Did I miss deadline for seasoning 80k on Retirement Visa

[Sumarianson]

Hi 

I hope some of you 'seasoned' guys can help me. 

I am in Bangkok and have an Immigration O  visa on family (daughter 9 ) which finishes on Feb. 9 2018. I have had a renewal of this visa since Feb 2013, and been in Thailand legally since Dec. 2012, but I broke continuity between May - August 2015  when I had family business outside the country. 

Because my long time x will no longer support me with my family visa and is limiting my time with my child as a new partner is now living with me (Jealousy). I now will have to take the matter to court regarding my child, however meantime, I need to renew my visa in Feb. Retirement being the alternative.

To this end I asked my bank (Nationwide Uk) to tranfer the 80K necessary on the 1st Dec. However they have Fffffed up and despite many protestations and letters the morons could not manage to get their act together. It is now the bank holiday weekend and the 11th Dec.

I was trying to have the money seasoned for 3 months but am now in a bind. I am now arranging to send directly by Bangkok Bank but the registration process etc takes time. I expect I should get the money by the end of the week. I have read that the seasoning period is 60 days or 90 days depending on whether it is the first application. 

My question therefore is, as this is my first application for a Retirement Visa, it the seasoning period 60 days or is this considered as a continuing Visa application with a requirement of 90 days?

If the latter, what can I do? I have evedince in the form of a confirmation from the bank that they will send the funds dated 1st Dec and my subsequent complaint letters along with a statement showing the funds available in the account for transfer. 

Any help would be appreciated.

PS 

If anyone has had experience with a difficult x and dealing with Lawyers and the Thai court system etc. Please post or PM me your experience.

 

 

 

 

 

[elviajero]

21 minutes ago, Sumarianson said:

My question therefore is, as this is my first application for a Retirement Visa, it the seasoning period 60 days or is this considered as a continuing Visa application with a requirement of 90 days?

As you seem to be changing the reason for an extension of stay from 'parent' to 'retirement' they may well insist that the funds are in your bank for 3 months because it's not your first extension. You will have to check with your local office. 

 

21 minutes ago, Sumarianson said:

If the latter, what can I do? I have evedince in the form of a confirmation from the bank that they will send the funds dated 1st Dec and my subsequent complaint letters along with a statement showing the funds available in the account for transfer. 

If they do insist on 3 months you could try to get a 60 day extension of stay (to visit your child) from Feb 9th 2018, and then apply for the 1 year extension in April 2018. 60 day extensions require less paperwork and there is no financial requirement to meet. 

 

Immigration will count from the day the funds actually credit your account. Evidence of when they said they would send it or complaint letters won't help you.

Edited December 11, 2017 by elviajero

[BritTim]

I am still not entirely clear on

• When did you last enter Thailand using a visa issued at a consulate outside Thailand (not a re-entry permit)?
• Are you currently on an extension of stay granted at an immigration office inside Thailand?
• Do you currently have an unexpired multiple entry Non Imm O visa in your passport?

For an initial extension based on retirement, the money must be seasoned for 60 days. For other than the first extension, the money must be in your Thai account for three months. I do not think previous extensions based on marriage or Thai child will change this being your first retirement extension, but that does not help you. At best, it seems the money will hit your account December 12, and February 8 is only 58 days later. Senior immigration officials are allowed to waive the seasoning requirement, but they very rarely will. You could ask them if they will allow you to apply a few days late (paying the overstay fine) at the point your money is properly seasoned. In a large immigration office like Bangkok, your chances are not good.

[Myran]

You need 800k in the bank, not 80k.

[Sumarianson]

Sorry, the date for end of my current visa is March 9 2018.

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[Sumarianson]

Hi 
I hope some of you 'seasoned' guys can help me. 
I am in Bangkok and have an Immigration O  visa on family (daughter 9 ) which finishes on March 9th 2018. I have had a renewal of this visa since March 2013, and been in Thailand legally since Dec. 2012, but I broke continuity between May - August 2015  when I had family business outside the country. 
Because my long time x will no longer support me with my family visa and is limiting my time with my child as a new partner is now living with me (Jealousy). I now will have to take the matter to court regarding my child, however meantime, I need to renew my visa in March. Retirement being the alternative.
To this end I asked my bank (Nationwide Uk) to tranfer the 80K necessary on the 1st Dec. However they have Fffffed up and despite many protestations and letters the morons could not manage to get their act together. It is now the bank holiday weekend and the 11th Dec.
I was trying to have the money seasoned for 3 months but am now in a bind. I am now arranging to send directly by Bangkok Bank but the registration process etc takes time. I expect I should get the money by the end of the week. I have read that the seasoning period is 60 days or 90 days depending on whether it is the first application. 
My question therefore is, as this is my first application for a Retirement Visa, it the seasoning period 60 days or is this considered as a continuing Visa application with a requirement of 90 days?
If the latter, what can I do? I have evedince in the form of a confirmation from the bank that they will send the funds dated 1st Dec and my subsequent complaint letters along with a statement showing the funds available in the account for transfer. 
Any help would be appreciated.
PS 
If anyone has had experience with a difficult x and dealing with Lawyers and the Thai court system etc. Please post or PM me your experience.
 

Correction:
Visa ends March 9th not Feb 9 as previously posted.

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[Sumarianson]

You need 800k in the bank, not 80k.

Yes, know that, just a printing error but thanks.

