Did my 12 months retirement extension this morning, was at my bank when it opened at 10.30 to obtain letter for the 800,000 baht, arrived at Immigration about 11.00, got all the copies necessary at the place next door, no one waiting at the visa counter, all documents checked, paid the 1900 baht, and out of there by 11.20. Total of 50 minutes. Why would anyone pay an agent to do it for them beats me.

You've thrown out a rather tired and tattered bait. I'm not biting.

Well done, hope the next extension is as easy. Will you tell us if it is not?

14 minutes ago, giddyup said:

was at my bank when it opened at 10.30

I thought banks opened at 8:30 in Thailand?

 

Quote

Banking hours are generally from 08:30

 

18 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

I thought banks opened at 8:30 in Thailand?

 

 

SCB opens at 10.30, at least the one at Tesco on Sukhumvit does.

32 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You've thrown out a rather tired and tattered bait. I'm not biting.

Well done, hope the next extension is as easy. Will you tell us if it is not?

I will if you are interested to hear. Obviously you opened this one, so I guess the subject interests you. I guess it would interest me if anyone has done it faster that 50 minutes.

37 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

I thought banks opened at 8:30 in Thailand?

Banks open later in Pattaya.

It always go smooth for me. I have never spent more than a hour in immigration  to get my extension.Last time I went it was about 45 minutes and the reason it was so long the immigration officer and I sat and talked a while about our grandchildren..

the ones inside shopping malls opens and closes later, 

'outside' branches open at 8.30 and closes at 4pm, 

the ones inside shopping malls closes at 7 pm

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Why would anyone pay an agent to do it for them beats me.

I think maybe guys who are on the edge of legal use an agent.The agent shows up with 10 passports to get done at the same time,and immigration just rubber stamps them all basically.

7 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

It always go smooth for me. I have never spent more than a hour in immigration  to get my extension.Last time I went it was about 45 minutes and the reason it was so long the immigration officer and I sat and talked a while about our grandchildren..

Yes, but did that 45 minutes also include getting the letter from the bank?

Yes, Jomtien is a breeze for retirement extensions when you have all your ducks in a row. Having an embassy income letter makes it a faster process on the day but you still beat us, timewise, when the income letter process is factored in!!

 

Just remember to give a big smile when you have your picture taken on picking up your passport. Hard to be grumpy when they provide such an efficient experience, although no doubt there will be a few who just can't help themselves.

If it's too easy, try extending on wife or work. 

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

I will if you are interested to hear. Obviously you opened this one, so I guess the subject interests you. I guess it would interest me if anyone has done it faster that 50 minutes.

I do it in about 15 minutes with an agent.

2 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

I think maybe guys who are on the edge of legal use an agent.The agent shows up with 10 passports to get done at the same time,and immigration just rubber stamps them all basically.

For some, that may be true. I use an agent because I don't want to waste my time on an indeterminate waiting period at Immigration. Sure, the OP got it done in 50 minutes. In statistical terms, that could be called an outlier.

 

" You can spend all your time making money, or you can spend all your love making time".

19 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I do it in about 15 minutes with an agent.

And you pay through the nose for it. Today was very brief, but if you have all the correct paperwork (a doddle) it still is only an hour or so if you go on the right days. If someone's time is that precious that they can't afford an hour of their time once a year, I suggest they think they are more important than they are, either that or the paperwork is just too difficult for them.

2 hours ago, dabhand said:

Yes, Jomtien is a breeze for retirement extensions when you have all your ducks in a row. Having an embassy income letter makes it a faster process on the day but you still beat us, timewise, when the income letter process is factored in!!

 

Just remember to give a big smile when you have your picture taken on picking up your passport. Hard to be grumpy when they provide such an efficient experience, although no doubt there will be a few who just can't help themselves.

Add a day, just to get the income letter!

It really all boils down to location and the officer who deals with ones application. Us living up north can have a round trip car journey of 3+ hours and then depending on the mood of the officer as to how long your in the office for.

