Frustration at Immigration Office regarding income affidavit policy

[KhunFred]

2 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Just go the 400/800k route. So simple.

Only simple if you have that much free cash. I get monthly payments from Social Security, State Retirement and a small annuity, and that is what I live on. All in, about 79 thousand baht a month. I have documentation but getting Immigration to recognize something besides an affidavit will be the problem.

[Issanjohn]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

But if you look a little further down the page it quotes an old police order.

"who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year."

 

The current police order 327/2557 states this in clause 2.18.

If you have to do your extension after next summer I’d start preparing Thai bank accounts as soon as possible just in case but that’s just my own personal opinion.  I think it’s safe to be prepared ahead of time as early as you possibly can.  

[Banana7]

23 minutes ago, KhunFred said:

Only simple if you have that much free cash. I get monthly payments from Social Security, State Retirement and a small annuity, and that is what I live on. All in, about 79 thousand baht a month. I have documentation but getting Immigration to recognize something besides an affidavit will be the problem.

You should be ok providing you can find a competent authority (CA), acceptable to Immigration, to authentic documents stating your monthly income from your pensions and lifetime annuity for the forthcoming year.

 

Immigration considers your Embassy to be a CA. If your Embassy no longer will do it, you'll need to find another CA.

 

I believe the Canadian embassy will continue to act as a CA for Canadians. They can probably access Canadian federal government info, such as personal income tax assessments, which identify pension income, and can authenticate annuity certificates.

Edited November 18, 2018 by Banana7

[Speedhump]

Different immigration offices around Thailand have their own interpretations of regulations. I already heard of two instances where the office will give the extension on proof of bank income WITHOUT Embassy stamped letter. One of these I fully believe, the other I have no way to say if its just trolling/windup. I also just have the strongest feeling that as more embassies refuse (the Danish immediate withdrawal is just shocking), immigration will feel it necessary to allow some flexibility in the proof they will accept. My guess is certainly not before the New Year though. 

[Issanjohn]

26 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Thank you and if I do my next extension in the same Isaan office as you, I hope my number never comes up after yours.

Well it won’t matter as long as you’re obeying the laws here, I’m not sure what that means but I was just clarifying my encounter at immigration on Friday.  I’m trying to help by sticking to facts which some people have no interest in doing.  It doesn’t really help arguing about it on the internet you gotta get out there and get the actual facts from your embassies and especially your local immigration offices as I have and as I saw others doing as well the same day I was there.  When I was there Friday I definitely was not the only person asking questions.  I even had a few people asking me questions about it because they overheard my conversations with the immigration officer and the supervisor.  They were very interested in what I was told.  Although next time you probably won’t be waiting behind me as long now that I know their policy if that’s what you meant lol.  

[mfd101]

7 minutes ago, Issanjohn said:

If you have to do your extension after next summer I’d start preparing Thai bank accounts as soon as possible just in case but that’s just my own personal opinion.  I think it’s safe to be prepared ahead of time as early as you possibly can.  

Yes, we can all hope for the best, but should NOW be preparing for the worst. And that applies to everyone - rich or poor, or - as I think most of us are - somewhere in between. We should all be considering carefully how to meet the worst possible new rules that MAY apply to each of us, and we should be moving the pieces on the chess board - Thai bank account, best (cheapest) ways to move funds etc.

 

This is a very unThai thing but we are all well aware of at least one cultural advantage we have over our Thai friends: BE PREPARED.

[KhunFred]

8 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

You should be ok providing you can find a competent authority (CA), acceptable to Immigration, to authentic documents stating your monthly income from your pensions and lifetime annuity for the forthcoming year.

 

Immigration considers your Embassy to be a CA. If your Embassy no longer will do it, you'll need to find another CA.

Yes, that's what I was afraid of. It looks as though there is no other option except one of the Visa Agencies. At an average of 20 thousand baht to get me a renewal, that is highway robbery.

