Some Bangkok Embassies to stop Certification of Income Letters

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lomuamart
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by lomuamart »

Dannie Boy,
I was being hateful about the lazy sods at the Embassy - true. Their change of location will not have been their decision but unless income letters or their equivalents around the world have been done away with, then that has been their local decision and that impacts on me and many others.
So, they are still lazy, ignorant, arrogant w*****s.
Twenty years ago, I could have walked into the embassy (they don't deserve a capital letter any more) with my Thai wife or g/f as they applied for a UK visa. Then, I couldn't go into the building with her but had to wait around outside in the smoking area. Then they wouldn't let me in to the grounds at all. I just smoked outside on Wireless Road under the watchful gaze of Thai Special Forces and maybe some Gurkhas. My embassy? Now the visa process is farmed out and no-one gets anywhere near the damn embassy.
Similarly, 10 years ago I used to go to the embassy for my income letter. I was up and down to BKK in a day with a bit of laugh during waiting time. Then the embassy said, no you can't come here for a letter. Do it by post or more latterly even by email. We don't want to see you.
If I was ever unlucky enough to get in a spot of bother here, would the embassy help me? Of course not.
So, the w*****s can sip their Martinis on Silom and breath in the fresh air from now on. Do I care? Not a jot. Som nom na.
I'm glad to have got that rant off my chest. I need a beer!! (Or maybe a G&T on Silom)!!
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Dannie Boy »

I totally understand your frustrations and I have experienced similar free access to the British Embassies in Abu Dhabi and Karachi in years gone by, but I still doubt that the restrictions on access were local decisions but made by some burocrat in a big London office who either doesn’t know and/or doesn’t care about the consequences. Still, the G&T solution sounds like the best solution
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by caller »

I think there is much missing of the point here.

1. At the moment, the British and I am sure other Embassies simply notarise the evidence folk like me present to them. They do not verify it.

2. Verifying means liaison with the income provider to confirm what punters like me present to the Embassy is true. No Embassy can provide that service, which would require, because of DP, a letter from me, to each income provider, asking them to confirm my income to the Embassy. It is simply too time consuming and costly. There are also legal issues in respect of DP, as the income provider can request payment for providing such data, or simply refuse to comply (too much effort), as they can not be forced to provide such data in these circumstances (as the law stands (UK)).

3. It is the British Embassy and I have just read elsewhere of another Embassy doing so, telling us that as an alternative, we must now provide monthly evidence of the required income paid into our Thai accounts. We have yet to hear what the Thai authorities are saying as this currently isn't a legal requirement as the regs stand.

It's my guess, that the Thai authority responsible for proposing this change, simply doesn't understand DP as it's next to non-existent here and I suspect will have been surprised by the various Embassies response. So whilst I will now make preparations to comply with sending 65k each and every month (and retrospectively I don't comply as there was simply no need to), I think we need to hear what the Thai authorities response to this will be?
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

Exactly, nobody knows what will be required. I feel sorry for the pathfinders who will find out for the rest of us early next year. They will basically be the cannon fodder, to allow the rest of us to continue to live here without too much hassle in the future.

Personally, my way of thinking at the moment is:
  • If I can prove my income easily, nothing will change. I will remain on my Retirement Visa.
  • I normally keep between 200K and 600K in a bank account here - I will not change.
  • If they won't accept my income, I will not contemplate making the fat cat banks even richer by incurring monthly transfer fees.
  • I will switch to a Marriage Visa, which sort of falls in line with my current, self imposed Thai bank cash limits. More work for them, but if they don't want to believe my current income levels, stuff them. They are basically calling me a liar, so I'll switch to the next best method for me.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by PeteC »

This issue could be an early test for the new immigration chief. If he truly means what he says, "Good in, Bad out", he should come up with an alternative to the embassy letter that is no more difficult or costly to obtain than the embassy letter was.

If he is anti all foreigners as I suspect, he'll make the alternative more difficult and costly. Pete
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Groodman »

I moved to Thailand with my Thai wife & have no plans to return to the UK, paid for both my stepsons to go to university, One who's wife is expecting his first child,bought a house in which we live & additional properties which are in my wife's name & are rented (producing Baht 20000pm) so I cannot use the income for my visa extension, bought a car. To do this I had to borrow from a bank, having been turned down by Thai Banks I borrowed in the UK. My pension is about £1800pm. I live in the Bangsaphan area (which is quite but it suits us & is cheaper to live in than Bangkok & the major tourist resorts), due to previous health problems no longer drink or smoke. All we need to live on is about Baht 35000pm.

I can bring the required income to Thailand for my Visa Extension but will not have the funds to cover the loan in the UK.

