I know we used to moan about the monthly Ranong trips - in the days when 30 day renewals were still limitless - but 20 odd grand would have paid for a years worth of renewals then.
A mess of a visa run...
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margaretcarnes
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A mess of a visa run
Good grief Poe that must be one of the most expensive visa runs ever! Aren't the daily coaches still running from Bangkok to Cambodia? Even a trip to Penang combined with a mini break there would be easier and cheaper. Especially from HH.
I know we used to moan about the monthly Ranong trips - in the days when 30 day renewals were still limitless - but 20 odd grand would have paid for a years worth of renewals then.
I know we used to moan about the monthly Ranong trips - in the days when 30 day renewals were still limitless - but 20 odd grand would have paid for a years worth of renewals then.
A sprout is for life - not just for Christmas.
Visa runs, rather than border hops, can get expensive. I had to do a couple of them to Penang a year and a half ago to get single entry Non Os. Even with staying in a budget hotel on Chulia Street, I managed to get through about 15k the first time and about 12k the second. All I got was 90 days on entry to Thailand, so that was working out at about 4,500k a month.
SJ,
When you apply for an annual extension on the basis of income - either for marriage or retirement - you need a letter from your Embassy verifying that income. The "proof" you need to show will vary depending on which Embassy you visit.
I got my letter from The British Embassy last week and showed the tenancy agreement for my property in London. That declared the monthly rent and was sufficient. Last year I supplied that and UK bank statements as well (the previous 3 months). My net income on the statements was erratic as my agents take their letting fee quarterly in advance and there were maintenance issues as well. However, I had transferred funds from a reserve/business account each month to make up any deficit so the total income each month was over what was necessary for Thai Imm's purposes.
When you apply for the letter at the British Embassy, the counter staff are really helpful. They'll ask whether there are any other revenue streams that you want included in the figure and if your income is variable, you'll have the opportunity to explain the reasons why. The staff will then write a figure down on their form and that'll be the figure they quote in their letter.
So, SJ is right. It is average income that matters. Imm here normally just want to see that letter and calculate the exchange rate on the day. They are entitled to ask for further evidence - ie bank statements, pension letter, tenancy agreements etc - but in my experience they never do. If you satisfy your Embassy, then that's good enough for them.
SJ,
When you apply for an annual extension on the basis of income - either for marriage or retirement - you need a letter from your Embassy verifying that income. The "proof" you need to show will vary depending on which Embassy you visit.
I got my letter from The British Embassy last week and showed the tenancy agreement for my property in London. That declared the monthly rent and was sufficient. Last year I supplied that and UK bank statements as well (the previous 3 months). My net income on the statements was erratic as my agents take their letting fee quarterly in advance and there were maintenance issues as well. However, I had transferred funds from a reserve/business account each month to make up any deficit so the total income each month was over what was necessary for Thai Imm's purposes.
When you apply for the letter at the British Embassy, the counter staff are really helpful. They'll ask whether there are any other revenue streams that you want included in the figure and if your income is variable, you'll have the opportunity to explain the reasons why. The staff will then write a figure down on their form and that'll be the figure they quote in their letter.
So, SJ is right. It is average income that matters. Imm here normally just want to see that letter and calculate the exchange rate on the day. They are entitled to ask for further evidence - ie bank statements, pension letter, tenancy agreements etc - but in my experience they never do. If you satisfy your Embassy, then that's good enough for them.
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Wanderlust
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Firstly concerning Poe's list, I don't think you should include food and drinks, as they are something you would have anyway if you were in HH/Thailand, which knocks about 3000 off the total given.
Secondly, as regards SJ's suggestion, that works if the proof being given to Thai immigration is monthly income in a Thai bank, but not when the income is to a UK bank - as far as I know the British Embassy will not issue a letter declaring your income based solely on how much is going into your UK bank; they need to see the source of the funds, and it has to be a regular amount, otherwise someone in my position could just make an ATM withdrawal here of, say 20k baht, and then just transfer that back to the UK every month before withdrawing it again. Thinking about it, in theory I could do that in Thailand - withdraw my money from my UK bank and then pay it into a Thai one, and then withdraw it and pay it in again thus 'doubling' what I receive, but I think Thai immigration are too smart to let someone get away with that and would ask to see proof of the source of the funds. It could also look like you are earning money in Thailand, against what is allowed on your visa.
Secondly, as regards SJ's suggestion, that works if the proof being given to Thai immigration is monthly income in a Thai bank, but not when the income is to a UK bank - as far as I know the British Embassy will not issue a letter declaring your income based solely on how much is going into your UK bank; they need to see the source of the funds, and it has to be a regular amount, otherwise someone in my position could just make an ATM withdrawal here of, say 20k baht, and then just transfer that back to the UK every month before withdrawing it again. Thinking about it, in theory I could do that in Thailand - withdraw my money from my UK bank and then pay it into a Thai one, and then withdraw it and pay it in again thus 'doubling' what I receive, but I think Thai immigration are too smart to let someone get away with that and would ask to see proof of the source of the funds. It could also look like you are earning money in Thailand, against what is allowed on your visa.
WL,
As said before, I've done the income letter twice now at the British Embassy.
The first year, I didn't really know what they'd need, so took along my Tenancy Agreement and UK bank statements. As explained above, there were legitimate discrepancies between gross and net income (gross is what matters) and I tried to explain them in a covering letter.
The Embassy weren't really interested in all my blurb. They were interested in proof of the income, where it came from etc.
I havn't asked for the letter solely on the basis of UK bank statements before. Last week I just gave them my tenancy agreement and that was fine - proof of how the income's generated, I suppose.
Last year, the staff asked me whether I wanted "any other income" included in the total - they'd probably have wanted to see proof, so I assume bank statements would have shown that.
