Stargazer
Surin Legend
I was told the passbook was not enough. That I had to pay for and get an 'official' 12 month statement same day.
New Long Term Visa - Not Easy To Obtain.
- Thread starter Stargazer
- Start date
Ivor the Engine
Nowhere man
I now need to show 12 months income to start a 'new' retirement visa, on that basis. Bit difficult as I was only placed in this position 2 weeks ago.
Stargazer
Surin Legend
My Thai wife is now a 'Conditional permanent resident' of the USA (when you first get PR status, it is just for two years, supposedly to catch sham marriages). Until that condition is removed, she cannot leave the USA for 6 months or more, on pain of losing her PR status. So we have to time our travel carefully. Last year, I was in Thailand for 181 days, which is 1.5 days less than half a year or 6 months. A little risky, if your flight was cancelled! The other peculiar thing I just discovered is that airlines are now using AI to price tickets on demand/willingness to pay. Currently, business class flights we must fly (PDX-SFO-NRT-BKK) flying west are more than twice as expensive as flights back from BKK, ($6-8,000 each vs $3500 each). So we fly on award flights in coach west, and business coming back to US. My wife finds the idea of paying ฿500,000 for two of us one way kind of obscene given wage rates in Isaan. Four years wages for a laborer.
FERRET
WELL WORN MEMBER
That has never happened to me---yet.
Last extention, I did have to show proof of income going into my Thai bank and, from where it came from.
Not a big ask really if you have a paper trail and luckily, I am a pack rat with doccuments.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
I don't have to prove income; I just have to prove that I have ฿800,000.00 in the bank for 2 months prior (and maybe another 3 months after).
Yorky
Fullritis Member
Two of us flew BA from Manchester to Damascus in the 80s. We discovered in Damascus that for £50.00 extra we could upgrade to business for the return leg. So we upgraded.
There may have been an extra 10mm of leg room but all I could determine was that the colour of the material covering the seats was a darker blue.
Coffee
You chose a custom title
Heck Mel, quick question.
If you've got this amount of expendable annual income (~US$1-million) WHY exactly are you worried about the price of obtaining your wife's brothers chanote into her grandson's name* on another OP you initiated ?
Really, what's the difference if you gave him THB200,000 or THB500,000 (xe@34) per rai...you're never going to ever see that donation again repaid in the future.
It's not any real business decision - it's simply a monetary handout. The same as bankrolling another family member's education.
There are no guarantees following their free ride.
Obviously (it appears) you might be the softbank for your and your wife's discretionary family projects.
Mel, I don't mean to come across harsh, that is not my intent. Personally it would be best to have a family sit-down with the reality of your family's expectations and your personal goals, wishes, aspirations and fair equity upon you entering the spiritual world ; well understanding you have a family with a former significant other previous to your Thai wife.
* Not really sure how a 2-yr-old can be named without a guardian
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Stargazer
Surin Legend
That's what I'm seeing, Yorky. But I'm also seeing this: "
"Health insurance requirement is a recent addition prompted by a growing amount of debt left by foreign travellers at Thai medical facilities. The health insurance coverage requirement ensures that foreigners can foot their medical bills without distress. The government now requires those travelling on retirement visas to have:
Outpatient cover of THB 40,000 at minimum
Inpatient cover of THB 400,000 at minimum
This cover may be taken from an accredited insurer, be it local or from overseas, as long as their coverage will cater to your needs while in Thailand. The government however recommends choosing a policy that accommodates upfront payment rather than reimbursement."
Has anyone had this required of them? In my recent arguments with BOI over the 10 year visa, they would not budge on the health insurance issue. And they don't accept my argument that I'm covered by Medicare USA, which is somewhat accurate, as it covers emergency care abroad only.
I really dislike this trend, as in my case, any such medical coverage premiums are a total waste, as I'm well covered in USA and can just pay as I go in Thailand and go back to USA for major issues.
And an insurance industry 'scheme' it is indeed.
I just read that it is supposedly allowed to verify a ฿65,000/month income instead of having to have the 800,000 deposit. I could arrange that, as I transfer more than that over each year anyway, and could just set it up to be smaller amounts monthly. Does anyone on the forum get their annual retirement visa renewed under that qualification?
