Phuket Immigration Latest

[Agusts]

On 7/27/2020 at 8:04 PM, hansgruber said:

I see all this talk about the app spying, tracking etc. 

Just check off the permissions. Only let it access to what you want it to and when. 

I only allow it to access my location when I'm using the app only. Rest of the time it has no access. 

 

Not sure what phone do you have, is it Apple or Android...!? In different phones and different apps it's not possible to pick and choose what permission you can give, the app sometime does not install at all if all permissions are not granted, and at installation it pulls all your data from your contacts, calendar, storage and accounts etc. , no point switching permissions off later...

 

As I said it depends on the phone and app I guess. I don't care much about governments, spying and so on, don't do anything illegal, they already have all they want on me, it's just the hackers, as the data supposedly stored safely is stollen and sold off to the bad guys...

 

My worst worry is account hacking and identity fraud - bad news...! ????

 

[steelepulse]

On 7/27/2020 at 7:52 PM, hansgruber said:

Sorry for not clarifying. 

It's just to grab a ticket and a place in line in front of the hordes of the unorganised. 

You can hit it 3km away from immigration and uses your location to know you're nearby and put you in line. 

I walked in the door and was first up. 

I didn't see any room selections 101 etc.. Just give them phone number, visa or service required and that's it. 

Apart from that it's a pretty useless app. 

I don't care about spying or tracking. I have nothing to hide from anyone. Hope they like my taste in porn if they're watching. 

I tried to use this, but the app would not allow me to input the day or time, even when I was less than 1 km away.  

[xylophone]

I have to go to Phuket immigration tomorrow in order to renew my one year retirement extension, so today I went along to my bank to get the necessary documents proving that I had my 800 K in the bank and so on.

 

I was presently surprised when a pretty young woman asked me if I would be interested in earning about 3% tax-free on my savings suggesting that I could use some of my "retirement" savings, and I was very interested as it's the best rate I've heard of for some time.

 

She presented me with a document with forecasts et cetera and I noticed that it was for Life Insurance?? So I queried this and she said yes it was for a minimum of six years and could go on ad infinitum (of course until I die) and it seemed a lot like the old "term life" policies which were around back in the days of old and which provided life insurance cover and savings.

 

I suggested that I didn't want any life insurance and she was quite persistent, and when I told her that I was the Chief Manager of Investments, and at one time Financial and Insurance Services in a very large bank in NZ, that didn't seem to deter her, and she hovered around me and kept trying to push the product on me. So I asked her if it was because she got commission on it, and she said that she had just come over from Koh Samui, so would I help her out by buying the product and getting her some commission – – of course that put me off completely.

 

Have never had that happen here before and it wasn't an altogether pleasant experience, so let's hope the visit to Phuket Immigration tomorrow is a little better!

[merijn]

2 hours ago, xylophone said:

I have to go to Phuket immigration tomorrow in order to renew my one year retirement extension, so today I went along to my bank to get the necessary documents proving that I had my 800 K in the bank and so on.

 

I was presently surprised when a pretty young woman asked me if I would be interested in earning about 3% tax-free on my savings suggesting that I could use some of my "retirement" savings, and I was very interested as it's the best rate I've heard of for some time.

 

She presented me with a document with forecasts et cetera and I noticed that it was for Life Insurance?? So I queried this and she said yes it was for a minimum of six years and could go on ad infinitum (of course until I die) and it seemed a lot like the old "term life" policies which were around back in the days of old and which provided life insurance cover and savings.

 

I suggested that I didn't want any life insurance and she was quite persistent, and when I told her that I was the Chief Manager of Investments, and at one time Financial and Insurance Services in a very large bank in NZ, that didn't seem to deter her, and she hovered around me and kept trying to push the product on me. So I asked her if it was because she got commission on it, and she said that she had just come over from Koh Samui, so would I help her out by buying the product and getting her some commission – – of course that put me off completely.

 

Have never had that happen here before and it wasn't an altogether pleasant experience, so let's hope the visit to Phuket Immigration tomorrow is a little better!

I had the same last time at Bangkok bank, she was quite persisted and even send me a line at a later stage, All for the commission I guess.  

