Chiang Mai Immigration

[Tung_Thaid]

I checked with Chiang Mai Immigration office the other day as to their latest requirements for extending a Retirement Visa - O-A for another 12 months - when the application is based on the "external pension" option.

When I received my extension in 2006 from Chiang Mai Immigration office - I got the clear impression that they wanted to see a savings account and an account balance - even though my "proof of money transfer into Thailand" was via copies of ATM receipts. At that time - I was drawing on an overseas bank account regularly to a minimum of 65,000 baht monthly.

Therein lies something of a contradiction. They still allow you to transfer money into Thailand via ATM withdrawl - but they require you to have a savings account and have a balance in it. A sum of 40,000 baht is now mentioned as a minimum when applying for the extension. And Immigration agreed that ATM receipts were still a valid "proof of money transfer into Thailand" when from an overseas bank.

Chiang Mai Immigration now has a brochure which states (in part):

Documents required to extend staying for senior citizens (over 50 years old)

3. Letter from Embassy showing an external pension of not less than 65,000 per month, together with proof of money transfer into Thailand.

4. A Current letter from a Bank in Thailand showing a balance of not less than 800,000 baht together with Bank statement, - OR

5. External Income monthly together with a Bank balance of not less than 800,000 baht per year. (3. and 4. combined)

And I was advised that they require the COPY OF SAVINGS PASSBOOK to now be 1) stamped 2) signed and 3) dated by the bank. They require the original. As well as the usual letter from the bank certifying the current balance - and that same letter confirming that the deposits to the account came from overseas.

I don't know what experience people are having at other Immigration offices in Thailand in this circumstance, but certainly Chiang Mai Immigration has an emphasis on seeing a Savings Account Passbook even though the extension is based on overseas income - and not the 800,000 balance option. Obviously their assessment task is simpler if that "external pension" is being processed through a Thai bank account - with the bank certifying the transactions and source.

[Ned]

I reckon they forgot to put an OR between requirements 3 and 4. A balance of 800K or more ought to be enough. No need to have a monthly pension and a letter from an embassy as far as I know.

[ProThaiExpat]

All information is helpful, however, when questioning Chiang Mai Immigration as to what they require, you are dealing with language problems and variances between officers.

I went through in January, mostly new staff members except for a few from years past and my experience was no problem.

If you have your pension letter from the Consulate and a bank book showing you are drawing down money brought in from overseas, no problem. It has been my long held belief that their concern is that you are living on money in retirement brought from overseas, not money earned in Thailand.

Since my pension is slightly less than is required, I use money in my bank account to make up the difference, thus I can't speak to the issue of those who show up only with a pension letter with more than is required and no bank book. My guess, don't do it, be able to verify your pension letter and prove you are spending money to live in Thailand brought from overseas.

[Yukhoh]

If you recently renewed your visa, is there any mentioning of the validity of your pasport?

[Cyberstar]

My guess is they merely want the complete set of paperworks - just in case. You may know that your monthly income meets the requirements, but they don't know until they've studied the documentation.

When I applied for my spouse-dependency extension in Chiang Mai in October, I applied on basis of straightforward Thailand work income. I went there with the required tax payment receipts, but nevertheless - they also wanted the bank docs you mention. It doesn't matter how obvious it might be that they have no use for it, the one most important thing for them is to have a complete file.