Retirement visa renewal

[Andrew baker]

My retirement visa expires mid June 2021,I fly home to U.K. mid May and immigration won’t let me renew my visa until 2 weeks prior to expiration date when I won’t be here in Thailand!

How do I extend the visa from the U.K. with all the forms required (current bank statement,doctors health certificate,etc )??

thanks in advance.

[Jingthing]

Wow.

Which office?

I've never heard of an office that doesn't allow retirement extension applications 30 days before expiration. 

First thing I would do if I were you is visit your office with proof of your travel plans and confirm for sure that they really won't accept your application. 

If not then there is absolutely no way to do a retirement extension outside of Thailand.

You would need to completely start over.

[KhunBENQ]

12 minutes ago, Andrew baker said:

and immigration won’t let me renew my visa until 2 weeks prior

Which office refuses to do it earlier? 30 days is standard. 45 days at some offices with a reason (that you have).

No way to do anything from the UK.

[Peterw42]

A visa cannot be renewed/extended, either inside thailand or in the UK. You most likely have an extension of stay and your original visa has already expired.

 

Presuming you currently have an "extension of stay" in Thailand, it cannot be extended outside Thailand.

 

You can obtain a new Visa from the UK, or re-enter Thailand and convert to an extension of stay.

 

Most offices will renew your extension of stay up to 30 days before expiry. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Peterw42

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

A visa cannot be renewed/extended, either inside thailand or in the UK. You most likely have an extension of stay and your original visa has already expired.

 

Presuming you currently have an "extension of stay" in Thailand, it cannot be extended outside Thailand.

 

You can obtain a new Visa from the UK, or re-enter Thailand and convert to an extension of stay.

 

Most offices will renew your extension of stay up to 30 days before expiry. 

Yes I think we all understood that he was talking about annual retirement extensions rather than visa renewals. Even immigration often says renewing your visa so you can't blame expats to say it that way as well.

[DrJack54]

OP, do a change of address to eg Bangkok. You can obtain your extension up to 45 days prior to expiry of current extension.

If you don't obtain extension prior to exit it's finished. 

If you do obtain new extension prior to leaving, make sure that you purchase reentry permit.

Edited March 25, 2021 by DrJack54

[Peterw42]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes I think we all understood that he was talking about annual retirement extensions rather than visa renewals. Even immigration often says renewing your visa so you can't blame expats to say it that way as well.

Yes, but the OP mentions health certificates which makes me think he may be talking about an actual Visa.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, but the OP mentions health certificates which makes me think he may be talking about an actual Visa.

 

Suspect that the real genuine McCoy visa by which he originally entered Thailand was of the non-OA variety, in which case he is subject to the 400k inpatient / 40k outpatient health insurance requirement for retirement extensions.

 

In any event, I think that he needs, from time to time while he is in the UK, to monitor and check the guidance on the Royal Thai Embassy London's website in connection with his eventual return to Thailand since this might be amended between now and then:-

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/requirements-for-foreigners-travelling-to-thailand-during-covid-19-tra?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 

This guidance includes links to how he could go about obtaining a fresh real genuine McCoy visa (presumably of the non-OA variety unless he is in receipt of the UK State Pension, in which case he should be eligible for one of the non-O variety) if he were still to draw a blank with his local immigration office on the timing of a new retirement extension application.

 

[Old Croc]

Visas are only issued outside the country by embassies or consulates.

When the visa "entry by" date has expired it becomes defunct, it can no longer be used for entry nor can that date be extended. A visa  allows travel to and entry to Thailand via the issue of an entry permit at the airport. The period of stay for that permit is annotated on the visa. 

The period of stay can be extended only when the holder is physically in the country. (Embassies can't do extensions of stay by definition) Retirement extensions can be applied for at an Immigration Office in country 30 days before expiry of the previous permission of stay (earlier at some offices). Re-entry permits can also be issued at the office after the extension is granted, and will allow the holder to return and be granted the same period of stay as the extension.

If a person departs the country without having a still active visa nor a re-entry permit they will have to start the process anew at an embassy.

[Mario666]

22 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Wow.

Which office?

I've never heard of an office that doesn't allow retirement extension applications 30 days before expiration. 

First thing I would do if I were you is visit your office with proof of your travel plans and confirm for sure that they really won't accept your application. 

If not then there is absolutely no way to do a retirement extension outside of Thailand.

You would need to completely start over.

 

The OP doesn't say which office he wants to apply at.

 

However, I can confirm that Samui Immigration Office will not normally permit Retirement Extensions any more than 10 days prior to the renewal date.

 

I ran into this issue when I had to return to the UK for my son's wedding 2 years ago and had to travel more than 3 weeks before my renewal date and was going to be out of Thailand for 1 month.

 

The IMO was adamant that I could not renew the extension any more than 10 days in advance, but after much pleading she agreed reluctantly to let me do it 24 days in advance on condition I took copies of the Return Air Tickets.

 

I have just done a 90 day report and asked a different officer what was the earliest I could renew my next Extension, which is due on July 1st, and she said 10 days before!

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Mario666 said:

 

The OP doesn't say which office he wants to apply at.

 

However, I can confirm that Samui Immigration Office will not normally permit Retirement Extensions any more than 10 days prior to the renewal date.

 

I ran into this issue when I had to return to the UK for my son's wedding 2 years ago and had to travel more than 3 weeks before my renewal date and was going to be out of Thailand for 1 month.

 

The IMO was adamant that I could not renew the extension any more than 10 days in advance, but after much pleading she agreed reluctantly to let me do it 24 days in advance on condition I took copies of the Return Air Tickets.

 

I have just done a 90 day report and asked a different officer what was the earliest I could renew my next Extension, which is due on July 1st, and she said 10 days before!

Interesting. 

