Scamming At Immigration

[PAWNEESE]

I was informed that it has to be Bt. 65,000 every month NOT AVERAGE, " and certification has to come from my country ".

 

I dont think an IO would say that ref income method for someone from the 3/4 countries who now need to show its arrived in Thailand from abroad.

 

The OP needs to do a follow up post explaining more ..

 

But assuming its genuine there are going to be many many stories about shocks non Thai Visa readers get in next few months. The bickering can be entertaining or annoying in turn but a skim through occasionally sensible. 

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

7 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

The requirement has always been 65,000 baht per month.

ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION BUREAU
No. 327/2557

Section 2.22

Yes but it was never you had to transfer 65k over, up to the end of last year you could "Prove" to your Embassy you had an income of 65K per month and use the letter provided by them to prove it to immigration.

 

[Sheryl]

1 minute ago, PAWNEESE said:

I was informed that it has to be Bt. 65,000 every month NOT AVERAGE, " and certification has to come from my country ".

 

I dont think an IO would say that ref income method for someone from the 3/4 countries who now need to show its arrived in Thailand from abroad.

 

The OP needs to do a follow up post explaining more ..

 

But assuming its genuine there are going to be many many stories about shocks non Thai Visa readers get in next few months. The bickering can be entertaining or annoying in turn but a skim through occasionally sensible. 

 

 

Makes more sense that by "certification has to come from my country" what was said or meant was there had to be proof that the income came from abroad. As we all know.

[fforest1]

2 minutes ago, stud858 said:

Spoke to a friend today who just completed his extension through a seasoning agent. He was told in a couple of days he wouldn't be able to do the same and time will tell but the next time if possible at all it would cost a lot more.

Sorry agents cant raise prices because their if their customers were rich they would not need agents now would they? 

[stanleycoin]

55 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

that 800k agent service will stop nationwide as of today for the new rules kick in.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Maybe we will see a more improved streamlined service under the desk,

now the agents have been cut out of the loot. 

[roo860]

Er, Why?

I've lived here since 03, did'nt join this forum until 2011.

And that was purely to use the classifieds.

Now several years later i've been sucked into posting over 4000 times.

There is more to life than just TV.

And it's certainly not a badge of honour for a Thai expat to contribute or be a member of this forum.

I arrived in 1998, never joined till 2014.

 

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[Tanoshi]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Yes but it was never you had to transfer 65k over, up to the end of last year you could "Prove" to your Embassy you had an income of 65K per month and use the letter provided by them to prove it to immigration.

 

That still doesn't change the fact it has always been 65K per month.

Again the assumption by Immigration is that you were transferring those funds as living expenses.

 

In the future I'm of the opinion that Immigration could ask for supporting evidence of income transfers when producing Embassy income letters, or could cease accepting them altogether.

[Just Weird]

39 minutes ago, connda said:

Been here since 2008 and just made his first post in Thai Visa?  Not saying impossible, but.....   :dry

Not every expat uses Thaivisa, many do not even know of it's existence, and most people who are aware of the forum have much better things to do with their lives than post here.

[Just Weird]

33 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Most of my expat mates don't know of TV, or anything else for that matter - clueless.

Being unaware of Thaivisa does not make them clueless!

[Mike Teavee]

9 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

That still doesn't change the fact it has always been 65K per month.

Again the assumption by Immigration is that you were transferring those funds as living expenses.

 

In the future I'm of the opinion that Immigration could ask for supporting evidence of income transfers when producing Embassy income letters, or could cease accepting them altogether.

I get that, but the OP sounds like he's not exactly skint so people in his situation often bring large chunks over when the exchange rate is better (He says he brought in 1.4Million over 6 months = an average of 233,000 per month) & live off that when exchange rates are bad...

 

I haven't transferred anything since December as the THB is so strong, but I use the 800,000 THB in an account route so am not too concerned, then again, they could turn round & say it needs to be 1.6Million THB and you have to have had it seasoned for the past 12 months!

 

 

My point is there was a report on here of a senior official saying there would be leeway for people doing their extensions this year as the 12 month transfer into Thailand rule has only recently come into force, somebody showing 1.4Million over the past 6 months to be should be shown that leeway.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2019 by Mike Teavee
spelling

[Tanoshi]

1 minute ago, Just Weird said:

Not every expat uses Thaivisa, many do not even know of it's existence, and most people who are aware of the forum have much better things to do with their lives than post here.

Many don't know that Thailand has an Immigration Act, or Immigration have rules regarding foreigners.

It's a 50/50, phone a friend, or ask the audience at the bar, when they have an issue.

[Vacuum]

19 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

That would have only left him 600K to spend in the 6 month period.

 

Yes, but what I understand from the OP, he's retired and should get some sort of pension from his government?

[Snow Leopard]

35 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Why didn't you just deposit 800,000 baht of that 1.4 mill into a fixed deposit for 3 months, that would satisfy immigration. I've been using that method for 9 years without any problems.

Correct. It's not like no one saw these issues coming. 

[Just Weird]

19 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

So the 4 embassies were just fine issuing the income letter for the past 20 years...And then with-in weeks they all decided hey we were pretty stupid for the last 20 years issuing a income letter we can not verify.....Never mind it says right on the letter they are only notarizing a statement...

