Just Received Some Bad News For US Citizens. No More Income Affidavits.

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, connda said:

 
If you've never noticed, we're not wanted here unless you are a foreign woman married to a Thai man, then different rules apply.  Everyone else is persona-non-grata.  Honestly, if I hadn't have married a Thai, I'd be retired elsewhere right now.  The only reason I stay is because of my marriage and extended Thai family that I support - as if the Thai government could give a damn, because they don't. 
Best of luck for all you out there depending on the 65K THB/month method.  But think on the bright side - this may give you the motivation to seek retirement elsewhere on the planet in a country that is much more foreigner friendly than Prathet Thai.  To make that step, you need to get out of your comfort zone.  ¿Hablas español?  May be a good time to learn Spanish.  Heck of a lot easier than Thai.   

Quite honest getting a bit fed up with this tired old rhetoric of "falangs aren't wanted here". I've been here going on 9 years, keep the 800K in a separate bank account, do my 90 day report on time, and always treated respectfully by immigration officials. It seems the ones doing most of the moaning are those that have been faking it in one way or another and now have to bite the bullet. If you can't manage the 800K or the 65K a month, then it's time to pack your bags. 

[Farrows3399]

17 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I will say this.

Until we get clear rules from Thai immigration, the wisest move is to use the 800K in a Thai bank seasoned.

There does appear to be hints that Thai immigration will start to accept (without embassy letter) evidence of MONTHLY deposits into a THAI bank for the entire year.

Even that's not certain yet.

However, nobody should assume at this point that they will accept non-Thai bank statements or non-Thai income stating documents.

Also, is the COMBO method going away, or not?

Also, if it's about showing income flows into Thailand, why does it need to be MONTHLY. If it's the same amount of claimed income, what's the difference if it's sent in one time a year (or 2,3,4, whatever)?

Lets go back to the original and standing requirement by Thai immi for visa extensions: They want  confirmation  and be shown  that the applicant is receiving income from the U.S. for such and such an amount to be combined with a Thai bank account to = 800,000/yr. So an original mailed  bank statement that shows amount added and amount subtracted should suffice. In the past I have totaled amount added in direct deposits to my citibank savings account. And in addition to the direct deposits I have included in income so much $ from a trust. So a bank statement should be all Thai immi would need or want. So we just have to wait and see where  Thai immi is going to with this now. Meanwhile prepare for the 800 option just in case.

[marcusarelus]

3 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

That money is making me $3,500+ a year.....Why would I want to lose that by parking it here....? 

Why would I want $10,000+ ($25k) bouncing back & forth? Racking up tracking/reporting in this day & age....

You don't have enough money to live in Thailand.  Simple.  It would not cost you $3,500 per 3 months.  It might cost you a couple of hundred.  Go home.  Thailand is too expensive and complicated for you.  Thai immigration and American embassy has made that abundantly clear. 

[billd766]

37 minutes ago, ianf said:

Exodus? How? My house and my family and all my possessions are here. Perhaps I could go back to the UK and sleep under a bridge. This is a nightmare.

Me too.

 

I have enough income to cover the extension but not the lump sum.

[connda]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

You should not be"parking" 800k and indeed if that is what you do there will be questions asked by Immigration as to what you are living on. Draw down on the money for your living costs here in place of whatever else it was you were doing. If you live on less than 800k a year then the difference between 800 and whatever you actually spend is all that is parked.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Wait until the Thai government mandates that you actually spend 800K THB per year.  That will clear the retirees out. 

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, garyk said:

I don't understand what that has to do with anything?

It's addressing the people who say they do not want to waste potential earnings by putting 800k into a Thai bank vs invest it elsewhere. But I really do not understand how the while 800k can be viewed as idle money. People have to be spending something to live here in Thailand. At most there is an excess of say 200-400k in the 800k total that they won't need to spend. (Novel idea: use it to pay for health insurance or  to self-insure!).

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

[Lacessit]

5 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

I wired transferred 3 million in how much can I wire transfer out? 

Absolutely no idea. Ask your Thai bank manager.

[Genericnic]

It'll take 1 minute to withdraw your funds and get out of the country, what's the problem, please?

The money in my US accounts is available worldwide through my ATM card. Not the same as leaving with 800,000 Baht.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[moontang]

18 minutes ago, garyk said:

If from America you could of invested that money and it would be paying you a great dividend? Even a crummy fund would pay you some good dividends!

You could put it in Thai mutual funds for nine months out of the year..likely at the same bank...or open a brokerage account at KimEng...Some great yielders have had a bad run...Kraft, General Mills, Tobacco....better to compare government guaranteed savings here vs. US....not much difference, and a decent way to diversify. In

[marcusarelus]

Just now, Lacessit said:

Absolutely no idea. Ask your Thai bank manager.

Not a trick question.  You can take out whatever you bring in. 

[JackThompson]

21 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Leave their Thai families behind and go back to their own country on their own?

For now, the Non-O-ME is the way to go for those who cannot find a way to satisfy immigration. 
After that, Cambodia is a better option; at least one could "visit" their family - to the extent the "Tourist Visa" remains viable. 

Of course, maintaining a 2nd residence will mean less money available for the foreigner's Thai family.  We could debate whether that registers as an important consideration for some making these decisions - though the continued existence of the Non-O-ME would seem to indicate others are not heartless.

[garyk]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Let me put it a different way.  If you can't afford to park 25 grand in an interest bearing account that can be removed at any time you don't have enough money to be an international traveler. 

Haha, amazing.

 

[Lupatria]

so what documents do they actually want, and where can we get it? 

[Time Traveller]

Why does the Thai Immigration office not verify the applicants income themselves???

