Retirement extension based on income not lump sum

[dtaai-maai]

After 10+ years on a work permit, I'm changing to retirement.
I don't have 800k baht, and if I did I wouldn't leave it sitting in a Thai bank account.
My declarable income is my UK pension, which currently stands at just under 70k baht per month.
I'm assuming that will do the job. (65k per month required, I believe.)

My questions are:
1. Immigration only require a letter from the UK Embassy confirming my income, right?
2. Does this have to be translated into Thai?
3. How long does all this take?
4. Do I have to go to the Embassy in person? (Hate Bangkok).
5. What does the Embassy need to be able to confirm my income?

Can't think of anything else at the moment, but my current extension expires at the end of the month, so I need to get moving.
Thanks in advance for advice.

[eatuae]

Hi there
I've been doing this for the last few years
Quick answers
1 True

2 No

3 About a week by EMS

4 No can do buy post. Download forms and follow what you have to include and who to send postal order form to. Post Office were very helpful

5 You just have to fill in the declaration form and supply pension confirmation annual statement

Hope this helps

[lomuamart]

Here's the link to the embassy's notes:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... Master.pdf
As above, you should have the letter in about a week.

[migrant]

Congratulations on retirement!

[mudcat]

Can anyone give the current conversion rate that immigration uses? Plug that into your calculator and be sure that your estimate will pass muster at immigration today and where in the historic exchange rate range your pension fails to qualify. If you are close you might establish a smaller (~100K baht or so) to make sure you don't get caught short.

[dtaai-maai]

If you are close you might establish a smaller (~100K baht or so) to make sure you don't get caught short.

Not a bad idea!

Thanks very much to all for the info and advice.

I emailed my sister in the UK, the Embassy (asking if I could provide alternative evidence of pension) and myCSP (the Civil Service Pensions company) yesterday as my pension statements are still sent to my sister's address. I'm still waiting for a reply from the first 2 but myCSP replied at 1 pm UK time to say that my last P60 was in the post - impressive response.

It's all a bit last-minute for a number of reasons, but I'm hopeful that even if I don't get the Embassy letter in time, a copy of the P60 will be enough to submit my application and get a temporary extension if necessary.
It's 10 years since I had to go down the border run route, and I'd hate to have to start that again!

[Majestic Creek]

Just done this for the first time, as previous years I held enough cash here to qualify for the lump sum route. But, things being how they are at the moment, I no longer keep large amounts here now.

Down loaded the forms, wnt to the PO and they did it all for me....sent EMS.

One week later, still no letter, but I went to the sorting office, to check if me letter was sent back.

It had been there for three days! They tried to deliver, but nobody was at home, so they just took it back. No note telling me they had tried and no re delivery either, just kept the letter safe and sound at the Sorting Office! Well done !

Took the letter and papers to Immigration and a years visa issued. Quite easy, better than I expected.

They used 54 bht to the pound as the conversion, the officer just looked at his I-phone and searched for a site giving the rate. Was about the rate I expected.

[lomuamart]

DM,
You should be OK with timing and the proof of income letter.
However, if you're not, don't forget that it's possible to get a 60 day extension on the basis of being married to a Thai lady. That one off extension is available to those on an Non Imm O visa but I don't see why it wouldn't apply to a Non Imm B as well. The only difficulty I can see would relate to the cancellation of your work permit/visa. I'm not sure how that works but the extra 60 day option might be worth discussing with Imm if your circumstances demand it.

[dtaai-maai]

Thanks for the reassuring words, lomu. I'm not panicking yet, and I'm sure I'll get sorted one way or another (even if it costs me a little tea money!).
I wasn't aware of the extension option, but we're not legally married, just Buddhist ceremony married. If we were, I'd have taken that route. I've been meaning to get that sorted, but haven't got round to it yet.
Anyway, as long as the P60 arrives by, say, next Thursday or Friday that leaves a full week to 10 days to get it to the Embassy and then get my application in.

[brianks]

and inYou all in Hua Hin are quite lucky to have a very good functioning Immigration Department there. When I lived in Hua Hin for 4 years, had no problems with retirement visa. When I moved south in Nakon Si Thammarat province, I have had nothing but problems on each visit to immigartion. They have added additional requirements over and above what the government says you need. These are quite subjective and the minute you express dismay at any new requirement they throw at you they delight in sending you on your way to saftisy their demands. Its when they say "my government requires it" is when I almost barf in their office. Yea, government doesn't require pictures of me and wife in front of and inside house. Government doesn't require you to have a Thai bank account if you have the income varrification letter. Government doesn't require you to show a bank passbook that has a transaction on that day and is updated to show transaction. Gee whiz I was even 8 days short of having amount in bank for three months and they rejected me on it. Had to come back on last day to renew visa--only 95 km drive from Khanom.

Interesting that if I lived in Surat Thani provience just about 20 km away, there would be none of this BS.

Be thankful for your immigration department there as they were always quite understanding and helpful to me.

[migrant]

and inYou all in Hua Hin are quite lucky to have a very good functioning Immigration Department there. When I lived in Hua Hin for 4 years, had no problems with retirement visa. When I moved south in Nakon Si Thammarat province, I have had nothing but problems on each visit to immigartion. They have added additional requirements over and above what the government says you need. These are quite subjective and the minute you express dismay at any new requirement they throw at you they delight in sending you on your way to saftisy their demands. Its when they say "my government requires it" is when I almost barf in their office. Yea, government doesn't require pictures of me and wife in front of and inside house. Government doesn't require you to have a Thai bank account if you have the income varrification letter. Government doesn't require you to show a bank passbook that has a transaction on that day and is updated to show transaction. Gee whiz I was even 8 days short of having amount in bank for three months and they rejected me on it. Had to come back on last day to renew visa--only 95 km drive from Khanom.

Interesting that if I lived in Surat Thani provience just about 20 km away, there would be none of this BS.

Be thankful for your immigration department there as they were always quite understanding and helpful to me.

This leads me to a question. Do you have to report to immigration in your local area?

[buksida]

Immigration departments make up their own rules and they vary greatly from province to province.

@ migrant: your local is Dansingkhon, and yes, you have to report every 90 days.

[brianks]

And can now only report to your own area. I used to go to Surat Thani which is much closer and much more "friendly" but that all changed during this year.

[migrant]

Thanks!

[dundrillin]

According to the Thai Embassy web site the 800,000 baht in the bank is still acceptable by itself. What happens though if that is not correct and one does not have a formal pension but has adaquate investment income. Most private pension holders will now go into flexible drawdown so how would that work? Also taking the case of the husband with a "good " pension and the wife with merely the state pension? ( may not be all bad news then! )