Income statement,new rules from NK Immigration office

[trubrit]

Obvious isn't it Jack...........

May be to you Val, but no so much to me.
.

Well Jack I think that highlights a major difference between us .Over many years of dealing with authorities of many kinds I have discovered a multitude of legal loopholes that I have exploited for my own or companies benefit. However mindful of the more people knowing about them the more likely they are to be closed I have chosen to keep the knowledge to myself .I cannot see what benefit could be obtained by broadcasting them to all and sundry other than a look at me how clever I am approach. Isn't that boasting?
I would like to add I am not saying that anyone is making false declaration but simply the immigration are aware of the possibility and seem to be requiring a more defining means of verifying the financial requirements .Can't really blame them for that, can we?

[pomps]

Are there any other countries other than the USA and Australia that do not at present have to verify the amount stated,Canada maybe
Why the brits have had to verify everything for ages is not clear,trust

[Khun Paul]

The British Embassies although many brits may decry them are in fact making sure that their citizens do NOT break any local laws, if that as in this case means that they have to provide documentary verifiable evidence that their income is such and such then so be it. It than issues a letter which cannot be gainsaid by anyone as they will state we have verified the amount we write. So in fact they are not just acting as Notories but as agents who write the facts they have verified. So much better then believing an applicant, I think don't you. Earns the trust of the host nation the British Embassy does not lie.

[Jello]

Very good of the NK office to give out a notice one year in advance of making the change. Much better than the 30-day-wait change that the Udon office sprung on people when they came in for renewal.

Personally I would welcome showing my bankbook rather than paying the US embassy $50. every year for a letter. (Then I could use the $50. to pay for the IO's "express service" fee)

As far as fibbing on a affidavit or a statutory declaration :

The Embassy takes no responsibility for the content of affidavits; however, persons who knowingly make false statements in an affidavit sworn before a U.S. Consular Officer may be subject to perjury charges under U.S. law.
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/index.html
Intentionally making a false statement as a statutory declaration is a crime equivalent to perjury, and punishable by fines and/or a prison sentence of up to four years.
The states of Australia each have their own laws regarding statutory declarations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statutory_declaration

These embassies trust their citizens to not perjure themselves. If you do, you could face some stiff penalties.

[jackspratt]

You allude - perhaps not intentionally - to an interesting point, Jello.

Could it be that in the past, Thai Immigration has let it be known that they lack confidence in the unsworn document (letter) which is issued by the Brit Embassy? Was it the Embassy that couldn't be trusted, or a number of those lost souls wandering in, looking to extend their stay in paradise, despite their impecunious?

In stark contrast to the legal document (with the attached, strong penalties) required by, and issued from, the Oz and US embassies?

[waanjai]

In stark contrast to the legal document (with the attached, strong penalties) required by, and issued from, the Oz and US embassies?

Wow. So let us just wait and see whether or when the Nong Khai Immigration Office extends its new policy to include the problematic Australian Embassy Income Letters too.

[bumper]

I have had several people, that have renewed their Visa extension this year,tell me that Nong Khai immigration has informed them,in form of letters both in Thai and English which they were required to sign, that their next extension will require statements from the bank showing a minimum of 65,000 baht a month being deposited in their Thai bank account each month.The Income statement,alone is no longer sufficient!If accompanied by a Thai spouse or GF,the ladies were required to sign the statements acknowledging the change.

This is all the information that I have on the subject as I will renew in August.

This is the first year I didn't do that. Just a hint guy you need to talk with your bank if you have not done this before. Especially if you go on the monthly amount. They want to give you a letter with the balance in your account. That won't work. You need to show the monthly deposits the letter needs to state the money that was deposited came from outside Thailand.

Nina made me do this years ago and have been doing it for years with everyone saying there was no need. It's always been there they can enforce anytime they wish.

If you have 800 K in the bank no need to show a monthly. In the past I had to show the Embassy Letter ( USA) and the bank letter. This year I copied my deposit from my Bank Book and gave them to them. This is the first year I didn't pay extra for the bank letter.

