"seasoning" Your 880K for ret visa

[ozsamurai]

Had a distressed call from a expat today who was knocked back on the retirement extension due to the fact that the 880K was not in the same account for 3 months..  He changed banks is all.  Is this legit or are they just giving him a hard time.  The money has always been here just not in the same account.  His income falls short by 2000 a month to qualify for the other.  They suggested he go back to the embassy and lie that he gets 2000 Baht more... he is a bit worried, with the new crack down on tourist visas, as now he may have to do a border run.  Last tourist he got was a year ago, prior to grant of his ret visa.  Anyone have any solid advise?

 

Oz

[briley]

Use income plus money in the bank. Then the money does not need seasoning.

[ozsamurai]

how does scrimping make any sense in this context.  He went for a normal extension as thousands do.

 

briley: could you expand on that combo deal for me?

 

Oz

[ubonjoe]

Moving the money from one account to a new one results in a zero balance and is enough for them to deny the extension application.

The combination method is annual income and money in the bank to reach a total of 800K. If the 2000 short is baht that would mean a monthly income of 63k baht. He would only need 44k baht in the bank.

[Jingthing]

Moving the money from one account to a new one results in a zero balance and is enough for them to deny the extension application.

The combination method is annual income and money in the bank to reach a total of 800K. If the 2000 short is baht that would mean a monthly income of 63k baht. He would only need 44k baht in the bank.

I agree with all that.

However, perhaps the applicant is at an office which is incorrectly applying money seasoning rules to COMBO applications. Under the national written rules, combo applications (which the applicant clearly has the funds for ... income plus banked money over 800K annual) the banked money does not need to be seasoned at all. There are unfortunately some offices which don't apply the rules that way. I would suggest a repeat visit to the office with an attempt at a COMBO application ... in which hopefully and properly there will be no need for money seasoning. 

[ozsamurai]

The office is Chaeng Wattana so I don't expect much wiggle room? Perhaps he gets a different officer tomorrow and it all changes?

 

Oz

[ubonjoe]

 

Moving the money from one account to a new one results in a zero balance and is enough for them to deny the extension application.

The combination method is annual income and money in the bank to reach a total of 800K. If the 2000 short is baht that would mean a monthly income of 63k baht. He would only need 44k baht in the bank.

I agree with all that.

However, perhaps the applicant is at an office which is incorrectly applying money seasoning rules to COMBO applications. Under the national written rules, combo applications (which the applicant clearly has the funds for ... income plus banked money over 800K annual) the banked money does not need to be seasoned at all. There are unfortunately some offices which don't apply the rules that way. I would suggest a repeat visit to the office with an attempt at a COMBO application ... in which hopefully and properly there will be no need for money seasoning. 

 

The OP states that immigration told him to go to his embassy which I assume means to get an income letter. That would indicated they do it according to the rules.

[Jingthing]

Accepting a combo application (income letter from embassy plus bank account letter adding up to at least 800K baht) does not represent any kind of loophole or wiggle room! That is STANDARD and it is STANDARD to not require any money seasoning for the bank account portion for such applications. The money seasoning is only for BANK ACCOUNT ONLY applications.

 

The applicant needs the income letter from embassy and the current bank letter (plus passbook copy) for this new application. I can't imagine why this would be a problem unless the sums don't add up!

[Jingthing]

 

 

Moving the money from one account to a new one results in a zero balance and is enough for them to deny the extension application.

The combination method is annual income and money in the bank to reach a total of 800K. If the 2000 short is baht that would mean a monthly income of 63k baht. He would only need 44k baht in the bank.

I agree with all that.

However, perhaps the applicant is at an office which is incorrectly applying money seasoning rules to COMBO applications. Under the national written rules, combo applications (which the applicant clearly has the funds for ... income plus banked money over 800K annual) the banked money does not need to be seasoned at all. There are unfortunately some offices which don't apply the rules that way. I would suggest a repeat visit to the office with an attempt at a COMBO application ... in which hopefully and properly there will be no need for money seasoning. 

