Immigration officers asked to show leniency to foreigners applying for retirement & marriage visas

Thai immigration say that they’re willing to show leniency to foreigners in the prickly subject of proving income when applying for retirement and marriage visas and extensions.

Immigration chief Police Lieutenant General Surachete Hakparn acknowledges that some applicants may have difficulty in providing the now required 12 months worth of bank statements.

Where this is the case Surachete has instructed immigration officers that, up to the end of 2019, they will have discretion to accept evidence of less than 12 monthly transfers from overseas.

Appplicants given leniency in this case are being told that this is a one-off exemption and that their applications for the next renewal will not be accepted without a complete set of documents according to the order.

The order comes after revelations last year that a number of embassies in Thailand, including the UK, USA and Australia, would stop issuing income letters or affidavits, which had been used by expats to confirm their income when applying for a retirement or marriage extension.

This was forcing some foreigners applying for ‘retirement’ or ‘marriage’ visas to show 12 monthly transfers of either 65,000 baht or 40,000 baht paid into a Thai bank account.

Those affected by the new requirements are questioning if they will still be able to obtain a retirement or marriage extension even though they were not able to provide the 12 months worth of statements now required.

Best to consult your visa agent or go directly to your local Immigration office for an ‘off the record’ chat before you submit your documents.

English translation below…

SOURCE: ThaiVisa