JackThompson

1 hour ago, Sven1785 said:

Hi, thanks for your response to my topic. What do you mean they can not cancel it? The HR lady informed me that the company will cancel my WP and Visa to the end of December 

Your employer can cancel the WP. 

You would need to go to immigration the day your work officially-ends to cancel your permitted-stay based on work - and that is when you would need to have the paperwork ready to apply for your next permitted-stay.

Whether immigration will approve w/o an agent's brown-envelope - or say, "You must go out for a new visa" - is down to the office/greed - but nothing in the law that prevents doing what I described. 

In general, a "real" university, vs a language-school, will afford better treatment (fewer agent-money tricks) from Immigration.

22 hours ago, checkered flag said:

Just like the previous embassy income letters, it would seem. This followed some "you tube" videos on how to beat the system and TI made more rules (2 months before and 3 months after). TI pays attention and adjusts to schemes to work around the system. 

Short extensions might work this time but we'll have to see for how long. 

What previous embassy letters, and what do those have to do with "2 months before and 3 months after"?

9 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

... the practice of yearly border runs for new visa might be over. They've already done this with Non O Ed visas. 

You mean the "get a new passport" rule, for some Visa applications?  The staff there will tell you to do exactly that.  And the rule is 1-year for ED at Vientiane - no more than 1 per 12 months, last report I read.

5 hours ago, adrianb said:

I do not have the 400k in the bank here, even though I transfer around 60-75k a month here.

Is that income a "state pension"?  If you have docs to prove that it is, PLUS 12 months of foreign-transfers from your bank-statement, then you should be able to apply at most offices for a 1-year extension.  As your last entry was Non-Imm, the "15 days before" rule does not apply.

You should be able to apply for the "60-days to visit your wife," even w/o the money - and, yes, at MTT,  if you local office will not do it - but ONLY if you "move" to Bangkok first, so you can provide landlord-docs showing you live there.

One more thing to try, is presenting the embassy-letter at Chumpon - not for a 30-day extension, but to get them to "validate" the auto-extension of your previous entry-stamp, which the cabinet gave us by law.  Some offices pretend it isn't a "real" extension - which is bull - but a few relented and stamped "admitted until" Sept 26 when an embassy-letter was shown.  There are pictures of these in the "usa embassy letter" thread.  With that stamp done, you can THEN get your 60-day and/or 1-year extension.

37 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

Visa agent are a legitimate way to go for those who can't understand the rules and the agent can take the time to make sure everything is properly done. The fact that the OP stated that he and the GF took copious notes tells a lot. For me the process has always been very simple and I have no need to make a lot of notes. Sounds to me the OP isn't well organized or is making a story to gain sympathy/attention. 

...

From experience, the IOs will not provide any information in printed form at some offices.  That way, IOs can keep changing the rules at each attempt to apply.  Others provide a list, but it is often different than the "official" list (Saumi's medical, Jomtien's landlord-docs, etc). 

IOs would be visibly angry when my wife would read-back their "new rules" list - which had been presented rapidly and unclearly - and ask if it was complete. 

Granted, my experiences (multiple-offices) were for Thai-family based, for which more "official" and made-up rules are used to block an application.  Retirement-based extensions are made much easier, for some unknown reason - including MUCH lower IO-Agent-Partner fees, if going that route.

38 minutes ago, Grusa said:

...
3. dob the whole corrupt lot of them in, in return for immunity for prosecution.

As The Hague would likely not take the case, and no one in the chain who is not in on the operation - one could leave Thailand forever, and put the evidence on You Tube. 

If I am ever given x-mo to live, that's near the top of my bucket-list - with a connected "lawyer" and his "district level" IO in the sting - the ones who break up families for their money.

2 hours ago, mikem20 said:

I was also told the same at CW when I went to inquire there, I would need to show bank transfers. I

This is not true for an embassy-letter case, unless they have changed their policy.  Perhaps too many could not be forced enough to agents under covid-conditions, so they have changed the rules, again.   But maybe the agents are not provding your options, because they want their cut of the action on your extension.

I would try in-person at CW with Embasy-Letter AND your proof-of-source ("all the reference documents showing the source of the income").    They will then ask for proof of where you live in the Bankgkok/CW service-area.  Say you need to get that from your "Apartment Manager," but have a 3-mo contract extendable per-month thereafter.  If they are OK with that, you are set to return and get it done. 

If All Good - THEN, rent an Apartment.  If you rent a "condo," a "Chanote" (purchase-agreement of owner), "Landlord's Blue Book," etc (bull) comes into it - AVOID, unless you find one where the Owner will provide those.   With an apartment, you should only need apt-manager signed copies of the rental-contract and his ID card - but verify the "landlord docs" at CW on your initial-visit, so you don't get (bleeped).

