No Combo with SSA!

[luckyluke]

11 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

Seems a bit sketchy, but please don't complain when the party is over.

It seems you are not aware of all the existing possibilities to obtain a yearly extension.

 

Of course if you are American, Australian, British it is more restricted.

 

The party can be over for each of us here, as nothing is absolutely.

[MamaSan]

21 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

Listen slick, I am not telling people what to do; the Thai gov't is the one setting the bar for what it takes to retire in Thailand. It's either seasoning 800K in the bank, or legit proof of 65K coming in each month from a foreign source. It's not rocket science.

 

If a person cannot meet this basic requirement, then I will let Thai immigration deal with it.

 

Btw, from your last sentence, I can only surmise that you are poor, yet a jolly good fellow with lots of warmth in your heart, and loads of fun to be around. Jeez, if only everyone could be just like you.

The point is that the official police order offered THREE options and required only verified traceability of the albeit partial monthly transfer amount which Bangkok Bank was able to provide and certify as being a US pension (along with verification of the remaining 800 balance as a lump sum.)  The CM document seems to have cut and pasted an embassy requirement on both the >65K and <65K+ lump sum options which is applied only to the latter.  Thus, those in CM are deprived of that intended 3rd option.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

25 minutes ago, Captain 776 said:

Have the required amount direct deposited to Bangkok Bank New York City........end of any money worries, I have been doing it for years.

Renewed my Retirement in Chiang Mai 3 weeks ago, in and out in 40 mins, no questions asked.........would have been 15 minutes if ya didnt have to run across the street to copy new Retirement for the Multiple Entry.

You can put 65,000 or 65 million in a USA Bank and u are going to be refused.

every day posts on same thing.

 

BKKB NY is slated to stop accepting regular ACH transfers from consumer U.S. accounts on this coming Sept 1 (about one month from now).

 

But they'll continue to accept, and forward to Thailand, domestic wire transfers sent to them from U.S. consumer accounts.

 

The main differences being, ACH transfers typically are easier to send and usually have no sending fee, whereas domestic wire transfers can be more difficult to send and usually involve a fee of $20 or more by the sending bank.

 

[LivinLOS]

45 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

Maybe it Pattaya/Bangkok but I have never read or heard of an agency in Chiang Mai that can arrange a “nothing needed” visa extension...

One known one blatantly advertises it (using a Thai frontwoman to a westerner) via facebook. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I hope the handful of posters who pop up continually insisting that "nothing" has changed in the past year with Immigration's rules on extensions of stay will have a good read of this thread...

 

This is only one example of quite a few areas where the rules/requirements (and/or how Immigration interprets/enforces them) have in fact changed

[LivinLOS]

34 minutes ago, Captain 776 said:

Have the required amount direct deposited to Bangkok Bank New York City........end of any money worries, I have been doing it for years.

Renewed my Retirement in Chiang Mai 3 weeks ago, in and out in 40 mins, no questions asked.........would have been 15 minutes if ya didnt have to run across the street to copy new Retirement for the Multiple Entry.

You can put 65,000 or 65 million in a USA Bank and u are going to be refused.

every day posts on same thing.

every day posters who dont read the OP 

[luckyluke]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

hope the handful of posters who pop up continually insisting that "nothing" has changed in the past year with Immigration's rules on extensions of stay will have a good read of this thread...

Nothing has changed for me in the last 19 years,

but,  i am Belgian.

 

Of course  I am aware that it also can change for me, and other nationalities, from one day to another.

 

After all,

This Is Thailand.

[MartinKal]

How to measure the value of the expat community to the Thai economy? And more generally, what are the benefits of an expat Community to the government and Civil Society of Thailand?

 

Three measures to evaluate and quantify the economic benefits to Thailand’s economy: drect, indirect and induced  

 

Direct impact is a calculation of the value of ex-pat expenditures. Immigration must have number of residents by type of visa (extension) granted. O-A: n x 800,000  ฿. 

 

Indirect impact is income of those servicing or employed by the ex-pat community.

 

Induced impact is generated from spending by locals spending ex-pat sourced money in the local Thailand economy, the knock-on spending as this new money circulates in the economy on food and beverage serving services, health, transport, recreation, education, etc. The taxi driver who now has enough income to invest replace his diesel with gas or electric. This is ex-pats creating additional expenditures.

 

All these aspects give us a comprehensive picture of how ex-pats contribute to the country’s economy.

