What documentation do I need to use US Social Security income to meet financial requirements for a Thai visa extension?

Visa Requirements Financial Proof for Visa Social Security Thai Immigration International Money Transfers US Embassy Policies Affidavit of Income Non-O Visa Retirement Visa

Jul 14, 2023

a year ago

David *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

For the past two years, I've kept 800,000 baht in a Thai Bank to meet the visa financial requirement.  If I decide to use my US social security income to fullfill the requirement instead of the bank account, what documentation is needed for Immigration?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

To use your US Social Security income for financial proof for your Thai visa extension, you need to transfer at least 65,000 baht monthly to your Thai bank account for 12 consecutive months. Documentation from the US embassy is no longer available for affidavits of income, necessitating the direct transfer method. You must maintain your current Thai bank balance (800,000 or 400,000 baht) while switching to this new proof method.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

Craig *******

So this 65k does not have to come from a third party? In other words you can simply do a transfer from your home bank to a bank in Thailand. Is there anything to prevent you from recycling either some or all of the 65k over and over again?

a year ago

Tod *********

@Craig ******

This is WAY off the beaten path about "visas" BUT here's an anecdotal story.

I have a friend who worked in Cambodia for years and years, they retired here, used the US embassy affidavit for their proof of funds for many years. When it was discontinued they went to monthly transfer method. They transfer 65K baht from their cambodian bank to their thai bank (meeting the international transfer requirement) then withdraw that money and go to Dee money and send it back to their cambodian account. They lose a tiny bit each transaction in and out but they've "recycled" that money for years now and never had an issue from immigrations getting their yearly extensions by monthly income method with international transfers.

Keep in mind though SOME offices require you to show the source of the funds, (pension letter, S/S document, etc) but most do not.

a year ago

Fabio *******************

@Tod ********

but doesn't immigration check the annual bank statement, seeing that the money goes in and out every month or do they just check if the 65k baht goes in every month?

a year ago

Tod *********

@Fabio ******************

READ what I wrote, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁. <- that means they take out CASH from their thai account and go to the Dee Money store and send the money back to Cambodia that way. There's just a cash withdrawal, and he said he splits it to a few withdrawals so it's not exactly the same amount one time

a year ago

Graham ******

@Fabio ******************

They check that the money is received for all 12 months, it's free to use (or recycle) immediately after receipt

a year ago

Fabio *******************

@Graham *****

but don't they see on the account statement which then go out every month always directed to the same foreign current account?

a year ago

Graham ******

@Fabio ******************

Withdraw cash every month, no record where it's going

a year ago

Reply to

Graham ******

@Craig ******

yes, your own money will be ok and it can be recycled

a year ago

Reply to

Graham ******

Ellie *******

Unfortunately, you cannot use directly US social security in US as financial proof to meet the requirements for a 1-year extension based on being over 50.

You need an affidavit from your embassy in Thailand to use funds in your home country, but unfortunately, US embassy no longer issues affidavits for that purpose.

What you can do is start international transfers with a minimum of 65k thb monthly to your Thai bank account, after you've done 12 months transfer, you can use that record for your 1-year extension based on retirement. You also need to keep your 800K / 400K thb deposit to meet the requirements for your current extension which is using the banked money method.

Attached is a rough explanation of how to switch the financial proof method from banked money to monthly transfers.

a year ago

Khun *****

@Ellie ******

US Social Security payments can be direct deposited into certain Thai banks, so why would that not be considered an international transfer?

a year ago

Ellie *******

@Khun ****

, I mean you can not use funds in the US.

a year ago

Reply to

Ellie *******

Tod *********

the ONLY way to use any monthly income from the US to meet the proof of funds requirement here in thailand would be for you to transfer in a minimum of 65K baht a month, each month, every month for the previous 12 months before you apply for the yearly extension.

That is because the US embassy stopped issuing the 'affidavit of income from abroad' notary statement on Dec 31st 2018 <- meaning IF you want to use monthly income you have to do it by international transfer to a thai bank account in your name only..

a year ago

Tod *********

also remember IF you want to switch methods of proof of funds, from banked money to monthly income you need to continue to keep the 800K baht in the bank for the requisite time for THIS extension (800K baht in the account for 3 months after the extension is granted and then not let the balance go below 400K the rest of the year..

AND

you need to transfer in to your thai bank account 65k baht a month for the next 12 months as well.

it definitely CAN be done, but you have to be mindful of how it works

a year ago

Reply to

Tod *********

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