BREAKING NEWS British Embassy Bangkok to Stop Certification of Income Letters

[fimo]

1 minute ago, richiejom said:

Exactly its worse for us with family here... Theresa May probably ordered it (she probably thought we haven't broke up enough foreign spouse families recently what can we do)

I feel really for british expats, that may concern only british citizens only because of your NAZI government: brexit and now they clearly show that they dont really care about their expats ????

[fimo]

To counter that nazi british government, Thailand should offer citizenship to all UK expats that accept to transfer all their funds to Thailand ! ????

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Expattaff1308 said:

I would assume 12 months or total up of deposits over the year to amount to 800,000+ Would save a lot of bother if that is the case tho it does beg the question if that is acceptable now why hasn't it been before when a letter was the only proof acceptable.

My concern is that in the past use of income was only proven by way of the Embassy Letter, with no letter what will Immigration accept as proof, until we know that we cannot move forward and arrange such proof. We need an announcement from the Immigration.

You have to bear in mind that the letter was in fact a lenient way of proof, you only had to prove the income and not where it was. They probably saw the embassy letter as a simple way to reduce the workload in processing extensions where income was being used.

We have to be realistic here, immigration is not going to get involved in the numerous forms of income sources available, in the absence of a letter as far as they will be concerned income will be deposits to a Thai bank account.

[shy coconut]

23 hours ago, Pilotman said:

They are worse than that, they are useless, incompetent, ineffective morons.  Well done the Brits, thanks for your support for your Citizens. So now we have to deposit our hard earned money into an incompetent Thai banking system, aided by our own Embassy.  I am beyone angry 

Beyonce?

[pmarlin]

47 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

The requirement is for the one year extension, not the original visa. If you are going for the yearly extension, then you will have been in Thailand for a year. Makes perfect sense.

Not the first extension. Normally done 45 to 30 days prior to the 90 day Non O expiration.

[fimo]

1 minute ago, shy coconut said:

deposit our hard earned money into an incompetent Thai banking system

Why incompetent ? Have you seen their interest rates ? They are not so bad at all.

And about currency, do you think it's better to hold your hard saved money in £ or in Bahts ?

[hugh2121]

23 hours ago, phutoie2 said:

I wonder why the Brit embassy say they are unable to verify your income?, too much like hard work, not enough staff etc. I do the income letter every year using the combo method for retirement extensions. I know many others who keep little funds here and use the letter as proof for pensions banked in UK. 

Interesting that the embassy notice only gives 2 choices and doesn't mention the combo method. I'm wondering if that has been discontinued.

[bbi1]

On 10/8/2018 at 2:17 PM, bluesofa said:

Ha ha ha!

I see that joke about how how open a bank account in Thailand requires only three items.

They deliberately miss out the details about how you need to visit many banks (often the same bank but different branch) in order to maybe get lucky and be 'allowed' to open a bank account. Each branch makes up its own rules - we all know that from experience.

 

I bet within five years they'll probably completely stop renewing passports too - via outsourcing or other means.

<end of sarcasm mode for those with no sense of humour>

 

Have to visit many branches??? I went to one branch before and opened up an account within 10mins. Guess I was "lucky" ???????????????? Ok, that was a few years ago though. Maybe things have changed for late-2018.

[baansgr]

7 minutes ago, fimo said:

I feel really for british expats, that may concern only british citizens only because of your NAZI government: brexit and now they clearly show that they dont really care about their expats ????

It's not only UK citizens. THB has climbed against most currencies,  add that to low interest rates and inflation, pensions and savings have dropped dramatically  in real terms.  No one can forsee the future of XE or visa changes,  sensible people would plan a buffer but even that could not be enough  for many. 

[yang123]

14 minutes ago, Spidey said:

I listened to this broadcast. Was stated in the news item.

Thanks - I'd missed the other thread.  Rather than rely on Pattaya Radio, I think I'll wait for a definitive (?!) statement from Thai Immigration. 

[fimo]

1 minute ago, baansgr said:

It's not only UK citizens. THB has climbed against most currencies,

Yes but that letter will only concern british citizens, UK is starting to forget their expats.

Currency is another issue and not specific to UK, I agree.

[galt67]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

Why do you want this money to come from ABROAD ?? 

It has never been a requirement and could be a problem for many people if it became the new rule !

A good number of on-retirement expats live here on investments they made in Thailand (condos for rent, bank funds, stock exchange...). They don't need (or have) money coming from abroad.

2

It IS a requirement for the initial 800k method.

 

And I speculate, as do others on this topic, will also be applied to the 65k method.

 

Thailand WANTS the currency directly transferred into the Thai banking system. And 'proven' as withdrawn from it.

[Arkady]

15 minutes ago, fimo said:

To counter that nazi british government, Thailand should offer citizenship to all UK expats that accept to transfer all their funds to Thailand ! ????

