Retirement visa news - and it's not good

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Gaybutton
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote:The way I see it they (Thai Immigration) will have no other choice than to accept Thai Bank Books and/or Thai Bank Statements as proof of income going forward.
Fine. You've convinced me. Now all you have to do is convince immigration.

So far immigration keeps saying only the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account for three months will be acceptable. I wouldn't count on anything else unless immigration says they will accept any alternatives.

Do you really believe if you go to immigration, present your banking information, and they tell you they won't accept it, arguing with them would do you any good?

If you think you would prevail in that argument with immigration, or any argument with immigration for that matter, let me know what day you're leaving Thailand when they force you out and I'll be glad to come to the airport and wave bye-bye . . .
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Bob
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Bob »

A Canadian friend about 2 weeks ago at CM Immigration got his annual extension based on retirement by only showing them some pension statements (no affidavit) and that particular officer was okay with that and issued the annual extension.

Nobody knows what the general rules will be going forward but I simply can't believe that, as a general rule, the Immigration officers are going to agree to review (or be capable of reviewing?) various income documents (tax returns, pension statements, a lease from aunt Dorothy, etc.) to support an annual extension based on income.

I agree with Dodger that ultimately it likely will come down to the officers only agreeing to see Thai bank books - either the 800k for 3 months or a stream of income from outside the country equal to or more than the 65k per month.

As noted, it's all speculation at this point in time. We'll know more (maybe) by summer.
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Gaybutton »

Bob wrote:I agree with Dodger that ultimately it likely will come down to the officers only agreeing to see Thai bank books
I also think that will be what will eventually be the case, but until immigration makes that official it would be foolish to assume that will be the case or already is.

Unless there is official word that bank passbooks and pension statements will be accepted, all I can say is you still better have the 800,000 ready in case they won't accept it. Your friend's experience is a very good sign, but it still doesn't make anything official.

If you go to immigration in Pattaya with documents and immigration tells you they won't accept that, what are you going to do, say "But I know immigration in Chiang Mai accepted those kind of documents from a farang."? Good luck with that one. If immigration tells you no, then it's no.

Probably accepting documentation is not good enough for me. I want to know they will accept documentation in lieu of the 800,000 baht before I would be ready to rely on that and start spending that 800,000 baht.

I also still advise applying for the retirement visa renewal at least two weeks in advance of the expiration date in case of any problems. That way, if any problems do arise, you'll have sufficient time to resolve whatever needs to be resolved. My understanding is the current rules allow for applying up to one month before the expiration date.

By the way, I recently read on one of the boards, I forget which one, that deposits to Thai bank accounts from TransferWise do not show as received from a foreign source. WRONG! I just received my direct deposit from TransferWise and was notified that the money is in my account by a text message from Bangkok bank, and the text message stated the money was deposited from abroad.
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Bob
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Bob »

Gaybutton wrote:...Unless there is official word that bank passbooks and pension statements will be accepted, all I can say is you still better have the 800,000 ready in case they won't accept it. Your friend's experience is a very good sign, but it still doesn't make anything official.
I have always used the 800k baht method and I've done that mainly so as to have an emergency supply of cash around should I ever need it (e.g., for a medical emergency as the medical insurance I have provides for reimbursement versus direct payment). Plus it supports the annual extension and pays more interest than what I can get in my US bank.

As you infer, it's possible that the Thai Immigration offices (all or some of them) may ultimately require only the 800k method for annual extensions based on retirement but, regardless as to how it all shakes out, your suggestion that people should have the 800k ready is indeed the safest way to play it pending issuance of clear rules and practice.

We also need to keep in mind that various provincial offices have interpreted and/or applied the rules differently in the past and that's likely to continue. Whenever I comment about how a particular rule (TM30 or whatever) is applied, I try to always make it clear that I'm only talking about Chiangmai Immigration.
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

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Bob wrote:I try to always make it clear that I'm only talking about Chiangmai Immigration.
Considering how often what happens in immigration offices ends up depending on the whim of the officer you happen to be dealing with, even that is no guarantee.

Until and unless immigration officially announces alternatives, I don't see any choice but to plan on the 800,000 baht being the only way to be certain to meet immigration's financial requirement.

The fact that immigration has no official policy stating that bank passbooks and bank letters to prove 65,000 baht per month income is acceptable is on my "I Don't Get It" list, but the 800,000 baht is the only official policy I'm aware of.

Even if individual immigration officers start accepting passbooks and letters this year, without an official policy there is no way to know that will still be acceptable next year.
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote:The fact that immigration has no official policy stating that bank passbooks and bank letters to prove 65,000 baht per month income is acceptable is on my "I Don't Get It" list, but the 800,000 baht is the only official policy I'm aware of.
The only official policy is the one that's in place now which of course includes the 65,000 THB monthly income allowance - or the combination method. They haven't made any LEGAL changes yet - so LEGALLY, the same policy remains in effect.

The Thai Embassy website doesn't even mention this upcoming policy change - and for good reason. They haven't the foggiest clue what to do with this.
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote:LEGALLY, the same policy remains in effect.
You seem to be convinced that you're going to be able to do your retirement visa based on 65.000 baht per month income. I hope you're right, but we still don't know if immigration is going to accept that, law or no law.

As I said in an earlier post, you've convinced me. Now all you have to do is convince immigration.

If that's what you're relying on, but immigration refuses to accept it, what are you going to do about it?
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Undaunted »

Gaybutton wrote:If that's what you're relying on, but immigration refuses to accept it, what are you going to do about it?
In an earlier post Dodger suggests he will consider residence in Cambodia or Vietnam.
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Gaybutton »

Undaunted wrote:In an earlier post Dodger suggests he will consider residence in Cambodia or Vietnam.
I wonder what their residence rules are . . .
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Re: Retirement visa news - and it's not good

Post by Undaunted »

From what I’ve read Cambodia residence is relatively easy, if Dodger was actually going what would happen to the boyfriend and condo (condos)?
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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