Baht Per Dollar Rate -- Those On Fixed Income

[Haydn]

The dollar is going down again --

Last year I was able to use my pension and savings to get a retirement Visa -- This year my fixed rate pension does not enable me to get a marrage visa especially as immigration do not allow wife's earnings to be counted as well

Any sensible suggestions from Thai Visa Please for me and the many others like me who have lived out here a long time and have no other home. Ed visa is out as I am completely deaf.

[ubonjoe]

If your income is not enough then the only other option is to use the 400,000 baht in the bank for 2 months option for an extension based upon marriage.

Can you still meet the requirements for a retirement extension? You can still apply for that.

[CWMcMurray]

Otherwise you will need to forget the 1 yr visa extension and go to Loas (or other country)every 3 months and get a 3 mo Non-O visa.

Actually with visa extensions the non-o can be stretched out a bit longer, but if you go this route you will still need to get a new visa each time vias and extensions are up.

[Guderian]

You don't say where you live, but in the cities it is usually possible to borrow money if you have assets (a car or a house/condo) that you can put up as collateral. Interest rates are not usurious if you find the right lender. I know several people who are doing this is Pattaya, and it works, though obviously you need to be careful. Maybe you or your wife can find an honest local lawyer who can arrange the loan for you?

[BigSnake]

Yes that old baht has been kick butt as of late

[lopburi3]

1. Obtain enough savings to make up the shortfall in your baht income for retirement extension. Be aware money must be in your name only this year.

2. Change to support Thai wife which only requires 400k bank/40k income. Wife will have to go with you for this and more paperwork involved. Again money must be in your name only.

3. Obtain multi entry non immigrant O visa based on married. Some consulates will issue easily, others will want to see some money in a bank account (100k normally more than enough). This requires exit every 90 days but you are exempt for address reports.

4. Obtain 60 day extension to be with wife to allow more time.

[Lite Beer]

I would just go for the extension based on Marriage. 400,000 in the bank or 40,000 Monthly income.

Or make up the shortfall of your pension with some cash in the bank if you have it.

[Absingjul]

Still better than most of the past two years.

[Haydn]

Thank you all for your advise -- at least that has given me some more ideas

[thaihome]

As American, to certify your income for Thai Immigration, you should be getting a statement you make on what your income is that the consulate notarizes. They do not check or verify your numbers, including the exchange rate you use.

Think about it.

TH

[lopburi3]

There is no exchange rate on a US Embassy letter of income. You fill in the blanks and immigration will convert to Baht.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

There is no exchange rate on a US Embassy letter of income. You fill in the blanks and immigration will convert to Baht.

The letter from the embassy is by far the easiest way to go. It will cost you about $30 and is a simple form, you fill in a form swearing to your income and they stamp it for you. Quick and easy and they do not ask where the $ come from.

[Maestro]

Sometimes – I believe very rarely – the immigration officers ask for supporting documents as evidence of the income declared in the embassy letter. If you have them, bring them along to the immigration office but show them only if and when requested.

--

Maestro

[2711]

Otherwise you will need to forget the 1 yr visa extension and go to Loas (or other country)every 3 months and get a 3 mo Non-O visa.

CWM... I need to ask a question on obtaining a single entry 0 marriage visa and in particular one from Thai Consulate in Vientiane, Laos.(or elsewhere Laos).

What is the documentation required to do this? Is it the basic - passport,marriage certificate,wifes house I.D.? Is it required to show any income statements i.e. bank deposit,letters, etc... ??

This may be the route that I have to take if a decision to stay in Thailand is made in the face of the complexities I have.

2711

[ubonjoe]

In Vientiane you will need orginal and copy (both sides) of marriage certificate. Wifes ID and house book.

Copy of your passport photo page.

Bank book is not requred normally required. If you have one it would not hurt to have it with you.

[lopburi3]

As said bank book should not be required for single entry (although there is a general requirement for entry that you can show 20k baht to support your stay). If you want multi entry some Consulates have asked to see a bank book (KL has suggested 100k as what they like to see in account but have issued multi without).

You are aware that you can extend your current stay to visit wife one time for 60 days at a cost of 1,900 baht?

