Them Pesky Goal Posts

[rank stranger]

Hello all,

The moving of the goalposts regarding proof of the monthly pension has me a little concerned. I'm coming to Thailand next month armed with a tourist visa. (I retire Oct. 31, yippee!) My plan has been to convert this to a retirement visa a few weeks after I arrive. My pension is more than B65,000, so up to now I figgered this was not going to be a problem, just go to the US embassy, have them certify my income, and then off to immigration.

I'm in the process of having the paperwork set up to wire money from my US bank to Thailand. Of course, I have to get a Thai bank savings account after I arrive, but that doesn't appear to be a problem. My concern is that I will show up at immigration in December with maybe only one wire transfer showing up in my account book.

So, maybe I'm missing something, but I think it's going to be a little tricky for me to verify my pension based on wire transfers. A year from now that shouldn't be a problem. Anyone have any insight?

Thanks for your responses.

[lopburi3]

I have not seen any criteria yet so believe your question can only be answered when we have that information.

[Noel]

Hello all,

The moving of the goalposts regarding proof of the monthly pension has me a little concerned. I'm coming to Thailand next month armed with a tourist visa. (I retire Oct. 31, yippee!) My plan has been to convert this to a retirement visa a few weeks after I arrive. My pension is more than B65,000, so up to now I figgered this was not going to be a problem, just go to the US embassy, have them certify my income, and then off to immigration.

I'm in the process of having the paperwork set up to wire money from my US bank to Thailand. Of course, I have to get a Thai bank savings account after I arrive, but that doesn't appear to be a problem. My concern is that I will show up at immigration in December with maybe only one wire transfer showing up in my account book.

So, maybe I'm missing something, but I think it's going to be a little tricky for me to verify my pension based on wire transfers. A year from now that shouldn't be a problem. Anyone have any insight?

Thanks for your responses.

The letter from your Embassy verifying your pension is all that Immigration will require; they will not be concerned as to how many transfers you have made.

The only people you will have to convince that you have a pension is your Embassy, although as a US citizen currently I believe all that means is you signing a form.

That said, they may well change that system so be sure to come armed with your pension documentation.

Edited October 19, 2006 by Noel

[lopburi3]

According to Sunbelt post yesterday that had been changed, at least for the last two Americans they processed at Suan Phlu, yesterday afternoon. So we now await further word.