4 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

So the British Embassy was right after all.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I don't rely on other Embassys for official USA Embassy annoucements. If it (UK Embassy) had been wrong, others would crow much the same tune.

9 minutes ago, malibukid said:

800K sounds like the banks where in on this.

One things for sure the banks are going to come out winners on this, whichever route folks choose. ????

1 hour ago, HHTel said:

One of the reasons I don't want to put 800K in a Thai bank at almost zero interest.  All my current pension investments have produced a lot more than that.  One stock gave 19% growth and I'm not talking risk investment.

Nor do i but to stay i as well as many others may have to do just that

2 minutes ago, David Walden said:

Yes you don't have to bring money to Thailand.  I have a Citi debit card and an ING debit card both when downloading the ticket shows the Bt220 fee but in both cases it is credited back to my account when the transaction appears (only min).  I also have a debit card from ANZ bank in Aus they charge like wounded bulls for every transaction.  I have to have it as my ANZ pension fund is paid into it.  I just transfer the payment to Citibank and the transaction in Thailand are free.  So is ING Bank free.  The exchange rate is the internationally published rate for that day.  I don't know about the hidden charges, probably are some.  We know in Australia under the present Royal Commission into banking there has found to be many fees for no services charged for by banks.  They have to be paid back by the banks (Maybe).

Not wrong about the ANZ charges

4 hours ago, longball53098 said:

Going to hurt a lot of us non-liars as it was a convenient way to get the extension

Go Brent Favre!

Not Long I'd say.

It is kind of odd they announced on their website that they WON'T be changing their stat dec system. They must have been talking to immigration along with the brits and the USA.
Time will tell I guess. Can't see how they can escape it

The guy from Khon Kaen who said Immigration took his US bank statements was lying. I just called Khon Kaen immigration and was told basically what we already know. They didnt know about the US stopping the letters as well. When asked about showing monthly income she said since we are the only two countries the main center probably doesn't care. And to have the money in the bank two months prior.

1 hour ago, pgrahmm said:

Well I, for one, don't want to put aside $$$$ that have been making a good return on investment - last year that 24k ended up at 27.6k just sitting there.....

Agree. My O-A visa method (every two years and if you want to avoid dealing with TI completely and ditch the 90-day reporting by doing an in/out of the country prior to reporting date, if your health permits) started looking more attractive. US embassies even take your IRA/Roth account into consideration. I am good for two years now. We will see how it unfolds next year with the TI. Hoping for a stability and more information within a year or so.

18 minutes ago, Will27 said:

 

 

They got married because it was easier for them financially speaking.

You don't know anything about their relationships.

 

Again, seems like the stupidest desperate reason I have ever heard to get married.

Exchange rates or government policy dictating their marriage decisions.

Geez.

I do not know about their relationship but I bet I can figure it out......

To each their own good luck to them.

2 hours ago, flexomike said:

You can still get the letter until the end of the year

Yes, but will it be accepted? The problem is not with the embassies, but with Thai immigration requiring proof of income, or will proof of income be scrapped from January 1? It could be a waste of time getting an embassy income letter to be used next year.

12 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

And I agree with you 100%. Too easy to lie. My wife told me a long time to put money in bank (400k) as she said this was going to stop (Letters) for all Embassies in the future. I took her advice.

 

This will, in the end, affect Australia as well. It is no time to gloat for anyone as these are not good times for many of any Nationality. This will trickle down to everyone.

I'm not gloating but I'm sure some are.

3 hours ago, Wake Up said:

She also said next year I needed 800 k in a Thai bank three months before I can get another extension of stay or to show 65k monthly income by having 65k transferred to a Thai bank account each month.  I am sure more details about the 65 k a month income route will be announced by Thailand since this is a major change.

The 65k/month (retired) and 40k/month (married) route is not really a major change as they are already defined in the same police notice that stipulates the respective lump sums. The major change is that maybe a lot more long-stayers who previously used the income letter/sworn affidavit will avail themselves of the monthly option versus the lump sum option. Some with extensions renewals falling due in Q1 2019 have been panicking about what to do but both the BE and USE have stated that income letters/sworn have a shelf-life of 6 months so get your letter/affidavit now.

