British Embassy Affirmation of Residence

[FruitPudding]

I recall back in 2020 when I was applying for my driver's license I was told to get an Affirmation of Residence from the British embassy, which I did.

 

Now, I don't see that as an available service.

 

Did that really change? Or can we still do that at the British Embassy?

[howerde]

The British embassy no longer issue residence certificates, you will need to go to immigration

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

Or can we still do that at the British Embassy?

No.

You can obtain a certificate of residence from your immigration office.

The cost varies. 

[BritTim]

The British embassy in Bangkok has been carefully discontinuing pretty much all services of use to its citizens, except emergency passports for return to the UK. The UK authorities seem to hate its expats.

[OJAS]

52 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The British embassy in Bangkok has been carefully discontinuing pretty much all services of use to its citizens, except emergency passports for return to the UK. The UK authorities seem to hate its expats.

Might there be immigration offices who are flatly refusing to issue residency certificates? Certainly mine (Rayong) did for a while, although I gather that they have now started issuing them again.

 

But I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about the British Embassy. IMHO we expat Brits can be forgiven for believing that their principal role as far as we are concerned is in liaising enthusiastically between relevant parts of the UK government (in particular FCDO, HMRC, DWP and HMPO) and its Thai counterpart (in particular MOFA, MOPH and the Immigration Bureau) in developing a strategy which has the sole and avowed aim of making our lives in LOS just as miserable and difficult as they humanly can be.

 

And non-Brits might reasonably be able to draw similar conclusions in the case of their home country embassies.

 

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

And non-Brits might reasonably be able to draw similar conclusions in the case of their home country embassies

AU embassy in Thailand does not provide confirmation of address.

Apart from UK ...I think USA also stopped the address confirmation.

 

I have only needed Oz embassy in Bangkok for renewal of passport and real estate sales in Oz.

Expensive yes but no one cares. 

 

Bit similar with those embassies note supporting annual income statements.   Both examples involve stamping Statutory declaration in case of AU and Affidavit in case of USA.

That is not valid and previously misunderstood.

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by DrJack54

[London Lowf]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

No.

You can obtain a certificate of residence from your immigration office.

The cost varies. 

I needed one to register a moto at Phuket and was asked for B300 - when I (politely) stated that I thought it was free she said that it was if I wanted to come back in seven days to collect it.

 

Can't really argue with that!

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

Can't really argue with that!

It's part of living in Thailand.

I go with the flow.

Most I have seen posted is 500b.

Can't recall the immigration office.

 

CW is 200b and it's mailed out EMS. 

Cannot receive same day. 

[fgmr]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It's part of living in Thailand.

I go with the flow.

Most I have seen posted is 500b.

Can't recall the immigration office.

 

CW is 200b and it's mailed out EMS. 

Cannot receive same day. 

Yes, 500B was the price but that was 7 years ago.

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, fgmr said:

Yes, 500B was the price but that was 7 years ago.

What are you typing about.

Recent reports of an office charging 500b.

 

Various immigration offices apply charge for certificate of residence from zero to whatever.

Some offices (smaller ones) provide option on same day service.

CW as one example only provide mail out service.

Cost 200b. No other option

 

I did this few weeks ago at CW and received COR in 5 days. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by DrJack54

[OJAS]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

AU embassy in Thailand does not provide confirmation of address.

Out of curiosity did the Aussie Embassy provide this service at one time? If so, did they publicise its withdrawal to you and your compatriots in the way that their British counterparts most certainly did not in the case of us Brits?

 

Makes me wonder whether we might here be talking about a deal struck between the Immigration Bureau and our embassies similar to the recent one regarding the need no longer for embassies to issue letters authenticating new passports.

 

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

Out of curiosity did the Aussie Embassy provide this service at one time?

I'm not sure. 

Bit off topic but....I was chatting with an Oz woman that happens to work at Oz embassy. 

Living in Bangkok for quite some time.

Asked her about the "income letter" thing.

Why did AU embassy stop providing that.

She explained that Statutory declarations cannot be certified for use outside of Australia. 

Also should never have been providing that service.

That's all according to her FWIW. 

 

[Greenhill]

16 hours ago, OJAS said:

Might there be immigration offices who are flatly refusing to issue residency certificates? Certainly mine (Rayong) did for a while, although I gather that they have now started issuing them again.

 

But I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about the British Embassy. IMHO we expat Brits can be forgiven for believing that their principal role as far as we are concerned is in liaising enthusiastically between relevant parts of the UK government (in particular FCDO, HMRC, DWP and HMPO) and its Thai counterpart (in particular MOFA, MOPH and the Immigration Bureau) in developing a strategy which has the sole and avowed aim of making our lives in LOS just as miserable and difficult as they humanly can be.

 

And non-Brits might reasonably be able to draw similar conclusions in the case of their home country embassies.

 

The British Embassy here in TH are mainly concerned with promoting LBGTQ+ (or similar), issues.   they don't have time for much else!!!!????

[cooked]

I got my last certificate of residence at immigration, cost ฿500 and the place isn't a seven hours drive away, as is my embassy. I believe that having a yellow house book (Tabien baan) will do away with the need to get a certificate for most purposes. but is no longer as easy to obtain as in the past. 

