I did my annual retirement extension in Khon Kaen yesterday.  For proof of income, I used a letter from my Embassy as I do every year. This time, they questioned the date of my letter, 17 Mar, complaining that it was issued more than six months prior to my renewal date. They let me slide this year and warned me that I won't have any excuses next year!  OK.  My bad.  I realize now that  I had been operating all these years on misinformation and had been obtaining the Embassy letter any time during the year it was convenient.  In 13 years, this is the first time it has been an issue!

OK, lah!  Never mind!  I actually have a practical question.  The next time the Embassy makes an "outreach" visit to Khon Kaen will be in July 2018, the exact date to be determined.  Here is the problem:  If the visit is after 13 July, it will fall less than six months prior to my renewal date, so no problem.  If, however, it falls earlier than 13 July, that will be more than 6 months prior and possibly or probably not acceptable to Imm.

So here is my highly technical question:  Would the earlier than 6 months rule apply only to the actual renewal date . . . or is it possible that if I present my sorry carcass to Imm (up to) 45 days prior to the actual renewal date that my appearance date would apply?  This isn't theoretical as it might mean  an unnecessary trip to Bangers is in my future, possibly to Udon, but that is only slightly less of a hassle than Bangers.

Thanks, lah!

It should be 6-mo from the date of application.  Generally, you can apply 30-days prior to your existing extension's end-date, though some offices have been reported to allow 45-days prior. 

 

Of course, it all boils down to the IO you deal with and their supervisor, since they seem to be able to change the rules at their own whim - as they did in your favor, at your last extension.  I am amazed they did this, given my own experience of no flexibility on the "real" rules, nor on the rules my office invents and adds to the list (for some extension-types), in an effort to prevent/block as many successful applications as possible.

The requirement that it can be no older than 6 months on the date you apply for the extension has been in effect since the end of May 2013.

If it is less 6 months old on the date you apply for the extension it will be accepted.

Perhaps to ease the tension about the date it might  be best to make the short trip to Udon Thani in November when there is an outreach there.