huge amounts of work and effort, including inter-departmental linkages of a type otherwise non-exist in Thai government,  will be undertaken in future to track down relatively small amount of tax revenue from foreign retirees,  it is still prudent to be able to readily show the source of remittances from 1 January forward just in case.

 

You can find the direct deposit request form online, complete it and sent it to the FBU office in Manila. Takes a few months to come into effect but works a treat thereafter.

 

As it currently stands (and as has been the law for along time) you are not required to file a Thai tax return if you do not owe any Thai tax, and you owe Thai tax only if you have >160K taxable income remitted into Thailand. Under the DTA US SS is completely exempt from taxation in Thailand, full stop (regardless of whether you have to pay any tax on it in the US, which will depend on your total income). So if your only remittances are your SS you are on solid ground in not filing (unless of course some totally new requirement is enacted in future) and even if the subject of an in-depth investigation (exceedingly unlikely) wold not end up owing back taxes and penalties.

 

 

I apologize getting back to you so late, Sheryl. You do so much for us you deserve better,

Yes. I visited the Paragon branch today and learned what you just said. A few  years ago I switched to the type you are talking about ( no ,monthly visit) )and thought I had to switch back to the old method of going to the bank monthly to get the money so they would know it is SS.

It turns out we can ask ask for a credit report (IE deposit report) and that will show that every deposit monthly was indeed from USA Social Security Administration. They also provide a certified letter to go with it.

One caveat, for some reason they can't just generate from the computer, they need the bank book updated so it shows every deposit. Apparently I waited too long to update and since I have a high number of transactions updating could not work correctly for the 8 months that I have not updated.

This combination of documents can be used at immigration for poof of income, and if necessary to shoe the tax revenue department that it is indeed not private based income, but social security.

Spread the news :)

FYI went to BKB at Paragon today. Just ask for a credit report (IE Deposits report) and will detail that the deposit came from Social Security Administration. They will then attach a certified letter to that for us to use either at immigration or taxation

.

8 hours ago, QuantumQuandry said:

 

The reason you are confused is because nobody knows.  Lots of people have an opinion.  But it hasn't happened so no-one knows what the implementation will actually be.  So go back to the other threads and freak out with the people there 

 

Can they find your money?  Yeah, if you have a visa, they can just make it part of the visa process.  Already is for retirement visa.  Will they?  See above.

 

Will you be affected if you make less than the taxable amount in the U.S.?  See above.  If you really want to know as much as possible, read the dual taxation agreements in detail.  But mostly...nobody knows.

 

I feel this is more than a visa. Any law about income is already attached to banking. The bank knows I am a foregnr and that I get direct deposits. Banks will be requites to take it out of the deposit. If the new law is put in effect, it is quite simple for them, simple a database query. 

Sheryl, the global moderator, read the tax treaty and says only private pensions are taxable. Rigght now I have SSDI sent as a type of direct deposit where I do not need to go to the bank every month. If I switch it to SS directly depositing theywill know it is SS is my theory

7 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

That is what I think, and I hope we're right 

Couldn't be more wrong when it comes to banking oversight. Yea, maybe in the first year they will miss some things, yes for a few years they will miss some pensioners on retirement visas, then you won't be able to get a retirement visa (think visas are not PERFECTLY and STRICTLY controlled?) without showing your proof of tax...

I am not risking 25% of my income on that theory, thanks.

On 10/8/2023 at 1:42 PM, Sheryl said:

@DineshR

 

My reading of the US tax treaty with Thailand is substantially the same as yours except that to my read it is only government pensions that cannot be taxed in Thailand.  Private pensions can be.

 

Of course, any tax you have to pay in Thailand on private pension and the various other taxable incomes can be claimed as a tax credit on your US return. In fact, it could be argued from the terms of  the Tax treaty that any income taxable in Thailand under the DTA should be fully exempt from US taxes. (You'll need an accountant versed in expat issues)

 

To simplify life, you might like to limit your remittances to Thailand to direct deposit of your Social Security (and government pension if that is what you have). If currently using income method and these sources not enough, switch to the 800K method and bring that money in before end of the year. Like that you should be home free since it is only assessable income remitted to Thailand after 1 January that is at issue.

 

If you can't live on just SS, make up the difference through use of a US credit card paid from a US bank account and perhaps occasional ATM withdrawal from US bank account.

 

 

Sheryl - there are 2 ways SS income can get deposited to a Thai bank account. One is the normal "go to the bank every month and sign to have it released" which known to them to be a social security payment. The other way I do not remember the name of, but it just shows up as a direct deposit. It sounds like you might be saying go back to them knowing it is SS and I will not be taxed?

Forgive me but even after reading a lot I get confused... so my SSDI or any direct deposit in 2024 will get taxed? I can do something with 800k?

Can't I just use my USA account and bank app and debit card and atm? Can't I just bitcoin my money in?

On SSDI I make so little I am not taxed in USA. I sure can't lose 25% to Thai taxes.

Update: They had to remove the aircon and are replacing it. The lease is simple and just states I do standard maintenance. No one ever told me an aircon needs to be serviced every 6 months. It may seem "common sense" but define that in a court of law.

At the end of the day, I think she worries more about not having a tenant for many years if I leave, and her daughter is thinking about future resell when mom dies, so daughter told her to put in a new unit.

On the lease, I had her agree in a chat we are month to month. Maybe I am dumb, but I am fine with that.

Well, this came as a shock to me. When I moved in I was rather ill so trusted a Thai friend to tell me about the lease and rules of living in this room. I am looking at the lease now because the owner wants me to pay for the broken aircon saying I never had it cleaned. That is one issue.

The big issue I found is that it is a 1 year lease  15/2/2020 to 15/2/2021.  Still being ill in 2021 I just kept making the payment every month and nothing was said. The lease states, and I believe I read Thai law states also, at the end of the lease the lessor must give back the property.

Some places I have lived in the world since I am occupying it, I have rights. Other places, the renter has no rights at all and the owner could take everything.

Anyone know where I stand? Clearly I need to make an updated lease, but I want to know where I stand legally first. On the humanity side, the owner has been decent. Not giving much and also not demanding anything. On that front, I don't feel any obligations or friendship - it is just business.

I am more than happy to move out. Rooms in this building go empty for years if she doesn't want my money, and other rooms are the same size and amenities for less.

Thoughts?

Apologies... check out https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/retirement-visa

Meeting the Financial Requirements for a Retirement Visa:

Financial Requirements are as follows:

• Thai Bank Account showing THB 800,000 or
• Monthly income of at least THB 65,000 (income affidavit from your embassy in Bangkok) or
• Combination (Bank Account + Annual Income = THB 800,000)

My understanding was that the 65k/mo HAD to be shown as a bank statement and it HAD to be a specific type of foreign transfer

I would propose we create a mental health forum, but, yeah, I guess it is a little personal. If anybody just needs a friend or advice I am here. PM me.

Hang in there.

Well, she got offloaded, of course... Next we did the CFO process which took months. Even went to the Phils embassy in Bangkok and did the official invite, and they offloaded her not believing she would return on the ticket date.

What if I go there and pick her up? We fly together.

FYI I am in Thailand and she wants to visit here.

Hey, Gang,

Some friends and I feel like digital storage for rugged portability, editing, security, encryption, etc. just isn't what we need.

What device do you like the most? What do you wish a device could do? Anybody disenfranchised by the GnarBox?

Compiling ideas to make a new open source product, so chime in ????