Yet Another Immigration Question

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mahjongguy
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by mahjongguy »

In addition to GB's suggestion, there's this: make it easy for Immigration to approve your application. In other words, don't give them room to make it hard on you.

I stop by Bangkok Bank's Jomtien branch when they open at 10am. They update my bankbook and provide the letter. I go around the corner and get fresh photos. Then I go into Immigration and get into the queue. I've got photocopies of the first and last pages of the bankbook. So it's all fresh and thorough. I've also got the bankbook for the savings account that holds my daily funds. If necessary I can make quick copies but they have never even asked to see it.
thewayhelooks
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by thewayhelooks »

Radio station 103 FM had more details in its local news Wednesday morning, though I don't know where they got the information from.

https://fabulous103.com/ Click the video news box.

Briefly the story says Immigration police have been in talks with the UK and US and other embassies since the start of the year. Police asked for assurances that the financial declarations were correct in their entirety but NO embassy was able to give that assurance. Embassies have made it clear that under their remits, none are able to act as investigative operations. However Thai police say under their rules, proof of income needs to be corroborated by the relevant embassy. Discussions are continuing.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by Gaybutton »

thewayhelooks wrote:Thai police say under their rules, proof of income needs to be corroborated by the relevant embassy.
In other words, if the embassy cannot corroborate a person's actual income, then people better be able to prove their monthly income to the satisfaction of immigration. Either that or have the 800,000 in a Thai bank account. Many can do neither.

Just what would constitute actual, acceptable proof to immigration, if it comes to that, remains to be seen. Don't forget, under current Thai law expats not only have to prove they can meet the minimum 65,000 baht per month requirement, but they also are supposed to be able to prove the money comes from a source outside of Thailand. I have never been asked about that part ever since immigration dropped the 'letter from bank' requirement. Why Thailand would give a damn in the first place whether the money comes from outside of or from within Thailand, as long as you have the money, goes beyond me, but that's the way it is. Can anyone explain the logic (or lack thereof) of that?

Since the USA embassy simply takes your word for whatever you tell them about your income, many Americans have been lying about their monthly income and their actual income is far less than the 65,000 baht per month minimum - and they've been getting away with it for many years. I don't blame the immigration authorities for finally taking an "enough is enough" stance. I don't know about other countries, but if Americans have to start actually proving their income, those who have been cheating are the ones who need to start panicking and figuring out where to live other than Thailand.

If it does indeed come to no more proof-of-income statements from embassies, I am guessing, emphasis on guessing, those who receive their monthly income via deposit into a Thai bank account, and the money comes from a foreign source, then a letter from the bank will be sufficient.

In any case, none of us know at this point what is going to happen. If it does indeed come to that, I hope some sort of easy to obtain proof-of-monthly income will be acceptable to immigration. I, for one, don't want to have to tie up 800,000 baht if I don't have to.

Also, if anyone goes to Immigration any time soon, I think we would all be grateful if you talk to the people who do the retirement visa and see if you can find out what is meant by "recent activity" on the 800,000 baht accounts - and let us know what they tell you. Does that rule actually exist? If it does, how recent is recent? What kind of activity is required and how much activity are they talking about? To me, at least, that part comes across as confusing. Of course, immigration coming up with confusing rules is not exactly unusual . . .
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Undaunted
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by Undaunted »

I think this will be a big win for Visa agencies and those officals that work with them.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
windwalker

Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by windwalker »

Gaybutton wrote:Since the USA embassy simply takes your word for whatever you tell them about your income, many Americans have been lying about their monthly income and their actual income is far less than the 65,000 baht per month minimum - and they've been getting away with it for many years.
Is that an opinion or do you have proof of that? Every American I know easily has a monthly income exceeding the 65 K.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by Gaybutton »

windwalker wrote:do you have proof of that?
I personally know several Americans who have been lying about their monthly incomes and have been doing so for years. 3 years ago one of them was at the Outreach the same time I was. He lied and got his proof-of-income statement. I was right there and saw him do it. Meanwhile I know his actual income is approximately 30,000 baht per month - entirely his Social Security benefit. That's what he lives on.
odd

Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by odd »

Re Post 13. I have already provided an answer to that question in #6 I was told to go away and put some money in my account. On my return 10 minutes later I was given the thumbs up having added 1000 baht to my account. She said 100 baht would have been enough. There you go!
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by Gaybutton »

odd wrote:Re Post 13. I have already provided an answer to that question in #6 I was told to go away and put some money in my account. On my return 10 minutes later I was given the thumbs up having added 1000 baht to my account. She said 100 baht would have been enough. There you go!
I'm sorry, but that's not much of an answer. WHO told you to go away and put some money in your account? SHE said 100 baht would have been enough. She WHO? Were you told WHY that was necessary?

Also, I believe you, but I also want at least one or two others to tell us a similar story so that we know this is truly immigration policy and not just the whim of whoever you were dealing with at the time.
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Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by lvdkeyes »

I don't think it's a good idea to be posting comments regarding "liar letters" be fraudulent.
fountainhall

Re: Yet Another Immigration Question

Post by fountainhall »

odd wrote: I was told to go away and put some money in my account. On my return 10 minutes later I was given the thumbs up having added 1000 baht to my account. She said 100 baht would have been enough. There you go!
Gaybutton wrote:I'm sorry, but that's not much of an answer. WHO told you to go away and put some money in your account? SHE said 100 baht would have been enough. She WHO? Were you told WHY that was necessary?
Odd's comment is precisely what i stated in the penultimate post on the previous page. Immigration - at least in in Bangkok - has a RULE that the bankbook MUST be updated on the day of renewal, usually within 2 hours or so prior to meeting the officer. I have always added or taken out Bt. 100 and then updated the bankbook, both downstairs at the Immigration building. This is in addition to the letter from the bank confirming Bt. 800,000 has been in the account for 90 days. If the bankbook has not been updated, the applicant will be informed they must go and do so prior to any further action on the renewal process.

This is for those taking the Bt. 800,000 route. I have no idea what the regulations are for the monthly route.

I assume this is what RichLB's friend meant as stated on the OP. There is a possibility he could have meant more activity over the 90 day period. I frankly very much doubt that this might be the case. But RichLB could easily clear this up by checking with his friend and adding the reply to this thread.
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