Well in any case showing up with proof of travel is definitely worth doing and may well work.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Jingthing

[gavlar]

Unless your return to UK is mega important and your ticket is flexible then I'd delay travelling to secure your next extension 

[Mario666]

1 hour ago, gavlar said:

Unless your return to UK is mega important and your ticket is flexible then I'd delay travelling to secure your next extension 

 

It would also be helpful for the OP to tell us which office he is talking about.

 

If it's Koh Samui then we know it can be done with difficulty....If it's a different office then it may be a problem?

[crazykopite]

Your allowed to renew your extension of stay one month before it expires 

[crazykopite]

1 hour ago, Mario666 said:

 

It would also be helpful for the OP to tell us which office he is talking about.

 

If it's Koh Samui then we know it can be done with difficulty....If it's a different office then it may be a problem?

I’ve never had a problem renewing my extension of stay ( retirement ) before it expires at the Samui immigration office the only downfall is that for the past couple of year you have to wait several days after your application to get your passport back which is a pain when you live on a neighbouring island as it involves two trips by ferry boat as well as additional cost that was never an issue when Mr Knock was running the show it was done and dusted on the day and if you took him a gift it was done within the hour .

[crazykopite]

You cannot renew it in the U.K. you have to start all over again 

[sandyf]

23 hours ago, Old Croc said:

When the visa "entry by" date has expired it becomes defunct,

Not strictly true. The ability to enter the country may have been "used" but the visa status will still be valid. If you visa status becomes invalid you must leave the country, irrespective of permission to stay.

You cannot get an extension of stay without a valid visa status.

[ubonjoe]

33 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If you visa status becomes invalid you must leave the country, irrespective of permission to stay.

You cannot get an extension of stay without a valid visa status.

That is not correct. A visa does not have to be valid to to stay in the country.

My visa expired many years ago and I have been getting annual extensions of stay since then.

[fishtank]

15 hours ago, crazykopite said:

 when Mr Knock was running the show it was done and dusted on the day and if you took him a gift it was done within the hour .

If you did not come up with the compulsory gift he had quite a range of application fees and extras.

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is not correct. A visa does not have to be valid to to stay in the country.

My visa expired many years ago and I have been getting annual extensions of stay since then.

I am well aware English is not your strong point, "visa" and "visa status" are not the same thing.

Only the validity of the visa usable timeframe expires, the visa status will remain valid until you leave the country, or in some circumstances a change in visa status is made creating a different visa status.

A few years back I had to change my visa status from Non Imm B to Non Imm O in order to get an extension.

If you fail to renew an extension your visa status will become invalid when the extension expires.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If you fail to renew an extension your visa status will become invalid when the extension expires.

There is no visa status after you enter the country. It is the status of your permit to stay.

In some cases the category of your non immigrant visa can make a difference when applying for extensions of stay.

[sandyf]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no visa status after you enter the country. It is the status of your permit to stay.

In some cases the category of your non immigrant visa can make a difference when applying for extensions of stay.

You are free to believe what you want, this forum has a track record on creating it's own descriptive terminology.

Visa category is effectively visa status for those that have a visa but visa exempt is also a visa status. 

Permit to stay has no bearing on status, if your status becomes invalid the date on your stamp means nothing.

[OJAS]

8 hours ago, sandyf said:

A few years back I had to change my visa status from Non Imm B to Non Imm O in order to get an extension.

 

So how did you manage to accomplish this amazing feat? Let me guess, by going out to an adjoining ASEAN country for your non-O visa. Whoever told you that you needed to go through this palaver clearly gave you duff advice since I am aware of at least 1 person who is currently on retirement extensions based on an original non-B visa without any subsequent visa of the non-O variety!

 

 

7 hours ago, sandyf said:

You are free to believe what you want, this forum has a track record on creating it's own descriptive terminology.

 

As indeed do you on this particular thread at any rate, based on your insistence on banging on meaninglessly and confusingly about "visa status"!

 

Edited March 27, 2021 by OJAS

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, OJAS said:

So how did you manage to accomplish this amazing feat?

I went to the MFA and had the Non Imm B converted to an O.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, sandyf said:

I went to the MFA and had the Non Imm B converted to an O.

That was due to the embassy you applied at issuing the wrong visa. 

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, OJAS said:

As indeed do you on this particular thread at any rate, based on your insistence on banging on meaninglessly and confusingly about "visa status"!

Being granted a visa is a bit like passing an exam, there is a physical certificate and a personal attribute, that attribute is a matter of record and remains with you.

I responded to a post that claimed a visa was "defunct" when used, which is not the case, but smartar__s cannot think beyond their own circumstances.

Feel free to preach to the flock on this forum, but it means little to those that live in the outside world.

[sandyf]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That was due to the embassy you applied at issuing the wrong visa. 

That in itself is irrelevant, and as you would say, stay on topic.

According to the poster that I initially responded to, the visa they converted was "defunct" and you were wrong to respond to that reply in the way you did. End of story.

[Mario666]

On 3/26/2021 at 10:46 AM, crazykopite said:

I’ve never had a problem renewing my extension of stay ( retirement ) before it expires at the Samui immigration office the only downfall is that for the past couple of year you have to wait several days after your application to get your passport back which is a pain when you live on a neighbouring island as it involves two trips by ferry boat as well as additional cost that was never an issue when Mr Knock was running the show it was done and dusted on the day and if you took him a gift it was done within the hour .

 

Yeah....But "Mr. Angry" as I Used to call him  because there was always a "Problem" with my Visa extension and I had to wait in his office for up to 1 hour....

 

He would sit there totally ignoring me and then Spit out some Thai stuff and ask for money!

 

Thank "The Lord" he ended up "In The Nick" on corruption charges!...C+nt! 

Edited March 28, 2021 by Mario666