Report Norway Halts Income Letters at Thai Embassy; Retirees Affected

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

They want to see it in a Thai bank in order to Tax it after transferring it into Thailand 

This started long before any talk of changing the tax laws, about 7 years ago for UK embassy.

The transfers establish a positive net income rather than some paper indication of gross income.

A bit of an inconvenience, but the Thais always get bashed when they try and do the job more thoroughly.

[jas007]

When I first moved to Thailand in 2006, I used the affidavit from the US Embassy. That worked, although immigration at the time also wanted to see at least some money in a Thai bank account.  

 

My income at the time was easy to prove, if anyone had bothered to look.  Way more than enough, just from a government pension. The embassy could have easily logged online and looked.

 

On the other hand, some people's situation isn't so simple.  They may have rental properties, investment portfolios, and so on.  It can be a convoluted mess.

 

One time I had a job where I had to verify people's income. A simple affidavit wouldn't do it, and I had to sort through all sorts of junk to figure out what was what.  I can see where an Embassy wouldn't want to routinely wade Ito that kind of mess. 

 

Still, if an income can be easily verified online, why shouldn't they do that?  It takes two minutes.  

 

Income letters for anyone with easily verified information, otherwise, no. 

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Remember 6 months being mentioned in some posts here. But can not provide evidence 

 

Click on the "22. Embassy letter rule 2013-05-29" link in the pinned "Laws, regulations, Police Orders, etc" thread.

 

[OJAS]

4 minutes ago, jas007 said:

Still, if an income can be easily verified online, why shouldn't they do that?  It takes two minutes.  

 

Income letters for anyone with easily verified information, otherwise, no. 

 

+1 in the case of the British Embassy IMHO.

 

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

soon lose access to income confirmation letters

 

For reference, no proof of income needed by ex-pats in Cambodia. In fact one does not even need a Cambodian bank account.

Just 300 US$ cash and some admin for your annual retirement visa with multiple entries included - also no 90 day reports!

Easy and hassle free. 

[The Cyclist]

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yes the guy you quoted would be aware of that. He was replying to off topic post about taxation

 

He just posted

 

10 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

 

That isn't my experience, I use the 65k method with a letter from the German consulate stating the amount of my pension in Euros and Baht, no mention of it being deposited in a Thai bank, the letter is enough for the IO who doesn't want to see a Thai bank account.

 

So yet another variation.

[Sydebolle]

It is an idiotic procedure to start with; thankfully the Norwegians have brought this madness to a screeching halt for their own people and there is absolutely nothing the semi-divine half-gods at the immigration can do about it. 
Maybe abolish the whole bureaucracy, well knowing that this will axe thousands of pencil-pusher assignments 

[norsurin]

3 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

It is an idiotic procedure to start with; thankfully the Norwegians have brought this madness to a screeching halt for their own people and there is absolutely nothing the semi-divine half-gods at the immigration can do about it. 
Maybe abolish the whole bureaucracy, well knowing that this will axe thousands of pencil-pusher assignments 

Agree.This doesn't affect me at any way but i understand the people who get upset about this.

That said its good that this want be before Mai 26.So people get a time to prepare this 

 

[JoePai]

44 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

 

I don't think that is a prerequisite, as I understand it bank statements, monthly or yearly from your online banking in your home country showing monthly deposits of your pension is enough, it needn't be all deposited into your Thai bank account.

I think it's Thai Banks if you check

[FritsSikkink]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

They want to see it in a Thai bank in order to Tax it after transferring it into Thailand

No, the Norwegian government, just want to spend time checking things. Got nothing to do with the Thai government / tax office.

[Hummin]

21 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

It is an idiotic procedure to start with; thankfully the Norwegians have brought this madness to a screeching halt for their own people and there is absolutely nothing the semi-divine half-gods at the immigration can do about it. 
Maybe abolish the whole bureaucracy, well knowing that this will axe thousands of pencil-pusher assignments 

Why? It was perfect, just bring you yearly taxation proofs, 1000 baht and you got proof of income. 
 

It was great, 

[Lite Beer]

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

Never said it did - what I did say was the reason behind the change may have been to extract more tax out of foreigners  by forcing them to declare the amounts sent to Thailand

They want to see it in a Thai bank in order to Tax it after transferring it into Thailand

Still talking rubbish.

You'll get there eventually. 

[EVENKEEL]

8 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

In a way it does, but this will only affect the ones who declared false level of income. So, in reality no change at all. Only a good thing to weed out the ones who does not have financial means to stay in Thailand. Another option is of course to continue the false way in life and use an agent.

Seems like it's the low income folks who can't afford an agent. 

