If the formerly untouchable elite visa is taking 1-2 months now from the the previously 1-2 weeks its looking like the elite visa just might have caught a mini dose of the good old fashion Thai visa tightening....Its good to see the lower class visas are not hogging all visa tightening attention and their is plenty to go around....lol 

 

Why heck this is a good way to weed out the deadwood who need their elite visa right away....right?

12 hours ago, fusion58 said:

1-2+ months?

 

That's a new one on me!

 

In our last email exchange, the TE rep "assured" me I would receive the approval letter by the end of this month, but this was the same rep who initially told me immigration approval would take two weeks and later moved the goal posts without notice. Meanwhile, the clock is running as my current Non-OA extension expires in one month. What a clusterf*%#!

No it should not take more than 1 month for you at all. You're from G8. 

1 hour ago, euthanax said:

No it should not take more than 1 month for you at all. You're from G8. 

I'm a U.S. citizen.

40 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

I'm a U.S. citizen.

May be they are now scrutinizing everybody throughly and doing a search with interpol ????

Paying millions and still wait for months . 

18 hours ago, euthanax said:

No it should not take more than 1 month for you at all. You're from G8. 

Maybe that background check is now a real check. Getting approved within a week suggests that there was really not much done before. If they advertise it as 1-2 month before approval I see nothing wrong with it, at the end it is a 5-20 year decision and would not think that 1 or 2 months makes a huge difference if the timeline is known.

I wonder how much this delay in processing applications is actually more due to a significant increase in applications being received following recent changes to immigration policy after certain embassies withdrew income confirmation letters?

I've e-mailed Thailand Elite and asked if the reported delays are correct or not and if they apply only to new applications or for existing Thailand Elite customers as well.

 

My Elite Easy Access (the 5 year, THB 500k one) is expiring later this year and I am considering going for the Elite Superiority Extension (20 year, THB 1m) this time.

 

I will post what they reply with.

17 hours ago, Travelanimal said:

Paying millions and still wait for months . 

Did you apply yet or not? 

7 hours ago, Stanley78 said:

I've e-mailed Thailand Elite and asked if the reported delays are correct or not and if they apply only to new applications or for existing Thailand Elite customers as well.

 

My Elite Easy Access (the 5 year, THB 500k one) is expiring later this year and I am considering going for the Elite Superiority Extension (20 year, THB 1m) this time.

 

I will post what they reply with.

Great, you just have gotten the reply as of now. 

Just received this update today in response to my e-mail inquiry:

Quote

Dear Mr. "________,"

 

Greeting from Thailand Elite …

 

Refer to your information, please kindly inform you that the background check will take around 1-2  month due to a new immigration policy.

 

Please accept our apology for any inconvenience.

 

 

Best regards,

 

"_______"

To recap: I applied on Jan 3. I then received an e-mail indicating the immigration approval process would take "about two weeks." Two weeks came and went, I inquired again, and was told that my application "should be approved by the end of this month." Today I e-mailed the rep, and I received the response quoted above. I called the TE office for further clarification, and the same rep advised me that I would probably not be able to complete the process before my current retirement extension expired at the end of February.

 

Note: I was never notified re: any of these goalpost moves - I had to inquire myself.

 

So, now I'm back to square one with regard to hunting for visa options.

2 months or more for a security check?......Hey guys there is a new invention out there its called A COMPUTER....It might speed things up....

 

Sorry not buying the security check thing...

14 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

Just received this update today in response to my e-mail inquiry:

To recap: I applied on Jan 3. I then received an e-mail indicating the immigration approval process would take "about two weeks." Two weeks came and went, I inquired again, and was told that my application "should be approved by the end of this month." Today I e-mailed the rep, and I received the response quoted above. I called the TE office for further clarification, and the same rep advised me that I would probably not be able to complete the process before my current retirement extension expired at the end of February.

 

Note: I was never notified re: any of these goalpost moves - I had to inquire myself.

 

So, now I'm back to square one with regard to hunting for visa options.

Well you could do a border run that would give you a month with a one month extension that would be 2 months...

15 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

So, now I'm back to square one with regard to hunting for visa options.

In another topic you stated you are married to a Thai. You could apply for a 60 day extension to visit her to get more time if needed.

2 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

2 months or more for a security check?......Hey guys there is a new invention out there its called A COMPUTER....It might speed things up....

 

Sorry not buying the security check thing...

There's not a lot they can check now that they couldn't check before.

 

This must point to some kind of 'go slow' with the Thai Police. I believe they check with the police to see if you're a wanted villain, been convicted of any serious crime while in Thailand, etc.

 

As for checking with foreign governments there is no check they can do as far as I am aware so that is not the source of the delay.

17 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

In another topic you stated you are married to a Thai. You could apply for a 60 day extension to visit her to get more time if needed.

You mean wait until my current extension is near its end and then apply? Which form would I use? Thanks.

3 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

You mean wait until my current extension is near its end and then apply? Which form would I use? Thanks.

The same TM7 form used for all extensions.

Your wife will need to be with you when you apply. Marriage certificate plus a copy, copies of her house book registry and ID card would be needed.

I just saw this on their website - 20 working day to 3 months, here https://www.thailandelite.com/faqs?locate=en

 

40 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I just saw this on their website - 20 working day to 3 months, here https://www.thailandelite.com/faqs?locate=en

 

Looks like it's been updated. It used to say "about two weeks."

11 hours ago, fusion58 said:

Just received this update today in response to my e-mail inquiry:

To recap: I applied on Jan 3. I then received an e-mail indicating the immigration approval process would take "about two weeks." Two weeks came and went, I inquired again, and was told that my application "should be approved by the end of this month." Today I e-mailed the rep, and I received the response quoted above. I called the TE office for further clarification, and the same rep advised me that I would probably not be able to complete the process before my current retirement extension expired at the end of February.

