.. RETIREMENT VISA - Proof of Income (Americans)

[brutox]

Current process, as at 2016-09.

 

Preparing to renew my Thai retirement visa, I decided to use a sworn affidavit as proof of income, rather than parking money in a local Thai bank account.

 

The US Embassy has a prepared, fill-in-the-blank affidavit on their Citizens Service web page .. https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/income-affidavit/. Downloaded it, filled it out and printed a copy.

 

Through the US Embassy's online appointment feature, I got an appointment the very next morning at the US Embassy in Bangkok .. https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=BNK&appcode=1 .

 

Arrived at 9.45a, prepared with all the backup .. waited in the queue for less than 10 minutes before being called to a window, where the notary asked only if everything stated on the affidavit atesting to my income was true .. I signed it, she witnessed and stamped it .. done.

 

She said no evidence of income is necessary .. only my sworn stated affidavit.

 

In and out in 30 minutes.

 

Cost USD 50.00. Far preferable to the crap of wiring in money and parking it in a near-zero interest bearing Thai account just to prove you have USD 22,500.

 

Compared to the bank transfer fees and lost income for 3 months (retirement visa renewals only; 2 months for first time applicants), USD 50.00 is reasonable.

.

[Scumbag]

Periodically they travel to Pattaya and you can get it without travelling to Bangkok.

[brutox]

Periodically they travel to Pattaya and you can get it without travelling to Bangkok.

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Hey, Scumbag .. yeah, I guess they do .. I live in BKK, so don't know their outreach travel schedule.

 

Thai Immigration requires that the proof of income to be recent, within some weeks, month(s), I am unsure how current.

 

So, I guess catching the US Embassy's road show to Pattaya might be luck of the draw with respect to the visa renewal application date, and how current the income affidavit is.

 

I know it is a real pain for residents living far from their embassies, or a consulate to have to deal with them.

 

I helped an aged Brit buddy of mine, who was for years wheelchair bound, living in Pattaya and then up in Lopburi.

 

The logistics of getting him in front of UK Embassy staff was like planning the Normandy Invasion.

 

For Americans living up north, the US Consulate in Chiang Mai performs this service, as well.

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[KingMidas]

The Outreach Program makes it to Udon Thani annually as well, usually a month or so after Songkran.

[Goolabert]

The outreach schedule is on the embassy website. The actual location of where they will set up may not be posted until 1-2 weeks before the visit

 

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/consular-outreach/

 

• Friday, October 28, 2016, Pattaya
• Friday, November 4, 2016, Udon Thani
• Friday, November 18, 2016, Phuket

[maxtroy]

.

Hey, Scumbag .. yeah, I guess they do .. I live in BKK, so don't know their outreach travel schedule.

 

Thai Immigration requires that the proof of income to be recent, within some weeks, month(s), I am unsure how current.

 

So, I guess catching the US Embassy's road show to Pattaya might be luck of the draw with respect to the visa renewal application date, and how current the income affidavit is.

 

I know it is a real pain for residents living far from their embassies, or a consulate to have to deal with them.

 

I helped an aged Brit buddy of mine, who was for years wheelchair bound, living in Pattaya and then up in Lopburi.

 

The logistics of getting him in front of UK Embassy staff was like planning the Normandy Invasion.

 

For Americans living up north, the US Consulate in Chiang Mai performs this service, as well.

.

 

Thai Immigration requires that the proof of income to be recent, within some weeks, month(s), I am unsure how current.

 

Can someone confirm how current the proof of income must be .   Thx

[Edge]

.

...........................................

 

I helped an aged Brit buddy of mine, who was for years wheelchair bound, living in Pattaya and then up in Lopburi.

 

The logistics of getting him in front of UK Embassy staff was like planning the Normandy Invasion.

 

...........................................

 

Brits can do it online now.....Credit Card required I think.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration

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[PattayaFanatic]

[Exiled]

Recently I read on the Outreach destination by the U.S. Embassy like places like Pattaya, they announce that CASH will not be acceptable and instead one must obtain a BANK DRAFT for services like the Notary for income.

 

I understand this point but does anyone recently gone to the US Embassy to get the stamp have to pay with a draft or was cash acceptable?

Does this rule apply at the Embassy itself?

[G Baht]

Recently I read on the Outreach destination by the U.S. Embassy like places like Pattaya, they announce that CASH will not be acceptable and instead one must obtain a BANK DRAFT for services like the Notary for income.

 

I understand this point but does anyone recently gone to the US Embassy to get the stamp have to pay with a draft or was cash acceptable?

Does this rule apply at the Embassy itself?

SOURCE:  https://th.usembassy.gov/new-outreach-policy-no-cash-accepted/

 

"This change only applies to Consular Outreach Events. Services rendered during normal business hours at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok will continue to accept payments made by credit card or cash (THB or USD) exclusively."

