Some Bangkok Embassies to stop Certification of Income Letters

[STEVE G]

The website is in Thai but applies only to non-Thais. Brilliant.

I see that your age determines your cost of living. Are these people insane or just stupid?

Those financial requirements depending on age are what the regulations were back in 1998 and as long as those who got their extensions then and have continuously extended every year since then, they continue to have to meet the old requirements/financials.
This is what "grandfathering" is about.
Hope that makes sense.

There's a bit that's confused me, how could you have been granted a retirement visa in 1998 and be between 55 and 60 years old now? Was there no age restrictions on retirement visas then?

[T.O.M.]

The website is in Thai but applies only to non-Thais. Brilliant.

I see that your age determines your cost of living. Are these people insane or just stupid?

Those financial requirements depending on age are what the regulations were back in 1998 and as long as those who got their extensions then and have continuously extended every year since then, they continue to have to meet the old requirements/financials.
This is what "grandfathering" is about.
Hope that makes sense.

There's a bit that's confused me, how could you have been granted a retirement visa in 1998 and be between 55 and 60 years old now? Was there no age restrictions on retirement visas then?

Marriage visa is the answer....Either continued extensions of that...or later turned into retirement visa.

[STEVE G]

OK, it actually says consecutive retirement visas but maybe that isn't exactly what they mean.

[lomuamart]

It is confusing but the qualifying retirement age was higher pre October 1998 and the financial requirements lower.
It's badly worded but what they mean is that if you were 60 in 1998, the financial requirements for retirement extensions were 200/20K and 500/50K if between 55-60. If you're still alive and have continuously extended every year since then (ie not let your extension date pass by and had to start again with a new visa), then the same financials apply for you in 2019. That's the "grandfathering".
Post October 1998, the regulations changed (that's the last time they did until now) and the retirement age was dropped to 50 but the financials went up to 800/65K.
If anyone did let their extension date pass by between 1998 to now, for whatever reason, then they'd be hit with the current financials of 800/65K when they re-applied.
Must admit that I thought the retirement age of 60 and 55-60 with the money stuff had happened in two stages but the post suggests it all happened in October 1998. The effect is still the same. There are some pretty elderly folk out there who will qualify for their retirement extensions this year by only showing 200/20K (subject to the topic of Embassy letters).

[HHTel]

That's the "grandfathering".

Applying to people over 80, I'd say that was 'great-great-grandfathering'. lol!

[T.O.M.]

Found this on the internet......

immm.jpg (94.78 KiB) Viewed 582 times

[handdrummer]

What if the money is transferred twice a year and not monthly?

[smiles]

I'm a Canadian and have lived in Hua Hin for 11 years, first on a O-A Retirement Visa, then after that 10 years of Extensions. (My Extension 'date' is Sept 14.)

My option regarding the "income" part of the Extension paperwork has always been the Letter of Income certified by the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok. All has gone well for these many years using that option (the other options being 1. the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, and 2. the letter from a Thai bank certifying that you have at least 65,000 baht a month in that bank.)

But this year things have apparently become more complicated. The Immigration 'rules' regarding Extensions have been changed. Four or five Embassies have ceased issuing Letters of Income.
The Canadian Embassy will still notorise a Letter of Income. Unlike some Embassies, the Canadian Embassy requires proof before granting the Letter.

Having given the history on this, and acknowledging that things have changed in Thai Immigration rules my question is this: Is Thai Immigration accepting Embassy 'notorised Letters of Income' (from those countries who still give them out) as an option anymore?
Or, has this option gone by the wayside?
I'd like to hear from knowledgeable folks on this issue ... especially from anyone who has successfully received an Extension using an Embassy Letter of Income in the last few months?
------------------------------------------------------------------------

PS: a Norwegian friend of mine received his Extension using his Embassy Income Letter, but that was in January. A bit far back I think.
Secondly, I read a post on another message board stating that in April ~ this year ~ he received his Extension using the Embassy option (and nothing else money-wise). This was in Jomtien Imm..

[smiles]

Why was my post moved, with no consultation , and was placed in a really long thread called " ... Some Bangkok Embassies to stop Certification of Income Letters ... " which was NOT even my issue!
Damn it guys ... what was the point?

[T.O.M.]

"Having given the history on this, and acknowledging that things have changed in Thai Immigration rules my question is this: Is Thai Immigration accepting Embassy 'notorised Letters of Income' (from those countries who still give them out) as an option anymore?
Or, has this option gone by the wayside?" Quote

Nothing has changed for you as Canadian.
Immigration will only be too happy to accept your "Letter of Income" from the Canadian Embassy.....less work and headache for them.

[huahin4ever]

I have 2 Norwegian friends which renewed using income letter from the Embassy now end April. Immigration also confirmed no change for Norwegians since the letter is based on the annual tax statement in Norway which is very hard to falsify since most Government offices have access to this one electronically.

YNWA

[smiles]

Thanks TBWA and TOM. Sounds to me very positive experiments regarding my query.
Seems the Norwegian and Canadian Embassies are on the same train as one's latest Tax Return being the Best Go-To to successfuly receive the Income Letter.

Now let's hope Thai Imm will feel the love and send me home with yet another Extension in my passport.