"O" visa/ retirement - Income method - No embassy letter

[WonderfulWeather]

Hi ????

This question might have been asked before - But, has anybody been successful with the following:

Getting a "O" visa OR Retirement extention based on income OR combination method from an immigration office, using these documents:

- Statement from a bank (Confirming income)

- Letter from a bank (confirming the account)

 

And NOT using:

- Embassy verification letter

- Pension letter from home country

 

As i read the current rules (and new rules from March 1), it is possible.

But, it seems like in real life, you will still need the Embassy verification letter OR Pension letter from home country?

[ubonjoe]

If you can get proof of income from you embassy it will be accepted. If not transfers into a Thai bank account from overseas will also be accepted.

[WonderfulWeather]

@ubonjoe Thanks for the answer, always appreciate your insight ????

 

But, has anybody actually succeeded in doing it - Without a Embassy verification letter OR Pension letter from home country?

I think there is no verification of that.

 

n.b. I am from one of the four countries that cannot get an embassy letter, and have income from overseas (+65K monthly (not pension).

[ubonjoe]

They have never accepted a letter from a pension provider to prove income.

There has been at least one report of person using proof of the income being transferred into a bank.

I sure others have already done it as well.

But I think most people that cannot get proof from the embassy now are using one they got before they stopped issuing them.

 

[WonderfulWeather]

I think the closest one i have seen here was from Chiang Mai:

- A person using both proof of income being transferred into a bank AND letter from a pension provider.

[SEtonal]

So far this year, no one has report getting a non-O visa or retirement extension using the criteria you described.  If they didn't have an embassy letter, they had a pension letter from their home country.

 

The poster from Chiang Mai was most unhelpful not only did he have a statement/letter from two different pensions, he had proof of 12 65000 baht monthly deposits.  So it is unclear how or even if a newcomer to Thailand can start the retirement visa/extension process using the 65000/month income method.

 

One poster was told by Jomtien immigration that the combination method was not allowed.

 

a3tsw also used a pension statement, but it may be useful to someone to read how he got a non-O immigrant visa and extension based on retirement (total of 15 months) in Savannakhet using the combination method after Phuket Immigration gave him the run-around then refused him.

 

[crees]

I did read about the new requirements and did try to show a years worth of deposits and a letter from Bangkok Bank. That was 21 Dec. 2018. Immigration said no good, I must have an Embassy Verification Letter. I did get an Embassy Verification Letter and filed before 01, 2019.   

[WonderfulWeather]

@SEtonal Thank you ????.

I have come to the same conclusion - That it is still not possible having only documentation from a bank.

Maybe it will not be possible before july 1, when the last income letters from the American, Australian, British and Danish embassies are obsolete.

or ever?

 

I can add that Chiang Mai Immigration (when asked) still needs:

Proof of income being transferred into a bank +  Embassy verification letter OR other unspecified proof of income ( Pension letter from home country?)

 

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, WonderfulWeather said:

I have come to the same conclusion - That it is still not possible having only documentation from a bank.

Maybe it will not be possible before july 1, when the last income letters from the American, Australian, British and Danish embassies are obsolete.

I guess there may be a few ill informed immigration officer that do not know about the amendment to police order 138/2557 that went into immediate effect on December 21st when it was issued.

That amendment states proof of transfers into a Thai bank account from overseas will be accepted for proof of income.

[WonderfulWeather]

@ubonjoe Yes, correct - According to the law (or police order) it seems possible with only proof of transfers into a Thai bank account from overseas.

But, did any (or do any) immigration actually accept an application using only the above? and no embassy letter or pension letter? anywhere in the country?

[haguel]

I have an extension for stay based on child support .as proof of income

A letter from embassy is enough ? without transfer to a Thai bank( I use my cards from abroad to take money)

thanks

[ubonjoe]

20 hours ago, WonderfulWeather said:

@ubonjoe Yes, correct - According to the law (or police order) it seems possible with only proof of transfers into a Thai bank account from overseas.

But, did any (or do any) immigration actually accept an application using only the above? and no embassy letter or pension letter? anywhere in the country?

Yes they have been done already.

[WonderfulWeather]

@ubonjoe Can you tell where this happened? I mean at which Immigration offices?

Edited February 4, 2019 by WonderfulWeather

[ubonjoe]

I can recall one that was done at Chiang Mai immigration.

[onera1961]

On 2/3/2019 at 2:11 AM, WonderfulWeather said:

Pension letter from home country?

Why do you think they will accept a letter from home country which can be easily faked. 

[WonderfulWeather]

@onera1961 There has been some examples where they have accepted a pension letter AND proof of transfers into a Thai bank account from overseas.

