New Police Order for Visa Extensions

[mudcat]

We (my wife is also a U.S. citizen), always declare the derisory interest earned in our Bangkok Bank accounts and note on the bottom of my income tax Schedule B that we have bank accounts in here but that are not subject to FBAR. (FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and FinancialAccounts (FBAR)). Next year when my immigration hostage account will be over USD10,000 I will also need to file my FinCen Form 114 separate from taxes.

[Dannie Boy]

https://www.thephuketnews.com/holding-t ... 9mLQC3U.97

That’s the clearest explanation so far - let’s hope HH Immigration apply the same rules!!

[handdrummer]

That’s the clearest explanation so far.

Sort of.

[caller]

Clear, well yes. But logical - no?

The various Embassies that stopped notarising (or whatever your Embassy did), did so, because of the requirement to verify. Then the guy in Phuket (allegedly) comes out with this:

"As many embassies no longer issue affidavits confirming income, this is no longer required, he said, noting that letters from governments and pension fund providers will be accepted along with other forms of evidence to prove the income pending".

Firstly, he's not being directly quoted as in other parts of the article and secondly, what was the point of asking the Embassies to do more than what they were doing, when this even removes the little safeguard that the Embassy notarisation provided? If this is true, the printers will be working overtime providing such letters - and what exactly are 'the other forms of evidence to prove the income pending'?

However, if the bit about combining 400k with other income is true, as I have not seen that anywhere else, then that will good news for many I am sure.

I'm still not convinced.

[handdrummer]

It will, as usual, come down to whichever officer you talk to and what mood he's in at the time. There are days when I can understand someone walking into a govt. building and shooting up the place. Note to Mods; just kidding.

[Governor]

I’m also a big fan of TransferWise, the down side, for those using the monthly income method to extend stays, is they use local banks to complete the transfers which doesn’t satisfy our friends in Immigration, though this can be got round.

Is this a fact, or is it bar talk/scaremongering? If a fact, can you please expand, especially the 'can be got round' element?

It’s a fact, it’s neither bar talk or scaremongering.
Immigration require that those using the monthly income method demonstrate that the funds are received from overseas, every month.
The way TransferWise works is that if I transfer say 65,000 Baht from the UK they marry up my transfer with somebody who is moving cash the other way, my 65,000 Baht doesn’t actually travel from the UK.
When the funds reach my account with Kasikorn they are shown as a domestic transfer, this is not acceptable to our friends in Immigration, despite the fact that I had a paper trail from my bank in the UK confirming that the funds were transferred from them to TW and from TW to KK, as we all know they like a simple letter from a bank or, for some, a letter from an Embassy.
I was aware that Bangkok Bank would show the deposits as an International Transfer, so I opened an account with them in Bluport and have asked TW to route transfers via them, they also use TMB and KK neither of which will show up as an International Transfer.
Not really a way of getting round the issue, just making sure that my transfers comply with Immigration’s requirements.

[Big Boy]

Is it a fact though? I've not heard of anybody being refused because they use Transferwise. I monitor quite a few sites, and would have thought I'd have heard of a refusal by now, about 6 months into it.

[Edit] I've tried visiting/asking Immigration face to face, but they were not interested. Maybe I'll try using the Immigration Help Line phone number that they gave on the video clarifying the insurance problem.

[Governor]

We’re probably too soon into the new system for refusals, I’m thinking ahead having recently renewed my extension with a letter from the British Embassy.
There have been plenty of posts on another site where people have been advised that domestic transfers and TW paper trails wouldn’t be regarded as being compliant even if no refusals yet, I’m just thinking ahead, I just want an easy life.

[Chazz14]

I also use TransferWise to transfer my pension. It appears that several extra bits of info will be required to complete the audit trail going forward...

My U.K. bank (Nationwide) shows TransferWise transactions as "TransferWise London". On receipt of the email from TransferWise confirming your money has been sent they provide a link to their website to print a PDF receipt for the transfer. The info on their receipt confirms that my money was sent to my bank here (SCB) and also quotes my a/c no - which can be checked against my pass book and the annual statement obtained from SCB. Importantly, it also clearly states that it relates to a GBP to THB transfer and the amount that the Thai bank will receive...

When I attend for my next extension, in addition to the usual paper mountain, I will print off U.K. bank statements for the last 12 months together with the corresponding TransferWise receipts. I will number each monthly entry from 1 to 12.

The monthly transfer dates will correspond from Nationwide, via TransferWise, to SCB.

P.S. If this extra paperwork (together with all the usual bumph) does not satisfy Immi's new requirements, they might as well stop issuing Retirement Visas!

[Big Boy]

My thoughts exactly. As soon as my new passport arrives, I will go through the process (anytime from June 8th) and will report back. Critical path at the moment is getting my new passport back.