Thai Immigration Chiang Mai requiring proof of income

[travelerjim]

As reported on Thai visa
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1047827-another-change-for-us-citizens/
..be aware that the Chiang Mai Thai Immigration office is now requiring proof of income when applying for Extension of Stay ...the retirement visa. They no longer SOLELY accept the Affidavit of Income notarized letter from US Embassy or others.

"Leave it up to Immigration here in Chiang Mai to make it harder for a U.S. Citizen to get or re-apply for a retirement visa. Yesterday afternoon they up and changed the rules for showing proof of income. How besides that $50 rip off form from the U.S. Consulate you have to show where the money came from. You must provide poof of that money. In typical Thai fashion there was no prior notice to anyone. On Monday it was the normal procedure and those at Immigration early on Tuesday had no problem but then, Bam, the rules changed. Guys were caught at Promenada without that proof and were turned away. Needless to say there was quite a lot of really piss..ed off people. I found about this only two hours ago when I went to Assist Thai Visa to begin my renewal process. They never received any prior warning from Immigration and could only tell me what was now required. In my case I have to provide bank statements showing money deposited monthly into to account"

Tod Daniels is an expat expert on Immigration issues in Thailand...group is Thai visa advice.
Tod posted this in reply....

"And at this time that is ONLY in Chiang Mai, not at any other immigration office.

Be advised that if you're using the affidavit of income from abroad letter from your consulate in Chiang Mai that you take proof with you to show the amount on the letter is backed up by something.

So in an effort NOT to start a sh*t-storm of conjecture or speculation of what is or isn't going to happen, I'm gonna close commenting on it."

Tj

[cdnmatt]

Sure sucks when they change immigration law / regulations on you, doesn't it?

[mahjongguy]

"Sure sucks when they change immigration law / regulations on you"

There has been no change in the law or regulations. Immigration has always made it clear that they can and sometimes do require additional financial proof.

It sounds to me that the office in Chiang Mai is tired of being lied to. Just another example of why assholes cheating the system make it harder for everyone else.

[frequent]

It sounds to me that the office in Chiang Mai is tired of being lied to. Just another example of why assholes cheating the system make it harder for everyone else.It's another example of why the rule of law and Thailand are strangers to one another. Either the law is applied transparently - and consistently across Thailand - or it is subject to the whim of individual officials who, of course, can always then be bought

[Smiles]

Possibly the reason the CM Imm is asking for 'proof' of income lies in the fact that the US Embassy doesn't ask for 'proof' when they notorize the income letter.
Any American can get the notorized letter simply by swearing on the bible that their income statement is true. Lots of lies being bandied about going on there I'm certain.
An American I know here in Hua Hin lies through in his teeth everytime he goes his Embassy looking for the income letter. He laughs at it.

Many countries' Embassies, when providing an income letter, demand physical proof that the amount provided is true. For instance, the Canadian Embassy asks you to provide your latest income tax filing. Only after seeing that will they notorize the income letter.
In 10 years my income letter has never been questioned by Thai immigration.

[frequent]

Possibly the reason the CM Imm is asking for 'proof' of income lies in the fact that the US Embassy doesn't ask for 'proof' when they notorize the income letter. Any American can get the notorized letter simply by swearing on the bible that their income statement is true. Lots of lies being bandied about going on there I'm certain.

Many countries Embassies, when providing an income letter, demand physical proof that the amount provided is true. For instance, the Canadian Embassy asks you to provide your latest income tax filing. Only after seeing that will they notorize the income letter.
In 10 years my income letter has never been questioned by Thai immigration.

On the other hand there are some countries whose notarised declaration is along the lines of "Mr Smiles has told us his income is ..."