[JLCrab]

2 minutes ago, Issanjohn said:

36 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Thank you and if I do my next extension in the same Isaan office as you, I hope my number never comes up after yours.

<snip> I’m not sure what that means <snip2>

"Brevity is the soul of wit" Shakespeare, Hamlet

[Moonlover]

32 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

16 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Transferring 65K baht a month from a foreign country into a Thai bank for the past year is no guarantee that there will be 65K baht per month income in the forthcoming year.

 

32 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

True -- but if you isn't, then you won't get an extension NEXT year.

Eazy Peazy.

But if you can prove it's in the form of a pension(s) it's pretty safe bet. Thais certainly understand that pensions are for life. It's one of the big features that draws them toward government jobs here.

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Moonlover

[jimn]

40 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

A letter from an Embassy which states a person swears under oath that they have X amount of income for the forthcoming year is no longer an adequate guarantee of income.

But Thai Immigration are still accepting them. There has been no notification that this is no longer the case. All that has happened so far is that 4 embassies will no longer issue embassy letters, nothing else has changed, so far.

[JLCrab]

4 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

But if you can prove it's in the form of a pension(s)

I look at this strictly from an administrative point of view: Just how can your average Thai IMM person look at pension documents (maybe plural) which will be different for every person wanting an extension and be able to decide with confidence what is what without a total logjam in the office with maybe now a paper tape  adding machine necessary on each desk.

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Can you repeat this statement, in big bold letters, across all the income letter threads.

 

 

No need for that, are there any expats here in Thailand that really do not know that most of the time the Thai immigration just makes up it's own rules? Even different officers in the same office.

Edited November 18, 2018 by possum1931

[Banana7]

4 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

I look at this strictly from an administrative point of view: Just how can your average Thai IMM person look at pension documents (maybe plural) which will be different for every person wanting an extension and be able to decide with confidence what is what without a total logjam in the office with maybe now a paper tape  adding machine necessary on each desk.

You are right. Immigration will probably want the pension documents authenticated by a competent authority before accepting them as proof of income.

[Russell17au]

7 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

I look at this strictly from an administrative point of view: Just how can your average Thai IMM person look at pension documents (maybe plural) which will be different for every person wanting an extension and be able to decide with confidence what is what without a total logjam in the office with maybe now a paper tape  adding machine necessary on each desk.

Plus the pension documents being in all different languages from each country so a 15 minute visit has now turned into a 7 day visit camping at the office that is now working 24 hours a day to try and sort out this mess of documents in all these different languages

[JLCrab]

5 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Immigration will probably want

to say just show us the 65K+ deposited as foreign transaction each month in your passbook account and we do not want to look at pension or other source documents authenticated or otherwise.

Edited November 18, 2018 by JLCrab

[Banana7]

4 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

to say just show us the 65K+ deposited each month in your passbook account and we do not want to look at pension or other source documents authenticated or otherwise.

Depositing 65K per month for the past year in your bank account won't be adequate. It is not proof that you have 65K income per month for the forthcoming year. Just because you had it last year doesn't mean you will have the same income for next year.

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Banana7

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

I look at this strictly from an administrative point of view: Just how can your average Thai IMM person look at pension documents (maybe plural) which will be different for every person wanting an extension and be able to decide with confidence what is what without a total logjam in the office with maybe now a paper tape  adding machine necessary on each desk.

I think those will only be for proof of the source of the income. The primary will be proof showing the funds were transferred into the country.

[JLCrab]

6 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Just because you had it last year doesn't mean you will have the same income for next year.

Then next year you won't qualify for an extension.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, racyrick said:

Some people are not able to put the 400,000 or 800,000 baht in the bank even with time.

That is the point why the monthly income is so needed for many people.

Remember, even if somebody has a monthly income that would equal the above, they are probably needing a lot of that for their living expenses, if not all of it.

Have compassion and empathy for those that are not cheaters and not as fortunate as others to have money to put in the bank.

Be grateful you are not in that position!

