Clarification on Pension Requirements for Retirement Visa Extension

[Isaanman]

After searching through the threads, I could not find a precise answer to this question. If someone could direct me to a specific thread, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

I have about two months left before my 2nd year extension on a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa obtained from the U.S. expires. I would like some clarification as to exactly what fulfills the monthly income requirements. I know it must be at least 65,000 THB. Does it have to be money received from a retirement pension earned from a government entity, business, or corporation? In other words, if I have income earned from U.S. soil and taxed there (i.e. not earned in Thailand), even if it is not income from a stated or documented retirement pension, will it meet the requirements?

 

I know many people who have simply appeared before the notary public at the US Embassy in BKK and made a declaration that they have a monthly income of this amount or more without necessarily declaring it to be pension income. They received the prized embossed notarization without even presenting any validating documentation (as I did with my US marriage certificate). They used this document to extend their O-A visa. Is this legitimate? Do they have to spell out on such an affidavit that they are retired and this is retirement income? And from a specific entity back home? Has anyone ever done this and, thus, know how exactly to word such an affidavit, if it can be done? Does anyone know if immigration officials typically ask about the source of the income when someone applies for an O-A extension at most immigration offices? Sorry for so many questions; I want to do this legally above the table, but I do not know the Thai law on the matter, nor do I want to declare in writing or say more than necessary. Thanks.  

[ubonjoe]

There is no requirement for it to be income from a pension. It can be any income earned outside of Thailand.

You will use a standard income affidavit form at the US embassy. It only has a space for your income with no explanation of where it came from.

Link for the form is here. You can complete it online and print it out. https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/income-affidavit/

[Isaanman]

Is said affidavit from the U.S. Embassy sufficient to get this extension on my O-A my visa? Do they ask any questions about the income at immigration? Do  I take all of the required documents to my local IO to do all this at around the 30-day before expiration point? Or, do I have to go to immigration in BKK?

 

I am assuming that I do not have to have this affidavit three months before the extension expiration date like I do, if I was demonstrating 800,00O THB in the bank. But, I am not sure, if I need to have this affidavit notarized immediately prior (i.e. 1-2 days) to applying for the extension like I would have to do to demonstrate sufficient money in my Thai bank account.  Thanks   

Edited February 13, 2018 by Isaanman
unnecessary wording

[ubonjoe]

26 minutes ago, Isaanman said:

Is said affidavit from the U.S. Embassy sufficient to get this extension on my O-A my visa? Do they ask any questions about the income at immigration? Do  I take all of the required documents to my local IO to do all this at around the 30-day before expiration point? Or, do I have to go to immigration in BKK?

Yes the affidavit is accepted to apply for an extension of stay at a immigration office. You will be extending the one year entry from your OA visa. You can apply up to 30 days before the date your permit to stay ends.

Most immigration offices do not ask for backup proof for the affidavit nor ask any questions.

27 minutes ago, Isaanman said:

But, I am not sure, if I need to have this affidavit notarized immediately prior (i.e. 1-2 days) to applying for the extension like I would have to do to demonstrate sufficient money in my Thai bank account. 

Immigration will accept an affidavit that is up to 6 months old on the date your apply for the extension.

[Isaanman]

Thanks, so much! We have a Thai friend whose son is a lawyer in the Pattaya area. Her son told us today by phone there must be a record in my Thai bank account passbook that I have at least 65,000 THB coming into the account each month for at least three months prior to applying for this extension. I have not read about this in this forum or anywhere else. Is this true? Even if I had to do this, I wouldn't do it for any other reason than to prove this monthly income; because, we typically pay for everything we can with credit cards (to earn miles for flying home) and rarely deposit more than $500 USD a month into the Thai account to pay for meals out and a handful of other things we cannot purchase with a credit card. Accordingly, I could only demonstrate the required monthly income by using records from my U.S. bank account--which I do not think they will accept over here. Anyone have any experience or insight in this regard? I hope this will not prove to be problematic; I do not have three months remaining before my extension expires.  

Edited February 13, 2018 by Isaanman
misspelled words

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, Isaanman said:

Thanks, so much! We have a Thai friend whose son is a lawyer in the Pattaya area. Her son told us today by phone there must be a record in my Thai bank account passbook that I have at least 65,000 THB coming into the account each month for at least three months prior to applying for this extension. I have not read about this in this forum or anywhere else. Is this true?

No it is not true. There is no such requirement.

[poanoi]

as an american, you are only required to do a scouts honor statement how much income you got, you can write amount yourself, any number will qualify.

 

for the rest of the world, its required a statement from home bank,

controlled and double stamped at both embassy and a place in Bkk,

and it still may not suffice if the officer dont feel like giving extension,

or secretly are hoping for a tip without saying so

 

[SpokaneAl]

Immigration will accept an affidavit that is up to 6 months old on the date your apply for the extension.

