Phuket Immigration Office

[geoffphuket]

In preparation for my third annual application, is it necessary to keep supplying a fresh copy of the income certification from your Embassy or consulate? Alan at the British consulate in Phuket now has instructions to charge about 3,500 Baht for the service, which up until recently, was free. I've some friends that live here on retirement that handed a copy to the officer and he threw it in the bin, despite having been told a week earlier that it was required - they weren't amused

[stuandchris]

Yes it is a requirement, if no-one looks at it that is up to them.

The guys in immigration can do the same as anywhere in the world, let you stay or not, their discrestion with no explanation. Take your paperwork, give some tea money, smile and no problem.

Try it on and you might loose.

Complaining about an official as some boss in BKK might look on this site can cock things up for a lot of people.

Stick to the rules bizarre as they are.

[merijn]

To ad more confusion.

I received last May my first one year extension visa on basis of marriage.

As I used a lawyer office to organise this so I went with one of the staff to the immigration office.

I had my bank with over 400 K but not for 3 months and the tax papers (income below 40 K ) from my wife.

Received my visa one month later without problem or extra payment.

[LivinginKata]

Yes it is a requirement, if no-one looks at it that is up to them.

The guys in immigration can do the same as anywhere in the world, let you stay or not, their discrestion with no explanation. Take your paperwork, give some tea money, smile and no problem.

Try it on and you might loose.

Complaining about an official as some boss in BKK might look on this site can cock things up for a lot of people.

Stick to the rules bizarre as they are.

I doubt very much whether any immigration officials look at the Phuket Forum. But your point is taken.

[LivinginKata]

To ad more confusion.

I received last May my first one year extension visa on basis of marriage.

As I used a lawyer office to organise this so I went with one of the staff to the immigration office.

I had my bank with over 400 K but not for 3 months and the tax papers (income below 40 K ) from my wife.

Received my visa one month later without problem or extra payment.

I've noticed that as well. For the last 2 years I've not had the whole 400,000 baht in the bank for the full 3 months. Only topped it up over the 400K a few weeks before appplication time.

[Maestro]

...Perhaps you can indicate whether you were just short of the 400,000 baht, or had a lower 'float' in your bank account...

Officially, for new first-time applicants after 1 October 2006 evidence of minimum 40k monthly income is required, not 400k in the bank. This evidence of income, if it is earned outside Thailand, must be in the form of a letter from the embassy.

Got my first extension (marriage) approved showing +40k monthly income from my overseas bank with a stat. dec. from my embassy (Australia) and under 400k in the bank. Lots of huffing and puffing (in Thai but mainly complaining about the bank statements) ...

Did you offer the overseas bank statements without being asked for them? Most immigration offices are satisfied with the embassy letter alone. If source documents for the income are requested, they would normally have to be a document coming from the source that pays your income (employer, pension fund administration, etc). A bank statement showing deposits to your account is not really proof of income, as these deposits could have been transfers from another account of yours.

--

Maestro

[LivinLOS]

The guys in immigration can do the same as anywhere in the world, let you stay or not, their discrestion with no explanation.

Most civilised places in the world there is an automatic process where after a few years you would become PR then a citizen..

Secondly decisions have to be explained and theres usually an appeal process.

[LivinginKata]

Most civilised places in the world there is an automatic process where after a few years you would become PR then a citizen..

Secondly decisions have to be explained and theres usually an appeal process.

T.I.T.

[karlbkk]

I just did my visa today and i only had 10,000 in the bank but with a work permit for 50,000 a month and a new paper from where you get married in phuket town i pick up my viva in 30days time

they tell me next year it will change again and you are going to have to speak Thai to get it

[LivinginKata]

I just did my visa today and i only had 10,000 in the bank but with a work permit for 50,000 a month and a new paper from where you get married in phuket town i pick up my viva in 30days time

they tell me next year it will change again and you are going to have to speak Thai to get it

ํYes, last time I applied we had to get a paper from the local registrar office to prove that the marriage certificate was still valid. So that's another piece of paper to go get each year.

