My 10th retirement visa renewal

[ubonjoe]

A post in all caps has been removed (forum rule).

[Thailand Outcast]

11 minutes ago, SEtonal said:

Jomtien is asking to see a bank book at 90 day check-in from some applicants who received an extension on or after March 1, 2019.   That does not include you.  Your last extension was issued before March 1, 2019. 

 

This is why it will be interesting to see what happens late May / early June.  Especially for those who used an agent. 

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

This is why it will be interesting to see what happens late May / early June.  Especially for those who used an agent. 

Isn't the agent handling this requirement? Or has it even been required of anyone using an agent and money in the bank method? Not heard of this yet, perhaps agent users prefer to keep quiet. 

[JackThompson]

17 hours ago, yodsak said:

17 hours ago, Fred white said:

Just did my 90 day report and wasn't asked for my bank book or proof of how much I had in the bank.

Thats great, but the 90 day report has nothing to do with a 3 mth bank book check

The confusion over this is due to a few offices re-setting the 90-day reporting on the date of renewal, so that the bank-book report and 90-day report could be done on the same visit - assuming the foreigner doesn't make a trip out of the country during that time.  When asked what to do if out of the country at the 90-day mark, they were told to do the bank-book report as soon as they returned.

[CMNightRider]

15 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The confusion over this is due to a few offices re-setting the 90-day reporting on the date of renewal, so that the bank-book report and 90-day report could be done on the same visit - assuming the foreigner doesn't make a trip out of the country during that time.  When asked what to do if out of the country at the 90-day mark, they were told to do the bank-book report as soon as they returned.

This is unbelievable these people want a three month bank book check along with all the other loonie things they want.  You just can't make stuff like this up but Thai Immigration actually did, lol.

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, JackThompson said:

When asked what to do if out of the country at the 90-day mark, they were told to do the bank-book report as soon as they returned.

Showing 800k or the required 400k? 

[marcusarelus]

22 hours ago, JackThompson said:

The confusion over this is due to a few offices re-setting the 90-day reporting on the date of renewal, so that the bank-book report and 90-day report could be done on the same visit - assuming the foreigner doesn't make a trip out of the country during that time.  When asked what to do if out of the country at the 90-day mark, they were told to do the bank-book report as soon as they returned.

What few offices are doing this?

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Showing 800k or the required 400k? 

Both after 3 months. The bank book would need to show the 800k baht for 3 months. After that it would have to be at least 400k baht.

[GinBoy2]

On 4/14/2019 at 4:26 AM, CMNightRider said:

Wow, lucky you.  Have you ever asked yourself why immigration even demands a 90 day report?  

Well they do it because you are are a tourist on a visa extension.

 

I've said this many many times, however there is section of the expat community who seem to be in total denial, thinking of themselves as permanent residents, which is so far from the truth as to be comical.

 

They could change the rules tomorrow and make you report every 30 days, put ฿2M in the bank, it's totally arbitrary, and since you have no rights in Thailand, what are you gonna do?

You are but a long stay guest 

So all all up to the regime du jour!

Buckle Up boys

[JackThompson]

48 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Showing 800k or the required 400k? 

You raise a good point - the bank-book might not show the amount in the account on a date when the book had not been updated - that date having passed while the applicant was out of the country.

[Joe Mcseismic]

3 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

You raise a good point - the bank-book might not show the amount in the account on a date when the book had not been updated - that date having passed while the applicant was out of the country.

Why would that matter? The book will still show how much was in the account on the day. Just need to see if there were any withdrawals or deposits after the bank book is updated on their return.

Edited April 16, 2019 by Joe Mcseismic

[JackThompson]

47 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

What few offices are doing this?

I do not recall all - I believe at least two.  Here is one report of this:

 

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Why would that matter? The book will still show how much was in the account on the day. Just need to see if there were any withdrawals or deposits.

My bank-book updating fails to show all withdrawals/deposits, unless they were done recently.  Instead, it just does an "summary" line, which does not provide any info on the previous, non-printed activity - in this case, including the dates of any withdrawals which had occurred. 

If the person in question returned within the time-frame where their activity at the "90-day mark" would be shown, then there would be no problem.  Otherwise, the book would not show when withdrawals further back in time had been made. 

