pension income letter from British Embassy

J

johnb

Guest
I am thinking if changing from the money in the bank to the pension income letter the next time I renew my retirement extension.

Are there any Brits on here that use this method and can give me the up to date procedures to obtain the necessary letter?
 
Not too recent but they do require documentary evidence of where the money originates from and (I believe) a few months copy statements showing the credits. I had to return the following day to Wireless Rd to collect income letter but best check website for info.
 
I have used the "pension verification" letter in the distant past. As Ivor says, the British embassy required documentary proof (receipts). When Thai immigration advised me in around 2006 (?) that I'd need a new letter every year in future, I pointed out that this would cost me around Bht 8,000.00 (the extortionate cost of the letter, transport to and from BKK, overnight hotel, taxis etc.). I told them I wouldn't bother in future.

I realise that this is not up to date information.
 
Hello John, I use this method every year without too much inconvenience or trouble. To correct you on a small point it is a letter confirming or verifying your annual income, not just your pension. A new letter is required from the British Embassy each year and this can be done by post (EMS or registered). The cost at the present time is about 2,400 Baht and this includes 100 Baht for return of your documents and the Income Letter by EMS.

I send the original documents provided by my 'pension providers' to the British Embassy about 40 days before I am due to renew my visa extension. I do keep a copy of said documents just in case! These documents can be in the form of a P60 or similar annual statement of pension provided. The Embassy require you to tabulate your sources of income and calculate a yearly sum in £ Sterling, e.g. the UK State Pension is paid every 28 days whereas other pension providers may pay each calendar month. It usually takes the Embassy a week to 10 days to write the letter and return to Surin. I understand the letter is valid for up to 6 months before the annual renewal but a new letter is required by Immigration each year.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration
 
Mods please note. I am unable to modify, edit, reply with quotes to my post above.

I wish to add that Thai Immigration will take the £ Sterling figure on the Income Letter and calculate your income in Thai Baht on the day you apply for your visa extension.
 
"It usually takes the Embassy a week to 10 days to write the letter and return to Surin"

Bloody 'ell, they must have a sweat on after that! (Assuming it's 4.5 day weeks?).
 
Yorky said:
"It usually takes the Embassy a week to 10 days to write the letter and return to Surin"

Bloody 'ell, they must have a sweat on after that! (Assuming it's 4.5 day weeks?).
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And it used to be only 7 days before they extended it to 7 working days.
 
Thanks, Nomad for the clear and detailed info. An additional problem that I have is that I have two pensions from UK (teachers and state) and one from Portugal (state).
The UK ones fall just short of the 800,000.

I am not sure how to include the Portuguese one which will make up more than the difference. Do you think the British Embassy will accept my proof documents from Portugal? It would be quite a hassle to get a different letter from the Portuguese Embassy in Bangkok and hope that Immigration can combine and compute the two!
 
johnb said:
Thanks, Nomad for the clear and detailed info. An additional problem that I have is that I have two pensions from UK (teachers and state) and one from Portugal (state).
The UK ones fall just short of the 800,000.

I am not sure how to include the Portuguese one which will make up more than the difference. Do you think the British Embassy will accept my proof documents from Portugal? It would be quite a hassle to get a different letter from the Portuguese Embassy in Bangkok and hope that Immigration can combine and compute the two!
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I don't need to but I include details of my occupational pension + property income (for which I use simple accounts that I submit to HMRC). The embassy will normally combine and use what what you tell them. I normally do a covering letter to say my income is £xx p.a. comprised of X and Y and evidence is attached.

Don't worry if the number falls a bit short of the 800k, you can use the combination method in conjunction with your bank balance - try and make sure that balance is maintained for 3 months nicely above the difference to allow for exchange rate fluctuations. Now is a good time to be requesting the letter - which is, of course, valid for 6 months.
 
johnb said:
Thanks, Nomad for the clear and detailed info. An additional problem that I have is that I have two pensions from UK (teachers and state) and one from Portugal (state).
The UK ones fall just short of the 800,000.

I am not sure how to include the Portuguese one which will make up more than the difference. Do you think the British Embassy will accept my proof documents from Portugal? It would be quite a hassle to get a different letter from the Portuguese Embassy in Bangkok and hope that Immigration can combine and compute the two!
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I think CO-CO covered that point.
 
Best of luck in you intend to use the part and part at KC, 5 months ago two people i know were refused extensions as the officer deemed the embassy letters as fake....

One was a UK embassy letter and the other an AUS one.

The older you are the more they seem to be more easy on you..sucks really.
 
Don't forget, in addition to the letter from the Embassy they also want to see your bank statements for the past year. This can be obtained from the Bank a couple of weeks or so before you intend to extend your visa. This statement will back-up the income claimed on your Embassy letter and it will show that you are bringing money into the country on a regular basis.

