3 Month Money Seasoning Rule For Subsequent Retirement

[Jingthing]

Personal first hand recent experience. Enough said. This is if qualifying based on 800K in your bank account only, no pension.

So at Jomtien, the only time you ever have to worry about the 3 month money seasoning rule is for extensions based on retirement the FIRST TIME. Got that now, folks? Clear enough?

Also, no need for any special document to prove foreign transfer.

BTW, at least one authority on this board has claimed this would start to be strictly enforced starting Oct 1 after a warning/amnesty period. Not so. As far as Jomtien immigration is concerned, the rule simply does not apply to subsequent extensions, period, end of story.

Edited October 24, 2007 by Jingthing

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Personal first hand recent experience. Enough said. This is if qualifying based on 800K in your bank account only, no pension.

So at Jomtien, the only time you ever have to worry about the 3 month money seasoning rule is for extensions based on retirement the FIRST TIME. Got that now, folks? Clear enough?

Also, no need for any special document to prove foreign transfer.

BTW, at least one authority on this board has claimed this would start to be strictly enforced starting Oct 1 after a warning/amnesty period. Not so. As far as Jomtien immigration is concerned, the rule simply does not apply to subsequent extensions, period, end of story.

The rules are that there are no rules.

[Maestro]

...BTW, at least one authority on this board has claimed this would start to be strictly enforced starting Oct 1 after a warning/amnesty period. Not so. As far as Jomtien immigration is concerned, the rule simply does not apply to subsequent extensions, period, end of story.

I have seen more than a few first-hand reports by members saying that when they made their repeat application for an extension of stay for retirement based on 800k in the bank after October1, 2006 the immigration officer advised them specifically that the 3-month seasoning requirement was being overlooked this time but would be enforced next time.

I am happy to hear that your experience with your second repeat application after October 1, 2006 was different, but it does not mean that those other posters who reported their first-hand experience lied, or that the seasoning requirement may not be applied to other applicants in future, even at the Jomtien immigration office.

The written rule is there and an occasional failure to apply it is no guarantee that it will never be applied in future. Therefore, no period, no end of story.

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Maestro

[Jingthing]

OK, great.

Is there one person using the Jomtien office using the bank account method only for a subsequent extension without the 3 month seasoning who has been denied? I doubt there is even one, so here is your chance to report experiences. Also, even if following this so called rule, please ask about whether this rule really exists (for all of our educations).

BTW, I have heard other reports out of Jomtien saying the exact same thing I am saying.

Edited October 24, 2007 by Jingthing

[Maestro]

...even if following this so called rule, please ask about whether this rule really exists (for all of our educations).

No need to ask an immigration officer. Just read the rule, as published in paragraph 7.21 of Police order 606/2549. The original Thai text, ie the text used by immigration officers, is here. One English translation is here, another one is here.

This is the rule I meant when I wrote "the written rule is there". My apologies for not having giving these details in my previous post.

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Maestro

[Jingthing]

Rules, schmules; I am talking about what is really happening and really being communicated.

My point is that I am asking everyone to ask their immigration officer if this is being enforced or even recognized as a rule except for FIRST TIME extenders. In other words, can we show up with a top up one day before or not? If they do, I am sure they will report the same info I am reporting at Jomtien.

Be sure to state the immigration office you are using, as clearly things vary by office.

BTW, I just read one of those English translations and there is no way I would describe that as crystal clear, and remember, it is a translation.

Edited October 24, 2007 by Jingthing

[naka]

I guess the only logical thing to do would be to have the funds transfer done

to accomodate the three month rule anyway, just in case.

Also ask for the transfer documentation on arrival of funds, no cost for this anyway.

Should not be too onerous for most.

Naka.

[Jingthing]

I guess the only logical thing to do would be to have the funds transfer done

to accomodate the three month rule anyway, just in case.

Also ask for the transfer documentation on arrival of funds, no cost for this anyway.

Should not be too onerous for most.

Naka.

Yes, the form is easy for most if they have a reasonable bank.

But I disagree that having to comply with the 3 month rule YEAR AFTER YEAR is not onerous. It is the very definition of onerous, not to mention totally Mickey Mouse.

Consider to think about it. Four months before your appointment (because you have to think about it more than 3 months out just in case there is some kind of glitch with your money transfer system) you have to consider how much you are going to spend for the next 3 to 4 months, really a huge chunk of your entire year. How can you really predict that very accurately, things happen? Then, you have to transfer money at perhaps a bad exchange rate, often taking the funds away from very productive uses to put into a no/low interest Thai bank account. Year after year, for all the time you stay in Thailand. It is very onerous, and if immigration says don't bother doing it, WHY SHOULD WE?

What are we, mice or men. we happily comply with rules that don't even exist out of fear?

Edited October 25, 2007 by Jingthing

[tgeezer]

Rules, schmules; I am talking about what is really happening and really being communicated.

My point is that I am asking everyone to ask their immigration officer if this is being enforced or even recognized as a rule except for FIRST TIME extenders. In other words, can we show up with a top up one day before or not? If they do, I am sure they will report the same info I am reporting at Jomtien.

Be sure to state the immigration office you are using, as clearly things vary by office.

BTW, I just read one of those English translations and there is no way I would describe that as crystal clear, and remember, it is a translation.

The rules do state in item '4' that you must have had the money in the bank for the last three months or, item '5', that you can show a total of 800,000 income( deposits/transfers, presumably) plus bank balance over a year at time of application. Item '4 is first application and your visa allows for it, and, since in theory '5' can not be shown. In my case they back-dated the one year extension from the date of first entry so '4' is not illogical, however I am not sure that they would have accepted a balance of 800,000 three months previously! On the initiative applied to some applicants that the money must be from without, could that be when they suspect One of working in Thailand? Nothing can be 'crystal clear' in any language that is presumably why we have lawyer-speak, which while it clarifies nothing it does reduce the number qualified in disputes. Think of the Thai language as a sort of 'lawyer-speak', and remember disputes can always be referred and unless you do something rude at the office, no official has any interest in refusing you and from what you say Jomtien seems to have less reason than others. I am going to Bangkok Immigration on Monday for a first renewal and although the money has been there since May, if the official is sociable I will ask about the three months requirement, but honestly, it is not in the written rules. I am going on the last day because I don't want the renewal date to creep forward, I hope that there is no unexpected National holiday.

Q. Does anyone know for sure if the next year starts drom date of application or from the end of the previous extension? at Bangkok!

[Jingthing]

When extending the FIRST time using the bank account only, this is being enforced strictly across Thailand. I wouldn't fool with that one. I am talking about the subsequent extensions. I think a good idea is to visit your immigration office four months out and get the current opinion. I know many will comply with this onerous rule for years and years based on fear, but how many months/years have to pass where we hear it is not a real rule before we loosen up and stop following it? There are still lots of retirees walking in with medical reports, how silly is that?

I also think the English translation of the rule is not crystal clear and does indeed leave room for interpretation, and thats in English, who knows about the Thai?

Now, if you show up with a history like this:

two days before meeting: 10,000 baht

meeting: 810,000 baht

day after meeting; 10,000 baht

they are probably going to ask some hard questions!

I am talking about people who are using their bank accounts in normal ways.

Edited October 25, 2007 by Jingthing