Income Verification UK Embassy

[anon467848]

I have just been looking at the requirements for obtaining a Income Verification Letter for Immigration purposes. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536851/Pension_13_07_16.pdf There is no mention of enclosing bank statements. Has anybody obtained a letter without sending copies of bank statements?

Requirements  Photocopy of your current British passport data page (page with photo)  Evidence of your current pension/income which will be returned to you  Your local Thai address to be typed on the letter

Thanks in advance for your help...

Merlin

[ubonjoe]

If you have proof of your pension that would be all that would be needed.

Other income would need to proved in some form and most people send in bank statements to show that income being deposited in their bank.

[lungbing]

Surely you have a letter from your pension provider saying what your yearly income is? They are obliged to send you one every year, it's a P60.

[ubonjoe]

Surely you have a letter from your pension provider saying what your yearly income is? They are obliged to send you one every year, it's a P60.

Not everybody getting the letter has pension income. Many have other sources of income.

[IsaanAndy]

I have done this for the last 7 years with the UK Embassy in BKK.

I just send the original of my annual pension statement which I get in April every year and they return it with your covering letter for Immigration.

I normally apply for the letter 3-4 weeks before my visa extension is due.

I use the Thai Post EMS service, I am 500kms from BKK, enclosing the money order and it has always worked seemlessly.

The letter is usually returned within 7 working days.

[Jip99]

I have done this for the last 7 years with the UK Embassy in BKK.

I just send the original of my annual pension statement which I get in April every year and they return it with your covering letter for Immigration.

I normally apply for the letter 3-4 weeks before my visa extension is due.

I use the Thai Post EMS service, I am 500kms from BKK, enclosing the money order and it has always worked seemlessly.

The letter is usually returned within 7 working days.

Just a couple of points:-

The letter is valid for 6 months so you can apply when it suits you.

You don't need to mess around with money orders, you can now pay by credit card authority.

[ubonjoe]

Paying by credit card is their preferred option now. No mention of any other option on the latest info for getting the letter.

"Payment Options

Credit Card Payment will be taken in GBP.

Complete the Credit Card Authorisation Form

We will provide your letter within 10 working days.

Note: Please get in touch with us, if you want to discuss the alternative payment option."

This page on UK gov website has the both the PDF files on it. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration

[OJAS]

Paying by credit card is their preferred option now. No mention of any other option on the latest info for getting the letter.

"Payment Options

Credit Card Payment will be taken in GBP.

Complete the Credit Card Authorisation Form

We will provide your letter within 10 working days.

Note: Please get in touch with us, if you want to discuss the alternative payment option."

This page on UK gov website has the both the PDF files on it. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration

Excellent. Obtaining the money orders which used to be required often proved to the most troublesome part of the income confirmation letter process in my case!

Doubtless also a cause of celebration for users of the Nana Post Office who won't now have to run the risk of being stuck for ages in a queue behind an Embassy official cashing a wad of money orders each day!!

Edited July 30, 2016 by OJAS

[Eclipse]

Typical of U.K Embassy.

How many retirees in Thailand actually have a credit card?

Or for that matter a working debit card.

I don't know of one who has either.

It remains to be seem if the Kasikorn Virtual Debit Card will be accepted.

[gdgbb]

Paying by credit card is their preferred option now. No mention of any other option on the latest info for getting the letter.

"Payment Options

Credit Card Payment will be taken in GBP.

Complete the Credit Card Authorisation Form

We will provide your letter within 10 working days.

Note: Please get in touch with us, if you want to discuss the alternative payment option."

This page on UK gov website has the both the PDF files on it. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration

"No mention of any other option on the latest info for getting the letter."

No, no mention at all, apart from, "Note: Please get in touch with us, if you want to discuss the alternative payment option."

[gdgbb]

Typical of U.K Embassy.

How many retirees in Thailand actually have a credit card?

Or for that matter a working debit card.

I don't know of one who has either.

You do now but I suspect that you don't know the majority of British retirees.

[OJAS]

On 7/30/2016 at 0:31 PM, gdgbb said:

"No mention of any other option on the latest info for getting the letter."

No, no mention at all, apart from, "Note: Please get in touch with us, if you want to discuss the alternative payment option."

 

In addition we are now asked in completing the Embassy form on the following page to indicate whether or not we have insurance, in connection with a survey which they are apparently conducting. Wonder what all that is about?

[Ronuk]

14 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

In addition we are now asked in completing the Embassy form on the following page to indicate whether or not we have insurance, in connection with a survey which they are apparently conducting. Wonder what all that is about?

There was mention somewhere I was reading last week of the Thai Government looking at introducing some type of compulsory insurance for Tourists entering Thailand. I cannot remember the exact details. A search on the forum will probably bring it up. I suspect the questionnaire relates to that.

[Evilbaz]

I'm 75 and can no longer get Health insurance here - what happens then?

[stereolab]

It's a very vague question, what type of insurance are they referring to? Why would the British Embassy be asking? Are they perhaps considering a health insurance scheme, not very likely. More parameters are needed when a question like this is posed, male/female, age range, health condition of individual.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

I'm 75 and can no longer get Health insurance here - what happens then?

Nothing. There is no talk of insurance being mandatory.

