Hua Hin Immigration - Pension Verification -( No Alternative!)

[Aquaman2016]

 

Hi all

 

I have just returned from doing my 90 day report in the main Immigration office. Whilst there I asked if there was any acceptable proof of income other than the letter from the UK Embassy, such as bank statements/letter from the bank. I was told in no uncertain terms that without the Embassy letter I would not be able to extend my stay based on income; that my next renewal must be based on cash in the bank.

 

Doesn’t seem that any leeway is going to be given once the Embassy withdraws it’s service in December.

 

For information only.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

[CharlieH]

Thanks for the report/feedback.

[Dreckenfousnoll]

where you the guy who was there today around 1 pm ? ^^

[garyk]

Wow, if that is true that is insane! I am from the states but that is not right in any sense or shape!

That is a rip off to the nth degree!

[tropo]

It a bit soon to panic IMO. The word of one Immigration officer of unknown rank in a regional office is hardly gospel.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, garyk said:

Wow, if that is true that is insane! I am from the states but that is not right in any sense or shape!

That is a rip off to the nth degree!

I don't see the rip off except perhaps of the trust British citizens have placed in their consular services. 

[damascase]

40 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Seems like a coordinated and highly opportunistic immigration scam to enable banks get the foreign exchange with the 800k bank account requirement.

I would rather blame the UK’s consular ‘services’........

[garyk]

2 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Seems like a coordinated and highly opportunistic immigration scam to enable banks get the foreign exchange with the 800k bank account requirement.

Agree, the ATM fees here are already crazy high. If it were up to the banks all money would need to be seeded in their banks before a visa was issued.

I am thinking of getting a retirement visa for Colombia next year and the requirements are very easy. Proof of SS income and a private pensions is all that is needed. You can get a letter from SS directly. Or your pension plan directly.

This new 800K bank seeding is a scam IMO. 

[wwest5829]

12 hours ago, garyk said:

Wow, if that is true that is insane! I am from the states but that is not right in any sense or shape!

That is a rip off to the nth degree!

Well, we have to wait to see how this shakes out. You want a ripoff? Think about having to provide the bank documentation of having the funds ... and still having to provide a letter from the Embassy at a cost of $50.00. Why the need to pay for a letter supporting the Thai bank documentation?

[garyk]

13 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Well, we have to wait to see how this shakes out. You want a ripoff? Think about having to provide the bank documentation of having the funds ... and still having to provide a letter from the Embassy at a cost of $50.00. Why the need to pay for a letter supporting the Thai bank documentation?

Hopefully the Thai government will step in, and stop this act of piracy. If the Thai government lets this go to the extreme. Then I think we all can assume it will eventually be the case for all expats in Thailand.

Interesting to see how this plays out?

 

 

[henry15]

15 minutes ago, garyk said:

Hopefully the Thai government will step in, and stop this act of piracy. If the Thai government lets this go to the extreme. Then I think we all can assume it will eventually be the case for all expats in Thailand.

Interesting to see how this plays out?

 

 

Has notthing to do with the Thai government. You should blame te Brittisch government

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by henry15

[Joe Mcseismic]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I don't see the rip off except perhaps of the trust British citizens have placed in their consular services. 

I've never trusted them. That's why I don't register with them.

I also know that they are not here to help their citizens, but, to further the interests of British businesses and the country in general.

A fact that most Brits (the "I pay your wages through my taxes" brigade) on here don't seem to understand

[OJAS]

18 hours ago, Aquaman2016 said:

I was told in no uncertain terms that without the Embassy letter I would not be able to extend my stay based on income; that my next renewal must be based on cash in the bank.

In that case I would strongly urge you to email the Embassy in no uncertain terms ASAP to inform them that that what Hua Hin told you totally contradicts the BS advice given by an Embassy staffer in the following radio interview:-

 

 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

13 hours ago, garyk said:

Wow, if that is true that is insane! I am from the states but that is not right in any sense or shape!

That is a rip off to the nth degree!

It is yet another illustration of exactly how Thailand regards expats here.  No compromise, no adequate notice for many and more cash into Thailand.  No doubt that some unfortunate expats will be obliged to leave when they are unable to raise the required cash in time.  More notice should have been given for such an important change as this, but I guess that the Thai attitude is simply "mai pen rai".

[theoldgit]

8 minutes ago, OJAS said:

In that case I would strongly urge you to email the Embassy in no uncertain terms ASAP to inform them that that what Hua Hin told you totally contradicts the BS advice given by an Embassy staffer in the following radio interview:-

Leanne has already told Tommy that she is prepared to travel to Pattaya to explain Thai Immigrations own rules to them, if this IO is talking facts, rather than making it up on the hoof, looks like Leanne needs to travel to Hua Hin as well, and probably everywhere else.

[ubonjoe]

There are already two ongoing topics on this forum about the income letters from the UK embassy. Please post on one of those if you want to discuss it.

If not then this topic will soon be closed.

 

[Chicken George]

27 minutes ago, henry15 said:

Has notthing to do with the Thai government. You should blame te Brittisch government

 

Has nothing to do with the British government! Its the Thai government that have insisted that proof of income must be verified by the the British consulate. Which is totally impossible for them to do.

