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

[ubonjoe]

43 minutes ago, ChokDee4213 said:

Can anyone direct me to confirmation or evidence of this, or is this just preferred interpretation at this point?

It is certainly not a preferred interpretation of it. It is a translation of the most relevant parts of the order so we could know what it was about and allow us to get the info out while waiting for the translation done by a reputable translation service. The posted translation was done by a moderator that reads, writes and speaks Thai. 

The original will be posted when the full translation of it is done.

[Skallywag]

Wow - 40 pages and 600 comments - am thinking I must be foolish to have 800K baht in a thai bank so I dont have to deal with all the monthly headaches.  Someday it may change for me though - I expect.  

 

[nasa123]

And maybe soon all have to show proof of health insurance for the whole period when they make the extension.

[Henryford]

The real problem is the exchange rate. You might easily have 65k a month to transfer here if the Pound is 50 or 45. But if it drops to 40/35/30 then most people could not manage that.

[ginjag]

10 minutes ago, elviajero said:

If they only have a pension of 30K pm they didn’t qualify for the extension using the embassy letter either!

Wrong  560,000k in a Thai bank to verify, plus the pension of 30k verified.  I did not need agents as the pension and the 560,000 was what was then required.

[lucky2008]

8 hours ago, 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"

When I did my first extension based on marriage, I was advised my a senior IO that funds coming from overseas into my Thai bank account needed to be from a pension. I told him the money comes from rental properties. He said I shouldn't be telling him this because that type of income is not allowed on a marriage extension. I even had a letter from my embassy stating I receive X amount every month. I guess he felt sorry for me because he processed the extension nonetheless.

 

I really do hope that the wording will be as basic "funds from outside Thailand," but I have my doubts. 

[phutoie2]

10 minutes ago, elviajero said:

If they only have a pension of 30K pm they didn’t qualify for the extension using the embassy letter either!

You did if you used the combo method. This is good news and at last some clarification. As I see it no need to give the Brit embassy 52 quid every year. Use your British pension which has been paid into my Bangkok Bank every month for yonks now and top it up with the savings account. This should easily meet the monthly income for retirement extensions. Of course I like many others await if this new combo method will be allowed. 

 

[geoffbezoz]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

It is certainly not a preferred interpretation of it. It is a translation of the most relevant parts of the order so we could know what it was about and allow us to get the info out while waiting for the translation done by a reputable translation service. The posted translation was done by a moderator that reads, writes and speaks Thai. 

The original will be posted when the full translation of it is done.

Not to digress, but for absolute clarity, will this full translation be the official translation as handed out by the Thai Immigration offices ?

[elviajero]

46 minutes ago, steve73 said:

As I stated in my original post (but which you carefully omitted when you quoted me), many people don't get their pensions paid monthly.. some are only paid quarterly, or annually...

It wasn’t relevant to the point I was making.

 

I suspect very few expats get pensions paid that way, and they’ll have to juggle things to meet the requirements if they do.

 

46 minutes ago, steve73 said:

Also, some people travel either back home or to other countries for a few months of the year - why then should they have to transfer money to T/L every month if they're not actually here..

The extension gives permission to stay for a year. If the person chooses not to stay one year they can leave, let the extension end, and start again when they return. 

[seeyoujimmy]

17 minutes ago, BertM said:

Will never happen. You can put that rumor or worry to bed. They do not have the authority to tax a non-Thai citizen's income from that non-Thai citizen's home country. (In my case the US). Sleep well and not worry...

As far as i know they can tax your income if you are here for a certain number of days, they as far as i know never done it.

