Anyone gotten their Retirement extesion in Phuket

[phuketrichard]

in the past 30 days using 800,000 in the bank?  Did they tell you to return in 90days?

 

I know Pattaya requires you sign a paper an agree to return in 90 days showing your bank book.

 

PHUKET???

Anyone?

[skatewash]

Got mine about a week ago.  No real difference from the process last year.  There's that acknowledgment that they have you sign regarding the penalties for overstay, etc. but I did that last year, too.  I received a new one-page sheet outlining the new rules.  I'll post if I can find it.  Nothing startling.

 

I followed the instructions from the Phuket Immigration Volunteers site and found the information to be accurate:

 

Retirement extension:  http://piv-phuket.com/long-stay-extensions/retirement/

 

Oh, there is a notice in the above link:
 

Quote

In a random selection process it is possible that applicants will receive a 90 days under consideration stamp and have to return to the immigration department after 90 days with new bank statements to proof that the 800.000 Baht is still in your account after which the remaining months will be granted.

-- http://piv-phuket.com/general-information/changes-regarding-retirement-extension-application/

 

I don't know if this is being done or not. I wasn't selected so I can't prove it one way or the other.

 

I've always been treated well by the volunteers.  Of course, you don't need to see the volunteers to do your retirement extension you can just go to Rm 103 and see the officer outside who checks your paperwork and shuffles it into the order that they want and gives you that extra little acknowledgment form that they have you sign (about the consequences of overstay, etc.).

This year when I was making copies of my passport at home I put 2 pages on each sheet of paper (to save paper).  The officer didn't like that and made me go get copies made there.  He folded the passport pages he wanted copies of and I had them copied there (9 pages at 3 baht a page).  From this, I have concluded that they don't like to see more than one page of your passport on a sheet of paper.  I'm OK with that, they are the ones who have to look at this stuff every day I only do it once a year.  I'm willing to do it the "right" way.  Hope I remember this for next year.  I signed all the copies.  The reason for all the copies is to document the trail of all your extensions back to the original visa.  My passport has a whole bunch of extensions since I came here to live in 2012 and they apparently want to see all of them back to and including my original visa.

 

Oh, and this year he asked for copies of the passbook I was using to prove money in the bank.  I had already prepared copies of the account info page and the page of the passbook showing the last 3 months of activity.  I had already prepared and signed those at home so just pulled those pages out of my folder.  I also handed in the usual bank letter and a stamped 3-month bank-issued statement (for some strange reason only had to pay 100 baht for both of these at Krungsri - I think I paid more in years past.  I gather it was 100 baht for the letter and the statement was gratis).

 

Next day I returned at 1 PM to pick up my passport which was done quickly.  Then started the process to get my re-entry permit.  That's where things really slowed down.  Wait in a queue to get the copy made, wait in a queue to get my papers checked by the volunteer and issued a queue number.  Pretty long wait to be called.  5 minutes spent with the officer to give my application and pay the fee.  And then a long wait for the passport to be returned.  It was about 3 hours to get the reentry permit all told.  Put that down to it being a busy day at immigration and I could only get started at 1 pm due to getting my passport returned.

 

Here's the requirement list for the re-entry permit:

 

Re-entry permit: http://piv-phuket.com/others/re-entry-permit/

 

Everyone seemed to be in a pretty good mood.  Had to wait for the re-entry permit but then when I try to do it the same day I get my passport back it always seems to take a while since you can't start before 1 pm.  It would probably be faster to go on another day but then it would mean another trip to immigration and I just like to get it all out of the way for the year.  I do the 90-Day Reports online and reporting my return to my residence online too.

[skatewash]

Here's the notice I was given by Phuket Immigration when I went to do my retirement extension a week ago:

 

Notice from Phuket Immigration regarding new rules for Retirement Extension

 

Actually, having reread it now I realize it's clear as mud.  The IO mentioned not letting the balance go below 800,000 and I assumed he was being lazy and what he really meant to say was don't go below 800,000 for the next 3 months and then don't go below 400,000 for the next six months and then don't go below 800,000 for the 3 months before your next extension.  But he said what he said.

