Report Norway Halts Income Letters at Thai Embassy; Retirees Affected

[harryviking]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

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

Norway already has a tax agreement with Thailand. No double taxation.

[Baba Naba]

and the US is sending Federal checks as TPP and not FTT! 😖

[alfredwilliams]

3 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

When did the 'N' disappear from the end of your name, it needs to be reapplied...

[harryviking]

So my long stays in Thailand will end for a while. Since I am in Noway 5 months a year, I cannot deposit 65k every month in my Thai account as it is quite expensive to live in Norway. Moving to Thailand permanently is not an option for at least 3 to 4 years from now. This was a shock and also a reason to start selling off my bikes. I still have until March next year to work out a plan or two, even be so lucky as to get another year extention as the embassy will still give us the income letter for another year....if the Emigration O. will accept it, that is. I hate these disturbances in my quiet and lasy lifestyle!!! 😫😫😫😫

[Satcommlee]

error

[Presnock]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

First Canada now this. 

Folk need to be prepared to change to money in bank method if they have not actually been doing the monthly transfers. 

First I blv was my country - USA - I recall that day a few years ago but was able to switch to the monthly income without any problesm as the State Department continues to cut overseas support for citizens - part of the overall govt support everywhere except in the Congress that continues to give themselves a raise every year and yet finds itself harder and harder to put together a budget that the government is unable to balance so the debt continues to zoom!  Need to fire all of them IMHO and try to find some honest folks for a change.

[digger70]

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

Fair enough but when you complete your Tax return................... ?

What Tax Return?    None

[riverhigh]

"The decision aligns with a broader international trend. Norwegian retirees in Thailand must prepare for direct compliance with Thai financial requirements going forward."

 

Compliance, compliance, compliance ... I hate that word as it usually means that I have to do something I don't want to do. Unfortunately, it's the sign of the times ... as one person posted "it was good while it lasted"!

[thaibreaker]

Sucks, but what can we do. At least Eide gave a year to sort this out. 

The problem is that many Norwegians are winter birds. Maybe staying the summer in Norway, and won't put 65k in a Thai bank all year. 

For some, this might change, or limit the months in Thailand. There are still visa exemption and tourist visa possibilities, so around 6 months or so (or 9 months with an METV) a year in Thailand should be fine.

[bkk6060]

No more easy beasy for Norway.  Agents are happy.

[thaibreaker]

28 minutes ago, JustinCredible said:

 

 

Goes to show how much you know.  Norwegians who pay Tax in Norway are exempt from being Taxed in Thailand.

This fact needs to be clarified. If you live more than half a year in another country over two years or more (or more than 12 months from day one), you are required, according to Norwegian law, to change your address, and thereby pay taxes to the country which you live. You won't be double taxed, but Thailand is in fact required to tax you, if so. And Norway won't of course.

 

I know many Norwegians don't apply to this, by keeping their address in Norway, paying taxes there, but the above is the law.

[BrandonJT]

34 minutes ago, paahlman said:

So. Will there be another way to prove income by pension. Maybe they will accept the government letter saying so in english. This is the document we have used before which embassy basicly just stamp. They do not alter the letter. Just add it in baht and stamp it. In essence you could use a translation company to do the same. However. The law in Thailand has not changed so if one can still prove the salary one have from pension it should be enough. question is only if embassy or consulate is the ONLY option in the future. They are talking about this the consul say.

They absolutely, 100% will NOT accept any document from you.  There are only TWO options to use income for retirement extension:

 

1) Embassy certified income

2) Proof of 12 months of international transfers of at least 65,000 baht per month in your Thai bank account.

If you still wish to use your income after they stop issuing the letter, start making plans now.  Start the international transfers into your Thai bank account each and every month.  The beginning of the month is better to help avoid any potential issues with transfer delays and such.

[norsurin]

A norwegian private financecompany have offered the ministry of foreign affairs to do this job for free.

Anyway have to wait for the response from them.

[barney42bb]

Even Better If Thailand and Whatever Country ask folk to produce a Criminal Background check declaration.

 

That will weed a few out.

 

Make it Mandatory as they do applying for an Aussie Visa.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, norsurin said:

A norwegian private financecompany have offered the ministry of foreign affairs to do this job for free.

Anyway have to wait for the response from them.

And Thai immigration would accept this "private finance company" 

Not likely

[CANSIAM]

7 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

First Canada now this. 

Folk need to be prepared to change to money in bank method if they have not actually been doing the monthly transfers. 

And the money in bank method is ridiculously high for the non-married anyway........

[kiwikeith]

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

The '"income letter" was not stopped by Thai immigration.  - Nothing to do with them, It's the Revenue Dept here in Thailand

 

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

The '"income letter" was not stopped by Thai immigration.  - Nothing to do with them, It's the Revenue Dept here in Thailand

Money saving exercise, the embassies are skeleton staffed, hope NZ does not follow suit, its only a letter that has to be backed up by letter from pension office , passport and a fee of about 400 Bhat, then you have to  go to the embassy and pick it up, maybe a problem for the embassy to provide letters for other income but NZ is ok with pension letter.