[xylophone]

55 minutes ago, merijn said:

I had the same last time at Bangkok bank, she was quite persisted and even send me a line at a later stage, All for the commission I guess.  

Yes I guess so Merijn.........and is Phuket Immigration busy now??

[merijn]

43 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Yes I guess so Merijn.........and is Phuket Immigration busy now??

For long term extensions it's not busy, but many people who are effected with the Corona extensions.

[zzzzz]

went in monday afternoon for new tm30, 1 other person there

[LivinginKata]

Apply for my one year retirement extension. One person front. Staff most friendly. Excellent. Took me longer to get my bank letter.

 

Much attention and finger counting my balance as I  did go below 800,000 k for a few months. They were very clear that 800k must remain for 3 months from my date of application. Not date of stamp.

[Kopitiam]

3 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Apply for my one year retirement extension. One person front. Staff most friendly. Excellent. Took me longer to get my bank letter.

 

Much attention and finger counting my balance as I  did go below 800,000 k for a few months. They were very clear that 800k must remain for 3 months from my date of application. Not date of stamp.

LIK, what is the difference between date of application and date of stamp?

[Peter Denis]

44 minutes ago, Kopitiam said:

LIK, what is the difference between date of application and date of stamp?

 

With 'date of stamp' he refers to the permission to stay date that will be stamped in your passport after successful application.

When applying for a 1-year extension of stay you can do that from 30 days before till actual permission to stay expiry date.  The difference is important because when using the funds-in-bank method the funds need to be seasoned for the required time on the day of application.  And the permission to stay stamp will be provided back-to-back to your current permission to stay (except when you change the reason for application, e.g. from retirement to marriage, because in that case the permission to stay will start from date of application).

[Kopitiam]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

 

With 'date of stamp' he refers to the permission to stay date that will be stamped in your passport after successful application.

When applying for a 1-year extension of stay you can do that from 30 days before till actual permission to stay expiry date.  The difference is important because when using the funds-in-bank method the funds need to be seasoned for the required time on the day of application.  And the permission to stay stamp will be provided back-to-back to your current permission to stay (except when you change the reason for application, e.g. from retirement to marriage, because in that case the permission to stay will start from date of application).

PD, thank you for your clarification.

I use the money in the bank method for my retirement extension of stay and usually apply 30 days before expiry date.  In reality, I get 13 months extension from date of application because the expiry date (date and month) remains the same.  To be safe, I usually not touch my 800k until 4 months after application.  Good to know I can use the money earlier.  Thank you.

[Agusts]

A bit hypothetical question but I was planning to stay till early May 2021 when I can renew my retirement extension again for another year, then leave, but due to family illness I may have to leave in the next month...☹️

 

As things are I have a strong feeling I can't get back into Thailand before May, so not able to renew, does that mean the visa completely expires then and have to start the whole process again...!? Any other rumers or news...! (I think many people now stuck outside now will be in the same situation)...

 

A few years ago I came in with tourist visa and then converted it to retirement here in Phuket, I hope can still do this again which is far easier than doing it from own country...! 

 

[Peter Denis]

8 hours ago, Agusts said:

A bit hypothetical question but I was planning to stay till early May 2021 when I can renew my retirement extension again for another year, then leave, but due to family illness I may have to leave in the next month...☹️

 

As things are I have a strong feeling I can't get back into Thailand before May, so not able to renew, does that mean the visa completely expires then and have to start the whole process again...!? Any other rumers or news...! (I think many people now stuck outside now will be in the same situation)...

 

A few years ago I came in with tourist visa and then converted it to retirement here in Phuket, I hope can still do this again which is far easier than doing it from own country...!

 

From what you wrote you are currently on a 1-year extension of stay based on the original Non Imm O Visa for which you applied when entering Thailand a couple of years ago.

When returning to your home-country in course of coming month, it is recommended that buy a Re-Entry Permit before exiting Thailand to protect that May 2021 permission to stay stamp (it will be voided when exiting Thailand without such Re-Entry Permit).

When you are married to a Thai national or have Thai dependent children you are automatically eligible for the CoE, now required for everyone re-entering Thailand.  And you could thus use that protected May 2021 permission to stay based on your Non Imm O Visa to re-enter Thailand.