[Brickleberry]

18 hours ago, BritTim said:

The British embassy in Bangkok has been carefully discontinuing pretty much all services of use to its citizens, except emergency passports for return to the UK. The UK authorities seem to hate its expats.

Or, you could look at it another way.

 

The embassy is helping us because, if all of the foreign embassies refuse to do something, the requirement will be lifted. Such as pension letters - now you have to stick a large sum in the bank, or show bank transfers. Much easier than booking flights to BKK, embassy reservations and of course all the expense and time that you lose for a piece of paper.

 

Remember when the embassies stopped issuing covid letters? The regulations from immigration changed just as quickly.

[soi3eddie]

20 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

No.

You can obtain a certificate of residence from your immigration office.

The cost varies. 

My motorcycle licence is up for renewal in the next year. As I don't stay in Thailand for 90 consecutive days due to travel (so no 90 day report), it is not possible to get COR from Immigration. Now the British Consulate don't issue the letter, how am I to renew my driver's licence without this item? I do have yellow book, however the DLT would not accept that last year for car licence renewal. I'm guessing using an agent will be required.   

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by soi3eddie

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, soi3eddie said:

As I don't stay in Thailand for 90 consecutive days to to travel (so no 90 day report), it is not possible to get COR from Immigration.

You won't be able to obtain certificate of residence from CW without a TM47.

You could obtain a COR at another province with a TM30.

Messy but possible. 

[richard_smith237]

9 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

My motorcycle licence is up for renewal in the next year. As I don't stay in Thailand for 90 consecutive days due to travel (so no 90 day report), it is not possible to get COR from Immigration. Now the British Consulate don't issue the letter, how am I to renew my driver's licence without this item? I do have yellow book, however the DLT would not accept that last year for car licence renewal. I'm guessing using an agent will be required.   

That also depeneds where you are.. i.e. which area DLT and which area Immigration office. 

 

Some Immigration offices will issue a Certificate of Address without the need for a 90 day report. 

(i.e. as I understand it from reports here, Chiang Mai amongst others will, however, at Chaeng Wattana Immigration they will not).

 

Additionally so,  some (many) DLT offices Will Accept the Yellow Housebook AND Pink ID card as proof of address, however, others will not (i.e. as I understand it, DLT's in Chonburi do not accept the Yellow house book whereas DLT Area 3 in Bangkok will). 

 

I renewed my DL & MCL a couple of years ago in Bangkok (DLT Area 3) they accepted the Yellow Book and seemed more concerned with taking copies of the Pink ID than the actual Yellow House Book... So, go with Both.

 

As usual, experience varies from area to area and often officer to officer which creates so much of the uncertainty on these forums. Disappointingly 'trail and error' is the way to get past these issues along with finding someone in you area who has managed to circumnavigate the idiosyncrasies of bureaucratic culture build on uncertain interpretation of the regulations.

Edited June 24, 2023 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

Only with clear answers to the following question can solid advice be offered to the Op: 

 

1) Which DLT are you attempting to renew at ?

2) In which City are you residing ?

3) Do you hold a Yellow Tabien Baan house book ? (Answer - YES).

4) Do you hold a Pink ID  (Answer ?)

5 Have you stayed longer than 90 days (Answer: No)

 

Example: IF You are in Bangkok... You will not be able to get a CoR from Immigration if you have not submitted a 90 day report, BUT, unless things have changed, you wont need to as the DLT in Area 3 (near Sukhumvit 99/1) do accept the Yellow Tabien Baan house book & Pink ID (or they did when I last renewed a couple of years ago).

[soi3eddie]

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You won't be able to obtain certificate of residence from CW without a TM47.

You could obtain a COR at another province with a TM30.

Messy but possible. 

Thanks. Friend in Hua Hin said same and offered to file TM30 at his house for me. A bit messy as address on licence will not be my home in Bangkok.

  

Edited June 24, 2023 by soi3eddie

[soi3eddie]

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I renewed my DL & MCL a couple of years ago in Bangkok (DLT Area 3) they accepted the Yellow Book and seemed more concerned with taking copies of the Pink ID than the actual Yellow House Book... So, go with Both.

Thanks. Very useful. I normally use DLT Morchit so will try Area 3 in Phra Khanong instead. 

 

[Sigma6]

In November last year I got a CoR from the British embassy in Bangkok.

I was in the same situation; being bangkok based but not staying 90 days in any trip.

I actually inadvertantly booked an appointment for a different service - I misread the website somehow..

Anyway once I got there I explained that I live in bkk, but am unable to get CoR from immigration,  that I have a vehicle and I need to be legal!

They issued the letter. 

So I know the website implicitly states that they won't issue a CoR, but if you call and speak directly (with an english person if possible, as to avoid the 'sorry sir, can not' mantra) there may be some option.

Certainly not guaranteed, but worth a call.

Edited June 24, 2023 by Sigma6

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, Sigma6 said:

In November last year I got a CoR from the embassy.

Some embassies do not provide "address letter " 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Greenhill said:

18 hours ago, OJAS said:

Might there be immigration offices who are flatly refusing to issue residency certificates? Certainly mine (Rayong) did for a while, although I gather that they have now started issuing them again.

