Pattaya/Jomtien Immigration

[Siam Bruce]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2022May16Immigration

Pattaya/Jomtien Immigration

 

I visited Immigration on Thurs 12 May at 1330 hrs for my extension of stay based on retirement. Using the 800k+ in the bank method.

In the morning I had been to the bank and first updated my account with a deposit of 100 baht.

I requested the Bank letter for retirement and a statement covering back ONE year.

(Sometimes IMMIGRATION want 12 mths sometimes they are happy with 3 mths.)

Ensure the Bank statement and the updated Bank book record the same amount.

I photo copied all and signed THEM ALL, along with my passport pages, my 90 day report and my entry TM card.

Immigration

Fill in the application form Plus one recent Photo.

I forgot my notification of my address but they accept a signed copy of my Thai Driving Licence      WHICH YOU CAN DO INSIDE IMMIGRATION

I waited 10 mins in the Queue outside but inside it was all All complete within 7 mins.

I received my Pickup No. and a letter detailing that I must report to immigration in 3 mths and show the 800 K is still in the bank,

thereafter a min of 400k needs to stay in the account and two months before next years application back up to 800K+.

It is all simple and easy

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE CORRECT PAPERWORK.

For those Expats who always complain this takes a maximum of One hour once a year with a cost of 1,900 Baht.

As a THAI, try and do the same thing in your own country.

[rott]

Thank you for calling it an extension of stay and not a visa. 

[aussiexpat]

39 minutes ago, rott said:

Thank you for calling it an extension of stay and not a visa. 

Who cares if it's called a retirement visa, which is effectively what it is...pedantic much?

[Gandtee]

I did exactly the same except I didn't queue. Well I am well past my Best Before date. I went to the exit door. Was called in. Temperature checked. Got my Retirement extension ticket, then in and out in seven minutes. Excellent service. Well done Jomtien Immigration.????

Quote

 

 

[rott]

22 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Who cares if it's called a retirement visa, which is effectively what it is...pedantic much?

Because a retirement extension is what it is. If you wish to join the know nothings (and those who do, or should, know better) who call it a visa - up to you.

It is not "effectively what it is", a visa is what admits you to a country, this is issued when you are already here. 

[jacko45k]

When it works well it is great... but then there are the days the queue goes half way down soi 5.

(Maybe tomorrow!)

Edited May 16, 2022 by jacko45k

[Iforbach]

Never had a problem ????

[Jingthing]

You don't need the 12 month statement IF a 12 month copy of your passbook doesn't include composite entries.

 

As far as anyone knows or has reported there is NO CONDEQUENCE to just skipping the "required" three month "show money" thingie. If you do no receipt that you did will  be given. The important thing is to stay in compliance with all the balance requirements throughout the year.

 

If you fail on that your next annual extension will be rejected.

[dddave]

22 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

When it works well it is great... but then there are the days the queue goes half way down soi 5.

(Maybe tomorrow!)

Bit of common sense planning helps.  First of all, be aware of your visa expiration dates and 90 day reporting window so you have scheduling flexibility.

Avoid Mondays, Fridays, any day just before or after a holiday.  First few and last few days of the month usually extra busy.  Make an appointment if possible.  Some have claimed Jomtien Imm. ignores appointments but I made one, knocked on the exit door and was allowed in.

I always avoid the morning queue and rush.  I  go 30 minutes after the lunch break ends and have never failed to get done what needed to get done that day.  This is at both Chang Wattana and Jomtien.

( Don't get caught too late at CW.  I once didn't finish until 4pm and the traffic jam exiting the complex was monumental.  Took an hour just to clear the parking lot.)

Edited May 16, 2022 by dddave

[KhunBENQ]

Interesting that they (still) require the show money again in 3 months.

Which other immigrations require that and how is it enforced?

[Jingthing]

Just now, KhunBENQ said:

Interesting that they (still) require the show money again in 3 months.

Which other immigrations require that and how is it enforced?

Jomtien and I think maybe one or two others.

 

It is not enforced.

[chang50]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

Who cares if it's called a retirement visa, which is effectively what it is...pedantic much?

Me.

[aussiexpat]

With this show 800k 3 months after getting the retirement extension, does this mean you have to stay a minimum of 7 months? I assume you can still leave after 4 months by applying for a re-entry permit and have the bank showing canceled?

 

(30 days visa exempt + 90 days non-imm O + 90 days to show 800k still there)

Edited May 16, 2022 by aussiexpat

[aussiexpat]

5 minutes ago, chang50 said:

Me.

Feel sorry for you. You care if some people call a "Non-imm O visa extension based on retirement" a "Retirement visa" for short lol

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by aussiexpat

[chang50]

11 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

With this show 800k 3 months after getting the retirement extension, does this mean you have to stay a minimum of 7 months without a re-entry permit?

 

(30 days visa exempt + 90 days non-imm O + 90 days to show 800k still there)

Why would it?I am on a retirement extension and haven't needed a re-entry permit since 2016 as I haven't left Thailand since then but I could have multiple times in any year had I chosen to.

[SAFETY FIRST]

58 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

When it works well it is great... but then there are the days the queue goes half way down soi 5.

(Maybe tomorrow!)

Agree, it's hot and cold. 

 

I'm fed up with the inconsistancies.

Since covid I've been paying an agent a little bit of money to manage the bloody mess. 

They do my 90 day stuff to. 