My understanding is based on what I read on the Phuket Volunteers site:

-- http://piv-phuket.com/general-information/changes-regarding-retirement-extension-application/

 

I intend to follow the advice below unless and until I hear differently.  I admit it's possible to interpret what the IO said and the handout I received as saying that the 800,000 has to be maintained year round, but I'm hoping that's due to the imprecision with which the handout was created and the shortcuts that the IOs sometimes use when conveying information.  Who really knows.  Hopefully, in 3 months it will become clearer and if it does I may Dee money 400,000 of the account back to the states as I'm doing monthly imports of 65,000+ from the US into my Thai bank account hoping to use monthly deposit method next year instead of the lump-sum deposit.

 

 

Bank balance option:

 

Minimum of 800.000 Baht in Thai bank account (in your own name) for at least 2 months before the application date.

After your 2019 application a minimum of 800.000 Baht in Thai bank account (in your own name) for at least 3 months and a minimum of 400.000 Baht for the remainder of the year until your next application date in 2020. (in conjunction with the 800.000 Baht for 2 months before the application date)
This new requirement will be checked at your next extension application starting from 2020.
(Therefore make sure that your bank book is updated on a regular basis)

 

[merijn]

Until know nobody has been requested to show the money after 90 days.

My understanding is that this is a stick they can use if they suspect foul play with the money in the bank account.

[baggies666]

15 hours ago, skatewash said:

Who really knows.  Hopefully, in 3 months it will become clearer and if it does I may Dee money 400,000 of the account back to the states as I'm doing monthly imports of 65,000+ from the US into my Thai bank account hoping to use monthly deposit method next year instead of the lump-sum deposit.

 

 

If you do move the 400k in 3 months and continue the 65k monthly are you planning on leaving the other 400k there all year?

[phuketrichard]

afaik  you need 65,000/month for 12 months for your extension in 2020

so u'd need leave 800,000 for 3 months after ur 2019 extension is issued and leave 400,000 for the remainder 7 ( as that is why you received ur 2019 extension) and also have 65,000 wired in for 12

 

Crazy

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

afaik  you need 65,000/month for 12 months for your extension in 2020

so u'd need leave 800,000 for 3 months after ur 2019 extension is issued and leave 400,000 for the remainder 7 ( as that is why you received ur 2019 extension) and also have 65,000 wired in for 12

 

Crazy

Its 65k p/m income "OR" 800k deposit, not both.

[Scottie12]

I went in January and unbelievably everything was in order ( I copied every page in my passport in advance), I could see the unsmiling Immigration officer racking his brains as to how he could inconvenience me and full marks to him he came up with a gem. 'You have ATM card' to which I replied in the affirmative,he then asked me to go and photocopy it and give it to him. I was going to refuse but what do you do ?

[Olmate]

7 minutes ago, Scottie12 said:

I went in January and unbelievably everything was in order ( I copied every page in my passport in advance), I could see the unsmiling Immigration officer racking his brains as to how he could inconvenience me and full marks to him he came up with a gem. 'You have ATM card' to which I replied in the affirmative,he then asked me to go and photocopy it and give it to him. I was going to refuse but what do you do ?

Refuse for sure, or block out details prior to copy

[baggies666]

35 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

afaik  you need 65,000/month for 12 months for your extension in 2020

so u'd need leave 800,000 for 3 months after ur 2019 extension is issued and leave 400,000 for the remainder 7 ( as that is why you received ur 2019 extension) and also have 65,000 wired in for 12

 

Crazy

Yes this is how I am understanding it, I have had several emails with the volunteers and even they are not sure about 2020 requirments with this option, I think this is the safest option & at least only 400,000 is being held in low interest account till April 2020, I am planning to go after songkran with my 3 months 65k if they dont accept  3 months then default back to 800,000 and try again next year with full 12.

[merijn]

1 minute ago, baggies666 said:

Yes this is how I am understanding it, I have had several emails with the volunteers and even they are not sure about 2020 requirments with this option, I think this is the safest option & at least only 400,000 is being held in low interest account till April 2020, I am planning to go after songkran with my 3 months 65k if they dont accept  3 months then default back to 800,000 and try again next year with full 12.

Unfortunately nobody knows yet how they will handle this situation.

On one hand you need to have the 800K and 400K to full-fill the 2019 extension requirements and on the other and you could use the 65K x 12 deposit option for your 2020 extension.

