2020 BKK CW Retirement Extension trip report

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Did my annual retirement extension via 800K bank deposit letter and accompanying re-entry permit today at BKK CW Immigration, with a trip report of the various details to follow here.

 

Retirement Extension application

This was my first time to use the relatively new process of using the Immigration website to schedule a specific time slot (date and time) for the retirement extension application process, and I like it a lot. Really saves having to get there at the crack of dawn, hang around in long queue lines, and then wait wait wait.  I arrived to Immigration at 9:10 am for a 9:15 to 9:30 appointment slot, was in to see the officer by 9:20 am, and was done with her by 9:35 am, and had my stamped passport back by 10:15 am. Sweet!!!

 

Can also use the same online appointment schedule process for re-entry permit applications at BKK CW, and for in-person 90-day report filings that are now exclusively done at Immigration's Muang Thong Thani outpost. But NOT, for some reason, to schedule marriage extension appointments...   When you do the online booking route, you do NOT need to obtain a queue ticket at all inside the Immigration Office. You just bring along with you a printout of the emailed appointment confirmation that Immigration has sent you, and then just go to the designated appointments desk at your appointed time.

 

http://203.151.166.132/immigrant_queue/booking/

 

The documents required for the retirement extension application were pretty much the same as usual this year at BKK CW, except this year at least, there was no mention of providing copies of 90-day report receipts or TM30 notifications... 

 

My documents list is as follows:

--Passport with at least 1 year validity remaining

 

--Completed TM7 form printed on a single sheet front and back. Your color photo pasted on the back side, and your phone number hand written at the top of the back side.

 

--Financial documentation as required -- 800K Thai bank deposit letter plus original bankbook, OR 65K in monthly foreign transfers into a Thai bank OR an Embassy income affidavit for those who still have or can get one.

 

Hand signed portrait-orientation photocopies of the following (they want photocopies, they don't seem to like printed scans):

-- Passport face page

-- if you've obtained a new passport anytime, the front pages of that where Immigration has copied over the old visa and stamps info from your old passport.

-- most recent visa or extension stamp

-- most recent arrival/entry stamp

-- airport departure card front and back

-- Hand-drawn or printed map showing the location & address of your home.

 

Money to pay the 1,900b extension of stay fee.

 

Last year, the IO gently chewed me out for having pre-signed all my passport photocopy pages, because she wanted to put her ink stamp on them first, which included a specific spot for the applicant's signature. This year, the IO at the appointment desk not so gently chewed out my Thai wife because I had NOT pre-signed all the passport photocopies, and hadn't pre-filled out the several other misc. junk forms they always have you sign... (most of which are not available on the Immigration website for download, but can be requested in paper form from the front information desk at BKK CW.  Dunno what to say about that...

 

At any rate, I figured I've had enough of their junk forms, and having to beg for them at the info desk. So I got a spare, blank set of them today, took them home, scanned them as PDF files, and will now post them here for anyone else who wants to keep them in hand. As UbonJoe noted to me, this trio of documents are specifically in a format used by BKK CW, and other offices may not use the same docs or use them in different format.

 

Ret Exten Overstay Penalties.pdf

Ret Exten Statement 2.pdf

Ret Exten Statement 3.pdf

 

As part of the application process with the IO, I had to sign the overstay penalties sheet, and then hold up the sheet below my chin while she took what struck me as a kind of police "booking photo" of someone who's just been arrested, except in this case, it was Immigration obtaining incontravertible visual proof that they have given me the penalties sheet and that I had knowingly signed it.  

 

For me, it's always a struggle to understand what the TH speaking Immigration officers are saying, even when they try their hand at halting English, and it hasn't gotten any easier lately, as they now all have clear plastic type divider sections separating you from them, as well as them of course wearing their CV face masks, which further muffles whatever it is they're trying to say... Glad my Thai wife has better ears than I do....