 

There is a 99.9% chance that it was Thai immigration that was the force behind stopping the letters.....And thats a fact.....

"There is a 99.9% chance that it was Thai immigration that was the force behind stopping the letters.....And thats a fact.....".

No, it's not, a "chance", regardless of your guessed percentage, definitely is not a "fact". 

 

If what you claimed was true then every Embassy would have had to stop issuing the letters and Immigration would no longer accept them.  As it is Immigration have stated that if your Embassy still issues the letters you have to use them.

[SheungWan]

1 hour ago, roobaa01 said:

that 800k agent service will stop nationwide as of today for the new rules kick in.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Prediction only.

Edited March 1, 2019 by SheungWan

[Myran]

What's the scam? You pay the price and you'll end up with a visa, so who is getting scammed? Yes, it's very much illegal and the involved people are corrupt, but that doesn't mean you're getting scammed. If they took your money and you didn't get a visa, that would be a scam.

[Tanoshi]

11 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Being unaware of Thaivisa does not make them clueless!

No, but where else have you got access to the laws, regulations, Police orders and more at the click of a mouse that affect you as a foreigner in Thailand.

 

[Joe Mcseismic]

First post by the OP and he hasn't made another one.

Maybe they're winding you up?

[AGITATORKEN]

Yes. The rule states that it has to be 65k every month and not an average.
Bizzare I know but that is the rule.
Not sure how someone outside an Embassy would be trying to force you down the illegal route.

They are in it together.

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[AGITATORKEN]

Jontiem immigration today

And exactly where/which office did this happen ?

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[AGITATORKEN]

The immigration office in Jomtiem

???
Gee sounds terrible.
A Thai was waiting outside the embassy?
What embassy was that?

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[AGITATORKEN]

Immigration office in jomtiem

very interesting information but missing the most important, where was it? it would help many of us knowing the IMO

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[AGITATORKEN]

It is simply a Thai scam. I will leave before I let 800000 rot in a Thai bank at .5%.

I think if the OP seasons his account at more than 800,000 baht for 3 months is it?... (and now 2 months afterwards)....  he will then meet the requirements... 
 
So.. OP - for how many months have you had more than 800,000 baht in your account?...   It may be possible to fly out and do a visa run or apply for a tourist Vientiane etc while you bide your time seasoning 800,000 baht in your account. 
 
Unless of course I'm missing something. 
 
 
EDIT: And by the way, Embassies stopping the affirmation on Income has nothing to do with the Thai's - its to do with the Embassies themselves being unable to accurately affirm the claims made on income without a great deal of effort, thus opening them up to incorrect statements. Too many people were making false claims which could not be accurately verified opening the Embassy up to criticism of flawed affirmations. 

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[Mattd]

20 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

That still doesn't change the fact it has always been 65K per month.

Again the assumption by Immigration is that you were transferring those funds as living expenses.

 

In the future I'm of the opinion that Immigration could ask for supporting evidence of income transfers when producing Embassy income letters, or could cease accepting them altogether.

This is exactly right, in the past people were getting the letter for the monthly income from their Embassy but not necessarily transferring it to Thailand, some because they didn't need that much to live on, some because the net amount wasn't 65k a month and some because they falsely declared that income.

The 4 Embassies that have so far stopped issuing the letters were, without doubt, told by TI that going forward we need you to verify the income, not just write a letter saying this person says he gets xxK per month income based on a statement, or on supplied documentation that can be forged / altered / manufactured from the applicant, we need you to do some checks, the Embassies then took the route of stopping issuing. as the work involved / resources needed were more than they can spare / afford / or perhaps even be bothered to do.

 

I personally think that those who can still get the letter from their Embassy might find it isn't going to be as simple as just that, the Embassies may require far more concrete evidence for them to make the verification and TI may well do further checks to prove that 65K is indeed being transferred here each and every month.

[AGITATORKEN]

Easier to to leave this dishonest <removed>

2 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

You missed he was using the income method, not funds in an account.

 

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[AGITATORKEN]

Jontiem immigration

Guarantee CW because of the mention of Embassies.

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[AGITATORKEN]

I will have a fire sale. I have health problems and the doctors here are more dishonest than the taxi drivers.

Selling your Condo and car, well I guess you will still be here
a while longer,unless you have a fire sale.
regards Worgeordie

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[AGITATORKEN]

I spend that much here every year. They don't want that I will leave.

Why didn't you just deposit 800,000 baht of that 1.4 mill into a fixed deposit for 3 months, that would satisfy immigration. I've been using that method for 9 years without any problems.

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[AGITATORKEN]

No laday because it is a scam between immigration officials and the scam artist outside.

I thought they were showing some leeway for this year as people wouldn't have known they had to transfer 65k per month until at least October last year (when the Embassies announced they weren't doing Income letters anymore) & in reality until December/January when the 65k per month rule was officially announced.
 
 

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[giddyup]

1 minute ago, AGITATORKEN said:

I spend that much here every year. They don't want that I will leave.

 

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Your choice.