Retirement/Marriage Visa Foreign Bank Deposits Non U.S. Citizens

[Colabamumbai]

I will try to word this correctly. For an affidavit from your embassy for immigration showing that you receive 40,000 bhat for a marriage visa or 65,000 bhat per month for a retirement visa, deposited in your foreign bank account (outside of Thailand) where you continue to earn interest on your funds, How many months or bank statements would your embassy need to give you a letter of income for immigration?

With this affidavit from your embassy for immigration, is it correct to suppose that you would not need a letter from a Thai bank showing your 400,000 or 800,000Thai bank account deposit for 2 to 3 months?

I know that U.S. citizens only have to make the declaration at their embassy. The Canadian Embassy wants to see copies of the monthly deposits. When I talk to them in person they do not tell me for how many months I must show this income in a Canadian bank account. When I email them them they say one month is sufficient.

I would appreciate replies from fellow Canadians or non U.S. citizens as to give me some input as to their experience, without having to tie up funds in a Thai bank account, and use the above mentioned procedure.

Why would I want to tie up funds in a Thai bank that will pay me no interest while they loan out my money and charge their clients interest to borrow my money.

I hope that my post is clear.

Thank you

[TerryLH]

If your income is legit, why wouldn't you just go with what your embassy says they want?

With a letter from your embassy, you don't need 400k/800k in the bank, but some immigration offices might want to see a passbook with at least a little money in it.

[Jingthing]

Yes with the income letter if the income meets the requirements, you don't need much in the Thai bank account and it does not have to be seasoned at all. As said, some immigration will still require at least a small Thai bank account and also sometimes a bank letter even if your income letter exceeds the requirements. There is also the retirement "combo method" which means for example an income letter showing 500K plus a Thai bank account of 300K (no need to season at all) would qualify.

That much I can tell you as a US person. For Canadian particulars, I agree, why not listen to your embassy?

Edited August 23, 2010 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

Thai bank accounts do pay interest (even normal passbook savings accounts). If yours does not change to one that does.

[shaunoro]

A few years ago, Thai banks stopped paying interest on Non Thai savings accounts.

Has this changed back to paying interest?