U.S. citizens: "Fact sheet" on income affidavits

[Maestro]

6 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

...I hope he is correct but I have a feeling its gone through as an 800k extension.

He had less than THB 60k in his bank account when he applied for and was granted his extension.

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1069011-proof-of-income/?do=findComment&comment=13570838

[MyFriend You]

Please Folks - Can One of you, just One, tell the forum - you have been refused an Extension because you didn't have an Income Letter from your Embassy??  - when, where, and a copy of the reason TI gave you for refusal.  I have ready "I know a lot of people that have been refused"  "My friend just was refused",  "all the Danish have been refused, Brits, Americans"  yada, yada, yada.  

Now I have a question, "Why do you think they won't accept a Bank Statement??" Is it because 'with 500 baht any clerk will make a letter for you saying you ar a millionaire.........'   I guess TI don;t trust the Thai Banks either hey??

[Peterw42]

7 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Please Folks - Can One of you, just One, tell the forum - you have been refused an Extension because you didn't have an Income Letter from your Embassy??  - when, where, and a copy of the reason TI gave you for refusal.  I have ready "I know a lot of people that have been refused"  "My friend just was refused",  "all the Danish have been refused, Brits, Americans"  yada, yada, yada.  

Now I have a question, "Why do you think they won't accept a Bank Statement??" Is it because 'with 500 baht any clerk will make a letter for you saying you ar a millionaire.........'   I guess TI don;t trust the Thai Banks either hey??

But they do accept bank statements (books) and letters everyday for the 800k deposits. They obviously trust the banks in that regard.

I dont think you will get many responses from people who have been refused, as up until now they haven't bothered to present without an income letter, knowing in advance that it wouldn't be accepted.

[skatewash]

58 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Please Folks - Can One of you, just One, tell the forum - you have been refused an Extension because you didn't have an Income Letter from your Embassy??  - when, where, and a copy of the reason TI gave you for refusal.  I have ready "I know a lot of people that have been refused"  "My friend just was refused",  "all the Danish have been refused, Brits, Americans"  yada, yada, yada.  

 

6

Posting this link not because I think it will help you but because I'm interested to see how you will dismiss it:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1068630-denmark-embassy-has-stopped-doing-pension-letters/?page=21&tab=comments#comment-13568386

 

[sstuff3]

On 11/17/2018 at 7:31 AM, glegolo said:

you are talking about "american citizens"... have you as an american ever noticed that there are actually more countries in the world outside US borders??? It feels a bit tragic when we are having topics here on Thai-VISA and all of them are talking about expats in general, you are ONLY considering US citizen and dont get a """" about the rest.

 

glegolo

What a unnecessarily rude reply to a post that is titled "U.S. citizens: "Fact sheet" on income affidavits".

 

The post is obviously intended to provide specific information for "US citizens".  If it doesn't apply to you, then there is no need to comment.  

 

I see topics on here regularly which are specific to UK, German, Australian, etc. and don't recall ever seeing an American (or any other for that matter) respond in such a rude manner.  If you are looking for "General Advice" I suggest you not bother with threads that are titled with a specific country name.

 

To the Op: thank you for the advice.

[MyFriend You]

1 hour ago, skatewash said:

Posting this link not because I think it will help you but because I'm interested to see how you will dismiss it:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1068630-denmark-embassy-has-stopped-doing-pension-letters/?page=21&tab=comments#comment-13568386

 

I would not dismiss facts - you/he has submitted facts.........I see the monthly income way of getting an extension going away and the 800/400,000 baht in the bank the only option for some -  maybe for all later on.  It isn't fair that some embassies will give a letter to their constituents and some don't, Thai Immigration (rightfully do) is not concerned with what yours or mine Embassy will do or not do.  They want to see the letter and that is that.  FYI I don't have the income letter problem because I keep no less than 2 million in my account here at all times.......Thanx for shedding the light.

Edited November 18, 2018 by TunnelRat69

[wayned]

8 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

 It isn't fair that some embassies will give a letter to their constituents and some don't,

Some embassies have the ability and initiative to verify the income data submitted to them or take the data that is submitted as true and issue the letter that certifies the expat's monthly income.   Some embassies either can't or don't have the ability to verify any income data submitted to them because of internal operating procedures or financial disclosure rules in their country.  he income letter from the US Embassy is only a notarized sworn statement that the amount that you wrote on the paper is true and they say that they do not verify that the information is correct because they do not have the ability to check any data submitted so they will not accept any.

[OJAS]

On 11/17/2018 at 7:31 AM, glegolo said:

you are talking about "american citizens"... have you as an american ever noticed that there are actually more countries in the world outside US borders??? It feels a bit tragic when we are having topics here on Thai-VISA and all of them are talking about expats in general, you are ONLY considering US citizen and dont get a """" about the rest.

 

glegolo

Well, I, for one, firmly believe that the American Embassy has far more clout with the Thai Immigration Bureau than certainly their British counterpart does. You appear conveniently to overlook the fact that they were instrumental in getting the Bureau to issue a directive back in 2013 prescribing the maximum validity period for Embassy letters/affidavits as 6 months.

