What are the current requirements for using the monthly money transfer method for a marriage visa in Thailand?

@Joann *******************

well, I dislike any speculations, however I would say these exemptions will fall

@Gregor *********

there is a list of countries that are exempt from this

@Gregor *********

yep starts in january 15% it sucks

@Colin *********

Then you don’t qualify

Immigration regulations are terrible.

@Greg *****

this is getting boring, my government pension is 13 times a year and is not enough, my private pension can be paid every 3, 6, and 12 months. So unless I take the lump sum and then send an additional monthly payment it won't work, not only that it will be more effort and cost and more explaining at the immigration office, not very appealing.

@Colin *********

You can set up deposits so they qualify for next years visa and have the paperwork ready.

@Greg *****

the ship has sailed its no longer an issue, because I'm now paid a lump sum which covers the 400k

@Colin *********

It is not hard, and it frees up 400,000 baht for other uses.

@Greg *****

I never tried because I didn't have the time and did something different.

@Colin *********

US, why would it be difficult to get a letter from your pension provider of the amount?

@Greg *****

which country are you from?

@Ron ******

this was almost two years ago.

@Guido *********

sorry to say, but the Thai embassy and the consulates in the USA discontinued handing out multi entry Non-Imm-O retirement visa. Only single entry can be had, and the 1-year multi entry Non-Imm-O/A visa

@Ron ******

ok. Thanks.

@Will ***********

ok. Thanks.

@Guido *********

I've no idea how you managed that.

Until the US moved to E visa applications, they never issued any Non O retirement visas.

Be that as it is, E visa application simply doesn't issue them for longer than 90 days.

@Ron ******

Thanks but I've obtain one year retirement visas before at the consulate in NYC.

@Guido *********

unless you're applying for an O-A visa, you won't be getting any 12 month Non O retirement visa anywhere in the US

@Will ***********

right, so that option is not very attractive. I've got no problem leaving and coming back so for now that's what I'll do.

@Guido *********

and hope they leave the money in your bank account for 2 months after its approved otherwise you'll be paying agents for years to come

@Will ***********

thank for the simple explanation. So, for now, I guess, my choices would be to pay an agent or get a 30 day extension and next time I'm in NYC get a one year retirement visa from the Thai Consulate.

@Guido *********

so you have to start the 800k route all over again

@Will ***********

non-immigrant O that I obtained in Penang, Malaysia.

@Guido *********

Don't these two comments contradict : "I already have non-immigrant O visa." and "I will say that I'm not applying for a continuation of an about to expire extension."? So what stamp are you currently on?

@Will ***********

I've had multiple extensions over the past 12 years and I brought my expired passport as proof. I will say that I'm not applying for a continuation of an about to expire extension. When I asked why the answer was "to stop corruption". Lol.

@Guido *********

if this your first extension then it MUST BE THE 800K. At the same time you can start depositing 65k for 12 months BEFORE the next date of you application for your next yearly extension

@Ron ******

nope no surprise there

@Will ***********

then this wont come as any surprise to you then

@Don ********

yes and that's fukked me up for this method

@Andy ******

mate it's stuff like this where the term TIT came from.

@Tulip *******

I think they see certainty in money... All else is open to interpretation... Pensions are not certain ... They depend on exchange rates. They don't care for certainty, they care about financial compliance over the 12 months. If it was about certainty of funds through a pension, then they would only need to see the pension documents 1 time and visa would be ongoing due to "certainty". So really they want proof of money, so I think that money in your bank that you can send for the duration of the visa period should be enough in order to allow for consecutive periods of compliance testing to get extensions ... The movable feast they make of rules around long term visas doesn't make for any certainty for visa holders more than a few years at a time for planning ... I look at it as a yearly process that might change, therefore don't make plans longer than each year .. but I'm relaxed about that as I have other options if needed .. I enjoy living a good life through making the best of an imperfect system ... Life would be boring if everything was too easy .. lol

