One Year Retirement Extension Phuket

[RickNew]

My one year retirement extension expires end of this month.  Can I renew it now or do I have to wait to Aug 1?
 

Thank you  

[Psimbo]

They are business as usual for retirement extensions. Well they were the other week when I picked up the forms for when I do my one in Jul. There were a number of people being processed.

 

So far as I am aware the 1 Aug (well-3 Aug) thing does not apply to extensions (in Phuket), especially with the sub-district lockdowns lifted.

 

Our resident man on the spot may may be able to confirm, if not pop in and ask- they are not overly busy at present.

[macahoom]

 

I did my retirement extension in Phuket Town on Tuesday. Yesterday was a holiday, so I am picking up my passport today.

[RickNew]

32 minutes ago, macahoom said:

 

I did my retirement extension in Phuket Town on Tuesday. Yesterday was a holiday, so I am picking up my passport today.

Thank you!
 

were there any new documents required, or same documents/procedure as last year??
 

Thanks again!

 

[macahoom]

1 hour ago, RickNew said:

Thank you!
 

were there any new documents required, or same documents/procedure as last year??
 

Thanks again!

 

 

Happy to help you.

 

No new documents, and procedure same as last year.

 

Very quiet; I was the only person applying.

[RickNew]

7 minutes ago, macahoom said:

 

Happy to help you.

 

No new documents, and procedure same as last year.

 

Very quiet; I was the only person applying.

Such great news!! Thank you for helping relieve my annual anxiety trip!!

[Old Croc]

27 minutes ago, macahoom said:

 

Happy to help you.

 

No new documents, and procedure same as last year.

 

Very quiet; I was the only person applying.

Did they renew your 90 day report?

[marvin1950]

Do you have to show you have health insurance for a new retirement extension especially for Covid-19?

[macahoom]

26 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Did they renew your 90 day report?

 

I didn't try. But I'll be trying today when I pick up my passport.

 

I'll report back this afternoon and let you know.

[macahoom]

Just now, marvin1950 said:

Do you have to show you have health insurance for a new retirement extension especially for Covid-19?

 

No mention of health insurance.

[macahoom]

6 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Did they renew your 90 day report?

 

6 hours ago, macahoom said:

 

I didn't try. But I'll be trying today when I pick up my passport.

 

I'll report back this afternoon and let you know.

 

Just got back from Phuket Town Immigration.

 

Picked up my passport, didn’t look at it and went to the drive through to do my 90 day report. The officer was going to do it, no problem - but when he looked at my passport he realised my 90 day report had already been done two days ago, as a matter of course, along with my extension.

[Psimbo]

18 hours ago, macahoom said:

 

 

Just got back from Phuket Town Immigration.

 

Picked up my passport, didn’t look at it and went to the drive through to do my 90 day report. The officer was going to do it, no problem - but when he looked at my passport he realised my 90 day report had already been done two days ago, as a matter of course, along with my extension.

That's what they always do (as you pointed out) and you lose a day (in your case two!) All the stamps and papers are in the passport normally within 20 minutes of submitting it. The delay is so the senior officer upstairs can sign off on it once all the paperwork has been done.

 

I counter this if I need to slide my 90 day reports by using the 7 day grace period. I'm normally away early July and need the 90 days slipped as close to my renewal date as possible. Its another thing I personally find handy instead of online reporting.

[Old Croc]

The trouble with 90 day reports is that 4 of them only amount to 360 days when everyone knows extensions are for a full year (365 days). Even letting it slip for a few days doesn't help because the IOs reset it from the previous expiry,

 

Oh the dilemma!  Going backwards in your reporting period 5 days every year could drastically alter everything! In just 18 years you will have to have done an extra report just to get things back on track! The income and health insurance requirements pale into insignificance in light of this major ripoff. 

They really should change it to 91 1/4 day report

[merijn]

On 6/4/2020 at 9:13 AM, macahoom said:

 

No mention of health insurance.

The health insurance requirement is only relevant when you started of originally with a OA Visa.

In all other cases the health insurance is not required.

 

[Peter Denis]

10 minutes ago, merijn said:

The health insurance requirement is only relevant when you started of originally with a OA Visa.

In all other cases the health insurance is not required.

And it is only required when you apply for a 1-year extension based on your original O-A Visa for reason of RETIREMENT.  When you apply for reason of marriage or dependant child, it is not required.

Also, as this topic is on the Phuket Forum, it is worthwhile to mention that since March Phuket IO does not enforce the thai IO-approved health-insurance requirement anymore.  This has been confirmed by 3 reports of Non Imm O-A Visa holders applying for the 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement.  Phuket IO (and it seems also PhangNga IO) will evaluate their current 'non enforcement' practice in October, but till then the requirement will not be enforced.

Hopefully they will continue with that non-enforcement practice also after October, and it would be grand if also other IOs would follow the Phuket example.

[marvin1950]

I am confused.

What is the difference between a one year retirement extension for a non-immigrant "O" Visa and a one year retirement extension for a non-immigrant "OA" Visa?

 

Thanks

[merijn]

48 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

And it is only required when you apply for a 1-year extension based on your original O-A Visa for reason of RETIREMENT.  When you apply for reason of marriage or dependant child, it is not required.

Also, as this topic is on the Phuket Forum, it is worthwhile to mention that since March Phuket IO does not enforce the thai IO-approved health-insurance requirement anymore.  This has been confirmed by 3 reports of Non Imm O-A Visa holders applying for the 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement.  Phuket IO (and it seems also PhangNga IO) will evaluate their current 'non enforcement' practice in October, but till then the requirement will not be enforced.

Hopefully they will continue with that non-enforcement practice also after October, and it would be grand if also other IOs would follow the Phuket example.