So, I really think that there's a possibility of "talking" to them. They are helpful.
As I'm sure you're aware, here's the link to the website:
http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help- ... -thailand/
And also worth mentioning that whenever I've had to email the consular section with questions, I've had a reply the same day.
Apologies to the OP, we've strayed a bit off topic now and I'm not going to try and mess with splitting the posts
As said before, I've done the income letter twice now at the British Embassy.
The first year, I didn't really know what they'd need, so took along my Tenancy Agreement and UK bank statements. As explained above, there were legitimate discrepancies between gross and net income (gross is what matters) and I tried to explain them in a covering letter.
The Embassy weren't really interested in all my blurb. They were interested in proof of the income, where it came from etc.
I havn't asked for the letter solely on the basis of UK bank statements before. Last week I just gave them my tenancy agreement and that was fine - proof of how the income's generated, I suppose.
Last year, the staff asked me whether I wanted "any other income" included in the total - they'd probably have wanted to see proof, so I assume bank statements would have shown that.
So, I really think that there's a possibility of "talking" to them. They are helpful.
As I'm sure you're aware, here's the link to the website:
http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help- ... -thailand/
And also worth mentioning that whenever I've had to email the consular section with questions, I've had a reply the same day.
Apologies to the OP, we've strayed a bit off topic now and I'm not going to try and mess with splitting the posts
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Wanderlust
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That will make life easier if I'm to finish without a retirement scheme, which would mean taking a 20% hit on my pension,Note to self:Wanderlust wrote:Thanks for that lomu, and given that I am the OP I don't think I mind! I have also found the consular section at the British Embassy very efficient, but then again they should be given how much they charge!
Lesson number 10:
I must read the thread properly before replying!!
The letter costs the round figure of 2,088THB. If I had got myself into gear a bit earlier, I could have done it all by EMS mail - an extra 100THB for the return letter.
Instead, the Brain of Britain had to wake up extremely early on Wednesday and Friday to get the minibuses and "do the business". I was back in HH around midday each time.
So, yes. I huge sum for a few paragraphs of text and I'm sure that all BKK based Embassies are rubbing their hands with glee as Thai Imm now require a new letter each year
Hmmm....in August I renewed my visa based on retirement for a second time useing the original British Embassy Letter of Income.lomuamart wrote: I'm sure that all BKK based Embassies are rubbing their hands with glee as Thai Imm now require a new letter each year
Immigration took a photocopy and gave me the original back saying I could use it again next year for a third time before obtaining a new one.
So,unless something has changed in the last couple of weeks,I would question the need for a new letter yearly.
Unless different Immigration Offices apply different rules.....again !
I'm guessing that they would allow the average 40k monthly income to come from any number of income sources, ie: part interest from savings account, part rental, part UK business, part other investments etc. So maybe they allow an Embassy letter for 30k+ a month and Thai bank statements showing regular monthly (or quartely to save TT fees transfers) of a.n.other' income of 10k a month ?Wanderlust wrote:Secondly, as regards SJ's suggestion, that works if the proof being given to Thai immigration is monthly income in a Thai bank, but not when the income is to a UK bank - as far as I know the British Embassy will not issue a letter declaring your income based solely on how much is going into your UK bank
The latter could be done 'this end' quarterly or yearly if the cash is available by various means like money already in UK, farang income here if WP, wife transferring money to UK, family/friends carrying travellers cheques back (think you're allowed to carry 10k Sterling per trip), Western Union etc, so that it does not come directly from a farang without WP.
Just a thought, think there's a few people affected by this due to exchange rates and some year soon they'll increase the income requirement by a large amount, as they seem to do it every 'x' number of years in one go. Can see why they have previously 'grandfathered' pension income as some are non-inflation linked but other income may be looked upon differently.
SJ
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Wanderlust
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SJ,
I think if someone had income from other sources that they could prove then they would just present that along with their main income to the Embassy so the letter would incorporate all of it. A regular cash 'gift' from a wife or family member cannot be proved other than the money going into the bank, and that could be done as I suggested by withdrawing your own money and redepositing it, and therefore is likely to be rejected in my opinion. There does have to be some sort of paper trail, like rental agreements, official letters or whatever, so if they exist then the Embassy would include them. Wife's income cannot be included, a change made at the back end of last year.
I think if someone had income from other sources that they could prove then they would just present that along with their main income to the Embassy so the letter would incorporate all of it. A regular cash 'gift' from a wife or family member cannot be proved other than the money going into the bank, and that could be done as I suggested by withdrawing your own money and redepositing it, and therefore is likely to be rejected in my opinion. There does have to be some sort of paper trail, like rental agreements, official letters or whatever, so if they exist then the Embassy would include them. Wife's income cannot be included, a change made at the back end of last year.
WL, what I was meaning by using wife funds is many couples have the 40k as part of it the Thai wife earns, but as you say they can not now use that. By sending that to UK or wherever and then back to the farangs Thai bank account it would show as an additional income. Seeing as immigration do not investigate the source if directly into a Thai bank then should be able to be used to get people over the 40k required.
SJ
SJ
That's interesting. I must admit that I havn't tried for an extension with the old letter. It could have saved me some money and a lot of traveling.Zidane wrote:Hmmm....in August I renewed my visa based on retirement for a second time useing the original British Embassy Letter of Income.lomuamart wrote: I'm sure that all BKK based Embassies are rubbing their hands with glee as Thai Imm now require a new letter each year
Immigration took a photocopy and gave me the original back saying I could use it again next year for a third time before obtaining a new one.
So,unless something has changed in the last couple of weeks,I would question the need for a new letter yearly.
Unless different Immigration Offices apply different rules.....again !
I'll ask at Imm.