Have you ever thought of the possibility that a lot more married expats will probably start going through the 400.000 Bt in the bank route, and that is going to give the Immigration officers a lot more work, and that is the last thing they will want.

When they finally decide what to do, it will be whatever gives them the least work, as long as it does not make things any easier for us.

[Issanjohn]

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

I agree. My plan is to have 800k in a Thai bank account next. year. I know that this will be acceptable. 

 

Your plan isn't workable as, as things stand, it won't be accepted by TI. It's a hope not a plan.

Well actually it is a perfect plan because that’s how Thai immigration laws work for one thing and because I renew my extension in January possibly late December (45 days early). And I know that my local immigration office will accept my income affidavit this one last time.  

 

I go by my monthly income which is legal and more than double the minimum monthly income requirement as so many other people here also do.  So either next payday or in January I’ll open a Thai bank account and start transferring at least the minimum monthly income requirement every payday or probably half of my monthly pension payments from my bank in the states to a Thai bank account so that when I renew my extension in January 2020 I have a Thai bank statement showing that my monthly income has been going to a Thai bank account every month for the whole year, AND THAT IS THE LAW, or yes you can also use the lump sum option. Lots of people are already doing it and that is with in Thai law.  I’ve been living here for 5 years so yeah I think I’ll be okay lol, it’s actually a great plan in my situation.  I’m actually lucky this happened when it did because for me it’s perfect timing to start transferring money into a Thai bank account EVERY MONTH all year long every year.  So yeah of course it’s a good plan in fact this is how a lot of people in my situation have always been doing it because it’s Thai law my plan is within Thai law.  Even my embassy suggested this as a good plan for 2020 based on my personal situation.  Of course everyone’s income situation is different.  

 

Yes you can also use the lump sum option.    For a retirement visa it’s either a minimum MONTHLY INCOME AMOUNT OF 65,000 baht a MONTH worth of INCOME, or the lump sum option of 800,000 baht in the bank.  

 

For a marriage visa it’s either a minimum MONTHLY INCOME AMOUNT OF 40,000 baht A MONTH worth of INCOME, or the lump sum option of 400,000 baht in the bank.  KEY WORDS MINIMUM MONTHLY INCOME REQUIREMENT AND I MAKE MORE THAN DOUBLE THE MINIMUM MONTHLY INCOME REQUIREMENT FOR BOTH VISAS!

 

THIS IS THAI LAW SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY MY PLAN WOULD NOT WORK.  Or maybe you just misunderstood me I don’t know.  

 

Also there are sometimes lots of confrontational people in this forum with very negative attitudes.  Probably the ones who are here illegally I’m guessing.  And I’m through responding to people who apparently aren’t familiar with the local Thai laws or just like being negative towards people for whatever reason probably because their own lives aren’t so good as other people like me who may have more money and a lot of these people are probably just jealous of those of us who do meet Thai immigration requirements.  I hope you’re not one of those kinds of people and that you just misunderstood me.  And there are other people that for some reason just change when behind the keyboard for some reason.  Regardless I just clarified Thai law for you.  But I really don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else.  I started out posting in here just trying to make people aware of the current immigration income affidavit policy which my local immigration office informed me of yesterday.  According to my embassy and my local immigration office the income affidavits will continue to be accepted for six months after the date of completion and I definitely fall into that category.  

 

I don’t know maybe I didn’t clearly explain my plan based on my personal situation and if there’s something you didn’t understand I’m sorry but it’s really not your business anyway.  Bottom line I make more than 3 times more than double the minimum monthly income requirements then what’s required for both the marriage visa and even the requirement visa so I’m covered financially.  So I’m not sure how you drew your conclusions about my plan and I honestly don’t care, maybe you just didn’t understand me.  

[KhunFred]

6 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Depositing 65K per month for the past year in your bank account won't be adequate. It is not proof that you have 65K income per month for the forthcoming year. Just because you had it last year doesn't mean you will have the same income for next year.

