Retirement Extension Jomtien

[mikebell]

Last May, I used Embassy letter for my visa extension.  Then I put 800,000k in BKK bank 51 weeks ago.  Updated the deposit account/got bank letter - 6 minutes. I took my papers showing address etc. 

PROBLEM at Immigration.  Waited over one hour stifling in a mask while 2 people served 12 customers.  They need statements from old bankbook showing deposits up to May 2019???  Failing that a copy of the Embassy letter!!!!!!  I told them Immigration has this latter could they produce it?  No can - 'letter go to Head Office'.  

 

Can anyone explain what the problem is?  This is my 15th year & the most problematic!

[ubonjoe]

Somebody is giving out false info about letter. It is still in your file at the local office. 

The were expecting to see proof you had the funds in the bank since you applied for you last extension application. That would normally be 800k baht for 3 months and then at least 400k baht for the rest of the year.

Were you applying earlier than you did last year?

I think you need to go back and try but ask for a supervisor if they give you the runaround again.

 

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Somebody is giving out false info about letter. It is still in your file at the local office. 

The were expecting to see proof you had the funds in the bank since you applied for you last extension application. That would normally be 800k baht for 3 months and then at least 400k baht for the rest of the year.

Were you applying earlier than you did last year?

I think you need to go back and try but ask for a supervisor if they give you the runaround again.

 

I asked for & got two supervisors - none were able to explain what I had done wrong.  They called a girl over who was able to suggest that I take copies of my old bankbook from Jan to May last year 2019?

 

I went home & photo-copied pages from Jan through to May.  Copied my UK P60 showing tax & income from last year & converted it to baht.  I went back to the girl who made me sign & put phone number on any new photo copies & finally got my red ticket to return tomorrow.

 

My passport shows a note from lady, who does 90 days, saying extension to be renewed May 12th.I still have no idea why they asked for last year's Embassy letter; then lied that they hadn't got it.

 

I still have no idea why 800K since end of May 2019 was not acceptable; nor why everything is OK now they have statements older than 15 months?

I was well-dressed; polite, despite sweltering behind my mask.  Had new photos taken there to affix on my application.

Maybe a PS after 2pm tomorrow!

 

[Guderian]

It seems like the post-C19 "new normal" at Immigration is much the same as the old normal was, SNAFU, lol.

[Jaxxper]

Renewed my extension at Jomtien a couple of weeks back. Only issue I had was that I had a new bank passbook (along with the bank letter) but forgot they would want to see I hadn't dropped down below Thb 400 all year. When the officer explained the issue it was obvious. Quick trip to the bank 3 Sois down , returned with a one year statement and I was good to go in less than 5 minutes. Picked up the passport the next day, no issues. I think the operation at Jomtien is pretty trouble free these daysas long as your paperwork is in order.

I somewhat agree that its not immigrations job to provide the evidence from the files they might or might not hold. As long as the requirements are known and complied with should be no issue.

[Max69xl]

19 hours ago, mikebell said:

I asked for & got two supervisors - none were able to explain what I had done wrong.  They called a girl over who was able to suggest that I take copies of my old bankbook from Jan to May last year 2019?

 

I went home & photo-copied pages from Jan through to May.  Copied my UK P60 showing tax & income from last year & converted it to baht.  I went back to the girl who made me sign & put phone number on any new photo copies & finally got my red ticket to return tomorrow.

 

My passport shows a note from lady, who does 90 days, saying extension to be renewed May 12th.I still have no idea why they asked for last year's Embassy letter; then lied that they hadn't got it.

 

I still have no idea why 800K since end of May 2019 was not acceptable; nor why everything is OK now they have statements older than 15 months?

I was well-dressed; polite, despite sweltering behind my mask.  Had new photos taken there to affix on my application.

Maybe a PS after 2pm tomorrow!

 

If you've had a 12 months bank statement from your bank, everything would have been good. No need for an embassy letter or any UK P60 when using the 800k in the bank method. 

