Us Bank Income Letter For Retirement Visa

[Pinot]

I'm an American. In the past all I needed for the retirement visa was the US government statement of my income. This time around I needed a letter from my bank saying I was pulling the same amount of money as the embassy letter and a copy of the credit card that I used to pull that money. A couple of more hoops to jump through.

Has anyone got a letter from Charles Schwab Bank? How did you get it? I took care of it but I'd like to know for future reference.

[wayned]

Never had to have anything but the income affidavit from my embassy. What office is requiring the extra documentation?

[Jingthing]

Yes this sounds a bit fishy to me. Yes, immigration has the power to ask for more documentation to back up the embassy/consulate letter. However, this really is the first time I've ever heard of a requirement that you get a letter from the bank about it. I think if you do really need this documentation, you most likely do not need a letter, rather you need bank account statements showing the account activity you feel you need to show. Maybe you can print them online and that would be acceptable? Perhaps not if for some reason they are suspicious about you because online copies are not really official documents. Would also like to know which office and any other background information on why you think you really need this extra stuff and how that came about for you.

Bottom line. This is an unusual report.

[phuketrichard]

what thai immigration office?

[beano2274]

They ask for the letter from the Embassy and Thai bank books to see that money is being used regularly

[Pinot]

what thai immigration office?

Phuket. They weren't interested in any other documentation. They showed me a letter from a German bank with the monthly amount in bold. This is what people from other countries have to have.

[Jingthing]

They ask for the letter from the Embassy and Thai bank books to see that money is being used regularly

Actually there is no requirement to import your money into a Thai bank if using the income method. Many people just use ATM cards.

[Jingthing]

what thai immigration office?

Phuket. They weren't interested in any other documentation. They showed me a letter from a German bank with the monthly amount in bold. This is what people from other countries have to have.

Thanks. I really don't understand. Good luck with this. Seems like a weird thing to ask your foreign bank. Bank STATEMENTS to show account balance and activity, that seems more normal to me. I reckon people will want to know now if Phuket is demanding this of all income based applicants, only those from certain nationalities, or just some people for whatever their reasons.

[lopburi3]

No such requirement from any country that I know of. Some ask for proof of income which would be account statements of regular deposit or pension letter or some such thing as that but none require that money proof into Thailand.

[Jingthing]

If for example it is a government pension and they want documentation to prove the embassy letter, wouldn't an even better proof be a document from the government office issuing the pension? I think that would be less of a weird thing to ask for but could be a hassle to get for many expats.

[phuketrichard]

what thai immigration office?

Phuket. They weren't interested in any other documentation. They showed me a letter from a German bank with the monthly amount in bold. This is what people from other countries have to have.

I use phuket and never been asked for this.

there is a new head guy in Phuket i heard thou and the nice lady is gone

did u deal wiht the same guy on the back row?

[Pinot]

what thai immigration office?

Phuket. They weren't interested in any other documentation. They showed me a letter from a German bank with the monthly amount in bold. This is what people from other countries have to have.

I use phuket and never been asked for this.

there is a new head guy in Phuket i heard thou and the nice lady is gone

did u deal wiht the same guy on the back row?

Yes I delt with the POS in the back row. He was condescending and arrogant that I didn't have the letter and the copy of the credit card in the package.This is what is required now, at least as of yesterday. I can't believe I'm the first one who had to supply this.

[Jingthing]

So expats with no foreign credit card can't retire in Phuket?

[ubonjoe]

I think the best option is to start putting some money in to a Thai bank account and using it instead of a

ATM /Debit card. I am certain immigration would accept a bank book showing regular incoming transfers.

From the US the least costly method of getting money transferred is to open an account at Bangkok bank and have transfers made to their New York branch into your account.

[Pinot]

So expats with no foreign credit card can't retire in Phuket?

You just need a letter from your bank (doesn't matter where it is) stating that you are pulling whatever that amount is that's stated on the government statement and a copy of the credit card you use to pull that money. That's no reason to put money in a Thai bank.

I can only speak for Americans. You get a letter from the embassy saying you get say, $3300/mo. Then you need a letter from a bank saying that you pull $3300 a month and a copy of the credit card you use to that.

It's straight forward, it's just I don't know how to get that bank letter. Write your bank asking them to send you a letter stating that you pull X average amount per month to prove the embassy letter is correct? I think that will be a tough letter to get from a bank. I could be wrong.

I don't want to get Charles Scwab Bank involved in this for another reason. I own Mutual Funds with Charles Scwab. If you're an International customer you can't own mutual funds.

[ubonjoe]

I don't think you would be considered an international customer since you are not going to be a resident of this country. I am certain you will be maintaining an address in the US. Just tell Scwab that you need it for a visa.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Who "pulls money" for their monthly living expenses using a U.S. bank credit card????

The OP seems to be saying that his local Immigration office is asking for bank statements showing inflow or outflow of monthly income, enough to satisfy the 65,000 baht per month ($2000+) for a retirement extension.

If for some reason the normal U.S. Consulate income letter isn't enough for Phuket Immigration, then why not just use the monthly statements associated with your Schwab account, which can either be printed out online or Schwab will paper mail to you on a monthly basis.

