From 2019 annual retirement and marriage visa extensions must be qualified by showing money or income in a Thai bank rather than by letter from the British embassy
From 1 January 2019, the British Embassy Bangkok will no longer be providing British Nationals with letters confirming their income.
This letter has previously served as a supporting document for obtaining a Thai retirement or marriage visa.
British Nationals should now demonstrate that they have an amount of at least 800,000 Baht 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 Baht transferred into an
account in Thailand for a retirement visa. The same applies to marriage visa albeit with lower requirements of 400,000 Baht lump sum, or a monthly income of 40,000 Baht.
Although this is an announcement from the British Embassy, it seems that other countries are likely to follow suit.
It has been pointed out that although the British Embassy states that income or capital requirements for visa extensions can demonstrated by Thai bank statements showing the required monies, Thai Immigration has never so far agreed to this
method. In fact as it stands at the moment, a letter from the embassy is just about the only proof of finance that Thai Immigration will accept.
Presumably it is not just about the money, Thai Immigration would like to know a little more about where it comes from, so as to avoid simple workarounds such as getting a loan.
But of course with the complexity of people's financial arrangements around the world, then Thai Immigration may realise that neither they, nor embassies can adequately verify people's finances. So how will this end up.
From 1 January 2019, the British Embassy Bangkok will no longer be providing British Nationals with letters confirming their income.