 

The new "official" rule for bank deposits relating to retirement extensions is you must have the 800K on deposit TWO months before you application date, and then keep that balance for three months after. Then the rest of the year, the account balance cannot fall below 400K. This year was my first year using the bank deposit method, as last year I was able to use one last final U.S. Embassy income affidavit before that process ended.  So, today, the Immigration officer at the outset, without asking me anything, immediately looks at my bank book that only shows the 800K on deposit for 2 months, and starts complaining what about the prior months... So it took some explaining before she finally understood and registered that I hadn't had the 400K requirement during the past year (but will for the future, of course).

 

Lastly re the retirement extension, for many years here, Sept. 17 has been my individual annual valid stay until date no matter what date/how early I actually filed my application.  But this year for some reason, I was instead given a new stay until date of Sept 26, so I got an extra 9 days added beyond my normal Sept. 17 date.  And others here are reporting that BKK CW and several other offices are using a standard Sept. 26 valid until date right now for all retirement extensions -- even though the Sept. 26 date supposedly was only supposed to be the post-amnesty ending date for various short-term extensions. So YMMV....

 

As for the Re-Entry Permit:

Nothing much different this year vs. last... Just like last year, the staff there seem to be accepting application paperwork without requiring you to get a queue ticket (although they also are participating in the online appointments scheduling system, as noted above). So I asked and the lady officer confirmed once again, just walk up and hand them your application paperwork. I got my re-entry permit stamped passport back today about 10 minutes after handing it over to them.

 

Standard documents involved:

--Passport with at least 1 year validity remaining

 

--Completed TM8 form printed on a single sheet front and back. Your color photo pasted on the back side, and your phone number hand written at the top of the FRONT side.

 

Hand signed portrait-orientation photocopies of the following (they want photocopies, they don't seem to like printed scans):

-- Passport face page

-- if you've obtained a new passport anytime, the front pages of that where Immigration has copied over the visa and stamps info from your old passport.

-- most recent visa or extension stamp (including the new one you may have just received earlier in the day during the same visit)

-- most recent arrival/entry stamp

-- airport departure card front and back

 

Money to pay permit fee, 1000 baht for single-entry, 3800 baht for unlimited/multi-entry.

 

As for the 90-Day reporting process:

At BKK CW... FORGET IT!!!  Anything to do with 90-day reporting, even answering inquiries, the Immigration staff at BKK CW will tell you you have to travel to their newly reopened outpost near Muang Thong Thani....  Doesn't matter if you're already doing business at BKK CW for extensions and re-entry permit.  If you need or want to do the 90-day report filing in person (and not online or by postal mail), you gotta travel even further out to MTT for that.

 

For more details, see the following thread:

 

[ThailandRyan]

Thank you for the comprehensive post.  I will be getting my stuff in order and have scheduled my appointment two months from now.  Hopefully nothing changes after September 26th to hinder my 1st Retirement extension.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

TRAVEL RELATED ISSUES:

 

This year was very different regarding travel out to BKK CW, because for the first time in my renewal cycle, the BTS has now opened their further northward extension of the Sukhumvit Line beyond its long-time Mochit terminus and onward to the new Wat Phra Sri Mahathat terminal station, which is only a relatively short taxi trip to BKK CW.

 

Unfortunately, a lot of that trip from Mahathat to BKK CW is along Chaengwattana Road, which is currently being torn up in the median section for major construction activity, meaning the traffic along that segment is crawling even more than usual. The result is it seems to give the Mahathat route not much of an advantage, if any, over the more traditional Mochit route, which is a longer trip, but less of it along jammed CW Road.

 

Anyway, I tried the Mahathat route this morning for the first time just to find out:

BTS Asoke to Mochit was about 25 minutes.

Mochit to Mahathat was about 30 minutes (it's a long... extension)

Then a 15 minute or so taxi trip from Mahathat to BKK CW, fare about 60 baht.

 

Another of the drawbacks to the Mahathat BTS station is, once you go downstairs, there is no line/queue of available taxis there in the direction heading toward BKK CW, and not all that many just traveling along the roadway. Fortunately, not many other people were waiting, so we were able to catch a taxi after about a 5 minute wait.