@John **********

did I criticize the privileged paradise you talk of, did I say I don't follow the rules, did I talk about Thai law being bad ... No, I say this is a BS interpretation. The retirement visa and extensions are not based on the premise that an individual has a pension from a government, it is based on being 50 and over and being financially able to support themselves. I follow the lump sum method because that is the legal way to do it. So I am happily playing by their rules. I'm pretty sure the only elitist type rant is coming from you concerning how letting entitled people in will destroy the country ... Take a look around, the thai people are in charge, they make many rules that leave gaping holes for interpretation and allow for corruption ... They are doing a pretty good job of turning the country upside down for many years .. I don't think the retirement visa participants have much to do with that, however please feel free to rant further about how "the entitled" retirement visa holders with their fervent passion for fighting against all rules will turn Thailand into a parking lot 😜😅😅

@Andy ******

only the mortgage is fixed/guaranteed for life. Return on Investments savings varies, and can disappear altogether. You can show them an income from these to obtain a visa, then with withdraw the funds and blow the lot. You could 'borrow' funds to show an income, then pay it back once the visa issued. A property is similar, can be sold or repossessed after visa issued, although a little more difficult and time consuming to abuse this as a source of income ..same as getting a mortgage in UK, only salary and fixed incomes count, but you can make them aware of investments/properties .

@Andy ******

when I spoke to my immigration office, they said wanted to see documents demonstrating the origin of the funds, they well may accept income as you describe, they said there checking for money laundering, but bear in mind they have there own view on what they want.

@Andy ******

They see certainty in pensions. Everything else is to a degree less certain. They are not doing it to facilitate entry, more akin to hoops to jump through. You might be a saint with an unblemished record, but statistically you are a less safe bet than a guy who stayed in their job for 50 yrs and has a private pension and a state pension. My money comes from all over the place and by circuitous routes, but I also have 2 pensions so no probem. But Thailand is not there to make it easy. For all 'Big Joke' knows you coud be the number one assassin of the most feared hells angels. Lets face it, he's not worrying about the other example I quoted.

@Andy ******

guess what, its a privilege to move there, unfortunately if you want to live there, you have to play by their rules.

It's pretty comical reading everyone's post coming from othe countries bringing with them their entitlement philosophy and I for one am glad they are strict on who they allow in and what methods they use

To allow people to stay.

This entitlement attitude has destroyed many countries.

As Don Henley once sang in the song the last resort

"They called it paradise, I don't know why

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye"

@Don ********

this has been a silly criteria from my pov. The vast majority of Americans do not have pensions since the 80’s! They have 401k and/or social security which neither are considered ‘pension’.

@Andy ******

That's probably true. I use the 65k/month method and this year for the first time Bangkok immigration wanted to see my pension income statement, even though I make over four times the amount from property rentals. I think they've realised many people using the income method simply "recycle" the 65k every month and want to ensure people are actually receiving the minimum amount

@Andy ******

I have heard similar in other countries! The issue for the Thais is what if your tenant defaults on his rent and you do not receive the money you state that you will receive! Annuity backed pensions are guaranteed to be paid whilst other investment income is not! This seems to be a new requirement, there are many!

@Gregor *********

I don't have those problems. This year's extension, like most, was 51 pages of documents...hehe, and most of those just from my bank. I use the monthly, and, it doesn't fall under the revised tax laws, aimed mostly at foreign "digital nomads, digital creators" that live in Thailand and don't pay taxes.

@Kool ******

just wait until your next extension is due. It seems they want proof of your income source, so they can tax any earnings you transfer to Thailand, by next year. since many countries have a "double taxation agreement" with Thailand, the source is important for the Thai tax authority. So they will not just accept a WISE transfer but actually need to know the source . . . it seems to be the road to the OECD "world income" taxation

@Don ********

your situation is why lots of foreigners keep their home country bank, and use Wise to make the monthly transfers. It works once you have your 12 continuous months of transfers from overseas, and checking one box in a Wise transfer shows just that. It works, and is cheap to do.

@Colin *********

yep easier

@Brandon ***********

I don't believe that's the case this time.

They want to know where his monthly income is coming from and if it's likely to be permanent or not.

A lot of immigration offices have now started to look at this income method.