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Stargazer
Surin Legend
That is a misunderstanding due to a typo in a post, Coffee. I do NOT have an annual income like that.
If I buy this paddy from my wife's brother, it will be in my wife's name, and she can do with it as she pleases, including passing it on to her grandson or selling it. So I'm really just giving her a gift, as I did by building our house in Isaan, buying cars and farm equipment for the family, etc..
I'm just trying for balance. I provide a certain amount per year on 'salaries' for family members and such, but have other obligations in USA to my family there, so I am trying to keep the amount from ballooning without limits. The financial need in Isaan is bottomless, well beyond my modest resources. I do what I can. I just dislike paying farang prices for things well above their inherent value as productive resources. My business background, I suppose.
Stargazer
Surin Legend
United Airlines is different. For example, in March 2024 we fly back to USA from Bangkok at 7:10am. BKK to Tokyo is 6 ½ hours. We get lie-flat seats on ANA, so we can take a nap. Then a 1 hour 40 minute layover in Tokyo, get to take a shower, then 9 ½ hours to San Francisco overnight, again lay-flat bed seats. 3 ½ hour layover at SFO, but get showers and a first-rate hot lunch, as well as a day bed to sleep if we want, then on 2 hours to Portland. That short flight is typical USA 'First Class' which is anything but, just wider seats, liquor but no food. On this long trip with 26 hours from leaving our hotel in Bangkok to arrival at our home in rural Washington (18 flying hours), being able to sleep comfortably is a huge plus at my age. I've flown over a million miles on United, much of it in economy, and don't miss the grogginess and sore neck you get 'sleeping' (I call it 'passing out') sitting up there. So I go lie-flat when I can get what I regard as a fair price and not too much flak from my frugal Thai wife over paying it.
Coffee
You chose a custom title
You mean the "$80,000 USD per month" was supposed to be 'THB 80,000 per month' ?
Well heck Mel, that changes the whole scope of the narrative.
Never mind what I wrote previously re: the US$1 million annual income...although having a family meeting couldn't hurt.
Bottom line: Think of any monetary assistance that you provide as a gift.
Just be prudent so you have ample assets to cover your future well-being along with your gifting and goals once you've left this mortal realm.
It's okay to say 'No' to any monetary request.
Thais are ridiculously debt-ridden. Most do not understand the future promise of a willed Trust set up for their future benefit.
They want the deal done ('cash in hand') while you are still alive.
Stargazer
Surin Legend
Thanks, Coffee. You're certainly right. My wife thought I should give the USD $800,000 to her rather than endow a lifetime income of ฿115,000 per month plus inflation cushion. My thinking is that if she had all that in the bank, it would be impossible for her to resist 'loan' requests from relatives. She's just 49, and could get 2x that total by the time she's 89, a year at a time. And it's not willed, it is already in place. I trust her (although I'm managing the income while I'm still here
to help her family)No matter how much you trust her that amount of money in her bank would have her fending off all sorts of family requests from relatives she didn't even know she had. LOL The pressure would be intense, no 'loans' would ever be paid back (guaranteed), and every request she denied would have her labeled by the money seekers as 'the rich stingy farang wife. Never let them fully know your finances and income, even your wife. They do brag and show off, and the bamboo telegraph extends far and wide and the 'gossip' gets around quickly. When my wife and I married all of a sudden she saw relatives she hadn't seen in many years who wanted 'loans', meaning gifts from the rich farang's wife. And I'm not rich by any means.Thanks, Coffee. You're certainly right. My wife thought I should give the USD $800,000 to her rather than endow a lifetime income of ฿115,000 per month plus inflation cushion. My thinking is that if she had all that in the bank, it would be impossible for her to resist 'loan' requests from relatives. She's just 49, and could get 2x that total by the time she's 89, a year at a time. And it's not willed, it is already in place. I trust her (although I'm managing the income while I'm still here
nomad97
Resident Geek
I just read that it is supposedly allowed to verify a ฿65,000/month income instead of having to have the 800,000 deposit. I could arrange that, as I transfer more than that over each year anyway, and could just set it up to be smaller amounts monthly. Does anyone on the forum get their annual retirement visa renewed under that qualification?