 

To get out of the Mahathat station heading in the direction of BKK CW, you need to first stay on the platform level and then walk to the far south end of the platform before going down to the lower level. (The northern stairs/escalator won't give you access to the correct exit). Going to the south end will allow you to access the Gate #1 exit that takes you down to the roadway with traffic heading toward BKK CW.

 

Then, once at BKK CW, if you have the misfortune of needing to go further out to Immigration at Muang Thong Thani,  it was about a 15 minute and 80 baht fare from BKK CW. There's a lot of info about the directions to get there and how things work there in the 90-day reporting thread linked above....

 

Then on the way back, if you need to travel from MTT back to BTS Mahathat, that was about a 90 baht taxi trip that took about 35 minutes with a lot of congestion along Chaengwattana Road.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

BTW, somewhat to my surprise, my officer at BKK CW today was handing out an EN translation version of their September 2019 updated rules for retirement extensions. Always surprised when I get anything meaningful from them in their own English translation...

 

Ret Exten Reqs in EN from Immigration - Sept 2019 version.pdf

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Also... regarding my list above of requirements for the retirement extension, I should have added the additional health insurance requirement for those on O-A visas or extensions of stay based on original (even long-ago) O-A visas -- a requirement that doesn't apply to any other visa classes right now.

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[blackcab]

A very comprehensive and helpful set of posts.

 

Thank you for your effort, I am sure your posts will be appreciated by many.

[uncleP]

I did my 90 day at CW 4. weeks ago. Was rammed. Has it changed since?

[Jackson B]

So retirement visas are still being dealt with at CW and NOT at Mong Thong Thani?

 

Is there such a thing as a multiple entry O visa? Or does one have to separately apply for the re-entry permit. I thought I heard the woman at Counter J mention a multiple entry visa, as I was enquiring about switching.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

17 minutes ago, uncleP said:

I did my 90 day at CW 4. weeks ago. Was rammed. Has it changed since?

 

I believe they shifted the 90-day reporting to Muang Thong Thani around July 13 onward. No more 90 day reporting in-person at BKK CW right now.

 

From my visit to BKK CW today, it certainly was overall less crowded because of the absence of the whole 90-day reporting contingent... though still lots of people in general... Made a bit better by those taking advantage of the online appointment scheduling option, which allows you to avoid the queues entirely.

 

At MTT, today midday, I had about an hour wait in queue just to do my in-person 90-day report because I hadn't made an online appointment for that piece of my business...

 

One problem with the online appointments system is, just for example, you can easily use it for an extension of stay appointment that's your first piece of business for the day.... But even so, you never know quite how long that's going to take...waiting to finally get your stamped passport back...

 

And so that makes then pre-scheduling an appointment for your 2nd or 3rd pieces of business (like a re-entry permit or a 90-day report) more difficult, because you're never quite sure going in whether you'll be able to get to those latter pieces reasonably on-time.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, Jackson B said:

So retirement visas are still being dealt with at CW and NOT at Mong Thong Thani?

 Correct!  

 

Annual extensions of stay and annual re-entry permits at BKK CW...

 

In-person 90-day reports and various other things at MTT...

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Also... regarding my list above of requirements for the retirement extension, I should have added the additional health insurance requirement for those on O-A visas or extensions of stay based on original (even long-ago) O-A visas -- a requirement that doesn't apply to any other visa classes right now.

 

CW have previously been reported on here as adopting an extremely pedantic attitude towards the handling of retirement extension applications by those to whom the mandatory health insurance requirement applies, even to the extent of insisting on the relevant policy coming into force at exactly 4.30pm on the current permission to stay expiry date before being prepared to grant an extension! Have they, in the light of your experience, now rolled back on this nit-picking stance, particularly in the sense that a retiree subject to this requirement no longer, in practice, needs to leave it until the last minute before being able to apply for his next retirement extension, meaning that he can now lodge an application in advance (even if not by as much as the normal 45 days in CW’s case)?

 

Also, does the unexpected further 9-day extension to your current permission to stay date now mean that this is no longer in sync with your insurance policy expiry date, thus meaning possible difficulties for you this time next year?