 

If average ex-pat monthly spend is 10 times local then one ex-pat is contributing same as 10 local. So should be encouraging more to choose Thailand.

 

This is not to discuss the language, contacts, attitudinal or even employment benefits brought by a thriving, content and stable ex-pat community.

 

One last point. Why would that be structural objections to an expat Community? First, by way of comparison, consider that in New York, no one who lives that was born that I exaggerated, in London half the people who live that were born abroad, in Australia one in five Australians are from outside. In Thailand, estimates are difficult to get hold of, but it appears that half to one million expats are a big exaggeration, maybe years ago numbers were like this but times have changed, the true figure is probably around 200,000. This is absolutely tiny as a percentage. And whatever the number of falang sii kao, what danger do expats who are registered with Immigration pose to the community?

 

It is noticeable that the soap operas have switched from presenting The Foreigner as a rather daft but generous oddity in the midst of the community, out in the village; to now where the falang is someone who is often portrayed as sinister and potentially threatening. Why has there been this shift? It is very dangerous to falang safety. It is a quite unjustified fear. Nation-building?

 

Thailand is a very homogeneous community, 95% Thai by birth and Buddhist mainly. In times of trouble, it is easy to scapegoat and blame the outsider. But this almost invariably turns against the regime; and furthermore note that diversity is a source of strength and not a weakness, introducing new knowledge and providing finer responses to situations, when properly managed.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

Nothing has changed for me in the last 19 years,

but,  i am Belgian.

 

Of course  I am aware that it also can change for me, and other nationalities, from one day to another.

 

After all,

This Is Thailand.

 

The people I was referring to keep claiming that the rules/requirements have not changed....for anyone...

 

That's a fair bit different than individual people saying their particular circumstance has not changed.

 

For example, if you're getting a retirement extension based on Thai bank deposits, you're now required to keep a minimum balance of 400K in the account year-round. There was no such requirement in the past.

 

Maybe you're not using/relying on that particular method of extension. But it's still a change of Immigration's rules and enforcement, nonetheless.

 

Just like the way Immigration is now enforcing (denying) the longstanding combo method option of retirement extensions for folks without Embassy income affidavits.

[IraqRon]

33 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

BKKB NY is slated to stop accepting regular ACH transfers from consumer U.S. accounts on this coming Sept 1 (about one month from now).

 

But they'll continue to accept, and forward to Thailand, domestic wire transfers sent to them from U.S. consumer accounts.

 

The main differences being, ACH transfers typically are easier to send and usually have no sending fee, whereas domestic wire transfers can be more difficult to send and usually involve a fee of $20 or more by the sending bank.

 

when i began the bbk n.y. ssa deposit months ago, was told by bbk hq in bangkok that n.y. would allow only ssa payments to go thru the account. did any one else get told this? i would like to use this for transfers from my usa bank when necessary.

[luckyluke]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The people I was referring to keep claiming that the rules/requirements have not changed....for anyone...

Fair enough.

 

For those who can still obtain a Letter of Income/Affidavit from their Embassy/Consulate, nothing has changed.

 

So far.

 

[Gumballl]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The people I was referring to keep claiming that the rules/requirements have not changed....for anyone...

 

That's a fair bit different than individual people saying their particular circumstance has not changed.

 

For example, if you're getting a retirement extension based on Thai bank deposits, you're now required to keep a minimum balance of 400K in the account year-round. There was no such requirement in the past.

 

Maybe you're not using/relying on that particular method of extension. But it's still a change of Immigration's rules and enforcement, nonetheless.

 

Just like the way Immigration is now enforcing (denying) the longstanding combo method option of retirement extensions for folks without Embassy income affidavits.

This is all true.

 

The person you quoted probably has the necessary funds (and perhaps more) to comfortably retire in Thailand.

 

What amuses me is those retirees that have saved up $0, presumably after 40+ years of working, and now rely only on a monthly pension (from SSA or other source). It seems that no retirement planning was done. What would be their plan if the Baht strengthens further, say 25 Baht to $1? I would bet that a slew of more people will not qualify for the extension of stay because of the 65K Baht threshold.

 

Even if immigration rules were to remain the same for the next decade, the retiree is at the mercy of the exchange rate. No sympathy from me when/if they fail to extend their stay.