2 minutes ago, johnjohn2 said:

The guy from Khon Kaen who said Immigration took his US bank statements was lying. I just called Khon Kaen immigration and was told basically what we already know. They didnt know about the US stopping the letters as well. When asked about showing monthly income she said since we are the only two countries the main center probably doesn't care. And to have the money in the bank two months prior.

Keep in mind..  it depends who you talk to at any IO

Does anyone know what constitutes verification of income from Social Security in the US? Will the yearly letter we get suffice or do we need it notarized, signed and blessed by 40 monks. Also note the monetary requirement. Has to be int he bank 60 days before your application and can be withdrawn and replaced the next time you apply for the visa. You don't need to keep it in the Thai bank all year, probably only for abut 3 months or so.

1 hour ago, HHTel said:

One of the reasons I don't want to put 800K in a Thai bank at almost zero interest.  All my current pension investments have produced a lot more than that. 

You have other option than the 800k in a Thai bank then. In my condo people are talking about this UK&USA embassies' decisions and I am surprised to find that about half retirees are on a non-OA visa. They keep their money in their country that they visit every 1 or 2 years.

34 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

The stupidest reason in the world to get married.

But, I agree with you the simple minds of justification.....

Well after reading most of these posts on this site for days now and the other thousands of posts on ThaiVisa I think there maybe a few that can't add up to 10.  It seems this site and the others the only complainers are those who just don't have the Bt800,000 required.  Sorry for you, you might have to go to a real 3rd world country, Cambodia try that.  Hmmm.

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Again, seems like the stupidest desperate reason I have ever heard to get married.

Exchange rates or government policy dictating their marriage decisions.

Geez.

I do not know about their relationship but I bet I can figure it out......

To each their own good luck to them.

It's not that hard.

An example, someone in their 70's has been in Thailand for 20 years and with their partner for 15.

Due to exchange rates, they cannot proove they have 65 000 Baht per month but can make 40 000.

 

Their options are to go back home and live off the pension or marry their partner and get to stay here.

 

It's a no brainer really.

6 minutes ago, FPizzle said:

Does anyone know what constitutes verification of income from Social Security in the US? Will the yearly letter we get suffice or do we need it notarized, signed and blessed by 40 monks. Also note the monetary requirement. Has to be int he bank 60 days before your application and can be withdrawn and replaced the next time you apply for the visa. You don't need to keep it in the Thai bank all year, probably only for abut 3 months or so.

Immigration ONLY accept the embassy letter. Any other verification method won't be accepted, regardless of it's veracity.

7 minutes ago, FPizzle said:

Does anyone know what constitutes verification of income from Social Security in the US? Will the yearly letter we get suffice or do we need it notarized, signed and blessed by 40 monks. Also note the monetary requirement. Has to be int he bank 60 days before your application and can be withdrawn and replaced the next time you apply for the visa. You don't need to keep it in the Thai bank all year, probably only for abut 3 months or so.

This is new territory.

Without the letters, we don't know that they will accept any foreign documents at all. 

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

quite honestly there would have to be implicit trust. What happens if the borrower dies before he pays you back?

Someone earlier on suggested businesses, including Chinese, lending money for 3 months at exorbitant fees, but that also seems a high risk unless the lenders held some collateral (like your wife and children). Put Baht 800,000 in someone's account supposedly for 3 months and you know some of the borrowers are going to be queuing at the departure gates at Suvarnabhumi with their pockets full.

 

I don't think the "agents" who now claim they can get you an extension with no money in the bank actually deposit money in your account. They just fabricate some documents that purport to show money in a bank.

57 minutes ago, Will27 said:

I also think that there will be a lot more marriages now due to the lower income requirements.

I think you are right.

 

A lot of retirees are  married but on retirement rather than marriage extensions because it was easier to do (and Imm offices encouraged it).

 

I expect that most of those among them who were using the  income method rather  than the 800K method will switch to extension on basis of marriage.

2 minutes ago, car720 said:

Australian Embassy doesn't have to do it.

Everyone in the world already knows that Australians don't have income.  They all get Centrelink.  

Plus that is easily verified by any Australian government dept plus the embassies

22 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

firstly i know nothing about visa runs, would this be a way out for some, just asking.