 

The OP states that immigration told him to go to his embassy which I assume means to get an income letter. That would indicated they do it according to the rules.

 

The OP says immigration suggested that he LIE about income in order presumably to go over 65K monthly for the income only method. That makes this story rather strange. Immigration should have suggested the combo method, no need to make up fictional income. I suspect a breakdown in COMMUNICATION between what happened at immigration and what eventually got relayed onto this forum. Good chance something really innocent like ... OK my banked method is rejected, how can I qualify for the INCOME method, in which case if using that method only (without combo) indeed he would need to show the full 65K monthly in income. Maybe it was a less than fully competent clerk that didn't just suggest the obvious, the combo method?

 

Again, the COMBO method really should work. 

Edited August 4, 2014 by Jingthing

[ozsamurai]

I'm not lying this is of course the first thing I suggested, either the seasoned money OR the income statement he already has (2k short). Why did they not suggest the combo option to him?  I was not aware of the combination rule...   Just trying to screw around with him?

 

Oz

[Jingthing]

I'm not lying this is of course the first thing I suggested, either the seasoned money OR the income statement he already has (2k short). Why did they not suggest the combo option to him?  I was not aware of the combination rule...   Just trying to screw around with him?

 

Oz

I wasn't suggesting that YOU were lying. I think maybe some kind of communication breakdown somewhere along the way. Now I am more confused. In your OP you said that immigration suggest he lie and add 2k to his income. Now you are saying you suggested that. It really doesn't matter. At this point, according to the rules no need to lie, just get an income letter from embassy and fresh bank account letter and if they total over 800K that should be accepted under the combo method. As far as what happened at immigration, perhaps a matter of not asking the right question. The wrong question would have been how can I qualify under the income method. Because he doesn't. But the right question would be how can I qualify under the combination of income and bank method.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Jingthing

[ozsamurai]

yes you're right I was a little unclear.  He apparently went with the intention of just using his savings, but because of the transfers of banks, it hadn't seasoned, they rejected it.  His income is 2k shy of it being used as a stand alone, so they suggested he go to the embassy and forge his stat dec or whatever is needed and sent him on his way, come back later!  So obviously they did not indicate that a combination could be applied, and as I said earlier I hadn't known of it either. I'm not old enough for ret visa yet...lol

 

Oz

[Gecko123]

I would explain the problem to immigration and ask them if he gets a second letter from the old bank saying that he had the 800K on deposit from such and such a date until when the funds were transferred to the new bank account if this will suffice. If the official refuses to accept this, ask if he can appeal to immigration manager. Immigration can be bureaucratic at times, but they are generally reasonable.

[Jingthing]

I would explain the problem to immigration and ask them if he gets a second letter from the old bank saying that he had the 800K on deposit from such and such a date until when the funds were transferred to the new bank account if this will suffice. If the official refuses to accept this, ask if he can appeal to immigration manager. Immigration can be bureaucratic at times, but they are generally reasonable.

I doubt that would work and would leave that idea as a backup in the unlikely event that a COMBINATION application is rejected. The only reason that a combination application would be rejected is if that office has changed their enforcement policy and is now requiring combination applications to have seasoned money for the bank portion. That seems very unlikely. 

Edited August 4, 2014 by Jingthing

[curtklay]

I use the COMBO method, and still am required to have the bank account portion seasoned for 3 months. It is the Nan Immigration office. They are also among the few offices that still require a medical certificate.

The official policies are good to know, but ultimately it is your branch office who makes the decisions. It's not the way it should be, but is the way it is.

[Jingthing]

I use the COMBO method, and still am required to have the bank account portion seasoned for 3 months. It is the Nan Immigration office. They are also among the few offices that still require a medical certificate.

The official policies are good to know, but ultimately it is your branch office who makes the decisions. It's not the way it should be, but is the way it is.

That's true but in this case, the national rules would most likely be followed -- no seasoning for combo method. There is nothing in the OP that indicates there will a problem with a combo application.