Jomtien Immigration asked me for 10,000 Baht for change from Marriage to Retirement Extension

[CharlieH]

8 minutes ago, Jack james said:

the person started this thread said he wanted to change because of the hassle. i was curious if marriage extension is more work.?

Yes, generally more involved.requires photos, more paperwork/evidence and is then forwarded to Bangkok "under consideration" for 30 days then return to get the extension issued.

(Offices may vary)

[Jack james]

i thought he had already,? just more hassle to renew?

[sumrit]

14 minutes ago, Jack james said:

the person started this thread said he wanted to change because of the hassle. i was curious if marriage extension is more work.?

I'm also thinking of changing from a retirement to marriage extension at Jomtien.

 

As I understand it, there's no actual 'hassle' but a marriage extension is more involved. Over and above the retirement requirements basically you will need to provide various photographs of you and your wife at home, proof of your marriage and be prepared for a home visit from immigration. Your application is then put 'under consideration for about thirty days while your application is processed.

 

 

Quote

i thought he had already,? just more hassle to renew?

Not more hassle.......exactly the same process every year

Edited November 22, 2018 by sumrit

[Wallander4]

43 minutes ago, Jack james said:

the person started this thread said he wanted to change because of the hassle. i was curious if marriage extension is more work.?

Like JackThompson say : if you rent your condo - like we do - the IO will keep on coming with new demands for your Marriage extension eg. personal docs from your landlord, witness, pics not good enough etc. etc. etc.

 

We got enough of this circus and decided to go for the Retirement extension as many expats advice this as its much easier nad since we will take all our money out of Thailand anyway when we leave Thailand in april 2019 I don't care about 800k for Retirement extension.

 

I can hear from many other expats that we are certainly not the only ones that have had enough of being treated like a criminal cause you are married to a thai

[Wallander4]

37 minutes ago, sumrit said:

I'm also thinking of changing from a retirement to marriage extension at Jomtien.

 

As I understand it, there's no actual 'hassle' but a marriage extension is more involved. Over and above the retirement requirements basically you will need to provide various photographs of you and your wife at home, proof of your marriage and be prepared for a home visit from immigration. Your application is then put 'under consideration for about thirty days while your application is processed.

 

 

Not more hassle.......exactly the same process every year

Don't forget you need to provide witness, hand drawn map to/from Immigration to your home, multiple docs from your landlord (if renting) etc. etc. so yes definitely way more hassle

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, Wallander4 said:

Don't forget you need to provide witness, hand drawn map to/from Immigration to your home, multiple docs from your landlord (if renting) etc. etc. so yes definitely way more hassle

That depends upon the office where you apply. 

Most do not require witnesses. Not sure what multiple documents from you landlord are (rental agreement, copies of their house book and ID card is not much).

I am on my 11th extension based upon marriage and can say it is not that hard to do.

[sumrit]

2 minutes ago, Wallander4 said:

Don't forget you need to provide witness, hand drawn map to/from Immigration to your home, multiple docs from your landlord (if renting) etc. etc. so yes definitely way more hassle

Taking a witness to Jomtien with us (if needed) is no problem, a map is no problem and we (my wife) owns our house plus I have a yellow tabien baan and pink ID.

 

Jomtien are happy to accept my yellow book and ID  for proof of residence for my retirement extension so no hassle to supply the same for a marriage extension.

 

A map is an extra document, certainly not a hassle. Supplying our marriage certificate is an extra document, not a hassle. Providing my wife's tabien baan is not a hassle. Taking and printing a few photos of us at home is not a hassle.

 

I accept that supplying a few more pieces of paper is required but they take minutes to print off from my laptop. They are certainly not the hassle that you imply. 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

That depends upon the office where you apply. 

Most do not require witnesses. Not sure what multiple documents from you landlord are (rental agreement, copies of their house book and ID card is not much).

I am on my 11th extension based upon marriage and can say it is not that hard to do.

In Jomtien, also add:

- Housebook of your residence

- Chanote of your residence

(also signed by landlord)

 

I gave up on the 3rd attempt, primarily because my wife asked not to go back for more abuse by staff to her.  The IO's last excuse for not providing the extension (without an agent) being that the housebook of our residence we provided wasn't "new enough" and the owner would need to fly back to Thailand, stand in line at an amphoe, and get a newer copy of it.

Edited November 22, 2018 by JackThompson

[vogie]

1 hour ago, sumrit said:

I'm also thinking of changing from a retirement to marriage extension at Jomtien.