 

Does Thai Immigration not understand the nature of "PENSION INCOME"??  It is for life, usually in monthly payments. This is not rocket science. It has been going on for many years. Also very strange that a farang married to a Thai only has to show 40 thousand baht a month, rather than 65 thousand. My Social Security payment alone is more than 40 thousand. They appear to be making it more complicated than it needs to be.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours 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.  

"From reading the OPs post it sounds like he spoke to a lot of immigration officers".

well just think of all the different answers he will have received.

[luckyluke]

2 hours ago, Spidey said:

My plan is to have 800k in a Thai bank account next. year. I know that this will be acceptable. 

For the moment being,

just as Income Letters were/are.

 

All things are subject to change.

 

Of course one can opt for the optimistic approach.

Edited November 18, 2018 by luckyluke

[Issanjohn]

55 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Yes, we can all hope for the best, but should NOW be preparing for the worst. And that applies to everyone - rich or poor, or - as I think most of us are - somewhere in between. We should all be considering carefully how to meet the worst possible new rules that MAY apply to each of us, and we should be moving the pieces on the chess board - Thai bank account, best (cheapest) ways to move funds etc.

 

This is a very unThai thing but we are all well aware of at least one cultural advantage we have over our Thai friends: BE PREPARED.

Well the rules aren’t changing they’re just being more strictly enforced so it’s not about preparing for the worst it’s just about making sure you are following Thai immigration laws and it’s really as simple as that.  People are acting like everything’s changing and it’s not.  The only thing that’s changing is that sometime next year Thai immigration won’t accept the income affidavit from the embassy anymore which means they’ll have to verify our income in a different way probably by Thai bank statements, pension letters etc.  As long as you are following Thai immigration laws you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.  Although this transition period with the income affidavits might be a bit of a hassle.  Besides that it’s only gonna effect people here illegally for the most part.  

 

I don’t think a lot of people understand that no Thai laws are actually changing, they just want to more carefully verify our income in the future it’s not as big a deal as I thought it was after I learned the facts of the matter.  There are no new Thai immigration laws they are just actually enforcing the laws already in place more strictly which might turn out to be a good thing for those of us living here legally.  

Edited November 18, 2018 by Issanjohn

[Issanjohn]

1 hour ago, JLCrab said:

"Brevity is the soul of wit" Shakespeare, Hamlet

Okay I have things I gotta go do now so I’m not replying to anymore replies unless they’re intelligent as some of them were.  I’ve been sitting here reading stuff online today only because I’ve had flu symptoms for the past few days.  Just look at the facts not what strangers online “think” based on opinion.  Actually I think I caught the flu at immigration Friday because I spoke to a lot of people that day including other foreigners and people at other places all over the city.  

Edited November 18, 2018 by Issanjohn

[mfd101]

4 minutes ago, Issanjohn said:

Well the rules aren’t changing they’re just being more strictly enforced so it’s not about preparing for the worst it’s just about making sure you are following Thai immigration laws and it’s really as simple as that.  People are acting like everything’s changing and it’s not.  The only thing that’s changing is that sometime next year Thai immigration won’t accept the income affidavit from the embassy anymore which means they’ll have to verify our income in a different way probably by Thai bank statements, pension letters etc.  As long as you are following Thai immigration laws you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.  Although this transition period with the income affidavits might be a bit of a hassle.  Besides that it’s only gonna effect people here illegally for the most part.  

I don't think that's an accurate representation of the situation.

 

I've been following the rules with an OzEmbassy letter the last 2 years since I arrived to live permanently in Thailand. But now - for whatever reason, good or bad - that's no longer going to work for next October when my next renewal falls due.

 

So NOW I have to prepare for all future possibilities which, in the Thai way of doing things, may become clear only at the last minute or remain vague, ambiguous & changeable at all times ... It's called self-protection. So NOW I am starting bi-monthly transfers of funds to my Thai bank account and preparing, at least mentally for - around May next year - selling shares in Oz to have 800K฿ to lodge (as worst case - but it would also function as a partial health self-insurance fund ie one can always look on the bright side ...).