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 hours ago, OJAS said:

CW have previously been reported on here as adopting an extremely pedantic attitude towards the handling of retirement extension applications by those to whom the mandatory health insurance requirement applies, even to the extent of insisting on the relevant policy coming into force at exactly 4.30pm on the current permission to stay expiry date before being prepared to grant an extension! Have they, in the light of your experience, now rolled back on this nit-picking stance, particularly in the sense that a retiree subject to this requirement no longer, in practice, needs to leave it until the last minute before being able to apply for his next retirement extension, meaning that he can now lodge an application in advance (even if not by as much as the normal 45 days in CW’s case)?

 

Also, does the unexpected further 9-day extension to your current permission to stay date now mean that this is no longer in sync with your insurance policy expiry date, thus meaning possible difficulties for you this time next year?

 

 

Fortunately in my case, my original visa class isn't an O-A, so I'm not subject to the health insurance requirement associated with that. Thus unfortunately, can't shed any light on how BKK CW is handling that these days.... Though I've seen the same kind of member reports you're referencing above.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just a couple added thoughts about the retirement extensions appointment system at BKK CW..

 

--Right now.... it doesn't seem to be being used by that many folks. When I booked my appointment online about 9 days ahead of time, most of the 15-minute time slots for my chosen day were open and available... And there's only one desk and officer handling those appointments in the extensions section at BKK CW... So for me, it's definitely the way to go...as opposed to lining up and waiting, then going inside and waiting, and then waiting some more.

 

--the officer processing the retirement extensions via appointments does definitely seem to have a thing about wanting people to have ALL their various forms completely filled out and ready to go before you walk into her cubicle... 

 

For years at BKK CW, I've been accustomed to having my TM7 and various passport pages and home map all filled out and ready in advance... But I never had the several junk statement forms ahead of time... So the officer every year would matter of factly hand those over to me to fill out, as she was busy doing her stamping and checking and shuffling, etc etc... So I always assumed that was the normal manner of doing such things....  But that leisurely approach apparently isn't flying with the appointments officer lady, at least not the one I drew yesterday... So be forewarned!!!

 

So that's part of the reason I took the added step of scanning and posting the PDF files for the various "statement" forms above... so folks can more easily have them and complete them ahead of time...especially for the appointments system.

--

Edited August 19, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[John Drake]

55 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

But I never had the several junk statement forms ahead of time... So the officer every year would matter of factly hand those over to me to fill out, as she was busy doing her stamping and checking and shuffling, etc etc... So I always assumed that was the normal manner of doing such things....  But that leisurely approach apparently isn't flying with the appointments officer lady, at least not the one I drew yesterday... So be forewarned!!!

Don't worry. Next year they'll be harping on the fact that you dared to fill them out while not doing so in their presence and issue you with new blank ones to fill out while you sit there.

[JohnOFphon]

Why pay for a re-entry permit now? 

[mtls2005]

12 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

At any rate, I figured I've had enough of their junk forms, and having to beg for them at the info desk. So I got a spare, blank set of them today, took them home, scanned them as PDF files, and will now post them here for anyone else who wants to keep them in hand. As UbonJoe noted to me, this trio of documents are specifically in a format used by BKK CW, and other offices may not use the same docs or use them in different format.

Thanks for these.

 

Given the penchant for copies rather than scanned documents, do you think these will be acceptable?

 

And, where were you able to find these?

 

Last Qs:

 

How do you gain entry to Immigration desk area? Just by showing your appointment print-out?

 

Do you just walk up to any "L" desk and show your appointment? Or is there a desk number designated for appointments?

 

Were there any interns pre-screening your documents?

[Hamus Yaigh]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Did my annual retirement extension via 800K bank deposit letter and accompanying re-entry permit today at BKK CW Immigration,

Really appreciate this update report thanks. I have to do mine next week and in much the same status as you.

[Boomer6969]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

and accompanying re-entry permit

I love your optimism there.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

I love your optimism there.

 

I paid for a single use re-entry permit, and got it, just as I've always done, to cover any eventualities during the year ahead...

 

But that doesn't mean I'm realistically expecting to use it anytime soon, and still have any likely chance of being able to return to Thailand after any prospective international travel.

