Monthly income requirement for " retirement " visa question

[seasia]

Hi

I`m a little confused here, from what I read the monthly income requirement for a retirement " visa " permission/ extension to stay is 65 K baht over a 1 year period, i.e minimum of 780 K baht over that 1 year.

Would I have to show 65 K+ baht coming in to the country every month or could I merely transfer say 200 K + baht 4 times a year, totalling 800 K+ so a little above requirement ?

The money would come from my UK bank account by TT in to my Thai bank account.

I have already been doing this anyway.

British citizen, 51 yrs. old, only used 1 year multi O visas before so no experience with this.

If answer is that I do not have to have 65 K baht coming in every single month, merely a monthly average over a year to be more than that, what proof of funds leaving UK and then entering Thailand would I need to provide?

I have had a little look for the answer but couldn`t find anything making it clear.

Thanks

[Sceptict11]

If you wish to secure an extension of stay based on retirement and wish to utilise income to support that you have to demonstrate a minimum income of 65k /month certified by the British Embassy .

You must also be prepared to show the immigration officers the basis of your claimed income.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Sceptict11

[Maestro]

If you want to apply for your retirement extension on the basis of money in your bank you must have 800,000 Baht in your Thai bank account for at least two months prior to your first application, at least three months for subsequent applications.

[sappersrest]

Are you in the UK at present, and going to get a visa soon from the embassy or Hull ? If so phone either the embassy in London or Hull to get clarification my wife and I were refused a multiple entry O visa and had to get an O-Avisa, As we were both under 65.

[wayned]

In order to use the 65k/ month method you must have and "income affidavit" from your embassy stating that you have at least 65k/month from overseas (letter will say GBP and immigration will do the conversion) . The British Embassy requires that you show proof of this income. You must show the Embassy whatever they require to get the letter. When you apply for the extension you must give them the original of the letter but be prepared to have the backup data if they request it. Don't show it unless asked as it sometimes confuses the issue.

[Dr. Burrito]

Related to this, but not the same, that monthly income. In the case of a friend, he and his wife want to move to Thailand. She is Thai. He will be getting monthly income from disability sufficient to the requirements. Will he have to set up automatic bank transfers from his US account or can he get it direct deposited to an account in Thailand? I am sure that either way he is looking at fees and headaches, bt some insight is appreciated.

[Sceptict11]

Related to this, but not the same, that monthly income. In the case of a friend, he and his wife want to move to Thailand. She is Thai. He will be getting monthly income from disability sufficient to the requirements. Will he have to set up automatic bank transfers from his US account or can he get it direct deposited to an account in Thailand? I am sure that either way he is looking at fees and headaches, bt some insight is appreciated.

Why does your friend not just ask his bank what the options are ?

He could also ask the provider of his "disability" what payment facilities they provide .

[Dr. Burrito]

Related to this, but not the same, that monthly income. In the case of a friend, he and his wife want to move to Thailand. She is Thai. He will be getting monthly income from disability sufficient to the requirements. Will he have to set up automatic bank transfers from his US account or can he get it direct deposited to an account in Thailand? I am sure that either way he is looking at fees and headaches, bt some insight is appreciated.

Why does your friend not just ask his bank what the options are ?

He could also ask the provider of his "disability" what payment facilities they provide .

I hate to say my friends are inept, but they are inept. The male in this equation was rendered semi-silly by a heart condition, so it all falls to his wife to figure it out and she struggles to get from Point A to B in the states, let alone figure out something like this. So I am just trying to help as I can, which may not be much use either of course

[Sceptict11]

Related to this, but not the same, that monthly income. In the case of a friend, he and his wife want to move to Thailand. She is Thai. He will be getting monthly income from disability sufficient to the requirements. Will he have to set up automatic bank transfers from his US account or can he get it direct deposited to an account in Thailand? I am sure that either way he is looking at fees and headaches, bt some insight is appreciated.

Why does your friend not just ask his bank what the options are ?

He could also ask the provider of his "disability" what payment facilities they provide .

I hate to say my friends are inept, but they are inept. The male in this equation was rendered semi-silly by a heart condition, so it all falls to his wife to figure it out and she struggles to get from Point A to B in the states, let alone figure out something like this. So I am just trying to help as I can, which may not be much use either of course

Many reasons to stay at home not the least being the said health problems.