 

As I understand it, there's no actual 'hassle' but a marriage extension is more involved. Over and above the retirement requirements basically you will need to provide various photographs of you and your wife at home, proof of your marriage and be prepared for a home visit from immigration. Your application is then put 'under consideration for about thirty days while your application is processed.

 

 

Not more hassle.......exactly the same process every year

Last year on my marriage extention it took me three visits before I satisfied their photograph  requirements at Jomptian.

[sumrit]

Just now, vogie said:

Last year on my marriage extention it took me three visits before I satisfied their photograph  requirements at Jomptian.

What was wrong with the photos on the first two attempts?

[luckyluke]

I chose the "Retirement" above the "Marriage" for different reasons. 

I have acquaintances who told me "Marriage Visa" is not a hassle. 

Another one told me he would prefer the "Retirement" route but had to take the "Marriage" because he had not the necessary income/funds for "Retirement". 

 

[vogie]

Just now, sumrit said:

What was wrong with the photos on the first two attempts?

The 1st attempt I had included the farang husband of my wifes Thai friend on the photo.

 

The 2nd attempt there wasn't enough photos to satisfy them, cost me a small fortune in printer ink.

 

3rd time lucky.

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, sumrit said:

Jomtien are happy to accept my yellow book and ID  for proof of residence for my retirement extension //

You don't need any proof of residence to Renew your Retirement Extension in Jomtien. 

Years that I stopped to provide an Internet bill as proof and they never asked for one.

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, Pattaya46 said:

You don't need any proof of residence to Renew your Retirement Extension in Jomtien. 

Years that I stopped to provide an Internet bill as proof and they never asked for one.

The retirement desk has a completely different attitude than the "family" desk.  Some report you don't even need a current TM-30 for in-person retirement renewals. 

 

This is why the warnings - because some might assume only the documentation / procedure changes when going from retirement to marriage at Jomtien - as would be the case if doing this at Chang Wattana in Bangkok or other "follow the rules" offices.  But instead, suddenly you and your wife find yourselves as "the enemy" - unless you pay-up through an agent.

[jacko45k]

On 11/20/2018 at 12:18 PM, KittenKong said:

Report it to "Big Joke". If he really wants to clean up Immigration that will be an excellent place for him to start.

 

These cheap little chisellers really do bring disgrace on the whole country.

It is all very well, but like the lady with the Chinese partner, they may get threats and likely no extension at all.

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

The retirement desk has a completely different attitude than the "family" desk.  Some report you don't even need a current TM-30 for in-person retirement renewals. 

I can also confirmed that: If you are already on Retirement Extension, Jomtien will *refuse* registering your TM-30 except if you moved/changed address...

[jacko45k]

On 11/22/2018 at 3:59 PM, Pattaya46 said:

I can also confirmed that: If you are already on Retirement Extension, Jomtien will *refuse* registering your TM-30 except if you moved/changed address...

Good, as I have not just arrived a TM30 seems superfluous!

[Trevor Collins]

You got any idea how to best contact Anti Corruption task force ? 

 

Anti Corruption task force? I'm not familiar with that term and I suspect many Thai government officials aren't either. Once you get a job in the civil service, the size of your pay packet is entirely dependent on how corrupt you are.

[RickoMortis]

Just pay up the 10,000 baht keep supporting the system. We all must pay that's how it is in Thailand its only money at the end of the day. 

[zoza]

On ‎11‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 12:16 PM, Wallander4 said:

We will do that and if they still want bribes then we just continue with extension based on marriage - we are leaving Thailand next year so this is last extension anyway

just a heads up , maybe do your report after you are all settled in your new place, as a few have found out if you upset any IO they can do anything they want like cancel your wife's visa (I had a disagreement when trying to change our flight dates, and had our flights canceled (and only got a refund as I paid with CC from UK bank ) some unbelievable stuff and no one will get involved. remember TIT.   

[Pattaya46]

11 hours ago, RickoMortis said:

Just pay up the 10,000 baht keep supporting the system. We all must pay that's how it is in Thailand its only money at the end of the day. 

Ridiculous . I don't know why some members here like to give their money for nothing .

There is absolutely no need to pay this bribe in Jomtien  to change your type of Extension.

In fact there is no need ever to pay a bribe in Thailand. Never did it in 12+ years living here.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

There is absolutely no need to pay this bribe in Jomtien  to change your type of Extension.