In that case, perhaps an IO would demand they go to the bank and get an account-summary printout?   Or perhaps if at least 400K remained, they would let it slide.  As there are no written rules, and given IOs might ignore them if there were, it is hard to predict what an IO at this or that office might do.

[SEtonal]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

What few offices are doing this?

So far, Jomtien is the only Office asking people to physically show up in the office at 90 day check-in with a bank book - if they received a new retirement extension using the 800k method.  No other office has made that request, not even that office in the "North of Thailand".

[Seafarer124]

I have been reading this thread for a while and would like to add my thoughts.

 

I have been using the "Stat Dec" method from the Australian Embassy for thirteen years.

 

Unfortunately, I am unable to use this method in the future since it ceased to function in January.

 

My annual extension is/was due the end of March, one month prior to expiring, end of April 2019.

 

I was advised by Immigration in December that I would still be able to use the above mentioned method if submitted within six months.  I obtained "Stat Dec" in December, applied for extension end of March.

 

The "Stat Dec" was accepted and processed.  My annual extension is now valid to April 2020.

 

Commencing this month, April 2019, I have decided to use the 65,000/baht/month method.

 

I am not comfortable with tying up 800,000/baht, plus the other requirements.

 

If others are not comfortable with the 800,000/baht requirements, why not return your funds to the originating bank and then start to use the 65,000/baht/month route.

 

Hopefully, I have made the correct choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Seafarer124 said:

I have been reading this thread for a while and would like to add my thoughts.

 

I have been using the "Stat Dec" method from the Australian Embassy for thirteen years.

 

Unfortunately, I am unable to use this method in the future since it ceased to function in January.

 

My annual extension is/was due the end of March, one month prior to expiring, end of April 2019.

 

I was advised by Immigration in December that I would still be able to use the above mentioned method if submitted within six months.  I obtained "Stat Dec" in December, applied for extension end of March.

 

The "Stat Dec" was accepted and processed.  My annual extension is now valid to April 2020.

 

Commencing this month, April 2019, I have decided to use the 65,000/baht/month method.

 

I am not comfortable with tying up 800,000/baht, plus the other requirements.

 

If others are not comfortable with the 800,000/baht requirements, why not return your funds to the originating bank and then start to use the 65,000/baht/month route.

 

Hopefully, I have made the correct choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some offices are requiring proof that the 65K monthly being imported is actually PENSION money. So people just playing games by recycling money back and forth are being totally screwed by that.

[gunderhill]

On 4/6/2019 at 5:21 PM, ThaiWai said:

Its always the same song and dance.  I converted my METV to a Non O last month and the grumps behind the counter told me the day to come pick it up and added "COME EARLY, BE EARLY".  I did as instructed and fought the morning traffic to be the first guy through the door. Their response..."COME BACK FIVE HOURS". Great just great.  Five hours to pick up a stamp put some ink on it and stamp my passport and initial it.

I don't  play their games,  Ill go late to make them work late, usually  go  in the afternoons and if its not ready that day repeat the next,  in the afternoon.  I  have all the time in the world especially  if they want to be difficult.

[Seafarer124]

34 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Some offices are requiring proof that the 65K monthly being imported is actually PENSION money. So people just playing games by recycling money back and forth are being totally screwed by that.

Not everybody has a pension, some are too young.

 

If you have investments that generate sufficient income, from any number of sources, to satisfy the requirements there should be no issue.

 

Surely, they cannot dictate where your funds come from.

 

 

 

 

[MeePeeMai]

29 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

I don't  play their games,  Ill go late to make them work late, usually  go  in the afternoons and if its not ready that day repeat the next,  in the afternoon.  I  have all the time in the world especially  if they want to be difficult.

That's the best post I've read all week, thanks for the laugh!!  ????

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Seafarer124 said:

Not everybody has a pension, some are too young.

 

If you have investments that generate sufficient income, from any number of sources, to satisfy the requirements there should be no issue.

 

Surely, they cannot dictate where your funds come from.

