Yet more confusion over the removal of Income Certification Letter for British expats

[soalbundy]

Just now, SheungWan said:

"....a panel of well informed British Expat citizens is formed..."

A pissup at the Royal Oak on Sunday, bring your own darts and leave your tarts outside.

[SheungWan]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

Sorry - meant to say if you do have the money annually, but can not lay your hands on 400,000 baht  immediately!

...then use an agent.

[SheungWan]

43 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Yes, but we want the letter

Sorry. No hab.

Edited October 15, 2018 by SheungWan

[ParadiseLost]

The irony has just struck me; apparently the Thai govt is telling the UK govt your citizens are not trustworthy - provide us with a guarantee, whereas the UK govt opens its doors wide to Thai nationals with obviously shady wealth and does not want to know anything at all about the legitimacy of their claimed wealth.

 

The thai(l) wags the old bulldog :))

[soalbundy]

Just now, SheungWan said:

No hab.

oooooh you bad man, no haf money

[soalbundy]

1 minute ago, ParadiseLost said:

The irony has just struck me; apparently the Thai govt is telling the UK govt your citizens are not trustworthy - provide us with a guarantee, whereas the UK govt opens its doors wide to Thai nationals with obviously shady wealth and does not want to know anything at all about the legitimacy of their claimed wealth.

 

The thai(l) wags the old bulldog :))

I don't think it's that easy

[tso310]

4 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

A pissup at the Royal Oak on Sunday, bring your own darts and leave your tarts outside.

Surely the other way round.

[Bill Miller]

6 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Your suggestion is unworkable as Thai Immigration will never agree to it.

 

Sensible suggestions only, please.

My ideas have worked for me so far, as the visas in my passport attest.

[SheungWan]

4 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

The irony has just struck me; apparently the Thai govt is telling the UK govt your citizens are not trustworthy - provide us with a guarantee, whereas the UK govt opens its doors wide to Thai nationals with obviously shady wealth and does not want to know anything at all about the legitimacy of their claimed wealth.

The thai(l) wags the old bulldog :))

It is the visa extension application process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. Thai immigration makes no special distinction for UK citizens.

Edited October 15, 2018 by SheungWan

[soalbundy]

4 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

It is the process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. Thai immigration makes no special distinction for UK citizens.

It's about time we flooded the country with marmite and hp sauce until they surrender, I was sorry to see the back of those gun boats, poor old Magna carter, she died in vain.

[Expattaff1308]

13 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

It is the visa extension application process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. Thai immigration makes no special distinction for UK citizens.

Or what has been suggested of late a cost cutting exercise from a recent FCO Audit, where what may have happened is that the auditor asks is there any other way British Nationals can prove their income and received the answer yes thro Bank Statements which sounds more plausible as that is the advice we have been given by the BE along with the fact no other Embassy has withdrawn the Letter service so the auditor responds by saying ok then if they can do that we will stop the letters.

Edited October 15, 2018 by Expattaff1308

[Bill Miller]

11 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Where's the embassy letter ?

 It is the standard printed affidavit that is on display and available for use in the US Embassy, and also here on the web:
https://th.usembassy.gov/income-affidavit-bangkok/
The point of the thread is that apparently the UK version will no longer be available. I do not know if it is materially different from the UK letter. If you can shed light on any significant difference I think that would be great.
There has been no announcement, but speculation that the US embassy may follow suit, or that the Thai immigration may no longer accept it, have been going around.
I have been working on ways to avoid unnecessary friction come my next go around at Jomtien. A couple of TV members found my idea offensive, for some reason, as if Thai Immigration is going to eagerly take my idea and make it a new rule. ???? 
 

[cleopatra2]

3 minutes ago, Expattaff1308 said:

Or what has been suggested of late a cost cutting exercise from a recent FCO Audit, where what may have happened is that the auditor asks is there any other way British Nationals can prove their income and received the answer yes thro Bank Statements which sounds more plausible as that is the advice we have been given by the BE along with the fact no other Embassy has withdrawn the Letter service so the auditor responds by saying ok then if they can do that we will stop the letters.

The FCO audit would be more concerned with compliance , rather than cost efficiency. My take from the interview is the issuing of income letters is not in line with the requirements.

 

A look on the US embassy succinctly highlights the discrepancy.

The embassy cannot verify what is beyond the consulates knowledge, but is willing to confirm the identity of the person making the claim.

 

The Thai immigration require the income verified by the Embassy.

[sambum]

28 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

...then use an agent.

Thank you for your reply, but it is being suggested that that option is also to be discontinued, as they are  "stretching the rules".

[sambum]

24 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

It is the visa extension application process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. Thai immigration makes no special distinction for UK citizens.

Do you not mean "It is the visa extension application process by the UK that is now being considered suspect by Thai Immigration"?

