@Wayne *******

well, I think you are wrong. It can say "pending approval" and he still will receive an email with a request for more documents. The bracket where it might say "pending approval" does not contain the possibility to mention a document request

@Dylan *******

the long delay is very unusual, however the explanation might be, that the high season is approaching and the consulate has to process more applications than they do during the low season

Dylan Taylor . .did you check your spam folder? Maybe the embassy has asked you for additional documents and now is waiting for your response

Anonymer Teilnehmer 391 the Thai authorities do have insight into your ATM withdrawals, as the also have insight into your account movements. It is called CRS. If they have a reason to follow your money trail, they have got all the tools they need to check . . the Common Reporting Standard is a fact!

Anonymer Teilnehmer 979 you forgot: you have to show your passport to the exchange offices . . You need to wake up: It is very difficult to escape the CRS system

@Lauren *****************

I must correct you, as the Thai Tax Department can see what you withdraw at the ATM using our foreign cards - if they want to follow the lead. Thailand has joined the CRS system (Common Reporting Standard). All you worldwide accounts and withdrawals are an open book for them

@David *********

just a reminder, today THIS was posted, the guy needed to show a bank account despite he was able to show an embassy certified income affidavit. It clearly shows that Immigration is checking the SOURCE of the income. What's up next, we can only guess

@David *********

not yet, however I see it coming. In Germany and Austria, if you apply for a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, you need to prove that you are a "real" pensioner. If you are receiving income from other sources and are not yet a real pensioner, the Thai embassy will direct you to apply for the 365-days Non-Imm-O/A Longstay visa instead

@Erik **********

and Ling Gah, well, David E. Moore could be right. Every year, Thai Immigration is changing a tad of the rules or adding a new requirement. The last report I read was that from a U.S. citizen who was doing the financial proof by the 12-months bank statement method (month for month incoming a minimum of 65,000 THB), they asked for the proof of the SOURCE of this money. This could mean that if the SOURCE is not a pension, this financial proof might not be accepted in the future. We don't know for sure, and every Immigration can consider the requirements upon their own discretion, so you better expect the unexpected

No, it is not doable, at least not for the application to the first year's "1-year Extension of temporary stay permit based on retirement". As for this application, if you were to do the financial proof by an "embassy certified affidavit of income", you would fail because the U.S. embassy in Bangkok does not issue such an affidavit any more. Thus, your only option in the first year of a what people wrongly call "retirement visa" is the minimum of 800,000 THB deposit in a Thai bank account in your sole name. . . . . . during this first year, however, you can accumulate monthly transfers of a minimum of 65,000 THB from abroad to your Thai bank account. So as soon as you have accumulated 12 monthly transfers, and get the 12-months bank statement, you can theoretically change from the deposit method to the income transfer method for the application to the next year's "1-year extension of temporary stay permit based on retirement"