Some Bangkok Embassies to stop Certification of Income Letters

Visa questions, companies, work permits, employment, insurance, banking and finance, and legal issues.
Post Reply
limbu
Member
Member
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 10:27 am

Some Bangkok Embassies to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by limbu »

I received this email today from GOV.UK
World news story
British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters
From 1 January 2019, the British Embassy Bangkok will no longer be providing British Nationals with letters confirming their income.
Published 8 October 2018
From:
British Embassy Bangkok

This letter has previously served as a supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa. The British Embassy Bangkok is stopping the certification of income letters because it is unable to fulfil the Thai authorities’ requirements to verify the income of British Nationals.

British Nationals should now demonstrate that they have an amount of at least 800,000 THB in an account in Thailand for no less than three months prior to the visa application, or a monthly income of at least 65,000 THB transferred into an account in Thailand for a retirement visa. For a marriage visa, the amounts are 400,000 THB in an account in Thailand for no less than three months prior to the visa application, or a monthly income of at least 40,000 THB transferred into an account in Thailand. A bank statement should be used as the supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa.

All British Nationals concerned should note that the last date for income letter applications is 12 December 2018.
User avatar
Dannie Boy
Hero
Hero
Posts: 12098
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:12 pm
Location: Closer to Cha Am than Hua Hin

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Dannie Boy »

Another nail in the coffin
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
NOKYAI
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1046
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:38 am
Location: Hua hin
Contact:

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by NOKYAI »

Or another loophole! There is no mention of how many months bank statements are needed showing B40,000 being deposited from abroad! I guess you could just send the same B40,000 round and round for a few months! Might be easier for some who struggle to keep the higher amount in an account for 3 months ;-)
Enjoying 'Retirement'....So many jobs to do, I don't know how I ever had time to work!
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

I must say, I thought this news would have been devastating for some, and generated a huge reaction. I know a few people who rely on this method. If the Embassy won't issue a letter of confirmation, is there another way of proving income?
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
PeteC
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29988
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:58 am
Location: All Blacks training camp

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by PeteC »

There has to be. The Thai regulation requiring an embassy letter is meaningless even if just one country opts out like Britain has now done. I would expect some kind of directive that in lieu of a letter, a notarized current copy of the government or company pension statement will suffice. Let's see............ Pete :cheers:
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by lomuamart »

Well, I thought this was a wind up until I checked a very unused email address and there the alert was.
To my knowledge, The Brit Embassy is the first to do away with income letters - at least in the "western world". And, it was one of the few that required proof of income to issue the letter.
Can't be bothered to see a UK national in the consular to be with his/her Thai partner for an application for a UK visa. Then, can't come into the grounds of the embassy to accompany your partner. (I've been through both of those) Then farmed out to other places in BKK.
Then they won't see us for the income letter.
Now it seems that they won't issue one.
Remember, so far, this isn't down to the Thai authorities changing the goalposts it's just down to our government's total disregard of us and a sorry state of the UK. Hey, they sold off some of that prime real estate recently, didn't they. Brittania rules the waves - I think not.
I'm going to go on a tax strike.
T.O.M.
Banned
Banned
Posts: 302
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 6:32 pm

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by T.O.M. »

Big Boy wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:18 pm I must say, I thought this news would have been devastating for some, and generated a huge reaction. I know a few people who rely on this method. If the Embassy won't issue a letter of confirmation, is there another way of proving income?
Well, I guess you will have to do like any other nationality (except US & Australia).
How do the Swedes, Danes, Swiss or Germans do it?
Their embassies don't issue fake confirmation income letters.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

Sorry T.O.M. I don't understand what you are saying. Are you saying the Swedes, Danes, Swiss and Germans are doing something illegal? Or are you suggesting the British Embassy were issuing fake letters? Could you please clarify?

What does any other nationality (except US & Australia) do?
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by lomuamart »

T.O.M. wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:38 pm
Big Boy wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:18 pm I must say, I thought this news would have been devastating for some, and generated a huge reaction. I know a few people who rely on this method. If the Embassy won't issue a letter of confirmation, is there another way of proving income?
Well, I guess you will have to do like any other nationality (except US & Australia).
How do the Swedes, Danes, Swiss or Germans do it?
Their embassies don't issue fake confirmation income letters.
I think you're missing the point. Maybe BB is British?
Seems to me that Imm may well start insisting that the income requirements are transferred into a Thai bank every month.
Ie, they don't care how much income you have from abroad as long as you can demonstrate that 65K/40K a month at least is transferred over here.
No good any more having a pension of 80K and just bringing over 30K. They want to see 65K a month.
Welcome the new Imm boss.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

I've just been reading the link https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_22

Paragraph 5 should cover anybody genuinely living here i.e.:
Have money in a year And have a bank deposit. Calculate at least 800,000 baht,
up to the date of application.
Personally, I tend to transfer £10K twice a year, so that should easily cover me. Nothing about monthly transfers.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by lomuamart »

Thing is, BB that the combination method has always been available. I've never used it but if, for instance, I had 600K in the bank then I could make the rest up by income (200K divided by 12). But where's that income confirmation going to come from - if it was ever necessary? The Brit Embassy aren't going to issue anything by the looks of things. And probably that Imm web site is not exactly up-to-the-minute correct.
Over the years, there have just been so many lax embassies issuing letters. We've always known that, to the stage where those embassies who require proof of income to issue the letter become redundant as well.
I've always thought that Imm would eventually insist that the minimum income should be brought into Thailand.
If this is the case, then IMHO, it's extremely harsh and it remains to be seen whether there will be any "grandfathering" rules.
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Big Boy »

But para 5 and the earlier link are talking about the proof being deposits into a Thai bank (or maybe that's the way I want to interpret it :oops: ). The deposits into the bank, so long as they total an average of 65,000 Baht/month should be the proof. Or am I wearing rose tinted glasses?
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Nereus
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10900
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: Hua Hin and Bangkok

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by Nereus »

T.O.M. wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:38 pm
Big Boy wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:18 pm I must say, I thought this news would have been devastating for some, and generated a huge reaction. I know a few people who rely on this method. If the Embassy won't issue a letter of confirmation, is there another way of proving income?
Well, I guess you will have to do like any other nationality (except US & Australia).
How do the Swedes, Danes, Swiss or Germans do it?
Their embassies don't issue fake confirmation income letters.
Neither does Australia!
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
lomuamart
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9732
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: hua hin

Re: British Embassy Bangkok to stop Certification of Income Letters

Post by lomuamart »

Big Boy wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 7:24 pm But para 5 and the earlier link are talking about the proof being deposits into a Thai bank (or maybe that's the way I want to interpret it :oops: ). The deposits into the bank, so long as they total an average of 65,000 Baht/month should be the proof. Or am I wearing rose tinted glasses?
But they are the current regulations.
By all accounts, something is going to change.
Maybe.
Post Reply