Reader question: What about the procedure for applying for a legalized income statement?
Dear readers,
In response to the many questions about the new procedure for applying for a legalized income statement, the embassy posted the following message on its website:
The recently announced renewed procedure for applying for a legalized income statement has raised many questions.
Together with the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now looking for a constructive solution that is both legally correct and acceptable to the Thai authorities, while of course not losing sight of the interests of the Dutch community. We need more time for this and therefore ask everyone to be patient. For this reason, it has also been decided not to introduce changes before 1 April 2017. We will keep you informed."
On February 16, I took the liberty of asking the consular department about the state of affairs. On the same day I received the following reply:
“The elaboration of the new procedure with regard to obtaining an income statement is in its final phase. The results will be announced in the foreseeable future, and in any case in good time before April 1.”
Another month has now passed and the newly proposed start date is already 11 days away. On March 16, I made another inquiry, but unfortunately I was not allowed to receive a response.
I hope that the embassy will not introduce the same - or an adjusted - procedure on April 1, and I can expect that the Dutch in Thailand will have sufficient time to prepare for this and all future procedure changes.
Regards,
Peter–Bangkok
The website of the Embassy states that you must submit supporting documents as of 1 April.
You must enclose a stamped reply envelope.
Yes, that's the new arrangement. Do not appear in person, but do enclose documentary evidence with the application.
By the way, I already emailed this to the editor yesterday.......
I see the following was posted today on the embassy website:
“Effective date for change in procedure for obtaining income statement still unknown
News item | March 21 2017
At the end of 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok announced that the procedure for obtaining an income statement for a visa application from the Thai immigration service will change. The effective date of this change is currently unknown. Until further notice, the current regulation (where the signature under a self-declaration is legalized) will therefore remain in force. We will keep you informed".
The old procedure will therefore remain in force for the time being.
So that means:
You send your income statement with I thought 1250 baht without proof and you get it sent to your address?
Jasmine,
I am still waiting for my ballot box……….
I think the elections are over.
So you also run that risk with your income statement, only then you run outside the visa time with all the consequences that entails. The government of Thailand is tough on that point (and rightly so).
So it is much safer to go to Bangkok anyway.
Greetings Nico
And I want to ask the embassy to send something so important by email.
I live in a village 20 km from Bua Yai(Korat). Last week sent Wednesday with 1500 baht.
I received the statement + 530 bath change + receipt back by mail yesterday
But I don't think they have the faintest idea what's involved.
Employees or civil servants, yes that's easy, just a pay slip.
But there are people (and there are a lot of them) who have income that is not taxed.
Such as income from abroad, which is taxed there. Equity income, rental income, precious metals income and maybe more.
How do you want to check something like that?????
So it will take some time before a conclusive control has been found.
But there is hope………. The Treasury Department has laid off 5000 people.
Greetings Nico
It is high time that the Embassy cq. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now indicates WHY the current procedure must be changed if necessary. It is clear from the various messages from the Embassy that the initiative for a possible change of the procedure does not (!!) come from the Thai authorities!
In my opinion, this comes – ultimately – from the Ministry of Finance, which ultimately also includes the Tax and Customs Administration. This service wants to find out in this way what the income of Dutch people living here is.
Two groups of Dutch people living here can be distinguished, viz
1. Those who legally have an annual income of approximately TBH 8 tons to TBH 1,2 million. For this group, it is very easy for the Embassy and/or the Tax and Customs Administration to check whether the stated income is correct.
2. Those who have an annual income of (well) above TBH 1,2 million, and of which a part is possibly(!) NOT known to the Dutch tax authorities, for example because this part of their income comes from areas OUTSIDE the Netherlands.
GROUP 1.
As said, this group can easily be checked (“verified”) by the Embassy at the Tax and Customs Administration and therefore do not actually have to submit any proof at all.
GROUP 2.
At the most, this group will declare an income that is “verifiable” to the Tax and Customs Administration that is slightly above the required TBH 8 tons. They report NOTHING of the higher income above the TBH 8 tons p/y.
And to avoid any difficult questions from the Embassy/Tax authorities, they will most likely opt for the option of placing a deposit of TBH 3 tons with their Thai bank for 8 months prior to the expiry date of their annual visa. That way they do not have to ask for an income statement at the Embassy.
CONCLUSION
The possible purpose of finding out unknown income (fiscal) in this way will not yield any results.
However, those who do NOT have an annual income of at least TBH 8 tons (or income in combination with a small deposit) will fall through the basket with this new procedure and will have to return to the Netherlands. Where BV Nederland is then confronted with a request for housing, care, etc.
* LEGALIZATION OF APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE.
This is also a fallacy to me. First of all, it should be borne in mind that legalization of a signature only takes place by authorized authorities if the person in question cannot be present at a (legal) act. That way his identity can be established.
It so happens that the applicant for the Income Statement is – generally – personally present with his passport etc. at the Thai Immigration Service for the extension of his annual visa. So the identity of the applicant is determined by the Immigration Service itself! The fact that it also appreciates a “legalization” of the signature by the Embassy is in fact legally superfluous.
And then the Dutch Embassy cq. MinBuZa suddenly start playing the best boy in class? For whom? Not for Thai Immigration. It doesn't ask for it. FOR WHOM?!?
Moreover, the signature of the applicant's Income Statement is often already known to the Embassy, because in many cases it also issues the applicant's passport.
FINALLY
The Embassy or MinBuZa wishes - as it now looks like - also in a new procedure to adhere to the final sentence on the Income Statement, in which it explicitly states that it does not bear / accept ANY responsibility for the content of the Income Statement! As a Thai Immigration I would think: “that is strange”. And that's right! Do request / submit proof of income and verify (by Embassy), but then do not accept responsibility for it……..???? Curious.
FINAL CONCLUSION
A lot of hassle and extra unnecessary work for the Embassy with a lot of extra effort, stress and unnecessary travel costs etc for any applicants.
While the Thai authorities have not asked for this and (should that be the goal) the Tax Authorities will not raise any hitherto unknown income.
In the future I will follow the simple route and make a timely deposit of TBH 8 tons with my Thai bank.
Not because I have an unknown income at the Tax Office, but because I don't feel like participating in creating unnecessary work (at the Embassy) and stress / travel costs for myself.
In general you can say that participating in the circuit of an income statement causes unnecessary extra work, stress and costs.
If at all possible, left or right or straight through the middle, don't participate in that circuit and have Thb 800.000 in a Thai bank account for at least 3 months. I hope for everyone that you have or can build that possibility.
Immigration Maptaphut advises that too, no hassle.
Nico B