[sanuk247]

I believe the new regulation requires the income sworn affidavit to have been authenticated  by the American Embassy within the previous 30 days of applying for the new Thailand visa. The old requirement was that it had to be issued within the previous 7 days of applying.

[forcebwithu]

Recently I read on the Outreach destination by the U.S. Embassy like places like Pattaya, they announce that CASH will not be acceptable and instead one must obtain a BANK DRAFT for services like the Notary for income.

 

I understand this point but does anyone recently gone to the US Embassy to get the stamp have to pay with a draft or was cash acceptable?

Does this rule apply at the Embassy itself?

 

As G Baht posted, the Embassy still accepts cash. If you do use Outreach, make sure you get a bank draft and not a cashiers check. Not sure of why that should make a difference, but heard reports that people were being sent back to the bank if they showed up with a cashiers check.

[Exiled]

As G Baht posted, the Embassy still accepts cash. If you do use Outreach, make sure you get a bank draft and not a cashiers check. Not sure of why that should make a difference, but heard reports that people were being sent back to the bank if they showed up with a cashiers check.

Thanks got a appointment at the Embassy on the 5th, of jan..

[expatdude]

Bank drafts are much cheaper than cashier's checks. Last I heard, the letter from the embassy needed to be issued within 6 months of the application date. That was a year ago, though, things may have changed. This year I happened to have enough cash in the bank so went that route.

[Billy Shears]

I have a friend that's going to be receiving 1700usd a month social security. If he wants to apply for a retirement visa, does he take his letter from s.s. to the u.s. embassy in Bangkok for verification before going to immigration in Jomtien? 

[Lambik]

Yes, but for a " Retirement Visa" he also will need money on a Thai bank book, as 1700 $ is about 60.000 ThB.

 

 

[Billy Shears]

6 hours ago, TinTin said:

Yes, but for a " Retirement Visa" he also will need money on a Thai bank book, as 1700 $ is about 60.000 ThB.

 

 

ok, i'll let him know. Thanks

[Garzan]

6 hours ago, TinTin said:

Yes, but for a " Retirement Visa" he also will need money on a Thai bank book, as 1700 $ is about 60.000 ThB.

 

 

While I am not advocating perjury, the income letter for Americans (and several other nationalities) certifies that you told the embassy you make x amount. They don't check, unlike the British Embassy. If your friend says he makes enough to satisfy the income requirement, the Embassy will certify that he said he makes enough. England certifies that you make x pounds, America certifies that you SAY you make x dollars. There is a significant distinction between the two.

Personally, I never have more than 100,000 baht in the bank over here. I'm also fortunate enough that my pension income exceeds the requirements by a comfortable margin. I don't keep money in the back over here, in large part because of IRS regulations about reporting money in excess of a total of $10,000 USD offshore. I like my US taxes as simple as possible. :-)

 

[Lambik]

The Immigration offices are aware of this situation,therefore it's not rare they ask more detailed prooves of income to U.S.A. citizens,when these apply for a "Retirement Visa" based on income.

[forcebwithu]

24 minutes ago, TinTin said:

The Immigration offices are aware of this situation,therefore it's not rare they ask more detailed prooves of income to U.S.A. citizens,when these apply for a "Retirement Visa" based on income.

Can't speak to what's currently happening with regards to applications for the Retirement Visa, but for the extension to stay based on retirement I've never been asked for proof beyond the income affidavit in the eight years I've lived here, nor have I heard reports of any other US citizen being asked for additional proof. Of course it's always possible that can change in the future.

[Lambik]

 

Personally 14 years extension of stay,called wrongly, but commonly "Retirement Visa" .

Never saw it myself, only heard about it.

Urban legends maybe.

[Garzan]

2 hours ago, TinTin said:

The Immigration offices are aware of this situation,therefore it's not rare they ask more detailed prooves of income to U.S.A. citizens,when these apply for a "Retirement Visa" based on income.

Well, I'll admit, I've only gotten five extensions so far in two different provinces over the last 5+ years. Latest was December 2016. My own personal experience is I have never been asked for extra information, and no one I personally know has ever been asked for further information. But sure, it's within the realm of possibility. Probability, not so sure, but certainly possibility. So my own personal experience as an American citizen doing visa extensions is far different than your conjecture as a non American citizen.

 

[Lambik]

Conjecture indeed, based on stories heard in bars.

 

[lolokalbo]

On 3/14/2017 at 1:59 AM, TinTin said:

Yes, but for a " Retirement Visa" he also will need money on a Thai bank book, as 1700 $ is about 60.000 ThB.

 

 

 

What are you talking about?  I got my last retirement visa (2 months ago) with 3,000b in a thai bank? 

[davidge]

3 minutes ago, lolokalbo said:

What are you talking about?  I got my last retirement visa (2 months ago) with 3,000b in a thai bank? 

I think he meant that the person's monthly income was below the required level so he would also need some money in the bank to combine with that to get to the required 800000 baht.

If your monthly income meets the requirements then it doesn't matter what you have in the bank.