 

Fat chance of getting the British Embassy, FCO, etc to stand up to whatever challenges the Immigration Bureau might choose to lob at us British expats in my experience. All they are basically interested in as far as we are concerned is the quiet life!

 

So go for it as suggested in the OP, you American citizens, and you could be doing a great favour for all of us whose embassies have pulled the plug on their income confirmation services!

Edited November 18, 2018 by OJAS

[KhunFred]

I am surprised that anyone thinks that Thai Immigration is going to yield to pressure from the United States government. The banks here already resent the onerous reporting requirements mandated by FATCA.  We are not making any friends over here with our meddling. I would advise caution and a friendly approach to solving this. Even subtle pressure will create a perceived "loss of face" that will only worsen the situation.

[ThaiBob]

America does not have an Ambassador to Thailand. Glyn Davies is gone and has not been replaced. I would address any correspondence to Chargé d’Affaires Peter Haymond. 

[sstuff3]

I am surprised that anyone thinks that Thai Immigration is going to yield to pressure from the United States government. The banks here already resent the onerous reporting requirements mandated by FATCA.  We are not making any friends over here with our meddling. I would advise caution and a friendly approach to solving this. Even subtle pressure will create a perceived "loss of face" that will only worsen the situation.

It's thinking like this that slows progress. What do you suggest one do? Wait until they come to their senses somehow? The relationship between Thailand and the US dates back 200 years. I doubt "face" is an issue between the diplomats.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[wayned]

38 minutes ago, no deal said:

you don't need ambassy letter sorry!

Total BS!  I got my letter from the US Embassy on 1q6 October and discussed it with the Vice consul there.  She said that they didn't want to see the letter only the proof which I have.  I went directly from the US Embassy to my immigration office in Nakhon Sawan.  I discussed this with the IO there and showed her a yearly letter from the US government pension  and a yearly letter from a private pension fund, both stating what my monthly payments were per month fpr the next year.  I also showed her the bank books that clearly showed the monthly deposits into a bank here (not actually required anywhere), one winch I have been receiving since 2000 and the other since 2007.  She said that until the Thai law changed, all that she wanted to see was the letter and if I didn't have the letter she could not accept the proof of the monthly amount received.  I have been dealing with her since they opened the regional offices. Maybe each office will have a different interpretation but that exactly what she told me.  No letter, no extension!  She toojk the letter , I kept the proof and I got my 1 year extension!

[Time Traveller]

It's cute that you lot all think your embassies are there to help you.

[KhunFred]

5 hours ago, Time Traveller said:

It's cute that you lot all think your embassies are there to help you.

I have never been under that impression. Seems that British and American embassies do as little as possible. The Europeans seem to take a different approach.

[wayned]

10 hours ago, KhunFred said:

I have never been under that impression. Seems that British and American embassies do as little as possible. The Europeans seem to take a different approach.

The Vice Consulars at the US Embassy serve 3 year tour of duties.  Actually I think that some actually want to help the US citizens, but most are career State Department employees and come here knowing nothing about Thailand's laws, do nothing to learn them while they are here, treat the US citizens like they know everything and leave here thinking that they actually made it to their next assignment without "rocking the boat" in hopes that they would get a good review for further advancement in the State Department chain of Command, unlike most US Government officals, local and federal.

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, wayned said:

The Vice Consulars at the US Embassy serve 3 year tour of duties.  Actually I think that some actually want to help the US citizens, but most are career State Department employees and come here knowing nothing about Thailand's laws, do nothing to learn them while they are here, treat the US citizens like they know everything and leave here thinking that they actually made it to their next assignment without "rocking the boat" in hopes that they would get a good review for further advancement in the State Department chain of Command, unlike most US Government officals, local and federal.

Many years back, prior to my first visit to Thailand, I had not traveled internationally much and I thought it would be cool to maybe get a tour of the US embassy, perhaps dine there, maybe talk to some staff if they have any sort of welcoming, or attend an audience with the ambassador.  My memories of old time travel was that visiting one's embassy in a foreign country was quite an affair.  I got totally rebuffed, no such things, no tours, don't bother us again, etc.  Silly me.   The embassy is there for business interests, and the common people seem to be of little concern.

[wayned]

35 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Many years back, prior to my first visit to Thailand, I had not traveled internationally much and I thought it would be cool to maybe get a tour of the US embassy, perhaps dine there, maybe talk to some staff if they have any sort of welcoming, or attend an audience with the ambassador.  My memories of old time travel was that visiting one's embassy in a foreign country was quite an affair.  I got totally rebuffed, no such things, no tours, don't bother us again, etc.  Silly me.   The embassy is there for business interests, and the common people seem to be of little concern.

It's quite obvious that your problem was that you did not have an appointment!

[gk10002000]

Just now, wayned said:

It's quite obvious that your problem was that you did not have an appointment!

No no.  I tried to do that.  I tried to ask what sort of things might be possible.  They said no such things are done

[wayned]

24 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

No no.  I tried to do that.  I tried to ask what sort of things might be possible.  They said no such things are done

Like I said, the last FACT should be "PISS OFF EXPATS"!