Back away !

Any advise offered will result in blame being directed at you when it all goes wrong !

[wayned]

Yes he can have his payments directly deposited an account in Thailand. If the funds are from the US government he must open a special account in Bangkok Bank, in his name only with no ATM or internet access. Any money withdrawls must be made in person, no proxy allowed. The money is deposited in his account through the Bangkok Bank Branch in NY.

[wayned]

Disregard above post! Brian fart! Happens too often lately!

[mickjn]

Yes he can have his payments directly deposited an account in Thailand. If the funds are from the US government he must open a special account in Bangkok Bank, in his name only with no ATM or internet access. Any money withdrawls must be made in person, no proxy allowed. The money is deposited in his account through the Bangkok Bank Branch in NY.

Great to see someone offer someone a bit of advice to a person whose friend was only looking for a bit of a bunk up.Well done Sir bravo

[JLCrab]

Yes he can have his payments directly deposited an account in Thailand. If the funds are from the US government he must open a special account in Bangkok Bank, in his name only with no ATM or internet access. Any money withdrawls must be made in person, no proxy allowed. The money is deposited in his account through the Bangkok Bank Branch in NY.

Great to see someone offer someone a bit of advice to a person whose friend was only looking for a bit of a bunk up.Well done Sir bravo

Maybe less problematic to have his US government funds deposited directly into his US account (BofA, WellsFargo, etc.) then have an amount transferred monthly from the US account into Bangkok Bank via its NewYork City office.

Edited December 5, 2013 by JLCrab

[NeverSure]

Disregard above post! Brian fart! Happens too often lately!

555. Yes, brian fart. Now you are sounding like me. Just wait until you get older and you'll have breen farts like I do.

[ubonjoe]

 

Yes he can have his payments directly deposited an account in Thailand.  If the funds are from the US government he must open a special account in Bangkok Bank, in his name only with no ATM or internet access.  Any money withdrawls must be made in person, no proxy allowed.  The money is deposited in his account through the Bangkok Bank Branch in NY.

 

 

Great to see someone offer someone a bit of advice to a person whose friend was only looking for a bit of a bunk up.Well done Sir bravo

 

Maybe less problematic to have his US government funds deposited directly into his US account (BofA, WellsFargo, etc.) then have an amount transferred monthly from the US account into Bangkok Bank via its NewYork City office.

I have a direct deposit account and don't find the once a month trip to the bank a problem. I also have a normal account with ATM/debit and internet banking and just transfer the funds from direct deposit account to the normal account.

It took me about 5 minutes to do it this week.

[JLCrab]

For FBAR [purposes Bangkok Bank even via its NYC office is considered a foreign Bank -- the 'problem' comes if maintaining a foreign bank account is part of the reason to trigger an audit by the IRS.

[ubonjoe]

For FBAR [purposes Bangkok Bank even via its NYC office is considered a foreign Bank -- the 'problem' comes if maintaining a foreign bank account  is part of the reason to trigger an audit by the IRS.

To me that is not that big a deal. I have nothing to hide.

[JLCrab]

For FBAR [purposes Bangkok Bank even via its NYC office is considered a foreign Bank -- the 'problem' comes if maintaining a foreign bank account is part of the reason to trigger an audit by the IRS.

To me that is not that big a deal. I have nothing to hide.

If the IRS decides to haul you in for an audit, PROVING that you have nothing to hide can be an expensive and time-consuming proposition. And one factor they might use to justify an audit which is totally at their discretion is in maintaining a foreign bank account that receives deposits from the US Government.

Edit: Edited background to make post visible on TV app. Ubonjoe

[wayned]

Disregard above post! Brian fart! Happens too often lately!

555. Yes, brian fart. Now you are sounding like me. Just wait until you get older and you'll have breen farts like I do.

Yes . the magic number this month, "69". If yuo udnretsnad htsi yuo rae ujst ilek em! Dyslexia is also a problem. I have my SSA payments directly deposited to my BKK Bank account each month and the trip to the bank, all be it 60 kilometers , is not a problem. When I was in the hospital and couldn't go my wife did it but a letter from the doctor was required.