If you want to discuss insurance please start a topic to the insurance forum,

[stereolab]

On 30 July 2016 at 11:59 AM, Eclipse said:

Typical of U.K Embassy.

How many retirees in Thailand actually have a credit card?

Or for that matter a working debit card.

I don't know of one who has either.

It remains to be seem if the Kasikorn Virtual Debit Card will be accepted.

It's a poorly thought out move if you cannot manage to retain access to a credit card or debit card at home. 

[billd766]

On 7/30/2016 at 0:39 PM, gdgbb said:

You do now but I suspect that you don't know the majority of British retirees.

 

I don't have one either and I know of several other friends like me that don't have one.

 

Perhaps you don't know the majority of British retirees either.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, stereolab said:

It's a poorly thought out move if you cannot manage to retain access to a credit card or debit card at home. 

 

No it isn't.

 

It is a personal choice and my choice was to give up my credit cards years ago.

 

In the last 5 years I have only needed a UK credit card once to renew my passport. I called my friend in the UK and used hers then did a bank money transfer to repay her.

 

Why doesn't the UK government use PayPal for example?

[JimGant]

Quote

Paying by credit card is their preferred option now. No mention of any other option on the latest info for getting the letter.

 

Actually, the instructions say:

Quote

"If you are applying for Consular Services by post, you can pay by debit or credit card using this form. The cards we accept are Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. We are unable to accept Maestro cards, American Express, JCB or Diners’ Club cards.

 

I would think the Visa (or MasterCard) Debit/ATM card issued by most Thai banks would work just fine. And I would think most Brit expats here have a Thai bank account. Yes, the "complete the credit card authorization form" is misleading -- but it's really not saying you must have a credit card. They already say a debit card is ok -- so in this situation, you'll be using it in the credit card POS signature mode.

[emilymat]

Has the fee varied due to the devaluation of the pound, or is it still the same?. I need to do mine soon and the Embassy page seems to suggest it's the same fee all the time. I only ask, because I'm pretty sure, when you could obtain the letter in Pattaya that the cost used to vary due to the exchange rate. Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

28 minutes ago, emilymat said:

Has the fee varied due to the devaluation of the pound, or is it still the same?. I need to do mine soon and the Embassy page seems to suggest it's the same fee all the time. I only ask, because I'm pretty sure, when you could obtain the letter in Pattaya that the cost used to vary due to the exchange rate. Thanks.

This page shows the exchange rate was last changed on July 13th to 47 baht to the pound.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thailand-consular-fees/thailand-consular-fees

[emilymat]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

This page shows the exchange rate was last changed on July 13th to 47 baht to the pound.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thailand-consular-fees/thailand-consular-fees

Thank you. At least something goes down. Very helpful of you.

[stereolab]

On 30 July 2016 at 8:45 AM, Jip99 said:

Just a couple of points:-

The letter is valid for 6 months so you can apply when it suits you.

You don't need to mess around with money orders, you can now pay by credit card authority.

Just received my 2016 income verification letter from the UK Embassy, 5 working days from despatch to receipt, via EMS. Used the CC payment option, much easier than obtaining a P.O., certainly as far as my local Post Office is concerned. Very efficient service all round.

[emilymat]

2 minutes ago, stereolab said:

Just received my 2016 income verification letter from the UK Embassy, 5 working days from despatch to receipt, via EMS. Used the CC payment option, much easier than obtaining a P.O., certainly as far as my local Post Office is concerned. Very efficient service all round.

 

 

Thanks for that info. Very helpful. Just to re-inorce what you said I took my form to the local postal service shop today (Sunday) and they told me I had to go onquite a hike to obtain one of these P.O. s. In any event the Post Office would be closed today. So I went home and downloaded the CC form and sent the lot off EMS - like you.

 

It's funny but I suppose cynicism creeps in over the years here and I always doubt things can be simple. Your reply suggests, for once at least, I'm wrong. Thanks

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, stereolab said:

Just received my 2016 income verification letter from the UK Embassy, 5 working days from despatch to receipt, via EMS. Used the CC payment option, much easier than obtaining a P.O., certainly as far as my local Post Office is concerned. Very efficient service all round.

 

1 hour ago, emilymat said:

 

 

Thanks for that info. Very helpful. Just to re-inorce what you said I took my form to the local postal service shop today (Sunday) and they told me I had to go onquite a hike to obtain one of these P.O. s. In any event the Post Office would be closed today. So I went home and downloaded the CC form and sent the lot off EMS - like you.

 

It's funny but I suppose cynicism creeps in over the years here and I always doubt things can be simple. Your reply suggests, for once at least, I'm wrong. Thanks

 

I'm relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who used to find obtaining those wretched PO's from my local post office the most stressful part of the UK Embassy income confirmation process!

 

Edited August 21, 2016 by OJAS

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

I used property rental contracts to prove income from 2007 through 2013. Does anyone know if they are still accepted?

 

Cheers

Yes

But I think most people supply bank statement showing the income from them going into a bank.

[OJAS]

12 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

I used property rental contracts to prove income from 2007 through 2013. Does anyone know if they are still accepted?

 

Cheers

 

Can definitely confirm on the basis of personal experience (as recent as last May) that they are.