Reirement Extension Renewal using Income at Udon Thani

[Siameaze]

Went to renew Retirement Extension at Udon Thani Immigration yesterday. I am using income method. They are still accepting US Embassy letter which was dated 6 December 2018. I had the Embassy letter and copies of Pension Provider and US Social Security sources. 

In addition to information copied from passport they needed "proof of income" (as above) and they asked for residency proof for which I had copies of my yellow house book. I had to provide a recent photo even though they take your picture.

So this visit in mid week in the afternoon was fast, couteous and professional. Arrived minutes before the reopening of the doors for the afternoon session starting at 1 pm. Had ticket #3 and was finished by 1:25 pm. I believe there were 3 desks open for visas, extensions, etc. So I was the first afternoon applicant for this Immigration Officer. Parking is a bit hard to find near UT Immigration so if you're travelling by car leave time to find a spot.

I have direct deposit of Social Security >B 65k set up but was not asked for anything on that.

[marcusarelus]

What is, "copies of Pension Provider and US Social Security sources."

[mtls2005]

4 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

What is, "copies of Pension Provider and US Social Security sources."

 

Could be 1099-R, 1099-SSA, or statements from the pension provider, and/or the SSA annual benefit notification letter, and/or the SSA benefit verification letter This letter is sometimes called a "budget letter," a "benefits letter," a "proof of income letter," or a "proof of award letter."

 

While these documents are easily understood by most recipients I seriously doubt that Thai Imm Officers can make heads or tails out these documents, in a foreign language, for a period which might not coincide with the extension period, detailing gross/net funds, in a foreign currency. Probably cause more problems if presenting these?

 

The OP flew by this year on the previously issued (2018) Embassy Letter. Next May he'll be showing some bank summary letter detailing his qualifying foreign transfers.

 

Supporting documentation is nice to have, and I plan to have it in hand, and it may give one confidence, but just can't see it being asked for, or if so, understood.

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Siameaze said:

I had the Embassy letter and copies of Pension Provider and US Social Security sources. 

 

OP, did the Immigration officer(s) you dealt with specifically look at your pension and Social Security documents? Did they ask to see them or you volunteered them?

 

Or, were they satisfied with just the U.S. Embassy income affidavit as relates to your income?

 

Thanks very the very helpful report...

 

[jesimps]

Thanks for the report. Seems like your experience was how it should be in any self-respecting civilised country/province.

[Siameaze]

The documents I provided were Social Security Administration benefits letter and Verification of Benefits letter from Pension Provider. These were not specifically asked for. 

[siamike]

My experience in Rayong was similarly quick and easy.  For the previous  5 years I've been using the Embassy Affidavit method for proof of income but decided to switch to the 800K BHT Thai bank deposit method this year.   My report date was this past April and I had transferred the required funds into my Bangkok Bank account back in November of last year, so I knew I would easily meet the 2 month "aging" requirement.  A few days before my immigration visit I asked my local bank for the required "proof of deposit" letter and the bank officer looked at my Thai wife & I with a very lost expression; I was apparently the first farang to make this request.   After a few minutes of discussions between my wife and several bank personnel, they printed out a report showing all my activity for the past 6 months; more than enough, I thought.  I was a bit surprised when the immigration officer also wanted copies of my bank book pages which were essentially duplicates of the Bank Letter info; fortunately for me the Immigration office has a copier and I had my bank book with me,...just in case I might need it.  I was also a bit surprised that immigration wanted the 800K to be in my account for the previous 90 days as I had believed the requirement was 60 days before and 90 days after your report date.

 

The entire visit was completed in about 45 minutes.   

 

My 90 day report is coming up next week and I'm curious if I'll be asked to show proof that the 800K is still there. 

[Siameaze]

They did look at the letters but made no comment. They probably were not necessary

[AAArdvark]

18 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

ould be 1099-R, 1099-SSA, or statements from the pension provider, and/or the SSA annual benefit notification letter,

The only problem with these is that they only go out at the beginning of the year so potentially you have to get the IO to accept 11 month old documents.

[Thaidream]

20 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Could be 1099-R, 1099-SSA, or statements from the pension provider, and/or the SSA annual benefit notification letter, and/or the SSA benefit verification letter This letter is sometimes called a "budget letter," a "benefits letter," a "proof of income letter," or a "proof of award letter."

Social Security will provide a letter verifying the exact amount of one's monthly  award either by mail or one can download the letter from the website. the letter has the date and the  heading embossed.

 

The same can be done  using a military pension or Veterans Award.  

 

The amounts on the letters should match the amount on the Embassy letter.

 

Incredibly east to read- all Thai IO's can read English and when they view the amounts and add them up- they can easily match these amounts to the Embassy Letter.

 

Added proof- a US Bank statement showing the same amounts direct deposited or a Thai Bank Statement 

 

Several years ago- I was asked for this proof and the IO had no problem understanding it.   As a last resort- it could have been translated to Thai.

[tutone]

I also extended in Udon Thani last month using an embassy affidavit of income.  It took perhaps 30 minutes from the time I entered the office.  I was not asked for, nor did I provide, any proof or source of income information.  I was reminded that next year I would either have to show 800,000 Baht in the bank or evidence of 65,000 per month deposit foreign transfers for 12 previous months.

