Thai Immigration tightens requirements for retirement visa extensions

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Dave The Dude

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Thai Immigration tightens requirements for retirement visa extensions
Proof of transfer of pension into Thailand required


BANGKOK: The Immigration Bureau has tightened the requirements for retirement extensions.

"It has been reported that along with the statement the applicant has made at their embassy stating their monthly income, for the past month the Immigration Bureau has asked to see proof of at least two months of pension income. This requirement is not just for new applications but renewals as well", says Sunn Justubavornchai, legal advisor at Sunbelt Asia Co., Ltd.

It has always been the case that Immigration can ask to see supporting evidence behind the income letter issued by an embassy, but previously has rarely been enforced. That position now seems to have changed. For some nationals it won't make any real difference, as they already have to provide supporting evidence to their embassies to obtain the income letter. Notable exception are citizens of US, Canada and Australia where no evidence of income is required for issue of embassy income letter, just sworn declaration of income required. It looks like The Immigration Bureau has closed the loophole on citizens providing false (unsupported) declarations to obtain income letter.

The financial requirement for obtaining an extension of stay based on retirement is 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank for qualifying period, or an income of not less than 65,000 Baht per month, or a combination of bank balance and monthly income to arrive at 800,000 baht.


-- thaivisa.com 2011-06-06
 
wildoates said:
should clear out the retirement pool a little, bet they do the same for marriage visas
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Im on a marriage visa and always have to provide copies of Bank Book, as well as Income Letter, so certainly for Korat Imm, they are already doing it.
 
one day they will quesion why retirement needs more than marrage, and raise the marrage to meet the same.....
 
When Kap Cheown Immigration was alive and kicking, they used to require a copy of the bank book (for 12 months) or a 12-month bank statement (available on request from the bank). They also liked to see a bank balance of a couple of hundred grand. This was in addition to the Income Letter provided by the Embassy. And that was to support the yearly extension to the long stay visa (based on retirement). When the office moved to Korat the first two requirements were dropped and only the letter from the embassy was required. Oh well, back to the good old days before too long!
 
Looks like a few more people will be doing the Laos visa run, that will please the pattaya visa bus people.

i think you can get a 6 month thailand visa on entry from Laos i was told recently.
 
SANGKA said:
Looks like a few more people will be doing the Laos visa run, that will please the pattaya visa bus people.

i think you can get a 6 month thailand visa on entry from Laos i was told recently.
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No such thing as a 6 months visa BUT they are issuing some double entry tourist visas which for 1000 baht each (total of 2000 baht) which would take a person to 6 months only if they they have not been over applying for these visas.
 
It's really the visa run people they ought to be cracking down on, as they don't have to show any assets at all (and can come in and work... illegally).
 
isanbirder said:
It's really the visa run people they ought to be cracking down on, as they don't have to show any assets at all (and can come in and work... illegally).
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No argument on that but they have eleminated the free tourist visa and Lao is prety much only letting you have 2 at one time just once. Penang is and KL are only issuing one at a time with question marks for going back a second time and Poipet for 3000 baht under the table will get you a double from PP. KL still has an option if your married (legally) and can show 100K baht in case, the bank (Thailand ATM slip or at home the will for 5500 baht issue you a Multi O good for 12 months which can be streched to 15 months.
 
Laying low and just plain overstay would be the easy way,sure there are still plenty of jungle guys out there, hiding out. Maybe not as many as the "good old daze",they just faded away.. Like when is the last time I was ever asked for my passport in 19 years of coming to Surin.......... never....... So if one just hangs out till he expires whats the problem? No worries if you enjoy the "rural life"..... Think1 and you don't piss off the relatives......LOL
 
surinmike said:
Laying low and just plain overstay would be the easy way,sure there are still plenty of jungle guys out there, hiding out. Maybe not as many as the "good old daze",they just faded away.. Like when is the last time I was ever asked for my passport in 19 years of coming to Surin.......... never....... So if one just hangs out till he expires whats the problem? No worries if you enjoy the "rural life"..... Think1 and you don't piss off the relatives......LOL
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I was asked for my passport 2 years back at a speed trap outside Prasat. As for lying low could be. Know of an individual outside of Roi Et 18 years overstay. Still hear.
 
Dave The Dude said:
Thai Immigration tightens requirements for retirement visa extensions
Proof of transfer of pension into Thailand required


BANGKOK: The Immigration Bureau has tightened the requirements for retirement extensions.

"It has been reported that along with the statement the applicant has made at their embassy stating their monthly income, for the past month the Immigration Bureau has asked to see proof of at least two months of pension income. This requirement is not just for new applications but renewals as well", says Sunn Justubavornchai, legal advisor at Sunbelt Asia Co., Ltd.

It has always been the case that Immigration can ask to see supporting evidence behind the income letter issued by an embassy, but previously has rarely been enforced. That position now seems to have changed. For some nationals it won't make any real difference, as they already have to provide supporting evidence to their embassies to obtain the income letter. Notable exception are citizens of US, Canada and Australia where no evidence of income is required for issue of embassy income letter, just sworn declaration of income required. It looks like The Immigration Bureau has closed the loophole on citizens providing false (unsupported) declarations to obtain income letter.

The financial requirement for obtaining an extension of stay based on retirement is 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank for qualifying period, or an income of not less than 65,000 Baht per month, or a combination of bank balance and monthly income to arrive at 800,000 baht.


-- thaivisa.com 2011-06-06
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Shame I’m not 50 yet ...lol lol .... I did have a settlement visa but as I will be doing a lots of travelling in and out of Thailand this year I just got myself a Type O multiple from Savanaket .. , saves on the paper work every time I want to leave Thailand...
 
alanthebuilder said:
Shame I’m not 50 yet ...lol lol .... I did have a settlement visa but as I will be doing a lots of travelling in and out of Thailand this year I just got myself a Type O multiple from Savanaket .. , saves on the paper work every time I want to leave Thailand...
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Exacatly why I got mine but in KL. Next time I may give Savanaket a go. Also I have to do a visa ruin Saturday and I'll go to Mae Sae. 500 baht for Burma.
 
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gotlost said:
Exacatly why I got mine but in KL. Next time I may give Savanaket a go. Also I have to do a visa ruin Saturday and I'll go to Mae Sae. 500 baht for Burma.
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You're really not an Economist.. are you Gotlost?
 
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