[Prajak]

It is more than "hear say" that the US embassy issues income statements without checking bankaccounts or other stuff. File a piece of paper and raise two fingers. Some Immigration offisers know this and ask more proof. You remember there has been this law that income statement should ne checked at Chaeng Wattana but fortunately this was not more than a few weeks.

When the entire Imm Police doesn't trust income statements anymore they will change the rules again. My (Dutch) embassy checks all papers and policies and statement before I get my income statement.

Imagine we have to visit Chaeng Wattana with our papers, your in English, mine in Dutch, translations, more expenses, more time.......

Visa runs, visa run fraud, ed-visa for grandfathers, not verified income statements, better not go to the utmost cause rules will change again, from bad to worse, even for people who behave properly.

[lopburi3]

Your Embassy is not confirming anything - they are only checking paperwork that you provided and can only say that you did indeed provide supporting paperwork. They can not confirm that it was not obtained from the local forger. The US Embassy makes no such pretense. They know they can not confirm paperwork so require you to confirm under oath that the information you have provided is correct. Most Americans take such an oath seriously.

[ubonjoe]

It is more than "hear say" that the US embassy issues income statements without checking bankaccounts or other stuff. File a piece of paper and raise two fingers. Some Immigration offisers know this and ask more proof. You remember there has been this law that income statement should ne checked at Chaeng Wattana but fortunately this was not more than a few weeks.

When the entire Imm Police doesn't trust income statements anymore they will change the rules again. My (Dutch) embassy checks all papers and policies and statement before I get my income statement.

Imagine we have to visit Chaeng Wattana with our papers, your in English, mine in Dutch, translations, more expenses, more time.......

Visa runs, visa run fraud, ed-visa for grandfathers, not verified income statements, better not go to the utmost cause rules will change again, from bad to worse, even for people who behave properly.

The US embassy has no choice to do it in any way other than an affidavit. By US law they are not allowed to verify a document for use outside the US. It is not that simple a matter as signing a document. You make an oath before a consular officer that it is true and correct. Making a false statement to an officer is a serious violation of the law.

The trip to the MFA was to confirm the signature of the conular officer not to verify the document.

Some immigration offices already ask for a bank book showing depostis and withdrawls when an income letter is used from any embassy. Not sure why they do this but I suspect it is to make sure you are not making the money illegally here in the country.

Every embassy or consulate does things in a different way. Some even issue them in English even though it is not their lanquage. Others do not do income letters of any kind.

Visa runs are not a problem. Border runs that abuse the visa exempt rules are a problem but it does not affect those that get visas and/or extensions.

You need to clarify what you mean by visa run fraud.

The ED visa thing was discussed in another topic and is not an issue.

[TaoNow]

Question for ubonjoe regarding the statement: Some immigration offices already ask for a bank book showing depostis and withdrawls when an income letter is used from any embassy. Not sure why they do this but I suspect it is to make sure you are not making the money illegally here in the country.

This is an important issue. It would be good to get some clarification from others as to the reason some offices check income flow into/out of the bank account. If it were to expose illegal money-making in Thailand, then you'd think they'd check income flow for those who use the 800,000 baht method as well. But do they? Immo (Suan Plu) told me they would like to see some "flow" if I switched to the fixed-income approach (65K/mo). But they show no interest in "flow" when I present my SCB bank book which simply shows a fixed deposit of 800,000+ baht without any withdrawals/deposits during the year.

One theory is that, since Immo has no easy way of confirming the truthfulness of the embassy letter, some offices look for regular income transfers from abroad as evidence of a regular source of retirement income. But to me, this is not satisfactory since I should be able to keep all my pension income in my home country if I have enough in my Thai savings account to live off of during the year -- even if that is no money at all (for example, by living with a Thai spouse who covers all my expenses).

Thoughts or experience anyone?

[ubonjoe]

By illegal I primarily meant working without a work permit.

For the money in the bank option they do often check and that is why some offices want a copy of every page of the bank book.

Most offices want to see another bank book with activity if you use a fixed income account. I have heard of some questioning an account that had no activity.

For a a retirement extension all your money should (by immgrations way of thinking) be income from outside the country because you would not have any other means of having the money. I do know that some people have investments here that generate income and use that to live on. Or as you said your wife (which is sort of an investment) makes money to support you.

I think you will find that the immigration office where there is a large population of expats are living will look for more evidence of income than others. This all goes back to the reason for the money being in the bank for a period of time before you appy for the extension.

