Extensions To Non Immigrant Visas

[david96]

When applying for a Non-Immigrant visa extension, eg, based on marriage or retirement one can use the income from overseas, ie, your home country.

You are required to submit a statutory declaration or an equivalent document wintnessed by

the consular section of your embassy in Bangkok.

This would require certification by the MFA in Bangkok before submitting to Thai Immigration.

The question here is;

Does the embassy require sighting of original documents to prove your source of income, and,

does Thai Immigration require certified copies of your documents proving your income.

Documents relating to income could be bank statements showing regular deposits, annual statements of your pension fund or a statement stating your current government pension amount.

Or does Thai immigration just accept the statutory declaration as is from your embassy?

[Lite Beer]

It all depends on what your Embassy requires.

EG. The USA Embassy requires no proof while the British Embassy does need to see proof.

[lopburi3]

This would require certification by the MFA in Bangkok before submitting to Thai Immigration.

There is no such rule.

[david96]

This would require certification by the MFA in Bangkok before submitting to Thai Immigration.

There is no such rule.

What about translation of the statutory declaration? From English to Thai. The statutory declaration would be a document complying with the legal requirements of your home country supplied by your embassy.

[Lite Beer]

Translation is not needed.

[Rice_King]

Going for my Non-O twelve month extension today. Do I need to provide the proof of income certified letter AND the letter from my Thai bank? Or am I only required to provide the certified proof of income letter for my extension? I rarely use my Thai bank. I withdraw my US based funds as needed from an ATM.

[lopburi3]

If you meet the requirements with your Embassy letter that should be all that is required. You should have bank book available (especially if marriage extension) and ATM receipts but bank letter should not be needed.

Edited July 8, 2009 by lopburi3

[david96]

Translation is not needed.

The reason the question was asked was because of the following.

Australian Embassy.

For Australia the document is a Commonwealth of Australia statutory declaration made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959.

[beano2274]

No translations are required from English to Thai, the staff know what to look at in Immigration.

Used letter from Embassy, no bank book for last extension, but always take more than I need, just in case.

[Rice_King]

And correct me if I am wrong, but do I also have the option of doing a border crossing just prior to my Non-O expiring? In lieu of doing the extension to get the additional 12 months?

[Lite Beer]

Do the border run the day before the Visa expires and you will get another 90 days. You can then apply for the extension within the last 30 days of that stay.

[Rice_King]

Great information guys. Thanks for the clarifications.

--RK

[lopburi3]

Unless you have a valid multi entry non immigrant OA (retirement) you only receive a 90 day stay on entry - but if you have been on a one year stay and have the OA visa a return before it expires provides another one year stay (but travel after return would require re-entry permit). You did not mention what you have.

Edited July 8, 2009 by lopburi3

[david96]

There seems to be misconception to the use of the terms "Affidavit", "Statutory Declaration"

and "Certified Letter" (from Embassy)

Affidavit: A written statement made under oath. (Terminology used in the US.)

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Statutory Declaration: A written statement signed by the person making the declaration and has the signature of the person before whom the declaration is made.

For Australia the document is a Commonwealth of Australia statutory declaration made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959.

Note.

I understand that a person who intentionally makes a false statement in a statutory declaration is

guilty of an offence under section 11 of the Statutory Declarations Act 1959, and I beleive that statements in this declaration are true in every particular.

A person who intentionally makes a false statement in a statutory declaration is guilty of an offence, the punishment for which is imprisionment for a period of 4 years---see section 11. of the Statutory Declarations Act 1959.

Chapter 2 of the Criminal code applies to all offences against the Statutory Declarations Act 1959

see section 5A of theStatutory Declarations Act 1959.

"address" means the place at which, or through which,a person may be contacted, and includes a postal address, but does not include the persons email address.

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Letter: This could be a standard business letter signed by the writer, and it is just that, a letter.

However to legalise it one must have an affidavit or a statutory declaration signed and witnessed

stating that the information is true in all respects with regard to the letter.

Once this has been done you now have a legal document.

Remember, making false or untruthful statements can be compared with giving false

or untruthful statements in a court of law.

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Thai Immigration would therefore require a legal document to be supplied to them. ( One would expect them to require a certified translation in Thai as well, but this appears not to be so).

Statutory Declarations are often used in Australia where original documention is unavailable,

or difficult to obtain under the circumstances or where originals have been lost or destroyed.

[lopburi3]

There in no current need for legalization process or translation (if in Thai or English). Below is the requirement that was listed on the semi-official Nong Khai web site (before it was taken down).

Letter of certification issued by your Embassy in Thailand, stating that you have

a permanent income from pension or security money in your home country.

