An Idiots Guide to the Retirement Extension process at Samui Immigration Office

[khunPer]

4 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

If someone has gone to the trouble to fake all the other residence documents (TM30, lease, etc) why couldn’t they just go to their fake residence and take a pic of themselves in front of it? It doesn’t really prove they live there.  It’s in fact easier to fake that than the other documents.  

I think you misunderstand. It's not about fake documents, but to check if you are actually living at the given address. Also for married couples, it's to check that they are living together.

[phetphet]

Has anyone got an up to list of all latest requirements to renew extension based on retirement?

I went to immigration this morning to pick up TM.7 and TM.8, tried asking, but couldn’t get any joy. Just “copy passport”, “copy visa”.

 

Reading on here recent new requirements of new TM.30 report and photos showing accommodation address. Trying to save myself being turned away.

 

TIA

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, phetphet said:

Has anyone got an up to list of all latest requirements to renew extension based on retirement?

I went to immigration this morning to pick up TM.7 and TM.8, tried asking, but couldn’t get any joy. Just “copy passport”, “copy visa”.

 

Reading on here recent new requirements of new TM.30 report and photos showing accommodation address. Trying to save myself being turned away.

 

TIA

This is still the current list (from August 2023 in @Neilly post)...

 

At the service-window on the ground floor you will normally get the list including all the needed documents to fill in and sign.

[phetphet]

18 hours ago, khunPer said:

This is still the current list (from August 2023 in @Neilly post)...

 

At the service-window on the ground floor you will normally get the list including all the needed documents to fill in and sign.

I got all the forms yesterday, but couldn’t find the list of requirements and staff didn’t understand what I wanted.

 

Also. Can anyone explain what no.13 on that list is? Documents order of Royal Thai Police.

 

Are they asking for something? Or is it just stating an order?

 

TIA

 

I will go to Choengmon Immigration today to try and get an updated TM.30.

[khunPer]

5 hours ago, phetphet said:

I got all the forms yesterday, but couldn’t find the list of requirements and staff didn’t understand what I wanted.

 

Also. Can anyone explain what no.13 on that list is? Documents order of Royal Thai Police.

 

Are they asking for something? Or is it just stating an order?

 

TIA

 

I will go to Choengmon Immigration today to try and get an updated TM.30.

As it clearly says in #13, it's about extensions when the original visa is a non-immigrant type: O-A.

 

If your original entry visa is not that kind, don't take notice. If it is, you need to show that you have a health insurance with a minimum cover of 3 million baht.

[TerraplaneGuy]

Does anyone have a pdf or good printable version of the Samui Immigration office's own double-sided application Form TM7 (extension of stay) and TM8 (multiple re-entry)?  I know they tend to reject the single-sided version available from the main government website, and I'm staying far from the Samui office so it's inconvenient for me to go a day early just to pick up those forms.

[khunPer]

1 hour ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Does anyone have a pdf or good printable version of the Samui Immigration office's own double-sided application Form TM7 (extension of stay) and TM8 (multiple re-entry)?  I know they tend to reject the single-sided version available from the main government website, and I'm staying far from the Samui office so it's inconvenient for me to go a day early just to pick up those forms.

You can get the forms in advance from the service window on the ground floor – they normally dont accept any other forms than their own printed versions.

I once filled in everything from home using downloads, I had to redo it all at the immigration office in their forms. Now I come a day, or a few days, in advance and collect the form.

[TerraplaneGuy]

17 minutes ago, khunPer said:

You can get the forms in advance from the service window on the ground floor – they normally dont accept any other forms than their own printed versions.

I once filled in everything from home using downloads, I had to redo it all at the immigration office in their forms. Now I come a day, or a few days, in advance and collect the form.

Thanks but as I said, it's not convenient for me to go all the way up there (plus will cost taxis both ways) just to get forms in advance.  Was hoping somebody might somehow have them.  Or that maybe there's a way to convert the one-sided pdf to two-sided for printing but I don't see how on my computer.  If not I guess I'll just head to the office early the day I apply and fill them out manually there.

[phetphet]

16 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Thanks but as I said, it's not convenient for me to go all the way up there (plus will cost taxis both ways) just to get forms in advance.  Was hoping somebody might somehow have them.  Or that maybe there's a way to convert the one-sided pdf to two-sided for printing but I don't see how on my computer.  If not I guess I'll just head to the office early the day I apply and fill them out manually there.

