BREAKING NEWS British Embassy statement on income letters: Officials knew about problems in May and say that US nationals will also be affected

[oldlakey]

28 minutes ago, Rod the Sod said:

I am really amazed at the mindset of many of the posters here:

 

1. There seems to be a view that having worked the system for years and being of no identifiable trouble to the Thai authorities they should have a right to stay here. Bu**sh*t

2. The Embassy is not just verifying pension payments but maybe dividends, rental income, matrimony payments etc. Would they pay TB50k for their letter if the Embassy was to set up an investigative department and actually charge for the work involved?

3. If Thailand is sooooo bad why the hell are you here? Go home and vote for Corbyn and then see what misery really looks like.

4. They want to live here, enjoy the benefits but "for one reason or another" want to keep their finances separated from their new home country. No, come clean and comply!!

 

The Thai Government set up a scheme that welcomes people who fit a certain criteria. The majority of the posters never did fit this criteria and are now whinging because the requirements are at long last being implemented. Basically many are here illegally but argue they are no trouble Gov, so we have a right to stay.

 

If you don't like it or cannot fit the criteria go somewhere else where you fit in and stop the good name of the people who do everything and pay everything to comply being rubbished.

 

I await the barrage of abuse.....

There should not be any, as it's all been said so many times before

Stick around awhile my man and you will cease to be the latest

[OJAS]

4 hours ago, jayboy said:

There is simply an annoying repetition of the Thai rules which presumably all applicants are already aware of.

But which the Embassy clearly are not if they seriously believe that by simply dumping 40k or 65k THB into a Thai bank account each month would meet Immigration's income requirements!

[evadgib]

33 minutes ago, zydeco said:

I doubt that the British embassy speaks for the US government or State Department.  Frankly, they're being presumptuous. 

For answering a question?

[GinBoy2]

5 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

Some people are in defensive mode. 

This is train wreak in progress, and many are going into denial mode.

 

Now things are becoming clearer, I’d speculate that the Thai’s want to see the income method go away, and force everyone down the money in the bank road, which would be a problem for many.

 

After that keep your fingers crossed that they don’t decide to increase the ฿800/400 requirements.

 

This is Thailand, everything could change on a dime!

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

This is train wreak in progress, an many are going into denial mode.

 

Now things are becoming clearer, I’d speculate that the Thai’s want to see the income method go away, and force everyone down the money in the bank road, which would be a problem for many.

 

After that keep your fingers crossed that they don’t decide to increase the ฿800/400 requirements.

 

This is Thailand, everything could change on a dime!

Then why don't they just directly do that? I'm not buying into your conspiracy theory.

 

I do agree that they can make any change they want at any time without any warning and they are not obligated to grandfather people in under the old rules either (although they have in the past). 

[GinBoy2]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Then why don't they just directly do that? I'm not buying into your conspiracy theory.

We’re human, we think and speculate.

 

Thats not a conspiracy!

[pookiki]

I do know that it is possible to direct deposit US social security payments and other pension payments (monthly) to Bangkok Bank in New York and then the money is routed to your Thai Bangkok Bank account.  However, it is a bit of a pain because withdrawals from such an account must be done in person with a passbook.

 

As far as I know, no one has discussed the real irony of this situation in that when a person applies for the initial retirement visa, information is requested on current balances in bank accounts but there is no requirement to show a minimum monthly income or minimum bank balance.  Only when you extend in Thailand. 

 

A US citizen will receive annual statements from Social Security and other pension sources for tax purposes. Would these documents be acceptable to the embassy or the Thai government??  Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Bottom line -- I don't see the corruption ending for agents who extend retirement visas for individuals from neighboring countries who have very little income at all!

 

[Derek B]

So if the other Commonwealth & EU Embassies can do it why so hard for the British Embassy? They just dont see it as their responsibility to verify being too busy rejecting valid visitor visa applications also without verification.

[dufusdonald]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Then why don't they just directly do that? I'm not buying into your conspiracy theory.

It's still a joke. You borrow the 800K, keep it in the bank for 3 months and then give it back to whomever. Wouldn't be surprised if some company starts up making loans. lol

 

[ttrd]

4 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You can barely open a bank account now without a work permit. 

