TB Immigration Info Letter 106/19 – Immigration Samut Prakan – Year extension obtained with a Non-immigrant “O” visa
Message: Gert
Subject: Immigration Samut Prakan
I would like to share my experience with other readers of this blog. Last year I got a year extension in Chiang Mai based on Non Immigrant O visa, age 50+ and an Affidavit from the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok to confirm my income of over 65.000 baht.
In the meantime I moved to Samut Prakan and I registered there this morning at the Immigration office to obtain a new year extension. I had all the necessary documents ready, as well as a new Affidavit. My current net income in Belgium is 2.675 euros.
I also had my account statements from the ING bank from the last year for support. I was told that an Affidavit is NO longer accepted. Either 800.000 baht in Thai bank account or monthly income of 65.000 baht in Thai bank account. (or possibly combination)
My current visa expires on November 29, 2019. On December 19, 2019 I would go back to Belgium to spend the holidays with the family. I asked the immigration officer if I could get an extension for 1 month, but that was also not possible on a year extension. So I will be forced to leave the country before November 29th.
I don't really need an annual visa because I travel up and down Belgium/Thailand on average 2 to 3 times a year. I will stay in Thailand for about 2 to 3 months and then go back to Belgium for 1 or 2 months and then come back etc…. I found it easy to have an annual visa with a multiple entry because then I only have to arrange the paperwork once a year and I don't have to worry about anything else. Now I will have to apply for a Non Immigrant O again and again in Belgium.
I am financially well off and could deposit 800.000 baht into a Thai account, but I think it's a scary idea. I get the feeling that it is no longer the case that you can prove that you are financially sound, but rather that the Thai government wants money from us in the Thai bank. Laws and rules can change here from one day to the next. Anyway, it's no different and we have to accept the rules.
The good thing is when I don't have to go to Immigration for renewal or whatever, I don't have to worry about TM30 anymore either. 😉
Does anyone know if it might be a good idea to stay in a hotel for a week in another province where an Affidavit is still accepted and then apply for a year extension there?
Other ideas and suggestions are of course also welcome.
Kind regards from Samut Prakan.
Reaction RonnyLatYa
Perhaps the “income certificate” from the Austrian consul is sufficient for Samut Prakan, but I cannot confirm that. It's just an idea.
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Regards,
RonnyLatYa