[ToddinChonburi]

They want proof you didn't go below 400,000 . Amazing how incompetent they are at reading simple information.  I have the same problem using GSB Bank for funds

 They don't understand the bank book.

[peleid]

Has far as I am aware every bank has a standard letter for immigration so along with that and bank statements for at least 3 months and copies of your bank book is all that you need for the 800,000 method

Edited May 8, 2020 by peleid
Spelling

[LarryLEB]

Max69xl's post (#7) is exactly right.

 

I did the one-year extension of my OA visa at Jomtien about two weeks ago.  I took along a one-year statement from the bank for the 800,000.  (So Immigration couldn't question how long I kept the 800,000 balance or whether I had kept above 400,000.)  The bank would photocopy only the current page of my bank book; I signed that copy and took it with me.   (I had photocopied all previous bank book pages back for one year.)

 

My official insurance coverage document (signed by two officers of the insurance company) showed my policy starting on May 15 (more than 3 weeks after my visit to Immigration).  No problem:  they dated the new one-year extension to expire on May 14, 2021.

 

I had all the other docs required, signed and ready to go.  Docs checked; photo taken with mask and glasses off (first time for the glasses off, oddly).  No queue; in and out in about 10 minutes; back next day to pick up passport.  Great service!

[mikebell]

20 hours ago, Jaxxper said:

I somewhat agree that its not immigrations job to provide the evidence from the files they might or might not hold.

I somewhat agree that it is not Immigration's job to provide evidence; however the boy asked ME to provide last year's Embassy letter that they took from me last May.  They maintain they no longer had it despite our much-respected Ubon Joe's belief that they keep it in the building in a file headed with my name.

In the event I picked up passport yesterday with prized Visa.  (A notice in English at desk 8 calls it a Retirement Visa now.)

 

Above answers suggest they were trying to check if I had fallen below a certain threshold.  I am still unsure what I did wrong having compiled a checklist of do's & don'ts from the collected wisdom on this site.  I assumed my last year's Embassy letter cleared me till my  next renewal.  I assumed 800K deposited & untouched since last May would be sufficient for this coming year?

[suave]

I think the problem might have been that despite your having the money in for the past 11 months you had that one month that was not at least 400,000 baht, so they need proof that you used the letter for the year and were to lazy or did not how to check the records. Personally, I make copies of everything, which I take with me the next year just in case I need them.

Edited May 9, 2020 by suave

[suave]

If they like copies then so should you!

[whiteman]

why did u have to have medical cover with a retirement visa???

[Pilotman]

8 minutes ago, whiteman said:

why did u have to have medical cover with a retirement visa???

you need one for O A, but not O

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, suave said:

I think the problem might have been that despite your having the money in for the past 11 months you had that one month that was not at least 400,000 baht, so they need proof that you used the letter for the year and were to lazy or did not how to check the records. Personally, I make copies of everything, which I take with me the next year just in case I need them.

A good tip; I will now keep copies of everything from now on.  I agree with your diagnosis about the missing month though statements from last year's bank book show I never had anywhere near 400K in my current account?

[Nowisee]

IMO, last years embassy letter has nothing to do with this years 1 year extension.  

IF switching to use the 800k this year instead of the embassy letter, it would have to be in account for 52 weeks.  They would need the standard letter, 12 month statement and copies of your bank book for the same 52 weeks OR produce a new embassy letter for this year, which would keep you using the proof of income method, not requiring 800k in Thai bank.  
What would be interesting would be if you switched back to the embassy letter next year.  I'm betting they would want to see all the above.  

Preparation is the key.  Get a list of exactly what they need and then take that to immigration.  You will not have these difficulties if you present exactly what they need.   


 

[mikebell]

12 hours ago, Nowisee said:

IMO, last years embassy letter has nothing to do with this years 1 year extension.  

Yet Jomtien asked for it! (Despite having it!)  I am a UK citizen so got one of the last letters they ever issued -there will be no more.

I did compile a list from this very forum & ticked everything on it.  I accept that 800K needs to be in my bank for 3 months & not the 50 weeks it had remained there.

