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Retirement Visa renewal (65k method) 13 months of bank statements?


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Hello Everyone,

 

I am planning to review my retirement visa next week (it expires Jan 1) using the 65k method. I assumed it would be easy, I have been diligently transferring money from abroad, all statements show as FFT. Assumed I could do it myself.

 

But...after talking with the legal firm agent who helped me last year, he told me the officer will ask for 13 months of statements and credit advice letters...starting November 2019-November 2020. Why not 12? He couldn't say, but insisted that's what he has experienced. 

 

The problem: in November 2019 I had a Transferwise glitch that showed that month's transfer as SMART (in-country transfer). I provided documentation to immigration last year (2019) for that month by getting a credit advice letter from the local processing bank showing that, indeed, this was an overseas transfer. No issues.

 

Now, the agent insists I'll again need an agent to avoid problems (because officers are looking for reasons to reject 65k method retirees, he says). It will cost 20k for agent services. 

 

Before I write this off as advice from a self interested agent, can anyone provide recent feedback on using the 65k method at BKK immigration? Do they ask for 13 months of documentation? Did you have any issues?

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited by bangkokgalaxy
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I didnt see you list where your location or office is. Based on your post it sounds like you had been planning and working toward applying yourself versus using an agent this time.

 

I'm no expert here but if you provided the explanation documents for the messed up transfer last year and it was accepted then it should be accepted this year too I would think . If that gives you the 13 months worth of transfers transaction then your are good to go if they do ask for 13 rather than 12 monthly transfers. In that case why would you need at Agent ?

 

I would have to say my opinion is the Agent is "doing his job" trying to drum up business . 

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Twelve months of documented QFT were fine for my recent (Sep) ext stay/ret-inc at CW.

 

I carried the -13 month details just in case, but these were not requested.

 

Twelve CARs (bank)

QFT Summary letter documenting the twelve QFTs (bank)

Account ownership letter (bank)

Same day B/F (ATM at CW)

Copies of all passbooks covering the twelve QFTs (self)

Original passbooks (returned)

 

 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

The 13 mths is for a marriage extension allowing for the "under consideration" month

You do not need 13 months if you can show a transfer for the month you apply for the extension.

You do need to show a transfer when you go back to get your extension stamp at the end of the 30 days.

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At my immigration office in Nakhon Phanom, they wanted a letter from, in my case the social security and the veterans affairs to see where my pension comes from. 12 months of direct deposits through bank of Bangkoks New York branch.

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43 minutes ago, kiteman9 said:

At my immigration office in Nakhon Phanom, they wanted a letter from, in my case the social security and the veterans affairs to see where my pension comes from. 12 months of direct deposits through bank of Bangkoks New York branch.

Same for me back in June at Chiang Mai.

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I spoke to the Immigration officer in So Saket IO to ascertain what would be acceptable a coup!e of weeks prior to my application for extension. How about having a chat with yours before you apply?

 

The UK tax office has a summary of income and details of that income online, which I suggested and showed to them at the time of the chat and they accepted that as evidence of income from UK. I also printed off all my UK bank details showing transfers to transferwise and the transferwise transfer details. Along with the Thai bank statements and updated passbook, I correlated all the transfers and marked them in blue ink. They did only ask for 12 months, but I prepared 14 months, just in case...

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On 12/1/2020 at 2:40 AM, bangkokgalaxy said:

Before I write this off as advice from a self interested agent, can anyone provide recent feedback on using the 65k method at BKK immigration? Do they ask for 13 months of documentation? Did you have any issues?

I do the 65k per month method for my renewal, via a pension.

I provide the pension statement/letter from my pension company showing the monthly transfer.
A bank letter stating the monthly income from the pension fund.
A bank statement showing the previous 12 months deposits.

A copy of my bank book showing 12 previous transfers + the book for them to check

never had an issue.

I would ignore the agent.

 

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11 hours ago, AlfHuy said:

65k a month.

Why does it need to be from a pension?

 

 

It doesn't.

 

Rule says "...income, such as pension, interest...". Ret age min is 50 YO, very few people are pension-eligible at age 50 (yes I know some are).

 

But most recommend being able to demonstrate the provenance of the QFT. The BBL CAR does show the source (Ordering Institution, Ordering Customer)  of the transfer, but I also bring supporting documentation with me.  It has not been requested (ext stay/ret-inc: CW) in the two years since the change from the affidavit (U.S.).

 

Technically, legally and for tax purposes, U.S. Social Security is not a "pension". Retired government employees probably have a real pension, which can offset their SocSec.

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Thanks everyone for your help and input. 

 

I will most likely go to Wattana and try myself. If they give me a hard time and I can't get approved, will that create issues using the agent to back to immigration again on my behalf? For example, will they stamp my denied in my passport? Or keep my bank letters, etc?

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Last extension you used an agent?

 

You got an extension of stay based on retirement, using the income method? Based on an underlying Non-O?

 

What supporting documents did you or the agent provide to support your application?

 

Not seeing a huge issue here, doing it on your own. But if someone in the Imm CoC is still working with that agent you may be 'forced/encouraged' to re-employ them. They will only red-line your new extension if issued and then rejected by a higher rank officer. They will refund the 1,900 fee. Depending on the exact situation they may retain your paperwork, if you agree to return to sort out any issues. Worst case you'll have to use a/the agent.

