New monthly retiree account statement (RAS)

Don't know if this has been brought up before, but DFAS has just started producing monthly RAS statements in addition to the yearly ones. Sure would be nice if immigration accepted these. I'll ask when I go in next month for my quarterly roll call.

I don't do the embassy letter (I use 800k in the bank), but I always give immigration a copy of my retirement statement....which they look over and return to me. Years ago, they accepted them.......but I'd guess most anyone could easily produce a 'bank statement' on their computer and manipulate it using their own figures.

As most people who read my posts know, I'm pretty satisfied with Thai immigration policies and service. I'm mostly of the opinion that every time immigration tightens the rules (money in the bank for 3 months, for example), it's because some expat finds a way to work around the rules (borrowing money a few days before visa is due, deposit it in the bank, process the visa, then pay back the money.......I know people who did this years ago).

Tracechain wrote:Don't know if this has been brought up before, but DFAS has just started producing monthly RAS statements in addition to the yearly ones. Sure would be nice if immigration accepted these. I'll ask when I go in next month for my quarterly roll call.

Yes that would be nice, but in my experience having dealt with immigration in Nong Khai & the airport office, it seemed that immigration officers weren't playing from the same sheet of music. Officers from the same office had a different interpretation of immigration policy thus different requirements. I've heard nothing but good things at the new Udon office, but something like the income letter vs a pension letter I'm unwilling to take that chance. $50 annually for an income letter is really not a bad deal and especially now that the Embassy is making out reach visits 4 times a year it's worth it to me.

Hi,
Last November went to Imm. and asked them would they accept my retirement pension yearly statements from my goverment. NO was the reply, you have to have a letter from the B. Embassy stating your yearly income. Have to go down to BKK on Wed to get the letter from the B.E. I know you can do this by post but i have to go down. So kill two birds with one stone. So fly there with Nok Air. Checked on flooding yesterday, from swampy to the center of BKK is clear. Or was on Sun..
As the other poster said that you have to have money in bank for 3 months. This is a no-no for me. The funny thing is last year when i went for my P to Stay stamp. I had it due to retirement. Because of the low exchange rate i was 40,000B short of the 800K requirement'. Officer told me to deposit 40KB in a Thai bank and come back tomorrow. I said no, i wanted a P to stay due to being married to a Thai National, only 480,000B p.a. required, so he did this. Trouble with this, you have to have a witness who has known you for 12 months, and is not any family member of you or wife. Otherwise easy to get. And Udon Imm. office, IMO, is very good.
Cheers Doug.

I suspect full well that immigration will never accept anything except letter from embassy. It would require stepping out of their comfort zone. However, never hurts to ask.