[Rice_King]

Unless you have a valid multi entry non immigrant OA (retirement) you only receive a 90 day stay on entry - but if you have been on a one year stay and have the OA visa a return before it expires provides another one year stay (but travel after return would require re-entry permit). You did not mention what you have.

I have an OA type and have been on a one year stay. Went in to visit immigrations early today (first day after the long holiday -- what a crowd!) and received my new extension.

Thanks again all for the good info.

[david96]

There in no current need for legalization process or translation (if in Thai or English). Below is the requirement that was listed on the semi-official Nong Khai web site (before it was taken down).

Letter of certification issued by your Embassy in Thailand, stating that you have

a permanent income from pension or security money in your home country.

In other words, for a US citizen they would fill in an Affidavit.

An Australian citizen would fill in a Statutory Declaration.

This would appear to be the correct interpretation of the term "Letter of Certification" as required by Thai Immigration.

[david96]

What would the declaration contain as to your statement? Possible examples.

"......have sufficient funds to meet the financial criteria for an extension of a Non-Immigrant Visa based on _______1__________".

"......have sufficient funds in excess of THB (amount in words and figures) to meet the financial criteria per month for an extension of a Non-Immigrant visa based on_____1_____".

1. Based on "Support of Thai wife", or, "Retirement".

Amount in words and figures: THB 40000 or THB 65000

[lopburi3]

The US Embassy has a prepared form that you just fill in data and income and they notarize your signature with Embassy stamp.

[toptuan]

What is the MFA?

[Mario2008]

What is the MFA?

Ministry of Foreign Afairs

[david96]

The US Embassy has a prepared form that you just fill in data and income and they notarize your signature with Embassy stamp.

It is possible that the Australian Embassy (Department of Foreign affairs, Consular Services), has a

pro-forma statutory declaration for that very purpose.

[CosmicSurfer]

The US Embassy has a prepared form that you just fill in data and income and they notarize your signature with Embassy stamp.

So is this Form a "Sworn and Legal" Affidavit or Statutory Declaration, with full legal impact to the use of misinformation?

OR....

Is the US embassy just notarizing the Document to affirm that the signature is in fact yours, without any legal impact as to the truth of the forms contents???

Hmmm???

CS

[lopburi3]

You sware that the information is correct in front of the Consular Official and then sign it.

[CosmicSurfer]

You sware that the information is correct in front of the Consular Official and then sign it.

Thanks Lop....

Nice to have you back!

CS

[david96]

Both an Affidavit ( US) and a Statutory Declaration (Aust.) are legal documents as far as your Embassy is concerned.

DFAT (Australia) who operate the Consular Services charge a AUD20 fee to witness a statutory declaration. To have a statutory declaration witnessed within Australia no fee is payable.

Thai Immigration would appear to only accept valid documentation as issued by your Embassy in Thailand.

[tutone]

If you meet the requirements with your Embassy letter that should be all that is required. You should have bank book available (especially if marriage extension) and ATM receipts but bank letter should not be needed.

Except for Nong Khai immigration. For my one year extension back in April I was required to submit a letter from the bank along with copies of savings passbook. This was in addition to the embassy letter and other required documents.

[asean]

Hey this is a really cool string. So much sense and good info. Love the bits about affidavit and stat dec. Thanks everyone.

[Sirdar]

When applying for a Non-Immigrant visa extension, eg, based on marriage or retirement one can use the income from overseas, ie, your home country.

You are required to submit a statutory declaration or an equivalent document wintnessed by

the consular section of your embassy in Bangkok.

This would require certification by the MFA in Bangkok before submitting to Thai Immigration.

The question here is;

Does the embassy require sighting of original documents to prove your source of income, and,

does Thai Immigration require certified copies of your documents proving your income.

Documents relating to income could be bank statements showing regular deposits, annual statements of your pension fund or a statement stating your current government pension amount.

Or does Thai immigration just accept the statutory declaration as is from your embassy?

The British Embassy in Bangkok angkok will supply a letter for the Immigration department based on the evidence that you give them. It is no good just asking for a letter and you should be prepared top produce Bank Statements and any other evidence which is relevant to show them. The staff are very courteous and they will help you in any way they can, but you must provide proof that is including copies of bank statements Bank Books etc

[caughtintheact]

If you meet the requirements with your Embassy letter that should be all that is required. You should have bank book available (especially if marriage extension) and ATM receipts but bank letter should not be needed.

Lopburi13, What's the deal on the ATM receipts. I use ATMs to get my funds from home country, but have never been asked for ATM receipts. Is this something new or is it just happening in some Immigration offices?