Immigration clarifies retirement visa rules

[JSixpack]

it seems clear the confusion is the fault of poor translation of the original Thai legal jargon into English or else the original Thai wording was hopelessly constructed...anyone's guess.

I would guess merely the IQs of some of the readers.

For those who have obviously been through the process before w/ their wives, the operative sentence is, "Col Napat said, “Nothing has been changed. It has been the same since 2008."

And one rule has been B800K in a single account (the husband's) or B1.6M in a joint account. The only point here is that this particular rule will now be strictly enforced.

No big deal.

Edited December 10, 2013 by JSixpack

[OJAS]

For those who have obviously been through the process before w/ their wives, the operative sentence is, "Col Napat said, “Nothing has been changed. It has been the same since 2008."

Even so, it should be some big-wig in Immigration Bureau HQ saying this, not the local Phuket Head Honcho IMHO.

The one thing that is certain is that the rule will now be more strictly enforced in Phuket at any rate. The 64,000 dollar question is whether it will also be elsewhere.

[humph]

I think this topic should have been closed right after post number 1.

i dont!

My wife and I got our extention of stay for another year from jomtein, no problem last week (sceptic11 please check terminology) we had only a joint letter from uk consulate in Bangkok stating our joint monthly income of 65000 baht. no mention of dependent or follower status? not a question asked at jomtein. we filled in seperare forms, my wife is from the uk. we have been here 2years now. no thai bank accounts of any great sums. are we missing something? should we worry next year? do they give notice of changes?

apart from this we love thailand, although it is a bit chilly now! happy christmas all!!!

[tropo]

I think this topic should have been closed right after post number 1.

i dont!

My wife and I got our extention of stay for another year from jomtein, no problem last week (sceptic11 please check terminology) we had only a joint letter from uk consulate in Bangkok stating our joint monthly income of 65000 baht. no mention of dependent or follower status? not a question asked at jomtein. we filled in seperare forms, my wife is from the uk. we have been here 2years now. no thai bank accounts of any great sums. are we missing something? should we worry next year? do they give notice of changes?

apart from this we love thailand, although it is a bit chilly now! happy christmas all!!!

I don't think you need to worry for next year any more than any other year. Don't ever think you're 100% secure though because things can and do change all the time. That's one of the "problems" with the retirement "visa" here. You can't be certain as to your future.

The "follower" term is just informal terminology we're currently using on this forum. My wife has been "following" me for retirement extensions for 4 years and this is the first time I've used or heard of the term.

I had to LOL at you thinking it's "a bit chilly now". Perhaps a few more years in the stinking hot tropical zone and you'll learn to appreciate the "chilly" weather. It's an extremely chilly 27 C at 70% humidity in my lounge right now with all the windows open at 10pm. That's a hot summer's night in the UK isn't it? (have never been there - just guessing).

[TheWizardofRnR]

I have only one comment to make here , Phuket News Headlines always seem a bit to the

exaggerated , over-stated side of news Headlines ! Kind of like the Enquirer meets The First True Alien !

When we all know it was , Superman walks Among us ......

[bikerider21]

I still don't get it. 800,000 or 65,000 per month

Why then do various web sites talk about a combination?

This is from Siam Lagal

* FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT:

1. BANK ACCOUNT SHOWING THB 800,000
2. MONTHLY INCOME OF AT LEAST THB 65,000
3. COMBINATION (BANK ACCOUNT + INCOME x 12 = THB 800,000)

I see no mention of a combination in the statement. Is this wrong now? If so, why don't these web sites correct their information? If not, how does it work?

What about attestation of the 65,000B. Does this also apply to say 60,000 as part of the combination?

What about exchange rate variation? If the amount changes, how can you get attestation for the varying amount because it has to be in thai Baht and this varies?

Still seems consusing to me!

Can anyone (with a sensible and correctly resoured answer) please comment?

Edited December 11, 2013 by jeffinchiangmai1

[Mario2008]

you have 3 options, as shown in your quote from Siam legal. They probably didn't talk about the combined option, to keep it simple.

If you show an income you either show tax documents if from within Thailand or a letter from your embassy if from abroad. That is also true when you use the combined option.

Immigration looks at the conversion rate on the day you apply. If you use the money in the bank option with a foreign currency deposit account the money must not come under 800,000 baht so you do risk currency fluctuations.

[ubonjoe]

I still don't get it. 800,000 or 65,000 per month

Why then do various web sites talk about a combination?

This is from Siam Lagal

* FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT:

• BANK ACCOUNT SHOWING THB 800,000
• MONTHLY INCOME OF AT LEAST THB 65,000
• COMBINATION (BANK ACCOUNT + INCOME x 12 = THB 800,000)

I see no mention of a combination in the statement. Is this wrong now? If so, why don't these web sites correct their information? If not, how does it work?

What about attestation of the 65,000B. Does this also apply to say 60,000 as part of the combination?

What about exchange rate variation? If the amount changes, how can you get attestation for the varying amount because it has to be in thai Baht and this varies?

Still seems consusing to me!

Can anyone (with a sensible and correctly resoured answer) please comment? 

Article is mostly about bank account requirements for the 800k baht in the bank option.

The combination method is allowed.

Your income letter (or attestation) will be in your home currency not baht. Immigration will check the exchange rate on date you apply for the extension.

I don't think immigration would allow a joint account for the combination method.

If you had income equal to 60k baht you would need at least 80k baht in the bank on date of application for the extension.

[CIHUAHUA]

I guess I am staying. I was gonna anyway.

[wileycoyote]

Thanks for the posting better clarification