One cannot get a Non-O stamp there following the official rules.  I have tried, as have many others, and we all had very similar experiences - fake-rules are invented at that desk, to block legitimate applications not accompanied by an agent-laundered bribe. 

 

If one lives in that service-area, the only other legit-options are going out to a Thai Consulate for a Visa (what I did) or moving to Bangkok (or another office where it is possible - not all are) and doing it there.

[Pattaya46]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

One cannot get a Non-O stamp there following the official rules.  I have tried, as have many others, and we all had very similar experiences - fake-rules are invented at that desk, to block legitimate applications not accompanied by an agent-laundered bribe. 

I checked with last guy I know who made that. It was nearly 1 year ago already: December 2017.

He had been asked for money (~12'000) and a better proof of address.

He returned a few days latter and managed to have his "transfer to non-O" registered. He refused to pay more than the official price (even if they explained it was a just fee for "express service" only) and had to wait about 1 month for his visa , but he got it.

Don't know if it really became more difficult in one year...?

[sumrit]

5 hours ago, JackThompson said:

One cannot get a Non-O stamp there following the official rules.  I have tried, as have many others, and we all had very similar experiences - fake-rules are invented at that desk, to block legitimate applications not accompanied by an agent-laundered bribe. 

 

If one lives in that service-area, the only other legit-options are going out to a Thai Consulate for a Visa (what I did) or moving to Bangkok (or another office where it is possible - not all are) and doing it there.

 

That's just not true.

 

My mate came here on a Tourist visa a couple of years ago (his first time in Thailand) and I guided him through the system to convert his tourist visa to a non O, then get an Extension based on Retirement, all at Jomtien. NO agent involved from start to finish, But then he was totally legit, including his finance, based on income. He was offered a fast-track option for 16,000 baht but politely declined the offer. Everything was straightforward and he had no problems at all.

[vogie]

Excuse my ignorance, but why do TI and agents really push retirement extensions and not marriage extensions, are retirement extensions easier to 'get through', it seems marriage extensions are a bit of a hot potato?

[marcusarelus]

28 minutes ago, vogie said:

Excuse my ignorance, but why do TI and agents really push retirement extensions and not marriage extensions, are retirement extensions easier to 'get through', it seems marriage extensions are a bit of a hot potato?

Retirement extensions are old guys bringing in money to Thailand.  Marriage extensions are young guys taking jobs, women and money from Thai men and require more paperwork and visits from immigration.  Government employees can do 10 retirement extensions in the same time as one marriage extension given the visits and paperwork. 

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, vogie said:

Excuse my ignorance, but why do TI and agents really push retirement extensions and not marriage extensions, are retirement extensions easier to 'get through', it seems marriage extensions are a bit of a hot potato?

Probably because the extension based upon marriage has to be approved at the division headquarters for where the office is located.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, vogie said:

Excuse my ignorance, but why do TI and agents really push retirement extensions and not marriage extensions, are retirement extensions easier to 'get through', it seems marriage extensions are a bit of a hot potato?

Less paperwork for the IO and they can usually grant them on the spot. Spouse extensions need signing off at regional level; which, although usually a formality, takes upto one month.

[elviajero]

39 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Retirement extensions are old guys bringing in money to Thailand.  Marriage extensions are young guys taking jobs, women and money from Thai men and require more paperwork and visits from immigration.  Government employees can do 10 retirement extensions in the same time as one marriage extension given the visits and paperwork. 

Mostly complete nonsense!

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, sumrit said:

That's just not true.

 

My mate came here on a Tourist visa a couple of years ago (his first time in Thailand) and I guided him through the system to convert his tourist visa to a non O, then get an Extension based on Retirement, all at Jomtien. NO agent involved from start to finish, But then he was totally legit, including his finance, based on income. He was offered a fast-track option for 16,000 baht but politely declined the offer. Everything was straightforward and he had no problems at all.

I am not sure how he received a Non-O stamp based on income there, when income is not listed at all on her custom (fake) list of requirements, which I and others were given.  When was this?

 

My embassy income-letter (this was over a year ago) had the additional MFA stamp, plus I had a Thai bank-book with proof of the foreign-transferred income coming in.  She was not interested in my embassy-letter or backup-proof, and said income was not an option - only seasoned bank-money, which is another violation of the rules (don't need seasoning for a Non-O stamp).  It was suggested I xfer the money, then go on visa-exempt runs until it seasoned.  I got a Non-O Visa, instead.