Income letter

Renewed my retirement visa extension this morning in Nong Khai.Mr. happy nicely informed me that ''from now on ,income letters will only be good for one year,sorry new rule!''

After turning down all the various items for sale,one of the woman officers asked me ,first if I live alone,then she asked me if I spoke Thai??

I told her,a little and she asked me''you been here long time,why you don't learn Thai?''

I told her ,''I have personal reasons!''

She persisted with,''why''?

I told her,''I don't think you would like my answer!''

She said,''Oh no problem ,tell me!''

So I told her that ''we only speak English at home .My daughter eventually wants to live and go to school in America,she has plenty of opportunity to speak Thai at school and with her friends!''

She pressed on with,''why she want to go to America?''

So I told her what my daughter said,''I want to be all that I can be without worrying about my skin color,that I come from Burriram and don't have any ''big friends'' to help me in Thailand!''

She looked at me ,mildly shocked,mouth open for a couple of seconds,then said ''Oh''.

It would have been interesting to hear them discuss my remarks after I left!

I have to admit,I FELT GOOD!!!

Ni
Thanks for that information. I heard a whisper about that a month ago. now you have confirmed it. Guess I'll have to go down to British Embassy in BKK and get a letter from them, as my visa renewal is due at the end of Oct.
Again thank you for the info.
Cheers Doug.

I too had heard about the 'One year letter' but did not particularily want to go to BKK. I also heard, that it can be supplied by Post. I sent an e-mail to the Consulate at Jomtien asking for confirmation. I received the following from the UK Embassy in Bkk :-


Letter confirming pension / income for Thai Immigration

Consular Section is able to issue a standard letter addressed to Thai Immigration confirming your pension / income in order to support the renewal / extension of your retirement visa. The granting of the visa is at the sole discretion of Thai Immigration not the British Embassy.

As long as you are registered with us , please feel free to request the letter and supply us the following documentation:-

• Photo copy of your current British passport
• Original evidence of your current pension / income
• Your local address to be typed on the letter

Please ensure the pension/income evidence you provide is in a form that is simple and easy to understand and contains the key financial amounts that are required for inclusion in the letter.

The standard letter fee is currently Baht 2,315 and payable in cash or a postal order. The letter will be ready for collection the following working day.

If you are unable to contact us in person, please mail us your request stating the total pension amount received monthly / yearly and enclosing the above documents. Kindly make the postal order (available at post offices) payable to the British Embassy and to be cashed at Nana Post Office Bangkok 10112. If you would like the letter and supporting documents sent to you, please add a further Baht 100 to your payment.

For further queries, please contact Consular Section.

Consular Section
BRITISH EMBASSY BANGKOK
ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk

Tel: 0 2305 8333 from 9.00-11.00 hrs. only
Fax: 0 2255 6051
Email: Consular.bangkok@fco.gov.uk
Monday to Thursday at 8.00-11.00 hrs and 13.00-15.15 hrs
Friday at 8.00-12.00 hrs (ONLY)

I got my income letter by post from the British Embassy in Bangkok last month.
Pretty straightforward taking just over a week.
One thing to possibly note is the total cost was 2615 baht......2315 baht for the letter,100 baht for posting back to you AND 200 BAHT ADMINISTRATION FEE !
I got a Bankers Draft,payable to British Embassy Bangkok,from the Kasikorn and sent it off with the documentation.

And this afternoon renewed my Retirement Visa in Udon.....in and out in 20 minutes.....excellent service !

Why can't your embassy make a simple trip up to Isaan to accommodate the diaspora of ******?
Why don't they care enough about you to sent a few diplomats, with required paperwork, on a single-day expedition, fully outfitted with safari hat and black (no blacker) safari guides into the hinterland to support the queen's subjects?

Beggars belief.

Texpat wrote:Why can't your embassy make a simple trip up to Isaan to accommodate the diaspora of ******?
Why don't they care enough about you to sent a few diplomats, with required paperwork, on a single-day expedition, fully outfitted with safari hat and black (no blacker) safari guides into the hinterland to support the queen's subjects?

Beggars belief.

Texpat
I know a good pharmacy who may be able to help you with your problem. I've got to go into Udon today to get your letter translated into English

Texpat,

On this i agree with you. The British embassy does not care about British subjects - we are just an irritation to them, what services they do provide go up in cost considerably every few years - we are just a source of income to keep the embassy open. I think it is the belief of the British government that we are just here to make the embassy self financing - no service to be provided unless a profit can be made.

