Maybe got lucky, but the income affidavit letter worked.

[SamSanuk]

Just did my renewal in CM IMM. Used the USA income affidavit letter and the officer was super nice. The affidavit letter was dated December 27th, 2018. I was exactly 45 days from my visa expiring on April 11th, 2019. This is my third year in the row using the letter. 

 

At first the very pleasant officer seemed to want the 800,000 baht route, but I didn’t get flustered, smiled, and repeated that I have my income from the ATM machines. I even brought my ATM slips from Bangkok Bank in a plastic bag.

 

Finally all he asked for was some proof of money in a US Bank, which I handled by showing him my account on my iPad and eventually making a copy of an American bank statement showing a healthy amount of money in my savings account. Much more than 800,000 baht. 

 

By the way, get out to IMM at 6am and was 2nd in line for retirement visas. And they opened up at 7am which surprised me. Pays to get up early. It was so quiet, which I think helps. It started getting busy and noisy around 9-10 am, but I was done by then.

 

So one more year, then I’ll have to think about the 800,000 baht route. But the income letter still is valid, at least based on my experience. And it pays to be patient in conversation and smile.

 

Good luck!

Edited February 26, 2019 by SamSanuk

[EricTh]

I wonder when is the deadline for the income affidavit not to be accepted anymore?

 

It seems that what is accepted is still quite fuzzy and at the discretion of the officer.

 

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by EricTh

[KhunBENQ]

18 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I wonder when is the deadline for the income affidavit not to be accepted anymore?

From what is written in the Thai visas forum, income affidavit are valid for 6 months from date of issue.

 

There is no news that this rule has changed independent from the fact that four countries have stopped issuing.

 

No change for citizens of other countries who still get an income certificate based on supporting documents.

 

Would better be answered in the Visas forum.

@ubonjoe would bring it to the point.

Edited February 26, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[EricTh]

38 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

From what is written in the Thai visas forum, income affidavit are valid for 6 months from date of issue.

 

 

So I guess the mass exodus will only start from 1 July 2019 for those who declared false affidavits and don't have the money.

 

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by EricTh

[KhunBENQ]

18 minutes ago, EricTh said:

So I guess the mass exodus will only start from 1 July 2019 for those who declared false affidavits and don't have the money.

Skyrocketing Thai Baht might speed up the exodus not only for the four countries affected

[madmen]

"Finally all he asked for was some proof of money in a US Bank"

why? That just makes zero sense 

[EricTh]

50 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Skyrocketing Thai Baht might speed up the exodus not only for the four countries affected

I thought that it is only 3 countries USA, Australia, UK. Which is the fourth?

[CharlieH]

Just now, EricTh said:

I thought that it is only 3 countries USA, Australia, UK. Which is the fourth?

Denmark

[EricTh]

Just now, CharlieH said:

Denmark

I've never met any Danish in Thailand so I doubt it is significant.

 

Outside the big four UK, Australia, America, Canada, I've only met French and Germans and of course Japanese.

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I've never met any Danish in Thailand so I doubt it is significant.

 

Outside the big four UK, Australia, America, Canada, I've only met French and Germans and of course Japanese.

Depends on area I suppose, my area is well represented with many scandinavian countries, but in 12 years I have never met a Japanese or Canadian living around here.

[SamSanuk]

2 hours ago, madmen said:

"Finally all he asked for was some proof of money in a US Bank"

why? That just makes zero sense 

The US bank is where I withdraw my monthly allowance via ATM.

I pay myself the monthly stipend that is listed on the income affidavit letter. I’m still too young for social security. Nor do I have a pension.

 

He wanted some proof that I had funds that would support the letter. 

[elektrified]

15 hours ago, EricTh said:

I wonder when is the deadline for the income affidavit not to be accepted anymore?

 

It seems that what is accepted is still quite fuzzy and at the discretion of the officer.

 

 

June 30, 2019.

[elektrified]

13 hours ago, EricTh said:

I've never met any Danish in Thailand so I doubt it is significant.

 

Outside the big four UK, Australia, America, Canada, I've only met French and Germans and of course Japanese.

LOL 555 hilarious. Ever been to a place called Phuket? LOL

 

Second line....even funnier.????

[lipflipper]

As it stands as of now on July 1st. Those proof of income letters will be null and void?? Lucky guys who were able to sneak in under the gun and qualify for the renewal by getting that letter from their embassy /consulate prior to January 1st. Of course there is always the chance that some idiot at Thai Immigration will be having a bad day and insist that your affidavit is useless.

Sent from my CMR-AL19 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Vacuum]

14 hours ago, EricTh said:

I've never met any Danish in Thailand

There's many Danish people in CM, but they don't hang around Mad Dog. Perhaps you should try another bar and you'll meet some.

[Chassa]

35 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

There's many Danish people in CM, but they don't hang around Mad Dog. Perhaps you should try another bar and you'll meet some.