 

Took my mate to the Bangkok Bank in the Emporium, explained that he needs a bank account for his retirement visa to pay the 800k into (he's minted so no issues) and was told no, need to have work permit. I argued that he was retired and is not working LOL. Was told cannot open bank account without work permit. 

 

He did it in Pattaya instead. 

This setting should not require a work permit when you are required to show 800thb - it should be called 1 yr spend permit...

[Hoppyone]

4 hours ago, kannot said:

Dont you just love the mindset though????

your right I think the mindset of banks is worrying about black money going into accounts

[metisdead]

Some troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[Spidey]

4 minutes ago, dufusdonald said:

It's still a joke. You borrow the 800K, keep it in the bank for 3 months and then give it back to whomever. Wouldn't be surprised if some company starts up making loans. lol

 

Visa agents have been doing that for years.

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, malibukid said:

plane loads of fat 50+ guys arrive everyday here, call em gringos for start, who are looking for bar girls and drink. and  right off the boat they are,  ez pickings and fat wallets

Why would you call them gringos?  Is this Mexico?

[OJAS]

14 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

This is train wreak in progress, and many are going into denial mode.

 

Now things are becoming clearer, I’d speculate that the Thai’s want to see the income method go away, and force everyone down the money in the bank road, which would be a problem for many.

 

After that keep your fingers crossed that they don’t decide to increase the ฿800/400 requirements.

 

This is Thailand, everything could change on a dime!

Nothing to do with Thailand, this is just yet another example of typical brazen UK government money-pinching incompetence which we long-suffering Brit expats living in LOS have had to put up with on a number of fronts for several years now!

[smedly]

1 hour ago, PFV said:

But the exchange rate they use is way better than the TT buy rate. In the long run you end up with more baht.

It is definitely an option once you do the Math

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, Spidey said:

I've already described the method I use in another thread but here goes:

 

I have a Halifax Clarity CC (Mastercard). It incurs no extra overseas charges.

 

I go to the local branch of my Thai Bank, withdraw the required amount on my CC and deposit it in my Thai bank account. I then go home and pay my CC off online. 5 minutes to transfer money from my UK account to my Thai account and zero bank charges.

 

If you're making an argument for a low/no fee method of obtaining funds in Thailand, that's a well-known one -- although, most people's credit cards have pretty hefty cash advance fees (separate from any accrued interest), and sometimes foreign currency conversion fees as well -- that would still drive up the costs of that kind of transaction.

 

However, if you're making an argument for a method to replace the current income letters method of proving income, I'm not sure the credit card counter withdrawal method is going to cut it with Thai Immigration, hard to tell at this point. For starters, the deposit to your Thai bank account might well show up as a local Thailand deposit, not an income source from outside Thailand.

 

I'd say possible, but not a certainty at this point, since there has been absolute silence from Thai Immigration in the past two days on just what they will and won't accept in the future in lieu of Embassy income letters.

[DJ54]

3 hours ago, SkyNets said:

So just get a print out from your Thai bank showing your pension payments. Whats the problem, unless you have been lying.....

A good number of people keep majority of money in Country of citizenship for safety concerns as well personal preference.

 

I transfer money as needed and do not have any income directly 

deposited in Thai bank. Benefits at my US bank are very favorable 

and if there is a problem easily resolved. It may not be as easy to

solve here. 

 

Recently read an article of Thaivisa : A Swedish man and his Thai wife have got fed up with being fobbed off by their bank after 480,000 baht went missing from their account.

 

I’ve not heard anything as to what / how it happened. Doesn’t make me overwhelmed to put large sum of money in Thai bank

until issues like these are resolved in a timely manner. 

 

USA banks are insured by FDIC per bank account up to $250,000.00 USD. Since FDIC start 1933 No depositors have ever lost a penny of FDIC insured funds.

 

Searched web regarding Thai Banks which said this year insured for 10 mil baht 2019 drops to 5 mil baht 2020 change to 1 mil baht. If accurate or not I don’t know. 

 

It should be irrelevant if bank isThai or Your Country bank. Just because it’s in a Thai bank doesn’t mean you’ll spend in Thailand. 

 

I’ve invested in Thailand 2 cars, New built House, 5 motos, Land etc. non of that money was in Thai bank for 3 months. Estimated 

expenses are transferred to Thai bank. If more is needed it takes 

3-4 days from my bank no charges on the US side. 