 

A little bit of money to pay for the anxiety relief, you never know what challenges the IO throws at you when you're not expecting it. 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

With this show 800k 3 months after getting the retirement extension, does this mean you have to stay a minimum of 7 months without a re-entry permit?

 

(30 days visa exempt + 90 days non-imm O + 90 days to show 800k still there)

If you are out of the country of the date for report back (Jomtien thing) you simply report when you are back in the country with the bb showing you abided by 3 month rule.

Ridiculous office. 

[chang50]

15 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Feel sorry for you. You care if some people call a "Non-imm O visa extension based on retirement" a "Retirement visa" for short lol

 

It's simply about avoiding confusion which can mislead people.Common sense really.

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

A little bit of money to pay for the anxiety relief, you never know what challenges they throw at you when you're not expecting it

If it causes you anxiety then perhaps agent is good option for you.

I have zero stress about it and know the requirements. Easy Peasy. 

[mikeymike100]

42 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Interesting that they (still) require the show money again in 3 months.

Which other immigrations require that and how is it enforced?

Yes indeed, i have never been asked at Jomtien immigration

[SAFETY FIRST]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If it causes you anxiety then perhaps agent is good option for you.

I have zero stress about it and know the requirements. Easy Peasy. 

Your time will come.

 

I've been using Pattaya immigration for different things for more than 25 years. 

It has always been hot and cold, things never improved, even since moving to jomtien from soi 8.

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Your time will come.

 

I've been using Pattaya immigration for different things for more than 25 years. 

It has always been hot and cold, things never improved, even since moving to jomtien from soi 8.

 

 

 

For sure ...a lot depends on the immigration office.

In my case it's CW.

I find that office straight down the line.

Have read horror stories at couple of immigration offices.

If I lived in one of those I would just use an agent.

10 years very trouble free but as I get older I know at some point in next 10 years I will switch to agent and use that option ongoing. 

 

[LittleBear57]

I too had no issues with Immigration at Pattaya, they were efficient and the young lad who gathered the relevant docs for me was polite and friendly. Best it has been for me in 14 years.

[chang50]

5 minutes ago, LittleBear57 said:

I too had no issues with Immigration at Pattaya, they were efficient and the young lad who gathered the relevant docs for me was polite and friendly. Best it has been for me in 14 years.

My experience also.I have also seen lots of customers who were clueless and argumentative when obviously wrong.Even one guy who turned up for help without his passport! 

[chilly07]

25 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

 

For sure ...a lot depends on the immigration office.

In my case it's CW.

I find that office straight down the line.

Have read horror stories at couple of immigration offices.

If I lived in one of those I would just use an agent.

10 years very trouble free but as I get older I know at some point in next 10 years I will switch to agent and use that option ongoing. 

 

I have reached the point where I have restricted mobility and would like to use an agent at Jomtien but they want me to change from marriage extensions to retirement. I use the income method and have no problem with 65k pm. Last year I used the appointment method but had trouble getting to the front of the queue due to the Covid extendors. Once inside it was relatively quick but queuing in the heat firstly for the bank and secondly at immigration was exhausting. Used an agent for passport renewal stamp transfer and first 90 day but haven't made up my mind on change to retirement as it seems Jomtien look upon this as reviewing the past year to ensure compliance and then reviewing ability to qualify for the coming year- in other words they don't like you to change as they suspect you are trying to get round the financials

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

I have reached the point where I have restricted mobility and would like to use an agent at Jomtien but they want me to change from marriage extensions to retirement

Not clear if you intend to continue meeting the financials and just use an agent to assist with organization or in fact the agent takes care of all.

 

If it's the later the agent would get around the financials and yes would change to extentions based on retirement. That would cost approx 15k per year ongoing.

All that is up to you. 

 

Leaving agent aside...many have changed from extension based on marriage to based on retirement. 

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by DrJack54

[jesimps]

As someone married to a Thai for some 13 years, I don't have the option to do what a Thai would do in my home country. I still have to report every year with reams of paperwork, not forgetting the 90 day reporting as well. Plus the yearly trip to amphur for the Kor Ror 2 and the immigration home visit.

Yes, your visit was a piece of cake, but sometimes for some, it can be a nightmare. How long did you have to queue outside just out of interest? Not nice when you arrive there and find the queue snaking up Soi 5.

If I was a member of the disgustingly rich brigade, I would definitely employ an agent. Not because I can't do the thing on my own, but because It'd be so much nicer if someone else went through the process on my behalf.

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by jesimps

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 minute ago, jesimps said:

. I still have to report every year with reams of paperwork, not forgetting the 90 day reporting as well. Plus the yearly trip to amphur for the Kor Ror 2 and the immigration home visit.

Yes, it's great, I like the hurdles and challenges, it keeps  the foreign numbers down. 

 

If they made things easy all the foreigners would be here, Thailand would end up with the same problems we left our home countries for, I don't want to live in Australia or Europe, I love Thailand and all it has to offer. 

 

A little bit of inconvenience for a hell of a lot of pleasure. 

 

Like I said earlier, I use an agent to avoid these issues, I pay a little bit of money for the convenience. 

 

[Blue Muton]

All good up to the last sentence. A Thai living in the UK for a fraction of the time I’ve lived here wouldn’t have to apply for any extension of stay, they’d have been granted citizenship years ago!

[Wuvu2]

Getting something done at immigration has got to be among every farang's most stressful tasks.

 

Can you imagine those immigration officers working in a room full of 150 stressed out farangs day after day? I dread being in there and I'm rarely there more than an hour ????