In Nong Bua Lamphu too and we're not a tourist spot. Small bar in town I call the UN Bar!

[Chassa]

Didn't the Danish Embassy rescind that business? Danes can still do the affadavit.

[luckyluke]

3 minutes ago, Chassa said:

Danes can still do the affadavit.

For those with a state pension. 

[thaipo7]

EricTh is correct even though I have heard the letter is good for 7 months after the date of issue.  Just be happy for now.  I am good until Jan 2020.

[malibukid]

17 hours ago, EricTh said:

So I guess the mass exodus will only start from 1 July 2019 for those who declared false affidavits and don't have the money.

 

 

many leaving already who do have the money but have been advised against or don't feel like putting 800K in the bank.  Thailand does not deserve these people.  i know a lot of wealthy people who can live just about anywhere except maybe Monaco who are leaving on principle.  some like me have several homes.  many great places to retire where they will charge for a retirement visa but without demanding funds in the their bank 

Edited February 27, 2019 by malibukid

[henry15]

18 hours ago, EricTh said:

I've never met any Danish in Thailand so I doubt it is significant.

 

Outside the big four UK, Australia, America, Canada, I've only met French and Germans and of course Japanese.

Theire are about 2000 Belgian retirees in Thailand  and about 5000 Dutch

[Thomas J]

Affidavits are still considered valid for 6 months following their execution. 

[wwest5829]

21 hours ago, EricTh said:

I've never met any Danish in Thailand so I doubt it is significant.

 

Outside the big four UK, Australia, America, Canada, I've only met French and Germans and of course Japanese.

Come to Chiang Mai Expats breakfast on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month and expand your contacts. I know 2-3 Danes.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

On 2/26/2019 at 6:09 PM, SamSanuk said:

repeated that I have my income from the ATM machines. I even brought my ATM slips from Bangkok Bank in a plastic bag.

 

Did the Immigration staff you dealt with have any interest in, or even look at, the bag of Thai ATM withdrawal receipts you mentioned you brought along?

[AAArdvark]

7 hours ago, Vacuum said:

There's many Danish people in CM, but they don't hang around Mad Dog. Perhaps you should try another bar and you'll meet some.

The reason people don't see many Danish people is because they tend to speak better English than most Americans or Brits, so they go unnoticed.

[NancyL]

6 hours ago, malibukid said:

many leaving already who do have the money but have been advised against or don't feel like putting 800K in the bank.  Thailand does not deserve these people.  i know a lot of wealthy people who can live just about anywhere except maybe Monaco who are leaving on principle.  some like me have several homes.  many great places to retire where they will charge for a retirement visa but without demanding funds in the their bank 

I don't know, but the only time that Hubby and I had three "homes" I found it just too confusing.  We had a house in Lake Jackson, Tx, an apartment in Houston and a several-week rental at a hotel suit in Midland, Michigan while waiting for our new abode to be ready.

 

I just found it too confusing.  Where were my blue pumps?  Where was my good winter coat.  How about the cats?  Had we left them at the Houston apartment when we returned to Lake Jackson after the weekend?  

 

I guess it would have helped if we had "staff" in all these places.

 

It didn't help that one of the cats was lost by the airlines during the move from Texas to Michigan (found within 24 hours).  I guess we're not meant for the jet-setting life.

[smotherb]

21 hours ago, SamSanuk said:

The US bank is where I withdraw my monthly allowance via ATM.

I pay myself the monthly stipend that is listed on the income affidavit letter. I’m still too young for social security. Nor do I have a pension.

 

He wanted some proof that I had funds that would support the letter. 

I had a similar problem three or four years ago. They wanted proof of the income letter, so I showed them my online bank statements showing more than the 65k baht deposited monthly. He didn't seem impressed, but since it was my 8th or 9th retirement extension, he granted me one more.    

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 

Did the Immigration staff you dealt with have any interest in, or even look at, the bag of Thai ATM withdrawal receipts you mentioned you brought along?

I can withdraw 10000 one day and deposit 10000 the same day. then withdraw again another day.

 

What does this prove?

Edited February 27, 2019 by EricTh

[DJ54]

On 2/26/2019 at 7:44 PM, EricTh said:

I wonder when is the deadline for the income affidavit not to be accepted anymore?

The last ones were issued Dec. 31 so 6 months from that date should be valid.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, EricTh said:

I can withdraw 10000 one day and deposit 10000 the same day. then withdraw again another day.

 

What does this prove?

 

The point is, posters here have often asked whether Immigration might accept foreign ATM account withdrawals here as a form of foreign deposit into a Thai bank account.

 

I think, most of us don't think that's going to fly. But the OP's mention is one of the few examples I'm aware of any time since the monthly deposits method arose that someone's talked about actually presenting those kind of documents to Immigration to prove funds...

 

That's why it was worth asking the OP, if Immigration even looked at his bag of ATM receipts and what if any reaction they had to it.  It would help answer a question many here have wondered about.