Sounds crazy, I know, but they would be doing the same thing as an embassy, and they have exactly the same powers that the embassy have to confirm the income. (ie. none)

Oh thats right they're too stupid, too lazy, and expect other people to do their jobs for them. 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Farrows3399 said:

Lets go back to the original and standing requirement by Thai immi for visa extensions: They want  confirmation  and be shown  that the applicant is receiving income from the U.S. for such and such an amount to be combined with a Thai bank account to = 800,000/yr. So an original mailed  bank statement that shows amount added and amount subtracted should suffice. In the past I have totaled amount added in direct deposits to my citibank savings account. And in addition to the direct deposits I have included in income so much $ from a trust. So a bank statement should be all Thai immi would need or want. 

Huh? Why are you even talking about what they SHOULD do? It's about what they DO do. Currently they require embassy income letters. A person would have to be nuts to go in there and ASSUME they will accept evidence of foreign bank statements at this EARLY stage. Cheers.

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, Genericnic said:

The money in my US accounts is available worldwide through my ATM card. Not the same as leaving with 800,000 Baht.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

You think Thai ATM cards don't work outside of Thailand? 

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, connda said:

Wait until the Thai government mandates that you actually spend 800K THB per year.  That will clear the retirees out. 

Never happen.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, connda said:

Wait until the Thai government mandates that you actually spend 800K THB per year.  That will clear the retirees out. 

Yep. See ya!

I will add I am fairly confident that there is no nation on earth with a retirement visa program that requires a specific level of spending. However, there are some (in Latin America) that do require full annual IMPORT of the claimed qualifying (usually pension) income. 

[moontang]

11 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

There's a limit to how much baht in cash you can take out. It's not a big amount.

That is mostly a myth...break in chunks of 300,000 THB...can send out quite easily and fast.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Not a trick question.  You can take out whatever you bring in. 

I could be wrong; however, I believe you have to supply a lot of backup evidence to demonstrate the money came in. My understanding is it's not as simple as just making a withdrawal.

[MikeOKitches]

8 minutes ago, Wuvu2 said:

Lame timing on the part of the US Embassy. Had they made this statement in Septemeber, at least people would have had time to transfer and age the required 800,000 baht bank deposit. Now some of the people who must renew in January and February are screwed. 

How are they screwed? ????They can still get an Income Affidavit notarized NOW, and it's still good for 6 months after issuance. It's all in black and white (see attachment). If they get it next month November 2018, it'll be good until April 2019. People who have to renew in January and February 2019 will still be covered. 

[chrisinth]

50 minutes ago, Aforek said:

I expect that other European countries will follow … I have already my 800000 bathts in bank for 2 years already 

IMO all embassies and consulates will follow as none of them will be able to verify incomes from individuals.

 

This is the crux of the matter, verifying rather than just witnessing a signature from the individual, and is on Thai immigration and not on the various consular services.

[Joe Mcseismic]

1 hour ago, garyk said:

125,000 total U.S. + U.K expats x 800,000 = 100 billion baht?

Just speculation on my part but I would bet 95-98% used the letter. It was required, and anyone that actually put 800K in a Thai bank just for that purpose would be ignorant IMO.

Why ignorant?

I use the 800k method. One transfer, so save on transfer fees. Then use the 800k to support my household for a year. Then do it again. What's ignorant about that?

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, moontang said:

That is mostly a myth...break in chunks of 300,000 THB...can send out quite easily and fast.

From the same bank? I think you'd have to be doing it from multiple banks.

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

Why does the Thai Immigration office not verify the applicants income themselves???

Sounds crazy, I know, but they would be doing the same thing as an embassy, and they have exactly the same powers that the embassy have to confirm the income. (ie. none)

Oh thats right they're too stupid, too lazy, and expect other people to do their jobs for them. 

Do you have any idea how time consuming that would be?

[blackhorse]

You could do this, but you'll pay 2 transfer fees a month to do so. Weigh that against keeping say 200k (or whatever the difference is between 800k and your luving costs) in an interest bearing Thai account.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Agreed that's the way to go . I have a good friend in my condo block who I'm always lending a few thousand baht to just before pension day. No way he can raise even 200k and to old to start again in the USA.

Just another option

[Pattaya46]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Currently they require embassy income letters. A person would have to be nuts to go in there and ASSUME they will accept evidence of foreign bank statements at this EARLY stage. Cheers.

The US FAQ above says : 

"or a local bank statement showing a monthly deposit of at least 65,000 Thai Baht. "

So looks like the letters' work will move from embassies to banks...

[marcusarelus]

7 minutes ago, garyk said:

Haha, amazing.

A good watch is 25 grand.  My last visit to intensive care was 15 grand.  I would never travel with less than 5 grand in my pocket.  Nothing amazing about it.  I'm not rich.  I'm just a normal guy.  Why flame?  Why not discuss?  Haha amazing is a flame btw. 

[Larryst]

My retirement visa renews in Mid February 2019. I'm not sure if this will work or not. I'll get a income letter from the U.S. Embassy in December 2018 and try to get the visa. After that, I will get a statement from Social Security on line from My Social Security account. In the section it says you can get a security account statement. I'll use that and next summer transfer about $8,000 U.S. (approx. 260,000 baht) into my Bangkok Bank account. (I really don't want to put too much into a Thai bank). With the two it should go over the 65,000 per month required. It might work. If they accept the letter I print from my SSA account.

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, Vacuum said:

Actually, it's a one time deposit that you can enjoy until you'll leave this planet. Can't really see the problems that US people have with this.

Maybe the average American retiree here in Thailand is better off than the average American in their own country.

 

How much the average American has in their savings account 2018

 

I suspect that some people, of all nationalities, that have invested in property here may struggle to be able to leave $12,500/$25,000, £9,500/£19,000, €11,000/€22,000, on deposit for months at a time.