[Texpat]

Nong Khai immigration wants a current letter from the Embassy AND a letter from the bank showing how much is deposited AND the bankbook showing every deposit for the past year.

If the deposits don't add up to 40K a month, no visa. (Non-imm O supporting Thai wife)

The letter from the Embassy isn't the holy grail, in fact for me, it's fairly meaningless.

[abdulrahman]

Nong Khai immigration wants a current letter from the Embassy AND a letter from the bank showing how much is deposited AND the bankbook showing every deposit for the past year.

If the deposits don't add up to 40K a month, no visa. (Non-imm O supporting Thai wife)

The letter from the Embassy isn't the holy grail, in fact for me, it's fairly meaningless.

Yes,they WANT it,but as I already said,if you are ready to make yourself unloved,they are obliged to follow the rules.

My personal experience only!

[ubonjoe]

Nong Khai immigration wants a current letter from the Embassy AND a letter from the bank showing how much is deposited AND the bankbook showing every deposit for the past year.

If the deposits don't add up to 40K a month, no visa. (Non-imm O supporting Thai wife)

The letter from the Embassy isn't the holy grail, in fact for me, it's fairly meaningless.

Yes,they WANT it,but as I already said,if you are ready to make yourself unloved,they are obliged to follow the rules.

My personal experience only!

What they want is not in the rules that is the point being made,

There is nothing in the rules that says you need to show a bank book if you have an income letter.

And nothing that says you have to bring all your income into the country.

Nong Kai is just another unfriendly rogue immigration office.

[astral]

You don't say where you live, but in the cities it is usually possible to borrow money if you have assets (a car or a house/condo) that you can put up as collateral. Interest rates are not usurious if you find the right lender. I know several people who are doing this is Pattaya, and it works, though obviously you need to be careful. Maybe you or your wife can find an honest local lawyer who can arrange the loan for you?

If you take this route then remember that the money has to be in your account for 2 months before the application.

[Texpat]

Nong Khai immigration wants a current letter from the Embassy AND a letter from the bank showing how much is deposited AND the bankbook showing every deposit for the past year.

If the deposits don't add up to 40K a month, no visa. (Non-imm O supporting Thai wife)

The letter from the Embassy isn't the holy grail, in fact for me, it's fairly meaningless.

Yes,they WANT it,but as I already said,if you are ready to make yourself unloved,they are obliged to follow the rules.

My personal experience only!

What they want is not in the rules that is the point being made,

There is nothing in the rules that says you need to show a bank book if you have an income letter.

And nothing that says you have to bring all your income into the country.

Nong Kai is just another unfriendly rogue immigration office.

It's one thing to explain the rules. Quite another to explain the reality. If I had questions about a Thai visa or extension, I'd want to know the reality and, secondarily, the law.

I've never done anything to be unloved, but these are the demands that are made. Period. I've been renewing at the same office for three years. It's the same drill every time. More than 100 seperate documents in total for a miserable one year extension that includes 3-month check-ins.

Arguing with them is pointless and guarantees you get nothing.

[Ratsima]

There is no exchange rate on a US Embassy letter of income. You fill in the blanks and immigration will convert to Baht.

Last time I got an extension of stay the Immigration officer asked me for the dollar/baht exchange rate and used the amount I gave him....

[Bjerget]

The money must have been in the account for 3 months, not 2.

[ubonjoe]

The money must have been in the account for 3 months, not 2.

For an extesnion for marriage the rules say 2 months. Some offices want 3 months.

For retirement it is 3 month unless it the first extension and then it is 2 months.

[Kaojai]

Visa runs, visa run fraud, ed-visa for grandfathers, not verified income statements, better not go to the utmost cause rules will change again, from bad to worse, even for people who behave properly.

Yes it sounds like people are openly advocating lying to the embassies about your income or getting around the bank balance requirement by taking out loans and other methods to circumvent the law or at least the intention of current regulations.

As an example, the reason the "three month bank balance" rule became policy is because too many people were shifting the same money from account to account just before they applied for an extension of stay.

Once these "tricks" become common knowledge then the rules and regulations will be tightened or made more onerous and the same people who were playing the tricks will bitch about Thai Immigrations constantly changing the rules.