[tudorandpim]

I think I've understood, but just to clarify:

The minimum requirement is now Bank Book showing B800,000 on deposit
(a) in a sole, not joint account
(b) whole amount to have been there for a minimum of 3 months
OR
Bank statements from a sole account
(a) showing deposits of B65,000 month
(b) clearly showing the source of origin as abroad - a foreign bank transfer

Is that correct? Raises three further questions:
(1) 65 K deposits over how long? 3 months, a year?
(2) I'm guessing that would exclude any foreign currency exchanged, even if deposited immediately?
(3) Is that PLUS a letter of confirmation from the British Embassy (or other) or Is that letter no longer required??

[waanjai]

(3) Is that PLUS a letter of confirmation from the British Embassy (or other) or Is that letter no longer required??

Wait until more facts are known.
In these days most people assume that the advise given to a few that wanted to extend their Non-Immi-O-based on retirement

.... that Nong Khai immigration has informed them,in form of letters both in Thai and English which they were required to sign, that their next extension will require statements from the bank showing a minimum of 65,000 baht a month being deposited in their Thai bank account each month.The Income statement,alone is no longer sufficient!

will be given only to US American (maybe also Australian) passport holders. Potential reasons are well known.

[Jello]

I think I've understood, but just to clarify:

The minimum requirement is now Bank Book showing B800,000 on deposit
(a) in a sole, not joint account
(b) whole amount to have been there for a minimum of 3 months
OR
Bank statements from a sole account
(a) showing deposits of B65,000 month
(b) clearly showing the source of origin as abroad - a foreign bank transfer

Is that correct?

Yes (as far as I know). And you need a letter from the bank as Bumper talks about in the above post.
The Embassy letter is in lieu of showing money in the bank, but as Bumper points out, they could ask for both.
Best to ask the immigration office for the best answer.

[Jello]

Wait until more facts are known.

Exactly.
This thread is about a possible change that will take place a year from now at the Nong Khai immigration office (see original post pg 1). Currently nothing has changed.

[Bonanza]

It would appear that Immigration is now simply asking you to verify that the required income is actually deposited in a Thai bank (which would seem reasonable). If you have the required 45,000/65,0000 being paid monthly into your bank, the normal Bank Statements will support this. Ditto the 800,000 (or whatever the figure) on deposit.

Only those who do not actually deposit the money will be affected.

[bumper]

I met one of the requirement by sending on retirement to Bangkok Bank in New York with a automatic transfer to Udon.

It would be nice not to have to get the Embassy letter it' more expensive then a letter from your bank. But, I don't think that is going to happen.

The key to getting the bank letter done properly is the bank you use. Will they actually type it correctly. Believe me they don't want to type the extra lines. Once you get one done correctly I really recommend holding onto a copy so you can show them each year to get another one.

If you have 800 K in the bank the letter is much simpler.

Now all that being said I was told the Udon was not requiring the bank letter and I didn't submit one in May when I renewed had no problem.

You really need to ask the location you use, Nong Khai, Udon, Bangkok, Khan Kean any and all of the may do things differently.

Remember guys a hoop required once a year. Trust me I get nervous even after having done it 13 times now and never having a problem,

[Jello]

I think I've understood, but just to clarify:

The minimum requirement is now Bank Book showing B800,000 on deposit
(a) in a sole, not joint account
(b) whole amount to have been there for a minimum of 3 months
OR
Bank statements from a sole account
(a) showing deposits of B65,000 month
(b) clearly showing the source of origin as abroad - a foreign bank transfer

Is that correct?

Yes (as far as I know). And you need a letter from the bank as Bumper talks about in the above post.
The Embassy letter is in lieu of showing money in the bank, but as Bumper points out, they could ask for both.
Best to ask the immigration office for the best answer.

Just an update to this post, the following is copied from a translation of: ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION BUREAU No. 327/2557

2.22 In the case of retirement:
Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien:
(1) Must have been granted a nonimmigrant visa (NONIM).
(2) Must be 50 years of age or over.
(3) Must have evidence of having income of no less than Baht 65,000 per month: or
(4) On the filing date, the applicant must have funds deposited in a bank in Thailand of no
less than Baht 800,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must
have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no
less than 60 days prior to the filing date: or
(5) Must have an annual earning and fluids deposited with a bank totaling no less than Baht 800,0000 as of the filing date.