 

[ThailandRyan]

What time do the banks open up at CW, and if not open to do the bankbook update can it be done at the Machine out front

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Really appreciate this update report thanks. I have to do mine next week and in much the same status as you.

 

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, in my view), because I did the online appointment approach this year, I avoided the more common and past approach of having to show up at 7 am in the morning to get an early pre-queue ticket, sit around for 90 minutes waiting for Immigration to open at 8:30, then rush inside to get a second real queue ticket, and then wait wait wait for my number to finally be called...

 

So unfortunately, I can't speak to how that part of the process is going right now in the wake of the 90-day reporting business and crowds being shunted off to Muang Thong Thani...

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

What time do the banks open up at CW, and if not open to do the bankbook update can it be done at the Machine out front

 

My bank, Krungsri, opens at 8:30 am there at BKK CW, and I'd assume others are the same or similar.

 

FWIW, I was surprised to discover that Krungsri's current system involves a standard FORTY FIVE MINUTE WAIT for them to produce and issue their standard bank deposit letter, supposedly because it involves having to get the head office involved...  So even if you're there at doors opening at 8:30, you shouldn't expect to get their letter anytime before 9:15 or thereafter.... 

 

That's Krungsri (AKA Bank of Ayudhya-yellow)... A friend here I believe told me BKKB's typical time for issuing the deposit letters at BKK CW runs more in the neighborhood of an half hour wait.

 

The Krungsri branch at BKK CW has both a regular ATM machine and passbook update machine outside of the branch doors, so those are available anytime. So you can do a withdrawal and then update your bank book thereafter -- all while the branch itself it closed... But you'll still need the branch staff inside to produce the bank deposit letter.

 

I believe someone posted here lately about the SCB branch at BKK CW supposedly being closed... I'd assume temporarily for some reason.  I didn't notice yesterday whether that was still the case or not.

 

There also are branches of BKKB, Kasikorn and several others on the same level at BKK CW.

 

PS - I was told by the Krungsri bank staff there yesterday that there's some ability to use their Android mobile banking app to PRE-REQUEST the bank deposit letter for Immigration purposes, so basically it will be there waiting for you at the branch when you arrive. But as this was my first year doing the bank deposits approach, I've yet to have an opportunity to try out their Android app to see if it actually allows what they claimed yesterday.

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

My bank, Krungsri, opens at 8:30 am there at BKK CW, and I'd assume others are the same or similar.

 

FWIW, I was surprised to discover that Krungsri's current system involves a standard FORTY FIVE MINUTE WAIT for them to produce and issue their standard bank deposit letter, supposedly because it involves having to get the head office involved...  So even if you're there at doors opening at 8:30, you shouldn't expect to get their letter anytime before 9:15 or thereafter.... 

 

That's Krungsri (AKA Bank of Ayudhya-yellow)... A friend here I believe told me BKKB's typical time for issuing the deposit letters at BKK CW runs more in the neighborhood of an half hour wait.

 

The Krungsri branch at BKK CW has both a regular ATM machine and passbook update machine outside of the branch doors, so those are available anytime. So you can do a withdrawal and then update your bank book thereafter -- all while the branch itself it closed... But you'll still need the branch staff inside to produce the bank deposit letter.

 

I believe someone posted here lately about the SCB branch at BKK CW supposedly being closed... I'd assume temporarily for some reason.  I didn't notice yesterday whether that was still the case or not.

 

There also are branches of BKKB, Kasikorn and several others on the same level at BKK CW.

 

PS - I was told by the Krungsri bank staff there yesterday that there's some ability to use their Android mobile banking app to PRE-REQUEST the bank deposit letter for Immigration purposes, so basically it will be there waiting for you at the branch when you arrive. But as this was my first year doing the bank deposits approach, I've yet to have an opportunity to try out their Android app to see if it actually allows what they claimed yesterday.

