No more Brit Embassy income certification letters!

**Maanaam** · 08-10-2018, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by misskit

I can’t imagine the Thai bureaucracy accepting a printout from a website, though. They need plenty of stamps and signatures of different colors on documentation.

In triplicate. I think the colours are a big thing. Espeacially red.
(Reminds me...I went to a chemist shop to buy ibuprofen. He said he had these white ones or I could have the red ones. I asked what's the difference and he smiled and said, "Thai people think the red ones are better because they're red".)

**Loy Toy** · 08-10-2018, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by PAG

It's ALL expats on Retirement/Marriage extensions

Great.

I have 3 Thai children I am caring for including education and upkeep!

**Dragonfly** · 08-10-2018, 06:00 PM

I thought you had a work permit, LoyToy, why would you need a retirement visa that forbids working ?

**Loy Toy** · 08-10-2018, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

I thought you had a work permit

I do Butterbutt!

No retirement or marriage visa needed which in fact does not allow you to work here.

**Norton** · 08-10-2018, 06:22 PM

Will run this down tomorrow. Call friend in immigration and US embassy.

**PAG** · 08-10-2018, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I do Butterbutt!

No retirement or marriage visa needed which in fact does not allow you to work here.

I believe that you can get a work permit with a Marriage extension, though not with a Retirement one.

**Loy Toy** · 08-10-2018, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by PAG

I believe that you can get a work permit with a Marriage extension, though not with a Retirement one.

All you need to do is prove you have Thai dependants (children) and you need to work to support them and if you are suitably qualified a work permit is not a problem.

No marriage or retirement visa required and at a fraction of the cost.

**Pragmatic** · 08-10-2018, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by jabir

I would never suggest they're a bunch of crooks.

I would.

**Pragmatic** · 08-10-2018, 07:05 PM

If all is true then I feel for yous that are genuine. But I have no sympathy for all those that pay agents/immigration under the table for their extensions. It is yous that make life difficult for us genuine expats. Now where's my beer?

**lom** · 08-10-2018, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by PAG

It's ALL expats on Retirement/Marriage extensions, not only Brits. The BE is just the first Embassy to issue the notice.

Is it? Be careful when jumping to conclusions..

https://teakdoor.com/thai-visas-and-v...ml#post3832125

There are the five countries whose embassies has issued income guarantee letters without requiring proof of the income.
Expats from other countries where the embassy has thoroughly checked the income before issuing the verification letter are as far as I understand not affected.

**Pragmatic** · 08-10-2018, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by lom

where the embassy has thoroughly checked the income before issuing the verification letter

And how do they 'check'? And how long do those checks take? Just wondering.

For me having monies in the bank I have to have a bank letter obtained that day before obtaining my extension. How long do those that use their embassy get to provide their letter? If all things are equal it should be the same day as well.

**HuangLao** · 08-10-2018, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by jabir

Some say Cambodia is more welcoming and not puffed up with self importance.

That's quickly changing.
They're expected to resemble the draconian and repressive Thai policies before long.

**Pragmatic** · 08-10-2018, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I have 3 Thai children I am caring for including education and upkeep!

There was an immigration visa extension in 2006 that gave you a 12 month stay based on 'support by a Thai child', no money to show. It was based on the Thai principle of 'your children supporting you' in old age. I actually obtained this visa but had to negotiate with the immigration officer after he said I had to show some money. Anyway they realised they'd fcuked up and cancelled the 'extension' in 2007.

**tomcat** · 08-10-2018, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Will run this down tomorrow. Call friend in immigration and US embassy.

...thanks!...

**OhOh** · 09-10-2018, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by misskit

They need plenty of stamps and signatures of different colours on documentation.

^Highly likely .

**jamescollister** · 09-10-2018, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

All you need to do is prove you have Thai dependants (children) and you need to work to support them and if you are suitably qualified a work permit is not a problem.

No marriage or retirement visa required and at a fraction of the cost.

Where is that, some years ago I tried for a child support extension of stay, Phi Bun.
No chance without a court order saying I had custody.

**tomcat** · 09-10-2018, 05:40 PM

...via ThaiVisa news feed:

British Embassy Bangkok to Stop Certification of Income Letters

From 1 January 2019, the British Embassy Bangkok will no longer be providing British Nationals with letters confirming their income.

This letter has previously served as a supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa. The British Embassy Bangkok is stopping the certification of income letters because it is unable to fulfil the Thai authorities’ requirements to verify the income of British Nationals.

