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

[zydeco]

5 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The goalposts have been moved from a specified "monthly income" (gross income) to "income remitted to Thailand monthly."

Right about that. It's going to be big change for some people. It will push some on the edge to being pushed off the cliff.

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, LawrenceN said:

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.

Your bank could do a letter confirming your bank account and then attach a statement of your account or copies of your bank book stamped and signed by them. 

[KiChakayan]

13 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

Well if this translation turns out to be correct then it is very bad news for myself and presumably many others like me.  Previously, having received an extension based on marriage that was granted with the support of an Embassy letter confirming my pensions income. I have/had insufficient funds to deposit 400,000 into a Thai bank, hence the income route.

 

My combined pension at Septembers exchange rate just scrapped in at 492,630 THB per annum.  Now it is less than that and who knows what it will be come next September. If they now wish to only accept an inflow of 40,000 THB per month then no way will the 480,000 pa be attainable given the current rates of exchange predictions of the GBP v THB.

I sympathise fully, I find it quite remarquable that Thai authorities seem to believe that for a Thai family zero income is better than anything below 40000. They should still consider people earning less provided that these people dedicate all of that income to the maintenance of their families.

[mfd101]

35 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

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!

 

I guess that Thailand, like just about every other country in the world, expects that official statements in the official language of Thailand should be sufficient for all purposes. Funny that.

[kwak250]

10 minutes ago, Duaned said:

So 800k 90 days prior to your extention is no longer valid?

Hahaha dont wind them up even more .

[wgdanson]

26 minutes ago, Estrada said:

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.

My UK pension is paid WEEKLY.

[SooKee]

57 minutes ago, 8OA8 said:

The problem with the Transferwise route is that the funds don't come from outside Thailand and they advis that before the transaction is done. I noticed on my bank statement last week where the source of inbound funds received via Transferwise as stated as coming from "DUMMY BRANCH"  

 

What bank are you with? FWIW I notice Kasikorn Bank have just (in my case as of end Dec 2018) started using the label 'International Trade and Factoring Centre' together with a transaction code of TFN05027 (which denotes an international transaction) for deposits received from TW as opposed to their previous description of 'Dummy Branch' with a misc code that doesn't actually appear in their code list. Will likely assist those using TW > Kasikorn at the time of extension applications. Hopefully other banks that also use a vague / domestic type description for TW deposits will follow suit. BKK Bank, being TW's banking partner, not a problem as they always show the credit as international. 

Not sure what prompted Kasikorn to start using (and hopefully they will continue to use it!) the much more useful and helpful code to identify the source of the funds being international despite them receiving the funds from BKK Bank but sure glad they have. Maybe input from Thai Immigration or maybe they had complaints or an adverse audit report from using the term Dummy Branch in statements etc with some nebulous transaction code that was pretty much meaningless. 

[doctormann]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

My UK pension is paid WEEKLY.

And mine every 28 days.

I don't think you can have it paid by the calendar month though.

[colinneil]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

My UK pension is paid WEEKLY.

Gawd you must be an oooollllldddd bugger, when i first got mine that wasnt an option.

[wgdanson]

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

Gawd you must be an oooollllldddd bugger, when i first got mine that wasnt an option.

Only been getting it for 6 years.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

39 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

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."

 

As you noted, the other, prior thread had extended discussion and details re Transferwise.

 

One clear thing that came out of that was that TFW transfers into BKKB ARE clearly coded as international fund transfers, and are labeled as such. unlike how some/many other Thai banks are coding them.

 

Now, does that mean that BKK Bank is going to be willing to issue the newly developed monthly foreign deposits letter for Thai Immigration based on TFW transfers into their accounts. One would certainly hope so/think so.... but remains to be seen.

 

[overherebc]

Ref' all the posts/panics about 'does the 400,000/800,000 in the bank still remain?'

Look at it this way, if some, and there must be some, have 2 or 3 or 20 million baht parked in a Thai bank then when they apply for a new extension based on being married or retired can anyone seriously say that Imm' won't accept it and insist they prove 40/65,000 a month income.

Think about it.

[soalbundy]

I find this positive, at last the speculation can stop. I have already been transfering 85% my German pension via transferwise into my BKK bank account, the other 15% is to gradually pay off my overdraft, my small British pension already gets paid directly into my Thai account. The transferwise deposit shows a code FTT The British pension direct transfer shows BTN, whatever, I have the Transferwise documentation showing Euro to Baht so I don't expect any trouble there. I also have the option of using the German embassy letter but the bank deposit method saves me a trip to Bangkok

[mfd101]

2 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

My UK pension is paid WEEKLY.

So? My Australian federal superannuation is paid fortnightly. What's the problem?

 

From last month I now transfer 65K+ once every month via TW to BKKBk account. Otherwise continue my previous practice (because cheaper) of atm withdrawal with Citibank debit card.

 

Everyone's running around in circles like headless chooks. Stand back and look at the overall picture. Basically the same options are still there as before. And, in addition, is a new option for those like me lucky enough to have an honest bureaucracy running its embassies.

[balo]

19 minutes ago, Duaned said:

So 800k 90 days prior to your extention is no longer valid?

Yes it's still valid and you can even use an agent to sort it out. 

 

So retired people with access to 800k for many years already in a Thai bank account do not have to worry .  

 

 

 

 

[55Jay]

1 hour ago, 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 ☹️

 

If your embassy no longer provides income letters, then it's not a problem.

