Retirement Visa - a little more information

[Gaybutton]

I just renewed my retirement visa. This was the first time since the new regulation from Bangkok Bank about having two accounts if you receive money by direct deposit. I wasn't sure whether Immigration wants the bank letter to come from your regular savings account or from your direct deposit account.

 

It made more sense to me that they would want it from your direct deposit account. That's the account in which your money comes from a foreign source. The regular savings account now has the money coming from a domestic source when you transfer it in from the direct deposit account. Besides, both accounts are in different branches and the one closest to home is where the direct deposit account is.

 

Immigration had no problem at all about accepting the bank letter from the direct deposit account, but normally when I receive the funds, I take all but 500 baht and transfer it over to the savings account. I leave 500 baht in the direct deposit account just to have something in there.

 

When the immigration officer looked at my passbook, she questioned the fact that there was only 500 baht in my account. I explained and she was satisfied, but she did say, "Next time, please have 10,000 baht in that account."

 

So, there you have it. If you're bank letter is going to be from your direct deposit account, try to have at least 10,000 baht in it when you go to apply for a visa renewal.

[Guest kcampb49]

Immigration had no problem at all about accepting the bank letter from the direct deposit account...

When the immigration officer looked at my passbook, she questioned the fact that there was only 500 baht in my account. I explained and she was satisfied, but she did say, "Next time, please have 10,000 baht in that account."

 

So, there you have it. If you're bank letter is going to be from your direct deposit account, try to have at least 10,000 baht in it when you go to apply for a visa renewal.

 

GB., just to clarify a point. Do I understand correctly that if your Thai passbook shows some months of 65,000 Baht a month being deposited from overseas, and with a letter from your bank, that is sufficient proof, for Immigration purposes, that you received adequate income to have a Retirement Visa renewed?

 

I was under the impression that when my Retirement Visa came up for renewal that I needed another letter from the US Embassy documenting my income and I read that they are no longer giving you the letter without any proof of income other than your word. It would be great to avoid a trip to the US Embassy in Bangkok.

[Gaybutton]

Do I understand correctly?

I'm afraid not. You need the letter from the bank and the proof-of-income statement from the embassy.

 

If you can document that your bank account now holds 800,000 baht and has held that amount for three months or greater, then you do not need the proof-of-income statement from the embassy.

 

However, if your income level is like mine and you don't have that kind of money, that's the reason for the proof-of-income statement.

 

The US Embassy still takes your word for it. You do not need to show them any kind of documentation at all other than your passport. If you use the proof-of-income statement method you do need a new statement from the embassy every year. Sorry, but you're not going to be able to avoid that annual trip to the embassy. Look at the bright side. You live in Pattaya, so you can take care of that relatively easy. It must be a tremendous pain, not to mention expense, for farang who live in Phuket or Udon Thani or wherever if they're nowhere near Bangkok and if they have no consulate nearby.

 

People from the UK who live in Pattaya do have the British Consul, Barry Kenyon, available and he can issue the proof-of-income statement. I understand that he does require some sort of proof before he'll issue the statement.

 

No matter how you do it, 800,000 baht or proof-of-income statement, you still need the letter from the bank.

 

As far as showing additional proof-of-income beyond the bank letter and embassy statement, you might be getting a little confused. A few months ago there was a brouhaha because the Immigration offices in Thailand made it clear that they have the right to demand additional proof. I doubt that the fact that the US Embassy takes your word for it is any secret to them. So, they do have the right, but to date I know of no instances in which the Immigration officers actually asked anyone for additional proof in Pattaya or any other Immigration office in Thailand.

 

I think the thing to do, if you are concerned about the possibility of having to show additional proof, is to either have it with you when you go to apply for the visa, or apply for it well enough in advance to give yourself time to obtain it if they ask for it. But unless you are a very unusual case, I doubt you will be asked for anything other than the embassy statement.

 

Applying for the visa in advance of the expiration date has no effect on the expiration date of your new visa. Even if you obtain your new visa a month or two in advance of the expiration date, you new visa's expiration date will be one year from the expiration date of your current retirement visa.

 

By the way, the immigration officer who took care of me actually made up her own rules, as far as I know. I know of no minimum amount legally required to be in a bank account for visa eligibility if you use the proof-of-income statement. When she told me that next time I should have at least 10,000 baht in my account, that was something she simply made up at her own whim. I doubt she plans on denying anyone the visa, but I wrote the post because that is what she said and people should be aware of it.

 

Another requirement people may not be aware of is now you must apply for your new visa at the Immigration office closest to where you live. It used to be that you could apply at any Immigration office in Thailand, but that has changed. While I was getting my own visa, I saw them reject a man who was in Pattaya, but lives in Bangkok. They told him he has to apply for his new visa in Bangkok. You can, however, still submit your 90-day address report at any Immigration office in Thailand.

