Just Got Caught Out With New Rules

[scotsman]

Hi Today I just got caught out with the new rules at immigration in pattaya for my first extension for my visa married to a thai national. I thought I had covered everything but no, I did not see or read anything about getting your pension letter stamped at M.A.F in bangkok or a copy of your bank statements. Well its off to bangkok tomorrow to get this stupid stamp its lucky for me I went early or my visa would have been finished. I try very hard to keep up with all the visa rules but there is always something else that changes ever year. I wounder what we will have to do next year? I can see why so many people get angry when they change the goal posts every year and make us jump up & down and go through different hoops just to be allowed to live with your wife & family in peace in lol. Oh well you just have to take it on the chin, rant over thank you.

[george]

Save your trip to Bangkok! Any decent translation company in Pattaya, or elsewhere, can fix this for you with a letter of attorney.

[lopburi3]

Who exactly told you this was required and provided the M.F.A. designation (there is no such thing - but there is an MFA)? We have no knowledge of any such requirement. But bank passbook/bank letter is a normal requirement.

[scotsman]

I was told today at pattaya immigration that my letter of proof of pension had to be stamped at the ministry of foreign affairs in bangkok & I would also need a copy of my bank statements in my bank in scotland off the internet to show my pension income. I had every document you could think of but still there was some thing else I had to do. More hoops to jump through.

[scotsman]

sorry got mfa mixed up.

[lopburi3]

This report of MFA stamp requirement was reported several months ago by Pattaya press but then rescinded; so it is indeed strange. As George says a translation company can obtain the documents for you if you want to avoid the trip. Did they tell you this was for everyone, or just a first time requirement, or not say? Thanks, your information may be helpful for others but sorry too late to help you - if you can follow up it would be interesting to know all details (especially if MFA really ready to do this as a normal routine).

I assume from your name you carry a UK passport.

[scotsman]

Yes lopburi3 the lady told me it will have to be done every year but i will ask when I go back and post later. Thank you george for this information but if i go this time to bangkok at least it will be a correct stamp as my visa runs out on 31st so no time to take chances with a translation shop.

[scotsman]

This was for my 2nd year visa for married to a thai national so it was not my first time.

[lopburi3]

In your original post you said "Hi Today I just got caught out with the new rules at immigration in pattaya for my first extension for my visa married to a thai national."

[scotsman]

It was my first time going to renew my visa for married to a thai national as I have only been married with papers for 1 year next month. Sorry for the confusing wording. Before that I was on multiple visa cat-o doing visa run every 90 days. And last year I did not get a full year as it was my first time changing from a multiple visa to a extenstion due to being married to a thai national.

[Gary A]

Just today a friend of mine stopped by and wanted to know what kind of a visa I had. I have a retirement visa so couldn't help him much. He is French and is very opinionated. He has a strong accent and I have a hard time understanding him. He lives in the same area as I do but he got into a big argument with the Chiang Khan immigration so he has been going to Udon Thani the past few years. This year he was ranting and raving about some kind of stamps that were needed on his bank letter, photos and other documents. I think he has immigration so irritated that he will need many things most of us don't need. I advised him to go back, be polite, not get excited and above all NOT to tell them they are wrong even if they are. His time is about up and he is considering a border run and starting all over again.

[scotsman]

Well because my wife told me its Buddha day today I did not go to bangkok as I thought may be mfa would be closed. So I went to a translation shop in soi post office to get my pension letter translated into Thai and a notarized. Then we went off to the immigration with all my new documents. I was Told they are not acceptable for the renewal of a visa married to a Thai national and That I must go to MFA in bangkok for a bullshit stamp on my pension letter. Well after a lot of talking The lady has told me that I can change my visa to retirement if I put a little more money in my Thai bank account and I don"t have to go to bangkok for a bullshit stamp. I can"t see the difference you still have to show a pension letter may be its because it does not have to go to bangkok. Well anyway it looks like the visa married to a Thai national is going to be a lot more trouble than its worth for some people. I feel sorry for people who live far away from bangkok I am not sure if you can post it to them. I do Know you will have to have this stamp every year I will be going back again on Monday to get a retirement visa this year. Next year I don"t Know what visa I will be getting it may be get out you don"t qualify for any

[tutsiwarrior]

exactly what is a 'pension/proof of pension letter'? Is this the document that one obtains from one's embassy to verify the income requirement for non - imm visa extensions? What exactly does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs DO to this document that is required by immigration for extension applications?...verify the embassy verification? (this would be laughable if it wasn't infuriating... )

[lopburi3]

There was talk of MFA verification of the Consular Officers signature. But at last report it had been shelved so not sure what this "new version" is.

[astral]

MFA --- Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Satani Tang Prathet

[Thanyaburi Mac]

exactly what is a 'pension/proof of pension letter'? Is this the document that one obtains from one's embassy to verify the income requirement for non - imm visa extensions? What exactly does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs DO to this document that is required by immigration for extension applications?...verify the embassy verification? (this would be laughable if it wasn't infuriating... )

I just hope that when you get to the MFA there on Chang Wattana Road you don't run into another road block.  "Could be" that MFA will say that this "requirement" is not required, the proposal was dropped a couple months back, supposedly.

That'd be a bummer.

Mac

[Phil_Pattaya]

exactly what is a 'pension/proof of pension letter'? Is this the document that one obtains from one's embassy to verify the income requirement for non - imm visa extensions? What exactly does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs DO to this document that is required by immigration for extension applications?...verify the embassy verification? (this would be laughable if it wasn't infuriating... )

I just hope that when you get to the MFA there on Chang Wattana Road you don't run into another road block.  "Could be" that MFA will say that this "requirement" is not required, the proposal was dropped a couple months back, supposedly.

That'd be a bummer.

Mac

As I reported in July I also had to go to Bangkok to have papers verified from Brit Embassy by MFA. However the forms are available on the MFA's website which can be used to apply by post which I did for my Tabien Baan, everything was returned within a week. I hope that what has been stated here is correct, in that it is now no longer required for "marriage visa"

[richard10365]

I did not see or read anything about getting your pension letter stamped at M.A.F in bangkok or a copy of your bank statements.

I got the stamp 3 years ago for my pension from the MFA. Not only that, I used to to renew my visa the next 2 years.

I'm always asked for a certified letter from my bank about how my money entered Thailand.

I don't think these are new rules.

Edited November 8, 2007 by richard10365