[Toosetinmyways]

Am i correct im assuming that it is only the original gang of four that stopped issuing affidavids and all others still issue. My good German friend just renewed his ext by pension method as he has always done

[DogNo1]

I thought I was OK when I transferred 65,000 into Bangkok Bank in January and promptly spent 50,000 for my hotel bill. Now it looks as though I can't meet the income requirements since, although my extension expires on May 13, I plan to apply at the end of March.  My understanding of the new requirements is that 65,000 must be transferred to and remain in the bank for two months prior to the application (or is it the extension date) and three months afterwards.  I plan to return to Japan around April 18.  Perhaps if I apply in early April, I will satisfy the two-months prior requirement.  This shifting of the requirements makes me nervous.  I now wonder whether the date that the money is transferred will be important; so if I were to transfer money in on the 15th of February and March, but apply on April 10th, will the period of having money in the bank be considered to be less than two months?  Even if I were to transfer 800,000 in immediately I couldn't meet the three months prior requirement unless I were stay in Bangkok and apply after May 1st.  Any advice from Ubonjoe?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

My understanding of the new requirements is that 65,000 must be transferred to and remain in the bank for two months prior to the application (or is it the extension date) and three months afterwards.

That rule doesn't apply for proving you income by transferring 65k baht into your Thai bank from overseas. It is only for the 800k baht in the bank option.

You can spend all your money when it comes into the country for income option if you want to.

 

[WonderfulWeather]

@Toosetinmyways It look like its only the American, Australian, British and Danish embassies that have stopped issuing affidavits.

[wgdanson]

On 2/3/2019 at 3:24 PM, WonderfulWeather said:

I think the closest one i have seen here was from Chiang Mai:

- A person using both proof of income being transferred into a bank AND letter from a pension provider.

That income DOES NOT have to be a pension. So simply 65k per month from abroad, proved,  should be OK.

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That rule doesn't apply for proving you income by transferring 65k baht into your Thai bank from overseas. It is only for the 800k baht in the bank option.

You can spend all your money when it comes into the country for income option if you want to.

 

And I always do! 

[wgdanson]

14 minutes ago, WonderfulWeather said:

@Toosetinmyways It look like its only the American, Australian, British and Danish embassies that have stopped issuing affidavits.

It looks like you are correct.

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, Toosetinmyways said:

Am i correct im assuming that it is only the original gang of four that stopped issuing affidavids and all others still issue. My good German friend just renewed his ext by pension method as he has always done

I think only the Welsh Embassy will issue affiDAVIDS.    LOL

You are assuming incorrectly as the British Embassy NEVER issued affidavits.

 

Do you mean by Income Verification Letter from his Embassy?

[WonderfulWeather]

@wgdanson Your first post " That income DOES NOT have to be a pension. So simply 65k per month from abroad, proved,  should be OK."

I completely agree - But, what happens in real life when you bring documents from the bank to the local Immigration office - trying to get a Non immigrant "o" visa or a retirement extention? That is the issue.

 

[wgdanson]

4 minutes ago, WonderfulWeather said:

@wgdanson Your first post " That income DOES NOT have to be a pension. So simply 65k per month from abroad, proved,  should be OK."

I completely agree - But, what happens in real life when you bring documents from the bank to the local Immigration office - trying to get a Non immigrant "o" visa or a retirement extention? That is the issue.

 

My next 90 day is in March, by which time I shall have done 3 x 65k into my Bkk Bank as FTTs. I shall take the papers and confirm that they will accept them plus nine more for my extension in December. If not....800k in the bank in September.

[WonderfulWeather]

I went to Chiang Mai Immigration again today 04-02-2019 at 3 o'clock, and spoke to one of the officers there.

You will not get a a Non immigrant "o" visa or a retirement extention using the income method -  having only documents/ statements from a bank, he said.

You will need a letter from the embassy (if you can get one) or some kind of other proof.

 

The officer asked if i was American and having a pension. Apparently a pension letter from the home country is accepted.

[Rossco52]

If you can get proof of income from you embassy it will be accepted. If not transfers into a Thai bank account from overseas will also be accepted.

So am I correct in assuming That if you go down the route of depositing the 65k every month into Thailand account from offshore acc and using it to live. I do not require the 800k in my acc at time of renewing extension ... and will only need to show the bank statement with the 12 deposits each extension


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[DogNo1]

Thanks for the information, Joe!  I had misunderstood an earlier post as applying to both methods.  What a relief!  Unfortunately, people using the 800,000 method will now have 400,400 locked up in a Thai Bank permanently.  The new rule will, at the least, complicate things for those who use agents.

[WonderfulWeather]

@Rossco52 Yes - the police order says so ????

But, you will have to check with your local immigration office, to see if they will actually do it!