BREAKING NEWS Thai immigration reveals new requirements for retirement, marriage extensions (visas)

[Enoon]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:43 AM, janclaes47 said:

The way I read the OP it mentions only proof of monthly deposits in an account, but nowhere does it mention an account balance of 400 or 800K, so I assume that option is not considered anymore.

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Average monthly deposit of 65,000 is required.

 

Thus a single transfer of 780,000 would give an average of 65k per month.

 

Just a technicality of course.

 

 

[sfokevin]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:59 AM, colinneil said:

I get my UK pension paid directly into my Krung Thai account every 13 weeks, have done now for nearly 5 years, never had any problems.

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Given Thai Immigration want to see it transferred every month you may have a problem?... 

[janclaes47]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:01 AM, Enoon said:

 

Average monthly income of 65,000 is required.

 

Thus a single transfer of 780,000 would give an average of 65k per month.

 

Just a technicality of course.

 

 

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Where do you see the mention of average in the OP?

 

What I see is repeatedly " every month"

[LivinLOS]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:56 AM, thequietman said:

Just open an off shore account and then transfer the money in each month. Withdraw the money and deposit it back into the off shore account. Rinse and repeat.

 

It will incur banking charges but is very doable. I think everyone was worrying about nothing. I hope this alleviates many concerns of expats in Thailand.

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Fx spread is the killer tho.. 

[sometimewoodworker]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:59 AM, ubonjoe said:

We are waiting for an official translation by a translation service to be finished which should be ready tomorrow.

What has been posted is just a basic translation for info only.

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That will be helpful, though may not be definitive as noted in my later post

[Spidey]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:52 AM, NCC1701A said:

OK so those affected by this change need to investigate a monthly transfer service like Transferwise.

 

And or setting up repeating monthly transfers from their bank outside of Thailand where ever it may be.  

 

The exchange rate is something you will have to monitor month to month.

 

 

 

 

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OP clearly states "pension". On the face of it only a pension being paid directly into your Thai bank account would cut it.

 

I cannot have my company pension paid into a Thai bank account so that rules me out and many others.

[mrmillersr]

It would be logical they want to verify the income is from a bona fide pension that will continue in the future and not from a source that could end any time after an initial 12 month period.  Of course, the operational word here is "logical" which seldom applies in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:00 AM, sometimewoodworker said:

Certified by?

I ask as immigration may not translate in the same way as an independent translator, however skilled they are. 

It is only a translation from immigration (if they provide one) that will be correct.

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It will be done by a translation service.

I have not seen anything issued by immigration in English for many years. The police orders are only issued in Thai. At one time immigration even posted a English version done by law firm.

[jackdd]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:59 AM, ubonjoe said:

We are waiting for an official translation by a translation service to be finished which should be ready tomorrow.

What has been posted is just a basic translation for info only.

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Can you provide a link to the original Thai document?

[sumrit]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:50 AM, Groodman said:

The 40000/65000 Baht has to be from a pension so rental income or over income from the UK cannot be counted. I hope I am wrong in my understanding.

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To show other types of income:

 

for marriage extensions:

3.       Evidence of income from a foreign embassy or consulate.

 

For retirement extensions:

2.       Evidence of income from a foreign embassy or consulate.

 

The problem is back to getting the Embassy to supply an income letter ☹️

 

[sfokevin]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:56 AM, thequietman said:

Just open an off shore account and then transfer the money in each month. Withdraw the money and deposit it back into the off shore account. Rinse and repeat.

 

It will incur banking charges but is very doable. I think everyone was worrying about nothing. I hope this alleviates many concerns of expats in Thailand.

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Yes knowing that there are people out there planning to scam the new system and make Immigration most likely crack down even more  on us law abiding expatriates alleviates many of our concerns... 

[colinneil]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:03 AM, sfokevin said:

Given Thai Immigration want to see it transferred every month you may have a problem?... 

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Why would i have a problem?

I have 800.000 baht in the bank for my annual extension.

I have never used the income method for my annual extension.

[Enoon]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:04 AM, janclaes47 said:

Where do you see the mention of average in the OP?

 

What I see is repeatedly " every month"

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Sorry, was considering my own requirements, which in a few years would be retirement extension:

 

"For retirement extensions of no more than 1 year evidence of average monthly income of B65,000 is required."

[sometimewoodworker]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:06 AM, ubonjoe said:

It will be done by a translation service.

I have not seen anything issued by immigration in English for many years. The police orders are only issued in Thai. At one time immigration even posted a English version done by law firm.

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The local office in Udon Thani does give out leaflets in both English and Thai, so I guess that maybe a local rather than national service.

[ubonjoe]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:08 AM, jackdd said:

Can you provide a link to the original Thai document?

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It will be posted with the translation of it.

[smedly]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:59 AM, colinneil said:

I get my UK pension paid directly into my Krung Thai account every 13 weeks, have done now for nearly 5 years, never had any problems.

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expand a little on that it is rather vague

 

are you saying all you have done the past 5 years is produce a Thai bank statement showing monthly foreign deposits which you spend from month to month, no embassy letters - no bank balance etc etc

[onera1961]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:22 AM, Eligius said:

Perhaps it is not as bad as I fear. What do other members think?

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It is even better. No need for seasoning and less than money required for seasoning. Though I am on an O-A visa right now. I still bring 15,000 every week. I should bump it up to 5K every month + 15K every week. Was planning to use an agent in 2020, But it looks like I don't need an agent anymore. Even if I use an agent to avoid hassle with immigration, I can bargain with them for a good price like 5/7K as I don't need to borrow money from them

[MJCM]

If the option to keep 800k or 400k in a Bank account is removed from the "option list" then I think Thai Banks wouldn't be that happy. There would be then no point for foreigners to have that amount of money sitting in a Bank account which gets low interest rates.