British Nationals should now demonstrate that they have an amount of at least 800,000 THB in an account in Thailand for no less than three months prior to the visa application, or a monthly income of at least 65,000 THB transferred into an account in Thailand for a retirement visa.

For a marriage visa, the amounts are 400,000 THB in an account in Thailand for no less than three months prior to the visa application, or a monthly income of at least 40,000 THB transferred into an account in Thailand. A bank statement should be used as the supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa.

All British Nationals concerned should note that the last date for income letter applications is 12 December 2018.

**Switch** · 09-10-2018, 06:22 PM

The change in policy at the British Embassy, and the supposed crackdown by the new head of immigration are entirely separate issues.

The timing of these two announcements is coincidental.

The crackdown seems to be directed at certain nations who operate call Centre scams in the kingdom. See the recent arrest list for details of the usual suspects. They like to catch the odd criminal too.

Thai immigration may or may not accept your application for permission to remain in 2019. They may continue to demand supporting documentation from the Embassy. It affects British nationals only for now.

Either the Thai immigration rules will be changed or the embassy will be obliged to back down. There is no legal requirement for the embassy to provide the service.

I believe agents will continue to operate and this clusterfuck may even put more business their way. IOs make money and so do Thai nationals, so the chances of that being scrapped seem remote.

As a side issue, when I applied for a retirement visa in UK in 2015, the Thai Embassy was the only place authorized to do it. They required my proof of income, health letter and police report to be notarized.
Previously there were a number of UK consulates that were allowed to do new retirement visa applications.

The British Embassy is more of a trade mission these days and only core functions remain for consular officials to serve Brit nationals with basic legal functions. Visas are not one of those functions.

**Pragmatic** · 09-10-2018, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Switch

I believe agents will continue to operate and this clusterfuck may even put more business their way.

We will have to see.

On the top of his list are agents who rip people off for visas. Visa agents, working with visa run companies and overseas embassies, have developed an elaborate system of fees and paybacks for preferred services.

https://thethaiger.com/news/national...ration-top-job

**harrybarracuda** · 09-10-2018, 06:47 PM

On the top of his list are agents who rip people off for visas.

Presumably because he wants his share of the takings.

**jabir** · 10-10-2018, 09:35 AM

An anti-corruption drive imposes tighter regulations that can only lead to more corruption.

More at: couldntmakeitup.com

TiT

**tomcat** · 10-10-2018, 12:09 PM

...US Consulate visit this morning to notarize a proof-of-income statement: no word of any policy change concerning such documents there...I noticed the briefest eyeroll when I mentioned the Thai regulations...

Also overheard from the rather geriatric crowd in the Consulate waiting room: "I'm 76 and here I am with this baby. Don't know how it happened so quick."
After seeing Hillary on the wall-mounted TV: "There she is! What a monster!"
Two coffin-dodgers in line: "I'm disabled military and I'll be damned if I pay for any service here." (He paid)...
Two business-suited sophisticates: "Costa Rica is the place to retire. Thailand is what happens to folks who follow their dicks."...

**Norton** · 10-10-2018, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by tomcat

US Consulate visit this morning to notarize a proof-of-income statement: no word of any policy change concerning such documents there..

Same from 2 folks I called at embassy as well. No change. Never heard such noise from Thai Immigration. Just back from lunch with head of Roiet Immigration. They will continue to accept income letters.

**Dragonfly** · 10-10-2018, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by tomcat

...US Consulate visit this morning to notarize a proof-of-income statement: no word of any policy change concerning such documents there...I noticed the briefest eyeroll when I mentioned the Thai regulations...

Also overheard from the rather geriatric crowd in the Consulate waiting room: "I'm 76 and here I am with this baby. Don't know how it happened so quick."
After seeing Hillary on the wall-mounted TV: "There she is! What a monster!"
Two coffin-dodgers in line: "I'm disabled military and I'll be damned if I pay for any service here." (He paid)...
Two business-suited sophisticates: "Costa Rica is the place to retire. Thailand is what happens to folks who follow their dicks."...

awesome, it's like a live version of TD

**jabir** · 10-10-2018, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Same from 2 folks I called at embassy as well. No change. Never heard such noise from Thai Immigration. Just back from lunch with head of Roiet Immigration. They will continue to accept income letters.

If you got it from the top, I suspect they will continue to accept income letters only until the fatwa kicks in to become an official junta decree, from which time their only sensible option is to obey their democratically unelected leaders and start pocketing even more money through this latest anti-corruption stunt.

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