[Number 6]

3 hours ago, jesimps said:

Also I'm sure many people have savings locked up in investments, but use their income to legally obtain their visa. It's grossly unfair on them if they're producing the genuine documentation for their embassy letter and now through no fault of theirs they can't obtain said letter. Nor (at the moment) will Thai immigration accept any other form of proof. They possibly stand to lose a lot of money by cashing in said investments to provide the cash required for the lump sum in Thai bank method.

Has there been anything further on what I read on here a few days ago that the Danish embassy has stopped letters forthewith leaving people unable to season the lump sum. These poor beggars'll have to start again from scratch I assume if that's the case.

Unfair. Lol. Who are you to tell this country what is UN/fair? 400k in the bank is very fair. If single, 800k extremely fair.

 

Why do you think the is onerous on some but not others. We all made the decision to reallocate our money to sit in a Thai bsnk doing much of nothing. That is the price of the visa.

 

Besides seriously...in this shonky market, what would any savvy investor have their money in?

 

Of course you'll have to exchange the money but interest rates better here than US and please don't bring up Oz.

 

2.5% on 400k cry me a river.

 

What we are witnessing now is reality biting hard.

 

I'm not at all gloating but you're out here in a foreign country with no savings. No doubt no insurance.

 

If I were Thailand I'd work to get all the married pensioners sorted out, especially with kids. I don't want to see a marriage broken up over this.

 

The rest of you can GBH, Philippines or wherever.

[Issanjohn]

19 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

"From reading the OPs post it sounds like he spoke to a lot of immigration officers".

well just think of all the different answers he will have received.

I posted this earlier because I wasn’t quite clear about what I meant.  I don’t know about other immigration offices I admit but I’m now 100% sure about my local immigration office.  They laid to rest all of my concerns regarding the income affidavits being accepted beyond January and for up to six months after the date of completion, at least at my local immigration office anyway, I can’t speak for the OP or for other immigration offices, but they are supposed to be on the same page I understand that a few immigration offices may not be on the same page yet anyway.  This is clarification on my visit to my local immigration office on Friday and it was very enlightening:  

 

I need to clear up something that I posted earlier regarding my visit to my local immigration office Friday last week.  And I’m really truly sorry if anyone misunderstand me.  No Thai Government Officials have not put out official guidance yet to the public.  And that’s absolutely not what I meant.  I was only talking about official “messages” internally between the immigration offices about the income affidavit policy being valid for six months such as an email they showed me from the immigration headquarters to all of the local immigration offices, and yes this is old news as someone pointed out to me which I already knew but not everyone is aware of that so I was hoping to inform people that the income affidavits are valid for six months after the date of completion into 2019.  I see a lot of people in this forum worried some of which are worrying needlessly and people shouldn’t have to worry if they don’t have to.  I’m just trying to help spread the word so people know and know how to find out for themselves officially.  

 

Anyway what happened when I visited my local immigration office on Friday was I was very politely but also very persistently asking questions about the income affidavits as far as how long they would be accepting them for and like I said they confirmed that yes it’s six months after the date of completion and of course after January.  Maybe what I wasn’t clear about in my post was that I was asking about the income affidavits so persistently at my local immigration office Friday was that the supervisor very nicely even showed me the official message which was just simply an email that he printed from immigration headquarters to all local immigration offices regarding the “INTERNAL” policy on the income affidavits being valid for up to six months after the date of completion into next year.  

 

That’s all I meant I’m sorry for the confusion maybe I did make it sound like official word to the public WHICH IT WAS NOT, he was just telling me the INTERNAL policy about the income affidavits which was supposedly distributed to all the local immigration offices from the immigration headquarters via email NOT official guidance to the public.  I know that my local immigration office received the INTERNAL POLICY GUIDANCE because they told me they did on Friday.  So I apologize if I confused anyone, I DID NOT MEAN AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC FROM THAI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, the immigration supervisor was merely just showing me the internal policy between immigration headquarters and the local immigration offices regarding the income affidavits six month validity.  That’s what I really meant maybe I just didn’t properly phrase it in a previous post and I just wanted to be very clear about that.  I’m sorry if I caused any confusion but that’s what happened regardless.  I really am sorry if I caused any confusion because I’m trying to help eliminate all of the misinformation about this issue with facts.  