 

Just moved my appointment time back to ensure I can get the bank book updated for my Fixed deposit account.  Does the letter have to be dated the same day, or can it be done the day before.  I am using the 800,000 Thb method and not the monthly pension transfer that I could have used.  Did not want the extra paperwork and headache of 12 months of statements, so I opened up my Fixed deposit account ensuring it was done 2 months prior to the extension needing to be done.. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Given the penchant for copies rather than scanned documents, do you think these will be acceptable?

The various "statement" documents they're handing out in paper form are poor resolution copies of copies with pretty muddy text. My PDF files above are high quality scans that are pretty  much indistinguishable from the originals. As long as you printed the PDF files on a good printer, I don't think there's be any problem or that anyone there would even notice. PS - That's already what many folks do now with downloading and printing out the PDF or Word TM forms off the Immigration website.

 

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

And, where were you able to find these?

I didn't know this before, but the front Information Desk at BKK CW has paper sets of the various statement docs available upon request.   In the past, when I've asked there, they're responded simply by giving me only a TM7 form. Yesterday, they did the same again. But when I demurred and said no, don't need the TM7, and need the statement forms, they finally came across with the other sheets.

 

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

How do you gain entry to Immigration desk area? Just by showing your appointment print-out?

 

Do you just walk up to any "L" desk and show your appointment? Or is there a desk number designated for appointments?

 

Were there any interns pre-screening your documents?

 

 

If you're talking about someone using the newish appointments system....

 

If you've made the online appointment, they'll email you an appointment confirmation letter shortly after you complete that process online. You print out and take the appointment sheet with you. 

 

When I went to BKK CW, I just walked right in to the office itself (it was after the early morning queue rush) and went straight to sit down right outside the L desk cubicle that's handling appointment customers, which was L32 yesterday. (The appointment confirmation letter will indicate the specific L desk you're being directed to).

 

When my appointment time came, and the prior customer had exited the cubicle, I just walked up, poked my head in, showed my appointment letter, and the officer waved me on in.

 

No one reviewed or pre-screened any of my docs yesterday before I went in to see the appointments IO.

 

[ThailandRyan]

Just received my e-mail regarding my appointment, and noticed this information on the bottom in small print. Answers my question above regarding the bank letter.

 

สำหรับการขออยู่ต่อด้วยเหตุผลเพื่อใช้ชีวิตบั้นปลาย กรุณาทำตามคำแนะนำดังนี้
Extension Visa for Retiement Please follow the instructions below:
1.ท่านต้องอัพเดตสถานะเงินฝากและ นำสมุดบัญชีธนาคารของท่านมาแสดงต่อเจ้าหน้าที่ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองในวันที่มายื่นด้วย You have to deposit and status updates and bring your bank book to show to the immigration officer in the coming days
2.หนังสือรับรองยอดเงินฝากจากธนาคาร สามารถใช้ย้อนหลังได้ไม่เกิน 7 วัน
A certificate of deposit from a bank. Can be used to back up to 7 days
3.สามารถรับบริการ เฉพาะผู้ที่จองคิวออนไลน์เท่านั้น ไม่รวมครอบครัว
Available Only those who booked online. Excluding family
Retiement visa
https://division1.immigration.go.th/content/Visa_Extension22
สำหรับ การฟังผลวีซ่า กรุณานำหนังสือเดินทาง และอัพเดตสถานะเงินฝากและ นำสมุดบัญชีธนาคารของท่านมาแสดงต่อเจ้าหน้าที่ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองในวันที่มาฟังผลด้วย For Visa results Please present your passport and update your deposit status and bring your bank book to the Immigration officer on the day of listening to the results

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just moved my appointment time back to ensure I can get the bank book updated for my Fixed deposit account.  Does the letter have to be dated the same day, or can it be done the day before.  I am using the 800,000 Thb method and not the monthly pension transfer that I could have used.  Did not want the extra paperwork and headache of 12 months of statements, so I opened up my Fixed deposit account ensuring it was done 2 months prior to the extension needing to be done.. 

 

I know the same day letter is good at BKK CW... I've heard, but can't confirm, they'll also accept the letter itself being dated the day before. But the bank book itself has to be updated the SAME DAY of the application at BKK CW, as far as I'm aware.