[Trollmann]

I understands it like even if i have the income confirmation letter from my embassy i still need to transfer 65 000 baht into my thai bank account every month.  The exchange rate now is TERRIBLE. Well, i have applied for residence permit in sweden for my Thai girlfriend, and we will be moving there soon. She will get permit to work from day one and she dont have to report her address every 3 month or get punished. She can buy her own house and land if she want to. She will get free medical treatment. She will earn at least 600 000 baht year that she can transfer to thailand if she want to. I wake up afraid every day here because i think i might be late for my 90 days report. Time to leave Thailand. Waiting maybe 2-3 year to the exchange rate is getting back to 2014 level then i can consider going back to thailand. Or maybe Spain is more convenient as long as the economical benefits of living in thaiand is shrinking more and more for every day. My girlfriend are going from an average person to be the richest person in her hometown when she moving to Sweden. What did i get in Thailand? Nothing. Except the privilige to stay if i pay and never forget the reporting of where i am staying. Even a trip to bangkok and back to my rented house i have to bother the landlord to report to immigration again and again avery time i spent more than one singe day out of my home. I just give and give and never getting anything back. Frustation are killing the happines i looked for in Thailand. Thailand have a lot to learn from Sweden.

[lucky2008]

5 minutes ago, nasa123 said:

And maybe soon all have to show proof of health insurance for the whole period when they make the extension.

That actually sounds like a good idea! A bit foolish to be here without some type of health coverage. 

[totally thaied up]

So the 800/400K has not been touched?

 

I have the cash in the bank - I really do not want to transfer 40K a month on over here when I have 400K in the bank and I only live on 25K? 

[geoffbezoz]

1 minute ago, Trollmann said:

I understands it like even if i have the income confirmation letter from my embassy i still need to transfer 65 000 baht into my thai bank account every month.  The exchange rate now is TERRIBLE. Well, i have applied for residence permit in sweden for my Thai girlfriend, and we will be moving there soon. She will get permit to work from day one and she dont have to report her address every 3 month or get punished. She can buy her own house and land if she want to. She will get free medical treatment. She will earn at least 600 000 baht year that she can transfer to thailand if she want to. I wake up afraid every day here because i think i might be late for my 90 days report. Time to leave Thailand. Waiting maybe 2-3 year to the exchange rate is getting back to 2014 level then i can consider going back to thailand. Or maybe Spain is more convenient as long as the economical benefits of living in thaiand is shrinking more and more for every day. My girlfriend are going from an average person to be the richest person in her hometown when she moving to Sweden. What did i get in Thailand? Nothing. Except the privilige to stay if i pay and never forget the reporting of where i am staying. Even a trip to bangkok and back to my rented house i have to bother the landlord to report to immigration again and again avery time i spent more than one singe day out of my home. I just give and give and never getting anything back. Frustation are killing the happines i looked for in Thailand. Thailand have a lot to learn from Sweden.

Just be happy in Sweden and never make comparisons in order to justify not living here.

 

[BertM]

22 minutes ago, seeyoujimmy said:

As far as i know they can tax your income if you are here for a certain number of days, they as far as i know never done it.

No they can not... they have tax treaties to abide by... and, they have no idea what my US based income is because I use the 800k method for 3 mths only then take my money back out of Thai bank. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by BertM

[Trollmann]

I actually have a friend that comes to thailand 2-3 weeks to visit his girlfriend, but he has retirement O-A visa. He have free travel insurance when he pays with visa card. I told him about he new requirement of health insurance. Now he dont want to come to thailand anymore or at least not on a retirement visa. He is already covered in his home country and travel insurance and he dont need to pay health insurance in thaiand.

[Pattaya46]

2 minutes ago, BertM said:

No they can not... they have tax treaties to abide by...

Not with all countries.

Edit: but maybe yes with the only 4 countries currently concerned.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Pattaya46

[onera1961]

7 minutes ago, seeyoujimmy said:

As far as i know they can tax your income if you are here for a certain number of days, they as far as i know never done it.

OK, they tax it and enroll us in their SS and medical insurance scheme? I am OK with that. I can get back my taxed money from US government. As a US citizen I have to pay taxes no matter where I live. 

[zydeco]

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

Wrong wrong......Just from 4 countries...

Substitute Canada for Denmark and you've got the Anglosphere. Maybe TI mixed up Denmark with Canada somehow???

