thedom

Thanks Ubonjoe for your time and suggestion to combine with my husband. We considered this a while ago but decided it was not suitable for us. However in our present quandary we may need to reconsider so we will take our marriage certificate along to Immigration on Monday and see what they say. Are the immigration officials likely to be sympathetic to my situation as I have all documents ready except for my Embassy letter which is identical to last year? Do I have any other options?

I don't understand what you are saying in your last paragraph. Do you mean we could have applied for the Embassy letter up to 45 days before we need it? I can't see any reference to this either on the Embassy or Thai immigration websites and as the letter is meant to confirm income surely it has to be issued close to the application date?

I must say we have found the letter application process a confusing mess to put it politely! We live close to the Embassy yet it is impossible to pick up or drop off documents. The web sites are all providing conflicting information on fees and methods of payment, as a result of which we have paid too much - but they have no way of providing us with change so we just have to accept it. Emails go unanswered for days. Relying on the postal service for delivery of documents is just crazy and is one of the reasons we find ourselves in this situation. OK rant over!

Sorry about all the questions and we do appreciate your help.

My husband and have applied for the above as required for renewal of our yearly Visa at Chaeng Wattana due before 8 October (Monday) We are British and in our early seventies. My husband's letter arrived today, Friday 5 October, but despite making it clear to the Embassy that we require two letters (same as for last eight years) my letter was not enclosed. As it is the weekend we are unable to contact the Embassy and do not know if my letter will be available before 8 October.

My question is about overstay (if the letter does not turn up in time) I understand the penalty starts at 500 THB per day which I will gladly pay if it is only for a few days, but I am concerned that my Type "O" visa may be affected in some way (particularly now that Big Joke is newly in charge!) To further complicate matters our 90 day permission to stay forms are also due on 8 October so I am unsure whether I should accompany my husband to Chaeng Wattana -  I assume I can't get the 90 days without first getting the Type "O" renewal? All advice very welcome and appreciated.

Thanks again. Now I'm all set to go.

Cheers

Thanks to all for your very useful information. I usually take the BTS to Mo Chit then taxi to Immigration. Is this feasible at the moment?

I have to do my 90 day notification of address by 8 December. I heard that due to the floods Immigration has moved temporarilly from Chaeng Wattana to the old Sathorn offices. Does any one know if that is still the case or if there is a website I can check on as to when they will move back?

You both obtained one year extensions of stay for retirement and each presented proof of 800k/65k income or did one of you obtain retirement and the other dependent extension of stay (which is more common)?

Not sure that it would matter but would be interesting to know and if one dependent the date each entered country.

We each obtained the visa for retirement with separate bank accounts and embassy letters showing proof of income of 800K

I would appreciate advice from members on the following problem.

On 28 September 2010 my wife and I got a one year extension of stay to our O visas based on retirement, showing pension/bank account details. The visa stamp in each passport permits stay to 8 October 2011. As the time for our 90 day notification of residence is approaching I checked the date shown on the notice which the immigration officer clipped to our departure cards in the passports and found that in mine the report date is shown as 27 December 2010, but my wife's is shown as 27 October 2010 - long since past! Am I missing something here - is this a simple error? Her stamp clearly states that reporting is every 90 days but the notice gives her only 30 days. OK we should have checked before leaving immigration but didn't and it won't happen again!

Also since obtaining the visa stamp three months ago we have changed address. By completing the TM.47 form for the notification indicating our present address is this sufficient or do we also need to complete a TM.28 change of address form?

Many thanks in anticipation.

A big thanks to all who offered advice on application procedure for a retirement visa. Went to Chaeng Wattana last Tuesday and apart from being dropped at the wrong building by the taxi all went well and both wife and myself received visas after a 3 hour wait ( including lunch hour )

My only further comment is that immigration insisted that we got a same day entry on our bank books from the branch on the lower floor but this was no problem ( our bank letter and book entries were dated for previous Friday)

Cheers again!

Thanks to all who replied - very useful comments. To answer Lopburi 3, we are applying separately for retirement extentions ( with separate bank accounts and pensions ) as we thought with the dependent method the wife only gets another O visa meaning she has to renew it with visa runs? We'll take along the marriage certificate anyway just in case. Cheers again!

After some good advice from Forum members my wife and I ( 65 and 62 respectively ) intend to apply for a Retirement extention to our O visas next week at Chaeng Wattana. It will be a combined pension/ bank cash application for each of us. We think that the documents required are as listed below :

Form TM7 with photo

Copy of passport/visa

Embassy letter confirming pension income

Bank letter confirming cash in bank

Copies of bank passbooks

Visa Fee

I would be grateful for Forum advice on whether the above is correct, are other documents required, will we be interviewed separately or as a couple,how many copies of documents are needed, do copies have to be notarised,do we need proof of address,medical certificate or police clearance? For a combined pension/bank cash application does the cash have to be in the bank for 60 days ( some posts I have read suggest it only has to be in the bank on the day of application ) If all is in order will the visa extention be granted at the interview?

Many thanks in advance for advice particularly from any members who have recently made a similar application.

Thanks Lite Beer - your comments are very useful. I will definitely apply for an extention on the basis of retirement. From my reading of previous posts on this topic it appears that to do this in Thailand as an extention to an 'O' Visa I do not require a Police Report or Medical Certificate - just as you say the money in the Bank which I can organise. Not sure of the timing requirements - current 'O' Visa expires on 2 October 2010 although as I will do a Visa run just before that date I expect to have permission to stay for a further 90 days. However I guess it would be best not to take any chances and get the application in asap? Cheers and thanks again for all assistance.

Thanks Lopburi3 for your advice and information. Sorry if this is a stupid question but what do you mean by ID Card/address - do you mean passport and proof of address in home country? Unfortunately I don't meet any of the other criteria you mention so I may have to consider either a visit to Perth or a retirement visa applicaion ( I am retired ) and perhaps the latter may be the simplest solution. I believe it is also possible to get an extention to a multi 'o' visa but not sure for what period of time I would be allowed to stay. Any further thoughts appreciated.

Hi

I have been living in Bangkok on a Non 'O' multiple entry visa going out every 90 days to renew the permission to stay period. By the end of the year my Visa will have expired. My question is whether it is possible to get another similar multiple entry one year Visa in the area or would I have to return to my home country (UK) to get one? I have seen Perth mentioned on the Forum - what about KL/Singapore etc ??

If this type of Visa is not possible what would be the next best option for a long stay other than applying for a retirement visa??