Yes, I do. I have been using that method, or earlier iterations, for the past 20 odd years. Never had any problems. You may/will be asked to prove that your funds come from outside Thailand. It is a requirement that you transfer in excess of 65,000 baht for each and every month of the year. If you miss one month it will be strike 3 and you're out.
P.S. And I am not required to have any health insurance for my annual extension based on retirement.
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Yes, you do not need the money in the bank in Thailand if you have proof of that monthly income requirement. Problem is the Immi ninnies always try to insist on your having that money 'here' in Thailand. Why? Because it is more paperwork they have to do to do it the monthly income way/marriage visa way, and we all know they want to make things as simple as they can so as to not need to do more paperwork/work. The easier for them the better in their minds. Screw you and that it is made harder for you. Just one more reason I do the Savanakhet way while I am healthy enough to do it. Plus I get a 'multiple' entry visa, a one year O 'marriage' visa (which if I needed to show 400K annual income is half the damn retirement visa qualifications) and not need to have my money in their banks making crap for interest and being tied up for 5 months or more of the year. I like things simple and easy, do not mind a couple days over in Laos each year and the 90 day in and out 5 times for a 15 month visa (a couple hours time to do so every 3 months). If I was ailing and could not do it my way I'd change to a marriage visa through Immi here using the monthly income way of 400K annually (I can do it either way, but why do it at 800K when 400K will do it?). For chrissakes it is the one 'plus' you get for being married to a Thai. LOL Half the cost of a freakin' retirement visa. Might as well use it at half the money required. Being 'legally' married to a Thai has that one bonus (besides having a good woman at your side).
KISS is my motto for as long as I can do so."P.S. And I am not required to have any health insurance for my annual extension based on retirement."
As neither have I ever needed the same. And 'up to you' as they say. Everyone has their own wants and needs for these things.
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I just wish the US VA people would open a VA hospital here in Thailand, or even Vietnam. There are plenty of old dudes living here that are US military veterans that could use this rather than going back to the states (or Hawaii or Guam. The Philippines VA hospital is mainly for officers and disabled vets I was told.) Or even just designate a hospital here that would do the job and take the money from the VA for doing so. I did hear the reason they do not do this is due to corruption and overcharging the US VA for the treatments done/hospital and doctors fees etc. here. Corruption.Yes, you do not need the money in the bank in Thailand if you have proof of that monthly income requirement. Problem is the Immi ninnies always try to insist on your having that money 'here' in Thailand. Why? Because it is more paperwork they have to do to do it the monthly income way/marriage visa way, and we all know they want to make things as simple as they can so as to not need to do more paperwork/work. The easier for them the better in their minds. Screw you and that it is made harder for you. Just one more reason I do the Savanakhet way while I am healthy enough to do it. Plus I get a 'multiple' entry visa, a one year O 'marriage' visa (which if I needed to show 400K annual income is half the damn retirement visa qualifications) and not need to have my money in their banks making crap for interest and being tied up for 5 months or more of the year. I like things simple and easy, do not mind a couple days over in Laos each year and the 90 day in and out 5 times for a 15 month visa (a couple hours time to do so every 3 months). If I was ailing and could not do it my way I'd change to a marriage visa through Immi here using the monthly income way of 400K annually (I can do it either way, but why do it at 800K when 400K will do it?). For chrissakes it is the one 'plus' you get for being married to a Thai. LOL Half the cost of a freakin' retirement visa. Might as well use it at half the money required. Being 'legally' married to a Thai has that one bonus (besides having a good woman at your side).
"P.S. And I am not required to have any health insurance for my annual extension based on retirement."
As neither have I ever needed the same. And 'up to you' as they say. Everyone has their own wants and needs for these things.
Coffee
You chose a custom title
Same reason was given as to why most nations do not allow covered care here under national health programs.
I didn't know that for Guam. I knew they had a VA but not that you can use your SS medical Medicare as well.
From what I was told by other teachers here they give you a very short time to change over from your 'work' visa to another type.