 

But I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about the British Embassy. IMHO we expat Brits can be forgiven for believing that their principal role as far as we are concerned is in liaising enthusiastically between relevant parts of the UK government (in particular FCDO, HMRC, DWP and HMPO) and its Thai counterpart (in particular MOFA, MOPH and the Immigration Bureau) in developing a strategy which has the sole and avowed aim of making our lives in LOS just as miserable and difficult as they humanly can be.

 

And non-Brits might reasonably be able to draw similar conclusions in the case of their home country embassies.

 

Expand  

The British Embassy here in TH are mainly concerned with promoting LBGTQ+ (or similar), issues.

On what do you base that (likely) nonsense?

[Sigma6]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Some embassies do not provide "address letter " 

British embassy.

 

post edited to make that clearer.

 

[richard_smith237]

31 minutes ago, Sigma6 said:

In November last year I got a CoR from the embassy.

I was in the same situation; being bangkok based but not staying 90 days in any trip.

I actually inadvertantly booked an appointment for a different service - I misread the website somehow..

Anyway once I got there I explained that I live in bkk, but am unable to get CoR from immigration,  that I have a vehicle and I need to be legal!

They issued the letter. 

So I know the website implicitly states that they won't issue a CoR, but if you call and speak directly (with an english person if possible, as to avoid the 'sorry sir, can not' mantra) there may be some option.

Certainly not guaranteed, but worth a call.

There is a huge issue with responses such as this... .

 

You miss out 'vital' information.....  Which Embassy ?????  [Edited: noted your Update].

 

For Example... the British Embassy are very clear that they no longer provide the Affirmation of Residence Document.

The reason for this is that they are unable to confirm the proof of address. 

It seems lost on the British Embassy that the wording 'affirmation' which is not a confirmation, rather it is more of an understanding that something is true... i.e. in this case the declared address. 

 

As an earlier poster commented, it seems the British Embassy wish to distance itself as much as possoble from any interaction with the British Public overseas. 

 

That said: As you mentioned Sigma6 getting through on the Phone 'may' offer some help, or even making an appointment under 'mistaken' pretences could work. 

 

BUT... that said, IF you received the Affirmation of Residence document from the British Embassy in Bangkok, it was done so before an 'official policy cut off' to stop issuing said document or you were very lucky. I'd expect any appointment made under false pretences will see the 'applicant' turned away disappointed. 

Edited June 24, 2023 by richard_smith237

[soi3eddie]

1 hour ago, Sigma6 said:

In November last year I got a CoR from the British embassy in Bangkok.

I was in the same situation; being bangkok based but not staying 90 days in any trip.

I actually inadvertantly booked an appointment for a different service - I misread the website somehow..

Anyway once I got there I explained that I live in bkk, but am unable to get CoR from immigration,  that I have a vehicle and I need to be legal!

They issued the letter. 

So I know the website implicitly states that they won't issue a CoR, but if you call and speak directly (with an english person if possible, as to avoid the 'sorry sir, can not' mantra) there may be some option.

Certainly not guaranteed, but worth a call.

The British Embassy stopped issuing "affirmation of residence" in December 2022 and it has been removed as a service from their website. I got mine from them at beginning of November 2022 after booking online. I expect they they will no longer issue such letter under any circumstances. Still worth contacting them just in case they will.

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by soi3eddie

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Brickleberry said:

Or, you could look at it another way.

 

The embassy is helping us because, if all of the foreign embassies refuse to do something, the requirement will be lifted. Such as pension letters - now you have to stick a large sum in the bank, or show bank transfers. Much easier than booking flights to BKK, embassy reservations and of course all the expense and time that you lose for a piece of paper.

 

Remember when the embassies stopped issuing covid letters? The regulations from immigration changed just as quickly.

Getting extensions based on money in the bank has always been available, and has nothing to do with income letters from the embassy. Those who can use income letters just need to show an average level of total income of 65k+ baht over the year. Those who cannot get income letters must transfer 65k+ every month into a Thai bank account. Many people with a total income exceeding 65k+ baht per month cannot transfer this amount each month to Thailand owing to commitments they have back in their home countries. Also, if one transfer fails to go through as expected, you are no longer able to get your next extension. Some who were able to satisfy the income requirements using income letters have been forced into the clutches of the agents to continue receiving extensions after their embassies stopped issuing the letters.

[FruitPudding]

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

It's part of living in Thailand.

I go with the flow.

Most I have seen posted is 500b.

Can't recall the immigration office.

 

CW is 200b and it's mailed out EMS. 

Cannot receive same day. 

Can you apply by post, I wonder?

 

Speaking of residency certificates at CW, do we need to take along evidence of TM30, or just latest 90 day report?

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

Can you apply by post, I wonder?

 

Speaking of residency certificates at CW, do we need to take along evidence of TM30, or just latest 90 day report?

Cannot apply by post.

Do not require TM30.

Most important is your current TM47 (90 report) 

Copies of basic passport pages. 

 

Note will take approx week for them to post out the certificate of residence. 

200b