[JackThompson]

8 minutes ago, Boatfreak said:

...and suddenly all those complaining about illegal immigrants become illegal immigrants.

 

It's worse than that.  They complain about those who were following the law to the letter, based on:

• Some imaginary "spirit of the law" - which must have Thais rolling on the ground laughing, if they read that
• Mixed with misplaced-guilt about our own nations immigration practices - though those are actually necessary, since wages are higher there and we have welfare-programs, and massive taxpayer-expenditures by illegal foreigners
• Combined with a 3rd element that I can only compare to a form of Stockholm syndrome - pretending that many of "we farangs" (rather than a tiny few), spending foreign-sourced money into the Thai economy by the boat-load, are somehow the "bad guys" - buying hook-line-and-sinker into the anti-farang propaganda generated to facilitate "tightening restrictions" which are designed to expand agent-money schemes. 

Amazing Thailand, indeed.

 

15 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

And don't forget it is still a police state where the meaning of true democracy will take years to get into people's head.

Does "True Democracy" exist somewhere on Earth - or did it ever, at any point in time?  Thailand is less of a police-state than the USA, in most respects that affect average people, to spite our regular elections.  Foreigners can't buy up the land and businesses easily - or flood-in, take citizen tax-money via benefits, get citizenship en-masse, and make Thais homeless and incrementally-voiceless in their own country forever, either.  Even Russia's brutal occupation of the Eastern Bloc was less harmful, in terms of destruction of peoples and their civilization, than what the West is allowing under "democracy" right now.

[tonyevans]

Samr for me with Kasikorn Bank

[chingmai331]

I've got the 800K in the bank, but little income.  I hope i can continue to make it here.

[watso63]

6 minutes ago, Spidey said:

This guy has made several videos on the current pension situation. All of them complete BS.

 

Just makes it up as he goes along.

Just another e-begging, buy me a beer, fund my fun in the sun YouTuber. You can supplement his income via PayPal and Patreon ????????????????????

[Moonlover]

2 hours 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 am a British retiree who has lived here for five years and I am not in the least bit worried. In fact I haven't worried about this at all since the original announcement.

 

Pensions CAN be deposited directly into a Thai bank account. Those who prefer to use their UK bank to receive their pensions can easily transfer there incomes into a Thai bank using TransferWise or other similar institutions. I have used both methods without any problems.

 

Yes you are indeed wrong.

 

Far better to KNOW your facts before posting!

Edited January 6, 2019 by Moonlover

[wobalt]

Will possibly cause a lot of more overstayers this Joke can hunt


Gesendet von iPhone mit Thaivisa Connect

[khomlong1]

2 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Presumably the money deposited in a bank Thai account method (400,000 and 800,000) hasn't changed?   

Let's hope not . Maybe the thought of us expats withdrawing our 800000 baht deposits has put them off .

[watso63]

5 minutes ago, Spidey said:

And another BS artist.

Yes, fund his e-begging lifestyle in Thailand by donating to Patreon, PayPal. No work permit ????????????????????

[johnjohn2]

Just now, Moonlover said:

Far better to KNOW your facts before posing!

Where in the facts does it say you can use TW? Were looking for the fact of what pension means to TI.

[roath]

1 hour ago, dick dasterdly said:

For those using the income route for retirement 'visas', this sounds like good news?

 

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

 

So a miscalculation due to exchange rates can be compensated another month.

 

Presumably all Thai banks will set up a way to provide a letter and statements confirming the international transfers - although there's no way they'll be able to confirm it's pension income.

 

i.e. "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."

 

The main problem that I can see, is if they are saying the pension income must be paid directly into a Thai bank account?

Hopefully, they are using the term pension funds interchangeably with income.

 

I am not retired and won't get a private pension for another 3 years or state pension for another 14 years

 

Retirement extensions haven't previously required proof of being retired only proof of income once over 50

 

Legally this.doesn't.make.sense unless they.are.using.the.term.pension funds.as.meaning the funds supporting the.retirement.extension

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

35 minutes 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.

 

In the other thread prior to this one, there was mention that supposedly Thai Immigration has been in touch with the Thai banks, or at least BKK Bank for starters, and that some kind of standard monthly deposits verification letter format is in the works.  Assuming that's true, how long it will take for that to work its way into all the various Thai banking companies' systems is anyone's guess.

 

[Pat 42]

Can anyone tell me if it is ok to have the money paid into Citibank Bangkok branch as that is the bank I use here?

[mlmcleod]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

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 am sad to see that retirement funds need to be sent to a Thai bank to qualify!  My letter from Social Security should be enough!  It can be notarized if necessary.

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So Joe, pending the arrival of a more formal EN translation, are you working from the assumption that people here should not over obsess about the use of the term "pension," and that the actual meaning will end up being that the funds need to be deposited here from abroad as per the order, and that Immigration probably won't be dealing with what the particular source of the funds was, as long as one's Thai bank letters and bank book are in order?

The word pension is what it was translated to in all the police orders I have seen. That is why I posted the lines from police about it when I did my post.

I am sure immigration will not be asking for the source of the income if it coming from abroad since would really care about the source. Showing you already had the funds transferred in would be enough.

I already have my social security payments direct deposit to my account via Bangkok Bank in New York so not concerned about that part. My current bank book already shows over 18 months in it and will have over 2 years in it when I apply for my extension in August.