logres212

99% of people are on their phones anyway 

I spend 2 or 3 months maybe twice a year back in Aus. What I did when I was there last, the 65000 I had in my Bangkok bank account I withdrew from an atm in Australia and then just transferred it back to my Thai bank account the next month. Did that for a couple of months, costs about $20 in fees each time, just need a spare 65000 to use. So this allows me to have money to live on while in Australia. 

33 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The embassy in Canberra stopped the honorary consulates from issuing them about 3 years ago.

From the Melbourne consulate website. http://www.thaiconsulatemelbourne.com/visa-information

Also not shown on the list of visas they can issue.

Retirement has never been listed as reason for a single entry Non-O visa, as this visa can be obtained for a number of purposes. As I stated on my application it was for the purpose of applying for a retirement extension in Thailand. Which I think is still possible. 

On 3/12/2019 at 5:08 PM, ubonjoe said:

You cannot get a single entry non-o visa anywhere in Australia for being 50 or over for retirement. You can only get a OA long stay visa at the embassy in Canberra or the consulate in Sydney.

I'm pretty sure you can get a single entry non O for retirement in Thai embassies in Australia. I got one a few years back in Tasmania and Melbourne. On the application form for Non O visa retirement is not mentioned, but you can write it in where it says 'other'. 

As some have said, it can vary between banks and branches of the same bank as to what they will accept or need. In my case my son and myself 7 years ago opened accounts with the Bangkok bank when visiting Thailand only with a 30 day visa exempt entry. But I should say it does help to have a Thai person with you for back-up or to act as as sort of a guarantor. Shop around. 

7 hours ago, soidog99 said:

Just thinking outside the box here!

 

If you can’t afford the 800k or 65k a month has anyone thought about wiring 65k out of Thailand and back to your Thai bank account? It would roughly cost you $100 a month for round trip wires and you can recycle the same 65k over and over with a cost of $1200 a year. 

Yes thought of using that option myself, being out of country for 3 or 4 months a year, I don't think I should have to deposit money in the bank when I am not there. So I would take the cash with me from the Thai bank and just redeposit it from my home account. Have seen some recent posts that two immigration offices have stated that they will require backup proof of that 65,000 baht deposit, ie. Pension statements etc. to limit recycling. But probably won't apply to most offices just these particular ones that tend to make up their own rules. 

15 minutes ago, Ebumbu said:

 

What's to stop someone from recycling funds back and forth from Thailand and their home country? In other words, is there any practical impediment to a kind of "merry go round" method of proving income? I don't get paid exactly once a month. But, I'd still like to use the income method. So, am looking at all options. 

I have read a couple of posts that two immigration offices have already stated that they will require backup proof for that 65,000 baht deposit, such as pension statements etc. This is to prevent recycling I guess. 

12 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

There's nothing in the new police order re retirement extensions that addresses or limits what kinds of sources of income can or cannot be used to make the required 65,000 baht per month transfers into a Thai bank account.

 

So despite that particular immigration officer's comments, I would NOT take them as meaning in any way that somehow non-pension income is suddenly not going to be accepted. The main thing is, they want to see the 65K each and every month coming into a Thai bank account, not where every baht of it came from.

 

I can envision, perhaps, that some officers might want to see some backup documentation in some cases showing the source/sources of the funds, perhaps to show the person is not "recycling."  But most all of the other non-pension sources of income also have varying kinds of statements or documentation, which I'm sure would suffice if required.

 

 

So what you're saying, it's not sufficient just to show 65,000 Bhat coming in every month. You will now have to show its source? 

39 minutes ago, gamini said:

If you are a permanent resident, you don't have to deposit any money in the bank or get a visa

Sorry, actually what I meant was residing as a full time retiree in Thailand. 

15 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can transfer 30k baht from outside the the country into your account to prove the income part of the combination option to meet the total of 800k baht needed. You can use the the income to live on there is no requirement to keep it in the bank.

Just a supplementary question to this post, could that 500,000 Baht just be in the account for 3 months seasoning before applying for extension?

14 hours ago, David Walden said:

THE COMBO METHOD...Is it any wonder that it presently maybe better to go back to your home country and apply for a Retirement Visa there (I do)...pretty easy considering all the stuffing around these post are indicating here in Thailand.  The present information indicates your Australian Aged Pension (AAP) or other countries similar will represent about Bt500.000 per year income, the other Bt300,000 you provide youself or beg, steal or borrow it and put it in a Thai bank a/c or in a bank in Australia if applying there.  Actually, this method is available in most countries and in Thailand.  So far there appears to be nobody following up on my posts about the combo method.  Despite the Senior Consul at the US Embassy suggesting on 103 fm that a big percentage of the applicant could arrange this method.   He clearly said 'Thai Immigration will preserve this method"  they promised and it appears is still available as it has for many years but few takers.

I too have been trying to get suggestions on how the combo method will operate under this new system. For example if 300,000 Baht is deposited in a Thai bank, do you only need to deposit 65000 Baht for eight months or around 41000 Baht for 12 months to meet the criteria? Can't see how this method will still be available. 