As for the safari guides - they got independance years ago and F***ed off. Now the embassy staff cannot leave as they have no guides and might get lost - they do not teach anyone to map read anymore. They would need to borrow a Satnav from the yanks; but that would be embarrassing.

Once you add up the cost of income letters, other documents etc. and the worry if you meet the rules, it is easier to get a new multi-entry visa once every 15 months.

The point you make tex is a very valid, on the odd occasions I have had to deal with the Embassy myself, I have had no problems, but when I have assisted others who have had problems the Embassy 's staff lack of concern for the UK Citizen beggars belief, I am at the moment drafting a letter of complaint which will be sent to the Foreign Office In the UK ( hand-delivered, as the reply sent back to a friend of mine was insulting to say the least.

I wonder why there is such a difference between the workings and attitudes of the American and British Embassy staff??

I have never had the slightest negative feeling about the service and attitudes of the US Embassy personel,although some of the people that have had their GF or wife's visa request rejected,might not agree!

If I was British and making a complaint,I would include the comparison difference between the two Embassies,in my complaint,while asking for an explanation!

nkstan...i am one of those that had many problems over a 2 and a half year experience trying to get my wife a visa just to go home with me to visit...it got so bad i wrote to my u.s. representative and explained our entire situation and the treatment we were receiving...well, he sent a letter of congressional investigation to the embassy in bangkok requesting answers and to be kept abreast of my situation...he also sent me a copy of the letter and within a few days of receiving my copy, i was phoned by the embassy to come with my wife to bangkok to get her 10 year visa with unlimited entries...now i have had great results with the american citizens section, but the gestapo that issues visas to thai people is totally disgusting.

Stan I agree, however due to the so-called civil service attitude in the UK, any comparison would be met with a ' That's them we are British' ..attitude, a fact I find so damn condescending. That is not reserved for just the Civil service but in many avenues of Civil Govt in the UK, until that is you get down to the local councils and those who have to deal with the public on a daily basis.

if you remember the programme 'Yes Minister ' which was aired on the UK TV, although it was a take off of the civil service, it was pretty damn real.

Why the Consulate/Embassy has the attitude it has is beyond me, but so many people always believe that the attitude they get is acceptable, one thing being a Police officer taught me, is that the law waorks for all the same way and that politeness costs nothing, so if I have a problem, I gently remind them and the change is a sight to see. So many people accept the status quo, which will never change unless a complaint is made constructively and to the right people.

When i went the American embassy to renew my 10 year visa, I had no probelms, until I was asked why I wanted one, my reply was, have you ever waited in your immigration queues, ' No' came the reply and I got my visa no further questions asked.
I did notice that i was directed to an older Visa chap, as youngster might have felt intimidated by an older person, a fact I checked out, when I asked the question from my Embassy assistant..Oh well if nothing changes it will stay the same what !!

Hi.
Must say every dealings I have had with the British Embassy in BKK. Has been good. If the service is bad I will say so. On my last trip to BE to get a letter for proof of income. Was down in BKK at the time and decided to kill two birds with one stone. Called in the embassy soon as they were open 1000Hrs. filled in the form, paid the 1900B and was told it will be ready the next morning, took about 10mins. Called in first thing next morning and got the letter. For a small ree they said they could send it to my address in LOS if I wanted it this way. Service was great.
Most people complain about bad service, but say nothing about good service.
Maybe I was lucky. tell you in a couple of months time, now you have to get proof of earnings every year.
Cheers Doug.
Could anyone tell my what are ******, and does your embassy do the same as you suggest.

douglas wrote:Must say every dealings I have had with the British Embassy in BKK. Has been good

Yep same same.
I sent my letter to Uk Embassy for proof of income (postal order which included return to my address by EMS)
Next day I received a phone call from a Thai lady at UK Embassy.
She informed me that I forgot to enclose copy of my passport with the request.
"Never mind" she said "give me the details of your passport on the phone but don't forget next time."
Did this, received letter in 2 days.
Took to immigration for renewal of 1 year extension. No problem. Did not want to see evidence of money in bank.
Top marks UK Embassy and Thai immigration

douglas wrote:was told it will be ready the next morning

Oh dear. Maybe they were too busy to spare the two minutes it takes to complete the form on the spot.

When I went mid morning, it was ready at 13.00 same day.
Good service just seemed a bit expensive.