When you are NOT married to a Thai national it is currently not possible to use that May 2021 permission to stay, but there are rumors that Immigration might broaden the CoE eligibility criteria and hence it would be worthwhile to buy the Re-Entry Permit to protect that Non Imm O based permission to stay.

If not possible to do so at the moment you plan to return, you would need to apply for a Non Imm O-A Visa.  Main criteria are +50 years old, equivalent of 800K on a foreign and/or Thai bank-account, and subscribing to the mandatory IO-approved health-insurance policy for Non Imm O-A Visa applications.

Please note that such Non Imm O-A compliant insurance is not to be confused with the 100.000 US $ coverage for medical treatment in Thailand (including covid-19 treatment) which is now required for everyone entering Thailand.

So you might need to subscribe to 2 insurance polices (on top of your already existing one, if that one does not meet the specific requirements of those 2 mandatory insurance policies for Non Imm O-A and CoE compliance).

[Peter Denis]

12 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

PD, thank you for your clarification.

I use the money in the bank method for my retirement extension of stay and usually apply 30 days before expiry date.  In reality, I get 13 months extension from date of application because the expiry date (date and month) remains the same.  To be safe, I usually not touch my 800k until 4 months after application.  Good to know I can use the money earlier.  Thank you.

Hi Kopitiam, you should NOT change your current practice of not touching the +800K for 4 months when applying for the 1-year extension one month earlier.

The +800K needs to be kept on your personal Thai bank-account during the 3 months after your permission to stamp stamp, then it can be lowered to +400K for 7 months (or shorter), and then be topped up again to +800K in the 2 months before your plan to apply for your next 1-year extension of stay.  

The fact that you apply 1 month early does not mean that you can use the funds earlier than the 3 months after permission to stay date.  So when applying 1 month earlier, you voluntarily choose to keep the +800K there for 3+1 month. 

 

[Agusts]

@Peter Denis Thanks for your reply, I already got the re-entry permit when I renewed my extension last time on the same day, it could be a waste of money with current situation...! But we will see...

 

I think the big difference with coming in with tourist visa and applying for non imm O here is that we don't need that mandatory health insurance (at application time, and every year for renewal), while if we apply from home country for non imm OA (the A extra) then we do, plus a host of other documents and checks at home country.... So I hope next year it will still be the same...! Or immigration may make an exception for people whi couldn't get back and post renew their extension..., they did that for some people when we were in lockdown in Phuket. When I was there for my renewal last May a guy came with 2 or 3 weeks late, and they said no problem due to Covid19 lockdown... ????

 

I hope they allow people to re-enter by May, but the way Thailand is scared of it's own shadow with all other political issues, I think they would prefer to keep it under lockdown and closed for at least another year...☹️

 

[Peter Denis]

46 minutes ago, Agusts said:

...

I think the big difference with coming in with tourist visa and applying for non imm O here is that we don't need that mandatory health insurance (at application time, and every year for renewal), while if we apply from home country for non imm OA (the A extra) then we do, plus a host of other documents and checks at home country....

Hi, the insurance-requirement when applying for a Non Imm O-A Visa is annoying but not difficult nor costly to meet.  And if you take a 2-year perspective the benefits of the Non Imm O-A Visa over the Non Imm O visa are quite worthwhile.

FYI > link to a recent thread I launched outlining that point of view >

 

[Agusts]

6 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Hi, the insurance-requirement when applying for a Non Imm O-A Visa is annoying but not difficult nor costly to meet.  And if you take a 2-year perspective the benefits of the Non Imm O-A Visa over the Non Imm O visa are quite worthwhile.

FYI > link to a recent thread I launched outlining that point of view >

 

 

Thanks and It's fair enough you like to have a health insurance, but I would do everything I possibly can to avoid that...! Probably like most other people..., add to that health certificate, police check certificate and other documents and hoops to jump through (at deal with Thai embassy) that is not needed when applying from inside Thailand, non imm O is a clear winner (as oppose to O-A from abroad)... Of course anyone likes an insurance can buy what he likes later, not having to go with what Thai immigration dictates or requires, a no brainier really...!

 

I hope this is not all required of course, and if so hope the rules stay the same..., fingers crossed.

