Retirement Renewal - Income Letter From Outside Embassy

[jackspratt]

I have already posted an abbreviated form of this question on a different thread, but it appeared to get lost in that thread. I believe it is sufficiently interesting to warrant its own thread.

Does anyone know of a LEGAL reason why someone seeking an Embassy letter as verification of income for a "retirement" visa extension must have this done at their embassy in Bangkok?

As an example, I live quite close to Nong Khai, and therefore, Vientiane. I have emailed the Oz Embassy there, and they have said they can witness a Statutory Declaration re income, just as Bangkok normally does.

If no-one is aware of a LEGAL reason (hence this post) for Thai Immigration to reject such evidence on the basis it is not from Bangkok, I can then take the next step, and ask Nong Khai immigration whether they would be willing to accept it.

[ubonjoe]

I have seen nothing in writing that says you can't do it.

Please take it to the next level and let us know how it came out. Also ask if if its good for a marriage to a Thai extension.

I am sure it would help a lot of people to be able to avoid that long trip to Bangkok.

Edited October 1, 2008 by ubonjoe

[Mario2008]

Some embassies allow you to apply for an embassy letter by mail. Not sure of the Australian embassy though.

[stuandchris]

I went to the Hon British Consul in Phuket. Took the confirmation to Immigration, no problem at all. Try your Consul [if there is one where you live].

Perhaps it is different if you give confirmation from another Country

[ubonjoe]

I just posted a topic on the Isaan forum to see if a better resposne can be gotten or maybe somebody has tried or done this.

I referenced this topic with a link and asked that posters reply here also.

[jackspratt]

Perhaps I can answer my own question (after some further research).

At the Immigration website here:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...p?page=service#

it says this:

Documents required are as follows;

The account deposit with the bank in Thailand of not less than 800,000 Baht.

The proof of such evidence is the updated bank passbook with the certified letter from the bank showing the money in the account of not less than 800,000 Baht which has been deposited in the account for the previous 3 months. OR

Income from pension/social welfare of not less than 65,000 Baht per month.

The proof of such evidence is a letter from the applicant's Embassy or Consulate in Thailand to certify that the applicant receives pension or other income of not less than 65,000 Baht per month. OR

A combination of the account deposite in the bank plus income (from pension or other source per yearX witha combined total of not less than 800,000 Baht.

It will be interesting to see what comes from the Isaan forum (thanks ubonjoe).

[ubonjoe]

Already have one positive post there. He did it at Nan about four years ago.

I just went to the police order and it doesn't say anything about where the proof comes from.

A local office will be going by the police order so don't get discouraged by what you found.

Traval time wise going to Vientiane is about the same as Bangkok for me. But I think if I could go to Vientiane I would rather do that than the Bangkok trip. Less traffic and etc. My wife always enjoyed our trips to Vientiane when we were doing a visa run.

Edited October 2, 2008 by ubonjoe

[abdulrahman]

Already have one positive post there. He did it at Nan about four years ago.

I just went to the police order and it doesn't say anything about where the proof comes from.

A local office will be going by the police order so don't get discouraged by what you found.

Traval time wise going to Vientiane is about the same as Bangkok for me. But I think if I could go to Vientiane I would rather do that than the Bangkok trip. Less traffic and etc. My wife always enjoyed our trips to Vientiane when we were doing a visa run.

Sorry if I'm off topic.

Last year I needed,as every year,a letter from the German Embassy;living in Udon and visiting Lao very often,I thought to save a trip to Krungthep and went to the Embassy in Vientiane.Don't know if it would have been accepted by Imm.,because they refused in a very unfriendly way!

Hope your Australian Embassy is friendlier.

[ubonjoe]

Not off topic its good input for our german friends.

jackspratt has alread gotten agreement for hsi consulate

Thanks

Edited October 2, 2008 by ubonjoe

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I have already posted an abbreviated form of this question on a different thread, but it appeared to get lost in that thread. I believe it is sufficiently interesting to warrant its own thread.

Does anyone know of a LEGAL reason why someone seeking an Embassy letter as verification of income for a "retirement" visa extension must have this done at their embassy in Bangkok?

As an example, I live quite close to Nong Khai, and therefore, Vientiane. I have emailed the Oz Embassy there, and they have said they can witness a Statutory Declaration re income, just as Bangkok normally does.

If no-one is aware of a LEGAL reason (hence this post) for Thai Immigration to reject such evidence on the basis it is not from Bangkok, I can then take the next step, and ask Nong Khai immigration whether they would be willing to accept it.

Yes, it works. I've been getting a new letter each year from my former employer in the U.S. regarding retirement funding and have been using this for the last nine years for my Non-O retirement extension. Took some talking now and then but since there's so many in my files now they don't seem to worry about it.

Mac

[ubonjoe]

Does anyone know of a LEGAL reason why someone seeking an Embassy letter as verification of income for a "retirement" visa extension must have this done at their embassy in Bangkok?

Yes, it works. I've been getting a new letter each year from my former employer in the U.S. regarding retirement funding and have been using this for the last nine years for my Non-O retirement extension. Took some talking now and then but since there's so many in my files now they don't seem to worry about it.

Mac

I tried that with a notarized letter from the US and immigration said no no it has to be stamped by the embassy.

The intent of this topic is to see if anybody has gotten a proof of income document from an embassy/conulate outside Thailand and used it at immigration.

If yes then this would help a lot of people that live nearer to Nong Kai/Vientiane than Bangkok. There are embassies/consulates in Vientiane that could possibley do this instead of making a trip to BKK.

Thanks for your input. What immigration office do you deal with that took that letter.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Does anyone know of a LEGAL reason why someone seeking an Embassy letter as verification of income for a "retirement" visa extension must have this done at their embassy in Bangkok?

Yes, it works. I've been getting a new letter each year from my former employer in the U.S. regarding retirement funding and have been using this for the last nine years for my Non-O retirement extension. Took some talking now and then but since there's so many in my files now they don't seem to worry about it.

Mac

I tried that with a notarized letter from the US and immigration said no no it has to be stamped by the embassy.

The intent of this topic is to see if anybody has gotten a proof of income document from an embassy/conulate outside Thailand and used it at immigration.

If yes then this would help a lot of people that live nearer to Nong Kai/Vientiane than Bangkok. There are embassies/consulates in Vientiane that could possibley do this instead of making a trip to BKK.

Thanks for your input. What immigration office do you deal with that took that letter.

Joe

I've been going to Suan Plu for these 9 years, grandfathered from May 1998.

As I mentioned, the first couple of times I used this letter I had to "discuss" the point a bit with a supervisor. After that the non-U.S. Embassy letter seems to have floated through. Indeed, last year I tried the baht 200,000 in the bank route and even had the Thai version of the reg in hand. Young Immigration gal doing the deed, didn't seem to understand the reg, kept saying I didn't have baht 800k, correct, sez I. She kept asking if I had a "letter" regarding retirement funds so I finally pulled out the non-embassy letter, she latched on to that with a sigh, compared it to what was in the top of my most recent old file, from the year before, and quite happily chopped away at my passport.

I'll try the baht 200k route again next year just to see if it works easily but I'm not out to create an embarrassment for the gal doing the interview, what ever works easily is fine with me. If they want something else I'll provide it.

FYI, was down to my local SCB branch this morning to deposit my monthly U.S. dollar check amount to make up a monthly baht 65,000 and change just to show a foreign incoming income. I also take these monthly deposit exchange slips with me when I go for renewals just in case that's what they'd like to see.

Mac