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[Sumarianson]

I am still not entirely clear on

• When did you last enter Thailand using a visa issued at a consulate outside Thailand (not a re-entry permit)?
• Are you currently on an extension of stay granted at an immigration office inside Thailand?
• Do you currently have an unexpired multiple entry Non Imm O visa in your passport?

For an initial extension based on retirement, the money must be seasoned for 60 days. For other than the first extension, the money must be in your Thai account for three months. I do not think previous extensions based on marriage or Thai child will change this being your first retirement extension, but that does not help you. At best, it seems the money will hit your account December 12, and February 8 is only 58 days later. Senior immigration officials are allowed to waive the seasoning requirement, but they very rarely will. You could ask them if they will allow you to apply a few days late (paying the overstay fine) at the point your money is properly seasoned. In a large immigration office like Bangkok, your chances are not good.


I entered Thailand last on 28 July 2015. I had a visa valid to the previous May. I applied for a extension of my tourist entry visa on return and then re applied for a family visa. Got one in March 9th 2016. Renewed again in March 2017. Now due for renewal in 2018.


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[BritTim]

10 hours ago, Sumarianson said:

I entered Thailand last on 28 July 2015. I had a visa valid to the previous May. I applied for a extension of my tourist entry visa on return and then re applied for a family visa. Got one in March 9th 2016. Renewed again in March 2017. Now due for renewal in 2018.

My translation of that is

• you entered on a tourist visa (60 days) on July 28 2015
• you applied for a 30-day extension (taking your permission to stay to 25 October 2015)
• you applied for a 60-day extension to visit your family (taking you to 3 January 2016)
• you applied for a conversion to a non immigrant entry which was issued on 11 December 2015 (permission to stay until  9 March 2016)
• you received a one-year extension (Thai family) until 9 March 2017
• you received a one-year extension (Thai family) until 9 March 2018

Please correct me if any of this history is wrong.

 

You originally indicated that your permission to stay ends 9 February, but it seems it actually ends 9 March 2018. If so (and immigration treat this as a first retirement extension) you still have a few weeks to get the money seasoned in time to apply early March.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

You originally indicated that your permission to stay ends 9 February, but it seems it actually ends 9 March 2018. If so (and immigration treat this as a first retirement extension) you still have a few weeks to get the money seasoned in time to apply early March.

Immigration's definition of the first extension is that it is from a new 90 day entry from non-o visa. The reasoning behind the 60 day rule for the first extension is that it allows time for a person to open a bank account, deposit the funds and then apply for the extension during the 90 day entry from the visa.

[wgdanson]

Transfer the money via Transferwise, next day delivery and not too expensive.

 

[connda]

11 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Immigration's definition of the first extension is that it is from a new 90 day entry from non-o visa. The reasoning behind the 60 day rule for the first extension is that it allows time for a person to open a bank account, deposit the funds and then apply for the extension during the 90 day entry from the visa.

Hey Ubonjoe,
Do you have any idea why they even have this rule in the first place?  It doesn't make a lot of sense if they are attempting to determine that you have enough money to live on if you are not allowed to touch it for three months out of the year.  Just wondering.

[VBF]

42 minutes ago, connda said:

Hey Ubonjoe,
Do you have any idea why they even have this rule in the first place?  It doesn't make a lot of sense if they are attempting to determine that you have enough money to live on if you are not allowed to touch it for three months out of the year.  Just wondering.

Well i'm not Ubonjoe nor would I suggest that my knowledge of the system even approaches his, but I believe that the idea is to prevent Farangs from lending each other 800K for a day or 2 just to get extensions. It was rumoured that in some expat areas, the same lump sum was being transferred multiple times between impecunious applicants.

As I say I'm not the expert here by any means!

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, VBF said:

3 hours ago, connda said:

Hey Ubonjoe,
Do you have any idea why they even have this rule in the first place?  It doesn't make a lot of sense if they are attempting to determine that you have enough money to live on if you are not allowed to touch it for three months out of the year.  Just wondering.

Well i'm not Ubonjoe nor would I suggest that my knowledge of the system even approaches his, but I believe that the idea is to prevent Farangs from lending each other 800K for a day or 2 just to get extensions. It was rumoured that in some expat areas, the same lump sum was being transferred multiple times between impecunious applicants.

As I say I'm not the expert here by any means!

That's true, and I believe it was more than 10-years ago now – think it was relative short time before my first extension of stay based on retirement – however, concerning »not allowed to touch it for three months out of the year«, you don't need to deposit 800k baht, you can also prove an equivalent monthly income of 65k baht, or a combination of monthly income and a deposit...

[JackThompson]

15 hours ago, VBF said:

Well i'm not Ubonjoe nor would I suggest that my knowledge of the system even approaches his, but I believe that the idea is to prevent Farangs from lending each other 800K for a day or 2 just to get extensions. It was rumoured that in some expat areas, the same lump sum was being transferred multiple times between impecunious applicants.

As I say I'm not the expert here by any means!

Yes.  According to recent (and ongoing) reports, only agents can now "flash" the money in and out of your account in a day, and get an extension for you based on non-seasoned funds.  If not paying an agent, who in turn do something special with immigration, the seasoning is mandatory.

 

The OP's case is a perfect example of where an exception should be made, allowing a couple-days difference in "seasoning," with proof the OP tried to do the right thing (letters to his bank).  But, given immigration's curious preference for agent-based "arrangements," their interests would not be served by doing this.