 

Note: I was never notified re: any of these goalpost moves - I had to inquire myself.

 

So, now I'm back to square one with regard to hunting for visa options.

You should get approved Elite next month first week, you're supposed to cancel your current visa, and then you'll be able to complete the process. 

1 minute ago, euthanax said:

You should get approved Elite next month first week, you're supposed to cancel your current visa, and then you'll be able to complete the process. 

That’s not what the TE rep told me today. I was told that I won’t  have enough time to complete the whole process before my current extension expires. I realize TE is at the mercy of Thai immigration, but after three consecutive goal post moves re: expected wait time (all with no notice) my confidence in TE as a solution has been shaken.

Thailand Elite called me just a moment ago rather than replying to my e-mail. I asked about the reported delays and basically what they told me is that yes there are delays and that it is not due to them but due to immigration.

 

What they explained to me is that the immigration department which handles the background checks has changed and the new department in charge is not yet up to scratch as to how to handle their new responsibility as efficiently as the previous one was.

 

Hence there appears to be a backlog. He said they are expecting it to get back to 2 weeks in processing time again eventually but he didn't give me a timeline for it.

 

I asked him if the delays are the same for existing members who renew. He said yes the delays are for everyone. Apparently the background check is the same regardless of if you already had a membership before or am getting your first one.

 

I asked him if he can e-mail me the application forms and he told me to wait because they're discussing internally to perhaps offer existing members a discount on renewals and that he would get back to me when they've decided.

17 hours ago, fusion58 said:

but after three consecutive goal post moves re: expected wait time (all with no notice) my confidence in TE as a solution has been shaken.

It sounds to me like someone in charge somewhere doesn't like the TE visa and they're making problems for applicants.

 

With the latest rules for the 800k savings for extension the Elite is looking more attractive.

But, can you still use it to make simple out-in land border crossings to give each additional 12 months PtS? 

3 hours ago, steve73 said:

With the latest rules for the 800k savings for extension the Elite is looking more attractive.

But, can you still use it to make simple out-in land border crossings to give each additional 12 months PtS? 

If you can pay for a TE visa then you can make the deposit requirements as well? One is an expense and one is a deposit. Why go the TE route if you can go the retirement route? OK TE offers a few benefits that don't amount to much money and a little convenience. 

2 hours ago, inThailand said:

If you can pay for a TE visa then you can make the deposit requirements as well? One is an expense and one is a deposit. Why go the TE route if you can go the retirement route? OK TE offers a few benefits that don't amount to much money and a little convenience. 

I do not think it is as clearcut as you suggest. It can depend on the immigration office where you must get your annual retirement extensions. In many (currently most) offices, it is as simple as showing you have the required deposit in the bank and the associated bank letter. However, there are offices that impose additional requirements. Examples are health certificates from a specified hospital, and proof of retirement by pension deposits into Thailand. Further, the requirements for an extension are subject to change without notice. The Thailand Elite program gives peace of mind, and allows you to sidestep those conniving officials.

On 1/30/2019 at 5:10 PM, ubonjoe said:

In another topic you stated you are married to a Thai. You could apply for a 60 day extension to visit her to get more time if needed.

I’m leaning more and more toward this option.

 

Would the 60 days start at the expiration date for my current one-year extension or on the date I applied?

 

60 days would buy me enough time to pursue the 800K in the bank option.

 

At the end of the 60 days, would I be able to apply for another one-year extension based on retirement?

36 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

I’m leaning more and more toward this option.

 

Would the 60 days start at the expiration date for my current one-year extension or on the date I applied?

 

60 days would buy me enough time to pursue the 800K in the bank option.

 

At the end of the 60 days, would I be able to apply for another one-year extension based on retirement?

Yes, assuming you have not had the 60-day extension since your last visa entry into Thailand, you are entitled to one, and it provides 60 days from the current expiry of your permission to stay. Also, you can apply for a one-year extension at the end of the 60-day extension. Note that at the end of that (one year) extension, your could not ask for a further 60-day one. You can only have one of those per entry using a visa.

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

I do not think it is as clearcut as you suggest. It can depend on the immigration office where you must get your annual retirement extensions. In many (currently most) offices, it is as simple as showing you have the required deposit in the bank and the associated bank letter. However, there are offices that impose additional requirements. Examples are health certificates from a specified hospital, and proof of retirement by pension deposits into Thailand. Further, the requirements for an extension are subject to change without notice. The Thailand Elite program gives peace of mind, and allows you to sidestep those conniving officials.

1

+1

Myself, a friend, and others have commented on TV that despite being '50+ years old', we chose ThaiElite.

 

MUCH simpler, straightforward, and ZERO hassles unlike the 'retirement' visa.

 

 

11 hours ago, BritTim said:

Yes, assuming you have not had the 60-day extension since your last visa entry into Thailand, you are entitled to one, and it provides 60 days from the current expiry of your permission to stay. Also, you can apply for a one-year extension at the end of the 60-day extension. Note that at the end of that (one year) extension, your could not ask for a further 60-day one. You can only have one of those per entry using a visa.

60 day extension alert:

 

I went to CW today to apply for a 60 day extension (to visit wife) and, after submitting my documents, I was advised by the IO (who was about to stamp my passport) that the 60 day count starts on the date you apply - not on the date of the expiry of your current permission to stay (in case you apply before your expiration date.) Oddly enough, the senior officer, when examining my documents, assured me just the reverse was true. When I pointed out the discrepancy in the advice I was receiving, there was a quick powwow, and the senior officer deferred to the subordinate.

 

But the irony doesn’t end there.

 

While I was sitting in my chair waiting for the verdict, my approval letter from Thailand Elite came in.