Australian Embassy - Proof of income now required for Stat Decs

[evenstevens]

22 minutes ago, Si Thea01 said:

If you think it's a problem providing proof, wait until you get the new cost that they charge to witness it.  Has gone from B550.00 to B2000.00.  Happy days all round. 

too bloody right cobber, whats the point of getting one at that price tag,with the new roundabout put in place

 

this old champ will  now  directly deal with my visa agent G4T where the info required by our embassy for the stat dec etc ,will be in place anyway,to renew my Ret extension

 

so fluff the stat dec,not needed in my case

 

its a Little River Band ,good evening to all

[Evilbaz]

It's A$70 now plus 1900 baht for the extension.

I'll bet my last winnings on Rising Fast no "agent" will do it for that!

[ripstanley]

With the Embassy requiring proof of income then the Stat Dec should be done away with and a letter from the embassy stating what your income is and what evidence has been produced should be implemented. This is what most embassies supply and the Australian Embassy should change too. 

If not you will have to state on your stat dec that your income is xxx from xxx and that the embassy has sighted proof of your income. 

As stated before a Stat Dec is only a proof of your signature and that you are the one making the Declaration.

 

[mamborobert]

1 hour ago, Si Thea01 said:

If you think it's a problem providing proof, wait until you get the new cost that they charge to witness it.  Has gone from B550.00 to B2000.00.  Happy days all round. 

 

So no chance of asking for a pensioner discount?

[Evilbaz]

10 minutes ago, ripstanley said:

With the Embassy requiring proof of income then the Stat Dec should be done away with and a letter from the embassy stating what your income is and what evidence has been produced should be implemented. This is what most embassies supply and the Australian Embassy should change too. 

If not you will have to state on your stat dec that your income is xxx from xxx and that the embassy has sighted proof of your income. 

As stated before a Stat Dec is only a proof of your signature and that you are the one making the Declaration.

 

In every Stat Dec I've made to the Australian Embassy I have had to state my name, address, occupation and the substance of my Declaration which is the amount of my Income and its source. I have not to date been asked for proof but I've always had it with me, for them and later Phuket Immigration Office.

But that's just me as i used to be authorized to witness these and understand the need for truthfulness.

[Evilbaz]

4 minutes ago, mamborobert said:

 

So no chance of asking for a pensioner discount?

Your pensioner allowance card is not valid overseas.

[Stevemercer]

Thus requirement sounds dubious to me (although I guess it is not possible to challenge). As many posters have said, you sign a stat declaration to testify that this is a true version of events (at least from your perspective). There is no need to provide proofs unless challenged in court. I assume the embassy staff will not check with whomever the money is coming from to verify your 'letter of proof'. Most banks, super funds, financial institutions etc. are not going to provide this information to a third party. If they did, then there could be all sorts of privacy/tax/pension implications.

 

 

[mamborobert]

4 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

Your pensioner allowance card is not valid overseas.

It was a joke...that humour stuff.  I am self funded.  The only thing I get from the OZ govt is a fresh air sandwich.

Edited March 5, 2017 by mamborobert

[bangkokorbust]

I have income from property rental but have no idea what they want as proof.
A copy of the lease maybe

[mamborobert]

11 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

Thus requirement sounds dubious to me (although I guess it is not possible to challenge). As many posters have said, you sign a stat declaration to testify that this is a true version of events (at least from your perspective). There is no need to provide proofs unless challenged in court. I assume the embassy staff will not check with whomever the money is coming from to verify your 'letter of proof'. Most banks, super funds, financial institutions etc. are not going to provide this information to a third party. If they did, then there could be all sorts of privacy/tax/pension implications.

 

 

I would have thought you must obtain the desired document...not the third party, and you must present it when you want Stat Dec signature witnessed (as in present to the third party).  You cannot appeal to say an  Administrative Tribunal or an Oz court for someone failing to witness a Stat Dec in Thailand, apart from no grounds there are jurisdictional issues. A Stat Dec is legal in Australia or legal when submitted to receive an Australian benefit or with submitted with say an Australian Visa application.   It is not a legal document in Thailand (as such) but a document that is accepted by Thai Immigration as proof of income in lieu of the alternate bank balance method.  Thai immigration could just as easily ask to see some other evidence or source documents but the Stat Dec makes it easier all round.