It looks as if I will have to bring my full pension over to Thailand then repatriate £500 back to the UK for the monthly loan payments & additional bank charges as things stand where no doubt HMRC will try to tax me as income again. Crazy.

I thought that educating my stepsons & buying property for my wife was doing the 'right' thing for me to do living in Thailand.

Moving back to the UK is not an option, my wife missed her sons from growing up when living in the UK for 16 years. I cannot deprive her of seeing her grandchildren grow up. I tried but got turned down for UK Visas for my stepsons when they were in their 20s. I could return to the UK to a lonely existence but would still have to send money to my wife leaving me about £100pw for accommodation & living expenses

I cannot be the only person in this siiuation,

Hopefully the Embassy & Thai Immigration will come up with a reasonable/sensible solution. Wishful thinking?

However, if anyone has any sensible ideas (or (something I have missed) they would be much appreciated.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Nereus »

………………. the Thai authority responsible for proposing this change, simply doesn't understand DP...……quote]

Well I am glad it is not only me!¬ :?
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by buksida »

Looks like the only ones profiting from this fiasco will be the banks creaming off further fees and forex commissions.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by T.O.M. »

Groodman wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 3:16 pm I moved to Thailand with my Thai wife & have no plans to return to the UK, paid for both my stepsons to go to university, One who's wife is expecting his first child,bought a house in which we live & additional properties which are in my wife's name & are rented (producing Baht 20000pm) so I cannot use the income for my visa extension, bought a car. To do this I had to borrow from a bank, having been turned down by Thai Banks I borrowed in the UK. My pension is about £1800pm. I live in the Bangsaphan area (which is quite but it suits us & is cheaper to live in than Bangkok & the major tourist resorts), due to previous health problems no longer drink or smoke. All we need to live on is about Baht 35000pm.

I can bring the required income to Thailand for my Visa Extension but will not have the funds to cover the loan in the UK.

It looks as if I will have to bring my full pension over to Thailand then repatriate £500 back to the UK for the monthly loan payments & additional bank charges as things stand where no doubt HMRC will try to tax me as income again. Crazy.

I thought that educating my stepsons & buying property for my wife was doing the 'right' thing for me to do living in Thailand.

Moving back to the UK is not an option, my wife missed her sons from growing up when living in the UK for 16 years. I cannot deprive her of seeing her grandchildren grow up. I tried but got turned down for UK Visas for my stepsons when they were in their 20s. I could return to the UK to a lonely existence but would still have to send money to my wife leaving me about £100pw for accommodation & living expenses

I cannot be the only person in this siiuation,

Hopefully the Embassy & Thai Immigration will come up with a reasonable/sensible solution. Wishful thinking?

However, if anyone has any sensible ideas (or (something I have missed) they would be much appreciated.
The solution is very simple.
You use the combination method.....Savings + income
Since you are able to transfer 1300 Pounds monthly (left after paying the loan in the UK) That equals 50.000+ baht per month = 600.000/year. That means that you will have to keep 200.000 baht in a savings account here, and immigration will be happy.
If I have done your numbers correctly...your income at the moment is double your present spending, which means it shouldn't be too difficult to save a little money here.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

T.O.M. wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:36 pm The solution is very simple.
You use the combination method.....Savings + income
Back to the same question - how will income be proved as genuine? If your answer is money transferred to Thailand as shown on your bank statement, this is a new element for eligibility, and can you please state where it is written that it will be acceptable to the Thai authorities?
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by HHTel »

If this is going to apply to all embassies (I would hope that is the case), I wonder how the Americans view it. Until now their income letter from their embassy is only in the form of an affidavit signed by them. Immigration have been accepting these letters which does not prove income at all.
At least the British Embassy demand proof before issuing a letter.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by HHTel »

From another source:
However, the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok on Tuesday told Thaivisa: "there is no plan to change anything related to income letters for the immediate future".
I know the source should not be used but I thought this being very relevant an exception might be made.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by T.O.M. »

Big Boy wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:53 pm
T.O.M. wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:36 pm The solution is very simple.
You use the combination method.....Savings + income
Back to the same question - how will income be proved as genuine? If your answer is money transferred to Thailand as shown on your bank statement, this is a new element for eligibility, and can you please state where it is written that it will be acceptable to the Thai authorities?
Quote from The Nation yesterday:
"A bank statement should in future be used as the supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa, the embassy said"
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

"The Embassy said :? " Thais don't take kindly to outside interference in their affairs unless its China.

I won't be convinced until the Thai Authorities say.
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Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by T.O.M. »

Big Boy wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 6:30 pm "The Embassy said :? " Thais don't take kindly to outside interference in their affairs unless its China.

I won't be convinced until the Thai Authorities say.
Then go and ask immigration....!
And you will get the "answer of the day"...Which may/ may not still be valid, when it is time for your renewal....
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