 

[LivinginKata]

Pulled up this existing thread to ask if anyone able to connect to Immigration online. Try to renew my 90 day report. Browser can't find Thai immigration site. Has it changed web address ?? 

[Agusts]

4 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Pulled up this existing thread to ask if anyone able to connect to Immigration online. Try to renew my 90 day report. Browser can't find Thai immigration site. Has it changed web address ?? 

 

http://www.phuketimmigration.go.th/index.php

 

This comes up for me, but they're close till Friday...

 

[Agusts]

On 4/12/2021 at 9:23 AM, LivinginKata said:

Pulled up this existing thread to ask if anyone able to connect to Immigration online. Try to renew my 90 day report. Browser can't find Thai immigration site. Has it changed web address ?? 

 

Actually read the article on Bangkok Post, the online 90 day reporting is suspended for many months now, they want to do away with it....! We will see...????

 

[zzzzz]

6 hours ago, Agusts said:

 

Actually read the article on Bangkok Post, the online 90 day reporting is suspended for many months now, they want to do away with it....! We will see...????

 

HUH:
hasn't  been suspended for months, been doing mine as normal always, online till I couldn't than using the drive thru in Phuket

If u haven't been, ur going to be hit with a 2,000 baht fine

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, zzzzz said:

HUH:
hasn't  been suspended for months, been doing mine as normal always, online till I couldn't than using the drive thru in Phuket

If u haven't been, ur going to be hit with a 2,000 baht fine

 

I did mine 90 days ago Ok. Now need renew 20th April. Cant even connect Immigration 90 day option.  So drive through for me

[JetsetBkk]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

I did mine 90 days ago Ok. Now need renew 20th April. Cant even connect Immigration 90 day option.  So drive through for me

 

Me too. Same date. But I thought I'd seen you post in this 230 page thread about the reporting site being down for months! 

Here's the last page:

 

 

[Agusts]

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

HUH:
hasn't  been suspended for months, been doing mine as normal always, online till I couldn't than using the drive thru in Phuket

If u haven't been, ur going to be hit with a 2,000 baht fine

 

I meant the online facility is suspended....(according to that article), I was late once last year and online stopped working for me, so I go at Patong office, nobody there nowadays and they don't even want any photocopies or forms at all, just hand in pass, in and out in 5min....

Edited April 13, 2021 by Agusts

[KarenBravo]

Just did my annual extension for reason of retirement.

 

No different from last year and the year before that.

So.......where are these "ever changing rules" posters speak of?

 

As for "additional hoops" that according to some are put up every year for us to jump through, I would say there are no hoops whatsoever if you know what paperwork to submit.

[Kopitiam]

The drive-through for 90-day reporting was also up and running on 20 April.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Kopitiam
typo mistake

[pagallim]

2 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

Just did my annual extension for reason of retirement.

 

No different from last year and the year before that.

So.......where are these "ever changing rules" posters speak of?

 

As for "additional hoops" that according to some are put up every year for us to jump through, I would say there are no hoops whatsoever if you know what paperwork to submit.

 

Did my annual Marriage extension 2 days ago, again no difference from previous years.   One thing though, the office that deals with that and other extensions such as family, business etc, was also dealing with short term Covid extensions so was busier than usual.

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

just go to phuket town <deleted>.......one Imm office or 101 .... lt doesnt matter

reminds me of Monty Python sketch “society for putting things on top of other things”.......

just stick with what Imm process you already know works..... not broke dont fix ......

we all know the covid Imm procedures by now....

people on this thread really need to get a proper life........

endless Imm obssessing/ personal reporting is not productive and often misleads....

Imm may change every hour for every person.....find out yourself

 request this useless topic, which should just have been a simple Imm Notice posting really, be deleted/ discontinued.....

like that other daft “ biggest flag” one...... <deleted> we are serious adults here......?

 

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

to be clear, I was referencing only the Imm Locations Notice material ( “ i went looking for it”, “ whete is it”, “what does it do” kiddie stuff...) not the “Imm Latest” whole topic

[JetsetBkk]

41 minutes ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

people on this thread really need to get a proper life........

endless Imm obssessing/ personal reporting is not productive and often misleads....

 

Having a bad day?