Retirement Visa

[Confuscious]

What are the latest requirements for a Visa extension based on "Retirement"?
TIA
(Visa extension will be in Korat)

[TaoNow]

and you are a "Super Member" of the Forum?

 

I'd like to know what I am...

[DrJack54]

6 hours ago, Confuscious said:

What are the latest requirements for a Visa extension based on "Retirement"?

Are you using money in bank method or income method.

Are you from country where embassy will issue you with income letter. 

[Lite Beer]

Quote

What are the latest requirements for a Visa extension based on "Retirement"?
TIA
(Visa extension will be in Korat)

Pretty much the same as it has always been depending on your circumstances.

Edited March 25, 2022 by Lite Beer

[Confuscious]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Are you using money in bank method or income method.

Are you from country where embassy will issue you with income letter. 

Using money in Bank.

No income letter needed for "Money in Bank", but I supply every year a signed and stamped document from my pension funds about my yearly income (with a translation into Thai) and that letter was accepted every year.

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

Using money in Bank.

No income letter needed for "Money in Bank", but I supply every year a signed and stamped document from my pension funds about my yearly income (with a translation into Thai) and that letter was accepted every year.

Your using income method. Seems your obtaining letter from your embassy to certify your income.

 

Money in bank method refers to funds keep in a Thai bank account.

Cut to the chase...there has been no changes.

 

[Confuscious]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Your using income method. Seems your obtaining letter from your embassy to certify your income.

 

Money in bank method refers to funds keep in a Thai bank account.

Cut to the chase...there has been no changes.

 

I use money in the bank, IE 800,000 Baht method.

NOT income.

 

I get a certificate of my yearly income  from the pension fund of my country, which is translated into Thai by an official translator.

NOT from the embassy.

 

Thanks for your information.

[Delight]

 To define 2 money options

1) Money in bank. You need to have 800,000 Baht in your bank. It has to be in your bank for 2 months prior to the application date. Letter from your bank is required.

After a period of  90 days post your successful application date -this amount can be reduced to 400,000 Baht

2 Monthly money. You have to bring money into Thailand every month. The amounts can vary-however an average of 65000 Baht has to be achieved. Letter from your bank. 

I use this method. The man at Immigration Jomtien is very thorough.

The simplest way is to use SWIFT. Suggest that you speak to your bank if you plan not to use SWIFT.

 

You will also have to provide evidence of your abode. Condominium Title Deed (copy of) or a letter from your landlord if you are renting .

Finally-you need a letter from your bank confirming that you have a bank account .

 

Historically official information with respect to your gross income -if correctly supplied to your embassy was sufficient to obtain a suitable letter- a letter that immigration would accept.

 

Several embassies refused to adapt to a change whereby they had to provide absolute evidence that the financial values submitted by the foreigner were correct.

Hence methods 1 and  2 were introduced at that time.

 

 

[CMBob]

OP, whether you use the bank or income method, the letter (or "certificate") from your pension provider is not needed at all for an annual extension based on retirement.

Edited March 26, 2022 by CMBob

[brianthainess]

7 hours ago, Confuscious said:

I get a certificate of my yearly income  from the pension fund of my country, which is translated into Thai by an official translator.

NOT from the embassy.

Why if you have money in the bank for 2 months ?

[statman78]

Over the past several years nothing has changed for a retirement extension here in Chiang Rai.  I use the income method and being a US citizen I cannot get a letter from my embassy.

 

I provide:

1. copy of my bank book with the monthly international transfers highlighted

2. a 1 year bank statement with the same transactions highlighted

3. A letter from my bank stating the account is still valid

4. a copy of my passport 

5. a copy of proof of address which is a copy of the house register, the owners I’d (my wife) with a note signed by my wife that I still live there.

6. the application

 

It’s been the same for several years.

 

 

[DrJack54]

10 hours ago, Confuscious said:

No income letter needed for "Money in Bank", but I supply every year a signed and stamped document from my pension funds about my yearly income (with a translation into Thai) and that letter was accepted every year.

Why?.

Read post above from @statman78...

Who cares about statement from pension fund.

On top of that translated into Thai.

 

 

[KannikaP]

6 hours ago, Delight said:

 To define 2 money options

1) Money in bank. You need to have 800,000 Baht in your bank. It has to be in your bank for 2 months prior to the application date. Letter from your bank is required.