 

Have all the documents prepared, and present the fewest number of documents possible. Keep supporting documents in hand if requested. Have all the forms pre-filled, included the three extra documents (STM2, Affidavit of residence, Overstay acknowledgement). With a 09:45 appointment you should be done by 10:15.

 

Make an appointment, and arrive ~ 30 minutes early. Don't make an appointment before 09:00 or 09:15. Present at desk L1-32 ~ 15 minutes before the appointment.

 

 

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6 hours ago, bangkokgalaxy said:

Thanks everyone for your help and input. 

 

I will most likely go to Wattana and try myself. If they give me a hard time and I can't get approved, will that create issues using the agent to back to immigration again on my behalf? For example, will they stamp my denied in my passport? Or keep my bank letters, etc?

 

You might get a hard time if the visa which you originally used to enter Thailand was of the OA variety since, according to various reports on here, CW have been adopting a pedantically nit-picking attitude towards the enforcement of the mandatory health insurance requirement - to the extent of not being prepared to stamp an extension in a passport in advance of the exact time on the day when the related approved policy is due to commence.

 

Another CW idiosyncrasy of which you may need to be aware is that, according to a number of reports on here, they have been insisting on hand-drawn maps being provided clearly showing the optimum route between their office and retirement extension applicants' abodes - just as is standard practice generally for marriage extension applications.

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I got first year visa myself (Dec. 2018), using the US embassy income verification method. Easy and straightforward.

 

Last year, Dec. 2019, things were complicated. I had bank statement issues (Transferwise did not properly code 4 months as FFT, I didn't catch it, and had to go to another bank, get income advice letters, etc. A real pain. On top of that, I only had 11 months of transfers - I was missing 1 month (the first in my 12 past month period), because everything changed in early 2019 and my bookkeeper missed a transfer.

 

So, long story, I used the agent because of documentation issues, and for 30k I got my visa despite many people warning m that me I may have had problems with only 11 months of statements (luckily, the officer showed "leniency" given the situation, and I'm sure the agent helped).

 

This year I have everything right. 12 months of bank statements with 65k+ and FFT coding. The only issue is that 13th month detail my agent told me about.

 

I'm concerned about what mtls2005 mentioned above, that "someone in the Imm CoC is still working with that agent (and) you may be 'forced/encouraged' to re-employ them."

 

Obviously, agent has a friend in high places in Wattana. And I really don't want ANY issues this year, given where we find ourselves with Covid.

 

Should I just bite the bullet and use the agent? Advice appreciated.

 

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I would attempt the renewal on my own first, otherwise you'll never break free of the agent.

 

Worst case? Issues which can be addressed on your own, or unfortunately it's back to the agent.

 

But only you can make this choice.

 

30,000 sounds steeep for a legitimate renewal. Steep, but not unheard of. The American-savvy real law firms in the area charge this rate.

 

 

The hand-drawn map has been a common requirement at CW for at least my last two renewals. Also provide a photo of me in front of the building name and street number.

 

Review all of the posts here about recent experiences and document requirements. Familiarize yourself with them, and assemble all of the documents. 

 

This is my working list, last used Mid-Sep 2020: Only the bank books were returned, all other documents retained. No additional documents requested.

 

TM7 checklist
Appointment print out
TM7 form + photo 2 sided
Three extra forms: Statement/Affidavit, Overstay, STM2
Passport copies all pages
Bank ownership letter day of/up to 7 days before OK – ACTIVITY, account, name, amount
Bank letter: Summary of twelve (12) QFTs - up to three days old
FTT/CARs: Twelve (12) months
Bank book copies old and current book
Original bankbooks
Update bankbook day of with B/F - copy
Lease: term runs at least + 3 months forward
Blue book copy signed by landlord
Landlord Thai ID card – lined through twice, "for Immigration" signed
TM30 filing (TM30 paper backup) web and app printout
Photo_ House, self, number and name visible
Hand-drawn map + Gooogle maps
TM6 copies
90-day report (receipt)
1,900 baht
 

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10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Why create a strange abbreviation instead of writing it out?

What are you? The FBI?

 

Honestly an acronym is used to save time typing.

 

QFT = Qualifying Foreign Transfer.

 

 

FTT = bank code for a foreign telegrpahic transfer, seen in bankbooks, denotes a QFT

 

CAR = Credit/Advice/Recipt - a bank document which details a QFT

 

 

 

Edited by mtls2005
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3 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Honestly an acronym is used to save time typing.

Sure if it is a standard one used. 

But creating one for a one off use is not very good. I would of written it as as a transfer from abroad.

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29 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

The hand-drawn map has been a common requirement at CW for at least my last two renewals.

I have provided Google maps for the last two years at CW for retirement extensions and they have been accepted without question.   But yes some type of map has often been required for a few years now.

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11 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

I have provided Google maps for the last two years at CW for retirement extensions and they have been accepted without question.   But yes some type of map has often been required for a few years now.

 

Two extensions ago I provided a Google map, but was asked to hand draw a map on the spot by the IO. So this most recent extension, I just provided it (hand-drawn) in my package, both (Google Maps and hand-drawn map) were retained.

 

Other than asking me to remove my glasses and mask for the photo, the IO did not request any additional paperwork or information from me. Yes, she did ask for 1,900 THB.

 

 

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