For me I have a round trip car journey of 3 hours. I get to the Immigration Office for a Retirement Extension. I have my letter from the bank and my bank books. My money is in a fixed term account. The officer refused to accept that and asked what monies I used for my living expenses. I told him that I have use an ordinary account as well. He wanted to see money moving, not 'fixed term'. Luckily my wife had both my bank books so I was able to show him. Failing that I was looking at a return trip back home to get it to show an account with movement in it. F****** tosser.

12 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

It really all boils down to location and the officer who deals with ones application. Us living up north can have a round trip car journey of 3+ hours and then depending on the mood of the officer as to how long your in the office for.

For me I have a round trip car journey of 3 hours. I get to the Immigration Office for a Retirement Extension. I have my letter from the bank and my bank books. My money is in a fixed term account. The officer refused to accept that and asked what monies I used for my living expenses. I told him that I have use an ordinary account as well. He wanted to see money moving, not 'fixed term'. Luckily my wife had both my bank books so I was able to show him. Failing that I was looking at a return trip back home to get it to show an account with movement in it. F****** tosser.

All it takes is to get a petty bureaucrat who is just looking for an excuse to knock you back. Must have got right up his nose when you provided the other bank book. I've never been asked yet, but I always take both bank books as well.

O God ... we got you here for another year ?

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

And you pay through the nose for it. Today was very brief, but if you have all the correct paperwork (a doddle) it still is only an hour or so if you go on the right days. If someone's time is that precious that they can't afford an hour of their time once a year, I suggest they think they are more important than they are, either that or the paperwork is just too difficult for them.

I can afford it. Are you in Chiang Mai? Immigration there is notorious for delays.

I don't think I'm important. I'll admit to being lazy. Apparently you haven't yet worked out that retirement here is about spending your time as you want, not at the whim of officials.

30 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I've never been asked yet, but I always take both bank books as well.

Have been to an office and showed the 800,000 in 2 seperate accounts, both mine in the same bank, and the officer refused to do the extension, accused my wife of trying to make him look stupid. He threw the two books onto the desk of the adjacent officer and walked out. The other officer did the extension no problem. 

46 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I can afford it. Are you in Chiang Mai? Immigration there is notorious for delays.

I don't think I'm important. I'll admit to being lazy. Apparently you haven't yet worked out that retirement here is about spending your time as you want, not at the whim of officials.

Oh yes, that precious hour! And to think I just wasted it on an immigration visit.

Mine requires same day letter, too.  Guess that means I don't need to and at 4am with the paid linesitters.  Sign says just be there by 15:30 for annual extensions.

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Oh yes, that precious hour! And to think I just wasted it on an immigration visit.

You have not answered my question as to whether you are in Chiang Mai. Save the sarcasm, it's pretty obvious you're a troll.

42 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You have not answered my question as to whether you are in Chiang Mai. Save the sarcasm, it's pretty obvious you're a troll.

Why would I be in Chiang Mai when I put my post in the Pattaya Forum?

7 hours ago, giddyup said:

Why would I be in Chiang Mai when I put my post in the Pattaya Forum?

Thank you. I think you'll find Chiang Mai Immigration is not the breeze Pattaya may be.

Did my 12 months retirement today. Why would anyone pay anagent to do it for them beats me.

Edited 17 hours ago by giddyup.  

 

because not everyone has the 800,000 necessary in the bank.

Just now, catman20 said:

Did my 12 months retirement today. Why would anyone pay anagent to do it for them beats me.

Edited 17 hours ago by giddyup.  

 

because not everyone has the 800,000 necessary in the bank.

That's not mandatory, you can get a proof of income letter from your embassy.

13 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I don't want to waste my time on an indeterminate waiting period at Immigration. Sure, the OP got it done in 50 minutes. In statistical terms, that could be called an outlier.

If you're speaking of actual time spent at the Jomtien immigrations office, I'm usually in and out in around 30 minutes. And when I've posted about my experience many others have replied with similar experiences. So I doubt the O/P's experience qualifies as an outlier.

 

If you're talking about all the time spent on the application process, including embassy affidavit or bank manager's letter, providing current information to the agent, signing photocopies, travel time to and from the agent, It seems unlikely that it all consumes only 15 minutes of your time.

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

That's not mandatory, you can get a proof of income letter from your embassy.

some people don't get enough money from their retirement fund either.