I have just received from my agent, my first "12 month" retirement visa. Now, maybe it was naivety on my part, but I expected it to "do what it said on the tin," namely --- last 12 months. No-one told me that immigration were going to backdate the start date, to the expiry date of my non-o. 

What I have now is a "12 month" retirement visa which expires on 14th April! I just thought I'd put this out there as there must surely be other members who are unaware of this situation.

David.

Jomtiem?

Some offices have been reported as backdating extensions of stay (it is not a visa)  to the day your permit to stay ended. Not correct but they can do it.

You need a new agent!

41 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Jomtiem?

Yes, Jomtien.

Maybe the brown envelope which the agent delivered wasn't big enough

1 hour ago, davidhen said:

I have just received from my agent,

why did you use a agent?

17 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

why did you use a agent?

When I went to Jomtien for my initial retirement visa in 2016, I talked to the IO back in room 7 (I believe) and she explained I could do this mountain of paperwork, all in Thai, which included several trips to Bangkok or pay her 19k baht and I'd receive a 15-month visa, extension of stay, and multi re-entry. I had the money in her hand that afternoon.

Some off topic and baiting posts have been removed.

Sounds like they did not believe you should have been given amnesty, but bless there souls as they ensured you did not have to leave and rectified your end date on your Non Imm O to their liking.  Totally sucks that they played this game with you.  Wish you luck in getting things on the right side.

Doesn't come as a surprise, in my office they are totally inflexible with this date, even the "under consideration" period remains strictly February 4 to March 4, even if I apply on December 20.

 

Now for those complaining here, amnesty means "no penalty for failing to apply within the deadlines" and nothing else; it isn't an extension in itself. It is true though that they have been somewhat unclear about how extensions of stay would be handled, as often with TI it has been left to the appreciation of the IOs. But I don't see any reason to cry murder if they extent us as if COVID had never happened after sparing us trips to crowded offices during dangerous times.

It makes sense toe me the 12months start from o visa end date .but the problem with his visa now he has to be back in Thailand when the 12months is up.so could be a summer month .as most people if they go home would go home when hot.so look's like he now have to make sure he back in April......

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

why did you use a agent?

Best way to do it. Cuts through crowds  cuts down on waiting times and means you are not running around chasing paper work like a hapless peon. Do you drink in a bar or brew your own beer

42 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

Now for those complaining here, amnesty means "no penalty for failing to apply within the deadlines" and nothing else; it isn't an extension in itself.

It isn't an "amnesty", people (or immigration, no idea who came up with this wording) just established a confusing name for it. Actually it is an automatic extension.

1 hour ago, J Town said:

When I went to Jomtien for my initial retirement visa in 2016, I talked to the IO back in room 7 (I believe) and she explained I could do this mountain of paperwork, all in Thai, which included several trips to Bangkok or pay her 19k baht and I'd receive a 15-month visa, extension of stay, and multi re-entry. I had the money in her hand that afternoon.

You couldn't sweet talk her down to 1900 baht like the rest of us ?

2 hours ago, J Town said:

When I went to Jomtien for my initial retirement visa in 2016, I talked to the IO back in room 7 (I believe) and she explained I could do this mountain of paperwork, all in Thai, which included several trips to Bangkok or pay her 19k baht and I'd receive a 15-month visa, extension of stay, and multi re-entry. I had the money in her hand that afternoon.

She said the same to me, I declined. Her attitude was stinking 

1 hour ago, Nout said:

Best way to do it. Cuts through crowds  cuts down on waiting times and means you are not running around chasing paper work like a hapless peon. Do you drink in a bar or brew your own beer

this hapless peon does not drink. 

 

retirement extension could not be easier.  takes me two hours a year to do it.   

 

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

why did you use a agent?

The reason I used an agent (which BTW only cost THB 14,000) is because of a friend's recommendation, and my personal experience with Jomtien imm'. It cost me 2 afternoons, and THB 300, being passed from counter to counter to photocopier, and back to various counters, simply to get my original visa evidence transferred from my expiring passport into my new one, in order to obtain a certificate of "legal stay status" up to the 26th Sep' (in spite of the amnesty) which Bangkok bank required from me to be able to open a bank a/c as a prelude to my applying for the retirement extension.

I do intend however, to do more research in the run-up to April, with a view to attempting a renewal by myself. Regarding the climate in the UK in April: It's not particularly warm at that time of year, so I don't have a problem being here at that time. Also, it doesn't look like the UK Covid situation will be much improved by April, so I'm quite happy to still be "stranded."

David.   

The amnesty was for tourists unable to get flights home not anything to do with people who had or were applying for retirement Visas. It allowed delays in filing of 90 day reporting but I decided to report as normal as I realized that as soon as the amnesty ended the Immigration offices would be overwhelmed. 