 

And honestly that actually is the only official guidance we have so far as far as the income affidavits being accepted for six months after the date of completion.  I know that Thai Government Officials haven’t said anything about it but that is supposed to be internal policy at immigration.  At least it is in my city and most other Thai immigration offices that I’ve heard of.  Sounds like they’re mostly on the same page for the exception of maybe a few offices.  

 

Again I was referring to internal immigration policy on the income affidavit that they told me about at my local immigration office being accepted for six months after the date of completion into next year NOT an official statement from Thai government officials not at all, just internal policy only between immigration headquarters and the local immigration offices.  I hope I have cleared up that confusion.  I really am sorry if anyone misunderstood me.  Please accept my apology if anyone was confused by what I meant when I was writing I thought people knew what I meant, internal immigration policy regarding income affidavits not official word from Thai government officials.  Like I said the immigration supervisor and the female IO at my local immigration office told me the policy and even tried to show me the email from immigration headquarters (their internal policy messages) but I don’t read Thai very well so I took their word for it.  

[Issanjohn]

7 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

Unfair. Lol. Who are you to tell this country what is UN/fair? 400k in the bank is very fair. If single, 800k extremely fair.

 

Why do you think the is onerous on some but not others. We all made the decision to reallocate our money to sit in a Thai bsnk doing much of nothing. That is the price of the visa.

 

Besides seriously...in this shonky market, what would any savvy investor have their money in?

 

Of course you'll have to exchange the money but interest rates better here than US and please don't bring up Oz.

 

2.5% on 400k cry me a river.

 

What we are witnessing now is reality biting hard.

 

I'm not at all gloating but you're out here in a foreign country with no savings. No doubt no insurance.

 

If I were Thailand I'd work to get all the married pensioners sorted out, especially with kids. I don't want to see a marriage broken up over this.

 

The rest of you can GBH, Philippines or wherever.

Or 40,000 baht a month for marriage visas and 65,000 baht a month for retirement visas.  

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Issanjohn said:

I am not trying to argue I’m trying to help you if I can but I don’t know what your situation is.  I’m in that exact same situation myself mine expires in early February 2019, and I was very stressed out about it for a while as well like you probably are and I fully understand why you are stressed about it, but after speaking with my local immigration office on Friday they totally put my mind at ease and they laid to rest all of my concerns about the income affidavit being accepted after January.  Both the IO and the immigration supervisor confirmed that they will continue to accept the income affidavit after January and for up to six months after the date of completion.  I didn’t even tell them that I had already heard that information from the US Embassy, I just simply asked them both separately “how long will you continue to accept the income affidavit?” and I even showed them my blank copy and I told them that I plan on getting it done at the US Embassy next week.  And the IO and the boss both confirmed that yes the income affidavit will still be accepted in January and for up to six months after the date of completion, those were their exact words.  She the IO and her boss even emphasized to me and told me to “make sure that I have my income affidavit prepared before I come back to their immigration office for my extension in January” (30 to 45 days early).  

 

They actually emphasized to me that I must have my income affidavit done when I come back after the new year for my extension!  They emphasized how important it really is that I have my income affidavit done and yes even after January.  So I’m not in the least bit concerned about it anymore and I hope I can help put other people’s minds at ease who fall into our situation if your extension expires in February.  

 

I even told them that I was planning to have my blank income affidavit done next week and they said “good” and again they emphasized that I should definitely have the income affidavit done then or at least before I see them again in probably January but maybe late December if I can do it 45 days early.  Mine expires in early February but they told me that I can get my extension done between 30 and 45 days early.  So to be honest I’m not at all worried about it anymore and I already have a solid plan for next year as well.  

