Retirment Visas Verifing 65K Income for Americans

[phitsanulokjohn]

Note that submitting a false affidavit to the USA embassy or consul is a Federal crime punishable by 5 years imprisonment. USA Fed judges take a very harsh view of perjury.

Can only agree with the above post.I'm from the Uk,maybe it's more strict at the Uk embassy,but this looks all the way open to be scammed....Until you get caught that is.Just imagine feeling the full force of both Thai&Usa authorities bearing down on you.Not for me thanks.By playing it straight in all aspects of Thai requirements for almost 30 years,I've managed to get a good nights sleep every night...Nice feeling.

[Suradit69]

I have talked about this before and always been removed with the forum stating that I was promoting a crime!!!

Personal experience. I have gotten 2 retirement visas so far. Both times at Changwattana. I live in Pattaya now and was supposed to go to immigration here to get the visa. They said I had to since that is now my new address. I begged saying I drove all the way up to the embassy then here then waited 4 hours and then have to drive another 3 hours to get home..... They were kind and agreed and used my old address in Bkk. Both times they never asked me for anything other than my income statement from the embassy. I hear at Pattaya immigration they have on a rare occasion asked. That's why I wanted to do it in Bkk. So again, 2 years with retirement visa, and

If you're claiming income from Social Security, pension, etc., it shouldn't be that difficult to get documentation for the amount and it makes sense to have it available just in case immigrations wants some proof. Since I always get the documentation to support what I put on the embassy letter, I attach it to the embassy letter when applying for the extension. I don't have any other need for the documents, so nothing to be gained for me by holding on to them.

Aside from the potential penalties for knowingly having the embassy notarize your signature on a document containing false information, you would also be providing false information to Thai immigrations which is an offence.

And of course threads like this one and the potential discovery of a few examples of false information being submitted when applying for an extension simply ensure that it won't be long before documented proof will be a requirement for everyone. Cases where people have been gaming the system seem always to result in more onerous requirements. As usual, a few lazy or greedy people will make things tougher for everyone.

...never asked as an American to show any bank statements, just the income verification form from the US Embassy.

I doubt that bank statements alone would suffice anyway. You're certifying that you received income from sources like Social Security, etc., not that some money from whatever source is being deposited in your bank.

One of the reasons that money in a Thai bank has to be seasoned for a few months prior to application for extensions is because in the past some farang were just shifting money around from account to account so they could show a balance of Baht 800,000 at the time of applying for an extension. Following the extension being approved, the money was shifted to someone else's account for his application and so on.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Suradit69

[Tony125]

...never asked as an American to show any bank statements, just the income verification form from the US Embassy.

I doubt that bank statements alone would suffice anyway. You're certifying that you received income from sources like Social Security, etc., not that some money from whatever source is being deposited in your bank.

One of the reasons that money in a Thai bank has to be seasoned for a few months prior to application for extensions is because in the past some farang were just shifting money around from account to account so they could show a balance of Baht 800,000 at the time of applying for an extension. Following the extension being approved, the money was shifted to someone else's account for his application and so on.

^^^^ Bank statements of deposits to your account every month would be fine. Some guys are receiving SS or federak retirement benefits from USA but some have rental income or income from others investments stocks , bonds, inheritance . Makes ho difference the source of income just that you have proof of receiving it. ****

[Jingthing]

Using the income method (65K monthly) is about claiming you have the INCOME.

There is no official requirement to IMPORT that full amount monthly INTO Thailand.

Many people get confused about that.

The qualification is about the INCOME. It is not about the IMPORT.

However, there have been reported cases where immigration wants to see imports for those using income method ... if they do so, that's their right for asking for anything they want, but that has nothing to do with the actual official rules.

Basically, if you're using the income method, it's a good idea to try to gather current information on what your specific local immigration office might be asking for currently. There have been waves of weird enforcement at some offices (such as wanted to see imports for a few months) and then that goes away. It's a moving target to try to anticipate exactly what they will want to see (or nothing) when you come in. Sadly, but that's the situation.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Jingthing

[JLCrab]

The exact wording on the US Embassy - Bangkok Income Affidavit is:

I also affirm that I receive USD $(Monthly Income) every month from the United States Government and/or other sources.

[Tony125]

Thanks this is great information....

What has peoples experience been at Thai immigration?

Have people been been asked for supporting documents in addition to the claimed income

forum from the embassy?

I just did my extension of stay ( reason retirement) this morning . I aarrived at 8:45 AM was out of there by 10:AM. Had affirmation of income letter from US Embassy which I got Mon cost $50 USD cash or credit or 1,800 baht. I gave them a pritout of my monthly and yearly income from Dov web site but was not actuallt required. They just asked me to afirm that the amount of pension was accurate and I was stating coorect amount. I said yed and that was it.

Immigraton at CW got the Embasy affidavit, a picture of me (can be taken downstairs) a copy of my id page of passport and departure card, proof of my address in Thailand and form TM-7. Never asked me to back up statement from US Embassy although I had proof with me, this is 3rd time and they have never asked for additional proof besideds Embaasy letter even after I gave them proof the 1st time I went.

[LNKDES1]

Easy peasy.

You fill out a very short form stating your claimed income.

You are asked for no proof of this income.

Do not bring it. They don't want to see it and they're busy!

You sign the paper witnessed by embassy staff.

You swear you are being truthful to the embassy staffer.

