Thread: Question on using the "monthly deposit" method to obtain an extension of stay

Problem is Jools mate that no one really knows. MFA states

documented evidence of money transfer or a deposit account in Thailand or an income certificate showing an amount of not less than

No where in the past or present has the MFA stated anything about "income affidavits" and if I were to guess I would assume that that ruse was started by said visa con companies which then became the accepted norm. With most things official in Thailand they are looking for official looking stamps so if it were me, and it might well be soon, it will be statements and other documents stamped and certed by an apostle, preferably a Thai one, showing pot of money / income source, and transactions on office bank statements, stamped by them. Over kill basically until we know exactly where they are going with it.

Also as mentioned in another thread on here, Savannakhet consulate are not that fussed at the moment and will give anyone a visa.

Jools, you, along with many, many others are waiting.

Nobody knows how long the wait will be. At least, in your case, as you have reported, you have some time.

So, follow the old adage. Pray for the best and prepare for the worse.

In your shoes I would, a) get as much formal documentation of my (read that as your) finances, and, b) find a way, of putting 400k in a "your name only" Thai bank account by June. I would find the money because the worse case scenario includes Thai Immigration closing all loopholes i.e. savannakhet, visa companies, etc. and saying it is beyond their capability to verify monthly income and leaving only the lump sum deposit option as meeting the extension criteria.

Unfortunately, You are in a no mans land and cannot influence the final outcome. you must prepare for the worse case scenario.

Good Luck to you.

Originally Posted by Jools

I have until next October to get my next extension of stay, so this is not urgent.

AT THIS TIME <- meaning right now this minute there is NO NEW POLICY WRITTEN that will address how the income method will work once the consulates stop issuing affidavit of income from abroad notary letters. Period, full stop, end of story.

Anyone anywhere in thailand who says they know what it is going to be (be it an oh-so full of themselves immigration officer, or a know it all foreigner) is talking out their ass.

The policy has NOT been written.

I would say IF you're not wanting to bank 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for the 2 months before you apply for an extension the best thing you could do is go to the thai consulates in either Savannakhet Lao or Ho Chi Min City Vietnam and get a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa based on marriage without showing any proof of funds.
True on that visa you'd have to bounce out and back into the country every 90 days but you could get 15 months of stay out of it.

I used a UK bank annual statement showing income well in excess of the 65k required for retirement extension.. I also had my income sources rubber stamped by the UK embassy, but that is no longer available.
Current advice from the IO is that you need to show a Thai bank book with 65 k a month going into it between now and your next renewal. The only problem with that is, the Io’s know as little hard info as anyone else until the department gets its shit together and put a legal ruling on the books.
I suppose you could use your home country bank income and try and bluff it, but you risk the obvious problem of being evicted.
Not sure if it’s a good idea to rely on marriage to a Thai. Not all of them stick around. No judgement, just saying like.

My solution would be to borrow the 400K for 3 months stick it in a Thai bank account in my name and then once I had submitted the application with the accompanying bank statements and letter withdraw the money and pay back the loan. Maybe that is what some people are doing now anyway I don't know.
The only problem I see with that idea is the Immigration Office might then start asking for proof that the money came from outside Thailand.
I am due to apply for my first annual extension this month so I transferred enough money from my Aussie bank back in September to cover that scenario.
My missus then just keeps topping it up from her Thai account.

What would this country be like if there were set unambiguous laws which could not be miss interpreted and that were enforced and obeyed.
I probably wouldn't want to live here then!

Originally Posted by ootai

unambiguous laws which could not be miss interpreted and that were enforced and obeyed.

Less room for tea money.

Corruption in Thailand always filters up just like a huge pyramid scheme. The tea money paid to local immigration officials from the agents and punters alike all trickles up to the top, so this little episode appears to be a grand reshuffle to inject some more cash into the system. They would not cut off this revenue stream, so really as Todd says, wait and see where the tea cups land.

Originally Posted by Switch

I used a UK bank annual statement showing income well in excess of the 65k required for retirement extension.. I also had my income sources rubber stamped by the UK embassy, but that is no longer available.

I'll bet dollars to durian that your immigration office didn't even request OR look at your UK bank annual statement (don't confuse them accepting it as them NEEDING it, you know these people <- that would be the thaiz love paperwork) and that IF you didn't have your UK Consulate notary you couldn't have gotten the extension.