You should be able to scan them and then use the settings on your printer to print a two sided sheet. It’s what I did last year. Unfortunately my computer screen is broken at the moment so I cannot see if I still have them, and had to go to immigration myself.

[TerraplaneGuy]

1 hour ago, phetphet said:

You should be able to scan them and then use the settings on your printer to print a two sided sheet. It’s what I did last year. Unfortunately my computer screen is broken at the moment so I cannot see if I still have them, and had to go to immigration myself.

Interesting suggestion.  Did you scan them with a proper printer/scanner or use your phone camera?

[phetphet]

8 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Interesting suggestion.  Did you scan them with a proper printer/scanner or use your phone camera?

If I recall correctly, I used an app on my computer called Vuescan, to scan both sides from printer scanner, and saved them as files. I then printed them, but used the “Print as double sided document” or words to that effect. 
i did the same for TM.8. 
Pretty sure they are still there, but as I said. I broke my screen.

[TerraplaneGuy]

Is it correct that you can apply for extension up to 30 days before your current one expires?  Anyone applied even earlier?

Edited January 9 by TerraplaneGuy

[phetphet]

Seeing as immigration are asking for updated TM.30, this might be of interest to some.

I went and renewed mine on Monday at the Immigration Crime Suppression Unit in Choengmon.

 

There was only one officer present, and the whole yard outside was full of Burmese doing whatever they do.

I went inside, sat and waited. Was called to desk in about five minutes, and out in another  five.

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

Does the current Samui Form TM.7 (extension application) still have a field for entering your Form TM.6 number?  That form is now abolished so on arrival I didn't get a number.

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Does the current Samui Form TM.7 (extension application) still have a field for entering your Form TM.6 number?  That form is now abolished so on arrival I didn't get a number.

Just leve it blank – TM6 number – if you don't have any form stapled in your passport.

[TerraplaneGuy]

Has anyone recently used the online appointment system?   As I recall it wasn't really working last January but maybe it's good now ...? 

 

Edited January 14 by TerraplaneGuy

[lom]

2 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Has anyone recently used the online appointment system?   As I recall it wasn't really working last January but maybe it's good now ...?

You mean bypassing the station that checks that all your documents are in order?  Good try but I can't imagine that will work..

[TerraplaneGuy]

1 hour ago, lom said:

You mean bypassing the station that checks that all your documents are in order?  Good try but I can't imagine that will work..

I wasn’t really thinking that, I assume they would do that anyway.  But then is there no point in making the online appointment?  I’d think the idea is that if there’s a lot of people just showing up they’d give you a queue number ahead of those without an appointment …?

[lom]

15 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

I wasn’t really thinking that, I assume they would do that anyway.  But then is there no point in making the online appointment?  I’d think the idea is that if there’s a lot of people just showing up they’d give you a queue number ahead of those without an appointment …?

You get your queue number on the bottom floor after they have checked that your documents are in order.

[rkj]

Just 2 files that you might want to use.

TM7.PDF and STM2.PDF 

STM2.pdf TM.7.pdf

[TerraplaneGuy]

3 hours ago, lom said:

You get your queue number on the bottom floor after they have checked that your documents are in order.

So I guess the appointment system is pointless.  

[TerraplaneGuy]

Went today, 27 days before expiry date.  No problem.   My hotel checked with immigration yesterday who said the rule is it’s ok up to 30 days in advance.   But they wouldn’t let me pick my passport up later the same day even though I applied in early morning.  Last two years they did.  This time she said come back “around 24” which is 8 days from application.  

[rkj]

They have changed the STM2 and Acknowledgment of Overstay Penalties form.slightly and of course they don't accept the "old".

Form-Acknowledgement-of-Overstay-Penalties NEW.pdf STM2 NEW.pdf

Edited January 17 by rkj

[phetphet]

I renewed my retirement extension last week on the 11th. Told to come back on the 18th. Looks like those days of just waiting for it are long gone.

Over 50 pages of paper handed over, including copies of all stamped pages in passport, medical certificates, maps etc. There has to be a better way.

Even got sent away for not having 12 month bank statement. I had asked the bank teller for twelve months and she had only given me a 3 months one. My fault for not checking I suppose.

