jimn

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

When using an agent most often your extension is not obtained in that province.

The main issue with that is 90 day reports. You can either do a TM30 or have agent do 90 day reports (added cost)

 

Those agents that do that are on dodgy ground. In Pattaya an in Province extension is easily obtainable from the many agents from about 12k

8 hours ago, Simon555 said:

Thank you very much for your replies. It's now completely obvious to me that we will need new flights, booked at very short notice to make sure we don't get embroiled in some argument at the airport.

 

The simple fact is that it would not be an issue. All direct flights to England with Emirates, Etihad and Qatar have been cancelled for sometime now from Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

5 hours ago, jaideedave said:

It's a well known secret where I live that the local IO prefers you to use an agent. It makes their job easier. A lot of foreigners make errors/omissions etc that have to be addressed hence the agent.

I used to do the retirement extention myself for years but after I encountered a very nasty IO one year I said never again..Hastle free now using an agent. I consider the fee the cost of living in LOS. No muss no fuss.BTW..after closely checking the stamps/signatures it's obviously the same person signing my extension every year including pre agent days...

I use an agent and all I need is a photo, my bank book and passport. The bank  book for the 20 minute visit to the bank for the 800k to be put in and taken out. Come out the bank with photocopy of transaction and the agent takes from me and I give her 13k. Passport back next day with extension signed by the immigration head. Easy.

12 minutes ago, LarryLEB said:

I've done all my annual retirement extensions myself:  Jomtien Office, last 10 years.

 

My annual extension does not require one or two trips to Immigration; it requires THREE:

• TRIP ONE:  Get queue number; give documents and passport; collect numbered chit for passport pickup next day (I always do trip one at around 3:00 p.m.)
• TRIP TWO:  Swap numbered chit for passport.  Check passport for correct date of next visa extension.  Given a date-stamped document telling me to appear again in 3 months with proof that I still have at least 800,000 Baht in my account.
• TRIP THREE:  Bring the date-stamped document and the required documents proving I still have 800,000+ in my account.

Adding to the above the four 90-day reports, I make 7 trips to the Office each year.  (Yes, I could use the online reporting for those four, but I live only a 15-minute walk from the Office.)

 

Using an agent does away with step 3 as the money is no longer there.

14 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Interesting.  I had been given to understand that some agent-assisted extensions where obtained in a province other than where the applicant lives.  And if they tried to do it themselves at their immigration office there was an issue because their previous extension was done elsewhere.  For example, I'm thinking of the case where someone needs a Certificate of Residence, say for a driver's license, which they would need to get  from the immigration office where they live.  I understand some immigration offices will not issue a Certificate of Residence for applicants unless they have previously submitted a TM-30 at that office. 

So where do you do your 90-Day Reports?  The province where you live or somewhere else?  What would you do if you needed to get a Certificate of Residence?

All done in the same office. Until last year I did it myself, now agent from the same office. 90 day reports, residents permit re entry permit all done by myself in same office Jomtien in the last 12 months.

On 5/25/2021 at 4:45 PM, Pilotman said:

Not the ones I have seen. Some dumb nonentities from Love Island who can hardly string a sentence together.   Maybe there are grades/rankings of such people. 

They are getting sheds more money than you or I. Why are you so quick at putting people down. They are using their short term fame to its best use and make money. I do agree though its the people who are "influenced" by them are the dumb ones not the influencers themselves. They are rather clever and good luck to them.

2 minutes ago, skatewash said:

I wonder what would happen if you stopped using an agent and decided to do it yourself?  Any problems doing that after having used an agent?

Non at all as long as you then meet the financial requirements to do it yourself. Its all a nonsense really. The week previous to using the agent just as a test I went in armed with all the financial proof that I meet the requirements only that my money is in the UK. As expected I got refused. Used the agent 1 week later who deals with the same people and lo and behold I have my extension signed off by the big boss. Its the way it works over here, its no big deal to them or anyone in authority. They simply accept it as part of life over here.

On 5/25/2021 at 4:39 AM, Ralf001 said:

I reckon it is to do with the new train line going in.