 

Why if your married deposit is less 400,000 seasoned 3 months or 40k baht a month? Logically thinking a married person will spend more than a single person. 

 

What happens if a retired person who has paid in full house, car etc. minimizing monthly expenses. Married village style but not legalized Is close to the monthly requirement paid by pension 

but he needs to get out being a little short? 

 

Leave his family tell them to stick it ? I can see this may adversely 

affect Thai people as well.

 

65,000 baht is the monthly requirement and why? Article June 2018 “Average wages in Bangkok is pretty high compared to other areas of Thailand. Currently, the average wage in Bangkok is of 25,500 Thai Baht per month”

 

A lot of this decisions seem to be knee jerk and not thought through. If they don’t look at the big picture shame on them. It

will affect a good number of Thai nationals. 

 

Read if your getting US Social Security and living aboard not naturalized citizen but legally worked in US paid into Social Security if six months out of country payments are stopped. 

 

My personal feelings on US policy and changes.....well Best I 

keep my mouth shut. 

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

 

I question the propriety of one embassy announcing something on behalf of another embassy. If nothing else it demonstrates that British diplomats (if that's not gilding the dandelion) lack diplomacy.

More likely it shows that they are more than capable of spouting out the same old BS time and time again. I mean, those incompetent clowns seem seriously to believe that by merely depositing 40k or 65k into a Thai bank account each month would enable us Brits to comply with Thai immigration's minimum income requirements without question!

 

I strongly recommend that all you non-Brits out there take whatever utterances they may choose to make in connection with your country's embassy with an extremely large pinch of salt!

[smedly]

1 hour ago, Lampang2 said:

If had read the visa requirements for OA you would have known the answer.

Not rocket science.


Skickat från min SM-N950F via Tapatalk
 

OA isn't in Thailand and completely different 

 

so your rocket is not getting off the  ground 

[marcusarelus]

8 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

A good number of people keep majority of money in Country of citizenship for safety concerns as well personal preference.

 

I transfer money as needed and do not have any income directly 

deposited in Thai bank. Benefits at my US bank are very favorable 

and if there is a problem easily resolved. It may not be as easy to

solve here. 

 

Recently read an article of Thaivisa : A Swedish man and his Thai wife have got fed up with being fobbed off by their bank after 480,000 baht went missing from their account.

 

I’ve not heard anything as to what / how it happened. Doesn’t make me overwhelmed to put large sum of money in Thai bank

until issues like these are resolved in a timely manner. 

 

USA banks are insured by FDIC per bank account up to $250,000.00 USD. Since FDIC start 1933 No depositors have ever lost a penny of FDIC insured funds.

 

Searched web regarding Thai Banks which said this year insured for 10 mil baht 2019 drops to 5 mil baht 2020 change to 1 mil baht. If accurate or not I don’t know. 

 

It should be irrelevant if bank isThai or Your Country bank. Just because it’s in a Thai bank doesn’t mean you’ll spend in Thailand. 

 

I’ve invested in Thailand 2 cars, New built House, 5 motos, Land etc. non of that money was in Thai bank for 3 months. Estimated 

expenses are transferred to Thai bank. If more is needed it takes 

3-4 days from my bank no charges on the US side. 

 

Why if your married deposit is less 400,000 seasoned 3 months or 40k baht a month? Logically thinking a married person will spend more than a single person. 

 

What happens if a retired person who has paid in full house, car etc. minimizing monthly expenses. Married village style but not legalized Is close to the monthly requirement paid by pension 

but he needs to get out being a little short? 

 

Leave his family tell them to stick it ? I can see this may adversely 

affect Thai people as well.

 

65,000 baht is the monthly requirement and why? Article June 2018 “Average wages in Bangkok is pretty high compared to other areas of Thailand. Currently, the average wage in Bangkok is of 25,500 Thai Baht per month”

 

A lot of this decisions seem to be knee jerk and not thought through. If they don’t look at the big picture shame on them. It

will affect a good number of Thai nationals. 

 

Read if your getting US Social Security and living aboard not naturalized citizen but legally worked in US paid into Social Security if six months out of country payments are stopped. 

 

My personal feelings on US policy and changes.....well Best I 

keep my mouth shut. 

You wrote, "Read if your getting US Social Security and living aboard not naturalized citizen but legally worked in US paid into Social Security if six months out of country payments are stopped. "  That's a pretty big piece of fake news and should be deleted. 