My puzzlement stems from the fact that my Embassy letter covered me from May 12th 2019 up to May of this year.  I thought my 800 K would likewise cover me from May 2020.

[chang50]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Yet Jomtien asked for it! (Despite having it!)  I am a UK citizen so got one of the last letters they ever issued -there will be no more.

I did compile a list from this very forum & ticked everything on it.  I accept that 800K needs to be in my bank for 3 months & not the 50 weeks it had remained there.

My puzzlement stems from the fact that my Embassy letter covered me from May 12th 2019 up to May of this year.  I thought my 800 K would likewise cover me from May 2020.

I am sure you are correct Mike...when are we playing ping pong again?

[somo]

Here in Chayaphum they don't ask you keep a minimum of 400k in your account all year round. No mention of having to prove this and they only ask for a two month statement showing 800k.

This difference in the rules can be dangerous if you are unaware that in other areas the rules are different. It's quite possible I'll turn up next year and they refuse my extension (after satisfying all requirements for the past 20 years) because they have belatedly decided to impliment stuff like the above.

[Mamasun]

22 hours ago, Nowisee said:

IMO, last years embassy letter has nothing to do with this years 1 year extension.  

IF switching to use the 800k this year instead of the embassy letter, it would have to be in account for 52 weeks.  They would need the standard letter, 12 month statement and copies of your bank book for the same 52 weeks OR produce a new embassy letter for this year, which would keep you using the proof of income method, not requiring 800k in Thai bank.  
What would be interesting would be if you switched back to the embassy letter next year.  I'm betting they would want to see all the above.  

Preparation is the key.  Get a list of exactly what they need and then take that to immigration.  You will not have these difficulties if you present exactly what they need.   


 

WHAT ???? you mean if now , you don't show Ambassy letter...you need to have 800000 bahts more than 1 year in your acount ??? they said 3 months before and 2 months after and all year not below 400000 Bahts...and by anyway..the documents i show immigration to get my extension last year cover me until the next extension....or what ?

Edited May 12, 2020 by Mamasun

[smedly]

2 hours ago, Mamasun said:

WHAT ???? you mean if now , you don't show Ambassy letter...you need to have 800000 bahts more than 1 year in your acount ??? they said 3 months before and 2 months after and all year not below 400000 Bahts...and by anyway..the documents i show immigration to get my extension last year cover me until the next extension....or what ?

Unless of course you use an agent then the only thing you need is between 14k and 25kbaht - no money in the bank or any such things as you pay for them to ignore the rules - go figure

[Jack Mountain]

2 hours ago, Mamasun said:

WHAT ???? you mean if now , you don't show Ambassy letter...you need to have 800000 bahts more than 1 year in your acount ??? they said 3 months before and 2 months after and all year not below 400000 Bahts...and by anyway..the documents i show immigration to get my extension last year cover me until the next extension....or what ?

2 Months before and 3 months after.

[mikebell]

21 hours ago, chang50 said:

I am sure you are correct Mike...when are we playing ping pong again?

I would never have associated my ping-pong partner with this pseudonym!  Rule Relaxation on a week by week basis.

[chang50]

3 hours ago, mikebell said:

I would never have associated my ping-pong partner with this pseudonym!  Rule Relaxation on a week by week basis.

OK and glad your visa is sorted!

[Nowisee]

On 5/12/2020 at 5:38 PM, Mamasun said:

WHAT ???? you mean if now , you don't show Ambassy letter...you need to have 800000 bahts more than 1 year in your acount ??? they said 3 months before and 2 months after and all year not below 400000 Bahts...and by anyway..the documents i show immigration to get my extension last year cover me until the next extension....or what ?

Sorry for the confusion.  My reply was suppose to be only an opinion as to what the OP had written regarding having money in his account for 51 weeks.  His post was a bit confusing, but it read to me that he was getting jammed up for not having money in long enough, i.e. 52 weeks.  

To your last question.  Once you get your extension, you are good for that year.