Thai immigration to show leniency to foreigners applying for retirement & marriage extensions

[MadMuhammad]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Sounds reasonable, and seems like what they mentioned early on for the transition period of 2019? One assumes that monthly foreign transfers, exceeding the minimus, beginning in January 2019 and continuing through to the date of application, be it June, July. August, September, October, November or December will suffice? (No clue what happens for those applying Feb-May though, will 2 ~ 5 months be sufficient?

 

Now how many IO's understand the legal term "mutatis mutandis" remains to be seen.

Standard ‘Mai bpen rai’ 

Edited January 22, 2019 by MadMuhammad

[mercman24]

if a person cannot show the 65,000 baht going into a bank account, this year how in gods name will they be able to show 65,000 next year. as some are on a fixed uk pension, of say 30,000  baht and are obviously retired. and have wives, children and property here, the mind boggles at some of their decisions, its the Embassies that have deserted these people

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

Nothing stated for being a member of a Thai Family. Apparently Big J is either hearing the IO's complaints or is reading TV. 

As you see in the preamble, family members are mentioned as well as retirement.  In the original it is clearer that the leniency applies equally to those applying for extensions based on living with a Thai family member and using a monthly pension payment as evidence.  The order actually specifies that the income for family extensions can come from other family members overseas, since, of course, there is no requirement to be over 50.  My take, as in the case of pension income, is that you can probably remit it to yourself from overseas but we will have to see exactly how it is implemented. 

[GroveHillWanderer]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

How do you say mutatis mutandis in Thai?

โดยอนุโลม

 

At least, according to Google Translate. Looking at my Thai-English dictionary that seems to more or less make sense with โดย meaning 'by' and อนุโลม meaning 'follow[ing] suit.'

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by GroveHillWanderer

[shady86]

41 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Yes, 400k in a Thai bank is still good, assuming you meet all the other requirements for a marriage extension...  Though note, at least for BKK, there have also been some reports lately that CW is requiring people to keep the 400K balance in their accounts also during the 30-day under review period, and then show an updated bank book again on the 2nd visit back to obtain the stamp for marriage extensions.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I've no issue to keep 400k and dont remember they asking to bring book bank or bank letter during the stamp.

[DrTuner]

Discretion is the magic word for brown envelopes.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

29 minutes ago, shady86 said:

Thanks for the clarification. I've no issue to keep 400k and dont remember they asking to bring book bank or bank letter during the stamp.

 

That supposedly is only at Chaengwattana Immigration in BKK, and was reported to be a recent change.

 

If you're dealing with some other office, it probably wouldn't impact you... But I didn't see you mention which office you were dealing with.

 

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

How do you say mutatis mutandis in Thai?

Same same but different.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

40 minutes ago, Arkady said:

The order actually specifies that the income for family extensions can come from other family members overseas,

Huh????  Where did that notion come from?  But I assume still having to be deposited into a Thai bank?

 

Don't recall seeing any mention of that idea (income from other family members) in any of the translations that have been posted here....

 

[jimmyyy]

Well next January i will have 11 months of statements, but i could not change it over fast enough.  Hope that works, if not, well i guess i will see then.

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, khwaibah said:

 

And for 20k your worries will disappear.????

a little bit more depending on the exchange rate but around 25K should be safe

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

It was only a few months ago that there many TFV who were saying that the monthly income method was dead. Some even went as far as calling their embassy staff 'liars' when they broached this topic.

 

Many caustic comments were thrown at me when I came out in support of the embassy's statements.

 

They are the ones who are now doing the back peddling!

 

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

No one's back pedalling. Whichever way you want to spin it, twelve months of transfers into a Thai account (from 2020) is a far more onerous system than that which preceded it, where retirees were able to obtain an income letter based on just three months of UK bank statements, and limit bringing in actual living expenses to what they needed for living here.

I fail to see the relevance between my comment and your response. But I will answer it none the less.

 

What you're implying is that those who erstwhile have been abusing the embassy letters as a way of circumventing TI's fiscal requirements in order to obtain a visa extension will henceforth have to comply with those requirements.

 

Well, what a shame!

 

 

[keithet]

56 minutes ago, jimmyyy said:

Well next January i will have 11 months of statements, but i could not change it over fast enough.  Hope that works, if not, well i guess i will see then.

February 2019 1st transfer on record January 2020 last transaction equals 12

[rott]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

imo  Obviously that's the result of people trying to scam the system . Most of hoops we have to leap through generated here and everywhere result from folks who think they're smarter than the rules/regs. As people get caught systems are tweaked. Essentially, people cause their own problems and unfortunately everyone has to pay for their idiocy. 

Nothing to do with scamming the system. The system is simple and cannot be scammed.

Please explain how you think differently.

[from the home of CC]

1 minute ago, rott said:

Nothing to do with scamming the system. The system is simple and cannot be scammed.

Please explain how you think differently.

obviously Bangkok imm wanting to see the the bank balance before and after suggests that funds were deposited only to be withdrawn once the paperwork went in. Of course if the deposit remained in the possession of the extension applier and just went to a different account, then the point is moot. It's like the embassy bs, a misrepresentation of available funds.