This would mean that the individual not only never had the income stream but can't even muster a pathetic 400k for a marriage visa. Non marrieds 50+ can simply forget about a perpetual O.

 

While the Savanakhet consulate has been a real gem for a decade, I'm certain that things will tighten after all these changes.

 

The situation had been abused to the point that embassies could no longer tolerate it. Maybe it wasn't YOU but it was a flood of obviously posers.

 

IMO they should boot all non B holders without 250k in the bank as well.

 

3 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Someone earlier on suggested businesses, including Chinese, lending money for 3 months at exorbitant fees, but that also seems a high risk unless the lenders held some collateral (like your wife and children). Put Baht 800,000 in someone's account supposedly for 3 months and you know some of the borrowers are going to be queuing at the departure gates at Suvarnabhumi with their pockets full.

 

I don't think the "agents" who now claim they can get you an extension with no money in the bank actually deposit money in your account. They just fabricate some documents that purport to show money in a bank.

And you may see a crackdown on such agents in the near future.....

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

According to what I have read - since the  Embassy letter will still be good for 6 months and a person can apply for extension of stay up to 30-45 days early then extensions due into July will be covered and possibly early August- if the letter is obtained in December.  Ubon Joe- is this correct?

My extension is due in late July. I don't believe they allow earlier than 30 days at Jomtien. Can anyone confirm this? If so I'd have to try to get an income letter between Christmas and New Year, assuming the Australian Embassy will follow suit (which I think they will)... and it seems from an early report, that they will ask for a 3 month seasoning of 800k, not the usual 2 months for extensions. I'm being a bit negative here as I don't think they will allow us to show 65k per month going into an account, and even if they do, would they need to see a full year's worth, which for me is already too late as I don't bring in that much to my account monthly as I spend from cards and use ATMs in addition to bank transfers.

2 minutes ago, connda said:

If they can get across the US border and into California, then they can get on the public dole in the Sanctuary State, and in San Francisco, they can even vote.  .....

Utter nonsense. Non citizens -- even green card holders (permanent residents) -- cannot vote anywhere in the US.

4 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I think you are right.

 

A lot of retirees are  married but on retirement rather than marriage extensions because it was easier to do (and Imm offices encouraged it).

 

I expect that most of those among them who were using the  income method rather  than the 800K method will switch to extension on basis of marriage.

I don't think so,I guess a lot of people will get a one year visa at laos or wherever it is possible to get one and then they will do visa runs every 90 days

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

Retirees on social-security eating pet-food happens in the USA

I think it is a myth. Pet food is more expensive in the US than processed food in the supermarket.  If you can find cheap pet food in the dollar store, you can also find cheap food there. Everything is cheap in the US (electronics, clothes, foods) except health care. Housing may be expensive and I believe people who retire here at least have a house (already paid) in the US. Thailand is more fun, warm weather, good people (at least on the surface), fresh food, and the possibility of finding a partner at a very old age. Thailand is about 65% of US expenses for the same living standard. The other 35% you pay for better infrastructure (soft and hard)

1 hour ago, puyaidon said:

Did anyone notice that this came out on the last Friday of the month when the embassy is closed so no one can get any info until next week? 

They'll just concoct some boiler plate response anyway. Send them an email and, if you get a response, they'll say blah, blah, blah ending with something like they are "evaluating the situation."

 

On a more optimistic note, when Thai immigrations was going to require income letters be no more than a month or week or a few days old, the US embassy (and maybe others) did approach immigrations and they then agreed on six months for the letters.  

 

On the embassy website it did say:

 

Quote

Thai Immigration Bureau officials confirmed that they will support early visa [sic] renewals for U.S. citizens during the transition period. 

Not sure if "early" means 30 to 45 days or something more than that.

 

I thought somewhere I saw some comment from the embassy about being in consultation with Thai immigrations. Who knows what, if anything, that could mean.

 

 

 

Note to THAI IMMIGRATION if they are reading this forum.

Please create a way for retired people to get a certificate (good for life) documenting lifetime income streams from their governments. In the U.S. that would be social security for elders and military pensions. These are lifetime income streams so it should only be necessarily to prove that ONCE. 

Also, please preserve the COMBINATION method.

Thank you kindly.