Explainer: Here’s what is required by Chonburi immigration for TM30 and retirement extensions

[0815]

On 3/31/2019 at 12:38 PM, Thaidream said:

Interview as reported leaves more questions than answers-

 

1. A person renewing a retirement extension of stay prior to  January 2019 would not have 12 months of  deposit transfers since the new rules did not exist  until then

 

2.  Since Chonburi is now stating that a Thai Tax return can show income- can one  pay taxes on  480,000 Baht per year (40x12) take all the deductions and exemptions- pay the tax and simply show the tax form and the tax paid receipt and receive their extension?  Same for retirement  800K

 

3. What about the Combination method and the seasoning parameters as well as the income flow

 

4.  What about the Embassy Letters-  still many out there. Do we need to bring in proof of the income  as stated on the letter?

 

I am sure the interviewer did the best he could- but there are many unanswered questions that need to be addressed and the whole issue of tax returns   on  income derived outside Thailand needs investigation. Since we are  non Thais- the tax law  gives a flat 15% on accessible income. If it's not accessible if one voluntarily declares it and pays the taxes will this  be enough for the extension?

What if on a Non-B business visa (and work permit) that is renewed every 90 days in a neighbouring country ?
Need to do the TM 30 everytime one comes back to Thailand ?

[Briggsy]

8 minutes ago, 0815 said:

What if on a Non-B business visa (and work permit) that is renewed every 90 days in a neighbouring country ?
Need to do the TM 30 everytime one comes back to Thailand ?

In theory, yes.

In practice, I would only do a TM30 if you have a need to interact with an Immigration Office during those 90 days. e.g. residence certificate for registering a new vehicle.

 

Once you have a TM30 receipt stapled in your passport, don't chuck it away. Even though technically it is no longer valid once you leave the country, having done it once looks better if you fail to do it on a following trip.

 

All the above assumes you don't change address.

[taxin]

15 hours ago, Humpy said:

How about electronic tagging for all expats ?!!

This has to be the most overused comment ever made on Thaivisa when it comes to immigration matters ! Or maybe 2nd to “another nail in the coffin”.

[Steve Pennington]

On 3/31/2019 at 11:10 AM, Thailand said:

I will have a similar situation.

You think they will have read the last memo from BJ in January?

Show them a copy and see the result, it's a loss of face so that won't work.

Im the same i will actually have 9 months cos my visa is due 2nd December and the transfer will take it to at least the 5th

[KhunFred]

Noticed that renewals need 12 months of income from overseas. No mention of the promised "leniency" by Thai Immigration. If unable to get an extension for lack of 12 months of income, how long do I have to relocate to Vietnam or Cambodia?   The Thai concept of leniency, seems to be "business as usual".

[KhaoYai]

On 3/31/2019 at 4:12 AM, Father Fintan Stack said:

Here's a scenario for ya.

 

What happens if I check into a hotel on my break in Phuket or business trip to Songkhla? The hotel will register a change of my address.

I had a similar concern when I was over here on an extended stay last year. A friend suggested checking into a hotel using my Thai driving licence to check in.  I didn't think the hotel would accept it - I was wrong, they did and I've stayed at several hotels since - each time using my driving licence.

 

I agree that if you use your passport, the hotel will register you and that will knock you off the registration at your actual residence so you would have to re-register. If you have a Thai licence, use it.

[jacko45k]

On 3/31/2019 at 11:39 AM, zib said:

So I assume this also means I dont have to register when coming back from abroad? It only said "outside province"

Although I think the new TM 6 should cover that base obviously Singapore is outside the province of Chonburi. 

[raccos21]

Evil people don’t care about other people’s feelings, and they’ll have no remorse in getting what they want.

 

[sumrit]

4 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I had a similar concern when I was over here on an extended stay last year. A friend suggested checking into a hotel using my Thai driving licence to check in.  I didn't think the hotel would accept it - I was wrong, they did and I've stayed at several hotels since - each time using my driving licence.