[bobonzo]

4 hours ago, Genericnic said:

Have searched the U.S. Consulate website and found no mention of an intent to discontinue the income certifications. Anyone have any firm evidence of an intent to do so?

 

David

 

I was at the US Embassy Bangkok last week to get my income document notarized. It was done same as last year with no issues and no mention of the service ending.  I even told the woman 'see you next year' and she smiled and agreed.

[Lampang2]

OA isn't in Thailand and completely different 
 
so your rocket is not getting off the  ground 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84508-Non-Immigrant-visas.html#7

Scroll down to O-A


Skickat från min SM-N950F via Tapatalk

[Spidey]

6 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

If you're making an argument for a low/no fee method of obtaining funds in Thailand, that's a well-known one -- although, most people's credit cards have pretty hefty cash advance fees (separate from any accrued interest), and sometimes foreign currency conversion fees as well -- that would still drive up the costs of that kind of transaction.

The bank uses a chip and pin machine and appears on your statement as something other than "cash withdrawal". No cash advance fees. All done in Baht using Mastercard current rate which is always better than my Thai bank rate. Costs me nothing.

 

Definitely wouldn't cut it with IO, but I don't think any method would, except an extremely remote chance if your pension/salary were paid directly into your Thai bank account.

[oldlakey]

3 minutes ago, bobonzo said:

I was at the US Embassy Bangkok last week to get my income document notarized. It was dome same as last year with no issues and no mention of the service ending.  I ever told the woman 'see you next year' and she smiled and agreed.

Did she also wink

[Issanjohn]

LMAO The British Embassy is wrong I called and spoke with an official at the United States Embassy today and I was assured by an actual State Department Official that the United States Embassy has no plans to stop providing the Proof of Income Affidavits at ANYTIME in the foreseeable future.  The British Embassy needs to keep quiet when they don’t know what they are talking about and mind their own business lol.  I literally called and confirmed that the United States Embassy is not taking this action earlier today.  

 

I swear there is so much misinformation and rumors on here it’s ridiculous.  I even actually know the person at the United States Embassy who I spoke with because I used to work with all the embassies in Asia before I retired in fact that’s why I retired here because I never wanted to leave after working in this part of the world for my last assignment and because my wife is a Thai citizen.  

 

So don’t worry United States Citizens I confirmed earlier today before this article even came out this afternoon that this information is total BS, it’s just the British Embassy doing their own thing and that is from a very reliable source at the United States Embassy who I spoke with today on the phone.  So what I’m saying is not just more internet rumors it’s a verified FACT!  Don’t listen to internet rumors get the facts from government officials as I did today.  Don’t worry no changes are coming for United States citizens the British Embassy is talking out of their you know where.  

[flexomike]

8 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

You wrote, "Read if your getting US Social Security and living aboard not naturalized citizen but legally worked in US paid into Social Security if six months out of country payments are stopped. "  That's a pretty big piece of fake news and should be deleted. 

I have two Thai friends living in Thailand for years and collecting Social Security no problem for them

[Nyezhov]

Just now, flexomike said:

I have two Thai friends living in Thailand for years and collecting Social Security no problem for them

Old timer that owns my condo gets US Social Security...thats why he and his family have 3 condos a house and new cars ????

[Suradit69]

5 hours ago, SkyNets said:

So just get a print out from your Thai bank showing your pension payments. Whats the problem, unless you have been lying.....

I agree with your point, but would change the wording. Not everyone gets "pension payments" deposited to a Thai bank.

 

My pension and Social Security are deposited in my US bank and I transfer money to my Thai bank account as needed.

 

So my Thai bank account shows I have made foreign exchange deposits exceeding Baht 800,000 during the current calendar year, but the amounts vary.

 

I don't see immigrations officers adding up 12 months of deposits shown on my Thai bank book to see what the total was that I deposited. The queue to do the extensions would be a mile long while someone with a calculator kept punching in all the numbers.

[imaderbyfan]

59 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

How much have you lost or are going to lose Thai baht vs pound sterling? 

how much can I gain by doing it any other way?.

If you are paid in your home currency, you are subject to the ups and downs of the exchange rate.....

I have seen some very good times, when I bought things here and the exchange rate was more than 70 baht to the pound....Things aren't so good now, but I will survive...hey ho....