Wait! What?!
I did it under 2.22 critera (3) "Must have evidence of having income of no less than 65,000 baht per month." And I did it without an "affidavit of income" from my embassy as I am a US citizen and my embassy stopped issuing them. Instead, for evidence I submitted a copy of my 2020 annual Social Security earnings (Form SSA-1099 Social Security Benefit Statement) and a copy of my 2020 federal government retirement annuity earnings (OPM Form 1099-R Statement of Annuity Paid). I also submitted a Social Security Earnings Verification Letter for my 2021 monthly Social Security income that I printed out from the website and an Annuity Statement from Retirement Services of OPM (Office of Personnel Management) showing my projected 2021 monthly income from that source.The combination of incomes was well over 65,000 baht/mo. The certified letter from the bank showed deposits of (at least) 65,000 baht per month for the past year, and since I use Wise (TransferWise) for all my transfers, I asked the bank officer to be sure to show on the ceritifed statement that the deposits came from overseas, which she did. My bankbook showed a balance of 24,739 baht—and that was only because I sent a deposit of 20,000 to cover truck repair expenses the night before.
But, and it's a big but fat ladies in the circus notwithstanding, the immigration officer also told my wife and me—yes, I'm also married to a Thai—that the law is changing (has changed??) "for Americans" and that I won't be able to use this method in the future.
What's that about?
Oh, I'm seeing now some posts on (possible) changes in requirements for retirement extensions. Seems I need to be paying attention. My July 2019 non-imm O visa (Savanakhet) was based on marriage. I squeaked by with our untranslated US marriage certificate possibly because I was among the first 25 in line. But when I applied for the one year extension of stay in 2020, the immigration office would not accept our U.S. marriage certificate, so I applied as a retiree and got approved under 3) with the retirement annuity evidence from soclal security and my federal pension. I was told the marriage had to be registered in Thailand and that I would have to go to some office in Bangkok to get that done. At the time, no thank you.
I'm okay for another year, but it seems I may have to go to Bangkok at some point after all.