Hopefully we will get some clarification for this in the next few weeks.

 

[crazykopite]

35 minutes ago, Scottie12 said:

I went in January and unbelievably everything was in order ( I copied every page in my passport in advance), I could see the unsmiling Immigration officer racking his brains as to how he could inconvenience me and full marks to him he came up with a gem. 'You have ATM card' to which I replied in the affirmative,he then asked me to go and photocopy it and give it to him. I was going to refuse but what do you do ?

I presume that when you did a copy of your ATM you only copied one side . I hope they never ask me as I would refuse to hand over details of my card even the banks don’t ask you that.

[Badrabbit]

Refuse for sure, or block out details prior to copy

Why would showing your ATM card be a problem? You have a pin number and no one could walk into a bank and withdraw money without showing the original card and passport etc!

 

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

[LivinginKata]

I have always used the 800,000 baht in bank method. But now thinking about this 65,000 baht/month deposited in Thai bank. I would like to know if this monthly deposit must be from outside Thailand as in pension payments or can be deposits from inside Thailand. And can this be multiple deposits per month to make up the 65,000 baht/month.  

[Old Croc]

For a minute or two, I thought of switching to the 65,000 per month method. 

I import comfortably more than that each year, but do it in batches at a time designed to get the best exchange rates. The strict, must be transferred regularly each month, rule precludes this.

Also, the transfer method with the best exchange rate, TransferWise, apparently can't be used because banks don't record it as an overseas transfer. Immigration rules benefit the banks by extracting part of my money by proxy.  

I'll stick to  the money in the bank method, I generally hold much more than legislated anyway as it's my method of medical self-insurance.

Having to buy compulsory health insurance for the benefit of the greedy, grasping big insurance companies, if I could even get it at my age, would really piss me off.

[Olmate]

1 hour ago, Badrabbit said:

Why would showing your ATM card be a problem? You have a pin number and no one could walk into a bank and withdraw money without showing the original card and passport etc!

 

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

Your very trusting, they have your name,address,dob,pp number etc, bank ac no etc and atm card details. How secure is it? not at all I think!

[Badrabbit]

Your very trusting, they have your name,address,dob,pp number etc, bank ac no etc and atm card details. How secure is it? not at all I think!

Okay can you tell me how they could get money as they do not have a pin code or have any identification relating to you? Uou could just blank out 4 numbers on the copy.

You could also blank out the 3 digit security number on the back, without that they could not use online.

 

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

[wgdanson]

1 hour ago, LivinginKata said:

I have always used the 800,000 baht in bank method. But now thinking about this 65,000 baht/month deposited in Thai bank. I would like to know if this monthly deposit must be from outside Thailand as in pension payments or can be deposits from inside Thailand. And can this be multiple deposits per month to make up the 65,000 baht/month.  

Are they still using jungle drums or smoke signals in Kata.   LOL

[chilly07]

Just to note that TransferWise will route transfers exclusively via Bangkok Bank so that it always shows as an International transfer in your statement and bank book. You can then get a credit advice from your own branch. 

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

<snip>

Also, the transfer method with the best exchange rate, TransferWise, apparently can't be used because banks don't record it as an overseas transfer.

 

So you seem to be saying that 65 K must be imported each month ?

 

Anyone else have a view on this.  And does it have to be from a pension fund etc or can it be a private transfer from a country other than on passport. 

[LivinginKata]

47 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Are they still using jungle drums or smoke signals in Kata.   LOL

 

No. I use the internet to ask fellow members about their personal experience with Thai Immigration.

[Old Croc]

6 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

So you seem to be saying that 65 K must be imported each month ?

 

Anyone else have a view on this.  And does it have to be from a pension fund etc or can it be a private transfer from a country other than on passport. 

Yes.

 

Doesn't have to be from a particular country nor specifically a pension. The proof of the regular importation comes from your Thailand bank.

I believe rental income, or similar, from within Thailand can be used,  but you need to present evidence of tax being paid. 

 

(Scores of members will probably pop up now to disagree with my take)

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Its 65k p/m income "OR" 800k deposit, not both.

Are you saying the combination options doesn't exist anymore?