Those are going to document the inflow and outflow of funds, more than a written letter from the bank.

[phuketrichard]

I have been using the combination method;

i have over 300,000 in my thai bank, whiich i get the letter from the bank for and than the letter form the us embassy making up the dif to 800,000. What i like about this option is the money does not need to be seasoned the 3 months.

Will this remain the same?

I guess will make a run into town and ask the white guys that help out there.

[Pinot]

I don't think you would be considered an international customer since you are not going to be a resident of this country. I am certain you will be maintaining an address in the US. Just tell Scwab that you need it for a visa.

You're right. Thanks, I do maintain an American address. Getting a letter out of your bank stating the average monthly draw is still the challenge.

Who "pulls money" for their monthly living expenses using a U.S. bank credit card????

The OP seems to be saying that his local Immigration office is asking for bank statements showing inflow or outflow of monthly income, enough to satisfy the 65,000 baht per month ($2000+) for a retirement extension.

If for some reason the normal U.S. Consulate income letter isn't enough for Phuket Immigration, then why not just use the monthly statements associated with your Schwab account, which can either be printed out online or Schwab will paper mail to you on a monthly basis.

Those are going to document the inflow and outflow of funds, more than a written letter from the bank.

I pull every cent for living expenses with my Scwab Visa card. All ATM fees are refunded.

You're right, the monthly statement would verify the money, but that's not what they want and they won't accept that. They won't accept bank statements. (This is Thailand.) That would make sense, but think about it. That would mean the Thai Immigration people would then have to examine every statement. They're not going to do that. You have to have a letter.

This is all new to me. Ummm...I don't want to say what I ended up doing.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Schwab and Schwab account holders no longer have any CREDIT cards, since Schwab sold its credit card portfolio to BofA some time back...

So contrary to what you wrote above, you're actually using a no-fee Schwab VISA DEBIT card, which is a good way of accessing U.S. funds via Thai ATMs.

Credit and debit cards aren't the same thing.

[TongueThaied]

Yes this sounds a bit fishy to me. Yes, immigration has the power to ask for more documentation to back up the embassy/consulate letter. However, this really is the first time I've ever heard of a requirement that you get a letter from the bank about it. I think if you do really need this documentation, you most likely do not need a letter, rather you need bank account statements showing the account activity you feel you need to show. Maybe you can print them online and that would be acceptable? Perhaps not if for some reason they are suspicious about you because online copies are not really official documents. Would also like to know which office and any other background information on why you think you really need this extra stuff and how that came about for you.

Bottom line. This is an unusual report.

Expect to see this. It happened to an American friend of mine who reports to Nan Immigration He derives his income from two or three different bureaucratic sources as he is retired from the military due to a disability. This caused him no end of trouble, because he just gets the money electronically deposited to his US account and he did not even know how to get the documentation. Both his Thai and his American banks refused to provide any letter, saying that they knew nothing of his personal business or income.

This was expected to be a routine renewal for him. It took him completely by surprise and caused untold amounts of stress, anger and frustration.

Any people reading this that get their extensions based on income instead of local bank deposits should not be surprised if they get hit with this ugly new requirement. Better to be prepared in advance that scrambling in angry frustration at the last minute.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I renewed my retirement extension at BKK-CW in September, and relied on the U.S. Consulate issued income letter the same as always.

No additional income documentation was requested this year, just the same as none had been requested at BKK in past years.

As always, though, I brought copies of my bank and various other monthly statements to document my income just in case. But I've yet to have to use them.

If there is any kind of new directive on income documentation, it certainly doesn't seem to be being used in BKK. And if it was, akin to the OP's report here, I'm sure there'd have been be a ton of howling about it here on TV...

That said, there clearly is a pretty well documented history of various local Immigration offices, or individual staff at some office, going off on their own wild hair interpretation of the rules. And when they do, it's often difficult to persuade them otherwise.

Let me also add...the notion of income verification as the OP has recounted his experience at Immigration is problematic in another way as well. Lots of people get their income from a variety of sources, not just one. And many of those sources aren't banks or anything similar.

To satisfy Immigration's monthly income requirement, the income can be from any country and from pretty much any source. So pensions and bank or brokerage account earnings I'd assume are common. But so might be property rental income, business income from outside Thailand, and a range of other similar sources. So just who exactly would be providing a letter for those kinds of sources? If it was me, I'd be walking into Immigration with more than a half dozen different letters...apart from the Consulate one. I just can't see that's a road Immigration wanting to go down... That's why they have the Consulate letter system instead.

[Mario2008]

1 post containing illgeal advise deleted.

[Pez]

Hi Folks,

I have been a resident of Thailand for 8 years and have always used the Retirement Visa option. I don't know where I read it, but when it comes to renewal I use the Income method. I have allways included the Embassy Letter and the anual statement I get from my pension providor(s). Ok I am a brit but I would expect any developed country to provide an annual sattement of income if only for taxation purposes.

