It has come to my attention that the American Embassy is giving letters to US citizens applying for a retirement visa in Thailand without requiring proof of income. I have a retirement visa based on a bank account balance of 800,000 baht. But other people are getting retirement visas only by showing Thai immigration a letter from the US embassy stating their income. The embassy requires no proof of income. They issue the letter upon payment of a fee and merely ask the applicant if the statement is correct. They require no proof of income. This may also be true at other embassies. So that means there are many foreigners staying in Thailand who have very little money or are working illegally. Why should I keep 800,000 baht in a Thai bank when other people with limited funds can just go into the Embassy and pay for a letter, no questions asked?

The weak link in the chain is that the Embassy requires no proof of income, only a notarized statement. Once the person has that and takes it to Thai immigration, immigration figures that the Embassy has checked out the person's finances, which they really haven't, and goes ahead and gives the person a retirement visa. Essentially, the person could have no money at all in any bank in Thailand or anywhere else for that matter, since the letter from the Embassy is accepted by immigration in lieu of a bank statement showing a balance of at least 800,000 baht. Those of us who do have the 800,000 baht in the bank are being short-changed and have no incentive to keep our money in Thailand.

The Embassy should require more proof of financial solvency from each US citizen applying for a letter of income for purposes of obtaining a retirement visa. Does the embassy really want a lot of impecunious American citizens running around Thailand working illegally and/or resorting to other means to augment their meager incomes (if any) so that they may remain in the Kingdom? It reflects badly on all Americans when any of us runs afoul of the law.

I urge the US Embassy to adopt more stringent checks of and require more definitive proof of a US citizens financial status before giving them a notarized letter that accepts at face value whatever the citizen has told them.

If Thailand wishes to attract a better class of foreigner it needs to close these kinds of loopholes.

Sincerely,

A USA citizen in Thailand

(Name withheld by request)

I agree, but do not think that you will make many American friends by making this post.

It is nothing new and giving a false statement at the embassy is a federal offence, which should not be taken lightly.

In addition Thai immigration is wel aware of this practise and for that reason soemtimes ask for additional evidence to back-up the claim might in the embassy letter.

As for the embassy, they can only offer the affidavit and I believe are not allowed to check payslips etc. (It often is even impossible to properly check). The differences between state law and federal law and their seperate powers are debit to this situation.

Yes, this is true.

But be aware, the immigration, although they often don't, has the right to ask for proof of the money.

In that case, the U.S. embassy will NOT defend your case against the Thai immigration.

The declaration you get from the U.S. embassy only states:

• That You appeared before them
• That they verified your identity as a U.S. citizen.
• And that you claimed the following (income statement claiming ..... and so on).

The embassy does NOT certify that the facts you made to them are true, it only certifies the 3 items above.

Therefore, if for some reason the immigration asks you to verify the facts of your claimed income statement, the U.S. embassy will NOT and can NOT be used as proof of the validity of your income claim.

And please understand, the immigration always has the right to "require further proof and/or documentation from the applicant, if they so desire"

Just so you truly understand what you are doing ..... your choice.

How about the other nations embassies that issue the same kind of letter with no proof. You wouldn't be anti-American because your post sure indicates it. This is nothing new and has been like this for decades. Thai immigrations doesn't have problem so why should you. If someone wants to commit a felony and swear to a false document and take that chance it is no different that someone bring in false documents in to an embassy that requires proof. Lying is lying. By the way get a life.

Maybe the OP, knowing that Immigration read this forum, is hoping that they will take some action

Why is it you want to change a very good thing....that you also can take advantage of ?

Many Embassies do this ...not just the US Embassy.

Anyways, Thai Immigration may ask for back up bank statements, etc.

It is already difficult...why do you have to rock the boat and make it worse than it is?

You sound like a jealous cry baby.

I bet you would turn you own mother in for 2 dollars....

Edited November 19, 201411 yr by slipperylobster

Very dumb original post unfortunately.. Thai immigration always have the right to ask for additional proof beyond the letter from USA and other embassies.. I always bring statements and bank books to prove that funds come in every month to back up the income letter.

I know the Dutch embassy checks. I am also sure loads of Americans do not qualify and just lie.

I pointed this out in the past and indeed you make no friends by pointing it out.

Edited November 19, 201411 yr by robblok

How about the other nations embassies that issue the same kind of letter with no proof.

Are there many such countries ?

Most European Embassies I know about will ask for proof of these revenues,

and then will attest on the amount the will read or calculate.

The OP sounds intelligent but didn't do the research and proves that common sense is not that common.

As far as I am aware the Australian Embassy uses the same system.

Thai Immigration are well aware and do sometimes ask the applicant for proof.

Since this is mostly just a complaint/opinion topic that asks no questions and provides no new information it is now closed.