After a period of  90 days post your successful application date -this amount can be reduced to 400,000 Baht

2 Monthly money. You have to bring money into Thailand every month. The amounts can vary-however an average of 65000 Baht has to be achieved. Letter from your bank. 

I use this method. The man at Immigration Jomtien is very thorough.

The simplest way is to use SWIFT. Suggest that you speak to your bank if you plan not to use SWIFT.

 

You will also have to provide evidence of your abode. Condominium Title Deed (copy of) or a letter from your landlord if you are renting .

Finally-you need a letter from your bank confirming that you have a bank account .

 

Historically official information with respect to your gross income -if correctly supplied to your embassy was sufficient to obtain a suitable letter- a letter that immigration would accept.

 

Several embassies refused to adapt to a change whereby they had to provide absolute evidence that the financial values submitted by the foreigner were correct.

Hence methods 1 and  2 were introduced at that time.

 

 

The MONTHLY money must be NO LESS than Bht 65,000, not an AVERAGE, unless you are using the Combination Method, which my IO accepts as Bht 50,000 per month plus Bht 200,000 in the bank = Bht 800,000

[lopburi3]

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why?.

Read post above from @statman78...

Who cares about statement from pension fund.

On top of that translated into Thai.

 

 

 

It could be a local source of income/that he is not working/retired ask; and if not in English would have to be translated.

[statman78]

8 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

It could be a local source of income/that he is not working/retired ask; and if not in English would have to be translated.

It is my understanding that under the income method the money must come from outside of Thailand.  There have been people in other threads that have had trouble because the transfers were not shown as being from outside of Thailand.  My passbook from Bangkok Bank shows a transaction code that indicates it’s a foreign transfer.  
I have never been asked to show the source of the funds as long as they see at least 65,000 baht coming into the country every month.

[Confuscious]

For all the "barstool wisdom" replies to my post:

Korat immigration started to ask in 2018 a proof that I had an income coming from abroad (despite that fact that I had 800,000 seasoned in a Thai bank).

The "Affidavit of income" from the Thai Embassy was not sufficient proof as it was I who declared to have the income on the Affidavit and not who paid my pension.
The Embassy was only stating proof that it was me who signed the Affidavit.

I presented at Immigration the declaration from my Pension funds (for tax purposes), but as it was in Dutch, Immigration asked a legal translation of the document.
Thus, I let a translator translate it into Thai.

Since that day, I provide (together with the other documents), the declaration of the Pension Funds to Immigration together with the seasoned 800,000 Baht.
 
Note to the Moderators:
The replies about supplying a proof of income have totally nothing to do with the original post and are not asked for.

[grs90]

I've done my last 5 "retirement" extensions in Korat, using the 800,000 in bank method, and have never been asked for any proof of where the money has come from.  As long as the account has more than 800,000 they don't seem to have a problem with its' source.

 

I also supply

 

1.  A copy of the past 12 months of bank book pages.  They only bother to look at the most recent 2 months' worth of information.   Three years ago I only give them the 2 months' worth and they told me they wanted the full year!!  

 

2.  The usual bank letter stating the account balance on the day you apply for the visa.

 

3.  In 2019 they started asking for a bank statement showing the last two months movement on the account.  So I provide that as well now.  Last time they compare this, line by line, with the bank book copies for some reason.

 

4.  Copy of the yellow house book for the proof of where I live.

 

 

Appreciate that immigration can and do ask different people for different things.  A friend has to provide a 12 month bank statement as well as a 2 month one!

 

Different to some places I have heard of, they also give me a new 90 day report receipt on the day I apply for the extension which resets the clock for that.

 

There is also no need to prove you have kept the 800,000 in the bank account for the required 3 months after the application, or to prove you have kept the 400,000 for the entire year.  I guess that is the reason they want the previous 12 months of bank book page copies but they don't actually bother checking it. 

 

 

[Confuscious]

5 hours ago, grs90 said:

Appreciate that immigration can and do ask different people for different things

From the immigration website :

Each official is entitled to ask other documents as the mentioned ones.

[OJAS]

7 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Note to the Moderators:
The replies about supplying a proof of income have totally nothing to do with the original post and are not asked for.

So why did you consciously choose not to mention the fact that you are using the 800k method in your original post, then?

 

[Confuscious]

27 minutes ago, OJAS said:

So why did you consciously choose not to mention the fact that you are using the 800k method in your original post, then?

 

Why should I mention that?

I asked what the actual requirements where ( for BOTH options).