[scottish-guy]

I fail to see why one's income should be of any concern to the Thai authorities - it's not as if they're going to be doling benefits and free health care out to you should you become penniless - they'd just let you starve or die, or both (but they'd do it with a smile)

Basically an ex-pat farang is a one-way Income stream for Thailand - they should embrace that, rather than make it awkward to comply with pointless regulation

[frequent]

I fail to see why one's income should be of any concern to the Thai authorities - it's not as if they're going to be doling benefits and free health care out to you should you become penniless - they'd just let you starve or die, or both.They don't care if you become penniless - they want to ensure you have money to spend. Foreign visitors are merely ATMs don't forget, and there's nothing less useful than an empty ATM. Since visas are only extended year by year, all retirees are merely long-term visitors

[Smiles]

The process is not awkward at all. 15 minutes in the Embassy of your choice, then a day or so later, 20 minutes or so in ones nearest Immigration office and you are good to go for another year. Simple.

One can get around the whole letter thing if they are willing to satisfy the Immigration dudes that you have enough cash in a Thai bank to cover the requirement. Again, simple.

[frequent]

True but there are many people living from month to month on a pension, and they rely on the embassy affadavit

[scottish-guy]

...One can get around the whole letter thing if they are willing to satisfy the Immigration dudes that you have enough cash in a Thai bank to cover the requirement...

In that case the solution seems to be rather obvious - surely there aren't people living in Thailand solely on the basis of a monthly pension as Frequent suggests?

If so I hope it's not the UK State Pension as that would hardly even buy a daily wank from the +50yo massage boy in BT that people are talking about

[frequent]

In that case the solution seems to be rather obvious - surely there aren't people living in Thailand solely on the basis of a monthly pension as Frequent suggests?

If so I hope it's not the UK State Pension as that would hardly even buy a daily wank from the +50yo massage boy in BT that people are talking about

How narrow your perspective scotty. One of my closest friends is on a very substantial pension from CalPERS. Private pensions far outweigh state ones

[lonelywombat]

True but there are many people living from month to month on a pension, and they rely on the embassy affadavit

you cannot have it both ways. see above 12

[frequent]

you cannot have it both ways. see aboveSubtracting value again I see lonelywombat

[frequent]

The monthly income requirement is > 65,000 baht. The annual lump sum is 800,000 baht. Any fool (apart from lonelywombat) can work out that 65,000 baht is roughly 2,000 USD - substantially more than the state benefits of which scotty writes. Even a pension of twice that is only 4,000 USD or 130,000 baht a month. People have any number of reasons not to keep a lump sum in Thailand. I'm not sure (sorry, I am sure) why lonely wombat is incapable of seeing that, but there you are. Not everyone is a plutocrat like lonelywombat whose monthly pension is is around 10,000 USD a month

[billyhouston]

For long term visitors from the UK, the Thai Embassy in London offers a muliple-entry non-Immigrant Type-O visa. Valid for one year, you must leave the country every 90 days and the only financial requirement is 'a copy of the UK State Pension'.

[scottish-guy]

How narrow your perspective scotty. One of my closest friends is on a very substantial pension from CalPERS. Private pensions far outweigh state ones


Seriously, Frequent - that's twice in succession you have jumped on a comment I've made, both times getting it completely wrong.

I *clearly* stated I hoped people were not trying to live in Thailand on the basis of the "UK state pension" - which is the lowest of any developed country (OECD).

You then fly off the handle and berate me with an example of someone living it up on a private pension? Two completely different situations

If you don't get a grip you're going to turn into you-know-who - snapping at everything and everybody like a yappy flea-bitten old mutt with a bad case of piles.

[travelerjim]

TIT.....Bob on Gaybutton.com has posted this...
Geez, now it turns out that the poster that announced the policy change that started all the hoopla (227 posts on 16 forum pages so far on ThaiVisa) actually got his information from his visa agent and not from CM Immigration. And a few hours ago he finally posted again saying:
"It wasn't even four hours when the girl at Assist Thai Visa called me back to tell that Thai Immigration had recinded their earlier requirement addition and now for U.S. citizens all that was needed was the notarized form from the Consulate. Works for me. Thank you Thai Immigration."

In other words (to steal a quote from Emily Latella of Saturday Night live): "Never mind!"

So TIT...what and when to believe.
Hopefully this is true.

