Non-O Retirement Extension Using Combo Method

[bastco]

Can anyone from USA, UK, or AUST who has had a recent successful 1 year renewal using the Combination Method of Foreign Transfers into a Thai Bank a/c plus Thai Bank Deposit for 2/3 months which totalled 800,000 baht and DID NOT require an Embassy letter please advise from which Immigration Office supplied it. On Wednesday I was refused an extension based on the above at Nong Khai after 6 previous extensions at that office which I had previously had the Stat Dec from The Australian Embassy. The only condition which they denied the extension was not having the embassy stat dec. I have approx 16 working days left on my present extension.     

Edited December 5, 2019 by bastco
wrong grammar

[scubascuba3]

when i enquired about using the combo method at Jomtien they said I couldn't because I'm from the UK and embassy no longer provides the letter. Sounded just an excuse to me to deny an application

[ubonjoe]

It is not the first time an office being reported for not doing it you have to use the transfer option.

It is certainly allowed in the police order.

 

Do you have a year of transfers to show?

[LUNG JIM MAE RIM]

I had success using the combo method (US citizen) in Chiang Mai last May. However, I bit the bullet and paid a local agent company with extremely close ties to immigration to facilitate the process. 

 

I provided 12 month Bangkok Bank statements showing foreign transfers of funds (FTT) together with a letter from the bank stating that these funds were transferred in for "monthly pension transfer" using this format as recommended by the agent. 

 

I also provided a bank letter showing my 3 month seasoned fixed deposit (to top-up the annual income amount to 800k) and copy of updated bank book the day of the application. 

 

My foreign in-transfers were made into 2 separate branches, thus requiring documentation from both branches. The IO was annoyed by that, and instructed me to consolidate my bank accounts for the transfers for my next application for extension to make it easier for them.

[bastco]

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Posted 18 minutes ago

It is not the first time an office being reported for not doing it you have to use the transfer option.

It is certainly allowed in the police order.

 

Do you have a year of transfers to show?

Yes I had all the financials in order but she she bought out a similar copy as above, I tried to explain the embassy letter was not required if the funds were from a government pension and were bought in to a Thai bank monthly. I even bracketed the two parts of the order ( annual earnings and wrote in the amount 488,000 baht ) and ( funds deposited  335,000 baht ) totalling 823,000 baht. I had a bank letter and statements. She took a heap of embassy letters on a file the top one being from Switzerland Embassy and said "you have to have the same as this, everything has changed now". I had the bank letter for the deposit 335,000 baht which had been there all year and a full year of statements 488,000 baht (1st Dec 2018 to 30 Nov 2019) from BKK bank for the income. She didn't say anything more, I said OK thank you and walked out.

[ubonjoe]

Strange that she was not aware that 3 countries cannot get proof of income from their embassy. 

There is nothing in the police order that it has to be done with proof of income from your embassy. It is proof of income by transfers or proof from you embassy in the order allowing for the transfers into the bank.

Perhaps you should go back and ask to talk to a supervisor,

[bastco]

Thanks for your reply Joe. I thought maybe there was an IO in Isaan which didn't require the embassy letter and I could maybe rent a cheap residence until I got the extension and then return (getting transfers of address out and back again)   

[scubascuba3]

9 hours ago, LUNG JIM MAE RIM said:

 

My foreign in-transfers were made into 2 separate branches, thus requiring documentation from both branches.

How is that even possible? do you mean 2 different bank accounts? transfers should all be the same, maybe deposits are different

[UKresonant]

31 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

How is that even possible? do you mean 2 different bank accounts? transfers should all be the same, maybe deposits are different

Why? It says annual earning, that is quite likely to be from multiple sources, perhaps one could be possible to be transfered in THB and the other in Home country currency. If it complies with the >800000k and a summary provided with proof, can't see what difference it would make....

There does seem to be a preferance for the income stream(s) and deposit to be in separate accounts, when asking about the 800k combo on the e-visa system.