Geeez, thaivisa has more than their fair share of barstool wisdom guys.

[Confuscious]

On 3/25/2022 at 6:24 PM, TaoNow said:

and you are a "Super Member" of the Forum?

 

I'd like to know what I am...

A "nothing"?

A "barstool wisdom guy"?

[mikebike]

Wow. This is the weirdest extension thread I've ever read. It ain't rocket science.

[KannikaP]

24 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

Why should I mention that?

I asked what the actual requirements where ( for BOTH options).

Geeez, thaivisa has more than their fair share of barstool wisdom guys.

Yep, those who still call it Thaivisa.   LOL

[OJAS]

21 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Why should I mention that?

I asked what the actual requirements where ( for BOTH options).

Geeez, thaivisa has more than their fair share of barstool wisdom guys.

So why are you complaining about the people who have posted on this thread about the income method then? Clearly a case of damned if we do, and damned if we don't as far as you are concerned, then, I think!

 

22 hours ago, Confuscious said:

From the immigration website :

Each official is entitled to ask other documents as the mentioned ones.

So might this be your inimitable way of saying "thank you" to @grs90 who has taken the trouble to post a comprehensive report on here based on his recent retirement extension experiences at Korat Immigration?

Edited March 27, 2022 by OJAS

[OJAS]

21 hours ago, mikebike said:

Wow. This is the weirdest extension thread I've ever read. It ain't rocket science.

But clearly a source of great amusement to the OP! Enough said, I think!!

[Confuscious]

UPDATE:
 

I went today to Immigration in Korat to etend my Visa and here are my experiences:
1. Immigration (Korat) has new people.
   New people = New rules.

2. I have a Foreign Currency Account with UOB.
    UOB does not suppy a Bank Book with the FCA but send every month an overview of your account.
    So, it is impossible to give an overview for the ongoing month as this paper will be send next month.
    In the past, the Immigration officials were aware of this and accepted the statements as the letter from the Bank director showed the amount Foreign Currency on the date that the extension was made.
    The new Immigration officials didn't accept that and wanted to see a statement for the current month.
    After a long discussion and talking with the Bank Director, the UOB Bank would produce a statement of the month March.
  Drive back to UOB, get the statement and driveback to Immigration (in the HOT sun).

3. Due to a stroke, my writing is not clear anymore and I type the documents were possible.
    PDF-files are easy to edit and to print out.
    I used the Immigration PDF-file to fill in and print out.
    For an unknown reason, the PDF-file was printed in Grayscale and was rejected by immigration.
    Everything had to be filled in with a BLUE pen.
 

4. The last 5 Visa extensions, I presented every time a map with the direction from my house to Immigration.
   Every time I got the answer that that was not needed.
   Today, I didn't had this document and Immigration wanted to have that document.
    They would settle with a Google Maps printout instead of a "hand drown" document.

5. Special for the "barstool wisdom" replies in this thread about the document I provided every year, Immigration Korat have now their own document that needs to be filled in with the revenue per month and per year and the source of the income.
Sort like the Affidavit from the Embassy.
Despite that this is already written in the letter of the bank.

See copy attached.

6. The amount of fotocopies asked by immigration from every single person is UNBELIEVABLE!!!
    People were running up and down to the copy shop all the time for every signle s...t.
   What does immigration do with this IMMENSE paperwork?
    This is certainly not helping the environment.

7. Most of the employees at Immigration had the knowledge of a 5 year old kid at the best.
    They even had problems with understand Thai language.
    How are they selected?
    Dumbest first?

Many people were disgruntled with this change at immigration.

 

[Resident Alien]

13 hours ago, Confuscious said:

in the HOT sun

Something you might expect here in march

[Resident Alien]

13 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Most of the employees at Immigration had the knowledge of a 5 year old kid at the best.

With this attitude, which they will recognize, they can make your extension more difficult than necessary.

 

[Resident Alien]

13 hours ago, Confuscious said:

They even had problems with understand Thai language.

Do not believe this at all.

You say that a Thai citizen does not speak his/her own language. 555

Maybe your Thai is not as good as you think.

 

And you should be aware they speak a dialect here in the Northeast.

 

 

[Resident Alien]

13 hours ago, Confuscious said:

Many people were disgruntled with this change at immigration.

Just deal with it.

 

Make the extra copy, fill in the extra form.

You will be out of the office within the hour, with your extension.

 

Happy days.