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

this hapless peon does not drink. 

 

retirement extension could not be easier.  takes me two hours a year to do it.   

 

Let me guess what you do with that money you save.......waste it on women ????

 

regards worgeordie

2 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

waste it on women

Or make sound short-term investments therein?  Who knows? ????

2 hours ago, davidhen said:

The reason I used an agent (which BTW only cost THB 14,000) is because of a friend's recommendation, and my personal experience with Jomtien imm'. It cost me 2 afternoons, and THB 300, being passed from counter to counter to photocopier, and back to various counters, simply to get my original visa evidence transferred from my expiring passport into my new one, in order to obtain a certificate of "legal stay status" up to the 26th Sep' (in spite of the amnesty) which Bangkok bank required from me to be able to open a bank a/c as a prelude to my applying for the retirement extension.

I do intend however, to do more research in the run-up to April, with a view to attempting a renewal by myself. Regarding the climate in the UK in April: It's not particularly warm at that time of year, so I don't have a problem being here at that time. Also, it doesn't look like the UK Covid situation will be much improved by April, so I'm quite happy to still be "stranded."

David.   

You really should try to do it yourself,and save 14K i am sure you have better use for it,

I have never,ever used an agent,Last time took me 2 hours total from getting letter from

bank,going to IO, and walking out the door....

regards worgeordie

I thought everybody on Non-O Visa/Extension was supposed to extend at the normal time so you’re lucky they extended you at all & didn’t make you leave / re-enter (possibly because you used an agent).

 

1 minute ago, worgeordie said:

You really should try to do it yourself,and save 14K i am sure you have better use for it,

I have never,ever used an agent,Last time took me 2 hours total from getting letter from

bank,going to IO, and walking out the door....

regards worgeordie

The system overwhelms some and they might be better off asking an agent to help. Others have no problem and can easily do it themselves. To each their own.

13 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

The system overwhelms some and they might be better off asking an agent to help. Others have no problem and can easily do it themselves. To each their own.

If I can do it anybody can,it's just getting a few papers in order,

as you said each to their own ????

regards worgeordie

26 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Let me guess what you do with that money you save.......waste it on women ????

 

regards worgeordie

i am very misunderstood on this forum. 

 

6 hours ago, davidhen said:

Yes, Jomtien.

Jomtien Immigration has been informing people the whole amnesty period to apply for annual extensions as usual,meaning not wait until the amnesty ends. How hard is that to understand? 

5 hours ago, J Town said:

When I went to Jomtien for my initial retirement visa in 2016, I talked to the IO back in room 7 (I believe) and she explained I could do this mountain of paperwork, all in Thai, which included several trips to Bangkok or pay her 19k baht and I'd receive a 15-month visa, extension of stay, and multi re-entry. I had the money in her hand that afternoon.

What mountain of paperwork? With the real retirement visa with 800,000 baht in the bank for 2 months there is very little paperwork.

26 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

The system overwhelms some and they might be better off asking an agent to help. Others have no problem and can easily do it themselves. To each their own.

The papers needed for a retirement extension if you meet the requirements is not that many. The TM7-form + copies of this and that and your done. Then < 10 minutes inside Jomtien Immigration if you go there after lunch 1pm. Then exactly same papers next year. 

2 hours ago, davidhen said:

The reason I used an agent (which BTW only cost THB 14,000) is because of a friend's recommendation, and my personal experience with Jomtien imm'. It cost me 2 afternoons, and THB 300, being passed from counter to counter to photocopier, and back to various counters, simply to get my original visa evidence transferred from my expiring passport into my new one, in order to obtain a certificate of "legal stay status" up to the 26th Sep' (in spite of the amnesty) which Bangkok bank required from me to be able to open a bank a/c as a prelude to my applying for the retirement extension.

I do intend however, to do more research in the run-up to April, with a view to attempting a renewal by myself. Regarding the climate in the UK in April: It's not particularly warm at that time of year, so I don't have a problem being here at that time. Also, it doesn't look like the UK Covid situation will be much improved by April, so I'm quite happy to still be "stranded."

David.   

As far as I know there is only 1 counter at Jomtien which deals with transferring stamps to a new passport and only one form to fill in + copies from the old and new passport. There is also a checklist you can get from the front desk with every paper needed for the 1 year extension based on retirement. One form incl a photo, the bank letter from your bank + copies of this and that and you're done. Imo, there's not many immigration offices, if any, in Thailand where you have your annual extension in less than 10 min if you have the correct papers and go there after lunch 1pm. Don't complain just because you don't have a clue how to do it. Paying 14k for something really easy for a normal cost of ฿1900 + ฿100 for the bank letter is not very smart. Then the small money for the copies of course.