You swear to the income statement....the consular officer stamps & signs the letter....you are done. $50 is just too much for that simple and quick process...it use to be $20 up until about 2 years ago which I think was reasonable.

Just as a matter of interest .

What would it cost to secure a sworn affidavit within the USA?

Well, the income statement is basically a notarized statement...some standard form/statement where you filled in the blanks and signed and then the consulate notarized it. My credit union in the U.S. provides such notary public services free of charge...also as a military retiree I can get statements/documents notarized free at any military base legal office...but of course I need to be physically there to get such services. Done both many times over the years.

Regarding my $20 statement...maybe it was $30. From some googling the increased consulate nortarial fees went in effect 13 Jul 10...a little over 3 years ago.

I have not acquired affidavits in USA but have had to have birth certificates "authenticated" with a certificate of authentication sighed and sealed by State Department officials. The cost is still $8.00 per item. Washington DC must have cheaper labor.

And as far as I know the Bangkok Bank branch at Cheang Wattana will do the bank letter for any person with a Bangkok Bank account at any branch; you don't have to have an account at the Cheang Wattana branch to get the letter...just any Bangkok Bank branch as far as I know as they can see your accounts at other Bangkok Bank branches....I know they can sure see my other accounts at other Bangkok Bank branches. The Cheang Wattana branch even has a poster on their windows saying they do immigration bank letters....I expect they do quite a few each day....I know each year when I've went in to get my letter there is usually one or two other farangs there at the same time getting a bank letter. And they have always had a couple folks in the branch which speak pretty good English. Your results may vary.

Not only the Bangkok Bank, but also the Kasikorn Bank.

My account is on Silom, but as the document has to be from the same day that you go for your visa, I asked the manager of Kasikorn at CW if she could issue the 800 K THB next time, and she said: no problem