Mango, I don't think it has anything to do with the age of the applicant whether Immigration accept the Embassy letter or not. A visa extension based on retirement is all about living on money brought in from overseas. After all, you are forbidden to work on such an extension. Give the Immigration Officer the necessary proof that you are not working and obtaining the visa is not a problem.

P.S. I have been using the Embassy letter, supported by the annual bank statement, without any problems for the past 12 years.
 
nomad97 said:
Don't forget, in addition to the letter from the Embassy they also want to see your bank statements for the past year. This can be obtained from the Bank a couple of weeks or so before you intend to extend your visa. This statement will back-up the income claimed on your Embassy letter and it will show that you are bringing money into the country on a regular basis.

Mango, I don't think it has anything to do with the age of the applicant whether Immigration accept the Embassy letter or not. A visa extension based on retirement is all about living on money brought in from overseas. After all, you are forbidden to work on such an extension. Give the Immigration Officer the necessary proof that you are not working and obtaining the visa is not a problem.

P.S. I have been using the Embassy letter, supported by the annual bank statement, without any problems for the past 12 years.
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Nomad, i understand what you are saying, but that was not the point of my reply to the post.
I have used my embassy letter before with the part and part method, and yes i do bring in money to thailand to live on, and displayed proof of such....that was not the issue, they refused the franked ebassy uk letter by calling it fake ....i bring in on average 45 baht/month...it was the letter of pension they rejected.....

p.s i am surprised you thanked that previous post Gotlost, as you were made well aware of what took place ...........
 
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mango 2 you 2 said:
Nomad, i understand what you are saying, but that was not the point of my reply to the post.
I have used my embassy letter before with the part and part method, and yes i do bring in money to thailand to live on, and displayed proof of such....that was not the issue, they refused the franked ebassy uk letter by calling it fake ....i bring in on average 45 baht/month...it was the letter of pension they rejected.....

p.s i am surprised you thanked that previous post Gotlost, as you were made well aware of what took place ...........
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I am not getting at you Mango, nor am I doubting that Immigration have rejected at least a couple of letters as being fake. Given that I am 67 years old now, and that I have been using this method for the past 12 years, I was much younger when I first started. Personally speaking and based on my own observations during my frequent trips to Immigration, usually 4 or 5 times a years, a lot of 'Farangs' do nothing to help or ease their visa extensions. And I am not talking about 'tea money' either. They go into Immigration badly prepared, they do not have the correct paperwork or photos for the application, they do not understand the process, they do not dress appropriately and some of them have a real attitude problem. I am frequently surprised how few are turned away and told to come back later. Quite frankly, I would never have the patience to be an Immigration Officer.
 
I'll guaranty you this DO NOT go into KCI with only a letter from your embassy. You will be asked to show some kind of moneys inside Thailand which is simple enough. And if you use a bank letter and your account has no action for any given month you will need another letter from your bank stating this. Those with fixed deposit or foreign currency accounts take notice.
 
gotlost said:
Those with fixed deposit or foreign currency accounts take notice.
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For the past few years, I've copied both my savings account passbook (insufficient for the full amount) AND my fixed deposit account passbook, and included both on my letter from the bank. Last June (my extension month), I was told by the immigration officer that I need not do this as my fixed deposit account had in it sufficient funds. Am I hearing now that the officer was wrong/misinformed?

It's almost June again.
 
Yorky said:
For the past few years, I've copied both my savings account passbook (insufficient for the full amount) AND my fixed deposit account passbook, and included both on my letter from the bank. Last June (my extension month), I was told by the immigration officer that I need not do this as my fixed deposit account had in it sufficient funds. Am I hearing now that the officer was wrong/misinformed?

It's almost June again.
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Thats correct you have to show how you are living inside Thailand. Your info is almost 1 year old and conditions have changed. AND you better bring it with you as the only bank in Kap Choeng is Bangkok Bank and if you don't use them it will be a long day. BTW if that passbook account shows NO movement for any 30 day period you will need ANOTHER letter from your bank saying this.
 
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gotlost said:
Thats correct you have to show how you are living inside Thailand. Your info is almost 1 year old and conditions have changed. AND you better bring it with you as the only bank in Kap Choeng is Bangkok Bank and if you don't use them it will be a long day. BTW if that passbook account shows NO movement for any 30 day period you will need ANOTHER letter from your bank saying this.
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My fixed deposit account passbook only shows "movement" when interest is added (every 3 months). My savings account shows my pension deposited once per month and withdrawals usually weekly plus bill payments. What will the bank letter need to state?
 
I would think you will be OK. I would get letters on both accounts and have both books updated. Who is ur bank?
 
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