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

[luckyluke]

4 minutes ago, KhunProletariat said:

Ahhhh, good old Thai Immigration. You can always count on them to wish us foreigners a Happy New Year by complicating the procedure even more.

Well it will not suit everybody ( never do ), but it seems that T. I. is amending their directives in order that also people of the 4 embassies will be able to find a way other than the 400/800000 one and other than the Embasy letter.

So in the future 3 letters instead of 2 :

Letter from an Embassy/consulate ( for countries other than the 4 )

Letter from a Thai bank ( 400/800000 )

Letter from a Thai bank ( monthly transfers )

 

Rather positive in my opinion.

[Suradit69]

40 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

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

No it will only be the Thai version that is "correct" and then implemented by different offices/officers.

[overherebc]

22 minutes ago, connda said:

 

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.

As they haven't stated the 400,000 or 800,000 deposit no longer applies then obviously it still applies.

The new rules clearly apply to proof of monthly/yearly income.

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, JLCrab said:

It is limited info until someone actually gets an extension based upon the new regs.

 

And they have to issue regs that will accommodate the greatest number of extension seekers possible while avoiding a logistical nightmare at the IMM offices which is what some people with their "what about me?" circumstances unique to them might ensue.

Just because no one has actually obtained an extension using the new regs doesn't make it "limited info", the regs are there for all to see.

 

"And they have to issue regs that will accommodate the greatest number of extension seekers possible"

 

"have to" really? They don't "have to" do anything, and rarely do.

[Blue bruce]

Good news for most expats

[smedly]

3 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

I bet the immigration officers are all sat around laughing at us all while reading these comments.

I must admit if they change the 400k in the bank rule i would be well and truly forked.

I know who is laughing at who 

 

This is not really hard for someone with an education to work out

 

and here we are with another mega thread on TVF of utter confusion and more questions than answers by mostly intelligent people 

[Spidey]

3 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

Well it will not suit everybody ( never do ), but it seems that T. I. is amending their directives in order that also people of the 4 embassies will be able to find a way other than the 400/800000 one and other than the Embasy letter.

So in the future 3 letters instead of 2 :

Letter from an Embassy/consulate ( for countries other than the 4 )

Letter from a Thai bank ( 400/800000 )

Letter from a Thai bank ( monthly transfers )

 

Rather positive in my opinion.

You forgot to mention that the third option requires evidence of a pension being paid into a Thai bank.

 

Not so positive in my opinion.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

49 minutes ago, 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.

 

It's boggling to me that Thai Immigration often fails to provide their own official English translations of their own rules. I mean, apart from the Thai IOs enforcing them, it's the often English speaking or at least understanding foreigners who have to follow them. And that would be made a lot easier and clearer for a lot of folks if Immigration provided their own rules in English!

 

[smedly]

4 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Just because no one has actually obtained an extension using the new regs doesn't make it "limited info", the regs are there for all to see.

lets just see, it is too late if you think you have done everything by the book only to find your application rejected

 

It needs to be sensible - accurate and concise with no room for confusion, so far this is confusing with words like "average" "monthly deposit" "pension" to name a few

[JLCrab]

3 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Just because no one has actually obtained an extension using the new regs doesn't make it "limited info", the regs are there for all to see.

 

"And they have to issue regs that will accommodate the greatest number of extension seekers possible"

 

"have to" really? They don't "have to" do anything, and rarely do.

Well until somebody actually gets one I'll consider the regs as limited info. And they aren't going issue regs so that their IMM officers have to be forensic accounts to figure out what the H--- is being presented to them. 

[JackThompson]

51 minutes ago, Eligius said:

On the face of it, this looks EXTREMELY worrying for British retirees here. The irresponsible action of the British embassy in not confirming a retiree's income flow could be the death knell for many Brits here. Also, as far as I understand it, the British Government will not send pensions into a Thai bank account (only into a British one), and not every British bank will automatically forward a pension to a bank account in Thailand every month. Maybe I am wrong. 

 

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

Depending on how benefits are distributed - whether the are always deposited monthly, it may be better to do a transfer manually every month.  But, one slip-up / error in your monthly transfer regime - miss a transfer, or mis-calculate the exchange-rate - and it's "go to agent" or "get out." 

 

I would schedule them for the 5th of the month, and put 2 reminders in my phone, laptop, etc - one to do the xfer, and another to check and verify it worked and was of sufficient quantity.

 

17 minutes ago, mrmillersr said:

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.