[norsurin]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

And Thai immigration would accept this "private finance company" 

Not likely

They will if its approved by the government in Norway 

[KannikaP]

46 minutes ago, paahlman said:

So. Will there be another way to prove income by pension. Maybe they will accept the government letter saying so in english. This is the document we have used before which embassy basicly just stamp. They do not alter the letter. Just add it in baht and stamp it. In essence you could use a translation company to do the same. However. The law in Thailand has not changed so if one can still prove the salary one have from pension it should be enough. question is only if embassy or consulate is the ONLY option in the future. They are talking about this the consul say.

What if you are under the Pensionable age in your country? You cannot get a Pension letter.

[Red Phoenix]

44 minutes ago, harryviking said:

So my long stays in Thailand will end for a while. Since I am in Noway 5 months a year, I cannot deposit 65k every month in my Thai account as it is quite expensive to live in Norway. Moving to Thailand permanently is not an option for at least 3 to 4 years from now. This was a shock and also a reason to start selling off my bikes. I still have until March next year to work out a plan or two, even be so lucky as to get another year extention as the embassy will still give us the income letter for another year....if the Emigration O. will accept it, that is. I hate these disturbances in my quiet and lasy lifestyle!!! 😫😫😫😫

In your case - staying 5 months a year in your home-country - you could opt to simply enter Thailand VisaExempt (without a Visa).  On arrival border-immigration will provide you with a 60-day permission to stay stamp in your passport.  During the last 2 weeks before your Permission to stay expires,  you could then visit any Imm Office and apply for a 30-day extension (costs 1.900,- THB, is delivered on the spot and the 30 days are added to the expiry date of your Permission to stay you got from Thai border-immigration. 

At the end of those 90 days, you would need to exit Thailand.  But you can do a 'border hop' just exit and immediately return (or make use of the opportunity to visit the country you hopped into, e.g. Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam or other).  When you re-enter Thailand you repeat the process as mentioned higher, and there will be no problem whatsoever.  So you can stay 180 days in Thailand.  The 3rd time you go through that process (as you want to stay 7 months in Thailand per year), might be a bit more tricky as some border immigration officials might tell you that you that it's not allowed to indefinitely enter Thailand VisaExempt or on a Tourist Visa, and that 'next time you would need a proper Visa'.  But in many cases they will simply let you in (and almost surely the first year you are doing the above).  If you keep on repeating it (you still plan to stay 3-4 years in Norway before moving permanently to Thailand) you could simply limit your visits to the 180 days in Thailand and use 1 month for exploring another nearby country.  

Additional advantage of the above is that you do not need to apply for a Non Imm O Visa or extension of such, and that also 90-day reporting is not applicable for you (as you never stay longer than 90 days in Thailand).  You only need to visit the local Imm Office when applying for the 30-day extension of your 60-day Permission to Stay.

Hope this helps...

 

[John Drake]

Do China and Russia still do the letter? Or are there other restrictions on them?

[DrJack54]

20 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What if you are under the Pensionable age in your country? You cannot get a Pension letter.

The term pension has been lost in translation.

The Non O (based on retirement) actually has zip to do with being retired.

The requirements are Over 50 yr and not working in Thailand.

For income method the requirement is to show monthly transfers of 65k+.

 

12 month bank statement should be sufficient.

Unfortunately some immigration offices ask for proof of "pension" 

 

[soalbundy]

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

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

 

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

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

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.

[KannikaP]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The term pension has been lost in translation.

The Non O (based on retirement) actually has zip to do with being retired.

The requirements are Over 50 yr and not working in Thailand.

For income method the requirement is to show monthly transfers of 65k+.

 

12 month bank statement should be sufficient.

Unfortunately some immigration offices ask for proof of "pension" 

 

Thank you. If you are lucky, your IO will allow the Combination Method ie 400k in bank and 35k per month. As long as it totals over 800k, should be OK.

[The Cyclist]

4 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.

 

Unless things have changed the B800k needs to be in a Thai bank account

 

The monthly B65k needs to be going into a Thai bank account.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Thank you. If you are lucky, your IO will allow the Combination Method ie 400k in bank and 35k per month. As long as it totals over 800k, should be OK.

Yes the majority of immigration offices will accept Combination method.

Any refusal would basically be down to extra work.

Folk should run it past their particular office to see if it's a goer

[sambum]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

The '"income letter" was not stopped by Thai immigration.  - Nothing to do with them, It's the Revenue Dept here in Thailand

The "Income Letter" is being stopped by the Norwegian Embassy. 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Unless things have changed the B800k needs to be in a Thai bank account

 

The monthly B65k needs to be going into a Thai bank account.

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

[Khun Roberto]

Canada!

Oh no!

I just got the news from Asean Now (Thaiger)

The Canadian Embassy should have given us warning. 

My non O Visa needs to be renewed in July.

😞

[soalbundy]

4 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Unless things have changed the B800k needs to be in a Thai bank account

 

The monthly B65k needs to be going into a Thai bank account.

 

4 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Unless things have changed the B800k needs to be in a Thai bank account

 

The monthly B65k needs to be going into a Thai bank account.

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.