A 65000 baht question ...

[laislica]

I am from the UK and 2 months ago did my 12 month 'extension of stay' ( which some people always call a Retirement Visa, but it isnt ) from my O - A ( Long stay Visa ) that I used for last year. It was simple and easy.

First I applied by post to the British Embassy in Bangkok for an income verification letter. All I supplied was copy bank statements from my UK bank that I printed off on the computer. I am 54 and as of yet havent drawn my pension ( can do this when 55 ). I have a personal account in the UK in my name and a business account ( a limited company ) in the company name. The company owns a number of properties in the UK and the monthly rentals get paid in to the account by Direct Debit. I highlighted these monthly incoming amounts and stated they were my monthly pension. The total exceeded the 65,000 baht per month required for Pension.

The thing to note ( in my opinion ), 1) they accepted funds in a UK account as proof of income 2) they accepted a limited company account that doesnt even mention my name? 3) they accepted money going into my account that technically is not a pension. I personally believe they just want to see evidence that you have the equivalent of 800,000 baht either in Thailand or in your home country at the time you make your application for visa extension.

From sending the application letter to the Embassy ( by EMS mail ) to receiving the Income verification letter back to me was 5 working days. Cost from memory was 2640 baht ( 2500 embassy fee and 140 charge for bank draft and mail fee ).

I then took this letter to Immigration at Jomtien along with the completed TM8 form and various photocopies required and the 1900 baht fee. Done and done in 35 minutes, no questions asked, and told to come back the next day for my passport.

Went back the next day, picked up the passport with Extension of Stay stamp in, immediately then applied for a multi entry permit ( TM7 form i think plus fee 3500 ish, cant remenber exactly ) and 15 minutes later I got passport back and everything done.

Hope my experience helps someone else who wants to do their own visa extension rather than pay some shop 20,000 baht to do it for you. At first I thought it was very difficult and spent a good few hours on this site trawling through the various posts and compiling what to do. In the end it was very very easy, and my great fear of never having enough funds in a Thai bank account or not having a pension yet where found to be unfounded.

. That's very interesting mate , I too am British , and trying to contemplate what action to take , been looking at an ED visa etc , I'm now 55. , but my pension is very small about £440 a month ... I do however have 2 bank accounts both currently ofcourse in the uk , both with about £60k in each .. I want to apply and transfer into a Thai bank account , but ofcourse can only open this in Thailand when I'm there , then I need it in there 3 months , by which time my 3 month visa that it thought I can only get from London will be up ... So are you saying I take my current bank statements to London and apply on the strength that I will be using that money to transfer later and they trust that ? .. If true this will certainly be a good choice of route to take . Cheers

Using the bank route the 800,000b must be in the bank 60 days, for subsequent extensions 90 days.

If you make current bank statements ready, they need to be authenticated by the Brit Emb or Consul.

They charge about fifty quid to do this.

You can use a combination of funds in a Thai bank plus additional funds off shore.

In this case you will need a letter from the bank and photo copy of the bank book, about 100b, plus the letter from the consul, 2,750b when I did it two years ago.

It also took two trips to the consul, first supply the proof and make and pay for the request.

Second day to collect their letter.

BTW, if you are not staying in a hotel/GH or other "official" spot, ie, staying at a gf's house, make sure your TM30 is up to date, you can download it from Thai Visa Forum, along with all necessary immigration forms.

There is another current thread about the tm30.

Cheers

Immigration need the original letter and will keep it.

Repeat this for every extension.

[mercman24]

just remember guys to get an up to date bank balance - i was going last Thursday but a public holiday so when i went today "old eagle eyes " noticed my bank balance was a week old so i had to go to Bangkok Bank downstairs and get an up date, all the banks are in the building but best to do it beore as saves a lot of hassle. just an oversite but a time wasting one.

[Moonlover]

So glad this topic came up. I could use a bit of advise. I'll soon be going for my 1st retirement extension and will be submitting my request to the British embassy for the income statement. Could someone please tell me whether I should put my gross income before tax. Or should I put my net income after HMRC have had their nibble?

My net income is just over the 65,000 THB threshold, but a shift in exchange rates could upset my plans, whereas my gross income gives me a comfortable margin.

I would appreciate any advise from experienced hands.

[ubonjoe]

Gross income is what you should use.

[Mario2008]

Gross income will do fine and is all that is required.

[mercman24]

in reply to MOD i have just done my 1 year extension, i am little confused by quoting the GROSS income because surely that is not a true figure,? your "take home pay/pension is the net figure surely," ok so i earn say £25,000 gross but that is not my spending power, my spending power is something like £19,000. ?? at the moment my net is 55,000 baht, but my gross would be nearer - or over the 65,000 (not checked). how can one say you have this amount when obviously you dont, please explain . thanks kc

[mercman24]

also you have to supply the british embassy with bank statements this would show the NET payments going into ones account not the GROSS.

[Moonlover]

Thanks guys.

Well, by 2 to 1 it's gross. Mercman, I appreciate what you're saying, but I simply want to know what the embassy want to see. Actually they're going to see both gross and net, because I'll be submitting my yearly pension statements, not bank statements. I just had to decide what to put on the form.

I shall put gross and see what comes back. And I'll let you all know what the result was.

[paz]

Keep it simple and deposit 800,000 baht.

That's fine, just until they up the amount!

Until now when the amount has been increased, those having continuous extension of stay have been grandfathered with the old amounts.

[Moonlover]

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Thanks guys.

Well, by 2 to 1 it's gross. Mercman, I appreciate what you're saying, but I simply want to know what the embassy want to see. Actually they're going to see both gross and net, because I'll be submitting my yearly pension statements, not bank statements. I just had to decide what to put on the form.

I shall put gross and see what comes back. And I'll let you all know what the result was.

Hello guys.

I'm following up on the gross v net discussion. On my application to the British embassy, I put my gross income figures and that is exactly what came back to me in their confirmation letter.

So next stop the immigration office for my retirement extension.

Thanks again for the advice.

[bastco]

Hi Tassie Norm,like you I am also an Aussie and have used the statutory declaration method of 65,000 baht per month which consists of social security pension plus a private pension. I have done this at Nong Khai immigration the last three years and the most recent was 3rd December 2014 when I produced the required stat dec showing 70,000 baht/month and supported by income statements from both sources. I was given three forms to sign which stated that the next time I renewed my retirement extension for Jan/2015 to Jan/2016 it would need to be supported by evidence of the 65,000 baht or above monthly income being deposited into a Thai bank every month and not held in the home country bank. A friend told me an American and a German were also required sign the same forms at Nong Khai immigration prior to my renewal. I was given the extension as previously for the Jan/2015 to Jan/2016 year. As you said you were going for your renewal in December could you post your outcome. This will be an expensive change for the future renewals.

[bastco]

I would like to correct an error to my previous post which should have read Jan/2016 to Jan/2017 for the new requirement.

[Tassie Norm]

Thanks Bastco. Yes, I had heard from a reliable source (an American mate who attended during November) that what you describe has/will kick-in next year, viz evidence of income. I guess I'll find out late this month when I attend with my stat dec. Fortunately I do have my pension paid directly into a Thai bank account and thus will go armed with my bank book that shows the deposits. I would like to think that is as satisfactory as they could wish for. However....we will wait and see