 

As far as your situation, take note of my comments in my original post about my IO yesterday getting off to a bad start with me because in looking at my bank book, she saw only 2 months of 800K deposit history, and wanted to know where the rest was...  She obviously wasn't aware and hadn't bothered to check to see that I had done an income affidavit last year, and thus wasn't subject to the 400K yearround minimum that will apply for the future.

 

So it sounds like you'll be in a similar situation.   She just presumed I was under an obligation to have had 400K minimum on deposit for the entire past year, which was a wrong assumption to make... But it had me nervous, when she kept asking to see my older bank book history from a prior bank book that I hadn't bought with me...

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Hamus Yaigh]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I arrived to Immigration at 9:10 am for a 9:15 to 9:30 appointment slot, was in to see the officer by 9:20 am, and was done with her by 9:35 am, and had my stamped passport back by 10:15 am. Sweet!!!

Sounds great.

 

I am wondering using the online booking system (which I have yet to try) does one get a receipt to print out and take, and is this shown at the normal check counter close to the immigration cubicles?

 

Also the timing of yours for 9.15-9.30 seems to be cutting it tight because don't you have to go to the bank that opens at 8.30 first to get the letter before even checking in at the IO desk now? In the past I checked in and expected a wait for 2-3 hours so went to bank after checking in but now I am thinking I need to get bank docs sorted first if IO is processing things so quickly using the online check in system?

 

Based on above I am considering picking a IO online time around 10.30-10.45 and hopefully get pp back before lunch?

 

 

[DrJack54]

Excellent report. Thanks for extensive effort. I had planned to sign all bank, passport pages pre dealing with io. Not sure which way to go now. 

Think I will give the appointment system a try. Thanks for link.

[mtls2005]

10 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

I am wondering using the online booking system (which I have yet to try) does one get a receipt to print out and take, and is this shown at the normal check counter close to the immigration cubicles?

 

Yes. Booking No., Counter No. (L1-32 in my case), booking date and time

 

And they send you an email. There may even be an SMS notification, not sure, I haven't received one yet.

 

You can show either for entry.

 

http://203.151.166.132/immigrant_queue/booking/

 

 

For those without an appointment I think there is a mobile app to track the traditional queuing system chits/numbers.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by mtls2005

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Sounds great.

 

I am wondering using the online booking system (which I have yet to try) does one get a receipt to print out and take, and is this shown at the normal check counter close to the immigration cubicles?

 

Also the timing of yours for 9.15-9.30 seems to be cutting it tight because don't you have to go to the bank that opens at 8.30 first to get the letter before even checking in at the IO desk now? In the past I checked in and expected a wait for 2-3 hours so went to bank after checking in but now I am thinking I need to get bank docs sorted first if IO is processing things so quickly using the online check in system?

 

Based on above I am considering picking a IO online time around 10.30-10.45 and hopefully get pp back before lunch?

 

 

 

Addressed your question about the wait times for bank letters vs the schedule of a matching appointment time for Immigration... in the prior post here in this thread:

 

 

Also as stated above, when you go the appointments route, you get a confirmation email from Immigration that you're supposed to print out and take with you... You don't need to stop at the front counter inside Immigration to get any kind of separate queue ticket... Nor is there any kind of check in process.

 

Just go to the L desk where your appointment letter tells you to go, and wait there until your appointment time and till the officer at your designated L desk is available.

 

------------------

 

In my case yesterday, that was my first time ever doing a retirement extension via the bank deposit method (always had done income affidavits before), so I'd never before had to wait for/request a bank letter at any of the BKK CW bank branches there.... I had no idea going in that, at least in the case of Krungsri, it was going to be a standard 45 minute wait time... Luckily, I was there at the branch's 8:30 opening time and my wife was able to get the letter at about 9:20, just after I had already started my Immigration appointment upstairs.... 

 

Next year, I won't cut it that close, and will allow extra time...  The IO was not happy that I didn't have my bank letter in hand when I walked into her cubicle, even though I told her it was on the way (and it did arrive shortly thereafter).

 

The appointments officer really wants you to have everything already filled out and in hand when you walk into her cubicle.. And I do mean... EVERYTHING!