That rule, if implemented, would knock out a huge chunk of expats who rely on more than, or other than, a "pension" to meet the income-requirement. Although a person with 12x mo-xfers could, in theory, receive nothing the following year and go-broke, this is unlikely.  And even if they did, there is no "dole" to take from the Thai people (which is why this whole routine is pointless, anyway). 

 

When the next year rolls around, if you weren't getting those xfers, you'd be out, unless obtaining your extension by other means (800K in the bank, 15K to the IO's agent-buddy, etc).

 

16 minutes ago, 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....

 

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

This shows changes to the income method - but does not address the elimination of the "money in the bank" method.   If being eliminated, this would have likely been mentioned. 

 

Of course they left in "interpretation" locally, which is how the agent-system is de-facto "legalized" - by the IO not needing to hold every application to the same standard - thus, skipping the "money in the bank" seasoning for all agent-applications, but no other applications.  This "flexibility" also allows unscrupulous IOs to add additional "unpublished rules" into the process, to drive more honest applicants to agents.  These include (per reports), extending seasoning lengths for family/marriage-based, tacking-on landlord info which is immaterial to the application / applicant, demanding a medical from this or that hospital, changing the picture-requirements every year and, of course, treating an applicant and/or his wife like a criminal.

 

6 minutes ago, zydeco said:

So is the combination method gone? Or is there a subsequent order coming to explain any changes there?

7 minutes ago, don long said:

Anyone know how the combination will work my income monthly is 55,000 so if I maintain 200k in a bank account will I need a letter from the bank or who can be contacted to get a definitive ruling on Requirements?

The combo-method was also to be preserved, according to what the US Embassy consul saw - another reason I don't predict the "money in the bank" method going away.

 

7 minutes ago, don long said:

Is Transferwise transfers considered intl. transfers based on how they transfer funds if anyone knows?

Lots of discussion on Transferwise also in the other thread.  I still consider it too risky, but they seem to show as international for some banks. 

 

Also mentioned, in the previous thread, was that immigration and the banks are working on a new letter-format.  Whether that letter would include some sort of "transfer trace" to identify Transferwise as a "foreign source" or not is unknown.  I would suggest not being a test-case - but as they say here, "Up to you."

[zydeco]

Just to think. A couple of months ago, I was enjoying my time, here. Reading, taking walks, visiting interesting places, sitting on the veranda in the afternoon with a cool drink and watching life pass by. And since October? Constant rumors, statements, declarations about income letters, monthly income, yearly income, banks, income versus pension, worrying about means of transferring cash in and out, unknown immigration punji traps just waiting for the next extension. 

[don long]

Where did you see "monthly"

Transferwise has lowest fees but not sure if the money transferred is considered an international transaction or domestic, I asked Transferwise this question.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[fulhamster]

10 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

I bet the immigration officers are all sat around laughing at us all while reading these comments.

I must admit if they change the 400k in the bank rule i would be well and truly forked.

You and many others

[Estrada]

1 hour ago, Eligius said:

On the face of it, this looks EXTREMELY worrying for British retirees here. The irresponsible action of the British embassy in not confirming a retiree's income flow could be the death knell for many Brits here. Also, as far as I understand it, the British Government will not send pensions into a Thai bank account (only into a British one), and not every British bank will automatically forward a pension to a bank account in Thailand every month. Maybe I am wrong. 

 

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

 

 

 

 

British Government will pay your State Pension into any Thai Bank international Branch in the UK, mine is paid into my Bangkok Bank account in London, which transfers automatically to my Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok.

 

[Pattaya46]

4 minutes ago, Spidey said:

You forgot to mention that the third option requires evidence of a pension being paid into a Thai bank. Not so positive in my opinion.

You just forget that this option has been added by TI to help those who have been "thrown under the bus" by their embassy... So seems a very positive change to me.

They could have just made nothing, and it would have been very worse !

[Spidey]

Just now, Estrada said:

British Government will pay you State Pension into any Thai Bank international Branch in the UK, mine is paid into my Bangkok Bank account in London, which transfers automatically to my Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok.

 

But comes nowhere near the 65k baht required.

[Joe Mcseismic]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Thye amendment only mentions changes to income option. No changes for the money in the bank or the combination option.

How has this thread morphed into a "no lump sum, must do monthly payments now" thread?

Ubonjoe quite clearly states this notice is for monthly income and combination ONLY.