Pay a fee. (Forget how much.)

Do this at the embassy in Bangkok, the consulate in Chiang Mai or during consular outreach visits to the provinces which are posted on the embassy website.

You need to make an online appointment if you do the income letter at the embassy or consulate.

You don't need an appointment if going to a consular outreach but you do need to show up on the correct day that they're there.

DO NOT LIE on the form because Thai immigration may (probably won't but MAY) ask you to provide some documentation to support your income claim when you apply for your annual extensions based on retirement.

The income letters obtained as above are good for SIX MONTHS at Thai immigration.

Next!

Do Not lose your receipt from the Embassy after paying for this document. My local Immigration office asked for it.

[Acharn]

So many replies, this may have already been mentioned.

The proof you give to Thai Immigration is an affidavit you sign at the American Services section of the Consulate, which is across Witthayu Road from the actual Embassy.

You are supposed to make an appointment over the internet before you go. Since I need to have an appointment after noon to allow traveling from Nakhon Sawan, I usually try to make the appointment at least a month ahead of time. Otherwise the day you want to go the time slot you want may already be filled. If a particular day and time are not important considerations you can probably find a vacant slot within the coming week.

When you make the appointment you can also fill out the affidavit form on the web and then print it out. I like that.

You do not need to take any proof of your income. The affidavit is a statement sworn under the penalty of perjury. I don't know what the penalty in the U.S. is for perjury, but Martha Stewart spent several months in the sneezer for being accused of lying to a government official.

I can remember one year the Immigration officer asked me if I had any other proof. Luckily I had my Army monthly statement and my description of benefits from Social Security, but normally I've never been asked. If you have some such evidence it wouldn't hurt to take it along, but it's not one of the things you give to the officer when you sit down at the interview desk.

I've always found the Immigration Officers helpful and friendly, but most of the ones I've dealt with don't speak English. I think more of them do now, but I've always spoken Thai with them. If you can speak enough Thai for daily life that's probably enough. It's good if you have a Thai wife or girl friend to translate for you if needed. I strongly recommend you DO NOT pay one of the agents to do it for you.

[ableguy]

I have got my affidavit proof of income several times from the embassy , you must make an appointment on line I have never been there before 9am including recently, I have been told it has a thirty day life span.

Also when you get your police report from the state you live in in USA I was told this too has a thirty day life time.

If you join Bangkok bank SS will mail your pension direct to your account so should you need proof of income it will show in your bank book.

You can also retire if you have eight hundred thousand baht in the bank for three months before your annual proof of income visit.

You must also get a doctors note clearing you of syphalis, yellow fever and I believe cholera , any doctor here will give it to you don't waste your money on hospital tests, if you need any more info pm me.

[ubonjoe]

I have got my affidavit proof of income several times from the embassy , you must make an appointment on line I have never been there before 9am including recently, I have been told it has a thirty day life span.

Also when you get your police report from the state you live in in USA I was told this too has a thirty day life time.

If you join Bangkok bank SS will mail your pension direct to your account so should you need proof of income it will show in your bank book.

You can also retire if you have eight hundred thousand baht in the bank for three months before your annual proof of income visit.

You must also get a doctors note clearing you of syphalis, yellow fever and I believe cholera , any doctor here will give it to you don't waste your money on hospital tests, if you need any more info pm me.

An income affidavit will be accepted at the majority of immigration offices that is up to 6 months old See:Immigration directive for income letters.pdf

You don't a medical certificate or police report to apply for an extension of stay at immigration.

It is 800k baht in a Thai bank for 60 days for the first extension then 3 months after that or 65k baht income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

[IMA_FARANG]

Once in October 2012 on my 2nd retirement renewal I was asked if I had my Thai bank passbook verifying my 800K in the bank.

I gave it to the immigration officer (a woman as I recall) who then copied the pages.

She gave me the passbook back and proceeded to go through the copy she had just made underlining all the foreign funds incoming transfers with a yellow marker.

She was clearly checking that I had been making monthly incoming funds transfers as I had claimed on my embassy income statement.

The bank passbook tallied with what I had claimed on my embassy income statement.

She wrote the initials O.K. on the top of the copy of my bank passbook and stapled it on top of the other paperwork.

She then told me to take the forms to her supervisor who would sign for the final approval of the annual renewal.

So don't be fooled, at least some of the immigration inspectors know very well how to read the codes in your bank passbook to find out if that funds transfer is from outside Thailand or is from inside Thailand.

Do NOT THINK they are all stupid or inexperienced, and don't try to ile to them, as they MAY just call your bluff.

No problem for me as I wasn't trying to fool them.

This was at CW in October 2012.

Edited January 21, 2016 by IMA_FARANG

[OMGImInPattaya]

Note that submitting a false affidavit to the USA embassy or consul is a Federal crime punishable by 5 years imprisonment. USA Fed judges take a very harsh view of perjury.

Can only agree with the above post.I'm from the Uk,maybe it's more strict at the Uk embassy,but this looks all the way open to be scammed....Until you get caught that is.Just imagine feeling the full force of both Thai&Usa authorities bearing down on you.Not for me thanks.By playing it straight in all aspects of Thai requirements for almost 30 years,I've managed to get a good nights sleep every night...Nice feeling.

It's not being submitted to the US embassy...it's submitted to Thai Immigration...some people just don't have a clue.