[khunPer]

5 hours ago, phetphet said:

I renewed my retirement extension last week on the 11th. Told to come back on the 18th. Looks like those days of just waiting for it are long gone.

Over 50 pages of paper handed over, including copies of all stamped pages in passport, medical certificates, maps etc. There has to be a better way.

Even got sent away for not having 12 month bank statement. I had asked the bank teller for twelve months and she had only given me a 3 months one. My fault for not checking I suppose.

It has taken about a week for several years now, to get one's passport back with a new extension of stay-stamp.

Many banks seems only to be able to print up to six month statement. You can order a full 12-month period from the bank's head office in your local branch, it takes about a week to arrive in the branch. Together with a local statement print you can show a 12-month period by the time apply for extension of stay; remember to get your bank book updates same day as you apply for extension of stay (new rule for Samui Immigration).

[Neilly]

Just did my retirement extension renewal, nothing has changed from the last years requirement.

 

Except, there is now a limit on how many retirement extensions they will handle per day...I arrived at immigration last week just after 10:30am (it should have been sooner but the bank took it's time doing the statement etc) and was told by the lady downstairs who checks all your documents that the days quota had already been reached and that I would have to come back the following morning at 8:30am. She checked all my documents and gave me a further one to sign and using a binder clip put all the doc's together along with my passport and a slip which had the following days date and 8:30am written on it. She said I didn't have to queue up the next day, just come to the window and show her the slip and she would give me a ticket for upstairs.

 

This I did, and left 45mins after handing all the paperwork over to she-who-must-be-obeyed upstairs the following day.

 

Today I went and collected my passport...seeing as it was quiet there (there was a power cut and all their computers were off) I asked the lady downstairs who checks all the doc's what the quota was per day for extensions, it's apparently 10, so, if you're late or unlucky expect to be told to come back the following day at 8:30am 😉

Edited August 29 by Neilly

[TerraplaneGuy]

1 minute ago, Neilly said:

Just did my retirement extension renewal, nothing has changed from the last years requirement.

 

Except, there is now a limit on how many retirement extensions they will handle per day...I arrived at immigration last week just after 10:30am (it should have been sooner but the bank took it's time doing the statement etc) and was told by the lady downstairs who checks all your documents that the days quota had already been reached and that I would have to come back the following morning at 8:30am. She checked all my documents and gave me a further one to sign and using a binder clip put all the doc's together along with my passport and a slip which had the following days date and 8:30am written on it. She said I didn't have to queue up the next day, just come to the window and show her the slip and she would give me a ticket for upstairs.

 

This I did, and left 45mins after handing all the paperwork over to she-who-must-be-obeyed upstairs the following day.

 

Today I went and collected my passport...seeing as it was quiet there (there was a power cut and all their computers were off) I asked the lady downstairs who checks all the doc's what the quota was per day for extensions, it's apparently 10, so, if you're late or unlucky expect to be told to come back the following day at 8:30am 😉

I know it's kind of pointless to ask "why" ... but if she was prepared to accept all your docs and give you that slip, why couldn't she just give your package to the people upstairs and let them process it without you having to return?

 

[KannikaP]

On 1/8/2024 at 7:08 PM, phetphet said:

If I recall correctly, I used an app on my computer called Vuescan, to scan both sides from printer scanner, and saved them as files. I then printed them, but used the “Print as double sided document” or words to that effect. 
i did the same for TM.8. 
Pretty sure they are still there, but as I said. I broke my screen.

How can a Printer/Scanner scan both sides of a document without you turn it over?

Put side 1 in your scanner and press COPY. Put the printed copy back into the paper feed upside down, turn the original over, and press COPY. Done.

Edited August 29 by KannikaP

[Neilly]

50 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

I know it's kind of pointless to ask "why" ... but if she was prepared to accept all your docs and give you that slip, why couldn't she just give your package to the people upstairs and let them process it without you having to return?

 

 

There's many, many things that Samui immigration could be asked "why"...your guess is as good as mine??? Maybe they wanted to see my happy smiling face at 8:30 in the morning 😏

[lom]

1 hour ago, Neilly said:

I asked the lady downstairs who checks all the doc's what the quota was per day for extensions, it's apparently 10

They are doing everything they can to inconvenience us and instead use the visa tech company outside for which I'm sure there is not a limit of 10 applications per day.

You can ask the staff working there for the price which depends on if they or you do the footwork (queuing).