[JLCrab]

31 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

35 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

I see so it should not matter -- does that mean it doesn't?

No it doesn't.

Meanwhile on Planet Earth ....

[sometimewoodworker]

14 minutes ago, Trollmann said:

I understands it like even if i have the income confirmation letter from my embassy i still need to transfer 65 000 baht into my thai bank account every month.  

if you have the embassy letter no change. this is at the moment, only UK, US, Australia and Denmark. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by sometimewoodworker

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

Not to digress, but for absolute clarity, will this full translation be the official translation as handed out by the Thai Immigration offices

I have never seen a police order or a directive from immigration that was in English. I have only seen ones done by a translation service or a law firm.

Some office do hand out of their requirements.

[sometimewoodworker]

5 minutes ago, Trollmann said:

I actually have a friend that comes to thailand 2-3 weeks to visit his girlfriend, but he has retirement O-A visa. He have free travel insurance when he pays with visa card. I told him about he new requirement of health insurance. Now he dont want to come to thailand anymore or at least not on a retirement visa. He is already covered in his home country and travel insurance and he dont need to pay health insurance in thaiand.

You are spreading miss information. The health insurance is only a proposal that may never happen

[onera1961]

18 minutes ago, Henryford said:

But if it drops to 40/35/30

It is already 40, how are they managing now? Are they still calculating their incomes based on the exchange rate of 60s.?

 

[onera1961]

25 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The posted translation was done by a moderator that reads, writes and speaks Thai. 

Some people are requesting to post the original Thai version. Is it officially available? If so, may be you can post it in a new thread for people to interpret it according to their wish.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

Wrong wrong......Just from 4 countries...

Wrong wrong. They do want all to have sufficient funds. 4 Embassies balked at having to verify it.

[flexomike]

13 minutes ago, Trollmann said:

I actually have a friend that comes to thailand 2-3 weeks to visit his girlfriend, but he has retirement O-A visa. He have free travel insurance when he pays with visa card. I told him about he new requirement of health insurance. Now he dont want to come to thailand anymore or at least not on a retirement visa. He is already covered in his home country and travel insurance and he dont need to pay health insurance in thaiand.

what new requirement?

[zydeco]

20 minutes ago, Trollmann said:

What did i get in Thailand? Nothing. Except the privilige to stay if i pay and never forget the reporting of where i am staying. Even a trip to bangkok and back to my rented house i have to bother the landlord to report to immigration again and again avery time i spent more than one singe day out of my home. I just give and give and never getting anything back. Frustation are killing the happines i looked for in Thailand. Thailand have a lot to learn from Sweden.

Feel much the same. How do I get to Sweden?

[jesimps]

8 hours ago, LawrenceN said:

Could you please post the link to the Thai language site from which the translation is taken? I would like to show it to my bank.

 

I plan to use the monthly income method. Problem is, I went to my bank yesterday for a six-month statement and certificate. Statement was no problem. I was told they only knew about certificates for the 800,000 deposit method. I showed them the rules at

https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_22

but they simply did not have the knowledge (or the free rein?) to certify my monthly deposits.

 

The language in the OP is ambiguous on this point. First the cert is mentioned for the monthly income method, but later on, a measure of flexibility by Immigration is mentioned. I'm prepared to show 12 months of deposits of 65,000+, plus statements from my two pension sources, but my hands are tied where my bank can't certify those regular deposits.

 

This is a fairly specific question, and I have stated it precisely. If you're qualified to answer it, I humbly ask that you read my question carefully. Clarification on this point would be appreciated.

I honestly would've thought that a bank would certify whatever you asked them to certify for their usual fee, providing it was factual. It would then be up to whoever you presented it, in this case immigration, to find it acceptable or not. Mind you, I'm thinking like a farang here.

 

[Pattaya46]

1 minute ago, onera1961 said:

Some people are requesting to post the original Thai version. Is it officially available? If so, may be you can post it in a new thread for people to interpret it according to their wish.

It's probably this, posted on another forum, but poor quality; not easy to read.