[soalbundy]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

Thank you for your reply, but it is being suggested that that option is also to be discontinued, as they are  "stretching the rules".

That's OK, they will just stretch the kickbacks, remember where you are, this is Thailand not Finland.

[ParadiseLost]

21 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

It is the visa extension application process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. Thai immigration makes no special distinction for UK citizens.

Hold on, I thought the reason why the letter is being discontinued is due to the Thai govt demanding the incomes are verified, not simply taken at the word of the applicant?

 

The UK officials here don't know anything about the visa process here and could not give a damn as they all have diplomatic passports... They were simply giving out unsubstantiated affidavits, like all/most embassies do I imagine.

 

The UK govt response should have been to laugh in their faces...

[soalbundy]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

Do you not mean "It is the visa extension application process by the UK that is now being considered suspect by Thai Immigration"?

No, the Thais couldn't care less as long as the stamp looks nice and the BE couldn't care less about Brits.

[sambum]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

That's OK, they will just stretch the kickbacks, remember where you are, this is Thailand not Finland.

I agree, in fact one poster said "your agent's fee has just gone up from 20K to 30K"! But I was looking for a "legal" alternative - I think I might be looking for the impossible!

[soalbundy]

Just now, sambum said:

I agree, in fact one poster said "your agent's fee has just gone up from 20K to 30K"! But I was looking for a "legal" alternative - I think I might be looking for the impossible!

55555555 legal, silly boy.

[sambum]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

No, the Thais couldn't care less as long as the stamp looks nice and the BE couldn't care less about Brits.

Then I'm sorry - I don't understand your statement:-

"It is the visa extension application process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. 

[cleopatra2]

If affidavits are acceptable to immigration why involve any embassies /consulates. The same statement could be completed in front of the IO when making the extension application.

[sambum]

10 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

55555555 legal, silly boy.

Don't be so patronising! I was only repeating what was stated in one of the posts!:-

 

"They also said that companies offering "visa services" were coming under scrutiny."

 

 

•  

 

 

 

 

"They also said that companies offering "visa services" were coming under scrutiny."

Edited October 15, 2018 by sambum

[soalbundy]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

Then I'm sorry - I don't understand your statement:-

"It is the visa extension application process which has now been considered suspect by the UK. 

Not really, they are moving to a smaller embassy and could do with less staff and then along came some FCO accountants from the UK who thought ladyboys were the offspring of a high society dame and decided that considering the regulations in place ( we are in Finland aren't we ) there was no need for the letters.

[ginjag]

53 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

oooooh you bad man, no haf money

Solly, my grandmother die again,  buffalo bad leg.

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, sambum said:

Don't be so patronising! I was only repeating what was stated in one of the posts!

Sorry, wasn't meant to be, I'm on my third Leo. It is an awful situation for many, although I am not affected I am angry at the BE's decision because it shows the typical uncaring arrogance of the British government towards its citizens.

[ParadiseLost]

8 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

If affidavits are acceptable to immigration why involve any embassies /consulates. The same statement could be completed in front of the IO when making the extension application.

This is where the immigration officer can decide for him/herself whether any further proof is required. They could institute a 30 day waiting period in such cases, giving local immigration time to do some extra checking. The exact same process is already in place for marriage extensions.

 

Problem is they cannot trust the (judgement of) immigration officers...

[balo]

The real issue here are Brits and other nationals on a state pension with less than 65k monthly and can't afford 800k in a bank for 3 months. 

 

In the past they could use a visa agent to arrange everything , but now that's not possible the retirement visa is out of reach for many expats.

 

You can have a good life in Thailand on 60k , but not enough for the immigration. So many will just have to go back to tourist visas and finally will be sent out of Thailand if the immigration officer says no . 

 

They are also contributing to the Thai economy but the Thais do not want their money .  "Go home farang" 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

[Thaidream]

10 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

If affidavits are acceptable to immigration why involve any embassies /consulates. The same statement could be completed in front of the IO when making the extension application.

Actually a great idea if the Thai Imm would buy it- a signed declaration indicating the person has state he receives   XXXX amount and a statement indicating that if you have lied to the Officer you may be subject to a criminal prosecution and words to that affect.  Then spot check at random asking for proof of income-every 100th person ; every 50th person or some random system.

[sambum]

1 minute ago, Thaidream said:

Actually a great idea if the Thai Imm would buy it- a signed declaration indicating the person has state he receives   XXXX amount and a statement indicating that if you have lied to the Officer you may be subject to a criminal prosecution and words to that affect.  Then spot check at random asking for proof of income-every 100th person ; every 50th person or some random system.

Yes, and those of us that are following the rules would have nothing to fear - except the mood of the Immigration Officer dealing with your case!