10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

To be fair, there hasn't been an increase in the visa cost since Taksin increased it from 500 baht to 1900 baht nearly 20 years ago. 

AS Thailand becomes developed, they should have similar requirements to developed countries, for example, the USA ask for 16 million baht to be invested by those wanting to retire there long time.  

That'd be, a whole lot of shakin' goin' on... 

17 hours ago, Neeranam said:

To be fair, there hasn't been an increase in the visa cost since Taksin increased it from 500 baht to 1900 baht nearly 20 years ago. 

AS Thailand becomes developed, they should have similar requirements to developed countries, for example, the USA ask for 16 million baht to be invested by those wanting to retire there long time.  

 

Apples and oranges. I believe that investment capital is just that. Moreover, this basically is citizenship for an entire family that does not otherwise qualify. It's not the cost of a visa.

 

Despite it's many problems the US is aa relatively functioning democracy with rule of law. Thailand is anything but that.

 

 

It's not the 1900 which is paid annually is fair imo. It's the total cost. Time off work for wife if that factors in, perhaps self. Photos, trips for processing, photocopies, Amphor, bank letter...EVERY YEAR and much of the paperwork identical. The photos and home visits are so juvenile and simple minded. So transparently money grubbing.

 

85% of this could be stored in a computer. I did my wife's sscoend ten year US visa which was an entirely online process. They wanted none of this rubbish. Her second ten year visa was approved in four days (not forty). She is allowed to enter the US and remain for 180 days as opposed to my mountain of paperwork for 365.

 

Done once for TEN YEARS

 

The US visa allows her to leave at will and return (I'm sure there are some unspoken limitations). In Thailand, we pay an additional 3,800 for the privilege of not losing our visa extension. That's now nearly 200usd per year. US is about 160usd for ten years.

 

The process needs to be rethought as well as brought entirely online. This is especially true for married people and the eextension

 

It's all so third world and then the dictates ...the photos need be like THiS, must be professionaly processed, sitting on the bed, standing on your hands...

 

The 3,800 reentry is positively criminal and of course that's another queue as well.

 

I'd say Thailand is fifty years behind the US in paperwork reduction. It really doesn't care as these enterprises build an army of career, yellow shirt bureaucrats.

 

Retirement ext especially with an agent can't be compared to a marriage extension.

 

In addition to just always DIYing to understand the process I do not let my passport leave my ppossession

 

All if these complications are also seen in other short term extensions, Thai Pass...it's the way Thai bureaucrats think. Layers and layers of bureaucracy for trival things.

 

All that matters is that I am legally married and I have the required funds. That's it. After the first year this extension should take five minutes.

 

The wife needing to take off work annually is also absolutely stupid. I think it's done because the IO English skills are nill and the process can be run thru the wife.

 

Truly Kafkaesque

19 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

I knew someone who rather foolishly withdrew some money from his bank account during his under consideration period and was called in early by immigration and told that his marrage extension had been refused because his account balance had dropped below 400k

Called in early by immigration? How would they have known about the transaction on his account in order to call him in??

22 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Are you talking about the people who meet all the requirements ?

   People who don't meet the requirements will not be given another visa .

  

All people, everyone can meet the requirements when using an agent. 

Why all the fuss about 400k,800k in the bank and for how long. Use an agent and all these headaches will disappear and are not existing. ????????

23 minutes ago, PeachCH said:

All people, everyone can meet the requirements when using an agent

Almost everyone would be aware of option of using an agent.

There is also the option of meeting the requirements yourself. 

It's up to the individual. 

 

22 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Are you talking about the people who meet all the requirements ?

   People who don't meet the requirements will not be given another visa .

  

I've been doing this for 40 years, now, and even though I meet all the requirements, and my immigration officers (Nakhon Sawan, now) are friendly, I feel a lot of anxiety every year. Irrational.

I recently read about a long stayer (over 20 years), who met criteria, being refused entry because of his strident political views.

 

Could be a lesson there for some who believe they are living in a free speech democracy.

 

19 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

And you are comparing a long term visa for the USA to a retirement extension in bloody Thailand?

He is as he thinks that they are equal, which they are not.  Getting a retirement Visa in the US means you are now a permanent resident with a green card, and once in the US you never have to show any further documentation except to re-up the green card every 10 years with a new photo.  Also once in the US legally they can also obtain a Social Security card, pay annual taxes, and many more things which we have to hoop jump here for.  Many never do that or even let USCIS know of an address change.  Here it is an annual right of passage and hoop jumping for the extensions as we know, 90 day reports, COR's to get your license renewed etc........

20 minutes ago, Acharn said:

I've been doing this for 40 years, now, and even though I meet all the requirements, and my immigration officers (Nakhon Sawan, now) are friendly, I feel a lot of anxiety every year. Irrational.

Yes It is the anxiety of wondering what new requirement will be popped onto you. It is also why we rely on up to date reports for the extensions of stays that folks are doing, and the annual reports such as the one @TallGuyJohninBKK, myself as well as @DrJack54 provide on the forum.

23 hours ago, greeneking said:

Always a worry. 400,000 in the bank for 90 days, though this year they said only need 60 days.