I don’t think that this is correct. I believe that you must make a border run prior to the enter before date on your non imm o-a multi entry visa, and that will get you a twelve month extension from that date. From that point forward, if you decide to leave the country you must purchase a re-entry permit.

I may be wrong but do not believe there is a method to extend your non imm o-a visa via your local immigration office.

I trust others will step in and correct me if I am wrong.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, poanoi said:

for the rest of the world, its required a statement from home bank,

Not true. There are many other embassies that do the income verification by way of a statement, statutory declaration and etc.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

I don’t think that this is correct. I believe that you must make a border run prior to the enter before date on your non imm o-a multi entry visa, and that will get you a twelve month extension from that date. From that point forward, if you decide to leave the country you must purchase a re-entry permit.

I may be wrong but do not believe there is a method to extend your non imm o-a visa via your local immigration office.

A visa is never extended.

The last one year entry from a OA visa can be extended for a year based upon retirement at a immigration office during the last 30 days of it.

[SpokaneAl]

A visa is never extended.
The last one year entry from a OA visa can be extended for a year based upon retirement at a immigration office during the last 30 days of it.

UbonJoe, isn’t he asking how to obtain the second year from a non imm o-a multi entry visa, as opposed to switching over to an extension of stay based on retirement?


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SpokaneAl]

UbonJoe, isn’t he asking how to obtain the second year from a non imm o-a multi entry visa, as opposed to switching over to an extension of stay based on retirement?


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Never mind, I misread things. Please accept my apologies.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

UbonJoe, isn’t he asking how to obtain the second year from a non imm o-a multi entry visa, as opposed to switching over to an extension of stay based on retirement?

He wrote this.

9 hours ago, Isaanman said:

I have about two months left before my 2nd year extension on a Non-Immigrant O-A Visa obtained from the U.S. expires.

To me it appears he is already on his 2nd year from his visa.

[007 RED]

1 hour ago, Isaanman said:

We have a Thai friend whose son is a lawyer in the Pattaya area. Her son told us today by phone there must be a record in my Thai bank account passbook that I have at least 65,000 THB coming into the account each month for at least three months prior to applying for this extension. I have not read about this in this forum or anywhere else. Is this true?

I would concur with ubonjoe’s response (post #6) that the information that you have been given by your friend’s son (lawyer) is totally incorrect.

 

I have been obtaining extensions based upon retirement for the past 6 years using an income letter from my Embassy (British) and never once been asked to show a passbook to prove that my UK income has been coming into Thailand.

 

FYI - A couple of years ago I was informed by the IO whilst doing my 90 day reporting that when I did my next extension they (the IO) wanted the signature on the income letter certifying by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).  This was a bit of a pain, but not a major problem.  The funny thing was that the same IO did my next extension a few months later and didn’t even look at the MFA certification sticker on the rear of the income letter.  It appeared that this 'special' requirement was unique to only a few immigration offices and has since been dropped.

[007 RED]

1 hour ago, poanoi said:

...... for the rest of the world, its required a statement from home bank,

controlled and double stamped at both embassy and a place in Bkk,

Sorry this is not correct so far as the British Embassy is concerned. 

 

I have been obtaining a letter confirming my income (pension) in the UK for the past six years.  The process has recently been revised and now everything can be done via email.  I just complete a simple form indicating where my income originates from and the amount I receive each month.  I also provide a PDF copy of the online payslip(s), make payment by credit card and few days later the Embassy letter arrives at my home via EMS.

[poanoi]

@ubon & @007 : you may be correct, i might no longer remember why i had to get

the letter, it may have been the embassy demanding it for issuing the pension certificate

[Isaanman]

Yes, I had never heard or read anywhere about time needed to "season" the monthly income before applying for an extension on the O-A visa. Sounds fishy! 

 

Given that there might exist the possibility, according to 007 RED's experience, that local immigration might ask for a "signature on the income letter certifying by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)," how much time before my deadline at the very end of April should I go into my local IO and apply for the 3rd year extension to stay, especially given that the month of April is loaded with many public holidays? Is there a thread which outlines clearly everything I and my family need to take there?

 

I am quite confident that everything on record validating my marriage and our children, our local address, family pics, etc, should still be up-to-date on file at the IO and not necessary. But, I want to make sure I have everything I might possibly be asked to produce when I go and apply for it. Am I correct in assuming that I will have to obtain my permission to stay in the country first before I can get my wife and kids on board again also? Anything special I need to do for them? I do not have to show the equivalent of $1,500 in my Thai Bank for a certain period of time to allow them to piggy back on my extension like they had to do in America to get their non-O visa there, do I?