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Frustration at Immigration Office regarding income affidavit policy


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41 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

Those of us with renewals coming up in Jan or Feb next year have every reason to get stressed as to whether or not our income letters will be accepted (even with back-up documentary evidence) by our particular Immigration office!

In your case I agree. I was responding to the elderly gentleman who had just got his extension and is good for a year. Your situation is entirely different.

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3 minutes ago, Issanjohn said:

Yeah they’re still accepting the income affidavits for six months after completion I confirmed it with my immigration office at least a few days ago.  From reading the OPs post it sounds like he spoke to a lot of immigration officers and probably had a miscommunication or something but they do need to put out official guidance for after the income affidavits do eventually go away.  He was saying something about an IO’s personal opinion and other things and it was a bit confusing but I just kind of skimmed through it because I already know what my local immigration office is doing.  I can do my extension up to 45 days early so I’ll probably just do it in late December instead of January just to be safe, but they assured me that they would accept them past January 1st and for up to six months after the date of completion.  Apparently there’s still a lot of very nervous people out there that’s why I started collecting facts about it immediately when all the talk started instead of waiting till the last minute.  It’s always best to plan ahead as much as possible.  

Absolutely no point as I have said many times speaking to individual officers. They can only give an opinion because they dont know. Its a waste of time.

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7 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

With the issue being that most embassies (soon to be all) are no longer producing such documents.

 

Therefore, the standard cannot be met

 

Therefore, put 800k bank (400k) and get on with it.

 

I suspect those caught out, first year money seasoning will be lenient yet they still might require full amount.

 

Can we all just put the small money in tbe bank and move on?

 

Guidance:

1 Put 800k in the bank

2 Get a letter from the bank

 

Well I’ll be doing my extension in late December to early January and I know that I’ll be allowed to use my income affidavit this one last time.  I go by my monthly income which is allowed so starting next payday or in January I am going to open a Thai bank account and start transferring maybe half of my monthly pension payments into a Thai bank account every month from my bank in the states all year long every year from now on or at least the minimum monthly income requirement that way when I renew my extension again in January 2020 at least I have a plan.  Because even the US Embassy told me that next time they’ll probably want to see my income going into a Thai bank account.  So yeah that’s basically what I’m going to do for next time except I go by monthly income so I’ll just start doing monthly transfers into a Thai bank account.  

 

Also where did you say that guidance came from?  That’s not what my immigration office is saying or what the embassy is saying.  It doesn’t actually have to be a lump sum amount as long as you have monthly income at least the minimum monthly income requirement.  

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10 minutes ago, jesimps said:

I personally think that the embassies should carry on issuing letters saying (as they have done on my twelve extensions) that they have viewed the evidence of income as sent to them by the applicant and that it amounts to x pounds, in the case of the Brit Emb. The embassy could insert a rider in a covering letter stating that the embassy is in no way responsible for Thai immigration rejecting the letter and that the cost of the letter will not be refunded. I think most immigration offices would be happy to carry on receiving letters in their present form, with the applicants taking along their income docs as proof if asked to show them.

"in the case of the Brit Emb. The embassy could insert a rider in a covering letter stating that the embassy is in no way responsible for Thai immigration rejecting the letter and that the cost of the letter will not be refunded."

 

Disagree entirely.  If the BE's letter is not accepted by TI (even with back-up proof) despite the BE saying it will be accepted - then the BE obviously needs to refund the money paid for the letter.

 

Edit - Living in the 'real world', I realise this will never happen!

Edited by dick dasterdly
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8 minutes ago, jimn said:

Absolutely no point as I have said many times speaking to individual officers. They can only give an opinion because they dont know. Its a waste of time.

When you actually get information from the Officials in charge it’s no longer an opinion it’s fact.  Because now the official word has finally been put out to the immigration offices.  Although maybe some IO’s at other immigration offices maybe haven’t read the official government guidance yet so there’s still probably at least some miscommunications about it.  And I’m sure there will be for a while during the transition period because this issue isn’t immigration’s only focus at work you know.  I’m just glad that my local immigration office is on the ball.  And they really are and it’s a small town so they’re not that busy like a lot of these bigger cities.  

 

There’s way too much mass hysteria out there about this issue and miscommunications.  I can understand why some are worried if you fall outside of the six month grace period but I’m sure by then they’ll be even more official guidance than there is now.  

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1 minute ago, dick dasterdly said:

"in the case of the Brit Emb. The embassy could insert a rider in a covering letter stating that the embassy is in no way responsible for Thai immigration rejecting the letter and that the cost of the letter will not be refunded."

 

Disagree entirely.  If the BE's letter is not accepted by TI (even with back-up proof) despite the BE saying it will be accepted - then the BE obviously needs to refund the money paid for the letter.

I agree with that last statement entirely. I am waiting for my letter from the BE for use at the end of April if my letter is rejected I fully intend to seek a refund from the embassy for giving out false information.

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8 minutes ago, racyrick said:

I guess you didn't read my post earlier.

Not small money to some of us.

It’s good that people are talking about this online but a lot of these posts don’t mean much.  I’m just focusing on actual facts. And my immigration office told me exactly the same thing the US Embassy told me so that sounds pretty solid to me.  Although I have no clue what other immigration offices are doing but it sounds a lot to me like miscommunications plus everyone’s situation is different.  Anyway at least I know I’m covered and I hope it works out for everyone else who falls within Thai law.  

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14 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

agree.

400k or (ample) proof of income.. but not both .. the latter will suffice (bank deposits, sosec statements, etc). I gather they are seeking to deal with freeloaders .