[Gumballl]

4 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

when i began the bbk n.y. ssa deposit months ago, was told by bbk hq in bangkok that n.y. would allow only ssa payments to go thru the account. did any one else get told this? i would like to use this for transfers from my usa bank when necessary.

Earlier I had requested info on the September 1 cutoff. So far, I only have read unsubstantiated rumors on TVF. Months ago, posts on TVF indicated the cutoff was April Fool's Day, and that retirees should consider using TransferWise. This seemed more like a commercial advertisement than anything else. Up until a month ago, I have still been able to do the ACH transfers from BofA to BBK NYC.

 

I personally have not been informed by BofA, nor by BBK (here in Thailand) of any impending changes.

[thasoss]

Life indeed has been made more difficult for those using the combo method.

Also more difficult for monthly pension deposit qualifications.....so much more red tape comes to mind.

Money in the bank also  as half of the sum has to remain there at all times.

Difficult times may increase if the thai govt. deems 800,000 not to be enough

and the future possibility of mandatory health insurance...enough to make you reach for the xanax,

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

Earlier I had requested info on the September 1 cutoff. So far, I only have read unsubstantiated rumors on TVF. Months ago, posts on TVF indicated the cutoff was April Fool's Day, and that retirees should consider using TransferWise. This seemed more like a commercial advertisement than anything else. Up until a month ago, I have still been able to do the ACH transfers from BofA to BBK NYC.

 

I personally have not been informed by BofA, nor by BBK (here in Thailand) of any impending changes.

 

BKK Bank originally publicly posted the April 1 cutoff, then quietly let it pass without enforcement. The newer Sept. 1 date was relayed in an email from BKKB customer service to posters here. Whether that date will again be delayed remains to be seen.  There have been no "unsubstantiated rumors" on this subject...just delays by BKKB.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

27 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

when i began the bbk n.y. ssa deposit months ago, was told by bbk hq in bangkok that n.y. would allow only ssa payments to go thru the account. did any one else get told this? i would like to use this for transfers from my usa bank when necessary.

 

Note I used the term sent from "consumer accounts" in my comments above... BKKB has set two different cutoff dates for the end of regular ACH payments being sent via the NY branch.

 

--The Sept 1 date is their newest stated cutoff date for ACH transfers sent by individual consumers.

 

--The bank also has said they will have a later cutoff date for ACH transfers sent by companies and government agencies, I believe, it's into early 2020.

 

If BKKB keeps to their latest statement on the subject, Sept. 1 will be the end of ANY regular ACH (non IAT) transfers being sent by individuals to BKKB TH via BKKB NY.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

[IraqRon]

20 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Note I used the term sent from "consumer accounts" in my comments above... BKKB has set two different cutoff dates for the end of regular ACH payments being sent via the NY branch.

 

--The Sept 1 date is their newest stated cutoff date for ACH transfers sent by individual consumers.

 

--The bank also has said they will have a later cutoff date for ACH transfers sent by companies and government agencies, I believe, it's into early 2020.

 

If BKKB keeps to their latest statement on the subject, Sept. 1 will be the end of ANY regular ACH (non IAT) transfers being sent by individuals to BKKB TH via BKKB NY.

 

surely, when ssa set up the procedure with bbk, ssa payments are currently in IAT format??

[marcusarelus]

8 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

surely, when ssa set up the procedure with bbk, ssa payments are currently in IAT format??

Are you implying the current SSA payments are in IAT?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

surely, when ssa set up the procedure with bbk, ssa payments are currently in IAT format??

 

I'm not receiving SS yet... But I believe from reports from other posters here, SS has been working to get their payments in IAT compatible format.... Some arriving are, some arriving aren't, as of past reports.

 

But you can, and should, check with BKKB by having them look at the details of your own personal SS deposits coming into your BKKB TH account now, and they can advise you whether your particular SS payments are or aren't currently arriving IAT compatible.

 

[IraqRon]

16 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I'm not receiving SS yet... But I believe from reports from other posters here, SS has been working to get their payments in IAT compatible format.... Some arriving are, some arriving aren't, as of past reports.

 

But you can, and should, check with BKKB by having them look at the details of your own personal SS deposits coming into your BKKB TH account now, and they can advise you whether your particular SS payments are or aren't currently arriving IAT compatible.

 

thanks, will do next time at bank.  wasn't sure if only n.y. branch or local had that info. 