Edited March 5, 2017 by mamborobert

[mamborobert]

4 minutes ago, bangkokorbust said:

I have income from property rental but have no idea what they want as proof.
A copy of the lease maybe

or a copy of the bank deposits for the rent...or a copy of your tax return showing declared rental income.  It has the potential to get very ugly if the next move is to link data with ATO or Centrelink.  Best flick an email to consular outreach.  They reply pretty quickly.

Edited March 5, 2017 by mamborobert

[little mary sunshine]

18 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

Your pensioner allowance card is not valid overseas.

So there is dual pricing in Australia too....discounts

for being old...!

[Evilbaz]

14 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

Thus requirement sounds dubious to me (although I guess it is not possible to challenge). As many posters have said, you sign a stat declaration to testify that this is a true version of events (at least from your perspective). There is no need to provide proofs unless challenged in court. I assume the embassy staff will not check with whomever the money is coming from to verify your 'letter of proof'. Most banks, super funds, financial institutions etc. are not going to provide this information to a third party. If they did, then there could be all sorts of privacy/tax/pension implications.

 

 

Pension authorities provide annual statements.

You will be Declaring they are a true record - just like to a JP back home when applying for an OA Visa.

[metisdead]

Some posts containing unintelligible/incoherent language have been removed. 

[evadgib]

6 hours ago, Preacher said:

Thailand has complained to the embassies and now demands that embassies check the income and not just witness the signature.

Several have fired back tactfully explaining that 'letters from the Headmaster' arent part of their remit and are a monumental waste of man hours. If they need the info that badly their Embassies at home are better placed to rubber stamp it than all those in bkk....and the fees would be cheaper! :)

 

 

[stevenl]

Several have fired back tactfully explaining that 'letters from the Headmaster' arent part of their remit and are a monumental waste of man hours. If they need the info that badly their Embassies at home are better placed to rubber stamp it than all those in bkk....and the fees would be cheaper! :)
 
 

Embassies at home for a declaration required for extension of stay?

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[evadgib]

Why not, given the supporting docs (proof of pension an' all that) required per annum originate there in the first place? Someone (family member?) need only to have it authenticated (postal app) before sending it here.

 

I of course realise this scenario is highly unlikely but the point is that we wouldn't be in this position if those telling porkies were properly dealt with when caught.

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by evadgib

[david555]

15 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Why not, given the supporting docs (proof of pension an' all that) required per annum originate there in the first place?

 

I am not Australian , but every year I ask and receive a statement document with seal from my Government pension institute declaring the amount I shall receive from date until dead .... in Euro , and when I needed it before I changed to the total lump 800K baht, the Imm.Officer just calculated it together with the bank letter . Never had any question or dispute .....you don't know that civil servants" LOVE "stamps and seals...?

I don't understand why people can not prove what they receive as pension or income ..... unless its is  ....., or just a lie  

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by david555

[catman20]

18 hours ago, smotherb said:

You mean some people would lie about their income; my, my.

not only about their income.

[Si Thea01]

11 hours ago, mamborobert said:

It was a joke...that humour stuff.  I am self funded.  The only thing I get from the OZ govt is a fresh air sandwich.

A little bit of mirth goes such a long way, shame it was missed.

[sceadugenga]

It's always been the job of a Justice of the Peace to only witness the signature of the person swearing a Statuary Declaration.

They are not responsible for the contents of the declaration, just to witness that the person declares he is making a truthful statement before an officer of the court.

I'm a bit uncomfortable with the embassy's stance on this, anyone prepared to lie is probably capable of coming up with photoshopped paperwork to back the lie anyway.

[Si Thea01]

11 hours ago, Evilbaz said:

It's A$70 now plus 1900 baht for the extension.

I'll bet my last winnings on Rising Fast no "agent" will do it for that!