I guess the real problem is that some Embassy letters can be obtained rather simply ie like the Stat Dec the Austrailians have to have, thats why maybe further questions get asked. Although I satisfy the annual income requirements I certainly don't bring all the money to Thailand, I save it in the UK., I don't use credit cards or Direct Debit Cards either. As someone else suggets take as much sensible documents as possible and hope they don't ask for a translation!!!!! Ugh

[moe666]

Yes this sounds a bit fishy to me. Yes, immigration has the power to ask for more documentation to back up the embassy/consulate letter. However, this really is the first time I've ever heard of a requirement that you get a letter from the bank about it. I think if you do really need this documentation, you most likely do not need a letter, rather you need bank account statements showing the account activity you feel you need to show. Maybe you can print them online and that would be acceptable? Perhaps not if for some reason they are suspicious about you because online copies are not really official documents. Would also like to know which office and any other background information on why you think you really need this extra stuff and how that came about for you.

Bottom line. This is an unusual report.

Expect to see this. It happened to an American friend of mine who reports to Nan Immigration He derives his income from two or three different bureaucratic sources as he is retired from the military due to a disability. This caused him no end of trouble, because he just gets the money electronically deposited to his US account and he did not even know how to get the documentation. Both his Thai and his American banks refused to provide any letter, saying that they knew nothing of his personal business or income.

This was expected to be a routine renewal for him. It took him completely by surprise and caused untold amounts of stress, anger and frustration.

Any people reading this that get their extensions based on income instead of local bank deposits should not be surprised if they get hit with this ugly new requirement. Better to be prepared in advance that scrambling in angry frustration at the last minute.

When did this happen to your friend recently or in the far distant past.

[watcharacters]

Yes this sounds a bit fishy to me. Yes, immigration has the power to ask for more documentation to back up the embassy/consulate letter. However, this really is the first time I've ever heard of a requirement that you get a letter from the bank about it. I think if you do really need this documentation, you most likely do not need a letter, rather you need bank account statements showing the account activity you feel you need to show. Maybe you can print them online and that would be acceptable? Perhaps not if for some reason they are suspicious about you because online copies are not really official documents. Would also like to know which office and any other background information on why you think you really need this extra stuff and how that came about for you.

Bottom line. This is an unusual report.

yeah, not "official" and Charles Schwab's print out won't show the depositor's name for security reasons.

Wonderful how Imm. Dept. can ask for whatever they like in spite of the governments official requirements.

One of them recently tried but failed to shake me down for ฿20K

Let's see. How much does that police job cost?

[watcharacters]

So expats with no foreign credit card can't retire in Phuket?

You just need a letter from your bank (doesn't matter where it is) stating that you are pulling whatever that amount is that's stated on the government statement and a copy of the credit card you use to pull that money. That's no reason to put money in a Thai bank.

I can only speak for Americans. You get a letter from the embassy saying you get say, $3300/mo. Then you need a letter from a bank saying that you pull $3300 a month and a copy of the credit card you use to that.

It's straight forward, it's just I don't know how to get that bank letter. Write your bank asking them to send you a letter stating that you pull X average amount per month to prove the embassy letter is correct? I think that will be a tough letter to get from a bank. I could be wrong.

I don't want to get Charles Scwab Bank involved in this for another reason. I own Mutual Funds with Charles Scwab. If you're an International customer you can't own mutual funds.

Have you considered a USA mail forwarding service?

That's what I use. Expensive but works well.

[Pinot]

So this is beginning to look like a new requirement for Americans. It's a problem. Expats from other countries have been presenting these docs. I took care of it this year but I wanted to know how other Americans did it because I didn't know where to start. I've got a year to hear a solution.

I didn't see an opening for a bribe here.

I can prove I got the money, they don't care about that. They want a letter saying you spent X amount every month. They want that figure to match the figure on your US Income statement. And they want a copy of your credit card! So they now know how much money I have, where it is and they have my credit card.

[Gary A]

No, it's not fishy. It all depends on the immigration office that you use. The first few years in Thailand I used the letter from the US embassy and had no problems. I then moved upcountry and the immigration office demanded a new letter every year. Not only that the officer sent me back 600 kilometers to Bangkok the first time to have the letter "legalized" at Laksi. The next year I had to do the same thing except I went to Laksi right after I got the embassy letter. He finally beat me into using the 800,000 deposit. He actually told me that people lie about their income and the embassy put down whatever they were told. The first year I did that I didn't touch the money and was grilled as to how I lived without using that money. After I learned the ropes, the grumpy old bastard had very little to complain about. He has now been replaced and the people there now are pleasant and helpful.

[IMA_FARANG]

I did my 2nd annual extension renewal October 5, 2012 at Chaeng Watanna

Used combination mrthod wiith approx. 600K Baht in Thai bank account and U.S. embessy income letter of 50K baht monthly from Social Security.

Had bank book and U.S. embessy letter stating income of 50K baht monthly.

They took U.S. embessy statement and glamced at passbook.

They did not care about Social Security income letter although I had one.

(You can request a form from Social Security that states your monthly pension income).

At Chaeng Wattana all they to see was:

Thai account bankbook

U.S. embessy income letter.

Nothing else mattered to them as long as the combined total of those two sources was over 800K baht equivalent.(annual income)

Extension renewal aqpproved, and I am now good until October 15, 2013.