Yes it is, thanks for the map

I am reliably informed by my wife that it is for the fast train service that will link the 3 airports. Don Muang, Suvarnabumi and U-Tapau.

I feel sorry for your wife. You need a few lessons in personal hygiene. Disgraceful behaviour.

If you insurance covers medical and accident and emergency and Covid is specifically mentioned as covered for $100k Covid cover then its fine. The other thing is what extension of stay do you have the re entry for. If its marriage no issues but if retirement you may need 40k outpatient and 400k inpatient insurance as well to get the COE. The UK does not require this for existing retirement extensions with a re entry but many embassy's do. Best to check.

23 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

SEEMS like you are horribly confused between all kinds of visas, and hard to blame

you.

U.K. passport does mot need the STV. you can get into thailand on the visa waiver 45 days. than extend it to another 30 days or even one year on the non-O retirement visa.

Sounds like you are the one horribly confused. He asked about the single entry Tourist Visa

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You responded to a question specifically about the US.

No you replied to a question about the UK and stated "it sounds like this has changed" I responded to that. You then asked a second question about the US, which I was not refering too.

2 hours ago, curtklay said:

I call bulls**t.

I have never heard of cash being refused anywhere.

Some bars in the UK are cashless as are some large sport events like Cricket. This will happen more and more.

22 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

As of when? I have nto seen recent report. Did you enter from US in past month or so?

I am British. With respect what has the US got to do with this topic, its about requirements from the UK

51 minutes ago, Spellforce said:

What does it mean ? Because today we still have may internationals flights with passengers ?

Maybe is it a translation issue ?

 

Flightradar24 in real time:

 

Only Semi Commercial flights on this list are allowed to fly to Thailand. The example you showed made me laugh, because there are no flights carrying passengers from India at this time

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ijBJOTgFJPAuWUfkPIA60iniXB9j9Ba2XHafXzA6JCw/htmlview

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

It sounds like this changed. Perhaps embassies got clarification from MFA.

 

Does anyone have an update on this for the US?

 

 

Its not changed. As far as I know it is only the UK in Europe that will issue a COE for an EXISTING extension of stay based on retirement with a re entry permit, based on only the $100k Covid insurance. For new Non O Retirement applications they require the 40k/400k as well. Many of the European countries require the 40k/400k insurance as well as the $100k Covid on All Retirement Non O based COE applications.

Beaches are closed, no sunbeds. The Lifeguards move you on on Dongtan beach and the police drive up and down occasionally shouting to get off the beach on their loudspeaker.

Learn your lesson and use an agent for this year and put it down to experience. I have just done mine for 13k baht a simple easy process from meeting up with the agent, popping in the bank next door, getting my photo taken by the immigration lady. I had my passport and extension back next day.

15 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

Your pal will only be able to obtain a non-O visa on the grounds of retirement from the Royal Thai Embassy in London if he is in receipt of the UK State Pension.  @DrJack54 - in practice this means that he will need to be aged 65+.

 

Assuming that he is aged 50+, though, he will be eligible for a non-OA visa. This will be valid for a year from its issue, and he can use it to enter Thailand for up to 12 months each time until its expiry - meaning that, if he were to do a border run just before its expiry (not possible at the present time, though, because of COVID restrictions) he would then get a further 12 months permission to stay, meaning that, in practice, he could get up to 2 years out of the visa before he needed to start applying for annual extensions at his local immigration office here in Thailand.

 

Further info is on the Embassy's website:-

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84508-non-immigrant-visas

 

There are, however, specific insurance requirements relating to this particular visa type, which might deter him from pursuing this course of action (as well as, of course, current uncertainties relating to the possibility of a border run to obtain a further 12 months out of the visa before it expires).

 

Thats incorrect. They key statement is "or 3 month bank statement if at least £10,000"

• Non-Immigrant Type O (Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with a state pension who wants to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days) - single entry only)
•  

• Financial evidence e.g. A copy of pension statement if the applicant is a pensioner, or a copy of 1-month bank statement showing your income from pension, or 3-month bank statement of at least £10,000
• Confirmation of legal residence in the UK or Ireland