 

Also the Embassy will still issue statements and Thai immigrstionaccept until end of the year.. just did mine in BKK and then migrated to Phuket.

 

Agreed on marriage Visa .. much smarter... 1 year.. AND cheaper to get a work permit if you ever decided to work a bit for fun

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4 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Why do you consider Steve187's post misinformation?

 

The OP is married to a Thai national, just renewed his retirement extension, using the income method.

Next year provided he can stick 400K in a Thai bank for 2 months before his next extension renewal date, he can apply for an extension based on marriage. He at least has 10 months to sort out his financials.

 

Where is the disinformation.

 

I think what he meant was that we are talking about the perfectly legal within the immigration rules, monthly income method here and Steve187 was banging on about the money on deposit method. I'll stake everything I own that there isn't one member of TVF who doesn't know that as a married man he can season 400,000 for two months to qualify for an extension. I wouldn't have reported Steve for misinformation, but I would've done for trying to be a smart alec.

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56 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes they can if married to a Thai and have 400k baht in the bank for 2 months. Just change from a retirement extension to one based upon marriage.

That is my current plan at the moment but it all depends on what Immigration comes up with in the future.

 

I am not due to renew my retirement extension until the end of August 2019 which gives me and Immigration about 9 months to come up with a plan and get the bugs worked out of it.

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15 hours ago, sotsira said:

This seems to be a catch 22 scenario where by the Thai Immigration have initiated with the request to the relevant embassies to verify the source of income.

Where up until know the protocol was that each embassy had their own methods to provide income letters.

 

So in summary, Thai immigration haven't changed their policy regarding income letters, it's just that the additional proof of source requirement laid out to the embassies has caused the

current problem by them rejecting to issue them. 

My immigration office is co operating with my certified documents next year. So it seems it actually is the Embassy in the end. But with some push from Thai officials. Due to scammers 

 

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15 hours ago, sotsira said:

This seems to be a catch 22 scenario where by the Thai Immigration have initiated with the request to the relevant embassies to verify the source of income.

Where up until know the protocol was that each embassy had their own methods to provide income letters.

 

So in summary, Thai immigration haven't changed their policy regarding income letters, it's just that the additional proof of source requirement laid out to the embassies has caused the

current problem by them rejecting to issue them. 

Correct they would need to really work checking which is terrible lol. Every person has different circumstances Some twits some smart. Embassy took high ground. But it's a case by case basis. For me anyway.

Keep punching

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27 minutes ago, Issanjohn said:

When you actually get information from the Officials in charge it’s no longer an opinion it’s fact.  Because now the official word has finally been put out to the immigration offices.  Although maybe some IO’s at other immigration offices maybe haven’t read the official government guidance yet so there’s still probably at least some miscommunications about it.

There has always been significant inconsistency between Immigration districts, individual Immigration offices within the same district, and oft times between individual immigration officers within the same Immigration office.  Consistency has never been a hallmark of Thai Immigration.  If you've been here a decade you have no doubt experienced it first hand - (if not, can I have your passport number as I'd like to buy some lottery tickets).  So based on past experiences, I would not expect to see an 'official policy' on immigration letters uniformly applied across all offices.  That's just an unfortunate fact of life of living here.  You learn to roll with the punches. 

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5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Tgarrett, I understand your concerns, but please I urge you not get all stressed about this.

 

Thai Immigration is just like any other bureaucracy, throughout the world (and I've dealt with a lot of them!) that operates a 'top down' information system. It should be no surprise to anyone that those officers working at the 'coal face' are not yet aware of the ramifications of the changes that are taking place right now.

 

As of last night, there is one reasonably reliable report of a successful extension using income without having an income letter (in Mukdahan) and no reports of anyone being denied an extension.

 

You're one of the lucky ones. You have whole year yet before your next extension is due. I am quite sure that by then everything will have been sorted out.

 

 

 

Relax and enjoy your retirement.

 

ML

 

 

Yes l just did one and will again next year to

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1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes they can if married to a Thai and have 400k baht in the bank for 2 months. Just change from a retirement extension to one based upon marriage.

"Yes they can if married..."

Yes, I know, thanks, Joe.

 

I was being facetious in response to a poster who suggested that the easy way out was for those on retirement extensions to just change to a marriage extension, or words to that effect.

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3 hours ago, Spidey said:

Maybe it's because I'm a cautious "glass half empty" person, but I'm already making plans to transfer the 800k baht to a Thai bank account next year. 

 

I'm sincerely hoping that you're right and I'm wrong and I don't need to transfer the money. However, having to leave Thailand would be devastating for me. Better safe than sorry.

I don't have the option of 'money in the bank', (unless Madam M gets lucky on the lotto!). But I have made a careful study of the Savannakhet option. Just in case.

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3 minutes ago, connda said:

There has always been significant inconsistency between Immigration districts, individual Immigration offices within the same district, and oft times between individual immigration officers within the same Immigration office.  Consistency has never been a hallmark of Thai Immigration.  If you've been here a decade you have no doubt experienced it first hand - (if not, can I have your passport number as I'd like to buy some lottery tickets).  So based on past experiences, I would not expect to see an 'official policy' on immigration letters uniformly applied across all offices.  That's just an unfortunate fact of life of living here.  You learn to roll with the punches. 

They all knos little and all operate as individual private offices. It's a hit and miss operation

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6 hours ago, jackdd said:

This was written in another topic, so could very well be:

 

I have this week spoken to the British Embassy in Bangkok. They assured me that according to Immigration head office in Bangkok, the income letters can be used next year provided they are dated before 1 January and they will be accepted for 6 months after their date.

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