[Wake Up]

3 hours ago, DogNo1 said:

You neglect to mention the amount of your Social Security deposit into your Bangkok Bank account and then the amount specified by "yet another bank letter."  If the total amount transferred into your Bangkok Bank account every month is equal to 65,000 Baht or more, you qualify for the one-year extension.  You don't need a letter from the consulate.  Besides, they don't issue them any more.  A bank wire to your Bangkok Bank account will result in an "FTT" deposit.  Bank-to-bank transfers stopped working in June or July of this year.  Transferwise and other transfer services are not guaranteed to get the money into your account as an "FTT."  Your case sounds pretty easy.  Just subtract the amount of your Social Security direct deposit from $2,200 and then wire the balance to your Bangkok Bank account every month.  So long as your bank book shows 65,000 or more of FTT transfers every month, you will qualify for your next extension.

With the costs associated with monthly wire transfers ( not ACH ), it may be cheaper and more flexible to use an agent for your extension if you do not deposit the 800k.  Sorry for your issues at immigration OP.  Must be stressful and frustrating for you and your family and friends.  

[Tony125]

28 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Are you implying the current SSA payments are in IAT?

They have been making efforts to comply. Heard that 90 %  are now going  IAT.

 Sign up for step alerts https://step.state.gov/

Then the Embassy Twitter feed. @ACSBKK

 

[IraqRon]

40 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

surely, when ssa set up the procedure with bbk, ssa payments are currently in IAT format??

no, just that bbk and ssa, while kindly setting this up for us, would commence with IAT format rather than changing in the foreseeable future.  guess i will find out soon.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

thanks, will do next time at bank.  wasn't sure if only n.y. branch or local had that info. 

 

Supposedly, either the NY branch or your TH receiving branch is supposed to be able to tell you... But obviously when contacting them, you need to have the deposit date, account number and other details of the SS deposit you're asking about.

 

[marcusarelus]

3 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

no, just that bbk and ssa, while kindly setting this up for us, would commence with IAT format rather than changing in the foreseeable future.  guess i will find out soon.

Try looking in the banking forum there are a couple of hundred posts/topics about it. 

[moe666]

3 hours ago, sfokevin said:

Maybe it Pattaya/Bangkok but I have never read or heard of an agency in Chiang Mai that can arrange a “nothing needed” visa extension...

The agent I use in Bangkok ask me first thing, you have all the money income or deposit. I guess some people justify there love of Thailand by constantly rerunning the old song that has never been proven. I am sure you can still find a few agents out there who can front the money for those who need it but my guess would be with the new rules a lot more risky.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

They have been making efforts to comply. Heard that 90 %  are now going  IAT.

 Sign up for step alerts https://step.state.gov/

Then the Embassy Twitter feed. @ACSBKK

 

 

I believe, there are two different things going on here...

 

1. is the longstanding direct deposit program BKKB has offered through its NY branch for U.S. govt. payments.

 

2. is the brand new IDD (International Direct Deposit) program that the U.S. government, including Social Security, is offering to send money into various Thai banks...

 

They're not the same programs, AFAIK. The link you posted above is for the federal government new IDD deposit program, not the BKKB specific one.

 

[IraqRon]

12 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Try looking in the banking forum there are a couple of hundred posts/topics about it. 

no there is not, and most posts about iat had no specific info in them relating to ssa and bbk.

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, eggers said:

The rules & application should be same no matter what office go to.. Plus, in Gov't drive to seek out 'overstayers' & illegals, through inflexible rules & putting Draconian old laws into play, are affecting legit Expats , who'll consider 'do I want to stay here or go elsewhere???'...                                                        The loss of expat income to Thai economy is under-estimated by PM Prayut & his Gov't Colleagues!!!  

 

It should be the same but never will be. The old "totally up to the discretion of the officer dealing with it rule" will always apply. Which means local office bosses can interpret the rules however they fancy. The rank and file IO's have to comply with what their local boss says.

 

Went to do a 90 day yesterday. Used to be a pleasure. Now no smiles from the officers, back to dealing with agents turning up with fistfuls of Chinese passports and their 90 day forms.  Three different officers after years of the same nice helpful pleasant ladies on this.

 

Had a quick look at the main office where extension applications are dealt with. Looked chaotic like it used to 10 years ago! In recent years it had become much more efficient.

 

Any loss of income from expats leaving might be made up, as usual, by putting the charges up for those still here!