[mcfish]

One of the American guys in my condo complex is quite adamant that he has never been asked by the US embassy to supply proof of income for the letter. I dont know how the UK embassy handles it though

[Lite Beer]

U.S Embassy does not reply proof while U.K Embassy does.

[ubonjoe]

One of the American guys in my condo  complex is quite adamant that he has never been asked by the US embassy to supply proof of income for the letter. I dont know how the UK embassy handles it though

They don't ask because you do a sworn affidavit the US embassy.

The UK embassy does ask for proof.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Re the OP's original question...

If using the 65,000 baht per month income method for qualifying for a retirement extention, he seems to be under the mistaken impression that he has to actually BRING/IMPORT those same funds into Thailand, either during the year or month by month.

He doesn't. Re the income method, there's no requirement at all to show any funds in particular coming into Thailand, although some immigration offices do ask to see proof of some banking activity inside Thailand.

What he does have to provide is that he's receiving at least 65,000 baht per month for the year... but those funds can be earned outside Thailand and can stay outside Thailand...and for example, only be drawn down using an ATM card inside Thailand. No bulk or large scale funds transfers required to meet the Immigration requirement.

Of course, the OP needs to have funds in Thailand to support his lifestyle and expenses. But the amounts of those funds and expenditures are totally unrelated to the 65,000 baht per month income requirement for retirement extensions.

As long as he can document receiving Immigration's required 65,000 baht per month income anywhere, he can use or spend inside Thailand, or transfer into Thailand, as much or as little as he chooses.

But on the other hand, if he uses the method of having at least 800,000 baht in bank deposits to satisfy Immigration, those funds MUST be held in a bank account inside Thailand, and cannot be held or counted anywhere outside Thailand.

In that regard, the income vs. bank deposits methods are entirely different.

Edited December 5, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[JLCrab]

The Police Order 777/2551 2.22 for retirement makes no mention of the word average rather 'income of no less that 65,000 baht per month' and the sworn US affidavit wording is that the applicant receives $US XXXX every month again with no mention of word 'average'.

[NeverSure]

Yes he can have his payments directly deposited an account in Thailand. If the funds are from the US government he must open a special account in Bangkok Bank, in his name only with no ATM or internet access. Any money withdrawls must be made in person, no proxy allowed. The money is deposited in his account through the Bangkok Bank Branch in NY.

Great to see someone offer someone a bit of advice to a person whose friend was only looking for a bit of a bunk up.Well done Sir bravo

Maybe less problematic to have his US government funds deposited directly into his US account (BofA, WellsFargo, etc.) then have an amount transferred monthly from the US account into Bangkok Bank via its NewYork City office.

After all of the suggestions, I don't know why everyone doesn't just do this.

[JLCrab]

NS: Because until you've been audited by the IRS even when you have 'nothing to hide' you don't see that as a problem.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The Police Order 777/2551 2.22 for retirement makes no mention of the word average rather 'income of no less that 65,000 baht per month' and the sworn US affidavit wording is that the applicant receives $US XXXX every month again with no mention of word 'average'.

Thanks for correcting me on that, JL.. You're right about the language you mention in your post.

I've edited my post above to delete the mentions of "average."

[wayned]

The wording on the US affidavit is:

"I also affirm that I receive US$ _________________ every month from the

United States Government and/or other sources. I am applying for a Thai visa/

an extension of a current Thai visa and any assistance you can provide in this

request will be greatly appreciated."

Since it is a sworn statement, any false information provided is perjury and is punishable by a $10,000 fine and imprisonment. I seriously doubt that anyone has ever been punished for lying, but I use it every year. i have 5 bank accounts at different banks and do not want to have to be sure that 800k has been in one account for the 3 months prior to my extension as I do many transactions.

I usually take supporting info with me to immigration but I have never been asked for it.

[JLCrab]

Regardless of the wording on the US affidavit, IMM could ask to see of any nationality "evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month" in consideration of an extension via retirement. As long as you can do that, things should be copacetic.

[seasia]

Hi

Thanks for the answers, have learned a bit from them.

TallGuyJohnin BKK Yes, you figured out what was mostly confusing me, thanks for taking the time to explain.

JLCrab & wayned, also useful info.Thks.

To answer another poster`s question, No, not currently in UK, am in Thailand but will be going back to UK briefly next year.