[shady86]

 
That supposedly is only at Chaengwattana Immigration in BKK, and was reported to be a recent change.
 
If you're dealing with some other office, it probably wouldn't impact you... But I didn't see you mention which office you were dealing with.
 

Ah I forget this is Thailand! Every one dictates their own law and regulations :)

I will be doing it at CW. I need to waste 2 days of my life every year for this. Hope to see improvements this year.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, shady86 said:

Ah I forget this is Thailand! Every one dictates their own law and regulations ????

I will be doing it at CW. I need to waste 2 days of my life every year for this. Hope to see improvements this year.
 

 

Post back if they at CW do or do not require you to show updated bank deposits again when you go back to pick up your final stamp....

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

imo  Obviously that's the result of people trying to scam the system . Most of hoops we have to leap through generated here and everywhere result from folks who think they're smarter than the rules/regs. As people get caught systems are tweaked. Essentially, people cause their own problems and unfortunately everyone has to pay for their idiocy. 

 

Except, Immigration rarely bothers to tell anyone when they change the rules or requirements or procedures in some details way... The only way anyone typically finds out is when they show up, and are told, "No," sorry, what you've been doing for the past 5 years isn't accepted any more and we have a different requirement now.

 

[from the home of CC]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Except, Immigration rarely bothers to tell anyone when they change the rules or requirements or procedures in some details way... The only way anyone typically finds out is when they show up, and are told, "No," sorry, what you've been doing for the past 5 years isn't accepted any more and we have a different requirement now.

 

Very true, comm to us has been brutal. And they have a perfectly good platform for communication right here. I was pleased what rolled out with the Joke, they didn't have to do that. 

[pookiki]

What would be most helpful in this situation is for a memo to be issued reiterating that the 'combination method' is still valid and can be relied upon. It would appear that most people are thinking that it's 65,000 baht/month or 800,000 baht in the bank three months before requesting an extension of stay. 

 

If I maintain a minimum of 240,000 baht in my bank account from 1 January until I extend my stay, I would very much like some reassurances that a TIO will accept a foreign transfer of 45,000 baht/month as meeting my requirements for an extension of stay.

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, mercman24 said:

if a person cannot show the 65,000 baht going into a bank account, this year how in gods name will they be able to show 65,000 next year. as some are on a fixed uk pension, of say 30,000  baht and are obviously retired. and have wives, children and property here, the mind boggles at some of their decisions, its the Embassies that have deserted these people

You still had to 'show' an average monthly income of 65k in order to get your Embassy letter, but did not have to bring it into Thailand.

If you are on a fixed UK Pension of 30k, you never did, and never will have enough to get your extension be it Marriage or Retirement.

[madmen]

That is clearly the case.  Immigration must have seen all manner of scams designed to circumvent their rules.

Good to know they are serious about this and will no longer accept fraudulent kick backs from agent's breaking the law... Oh hang on a minute!

[4MyEgo]

A hell of grumpy and ungrateful TVF members here, just stating the obvious of course ????

 

First when it was announced that these were going to be the new rules, it was panic stations for most, now that they are showing leniency they are attacked.

 

Some blokes just don't grow up, glad I'm not drinking with you lot.

[nasa123]

Hope all Thai wives + + get up the ass soon and go to all Immigration offices in Thailand and protesting. There are many many 1000 who lose their spouse and financial support soon belive me.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

40 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

First when it was announced that these were going to be the new rules, it was panic stations for most, now that they are showing leniency they are attacked.

 

 

Need a new pair of reading glasses???  I don't see anyone criticizing Immigration here for explaining the obvious need for flexibility, at least during the first year, since NO ONE would have had a chance to arrange 12 months of foreign bank transfers into Thailand at the point the new rules start to take effect.

 

There are other things they could be criticized for, though -- typically poor communication to their customers, a sudden change to require funds to be imported into Thailand that never had to be imported before, the current uncertainty of what's become of the combination method for retirement extensions, etc etc...

 

[Jane Dough]

5 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

How do you say mutatis mutandis in Thai?

โดยอนุโลม 

doi anulome - the necessary changes having been made.

 

Rooster

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, nasa123 said:

There are many many 1000 who lose their spouse and financial support soon belive me.

They will soon join millions of their sisters who were unfortuante to find frang husbands. 

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

a sudden change to require funds to be imported into Thailand that never had to be imported before

Only for people whose embassies did not take care of their own citizens. Others have no problems. 

[Sambotte]

6 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

How do you say mutatis mutandis in Thai?

Same-same but different.

More easy to know that "mutatis mutandis" (they totally bluffed me here).

Or Ceteris paribus.

In fine.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Only for people whose embassies did not take care of their own citizens.

 

Either that, or embassies that were forced/prodded out of issuing income letters by Thai Immigration's demands for verification.  In truth, we may really never know just who was the moving party on that subject.

 

But since Brits, Americans and Aussies are among the largest expat populations of westerners in Thailand, the absence of those income letters moving forward covers a very large segment of the expat population here.