 

I agree that if you use your passport, the hotel will register you and that will knock you off the registration at your actual residence so you would have to re-register. If you have a Thai licence, use it.

The hotel could still be registering you when you use your Thai DL. They will make a photocopy of your licence and your ID number on your DL is your passport number.

[Rimmer]

A post all in caps has been removed, please turn off your caps lock, thank you

[scubascuba3]

So Jomtien has binned the combination method? too complicated for them to use a calculator?

 

Anybody tried ringing 1178 Immigration hotline about it?

[Jingthing]

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So Jomtien has binned the combination method? too complicated for them to use a calculator?

 

Anybody tried ringing 1178 Immigration hotline about it?

That's what I've heard.

But it's more complicated than using a calculator.

There is a lot of confusion about what are the EXACT rules for combo applications as far as pre and post seasoning specifics for the BANK portion of the application.

The rules are clearly enough for full income method and full bank method, but most definitely not clear for combo method. Even more so for people without embassy letters for the income portion. 

[scubascuba3]

That's what I've heard.
But it's more complicated than using a calculator.
There is a lot of confusion about what are the EXACT rules for combo applications as far as pre and post seasoning specifics for the BANK portion of the application.
The rules are clearly enough for full income method and full bank method, but most definitely not clear for combo method. Even more so for people without embassy letters for the income portion. 

If its confusing then Immigration should clarify rather than not process those applications if true. Worth a call to the hotline

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

38 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That's what I've heard.
But it's more complicated than using a calculator.
There is a lot of confusion about what are the EXACT rules for combo applications as far as pre and post seasoning specifics for the BANK portion of the application.
The rules are clearly enough for full income method and full bank method, but most definitely not clear for combo method. Even more so for people without embassy letters for the income portion. 

If its confusing then Immigration should clarify rather than not process those applications if true. Worth a call to the hotline

Sure good idea if you apply that way.

But personally I am strongly suggesting until this mess is cleared up (if ever) that it's wise without the full income (including not being able to fully comply with monthly deposits) apply with a full 800K bank method application if they are able. I don't think being a guinea pig is much fun when there is so much on the line. 

[Sumarianson]

On 3/31/2019 at 2:12 PM, sumrit said:

If you're using the 'money in the bank' to live on how do you replenish those funds for your next annual extension?

By transferring more funds. I always use up the 80K and more every year. Thailand ain't cheap for a farang. I don't eat Somtam or any street food. The only solution now is to have a separate account with 800000 in it. Anyone done this with Bangkok Bank? And what kind of an account was found acceptable by Changwattana immigration? 

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, Sumarianson said:

Anyone done this with Bangkok Bank? And what kind of an account was found acceptable by Changwattana immigration? 

A simple fixed deposit account would work, or simply keep the savings account above 800k. 

[Sheryl]

I'm now using a Kasikorn FD account (BB would work just as well, I did Kasikorn because that is where my savings account is).

Like poster above I used ro spend down my 800k each year and replenish. Now I have instead put an extra 800k aside. Not happy about it but it is the simplest and surest way to be in compliance with the new rules at the present time. My newly opened FD is for 24 months. My hope is that in 2 years time I will be able to switch to the income method i.e. that the various issues and uncertainties around it will have resolved and I'll have worked out a cost effective means ofmonthly transfers. If not I'll do another FD.

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[patsfangr]

On 3/31/2019 at 9:48 PM, pontious said:

Was that using the income method? If yes how many months deposit did you have?

Yes, I used the income method. The bank record of deposits showed 12 months of income from a foreign source. That was not sufficient documentation. They required that I provide proof of the specific source of that income. I had to go home to get that; then returned to Immigration that afternoon (Friday). Had to go back Monday afternoon to pick up my stamped passport. 