[seajae]

I have been using this method now for some years, I get my thai bank to do up a statement and get the aussie embassy to certify my aussie annual tax certificate, this is what they are saying is acceptable although I will now deposit the 400.000 in a separate bank account this year so I dont have to travel to Bangkok and go through all the crap they have introduced at the new aussie embassy

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, Pattaya46 said:

You just forget that this option has been added by TI to help those who have been "thrown under the bus" by their embassy... So seems a very positive change to me.

They could have just made nothing, and it would have been very worse !

If the insistence on "pension paid into a Thai bank" stays, it will help very few.

[robertson468]

I am married to a Thai Lady and have a military pension, civil service pension and UK Government pension all being paid into my UK Bank Account.  What I would like to do is transfer 40,000 baht to my Thai Bank Account each month from my UK Bank and then produce my Pension Statements to prove that they are my bonafide source of income, which I am transfering from the UK to Thailand monthly.  The problem is if I arrange for any of my pensions to be sent directly to my Thai Bank Account, I loose the status of a Premium Account and benefits in my UK Bank if that level of income falls below a certain level.  Anyone any idea if it might be acceptable to do the monthly transfer from UK to Thailand?  Let's face it, it doesn't matter a toss where it comes from, as long as it is creditted to the Thai Bank and Thai Bank Statements prove this supported by my pension letters, or am I being over simplistic?

[sungod]

1 hour ago, 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.

But then there will be nothing to moan about.

[Nielsk]

"However, from 2020 applicants will need to make sure they are able to show a full 12 months worth of income coming to a Thai bank account." I wonder if I transfer 65,000 Baht to my Thai account every month from Denmark, then I do not have enough money left in my Danish bank to pay my bills and daily consumption .. My question is, Do you think it will be OK I take money from Thai account every month in Denmark. If they just want to see the proof that I can get 65000 B to deposit in my account, then they have it. What remains at the end of the month shouldn't worry about TI? Or will they accept that I put 65000 B in and pull out again a few days later?
Of course, I will lose money with this type of transaction, but it's the price I have to pay to have another year's extension. I hope I have expressed myself in an understandable way.

[bluesea]

It seems a Pointless Exercise and an absolute wast of time and Resources , the bottom line is the the 800,000 or 400,000 still has to be in Thailand.

How many Visa companies now are going to be out of pocket and unemployed thais are going to be the victims of this new Law.

[seajae]

7 minutes ago, don long said:

Transferwise has lowest fees but not sure if the money transferred is considered an international transaction or domestic, I asked Transferwise this question.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I transfer with transferwise and it shows up in my bangkok bank as an international transfer everytime it goes into the account

 

[mercman24]

what uk pensioner get 65,000 baht a year i have yet to meet one,  this has got to be the only country in the world (third world country at that) that demands one keeps over 18,000 english pounds doing nothing for 3 months in a thai bank ,( be more like 21,000,  pounds, as living expenses required for 3 months) when the uk pension is about 10,500 uk pounds ? and a uk pensioner can live in the UK on this, totally out of reality,rule made by ** idiots

 

[BobBKK]

1 hour ago, Eligius said:

On the face of it, this looks EXTREMELY worrying for British retirees here. The irresponsible action of the British embassy in not confirming a retiree's income flow could be the death knell for many Brits here. Also, as far as I understand it, the British Government will not send pensions into a Thai bank account (only into a British one), and not every British bank will automatically forward a pension to a bank account in Thailand every month. Maybe I am wrong. 

 

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

 

 

 

 

I get my NHS pension into Bangkok Bank.  Yes you are wrong.

[Estrada]

The problem seems to be that they are asking for evidence of a pension being paid monthly into your Thai bank account. The British Pension is paid only every 3 months. I also have an annual payment and a bi-annual payment, but no monthly payment. I hope I can still use the B800,000 in the bank method.

[JackThompson]

4 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

15 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

I bet the immigration officers are all sat around laughing at us all while reading these comments.

I must admit if they change the 400k in the bank rule i would be well and truly forked.

You and many others

For now, you have the Non-O ME Visa from many Thai consulates w/o financial qualifications, and more with the financials.  It is possible that a money-letter from your embassy, located in the country where the consulate is, would still be acceptable there.  The US Embassy only ended these letters in Thailand, but still offer them in other countries, where they seem to prefer us to 'be'. 

But if even the Non-O-ME method were to fully go down the tubes, I wonder how often they will let us visit our families here using "tourist" visas?

[garyk]

Just a money grab plain and simple. 

Nothing new.