Make sure the rental-contract is the "only other thing" they need - get a list if they have extras.   If they want an MFA stamp on your embassy-letter - that's a 2 day thing max (can be one-day, if submitted early enough) - but that dirty-trick is usually a "small office" back-stab (Jomtien used to do this for "change of visa" - last report I read they only accepted bank-money / agent). 

BUT - you WOULD need to Stay In Bangkok about 2 months, to finish the process - 90-day Non-O (they may visit your apartment), then 2 mo later apply for 1-year extension.

Aside: your title is fairly-correct - you need a "90-Day VISA," obtained at immigration, before you can apply for a "1 year extension" some months later.  More verbose would be "Non-O 90-Day Visa Based on Retirement" - but, close enough. 

51 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The problem is that once Immigration becomes aware that the embassy is handing out these letters on demand, without there being any justification other than "I would like to stay in Thailand", Immigration can stop accepting the letters. This can cause horrific problems for those who really are unable to leave.

My impression, is these 30-day stays replace the previous auto-extensions - a compromise with immigration.  The letter is just a formality.  

Immigration could already have required the letters state specific reasons, if that were their intent.  I am sure many in immigration would like to require this, but someone further up seems to have set this policy - likely because Thais are not being given a rough-time staying in our passport-countries, due to the myriad of 'covid related' complications with travel.

28 minutes ago, TGIR said:

When I got my last extension I switched to the 800K method.  When the Officer stamped my renewal he looked directly at me and said: you have to have at least 400K of this in four months.  Come back to this office with proof you still have the money in the bank.  I'm willing to bet they have given these instructions to everyone......

I hope he also mentioned that you must have no less than 800K, for the next 3 months?

Any and all changes in policy should only apply to new applicants - with at least a 1-year notice before such changes would come into effect for new applicants, thus not affecting those already well into planning their retirement. 

And, of course, new changes should never be forced on those already "retired" in Thailand, under a previously agreed set of terms.
 

Quote

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Pay Attention Guys.........the folks at Immigration are not your friends.

Got that right.

1 hour ago, ajarnmarc said:

My landlord informed me that when he came into the office to verify my living on his property, that they made him feel like he had done something wrong, or that I had done something wrong, when they couldn't find anything he had done wrong.

Ditto for Thai spouses - often treated like "collaborators with the enemy."

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That you would state this surprises me. You have been in Thailand a long time and I would expect you to know better. My own observation is that Thai officials make pronouncements all the time, with supreme confidence, based on no facts whatsoever. It constantly gets those unused to Thai officialdom into trouble, but should not mislead those with experience. I have yet to see a single case where spouting nonsense got an official into trouble unless it was done in a way that caused a superior to lose face.

I did not say it was "good advice" - or that IO-pronouncements are reliable.  That is why I got my embassy letter.

But it is not helpful for IOs to say such things - setting people up for a difficult-time, if it doesn't happen.  If I were to guess why this IO said this - options:
1) Knows something about the future plans.
2) Is making his own guess, w/o knowing anything.

3) Will get bigger agent-payoffs for extensions closer to the deadline, so setting folks up for this - specifically, folks whose embassies are being (explitives) / not issuing letters easily.

I have no idea which it is.  None would surprise me.

On 9/11/2020 at 7:45 PM, BritTim said:

Come September 23, you will then complain bitterly that there has been no announcement from the Thai authorities, except Immigration repeatedly informing you that there will be no amnesty extension, and your assumption that Immigration was lying. You will ask how everyone gambling on a further amnesty can be expected to fly out within three days. That is what I expect to happen, but I truly hope you will be lucky.

I got my embassy letter - not taking chances. 
But, if what you suggest is the case, maybe they should tell Their Own IOs to quit saying things like "80% Chance the Amnesty Will Be Extended" (Phuket).

16 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

If they relaxed the "income" method & granted extension based on average monthly deposits over 12 months it would help some of those on non O ME.  Those using this visa probably meet the 40,000bt per month, but have irregular cash transfers, ie transfer cash as needed.

Oh, you mean Follow the "average income" Rules as Written for those with Thai family?  Yes, that would be nice.  Also not demanding proof the income is a "state pension," as is done in some/many offices - just show the international-xfers and DONE. 

Then, do the same for those with Thai-incomes - Show The Income and DONE - no re-proving the work-permit isn't fake, pics in office, valid DBD docs stamped by a bank rejected, etc.

7 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Another unnecessary BS video. 

Why is it bull?  Please be specific.  I thought the data was well sourced and presented. 