 

If it's not an option anymore then I for certain would then remove that money from my account.

 

Let's wait and see.

 

Ps: What disturbs me the most is that these rules are open for IO's own interpretation YET again.

[tingtongtourist]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:46 AM, Darrren said:

It,s highly possible that they will accept evidence of a 65,000k Baht arriving in a Thai bank account, so a bank account in your home country and one here may suffice with allowances for the 12 month time frame - they may accept less than 12 months due to it be a new rule. If that’s the case then start transferring now. As for the source of the funds.. if they just accept evidence of 65k fine, if they want to see an actual confirmation that your pension actually pays 65k + then a serious problem for those who receive less than that. There no mention of accepting any other supplementary income from other sources?

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i remembered a few members saying they simply did the swift transfer from their own account (from their own country) to a Thai account every month.

 

it sound like as long as funds reach the Thai accont, they do not worry to much about the source?

but then again that is just speculation

[NCC1701A]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:06 AM, Spidey said:

OP clearly states "pension". On the face of it only a pension being paid directly into your Thai bank account would cut it.

 

I cannot have my company pension paid into a Thai bank account so that rules me out and many others.

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many people don't have pensions so this will not be the case. I am sure the wording will change to something like "funds from outside Thailand"

[sometimewoodworker]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:08 AM, jackdd said:

Can you provide a link to the original Thai document?

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Previous thread, post 343 page 23

[smedly]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:12 AM, MJCM said:

If the option to keep 800k or 400k in a Bank account is removed from the "option list" then I think Thai Banks wouldn't be that happy. There would be then no point for foreigners to have that amount of money sitting in a Bank account which gets low interest rates.

 

If it's not an option anymore then I for certain would then remove that money from my account.

 

Let's wait and see.

 

Ps: What disturbs me the most is that these rules are open for IO's own interpretation YET again.

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for gods sake this is about income not balance - that is why it is not mentioned  - it hasn't changed

[Spidey]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:08 AM, sumrit said:

To show other types of income:

 

for marriage extensions:

3.       Evidence of income from a foreign embassy or consulate.

 

For retirement extensions:

2.       Evidence of income from a foreign embassy or consulate.

 

The problem is back to getting the Embassy to supply an income letter ☹️

 

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2.       Evidence of a pension. Letter of certification from a Thai bank supported by bank statements showing a pension being transferred to the pensioner’s bank account every month for at least 12 months.

 

I read this as pension transferred directly into Thai bank account. Very few of us will be able to transfer a pension above 65K baht into our Thai bank accounts, but the option is there.

[MJCM]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:15 AM, smedly said:

for gods sake this is about income not balance - that is why it is not mentioned  - it hasn't changed

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Yes I know it;s about income, but I haven't seen proof of it yet, and that's why I wrote "IF"

[janclaes47]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:15 AM, smedly said:

for gods sake this is about income not balance - that is why it is not mentioned  - it hasn't changed

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Thanks for clarifying this mister immigration officer

[luckyluke]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:08 AM, sumrit said:

To show other types of income:

 

for marriage extensions:

3.       Evidence of income from a foreign embassy or consulate.

 

For retirement extensions:

2.       Evidence of income from a foreign embassy or consulate.

 

The problem is back to getting the Embassy to supply an income letter ☹️

 

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Sad for some.

Comforting for others ( Those not being among the 4 embassies ).

[sumrit]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:04 AM, janclaes47 said:

Where do you see the mention of average in the OP?

 

What I see is repeatedly " every month"

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in the "MARRIAGE SECTION":

Evidence of annual income that equates to no less than B40,000 per month of alien father, mother or spouse such as.

 

in the "RETIREMENT SECTION":

For retirement extensions of no more than 1 year evidence of average monthly income of B65,000 is required.

 

First Anomaly:

For people using the money in the bank option, just put 480/780k baht in the bank and call it 'average monthly income.........no need to season it any more.

[overherebc]

The way I read it.

1. 400,000 or 800,000 is still there.

2. If working in Thailand and married show your salary slips

( from Thai company ) of 40,000 + baht a month.

3. Show payments into your bank every month of 40,000 or 65,000 every month.

( I you have already been retired here for a couple of years then your bank records will show that anyway )

4.  If you have been getting 25,000 a month but signing an embassy letter to say you get 40,000 or 65,000 a month then unfortunately you're going to find your own way around that, combi' method?

5.  Agent and take your chances for the future.

[connda]

  On 1/6/2019 at 2:13 AM, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Evidence of annual income that equates to no less than B40,000 per month of alien father, mother or spouse such as.

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  On 1/6/2019 at 2:13 AM, Jonathan Fairfield said:

For retirement extensions of no more than 1 year evidence of average monthly income of B65,000 is required.

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Based on the fact that there was no mention of it, are we to assume that 400K and 800K in a Thai bank for extensions based on marriage and retirement respectively are no longer a viable method of financial funding for yearly extensions?  Based on the article only 45K/mo and 65K/mo placed into a Thai bank for 12 consecutive months prior to the extension are the new rule of law? 
Clarifications? Was the funds in the bank option mistakenly omitted here?  If not, Thailand can plan to see an exodus of expats married to Thais or retired in Thailand.

[JLCrab]

  On 1/6/2019 at 3:12 AM, NCC1701A said:

many people don't have pensions so this will not be the case. I am sure the wording will change to something like "funds from outside Thailand"

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True but that doesn't mean that the words will be changed to "any funds from outside Thailand" as they may want to be reassured that actually IS some source of monthly funds.