 

 

 

 

The majority of nations that have retirement visas recognize only pension income. Thailand has accepted embassy letters which can include a variety of non-pension sources. I'm talking about deposit applications without embassy letters. There are reports that some offices are asking people to show that the deposits are pension income. That's a local enforcement issue. Of course they can do that. Whether it's "correct" or not under their own laws is another matter.

[SEtonal]

4 hours ago, Seafarer124 said:

Not everybody has a pension, some are too young.

 

If you have investments that generate sufficient income, from any number of sources, to satisfy the requirements there should be no issue.

 

Surely, they cannot dictate where your funds come from.

Each individual Immigration Office has the right to make its own rules. Phetchabun Immigration has stated in writing that in 2020 the 65k income method will only be accepted from those who receive a pension (no other type of income).

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1083530-the-latest-info-on-retirement-visas-from-immigrations/

 

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Why would that matter? The book will still show how much was in the account on the day. Just need to see if there were any withdrawals or deposits after the bank book is updated on their return.

And if the person was out of the country and didn't update the passbook, it might well be a consolidated entry which shows nothing other than that day's balance. 

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Some offices are requiring proof that the 65K monthly being imported is actually PENSION money. So people just playing games by recycling money back and forth are being totally screwed by that. 

... as well as those who have the required valid-income, but it isn't a pension (in my case).  Those old enough could use fake pension-letters - no way for them to check - but those in their 50s would have a harder time passing them off as legit.

 

5 hours ago, Seafarer124 said:

Not everybody has a pension, some are too young.

 

If you have investments that generate sufficient income, from any number of sources, to satisfy the requirements there should be no issue.

 

Surely, they cannot dictate where your funds come from.

Exactly.  But they seem to think they only way to have income is to be showing up somewhere 9-5 or have an old-age pension.

[inThailand]

Won't these new visa money rules result in... 

 

- more expats leaving LOS. 

 

- more and more lucrative business for agents and immigration. More skirting the law. 

 

- more overstayers. No place to go so they ain't going voluntarily. 

 

- more getting work permits and more unqualified teachers. 

 

- expats staying being even more handsome and getting colder beer. 

[Seafarer124]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

And if the person was out of the country and didn't update the passbook, it might well be a consolidated entry which shows nothing other than that day's balance. 

I updated my BKK Bank book in March.

 

There were transactions missing from November 2018 to February 2019.

 

Went to my online banking to see what appeared.  All the transactions missing in the book were there.

 

In future I will print all the transactions, at three monthly intervals, from the online account.

[Thailand Outcast]

On 4/16/2019 at 12:19 PM, GinBoy2 said:

Well they do it because you are are a tourist on a visa extension.

 

I've said this many many times, however there is section of the expat community who seem to be in total denial, thinking of themselves as permanent residents, which is so far from the truth as to be comical.

 

They could change the rules tomorrow and make you report every 30 days, put ฿2M in the bank, it's totally arbitrary, and since you have no rights in Thailand, what are you gonna do?

You are but a long stay guest 

So all all up to the regime du jour!

Buckle Up boys

So true.

 

A "retirement visa" may well as be called a "1 year tourist visa" because you have the same rights on a retirement visas as a new tourists to Thailand on a 30 visa exempt, and that is, zero.

 

Visas are one thing, but how long before law changes creep into property ownership?  Not to mention, how many foreigners are using Thai nominees for property ownership?  

 

We may see the day when a foreigner who owns a property here, doesn't actually qualify for a visa to live here full time in their own property. 

[icare999]

i just did mine no problem in Chiang Mai I was not told anything about new rules or told i need to come in every 3 months 

 

so ? where was this 

[Jingthing]

If you have a consolidated bank book you can order back statements going back over a year. Kbank charges 200 baht and can do at the counter. I needed that recently to file my Fbar.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[lkv]

8 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Those old enough could use fake pension-letters - no way for them to check - but those in their 50s would have a harder time passing them off as legit.

That would be an easy fix. They could require them to be authenticated by the Embassies, the Embassies will say no, then it's obviously the Embassy's fault ????

[icare999]

i just did mine today no problem very quick was not told anything aobut new rules or to report back etc so why do you tihnki you have to go back every 3 months I got my yearly ext