Things should be easier for me on the proof of income paperwork as when we filed/paid our joint income tax in February 2008, the tax office issued an extra certificate to give to the immigration office clearly showing income earned & tax paid in 2007.

[LivinLOS]

I just did my visa today and i only had 10,000 in the bank but with a work permit for 50,000 a month and a new paper from where you get married in phuket town i pick up my viva in 30days time

they tell me next year it will change again and you are going to have to speak Thai to get it

So apart from your 'you have to speak thai to get it' gem..

Did you renew your extension on the basis of marriage or the basis of working ?? Sounds like a basic B visa WP extension to me.

[karlbkk]

I did it on both if you are not working and dont have a work permit you have to have the 400k in the bank

if you have a thai wife and a work permit you dont need the 400k

also as most dont know tax returns are done online here in Thailand so you have to give them the password for your tax and they look online to see if you have paid up.

now you did not know that so why pay large amounts of cash for someone to do your tax for you they dont tell you its all done online and still take the cash in large amounts.

[LivinginKata]

I did it on both if you are not working and dont have a work permit you have to have the 400k in the bank

if you have a thai wife and a work permit you dont need the 400k

also as most dont know tax returns are done online here in Thailand so you have to give them the password for your tax and they look online to see if you have paid up.

now you did not know that so why pay large amounts of cash for someone to do your tax for you they dont tell you its all done online and still take the cash in large amounts.

Couple of issues .... the 400K in the bank does not work anymore for new applicants married to a Thai. In theory those using the 400K pre 2006 are considered 'grandfathered' for future years, but I heard that in Phuket the 40K income/month is now THE requirement. The 400K should not be necessary, but this thread was started as Phuket Immigration office ask (demand) both. Actually the foreigner does not necessarily need a work permit, given that the Thai wife earns the 40K or the 40K comes in from abroad.

Yes income tax can be paid online, but can still be paid in person at the tax office. That's the way we do it, and I suspect the majority of people still pay that way. All tax records can be called up online, but I would never give Immigration my internet codes, hard copy printouts are good enough. And if people pay someone else to pay their taxes .... then expect to be ripped off in fees, and they should just accept it.... don't complain.

Edited August 6, 2008 by LivinginKata

[mgjackson69]

Looks like some bad meds are going around. Who wouldn't have proper documentation after being here for 10 years and getting the 1 year visa all that time? Oh yeah, maybe that Russian arms dealer that got pinched.

To be accurate, he is not "getting the 1 year visa"...it is a one-year extension of the original visa.

[stevenl]

In theory those using the 400K pre 2006 are considered 'grandfathered' for future years, but I heard that in Phuket the 40K income/month is now THE requirement.

Last time I renewed, in March 2008, the 400K in the bank was sufficient, there was no need for additional proof of income. That was for an extension of a 'grandfathered' visa.

[karlbkk]

yes that is right they just keep exstending the visa you came here on mine is now three years with that visa.

tax i had the hard copy with me but they still want the online pass to look hard copys can be made up this is thailand.

anyway its now done and will have to see next year what to do

[Khun Jack]

Things should be easier for me on the proof of income paperwork as when we filed/paid our joint income tax in February 2008, the tax office issued an extra certificate to give to the immigration office clearly showing income earned & tax paid in 2007.

So you need to have paid taxes for a full year before you can apply for a one year extension?

[LivinginKata]

Things should be easier for me on the proof of income paperwork as when we filed/paid our joint income tax in February 2008, the tax office issued an extra certificate to give to the immigration office clearly showing income earned & tax paid in 2007.

So you need to have paid taxes for a full year before you can apply for a one year extension?

Certainly makes the application easier, but I'm sure just the last 2 months income tax payments might be acceptable for an applicant (married to a Thai national) just starting work in Thailand.

[tracer]

LivinginKata and I are still waiting for an answer ......anybody ?

Yeah, just go and pay the 25k bribe like everyone else

What ... 25K. You got to be out of your mind to pay that. Never ever heard of that amount being asked. Most I've even offered is 500 Baht.

never seen anyone being asked to pay 25k...