Thailand already offers citizenship to those with Thai wives who are earning 40,000 baht a month from a job in Thailand and can show a one off bank balance of 80,000 baht and a receipt for a donation of at least 5,000 baht to a registered Thai charity.  There are some other requirements but those are the only financial requirements which are already rather modest, particularly compared to the requirements for retirement and marriage extensions. The application fee is only 5,000 baht with a further 1,000 baht for the naturalisation certificate when you are approved.

[VBF]

27 minutes ago, leggo said:

Totally amazed by the amount of people who haven't grasped what is going on. Basically now that the British Embassy has said it will no longer authenticate retirement pensions retirees will be obliged to follow Thai immigration requirements and they will have to deposit the required amount for three months in a Thai bank before they will issue a visa and pensions will have to be paid into a similar account on a monthly basis. Simple the Thai immigration wants to get rid of all the scammers ! 

An awful lot of whom have boasted of their "scams" here and on other forums over the years! 

[Burma Bill]

On 10/8/2018 at 2:07 PM, colinneil said:

British embassy are a total waste of space.

 

Not for me. I recently sent an e-mail for information and eventually received a reply from a very helpful "human being" in the Consular Section. Thank you BE.

[Spidey]

Just now, Arkady said:

Thailand already offers citizenship to those with Thai wives who are earning 40,000 baht a month from a job in Thailand and can show a one off bank balance of 80,000 baht a receipt for a donation of at least 5,000 baht to a registered Thai charity.  There are some other requirements but those are the only financial requirements which are already rather modest, particularly compared to the requirements for retirement and marriage extensions. The application fee is only 5,000 baht with a further 1,000 baht for the naturalisation certificate when you are approved.

I think that you are understating the requirements. What about the requirement to speak and write in Thai to an acceptable standard? Difficult, if not impossible for most to obtain Thai citizenship.

[fimo]

1 minute ago, Arkady said:

Thailand already offers citizenship to those with Thai wives

Thai immigration should promote that citizenship (I always thought that was impossible to obtain ?).

That would be a logic process for people like me (and we are so many!), I'm living in Thailand for 15 years, maried for 10 years and dont plan to go back to Europe.

[sandyf]

16 minutes ago, richiejom said:

Yes why would they get involved with numerous forms of income sources... its only marriage visa's and families at stake

 

They should allow you to prove 65-40K a month deposited in Thai bank

You should read the post properly before saying the same thing in an angry tone.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, fimo said:

Thai immigration should promote that citizenship (I always thought that was impossible to obtain ?).

That would be a logic process for people like me (and we are so many!), I'm living in Thailand for 15 years, maried for 10 years and dont plan to go back to Europe.

I have some sad news for you. Thailand is just not that into you (foreigners becoming citizens). 

[Expattaff1308]

Quote

Totally amazed by the amount of people who haven't grasped what is going on. Basically now that the British Embassy has said it will no longer authenticate retirement pensions retirees will be obliged to follow Thai immigration requirements and they will have to deposit the required amount for three months in a Thai bank before they will issue a visa and pensions will have to be paid into a similar account on a monthly basis. Simple the Thai immigration wants to get rid of all the scammers ! 

I agree, however Thai rules state 400/800,000 per year or 40/65000 per month or a total of 40/800,000 over the 12mths averaging to the said sums.

The Embassy claim they cannot meet the Thai requirements to verify these amounts.

Immigration are yet to announce how this can be achieved without the letter.

Maybe the Embassy should be looking at Thai statements as proof then they can verify the amounts claimed.

[PAWNEESE]

Soooo many blaming the British Embassy.  Thailand told said B.E that they can no longer just provide a letter saying "Mr Expat says he has income of .... and has provided letters etc" 

 

But it has to now to investigate every single income quoted ... investments/pension/property income and certify it as genuine. B.E says it cant and wont.

 

Logical to me. They would need a small army of investigators. And it would cost big bucks. But hey ho .. been said many times on here and posters still saying its the embassys fault. 

[gdhm]

I posted this in another Thread on same subject which is now closed so I am repeating here so it appears in the open Thread.

 

EXTRACT of GOV UK advisory:

"...British Nationals should now demonstrate that they have an amount of at least 800,000 THB in an account in Thailand for no less than three months prior to the visa application, or a monthly income of at least 65,000 THB transferred into an account in Thailand for a retirement visa.

 

For a marriage visa, the amounts are 400,000 THB in an account in Thailand for no less than three months prior to the visa application, or a monthly income of at least 40,000 THB transferred into an account in Thailand. A bank statement should be used as the supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa...."

 

Having just looked at https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_22  maybe I'm going blind, but I do not see a requirement that INCOME has to be transferred or paid into a Thai Bank account as stated by GOV UK above

 

I am on Retirement Visa renewals. I get my Pension Income paid in a Nationwide UK Bank account and withdraw as needed by ATM. As far as I can see, I do not see why this and supporting Bank Statements are not adequate (subject to Thai Imm. not requiring an Embassy Proof of Income Letter from 01/01/2019 of course). 