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is a directive that only changes the option for using ia income of 65k baht or 40k baht.

Everything else in the existing police order has not been changed.

There is no mention of averaging as in previous announcement. So what I can see from this it has to be a PCM deposit of 40/65000 bhat into a Thai bank account. It cannot be an average of that amount over a 12 month period if making quarterly deposits or if you miss or a bit short one month for example. Also as I read it, the combination method is not available any more, as if it were you could say 300,000 baht in the bank and just make 8 months of transfers of 65000 baht for example. 

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

It is a directive that only changes the option for using ia income of 65k baht or 40k baht.

Everything else in the existing police order has not been changed.

There is no mention of averaging as in previous announcement. So what I can see from this it has to be a PCM deposit of 40/65000 bhat into a Thai bank account. It cannot be an average of that amount over a 12 month period if making quarterly deposits or if you miss or a bit short one month for example. 

16 hours ago, wgdanson said:

You do NOT have to show total monthly income from your rentals, shares or anything. All you need to show is 65k going into a Thai bank account from out of the country. Easy.

So what I can see from this it has to be a pcm deposit of 40/65000 bhat into a Thai bank account. It cannot be an average of that amount over a 12 month period if making quarterly deposits or if you miss or a bit short one month for example. 

4 hours ago, Maestro said:

Is this what is colloquially called "legalisation of a document", meaning that

1. a consular official checks your identity
2. the official watches you sign the document (affidavit) in his presence
3. the official affixes a stamp to the document with a text stating that you are the per person signing the document, and he signs this statement.

In other words, an authentication of your signature, nothing more and nothing less.

Yes, that's exactly right. As they said they do not issue income letters, and therefore don't require any other documents to verify what's written on the stat Dec, as a stat dec can apply to many other things besides income statement. I always have backup documents with me, attending embassy or immigration, but have never had to produce them. Did my extension a week ago at Khon kaen no problems as always, but who knows what the future holds.

Just found this statement on the Australian Embassy website. Looks as though everything remains the same, for now anyway.

We understand that the British Embassy in Bangkok will no longer be providing British nationals with letters confirming their income from 1 January 2019.

The Australian Embassy does not issue income letters. Our notarial services include the witnessing of Australian statutory declarations for Australian citizens, or for use in Australia. This process remains unchanged.

.

The major problem is going to qualifying for the retirement extension using income if relying on the Aus. pension plus a bit of money in a Thai bank account,( needing about 300,000 Bhat at the moment.) So if the dollar drops much further it's going to make it difficult for some, unless in the unlikely event the Aus pension gets a substantial boost....

2 hours ago, garyk said:

What is the difference in the TEV and a regular retirement visa? Sounds like the regular visa is cheaper and much easier..

Probably the main use of it is for people that are not old enough to qualify for the retirement visa. Also it allows you unlimited reentrys, handy if you do a lot of traveling for business or pleasure.

You do not have to leave the country every year, you simply go to immigration and apply for a one year extension before the admitted until date on the entry stamp, cost 1900 baht. You can stay continually in Thailand for five years if you wish. You do not need a reentry stamp if you leave the country, when you return you automatically get another 12 months. 

33 minutes ago, Ban Phe Dezza said:

The average age Aussie pensioner unless they have additional funds will find it almost impossible to legally meet Immigration requirements.

In the case of Married to a Thai lady the average monthly Pension is border line. drop down to 23 baht to the AU$ and one is below the border line and can not legally qualify for a marriage or retirement extension.

Thus for those with no additional funds 23 bath to the $AU is the Crunch line

and Yes I am in that situation P.I is looking good at the moment

Same here, if the $Aus gets down below 23 Bhat and camps there which looks highly probable at the moment, that'll be it for a lot of Aussie's relying mainly on the pension.

Try the Thai consultant in Hobart Tasmania. That's where l got my non O visa my son also, and we were living in Melbourne at the time. All done through the post, very quick service about 4 days turn around using express courier. Very friendly and helpful staff, spoke to them on the phone, and they advertise they're cheapest in Australia. Check out their website.

In Australia if a conviction is 10 years or more ago and the time served is 30 months or less, the conviction is considered "spent" and is sealed and can only be viewed by applying to a Australian court. So a conviction wouldn't be visible on looking at a normal data base by immigration or police.( there are some exceptions)  Check Aus. Government website for full info.

3 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

Sorry but that is incorrect.

My brother worked at a dance hall called "The Beach House" in Sydney back in 1962 and he was only 18. There was some trouble there one night and he told someone he was a police officer to try to stop things and someone reported him to the police and he was arrested and charged with impersonation and it cost him 20 pound fine in court and when he went for his security license in 2000 he had to supply a police check and it was listed on that. So all convictions remain on the police data bank.

Sorry this is correct, I should have said to be completely accurate a conviction becomes what's known as spent, and becomes sealed and is not visible on a normal data base but can be seen with an application to a court. So it's true to say convictions are not completely wiped but certainly are not visible to immigration or police in other countries.