[Chicken George]

7 hours ago, garyk said:

Agree, the ATM fees here are already crazy high. If it were up to the banks all money would need to be seeded in their banks before a visa was issued.

I am thinking of getting a retirement visa for Colombia next year and the requirements are very easy. Proof of SS income and a private pensions is all that is needed. You can get a letter from SS directly. Or your pension plan directly.

This new 800K bank seeding is a scam IMO. 

The problem is thst Americans here do not prove they have funds. Nothing wrong with having 800k in the bank here. You can spend it after you have made your visa then top it up again.. If you dont have the funds then Hasta la Vista! 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

23 minutes ago, henry15 said:

Has notthing to do with the Thai government. You should blame te Brittisch government

 

The British Embassy required proof of income before they would issue the income letter, in the form of pension documents, and where applicable, agent's rental statements for at least 3 months.  Now Thai immigration expect them to contact all the people involved in the UK to verify that the figures included on those documents are correct.  This would be a major task and almost impossible to achieve, particularly when the income providers do not reply promptly, if at all.

 

Basically, Thai Immigration are saying that they do not have trust in the British Embassy to ensure that the documents presented as proof of income appear to be genuine.  This attitude from one of the most corrupt countries in the world is a joke.   

 

Perhaps it is just a ploy to get more cash into the country as a lump sum plus monthly income from abroad on which the expat needs to live on?  After all, if the 800000 has to be on deposit for at least 3 months prior to the annual extension, it can hardly be used as cash to pay monthly expenses as well.

[namatjira]

8 hours ago, garyk said:

Agree, the ATM fees here are already crazy high. If it were up to the banks all money would need to be seeded in their banks before a visa was issued.

I am thinking of getting a retirement visa for Colombia next year and the requirements are very easy. Proof of SS income and a private pensions is all that is needed. You can get a letter from SS directly. Or your pension plan directly.

This new 800K bank seeding is a scam IMO. 

What new 800k bank seeding are you talking about,

Its been there for years and years..........most countries

comply with the regulations.........it’s not a problem

[Pedrogaz]

Let's face it....if you cannot afford to put 400K in a bank here for 2 months maybe you should be planning to move back to the UK. This isn't a value judgement on my part as I might not have 400K to sit in a bank account, but the signs are on the wall and it will get tougher, not easier, to get a visa. I have many friends who use agents and pay large fees for the 'service'. I cannot imagine that this agents will be left to pursue business as usual with the customary tip to IOs who issue a visa stamp in consideration of a large 'tip'. Also there is talk of requiring medical insurance which is very expensive and will take a huge bite out of a 40K per month pension.

I get the feeling that those without money are not really wanted in Thailand. They want retirees to have adequate financial resources. I think it is best to plan ahead and have an 'escape' route mapped out ahead of time. There is nothing worse than to be told to get out of the country 'tomorrow' or in 2 days time, much better to have a plan already.

[brewsterbudgen]

Let's face it....if you cannot afford to put 400K in a bank here for 2 months maybe you should be planning to move back to the UK. This isn't a value judgement on my part as I might not have 400K to sit in a bank account, but the signs are on the wall and it will get tougher, not easier, to get a visa. I have many friends who use agents and pay large fees for the 'service'. I cannot imagine that this agents will be left to pursue business as usual with the customary tip to IOs who issue a visa stamp in consideration of a large 'tip'. Also there is talk of requiring medical insurance which is very expensive and will take a huge bite out of a 40K per month pension.
I get the feeling that those without money are not really wanted in Thailand. They want retirees to have adequate financial resources. I think it is best to plan ahead and have an 'escape' route mapped out ahead of time. There is nothing worse than to be told to get out of the country 'tomorrow' or in 2 days time, much better to have a plan already.

It's 800,000 baht not 400,000.

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[JackThompson]

9 minutes ago, Chicken George said:

The problem is thst Americans here do not prove they have funds.

Yes, we do.  We have to sign a sworn-affadavit to the fact, in front of a consular-officer, with the penalty of a Felony-charge and prison-time hanging in the balance. 

 

As I understand it, this is not how the current  British "letters for docs" system works - you send docs off by mail or email (which are not verified, so could be fabricated), and get a letter-back - never making a sworn statement to a consular officer. 

The BE offers the letters at other consulates in the region, but have stated they "can not because they do not" offer them at the Thai consulate.  Unless TI makes a change to how income is handled (no announcement of such), were the BE to offer the same service they provide elsewhere (Vietnam, etc), this problem for British citizens could be solved.

 

The sudden "problem" with the existing BE letter system could be connected, on the TI side, to an anticipation that those who cannot come up with the money-in-the-bank will have to go to agent$.  But it could also be part of a scaling back of BE services to expats.  Maybe both.  Someone posted that they submitted a Freedom of Info request over this, which could help reveal who initiated the issue.

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There are already two ongoing topics on this forum about the income letters from the UK embassy. Please post on one of those if you want to discuss it.

If not then this topic will soon be closed.

 

Now 

Move the discussion to one of these topics.