So at the end of the day NO you didn't use your UK annual statement, you used the UK consulate notary letter to show the immigration office you met the proof of funds for the income method. <- Try not to twist things into what they aren't.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

I'll bet dollars to durian that your immigration office didn't even request OR look at your UK bank annual statement (don't confuse them accepting it as them NEEDING it, you know these people <- that would be the thaiz love paperwork) and that IF you didn't have your UK Consulate notary you couldn't have gotten the extension.

So at the end of the day NO you didn't use your UK annual statement, you used the UK consulate notary letter to show the immigration office you met the proof of funds for the income method. <- Try not to twist things into what they aren't.

Derrr. Of course I realise that. It’s why immigration now require verification. The requirement cannot be met by embassies. So immigration have a decision to make. What will they accept in lieu of the letter?
up to them of course. My advice is based on what is currently available to applicants in the absence of immi diktat.
Do the best you can with what you’ve got, until someone clears the mud from what is now an unclear system.
No one enjoys placing funds in a Thai bank account just to make life easier for immigration. It is just one alternative during the absence of legislation to clarify the rules.
Same same doing what we Brits did before. Provide your own proof of income and see what happens.

Originally Posted by Jools

I have until next October to get my next extension of stay, so this is not urgent. I am about to get married and I know the monthly requirement for income is 40 thousand baht. My total income is over twice that amount, but I keep a good bit of it in an American credit union. Since the situation with "income affidavits" has morphed into such a clusterfuck, no one seems to know what the replacement method might be. I am NOT going to put 400 to 800 thousand baht in a Thai bank because I don't have it. My passbook savings book with Bangkok Bank, clearly shows monthly deposits of 43 thousand baht. Would this suffice for proving monthly income? I would hate to use one of the insanely expensive visa services or have to move to Laos or the Philippines. My fiancee has made it clear that she will live nowhere but Thailand, so unless I can find a reasonable way to "prove" my income, (aside from documents that no Immigration officer is capable of reading) then I am screwed. Any reasonable replies are welcome, insults and replies telling me how stupid I am are better suited to ThaiVisa. I have posed this question there and got a collection of word salads and unrelated pontifications. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer. There are many very informed members here.

as you state your income is in an American credit union,your wife to be will not move out of Thailand,so you ask is there an alternative.
there are many stumbling blocks here in Thailand,nothing is simple so you need to plan ahead before getting married,the confirmation of the monthly requirement nobody's knows what they will come up with.now there is a bigger stumbling block that you might need to consider which is before what imm.come up with,IS what happens if you need to go into hospital,have you thought about that,unless you are covered.i would wait until something or nothing is explained in black or RED.as for other stumbling blocks,me I have been married for over 30yrs.and my feet are firmally on the ground,and know if your concerned about finances,think about it before you take the PLUNGE.

Thank you for your suggestion. It can't be used in my case since I am retired and not employed and Thai banks do not loan money with no collateral. They can't hold Social Security or other non-Thai income sources responsible, therefore....no loan, certainly not one in the amount of 400 thousand baht. The upshot of all this is that most of us will be forced to use hellishly expensive visa services, which was the plan all along. Thai Immigration will get a massive cut of the proceeds and the criminals who run "visa services", get to multiply like rabbits. I would NOT expect competition to drive prices down. There is absolutely no reason that such a service should cost more than eight thousand baht, until you figure in the "tea money".

You are dead on the money with the "hospital" comment. It's something I worry about every day, but there is little in the way of a solution except to fly back to the USA and access Medicare. It is beyond understanding how many third-world countries have functioning single-payer universal health care but Thailand does not. Many of these countries, Colombia, for example, are nowhere near as wealthy as Thailand. Westerners living in those countries can buy into these healthcare plans for less than a hundred USD a month.

I will be interested to see what the new process will be going forward. I know there have been many speculations on why they changed the program. I have my own suspicions but will keep them to myself but I do not believe it's all about bilking money from foreigners albeit one could argue why offer that visa service when the intent and claim of discontinuing the financial statement was to force the financially challenged foreigners out. It's like here is a new law and here is your loophole for a fee.... That said though the plan still may work as many likely cannot afford the "Visa Service" fees forcing people to leave.