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, Scottie12 said:

I went in January and unbelievably everything was in order ( I copied every page in my passport in advance), I could see the unsmiling Immigration officer racking his brains as to how he could inconvenience me and full marks to him he came up with a gem. 'You have ATM card' to which I replied in the affirmative,he then asked me to go and photocopy it and give it to him. I was going to refuse but what do you do ?

 

1 hour ago, Olmate said:

Your very trusting, they have your name,address,dob,pp number etc, bank ac no etc and atm card details. How secure is it? not at all I think!

Showing ATM card has been a longstanding Phuket requirement.

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

For a minute or two, I thought of switching to the 65,000 per month method. 

I import comfortably more than that each year, but do it in batches at a time designed to get the best exchange rates. The strict, must be transferred regularly each month, rule precludes this.

Also, the transfer method with the best exchange rate, TransferWise, apparently can't be used because banks don't record it as an overseas transfer. Immigration rules benefit the banks by extracting part of my money by proxy.  

I'll stick to  the money in the bank method, I generally hold much more than legislated anyway as it's my method of medical self-insurance.

Having to buy compulsory health insurance for the benefit of the greedy, grasping big insurance companies, if I could even get it at my age, would really piss me off.

Like you, OC, I decided to use the monthly income method this year after using the combo method, however there were too many fishhooks in the whole lot for my liking, this especially with transfers from overseas, using the likes of Transferwise or similar and ensuring that the pension amounts coincided with one another within a month, whilst also adding more to top it up!!!

 

In effect, any one of a number of events could happen which would stuff the whole lot up, so I will be bringing over the 800k in a lump sum three months before (just to be sure) my renewal date.

That way it takes the worry and hassle out of things for me.

[phuketrichard]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

I have always used the 800,000 baht in bank method. But now thinking about this 65,000 baht/month deposited in Thai bank. I would like to know if this monthly deposit must be from outside Thailand as in pension payments or can be deposits from inside Thailand. And can this be multiple deposits per month to make up the 65,000 baht/month.  

this i know,  must come from outside, must be 65,000 baht or more each month

I want switch from 800,000 to 65,000/month . BUT nobody, even the big boss in Phuket can give me a correct response ( he just told me keep my money in the bank)  as to weither i need follow the rules for money in bank for 1 year AND 65,000.

OR

i can start 65,000/month AFTER my extension is issued so its 12 months when i do my 2020 extension> and pull all my money out if i wish, ( this he said i shouldn't)

I'd hate to be the first guy that tries in 2020

 

Quote

Showing ATM card has been a longstanding Phuket requirement.

gave them a copy of the front of my us atm and scb atm ONCE, years ago, When i give it now, they just hand it back
 

 

[Peterw42]

13 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Are you saying the combination options doesn't exist anymore?

I dont know, I was more responding to a post saying 65k "and'" 800k required.

[LivinginKata]

20 minutes ago, stevenl said:

 

Showing ATM card has been a longstanding Phuket requirement.

 

Never ever been asked over the years. And anyway I don't have an ATM any more since I was skimmed for 50,000 baht by ATM.

 

Edit - but never applied using monthly income, always money in the bank account.

[stevenl]

21 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

I dont know, I was more responding to a post saying 65k "and'" 800k required.

Yes, that was said in that post because he was enquiring about changing from 800k deposit to 65 income. And since the way to do that is unclear, it could be that both deposit and monthly transfers could be required.

[stevenl]

23 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

this i know,  must come from outside, must be 65,000 baht or more each month

I want switch from 800,000 to 65,000/month . BUT nobody, even the big boss in Phuket can give me a correct response ( he just told me keep my money in the bank)  as to weither i need follow the rules for money in bank for 1 year AND 65,000.

OR

i can start 65,000/month AFTER my extension is issued so its 12 months when i do my 2020 extension> and pull all my money out if i wish, ( this he said i shouldn't)

I'd hate to be the first guy that tries in 2020

 

gave them a copy of the front of my us atm and scb atm ONCE, years ago, When i give it now, they just hand it back
 

 

 

13 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Never ever been asked over the years. And anyway I don't have an ATM any more since I was skimmed for 50,000 baht by ATM.

 

Edit - but never applied using monthly income, always money in the bank account.

So both using deposit method, and responding to a post about income method.

In the past Phuket immigration wanted to verify that the income earned was actually used in Thailand, and they used the very primitive method (show me your ATM card) for that.