 

Speaking of the 90-day address report, I think everyone ought to be aware that while the date you apply for your retirement visa has no effect on the expiration date, the date you submit your 90-day address report does have an effect. You will be required to submit the next 90-day address report 90 days from the date you submit, no matter what date was the deadline on your current report. Also, while you can apply for your new retirement visa months in advance, they want your 90-day address report to be submitted no more than a week in advance. They do make exceptions to that if you have a valid reason why you need to submit the report more than a week in advance of the deadline.

[Guest kcampb49]

 

 

I thought it was too good to be true! I'm a little fuzzy on the details but the piece I read was in one of the local English Language expat papers and I think it may well have been about the brouhaha you (GB) mentioned. What caught my attention was a reported comment from a US embassy official that, in reference to the proof-of-income form they provide that, "more proof might be required." I may have misunderstood or the official might have been making a "diplomatic" comment to not highlight that a US citizen's word is all the proof required.

 

I'm not bothered much by the trip to Bangkok, if the process is as painless as it has been at the US embassy. Here's hoping they don't change procedures between now and next February!

 

Thanks for the helpful information, GB.

[Gaybutton]

What caught my attention was a reported comment from a US embassy official that, in reference to the proof-of-income form they provide that, "more proof might be required."

That's where you're getting confused. Yes, the US Embassy official probably said that, but he was not referring to what the embassy requires. He was referring to what the Thai Immigration offices might require.

 

To date, the US Embassy only requires you, your passport, the form filled out (which is quite simple and probably takes less than a minute - bring a pen), and swearing before their notary that you are telling the truth about your income.

 

Oh yes . . . they also require 1200 baht.

 

Don't forget that the US Embassy now prefers that you make an appointment with them. They no longer will make appointments by telephone. You can make your appointment online:

 

https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.as...K&appcode=1

[Bob]

Another requirement people may not be aware of is now you must apply for your new visa at the Immigration office closest to where you live.

Ok, I've got a puzzler (maybe) for you. I obtained my retirement visa in Hua Hin and it doesn't expire until the end of next May. I'll be back in LOS for a 7 month stay in October but this time I'll be back in Chiangmai. I'll do my first 90-address report in January in Chiangmai (90 days after I re-enter Thailand).

 

Now....when I go to renew the retirement visa, can I then do it in Chiangmai? I've heard two different stories: (1) That, since I got it in Hua Hin, I've got to renew it in Hua Hin, and (2) if my latest address-notice is in "X" province, I can renew it there.

 

Just wondering what you think (I'm not too worried, I'll end up doing whatever I need to do to obtain the one-year extension).

[Gaybutton]

Ok, I've got a puzzler (maybe) for you.

If your established residence is closest to Hua Hin, then if they follow the published rules they're going to make you go to Hua Hin. If you establish a new residence in Chiang Mai, then I would think you can do it in Chiang Mai.

 

People do move, but bear in mind how Thais are treated. Often, even when they move to another province, they still have to go back to their home province to take care of various problems, although much of that has been relaxed now.

 

However, bear in mind that you are in Thailand, and different offices don't seem to have much of a problem about making up their own rules.

 

In your case, the first thing I would do is go to the Chiang Mai immigration office and try to get a residence certificate for your Chiang Mai address. Then, with it (or without it if they won't give you one) I would speak to the officer who handles retirement visas, and ask. If he tells you it's ok for you to renew in Chiang Mai, then that solves your problem. Just remember which officer it was and try to go to the same one when you go in to apply. But having a residence certificate in hand when you ask at least gives you more ammunition.

 

If he tells you that you have to go to Hua Hin, I would still go to the Chiang Mai office when it comes time to apply. Maybe you'll be lucky and he'll either change his mind or someone else will be the officer that day.

 

It can't hurt to try.

 

So, the best I can tell you would be to try to apply in Chiang Mai, but include a strong possibility in your plans that you'll have to go to Hua Hin.

 

Please be sure to let us know what happens.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Often, even when they move to another province, they still have to go back to their home province to take care of various problems, although much of that has been relaxed now.

This is true only if they don't bother to go and change their address.

[Guest GaySacGuy]

I acquired my original Retirement Visa in Pattaya, and a year later renewed in Ubon with no problem. I had made two 90 reports in Ubon before the renewal.

[Bob]

I'll advise when I find out how it goes down. I'll make it work either way (or some third way they come up with).

 

Although some have had problems with immigration constantly changing the rules (or the rules changing from officer to officer), I haven't had any issue. I erroneously (not my fault but that's another story) had a 60-day tourist visa when I attempted to get my one-year (retirement) visa. As that couldn't happen, they cancelled the tourist visa, gave me a 90-day non-immigrant visa, and gave me the one-year visa at the same time (and I walked out the door with all of that after about a 35 minute visit). They couldn't have been nicer.

 

Interestingly, the 90-day non-immigrant visa ran from February 27th which was the day I went to immigration. The one-year visa runs from May 27th, 2009, to May 27th, 2010. And, just to prior leaving on April 23rd, I got my re-entry permit which simply says I have to re-enter by May 27th of 2010 (or I'll lose the long-term visa). I thought it was a bit strange/funny that I got the re-entry permit for the long-term visa prior to the long-term visa even starting!