 

Probably next payday or in January I’m just going to open a Thai bank account and start transferring at least the minimum monthly income requirement from my bank in the states every month to a Thai bank account so that I should be covered for next year in January 2020 as well.  I’m retired military and a disabled veteran and I receive a monthly pension which is more than double the minimum monthly income requirement, so I should be fine regardless because I fall within their laws.  

 

As long as you fall within Thai immigration laws I would not worry about it anymore now that we do have at least some official guidance regarding the income affidavits at least.  Although I agree with UbonJoe they need to put out official guidance regarding how immigration will want to verify our income after the income affidavits totally stop being accepted after the six month transition period.  However there is a transition period so it’s probably not worth losing sleep over as I was back in October.  

 

Again I’m really not trying to argue with you I really do want to help you by sharing my experience with you and the official guidance that I’ve received from both my embassy and my local immigration office.  I’m honestly not trying to argue I do want to help relieve your concerns because I got some definitive information yesterday about it from my local immigration office.  

 

Although I don’t know what country you’re from, I don’t know your income situation or anything about you, and I honestly don’t know if these rules apply to every citizen living here from every country.  I don’t see why they would not but regardless I don’t know how it works for other countries.  So if I were you I would check with both your embassy and ESPECIALLY your local immigration office to confirm as I have.  I don’t know what city you live in either but you should really go ask A LOT of questions about this from your local immigration office and you might be surprised as I was what a relief it is.  Just ask your embassy first see what they say and then go to your local immigration office and very politely ask questions about this and when asking to see the supervisor be very polite about that so you don’t upset the IO and make them think they did something wrong.  Just explain very politely that you would like to confirm it from the supervisor.  That’s how I did it Friday at my local immigration office and it went extremely well.  They even confirmed that they have an official message from their immigration headquarters that they are supposed to continue accepting the income affidavit for up to six months after the date of completion and yes of course after January as long as you had it done within six months.  Although I have no idea or no way of knowing if EVERY immigration office has received that same official message from immigration headquarters yet, maybe it’s still being distributed I don’t know.  Maybe some immigration offices have not read it yet or are even ignoring it I don’t know that either.  I only know that my local immigration office is on the right page thank God.  So I highly suggest going to your embassy and then asking a lot of questions politely at your local immigration office yourself to be sure.  Don’t rely on all this here say.  

 

I received the exact same confirmation regarding the income affidavit from not only the US Embassy but also an Immigration Officer AND THE Immigration Supervisor at my local immigration office.  The immigration supervisor even confirmed for me that was actually the official message that they have received from their headquarters as far as the income affidavit still being accepted after January and for up to six months after the date of completion, those were the exact words of the embassy, and my local immigration office IO, and her supervisor at immigration.  I was very persistent about asking the question but also very polite and they were very reassuring because they could see that I was concerned about it.  The supervisor even tried to show me the official message about it received from immigration headquarters but I can’t read Thai very well so I took his word for it.  

 

So try not to worry as long as you fall within Thai immigration laws you should be okay but you should still talk to your local immigration office as I have, it’ll all work out it’s just an administrative issue when you really look at it the right way.  

 

Don’t worry.  

 

I am glad that you were lucky.

 

However you are just one person using one Immigration office. It is well know that the policy is laid down by the central Immigration offices and sent out to all regional offices where they may adhere to the central ruling and then add various extra bits of their own.

 

IMHO what is really needed is a complete set of rules for ALL the extensions that MUST be adhered to by ALL Immigration offices, whether it be 800,000 or 400,000 in the bank seasoned, 65,000 or 40,000 income per month, a combination of both.

 

They should specify where the money is deposited, single or joint bank account, Thailand or offshore, a letter from the bank manager or not, a letter from the embassy or not.

 

AFAIK Immigration have not changed their rules yet and until they do it is speculation.

 

I put my money on Ubonjoe who seems to be the guy on TVF who has the greatest knowledge around here. He has suggested that we wait a while and see what happens and I agree with him.