1 hour ago, onebir said:

This is what China does (you have to get tourist visas in your country of citizenship or demonstrate some form of residency).

Not the best example one would want to see emulated - but I don't see how that relates to Thailand, in any case.

19 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

They will open when a vaccine arrives and us infected westerners have been vaccinated prior to departure. Astrazeneca looks like being ready early next year, roll out will start with the vulnerable and then the rest of the population.

 

Until then 2 week quarantine in Asia.

The flu-vaccine is approximately 50% effective - and there is long-standing vaccine-work on that type of virus.  Corona-virus vaccines are new. 

But assuming it works, why not just vaccinate vulnerable Thais (who want it), and then everyone vulnerable is safe, no?  No reason to care if visitors take it, or the general population, who is unlikely to even know they had covid, if they get it.

3 hours ago, tonray said:

What incentive do I have then to keep 800k in Thailand bank, buy worthless insurance and jump thru hoops for 12 months when apparently it may be possible to get 9 months with a quick trip to a neighboring consulate ? SMH

Good point.  Is why they will tack-on some crazy requirements like "must get it from your passport-country" - plus who knows what financial proofs. 

But when you actually get here, Immigration will disregard the financials you already proved to the MFA for your visa.  And maybe you stayed for a few months the last time you visited (albeit 100% legally).  For this excuse, they will arbitrarily deny entry - because their brown-envelopes don't come from the MFA, unlike those which accompany a high % of in-country extensions.

4 hours ago, Oldie said:

They don't put your money in a shoebox. The banks give it to people as credit and they will spend it. Perhaps not for booze and ladies ????

That's not how fiat-currency works, though.  When you take out a loan, they type "new money" into existence into a computer - upon which that "invented" money plus "interest" (which does not yet exist) must be repaid over time.  It's an ever-expanding ponzi-scheme, requring the money-supply to increase forever (hence, inflation) to keep up with the principlal + interest payments. 

The money in "savings accounts" is entirely lost to the economy.  Investment-type accounts (stocks, bonds, etc), which directly fund business creation/expansion, are productive. 

This is why visa/extension rules which only consider "savings accounts" as investment-money, and insane rules for those showing income, are self-defeating.

4 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Questions people will want to know are what hoops do they have to jump through to get one, can they be obtained in country (i.e. people already here and wanting to stay longer) or are they only obtainable through a Thai embassy together with all the paperwork that has become one of the biggest obstacles facing possible visitors, together with insurance, and the forced overpriced quarantine etc.

Certainly, you will need to fly back to your passport-country - even if you haven't lived there in decades - to "apply" for this - like the TR-ME Visa - for many, adding additional quarantine time to the process.

4 hours ago, crazykopite said:

5 hours ago, AlfHuy said:

and after 9 months, do a border run and come back for another 9 months.

No health insurance, no 800k in bank, no nothing.

Just enjoy and as a sweetener, you can buy land and build your dream home.

Now that is wishful thinking 

Indeed.  How could they sell overpriced elite-visas, if they did that?   And far too many would come and spend money - allowing to many poorer Thais a way out of poverty - the last thing the Elite want.  They don't want them to have jobs; they bring in "disposable" Cambodians, etc to ensure they don't get them.

4 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Maybe if we didn't have to keep 400/800 baht in the bank we would spend more time in the hotels.So they would need less tourist to make everyone happy. A happy ending?

Yes - They force money OUT of the economy by haranguing those who use income for extension-financials, lock up folk's money with bank-money restrictions, burn piles of "would have been spent" cash with the Elite and forced-agent payoffs to immigration, etc.  The "new" (ish) 5/10 OX visa forces visitors to put even more money in the "cannot spend" pile. 

9 minutes ago, Longchop said:

Cue the ever tightining of visa rules since the coup and the tourism push towards China.

The rules went south before that event - the "crackdown" on visa-exempts shuttered entire sois of businesses.  More closed-up as they "cracked down" more. 

As to China, its about more than tourism.  The West let "our" (sic) businesses set up shop with the CCP, and the Thais saw which way the wind was blowing.  They tend to work with whoever has power in this region, for the sake of their own survival.  We have our own sellout-govts/businesses to blame for this.

9 minutes ago, Longchop said:

the sexpat reputation  Thailand has recieved from western tourists over the decades.

I don't see why Thailand would have a "reputation" on this, these days.  Look at Germany, Spain, etc - same offerings there and out in the open.  Everywhere has "parts of town" with this or that.  Thai society is more conservative than those,  generally. 

And if that were the issue, they'd crack down on that activity (they haven't) - not throw out visitors who spend money into their economy in "crackdowns."   It has a lot to do with China - who wants us gone - as per above.