[patsfangr]

I make the following comment only to make a point in this discussion. I fully realize that this could never happen. ... Using the monthly income method requires (at least at the Jomtien Office) providing proof of the source of your monthly income from the foreign country. In the case of Social Security from the USA, providing that proof once should be enough; since Soc Sec benefits will continue until you die. The same is true of all company pensions that I know of. So, in the practical sense ????, we should not have to provide documentation of that sort every year. ... OK. I'll shut up now. 

[The Deerhunter]

On 3/31/2019 at 12:41 PM, Jingthing said:

Jomtien has been refusing to consider combination applications. 

I was offered it and used it 12 months ago at Si Racha.  I have a new 12 month extension but will be gone home permanently within 2 months or so.   I'm glad I still can.  Too many have burned their bridges and can not return home for a variety of reasons, mostly income or where to live problems.  Others are dug in with homes, families and often jobs here.

[Jingthing]

I was offered it and used it 12 months ago at Si Racha.  I have a new 12 month extension but will be gone home permanently within 2 months or so.   I'm glad I still can.  Too many have burned their bridges and can not return home for a variety of reasons, mostly income or where to live problems.  Others are dug in with homes, families and often jobs here.

12 months ago irrelevant. I was obviously referring to the situation under the new rules.

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[doctormann]

4 hours ago, patsfangr said:

Yes, I used the income method. The bank record of deposits showed 12 months of income from a foreign source. That was not sufficient documentation. They required that I provide proof of the specific source of that income. I had to go home to get that; then returned to Immigration that afternoon (Friday). Had to go back Monday afternoon to pick up my stamped passport. 

Gets worse, doesn't it!

 

If indeed we are going to have to prove the source of our 65kBaht international transfers what are Immigration going to accept, I wonder.  I have a UK state pension and an occupational pension.  The state pension has been frozen since 2009, when I first qualified for it.  A document was provided by the UK DWP at that time, which stated the amount that I would receive, every 28 days.  No further documentation has been issued as nothing has changed and the only document that I have is now 10 years old.  I somehow don't think that Immigration will be impressed with that!  Can I get DWP to issue a new one?  I don't know but I maybe should find out.

 

My occupational pension provider, which is, in fact a UK Government Agency, does not normally issue annual statements, apart from the P60 income and tax statement.  This may suffice - provided that I actually get it.  Over the years, several P60s have been lost in the post and I have had to get the provider to send me an emergency statement, which they do by email.  This has been good enough for the British Embassy for the purposes of issuing one of their, now withdrawn, Income Letters but will Immigration accept an email statement?  Unlikely I should think!  If they send a hard copy, the chances of it getting lost are quite high so this may well not work.

 

This is all getting quite ridiculous now.  I can meet the financial requirements but proving things is going to be less than easy, I feel.  I may end up having to use the services of an agent - provided that BJ doesn't close them all down - and I object to having to pay for this service when i shouldn't really have to do it at all!

 

[Sheryl]

I make the following comment only to make a point in this discussion. I fully realize that this could never happen. ... Using the monthly income method requires (at least at the Jomtien Office) providing proof of the source of your monthly income from the foreign country. In the case of Social Security from the USA, providing that proof once should be enough; since Soc Sec benefits will continue until you die. The same is true of all company pensions that I know of. So, in the practical sense [emoji849], we should not have to provide documentation of that sort every year. ... OK. I'll shut up now. 

You are quite right. Moreover the Police Order requires only proof of monthly deposit from abroad. Nothing else. So it seems Jomtien has added additional requirement of its own.

This sort of thing -- and resulting uncertainty as to which Imm Offices will require what -- is why I am going to wait a few years before switching to the monthly income method.

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[Jingthing]

Yes, it's beyond ridiculous.

It feels like they're going out of their way to put a fire under all of our butts, "good guys" and "bad guys" alike. 

[The Deerhunter]

On 4/3/2019 at 4:16 PM, Jingthing said:

12 months ago irrelevant. I was obviously referring to the situation under the new rules.

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Oh well,  that has changed too.  Life is full of changes,  particularly if you live in LOS  555.