If so looks like I will have to waste Nationwide postage and end my online Bank statements.

 

Just a thought. Why can't an original UK State Pension details Letter and Private Pension details letters submitted once to Thai Imm. not be adequate Proof of Income. Once sighted by Thai Imm. , it could note that fact on their Database that Proof of adequate income has been previously provided". Seems to me that would save us and Thai Imm. a lot of work.

 

I suppose the REALLY IMPORTANT question will be "What will Thai Imm. officially accept from 01/01/19 as proof of Income?"  It currently requires Embassy Proof of Income Letter, IF income is used as basis of meeting financial requirement. 

My fear is if they only accept money in Savings account from that date, because I cannot see any way I can get  ฿800,000 into my Thai saving account by April 2019 (3 months rule). I have the income but not the ability to save enough each month from now on to get my savings to ฿800,000 in such a relatively short period of time

 

Really worried!! ????

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Does the British embassy do anything useful any more ? Seems to me to be a waste of time and money. Might as well close it down.

You have to realise that the British Embassy itself is a political entity and has little to do with people. The consular section is part of the embassy and the department that gets it a bad name. Earlier this year they relocated the visa section to India and I suspect those left behind may have had to do more than they were used to and have tried to reduce the workload.

[baansgr]

13 minutes ago, Arkady said:

Thailand already offers citizenship to those with Thai wives who are earning 40,000 baht a month from a job in Thailand and can show a one off bank balance of 80,000 baht and a receipt for a donation of at least 5,000 baht to a registered Thai charity.  There are some other requirements but those are the only financial requirements which are already rather modest, particularly compared to the requirements for retirement and marriage extensions. The application fee is only 5,000 baht with a further 1,000 baht for the naturalisation certificate when you are approved.

It is actually  quite a lenient requirement for married  guys,  the problem is most here are not working  and with the strict labour laws are unable to obtain employment. I worked for 10 years but as I had breaks between employment was not eligible. 

[Pilotman]

23 hours ago, gdhm said:

 

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They want to see proof that the money comes into Thailand. That is the whole point of these visas; to make money for Thailand. Otherwise, what is to stop you borrowing money for a day, get this copied and then live on 10,000 Bt a month?

Edited 20 minutes ago by Joe Mcseismic

 

Surely proof of withdrawal in Thailand, is adequate.

I use ATM withdrawals to get my Income from my Nationwide UK Bank account. The Nationwide statements clearly show for each withdrawal the date, amount Exchange rate and location of the ATM machine where the cash withdrawal was made.

 

 

You have to spend money to live, they dont need any more proof than you do that to live. here and therefore add to the LOS economy,  such as it is.  

[Burma Bill]

So many people getting concerned, even hysterical, but let us wait and see how it all unfolds. The original directive probably came from the Foreign Office in London to save money, not realizing the consequences. Thai Immigration will have to change its rules (through the Royal Gazette) to now explain "required funds in Thai bank accounts" without the BE letter. Fortunately for me I have good contacts across an adjoining International border for resettlement if necessary. 

[imaderbyfan]

2 minutes ago, PAWNEESE said:

Soooo many blaming the British Embassy.  Thailand told said B.E that they can no longer just provide a letter saying "Mr Expat says he has income of .... and has provided letters etc" 

 

But it has to now to investigate every single income quoted ... investments/pension/property income and certify it as genuine. B.E says it cant and wont.

 

Logical to me. They would need a small army of investigators. And it would cost big bucks. But hey ho .. been said many times on here and posters still saying its the embassys fault. 

But Immi can accept a signed declaration from other nations expats that , in my opinion, is open to bigger abuse by those that choose to abuse the priviledge.

Dont seem fair to me.......

[Tanoshi]

4 minutes ago, PAWNEESE said:

But it has to now to investigate every single income quoted ... investments/pension/property income and certify it as genuine. B.E says it cant and wont.

 

Logical to me. They would need a small army of investigators. And it would cost big bucks. But hey ho .. been said many times on here and posters still saying its the embassys fault. 

Not a question of having more staff to do checks.

Under Data Protection law, your Pension provider, or anyone else, can't disclose any information about you, their letter or your income without your consent ……………….. which is unworkable.

[Pilotman]

Just now, Burma Bill said:

So many people getting concerned, even hysterical, but let us wait and see how it all unfolds. The original directive probably came from the Foreign Office in London to save money, not realizing the consequences. Thai Immigration will have to change its rules (through the Royal Gazette) to now explain "required funds in Thai bank accounts" without the BE letter. Fortunately for me I have good contacts across an adjoining International border for resettlement if necessary. 

We now have the full story, that the UK Embassy will not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the docs submitted by the expat. But this does not recognise that if you submit tax returns and P60s as proof of income, these are already legal documents that are verifiable, should that become necessary.  The Embassy are just ass covering, as usual. They may as well not be here for all the good that they do. 

[jimmjam]

nice