It is correct that Phuket is currently not enforcing the health insurance requirement but this is only temporary and it is expected that this will be reinstated in a few months.

A Non-OA Visa like i mentioned is per definition always for retirement reason.

It would be a Non-O visa if it is requested for marriage, dependent etc.

[Peter Denis]

5 minutes ago, merijn said:

It is correct that Phuket is currently not enforcing the health insurance requirement but this is only temporary and it is expected that this will be reinstated in a few months.

A Non-OA Visa like i mentioned is per definition always for retirement reason.

It would be a Non-O visa if it is requested for marriage, dependent etc.

Your second statement is not correct.  When applying for the 1-year extension of your Non Imm O-A Visa you can do this for reason of RETIREMENT of for reason of MARRIAGE, dependant child or other.  The thai IO-approved health-insurance policy is ONLY required when your apply for reason of retirement.  When you apply for a different reason (e.g. because you are married to a thai national) the requirements are different, a.o. way lower financial requirements to prove, as well as no health-insurance requirement.

[marvin1950]

Sorry to disagree with you.

A retirement Visa applied for inside Thailand is a non-immigrant "O" Visa.

 

A retirement Visa applied for from another country is a non-immigrant "OA" Visa.

Health insurance is required for a non-immigrant "OA" Visa, but not for a non-immigrant "O" Visa.

Edited June 7, 2020 by marvin1950
additional

[merijn]

4 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Your second statement is not correct.  When applying for the 1-year extension of your Non Imm O-A Visa you can do this for reason of RETIREMENT of for reason of MARRIAGE, dependant child or other.  The thai IO-approved health-insurance policy is ONLY required when your apply for reason of retirement.  When you apply for a different reason (e.g. because you are married to a thai national) the requirements are different, a.o. way lower financial requirements to prove, as well as no health-insurance requirement.

Please have a look at this for the difference between Non-OA and Non-O visa.

 

[Peter Denis]

49 minutes ago, marvin1950 said:

...

What is the difference between a one year retirement extension for a non-immigrant "O" Visa and a one year retirement extension for a non-immigrant "OA" Visa?

When applying at your local IO for the 1-year extension of your Non Imm O - retirement Visa or for the 1-year extension of your Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement, the requirements/conditions are exactly the same, with the one difference that a Non Imm O - retirement extension does NOT require the mandatory thai IO-approved health-insurance.

[marvin1950]

I said within Thailand you get a non-immigrant "O" Visa for retirement.

[merijn]

7 minutes ago, marvin1950 said:

Sorry to disagree with you.

A retirement Visa applied for inside Thailand is a non-immigrant "O" Visa.

 

A retirement Visa applied for from another country is a non-immigrant "OA" Visa.

Health insurance is required for a non-immigrant "OA" Visa, but not for a non-immigrant "O" Visa.

When a visa is applied for inside Thailand (from Tourist visa or visa exemption) then this will be always a Non-O

I only talked about visa's issues outside Thailand.

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, marvin1950 said:

I said within Thailand you get a non-immigrant "O" Visa for retirement.

You get an extension of stay, not a visa.

[marvin1950]

[Peter Denis]

5 minutes ago, merijn said:

Please have a look at this for the difference between Non-OA and Non-O visa.

 

When you APPLY for the Non Imm O-A Visa, which can only be done in your home-country, you need to be 50+ of age and meet the financial requirements.

But once in Thailand when you apply for the 1-year EXTENSION at your local IO, you need to fill in on the application form for which reason you apply.  And the reason for the 1-year extension (retirement, marriage, dependant child, etc.) will determine which requirements will be applicable for your application.  And it is ONLY when you apply for reason of retirement that the thai IO-approved health-insurance will be applicable.

[lopburi3]

1.  O-A allows a one year stay on entry (the "A" means extended stay is Approved in Advance).  It is only issued for retirement and valid for one year.  Each new entry while valid gets a new one year stay from that entry date.

2.  O allows stay of 90 days only.  Single entry is valid for 90 day from issue and multi entry one year from issue.  Stay is limited to 90 days per entry.

3.  One year extensions of stay for valid reasons are available on both types of entry visa but currently there is a requirement for medical policy if using O-A entry (suspended in Phuket currently).

Edited June 7, 2020 by lopburi3

[Peter Denis]

2 hours ago, marvin1950 said:

This is not an official immigration website, and the requirements posted are misleading as there are more options to meet the Non Imm O retirement Visa requirements.

Just PM me if you like to receive a comprehensive guideline on how to switch from a Non Imm O-A Visa to a Non Imm O retirement Visa.  The guideline outlines all details/options to do so with links to the official immigration requirements.

[Psimbo]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

When you APPLY for the Non Imm O-A Visa, which can only be done in your home-country, you need to be 50+ of age and meet the financial requirements.

But once in Thailand when you apply for the 1-year EXTENSION at your local IO, you need to fill in on the application form for which reason you apply.  And the reason for the 1-year extension (retirement, marriage, dependant child, etc.) will determine which requirements will be applicable for your application.  And it is ONLY when you apply for reason of retirement that the thai IO-approved health-insurance will be applicable.

Why are you so concerned about what is going on down in Phuket? I can assure you Merijn is far better placed to speak about the vagaries of Phuket Immigration. Teaching him to suck eggs will not go down well.

 

This is about what is going on in PHUKET, hence the title of the thread.

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, Psimbo said:

Why are you so concerned about what is going on down in Phuket?

I am concerned about correct information, and for some TVF members - whether they report to Phuket or another IO - it might be relevant to know that when you apply for the 1-year extension of stay based on your original Non Imm O-A Visa for a different reason than 'retirement', that in such case the thai IO-approved health-insurance requirement is not applicable. 

Why is providing correct information automatically interpreted as 'attacking' other posters?