[StevieAus]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Think you are making very good point.

My joint Oz does not provide income letter and has not for some time.

I'm currently in process of changing to income method from funds in bank.

65k transfers in my mind minimal amount  to live in Thailand.

In any event folk currently with option of income letter could consider actually doing the monthly transfers.

If your embassy change the ground rules it's of no concern.

Many folk without embassy income letter using income method. 

 

 

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

 

 

The only problem with the income method is to ensure that the funds come directly to your Thai bank account and not through a third party bank which then shows as a domestic transfer and resultant problems with Immigration.lockquote widget

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, StevieAus said:

 

The only problem with the income method is to ensure that the funds come directly to your Thai bank account and not through a third party bank which then shows as a domestic transfer and resultant problems with Immigration.

You can obtain credit advice from bank that will confirm it as an international transfer. 

[Gottfrid]

39 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Seems like it's the low income folks who can't afford an agent. 

Yes, but then you also know that you can´t afford to live in Thailand legally

[Magictoad]

10 hours ago, JoePai said:

They want to see it in a Thai bank in order to Tax it after transferring it into Thailand 

They don't do that. Why spread alarm and despondency?

[OJAS]

Referring back to the OP, the thing I find particularly baffling about the Norwegian Embassy's decision to cease issuing income confirmation letters is that it was only as recently as September 2023 that they modified their procedures for obtaining these letters, presumably so as to satisfy IMM verification requirements!

 

 

[connda]

Welcome to the club. 

[Magictoad]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

And as someone correctly posted earlier... 

That is nonsense. 

I have reported him. This kind of lying about important matters is just " spreading alarm and despondency"

[Magictoad]

17 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Yes, but then you also know that you can´t afford to live in Thailand legally

Why assume that people who use agents are poor or broke? I use an agent who drives me around to the IO & bank etc. I have enough money but am too tired to jump through all the hoops. I'm 72 and have terminal cancer. ANYTHING to make my life a little easier-I'll pay for it.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

ANYTHING to make my life a little easier-I'll pay for it

Money well spent. 

There is not really good options for elderly frail expats living in Thailand when it comes to annual extensions. 

 

 

[OJAS]

47 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

 

The only problem with the income method is to ensure that the funds come directly to your Thai bank account and not through a third party bank which then shows as a domestic transfer and resultant problems with Immigration.lockquote widget

 

This is by no means the only problem IMHO. What about the difficulties which some appear to be experiencing with Wise transfers, for instance? And, if you're American, Australian, British, Canadian and (soon) Norwegian, you can kiss goodbye to any chance of being able to obtain a 90-day non-O visa conversion for retirement from your local immigration office on the basis of 65k monthly income since the IMM rulebook clearly states that supporting evidence must be provided in the form of an Embassy income confirmation letter/affidavit!

[EVENKEEL]

29 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Yes, but then you also know that you can´t afford to live in Thailand legally

I don't want to park 800K in a bank here. Back home that's 40K interest, pay agent 15K. good to go.

[Deerculler]

It has nothing to do with Thai Immigration or Thai Inland Revenue.

 It only the Embassy’s doing there own thing.

 I wish some people would get there facts straight.

[DrJack54]

43 minutes ago, OJAS said:

And, if you're American, Australian, British, Canadian and (soon) Norwegian, you can kiss goodbye to any chance of being able to obtain a 90-day non-O visa conversion for retirement from your local immigration office on the basis of 65k monthly income since the IMM rulebook clearly states that supporting evidence must be provided in the form of an Embassy income confirmation letter/affidavit!

That applies to first extension.

Ongoing ....citizens of the countries you mention can provide 12 monthly transfers from abroad for income method no problem 

[DrJack54]

28 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I don't want to park 800K in a bank here. Back home that's 40K interest, pay agent 15K. good to go.

And that's why it's a very good option.

Personally I'm still using the 800k in Thai bank. 

Often feeling stupid about that. 

[Cabradelmar]

Even without the letter you can still do the monthly income method (if you live in an area where the immigration office let's you - which seems to be fewer and fewer these days).

[TruthinThailand]

Thai immigration ate going to have to start accepting bank statements and entitlement letters as proof of income. If they don’t then the main beneficiaries will be Vietnam and Cambodia who are actively trying to attract retirees with 3 and 5 year visas and attractive health benefits. 

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, TruthinThailand said:

Thai immigration ate going to have to start accepting bank statements and entitlement letters as proof of income. If they don’t then the main beneficiaries will be Vietnam and Cambodia who are actively trying to attract retirees with 3 and 5 year visas and attractive health benefits. 

No they are NOT going to have do anything of the kind.