[Acharn]

6 hours ago, Thaidream said:

Social Security will provide a letter verifying the exact amount of one's monthly  award either by mail or one can download the letter from the website. the letter has the date and the  heading embossed.

 

The same can be done  using a military pension or Veterans Award.  

 

The amounts on the letters should match the amount on the Embassy letter.

 

Incredibly east to read- all Thai IO's can read English and when they view the amounts and add them up- they can easily match these amounts to the Embassy Letter.

 

Added proof- a US Bank statement showing the same amounts direct deposited or a Thai Bank Statement 

 

Several years ago- I was asked for this proof and the IO had no problem understanding it.   As a last resort- it could have been translated to Thai.

Do you have a URL or link to the Social Security web site that does that? I have tried to create a MySocialSecurity account and been told recipients overseas cannot open such an account.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, Acharn said:

I have tried to create a MySocialSecurity account and been told recipients overseas cannot open such an account.

You need a verifiable address in the states to do the registration. The address is verified by a credit bureau when you do the application.

You can then use a address for here after being able to do the registration.

[stephenterry]

5 hours ago, tutone said:

I also extended in Udon Thani last month using an embassy affidavit of income.  It took perhaps 30 minutes from the time I entered the office.  I was not asked for, nor did I provide, any proof or source of income information.  I was reminded that next year I would either have to show 800,000 Baht in the bank or evidence of 65,000 per month deposit foreign transfers for 12 previous months.

Yes, I agree. And if you can provide the Income route, it's far better than locking up 400-800k per annum in a Thai commercial bank with abysmal interest rates. Rip off. Far better to invest it elsewhere. Seek advice.

[onera1961]

You need a verifiable address in the states to do the registration. The address is verified by a credit bureau when you do the application.
You can then use a address for here after being able to do the registration.

It is always a prudent move to keep a varifiable address (even if a rented address only).

Sent from my JKM-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[gk10002000]

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 2:19 AM, mtls2005 said:

 

Could be 1099-R, 1099-SSA, or statements from the pension provider, and/or the SSA annual benefit notification letter, and/or the SSA benefit verification letter This letter is sometimes called a "budget letter," a "benefits letter," a "proof of income letter," or a "proof of award letter."

 

While these documents are easily understood by most recipients I seriously doubt that Thai Imm Officers can make heads or tails out these documents, in a foreign language, for a period which might not coincide with the extension period, detailing gross/net funds, in a foreign currency. Probably cause more problems if presenting these?

 

The OP flew by this year on the previously issued (2018) Embassy Letter. Next May he'll be showing some bank summary letter detailing his qualifying foreign transfers.

 

Supporting documentation is nice to have, and I plan to have it in hand, and it may give one confidence, but just can't see it being asked for, or if so, understood.

 

 

 

 

Good post.  while I will have social security, the bulk of my retirement income will come from dividends and interest.  Etrade says they will issue me a letter asserting the income estimator is accurate based on past results, and I will have copies of the dividend and interest income for the previous years. Now that will be in three separate accounts, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, and my Regular Brokerage account.  Will the Thais understand that?  I doubt it.  They understand pension and regular payments.  Their experience tends not to cover quarterly stock dividends from thousands of shares of ATT stock.  Anyway, at the moment the sources are likely to be moot since the USA won't be issuing income letters, but instead one will have to show monthly transfers in, and from abroad.  If they also ask for the source of those monies, well, all I can do is try to explain to them.

[mtls2005]

20 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

The only problem with these is that they only go out at the beginning of the year so potentially you have to get the IO to accept 11 month old documents.

 

Yes, of course, that's why I included the phrase...

 

for a period which might not coincide with the extension period

 

That said, a pattern of up to twelve qualifying foreign transfers also represents documents which are up to 11 ~ 12 months old as well. OK, one is 12 months old, another is 11 months old, etc. down to one which was last/this month. We're being given an extension based on last year's "performance", and if we don't meet the requirements in the current period we should expect our extension to be rejected next year.

 

 

The source of the income, to quote the police order:

 

 

"Evidence showing income, such as pension or interest received or dividend received"
 

( the keyword is "income", the source of which could be, but is not limited to the three examples given. It could be other sources (IRA/Roth, annuity, capital gains, rent received, subsidy, lottery/gambling winnings, inheritance, to name just a few), but perhaps not a result of illegal activities.)

 

 

seems to be, for now, a certified letter/statement from a Thai bank showing up to 12 qualifying foreign transfers. Documents which show the source of these transfers would, quite obviously, be the entity (Bank, Pension Administrator, SSA, etc.) from which the transfer originated. This information is fully documented/detailed in the Credit Advice/Receipts, which often seem to accompany the bank letter. Further upstream things can get messy, but some of the documents previously mentioned: 1040(A), 1099-R, 1099-SSA, or statements from the pension provider, and/or the SSA annual benefit notification letter, and/or the SSA benefit verification letter might be presented to a befuddled IO.