Thank you Bob...

http://www.gaybuttonthai.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9142&sid=13f30cccd5fd7c52582a7c1bd40d4df1&p=88718#p88718
Tj

[poshglasgow]

In that case the solution seems to be rather obvious - surely there aren't people living in Thailand solely on the basis of a monthly pension as Frequent suggests?

If so I hope it's not the UK State Pension as that would hardly even buy a daily wank from the +50yo massage boy in BT that people are talking about

I hear that the 50yo massage 'boy' can no longer offer the aforementioned service, as he now has arthritis in both wrists. Water sports, however, remain on the menu of delights, provided that customers are not fazed by an often sudden, unscheduled and uncontrollable torrent! Customers are advised - so I hear - that when asked which side of the bed they would prefer, to reply, "The shallow side please."

[justaguy]

I fail to see why one's income should be of any concern to the Thai authorities - it's not as if they're going to be doling benefits and free health care out to you should you become penniless - they'd just let you starve or die, or both (but they'd do it with a smile)

Basically an ex-pat farang is a one-way Income stream for Thailand - they should embrace that, rather than make it awkward to comply with pointless regulation

It is for any country in the world, so why not Thailand. They allow you to stay a full year, not questions asked,, all they need for you is to show you have 65K monthly, 800K in a bank account or a combination of the two, hardly unreasonable.

[gerefan2]

It is for any country in the world, so why not Thailand. They allow you to stay a full year, not questions asked,, all they need for you is to show you have 65K monthly, 800K in a bank account or a combination of the two, hardly unreasonable.

Only for those who haven’t got it

[frequent]

I've always thought of Thaivisa as a Whiners' Heaven, full of baseless rumours; this story confirms it for me

[francois]

Just goes to show how posting an unfounded and unsubstantiated rumor can lead to confusion if not havoc.

[Smiles]

Just goes to show how posting an unfounded and unsubstantiated rumor can lead to confusion if not havoc.
Absolutely. I would never ever use ThaiVisa as a stand-alone conveyor of information.

[kjun12]

Absolutely. I would never ever use ThaiVisa as a stand-alone conveyor of information.
And no intelligent person would believe what you say.

[travelerjim]

Once again Chiang Mai Immigration has asked an American expat for proof of his income.

And once again...Dear Smiles
From a respected Thai Visa Advice forum on facebook...this was posted:

"An American friend in Chiang Mai less than a week ago went to Thai Immigration to get another Retirement Visa with all required documents he's used for years and was denied. The refusal was based on not having documents to support the Financial Verification Statement from the U.S. Consulate. He was told if his monthly income is from the government he needs to have Social Security monthly statements and support for any other sources.
Have others also experienced this recently?
If this is a new interpretation of the Financial Statement be forwarned before you submit it in Chiang Mai."

Tod Daniels ...the expat expert on Thai visa advice also posted in reply:

"The reports I read seemed to show that it is NOT being enforced 100% of the time and in fact is rather hit or miss on if they will ask for proof to back up the notarized income letter.
I would heed the advice I give to everyone using the notarized affidavit of income from abroad letter from their consulate to meet the financial requirements DON'T put anything down on the letter you can't back up with documentation."

I share this as some may be using Chiang Mai Immigration. Be prepared to support your income affidavit letter you got from the US Embassy.

Tj

[travelerjim]

FYI...
Thai visa advice is a helpful forum on Facebook.

Its not Thai visa .com website.

I follow the Facebook forum daily. IMHO the advice given is correct and helpful to many who ask for advice.

Tj

[Old git]

When it comes to the shifting sands of Thai visa/immigration matters, the guys who lurk here:

https://www.huahinforum.com/viewforum.php?f=9&sid=5947e1bfff310a473be94304ded248c2

Are generally very well versed, and good at answering queries.

[scottish-guy]

When it comes to the shifting sands of Thai visa/immigration matters, the guys who lurk here...Are generally very well versed, and good at answering queries.

Should be the go-to place for all us Queeries who inhabit this board then

:drink: