Some Bangkok Embassies to stop Certification of Income Letters

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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by caller »

I still maintain we have to wait until the Thais tell us what will replace the Embassy letter. The whole point of the either / or and combi method, is already a recognition by the Thai's that not everyone will have 400/800k to leave lying around in a bank for a few months. So we need to see what alternative they will come up with.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

:agree:

There are a lot of scaremongers out there, and a lot of barroom second guessers. Thailand cant afford to lose hundreds of retirees. Likewise, the Bangkok office will go into meltdown if hundreds (thousands?) of retirees switch to Marriage Visas. We just have to wait and see.

Despite what many say about Immigration, I am sure they will come up with a sensible way forward.

The whole, "Embassies have to do............." scenario sounds to me like a typical General saying, "Make it so," with absolutely no comprehension of the impact/effects. I've worked with these guys all my life, and they are dangerous. We now have a couple of months for the Thai Civil Servants to bring sme sensibility to it.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by StevePIraq »

handdrummer wrote: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:25 pm The discrepancy between married and unmarried income is strange. Do the Thais think it's cheaper to be married than single.

I bank with Citibank and they don't issue a passbook, only monthly email statements. I don't know what I'll have to do if Immigration insists on passbooks. The Land of Everything Made Complicated and Difficult.
I questioned this at immigration and the answer is very simple. If one is married to a Thai you need 400k, your Thai spouse is expected to contribute to living expenses.

I know many will say this is rediculous but it is simplicity itself.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by europtimiste »

StevePIraq wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:44 pm
handdrummer wrote: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:25 pm The discrepancy between married and unmarried income is strange. Do the Thais think it's cheaper to be married than single.

I bank with Citibank and they don't issue a passbook, only monthly email statements. I don't know what I'll have to do if Immigration insists on passbooks. The Land of Everything Made Complicated and Difficult.
I questioned this at immigration and the answer is very simple. If one is married to a Thai you need 400k, your Thai spouse is expected to contribute to living expenses.

I know many will say this is rediculous but it is simplicity itself.
I would say: Thai brain answer.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by europtimiste »

StevePIraq wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:44 pm
handdrummer wrote: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:25 pm The discrepancy between married and unmarried income is strange. Do the Thais think it's cheaper to be married than single.

I bank with Citibank and they don't issue a passbook, only monthly email statements. I don't know what I'll have to do if Immigration insists on passbooks. The Land of Everything Made Complicated and Difficult.
I questioned this at immigration and the answer is very simple. If one is married to a Thai you need 400k, your Thai spouse is expected to contribute to living expenses.

I know many will say this is rediculous but it is simplicity itself.
And let us take advantage of this.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by lomuamart »

I find that a rather suspect reason. Around 11 years ago and for just one year, the marriage extension was proved by having the 400K in a Thai bank or by having family income of 40K a month. In other words, a Thai wife's income could be included. If my wife earned 30K a month, I only had to show 10K.
As said, that lasted a year and then was withdrawn and things went back to how they had been with the non-Thai partner having to satisfy all income or savings requirements.
I don't know if it's true but I've always placed more credence on the authorities requiring less for marriage extensions because the Thai wife is being taken care of. They like that. So, the opposite of what was mentioned above.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by europtimiste »

lomuamart wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:41 pm I find that a rather suspect reason. Around 11 years ago and for just one year, the marriage extension was proved by having the 400K in a Thai bank or by having family income of 40K a month. In other words, a Thai wife's income could be included. If my wife earned 30K a month, I only had to show 10K.
As said, that lasted a year and then was withdrawn and things went back to how they had been with the non-Thai partner having to satisfy all income or savings requirements.
I don't know if it's true but I've always placed more credence on the authorities requiring less for marriage extensions because the Thai wife is being taken care of. They like that. So, the opposite of what was mentioned above.
I call this mental masturbation. Stop to distort everything you weird bunch of farangs.
Take opportunity of marriage visa if you cannot afford 800k. Who cares if it's nonsense.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Henry 14th »

europtimiste wrote:
lomuamart wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:41 pm I find that a rather suspect reason. Around 11 years ago and for just one year, the marriage extension was proved by having the 400K in a Thai bank or by having family income of 40K a month. In other words, a Thai wife's income could be included. If my wife earned 30K a month, I only had to show 10K.
As said, that lasted a year and then was withdrawn and things went back to how they had been with the non-Thai partner having to satisfy all income or savings requirements.
I don't know if it's true but I've always placed more credence on the authorities requiring less for marriage extensions because the Thai wife is being taken care of. They like that. So, the opposite of what was mentioned above.
I call this mental masturbation. Stop to distort everything you weird bunch of farangs.
Take opportunity of marriage visa if you cannot afford 800k. Who cares if it's nonsense.
What if they aren’t married?


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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by europtimiste »

Henry 14th wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 5:57 pm
europtimiste wrote:
lomuamart wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:41 pm I find that a rather suspect reason. Around 11 years ago and for just one year, the marriage extension was proved by having the 400K in a Thai bank or by having family income of 40K a month. In other words, a Thai wife's income could be included. If my wife earned 30K a month, I only had to show 10K.
As said, that lasted a year and then was withdrawn and things went back to how they had been with the non-Thai partner having to satisfy all income or savings requirements.
I don't know if it's true but I've always placed more credence on the authorities requiring less for marriage extensions because the Thai wife is being taken care of. They like that. So, the opposite of what was mentioned above.
I call this mental masturbation. Stop to distort everything you weird bunch of farangs.
Take opportunity of marriage visa if you cannot afford 800k. Who cares if it's nonsense.
What if they aren’t married?


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None of our business.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by europtimiste »

Most of you knows as well as me that for those who cannot show up a decent income (65.000/a month) or 800k blocked 3 months, there is a solution: some agents, they do everything for you, costs 25.000 Bht. and you have a legal year visa.
I think still working as they still advert.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Henry 14th »

europtimiste wrote:
Henry 14th wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 5:57 pm
europtimiste wrote: I call this mental masturbation. Stop to distort everything you weird bunch of farangs.
Take opportunity of marriage visa if you cannot afford 800k. Who cares if it's nonsense.
What if they aren’t married?


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None of our business.
Your advice is so confident yet fails to consider basic prerequisites for said advice to be taken with any merit.


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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by HHTel »

Just picked up this post from a Hua Hin resident on another forum. The text is:
I have just returned from doing my 90 day report in the main Immigration office. Whilst there I asked if there was any acceptable proof of income other than the letter from the UK Embassy, such as bank statements/letter from the bank. I was told in no uncertain terms that without the Embassy letter I would not be able to extend my stay based on income; that my next renewal must be based on cash in the bank.

Doesn’t seem that any leeway is going to be given once the Embassy withdraws it’s service in December.
Hua Hin immigration are usually on the ball. So unless there are developments, the income route for us Brits is dead and buried.
However, nobody knows for sure until next year.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by HHTel »

The US Embassy have just issued an official statement.
Beginning January 1, 2019, U.S. Embassy Bangkok and U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai will no longer provide the income affidavit. We will not notarize previous versions of the income affidavit.
My guess is that this will spread to other embassies.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by STEVE G »

HHTel wrote: Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:35 am The US Embassy have just issued an official statement.
Beginning January 1, 2019, U.S. Embassy Bangkok and U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai will no longer provide the income affidavit. We will not notarize previous versions of the income affidavit.
My guess is that this will spread to other embassies.
Here's a link to that statement:
https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-mission-in ... affidavit/
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

I'm assuming that will affect more Americans than Brits. We've often had Americans on here saying they just pluck an acceptable number from the air, where as Brits should have always provided proof.
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