Edited December 5, 2019 by UKresonant

[a977]

In October I used the Combo method at Jomtien no Problems I had statement from Australian government to attest to my pension amount al.so statement from bank for previous 6 months (was told next year have to have 12months) Young fellow at end of counter 8 very helpful I explained that I needed to withdraw 100,000thb from bank in the next 2 weeks his answer Mai Pen Rai. No mention of TM 30 in and out in 12 minutes. It pays if you have all your paperwork in order and are respectful at all times

[scubascuba3]

23 minutes ago, UKresonant said:

Why? It says annual earning, that is quite likely to be from multiple sources, perhaps one could be possible to be transfered in THB and the other in Home country currency. If it complies with the >800000k and a summary provided with proof, can't see what difference it would make....

There does seem to be a preferance for the income stream(s) and deposit to be in separate accounts, when asking about the 800k combo on the e-visa system.

Missing the point, that doesn't explain why 2 Bangkok bank statements were required

[Thailand]

15 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

when i enquired about using the combo method at Jomtien they said I couldn't because I'm from the UK and embassy no longer provides the letter. Sounded just an excuse to me to deny an application

All part of the good guys out, bad guys -who cares - strategy immigration seem to be taking.

[Chassa]

7 hours ago, a977 said:

I had statement from Australian government to attest to my pension amount

How did you get that?

[norbra]

1 hour ago, Chassa said:

How did you get that?

You can get this Centrelink statement from your Mygov account website

[Chassa]

1 minute ago, norbra said:

You can get this Centrelink statement from your Mygov account website

Thanks Mate!

[spornb]

For several years I did retirement extensions

 

About eight years ago I switched to marriage extensions, although more onerous on paper work because I felt the authorities would be less likely to change the rules here

 

For those on retirement extensions, who can be eligible for marriage extensions although more onerous on the paper work, and you have a month in limbo, I would strongly suggest you consider this option.

 

To start making life too difficult by changing the rules on spouse might be something the authorities sensibly chose to leave alone, do it now and you may be able to remain grandfathered in.

 

We are in Thailand and new rules could come anytime for new marriage extensions

[LUNG JIM MAE RIM]

18 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Missing the point, that doesn't explain why 2 Bangkok bank statements were required

I had 2 savings accounts -- one in each of 2 branches. For US social security deposits, a direct deposit account is required, meaning no ATM card and physically entering a branch office to withdraw and/or transfer to another account with ATM card; not very convenient. And I had a fixed deposit savings account for the additional amount of the combination. Thus, 3 bank accounts for the combination method and the IO did not like having to deal with all of the paperwork for 3 accounts.

Edited December 6, 2019 by LUNG JIM MAE RIM

[a977]

16 hours ago, Chassa said:

How did you get that?

You ring the Centrelink overseas number and explain what you require and the reason and they send it to you in the mail takes about 10-14 days

[john terry1001]

8 hours ago, LUNG JIM MAE RIM said:

I had 2 savings accounts -- one in each of 2 branches. For US social security deposits, a direct deposit account is required, meaning no ATM card and physically entering a branch office to withdraw and/or transfer to another account with ATM card; not very convenient. And I had a fixed deposit savings account for the additional amount of the combination. Thus, 3 bank accounts for the combination method and the IO did not like having to deal with all of the paperwork for 3 accounts.

Can you not use online banking to transfer to an account with an ATM instead of having to go to the branch?

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, john terry1001 said:

Can you not use online banking to transfer to an account with an ATM instead of having to go to the branch?

Not if you have a direct deposit account. You have to go to the bank in person to withdraw or transfer funds in it.

[SEtonal]

40 minutes ago, john terry1001 said:

Can you not use online banking to transfer to an account with an ATM instead of having to go to the branch?

No. The United States Department of Social Security wants to be sure that the person receiving retirement benefits in a foreign country is alive and the actual person withdrawing money from the account, so no electronic transactions are allowed.  All withdrawals in Thailand must be done in person at the bank.