And then they wanted a further form about my monthly income too anyway.

If I applied a month before that is more time with no access to the money, and then there is one month extension under consideration too.

Visit after a few days by Immigration to the house was not after a phone call, but by surprise. Change in policy. Some applicants are not honest apparently so they come not knowing if I am in or not, whether my wife is at work or not, and then we have to find a witness at the last moment who can drop everything and come to the house.

If I really was mafia I would find a way to avoid these problems, I'm sure. Nearly 20 year's now telling them the same things every year.

 

I might be denied next renewal due to parking 1/3rd of the car on a bus stop at 06.10 today when the first bus doesn't come until 07.20, 400baht and a demerit point, if not paid within 7 days 1000 baht and a demerit point , i can pay this one with the last one obtained 1 year ago.

1 hour ago, Acharn said:

I've been doing this for 40 years, now, and even though I meet all the requirements, and my immigration officers (Nakhon Sawan, now) are friendly, I feel a lot of anxiety every year. Irrational.

Agreed, but I’m sure a refusal can be taken to a darkened room somewhere, where it would be possible to discuss the situation .

With regard to financials why worry, give it to an agent once a year works out 38.4 baht per day, so I’m told by a mates best friends girlfriends healthy buffalo.

Live a stress free life.

23 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Thats true and the very reason that folk should not leave it till last minute. 

I did my last one only 6 days pre expiry which I think is bit silly.

We are allowed 45/30 days prior so early visit allows time for new doc etc 

My extension expired on 22nd November. I applied on 19th October and was told to report back on 23rd December. I went anyway on 22nd November for my 90 day, and was told I didn't have to do that. A pity they forget to mention it when I was there in October.

 

Anyway, i can't see the point of applying within the 45/30 days early when it seems that they don't even consider it until your present extension expires. In effect, I'm waiting around 9 weeks for approval.

3 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Anyway, i can't see the point of applying within the 45/30 days early when it seems that they don't even consider it until your present extension expires

Assume your on extensions based on marriage. Of course for retirement the extension is stamped and dated on the spot, so makes sense to do it early.

Sometimes, especially with income method an added surprise might come along. Statements etc.

In any event as always, it's up to the individual. 

Personally I like to go few weeks early. 

 

23 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I thought the point was that you don't have to go. Maybe this is just with the illegal agents that charge 20k?

You have to have the photo, I have been using the same agent for years , sometime they have interviewed but this year stick my face up to the window and click see you out side 3 min, later passport and passbook out the door.

Yesterday at CW I was not "thrown out" but did leave for the day without the extension yet granted. IO didn't like that I was coming in every year with a FCD account and no paper bank book. Previous two years I talked my way through it by literally getting the bank hot line on the phone to confirm that they don't issue a paper book with a FCD account. But the IO, who recognized me, had had it with that ploy. Also, my end of month paper statements from the bank were only for the first half of the year, as I had left in July and just returned barely two weeks before the last day of my current extension on 12/20.

Now the morning letter from the bank clearly stated that my dollars were worth well over 900,000 baht, and had the bank's stamp, and one could tell the money had been there all year, so I may be forgiven for seeing this as bureaucracy run amok. This is the digital age, Thailand is a hub, paper book? 

She gave me an out however. Said make a nominal deposit or withdrawal on Sunday or Monday and come in the next day with a fresh statement from that day showing the event and the new updated balance. Don't get a queue number, just bring it to her desk (my gf is invaluable in these cases) and she would get it over. I've heard of this nominal change requirement before but never had it happen to me; what's the idea? 

I know a very good agent, and have 4 or 5 more working days in case something goes wrong on Monday or Tuesday, so I'm not too worried. But could these people please enter the 21st century? 

Also, it won't break my heart next year to change my dollars to my baht account, which is what they seem to really want.

2 hours ago, PeachCH said:

All people, everyone can meet the requirements when using an agent. 

Why all the fuss about 400k,800k in the bank and for how long. Use an agent and all these headaches will disappear and are not existing. ????????

It is illegal to bypass immigration requirements, especially if done by bribing the immigration police. 

5 minutes ago, Enzian said:

But could these people please enter the 21st century?

Seems to me you did not have required paperwork. 

You can make things difficult or easy.

My extension retirement CW took minutes with money in bank method. 

 

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Assume your on extensions based on marriage. Of course for retirement the extension is stamped and dated on the spot, so makes sense to do it early.

Sometimes, especially with income method an added surprise might come along. Statements etc.

In any event as always, it's up to the individual. 

Personally I like to go few weeks early. 

 

IMHO, better to do it as late as possible so the IO has no time to make you come back with pointless docs. AS I said before, they are not going to NOT give you a visa if you've been here a long time. 

23 hours ago, Neeranam said:

So you got the visa. 

 

They go to the house I think to see how much money you have and if it is worth trying to get it off you. 

No not a visa, it's an extension of stay...

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

IMHO, better to do it as late as possible so the IO has no time to make you come back with pointless docs. AS I said before, they are not going to NOT give you a visa if you've been here a long time. 

Your posts (most) are incorrect imo.

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