Off topic a bit but in the bigger picture I laugh a bit because when you read Thai forums a huge number of foreigners constantly whinge about all the crappy systems in place here or lack of a system at all. People complain about lawlessness, no control, no police, etc etc and now they are starting to initiate system and controls and all the complainers are getting what they asked for and hate it. Can't have it both ways. As they say, becareful what you bitch about.

Originally Posted by Jools

You are dead on the money with the "hospital" comment. It's something I worry about every day, but there is little in the way of a solution except to fly back to the USA and access Medicare. It is beyond understanding how many third-world countries have functioning single-payer universal health care but Thailand does not. Many of these countries, Colombia, for example, are nowhere near as wealthy as Thailand. Westerners living in those countries can buy into these healthcare plans for less than a hundred USD a month.

for me I have no worries,and being in the 70's age group if I was or had to go into hospital for a life threatning illness there is no way I will let these greedy b--stads steel my money that I worked hard for,i would rather take my chance.if your wife is adamant she wont move I can only sugest raiding your finances in the usa.putting it into a fixed acc.in Thailand,at the moment interest rate's are low,eg.2% x 36months.so you can sleep at night and not worry what BIG J. is goner come up with.useing an agent is robbery and MAYBE JUST MAYBE that is what immigration are goner try and put a stop to the under the table brown envelopes.even government hospitals are jumping on the band wagon,only 6months ago they quoted me 25,000bht for a CTA SCAN.

Pragmatic
Just one question why do you put 800,000 into your Thai bank account? I thought you were married to a Thai so you could get a married visa and then only have to move 400,000 across each year.

@ Ootai,
I know a few that just do a retirement visa because its an easier more straight forward process. I was going to do that and my wife said after the initial "dog and pony" show for the marriage visa subsequent extension renewals and check ins are quite easy. So I went marriage and she was right. I also found after the fact there are perks to the marriage Visa such as you can work (with proper work permit). If you own a home you get a yellow book and I have some med benefits with my wife but have never had to try them so I have no idea how they work or the quality.

Originally Posted by ootai

I thought you were married to a Thai

I am.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

I know a few that just do a retirement visa because its an easier more straight forward process.

Absolutely right. Plus the extra 400,000 is my emergency fund in case of .

Originally Posted by JPPR2

Off topic a bit but in the bigger picture I laugh a bit because when you read Thai forums a huge number of foreigners constantly whinge about all the crappy systems in place here or lack of a system at all. People complain about lawlessness, no control, no police, etc etc and now they are starting to initiate system and controls and all the complainers are getting what they asked for and hate it. Can't have it both ways. As they say, becareful what you bitch about.

Oh the Irony - JPPR2 "bingo" on that statement. Life is that way, eh? Can't really have your cake and eat it to. Oh, the crosses we must bear.

Anyway, for the "Lot in Life" of a Thailand Expat - perhaps things are getting better "No Tips", is hopefully the "Tip of the Iceberg", we can only hope. Seems like the "Big Joke" ain't really jokin'

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

I am.

Absolutely right. Plus the extra 400,000 is my emergency fund in case of .

I am the same as PRAG.retirement extension is a dam site easer than the marriage way,i am one of the lucky ones who's wife has plenty,got by working HARD for 20yrs.in the uk. and has not got the farang virus GIVE ME.

Originally Posted by headhunter

I am the same as PRAG.retirement extension is a dam site easer than the marriage way

Yup, to double down on that statement. When I did the due diligence with my Thai Attorney, his opinion was (a few years ago) there is a lot of scrutiny concerning marriage visa's/extensions because there were many "fraudulent" ones, i.e. marriages to allow the under 50's to stay long-term. Didn't matter that I was older, I would still have to undergo the tedious investigation, photo's, interviews, etc. So, on his advice I did go the "retirement" visa route.

However, didn't matter, I wound up undergoing the investigation to get my yellow book registration. PIA, pictures, marriage certification, Embassy certifications, MFA certifications, and, of course translations of all. No police visit though, marriage certificate and translation from 20 years prior kinda "validated" the marriage.

Originally Posted by headhunter

one of the lucky ones who's wife has plenty, got by working HARD for 20yrs.in the uk. and has not got the farang virus GIVE ME.

KUDO's on that -mine's the same, in fact, I'm far more generous to her family than she is.

Originally Posted by Jools

I have until next October to get my next extension of stay

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Are you American? You can get an statement of income notorized at the embassy.

He may be outside the 6months window, but then he could apply 1 month? prior to the old extension date.

Worth checking!