How the Immigration office you go to interprets this is up to them.

No mention of a Embassy Letter here, but I suppose that falls under the "evidence of having income" statement.

[nkstan]

As the OP,I can affirm the 'hearsay info''I originally posted.

I was asked to sign 2 separate papers stating that for my next extension I will need to provide evidence that at least 65,000 baht of my 'pension' was deposited each month in the Thai bank system.

A third page that I was asked to sign,written in Thai and English,had to do with the rules,fines and penalties resulting from overstays of visa and 90 day reporting(I didn't notice anything new).Though not mentioned in writing,I was verbally informed that ,next extension,The income statements are 'not needed'!

I asked if this was just a Nong Khai Immigration policy or countrywide,no response and I didn't press the matter.

[Bandung_Dero]

There are quite a number of reports emerging on TV where various offices are now demanding copies of bank statements as well as your embassy letter of income. Some actually want to sight local and foreign ATM cards as well. I haven't seen where they are demanding a deposit of 65K every month, they just want to see funds coming and going.

One asks WTF is their "19th century bank book" for if they want to see statements as well?

What's happening in Udon with Retirement Extensions at the moment?

[Zidane]

BD,I actually completed my extension based on Retirement at the Udon office yesterday........

I had submitted all the paperwork just under a month ago and went in yesterday to complete the extension.
I had previously submitted the Embassy Letter and copies of Yellow Book and my passport plus a hand drawn map of the route from the Immigration Office to my house.
I was never asked for bank statements or ATM cards......just paid the fee and told to come back in a month.The I.O. had indicated that the income level on the Embassy Letter was OK.
So,I went back yesterday......within 5 minutes I was seen by the pretty lady at the second desk.....she took my passport,found the paperwork,a quick stamp and a paper with the date of my next 90 day report.....handed over the passport with a smile and the new extension in it and that was it.....just took about 5 minutes to complete the process.
I have to say all the Immigration Officers were friendly and smiling yesterday......maybe put it down to the Dolce & Gabbana after shave I was wearing after recently purchasing in Bangkok.....price 3,500 baht but maybe gave me the appearance of a hi-so farang .......but it was a pleasant experience yesterday,so well done to them.
Incidentally,the lady at the first desk was back after,presumably,giving birth.....she was smiling also.....

[Bandung_Dero]

Thanks for that, just to add I and quite a number of expats here have had a visit from the local police, they didn't want to speak to me rather than my wife. She was asked to write down some details about me (DOB, how long had I lived here, etc.) in Thai and give them a copy of our Marriage Certificate. The BiB was clutching a copy of the map I gave Immigration on my last extension.

BTW the BiB doing this is the brother of our next door neighbour and I know him well - go figure.

[stereolab]

There are quite a number of reports emerging on TV where various offices are now demanding copies of bank statements as well as your embassy letter of income. Some actually want to sight local and foreign ATM cards as well. I haven't seen where they are demanding a deposit of 65K every month, they just want to see funds coming and going.

One asks WTF is their "19th century bank book" for if they want to see statements as well?

What's happening in Udon with Retirement Extensions at the moment?

At Nong Khai this week, I successfully completed another extension of stay (retirement), they required both a bank statement and an embassy letter. The embassy letter was given a cursory check, he did the currency conversion, saw that I was well over the 800,000 baht income and then went on to mark, with a yellow marker, all international transfers on the bank statement. He did NOT concern himself with the amounts, simply that they had taken place.Done and dusted within 1 hour and a new 90 day report completed.

[Brian Davis]

just to add I and quite a number of expats here have had a visit from the local police.

Pleased I spotted your comment, as I've been summoned too and my wife was flapping around, worried I'd been picked upon for some reason. I believe there's a directive from Bangkok to check foreigners recorded living in their areas, following the Erawan Shrine bombing and dodgy immigration procedures here and there - allegedly!