I don't need anything for my extension of stay as I have the B800k in the bank but I cannot understand why anyone would want to use an agent.  it is so bloody easy to complete what is required and is only an hour or so out of one's day.  If you keep a copy of everything you do, then copy them again the following year, the only thing you will need are current photographs, a newly completed TM7 form and a current letter from the Bank.  God, how hard is that.

 

This is a little off topic but I don't know what's happened at Udon Thani Immigration, maybe the new female boss. (not a bad sort either)  The other day, 3/4 hour for extension of stay and not having to return in one month, everything completed and all at the horrendous cost of B1900, no extra charges and all done with the usual smile and utmost courtesy.  

[bdenner]

Only hope that in my case they have a CPA on the consular staff who understands my tax return (I can barely make head nor tale of it) and they understand that the days of paper bank statements are long gone. Being a Thai witnessing the Stat Dec wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't ask for my Aussie Bank Book!! 5555555

 

Looks like I'll have to take my NoteBook PC with me next year.

 

The gods of bureaucracy and hoops are alive and well.

[mamborobert]

59 minutes ago, bdenner said:

Only hope that in my case they have a CPA on the consular staff who understands my tax return (I can barely make head nor tale of it) and they understand that the days of paper bank statements are long gone. Being a Thai witnessing the Stat Dec wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't ask for my Aussie Bank Book!! 5555555

 

Looks like I'll have to take my NoteBook PC with me next year.

 

The gods of bureaucracy and hoops are alive and well.

The three times I have used the Stat Dec method and the Consular Outreach program have all had a DFAT A based officer ( that is an Oz official on a posting) witness and issue seal on a Stat Dec.  These officers are specified under the Act on the Stat Dec form.  Locally Engaged Staff (Oz or Thai) are not specified.

 

As a further example the Hon Consul in Chiang Mai despite the title, Thai govt accreditation, and the issued polo "uniform" cannot witness the Stat Dec.

 

This has also been my experience at other Oz embassies in the PI, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia

[harness]

Why don't Thai immigration insist that at least 65,000 be deposited in a Thai bank every month? The evidence of that is the bank passbook. If you miss a month ........ no extension. Why should it matter to them how much you earn?  Isn't it about bringing the dollars into a Thai bank.

If it's the combination method , then the amounts can easily be worked out.

Proof of foreign exchange coming in should be all that matters to the Thai authorities.

 

[david555]

If the Australia Embassy asking now this proof , it must sure have a reason ....my guess is that the Thai immigration is warning them , so if embassy not ask it, they ( Th.Immigr.) would /shall ask it . Before already there where rapports that some Embassy doc. must be legalized by their Thai  ministry in Bangkok..

So better accept life changing things as you can't fight them...

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, harness said:

Why don't Thai immigration insist that at least 65,000 be deposited in a Thai bank every month?

Because there is no requirement to bring all the money into the country.

Another factor is that it is gross income not net. Many people have taxes deducted from their income and perhaps insurance payments as well.

[Will27]

1 hour ago, bdenner said:

Only hope that in my case they have a CPA on the consular staff who understands my tax return (I can barely make head nor tale of it) and they understand that the days of paper bank statements are long gone. Being a Thai witnessing the Stat Dec wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't ask for my Aussie Bank Book!! 5555555

 

Looks like I'll have to take my NoteBook PC with me next year.

 

The gods of bureaucracy and hoops are alive and well.

Yep, as stated, I'm pretty sure only DFAT officers can witness the Stat Decs.

 

Also no reason to take your tax return. Maybe they will accept a copy of a current Notice of Assessment by the ATO.

[hohososo]

Why don't Thai immigration insist that at least 65,000 be deposited in a Thai bank every month? The evidence of that is the bank passbook. If you miss a month ........ no extension. Why should it matter to them how much you earn?  Isn't it about bringing the dollars into a Thai bank.
If it's the combination method , then the amounts can easily be worked out.
Proof of foreign exchange coming in should be all that matters to the Thai authorities.
 

Because you and I could each send 65,000 to each other every month.. effectively just moving the same 65,000 around each month.

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Because there is no requirement to bring all the money into the country.

Another factor is that it is gross income not net. Many people have taxes deducted from their income and perhaps insurance payments as well.

Dutch embassy is certifying net income.