Chiang Mai long-stay yearly renewal experience 26 May 2022

[Presnock]

Today, went to the bank got my letters (3) and updated my bankbook, had the bank photocopy every page

in the bank book and then off to immigration near the Airport.  Previously they had everyone take a Form-7

if they were doing the yearly renewal, even  though I always had pre-filled 2 copies of said form, one of the

1 page two sides and the other 2 pages.  As one enters the parking lot, they are directed through the COVID

check, then directed to the left tent where they have forms and many seats.  They give everyone the 2 (I

understand forms) for dating and signature, and then this year, they said "oh you already filled in the form.

two pages" then I was directed to a "farang" lady who checked my forms and arranged them for the folks

inside, including copies of the TM 6, TM7, latest 90-day report, and TM30.  Then one is given a queue card

and lines up inside to let a Thai junior officer check the documents.  Yearly (the last 3) I have included 

copies of my stateside documents (proof of pension, monthly payments to US bank, bank advisory message

each month of funds forwarded to Bangkok Bank, the Bangkok Bank advisory of deposit, 12 monthly deposits

of at least 65K baht, proof of active bank account in my name only, and updated bankbook plus copies of all

the pages in the bank book.  The IO used to laugh at all the documents but this year, things have changed, 

guess they want to save some trees as they did not want any US documents, nor the Bangkok Bank advisory

documents, only the 2 letters plus the bank book pages.  The rest of my copies of documents were returned

to me and I was given a queue card, 25 numbers higher than the current number being processed.  At first

things were slow and I thought that I wouldn't make it as quick as normal.  I was right but, still spent less than

an hour at immigration.  Now just having so few necessary documents instead of of over whelming them

with too many, it seems they are moving much quicker and they seem to be much younger and happier.

Now just the 90-day report online in a couple of weeks and clear for much of the next year.  It seems to be

getting easier and easier as far as I am concerned - after all I have been doing these reports for 17 years!

 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Presnock said:

including copies of the TM 6, TM7, latest 90-day report, and TM30.

Did immigration request 90 day report and TM30, or you just provided them?

I certainly do not supply them at CW.

[CMBob]

Op says in part: "....The IO used to laugh at all the documents..."  My guess is they did that because you were providing them more documents than they needed or wanted.

I've applied for about a dozen annual extensions based on retirement here at CM Immigration and I've never, as part of that package, ever provided any of your "stateside documents" or a copy of the TM47 (90-day Receipt of Notification) nor have any of my friends ever presented such documents or copies.  We do provide a copy of the TM30 (Receipt of Notification) each year.

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, CMBob said:

We do provide a copy of the TM30 (Receipt of Notification) each year.

As per my question above to OP,

does immigration require you to provide a TM30 or you just include it in your document package.

 

[CMBob]

25 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

As per my question above to OP,

does immigration require you to provide a TM30 or you just include it in your document package.

 

I can't really say they require it but we (I and several friends who also obtain annual extensions based on retirement here in CM) have provided it for years and they've never handed it back. 

[OJAS]

7 hours ago, CMBob said:

I can't really say they require it but we (I and several friends who also obtain annual extensions based on retirement here in CM) have provided it for years and they've never handed it back. 

I'm still not clear on what you actually mean  by your TM30 refs. Do you just provide a copy of the Receipt Of Notification slip as I keep stapled in my passport, for instance? Or do you do the Full Monty treatment and submit a freshly-completed form each year?

 

The TM30 Receipt Of Notification slip suffices as proof of address for my annual retirement extensions at my local office (Rayong) - and they certainly don't insist on the Full Monty treatment as far as the TM30 is concerned! And, assuming that it is, indeed, this slip that you are referring to, it would also appear to do the trick as regards proof of address at Chiang Mai - bearing in mind that I certainly couldn't see anything else in the lengthy list of docs in your OP which specifically purported to act as proof of your address (e.g. a tenancy agreement).

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by OJAS

[Presnock]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

As per my question above to OP,

does immigration require you to provide a TM30 or you just include it in your document package.

 

at first, I didn't include a copy of my TM30 nor my 90-day report but both of course were

stapled in my passport.  The people checking documents prior to getting a queue ticket

instructed my to go around to the back of the building and make copies of the TM-30 and 

the 90-day report.  Who am I to argue with them.  This was the first time for both for me.

 

[CMBob]

53 minutes ago, OJAS said:

I'm still not clear on what you actually mean  by your TM30 refs. Do you just provide a copy of the Receipt Of Notification slip as I keep stapled in my passport, for instance?

 

Simply a copy of the TM30 Receipt of Notification (the paper stapled in the passport) as I noted above.

[JimGant]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

As per my question above to OP,

does immigration require you to provide a TM30 or you just include it in your document package.

Last year i included a copy of my TM30, as I believed someone on this forum had advised to do so.... Anyway, as my package was being surveyed, a clerk came out to ask if I had the original TM30. Say what? Why would I bring the original, which is a 3 inch wide snipoff receipt from the original application. Fortunately, for some reason, I had another A4 copy of that rip off receipt, which I had printed in color. Thus, the official "red ball" showed up in all its colorful glory. And it was accepted.

 

Now, I began going black and white, not for any cost reason, but because the agent I had been using submits everything in black and white (with blue signatures). And last year I decided I didn't need an agent's hand holding, as I could make sure myself that all the paperwork submittals are kosher -- just immitate what I saw in previous years.

 

Well, if I'd been sent home for the original "colorful" TM30, and for another day's wasted transit time, I'd have been <deleted> big time.

 

Moral of the story? Christ, hire a hand holding agent to make sure all your t's are crossed; can take your picture in the background color of the year; knows the latest "gotcha" possibilities, and compensates accordingly; and at CM, can avoid that tent at the left and get you right to the front of the "special" renewal queue.

 

And before we get wrapped around the axle over who's an agent that passes the sniff test, and which agent doesn't (i.e., those that loan you 800k in the bank, for a day or two), let me say I pay, or at least I had 'til I skipped last year, 3000 baht as their fee for hand holding, and making sure I'm good to go on renewal day. Definitely plan to go back that route my next renewal, so as not to get kicked out for not having an official red circle on a certain document. 

 

Best Friends is the agent's name. Still located near HiWay 11, Big C. They were the original agents at Promenade, back in those bad old days for extension renewals.

[Presnock]

50 minutes ago, JimGant said:

Last year i included a copy of my TM30, as I believed someone on this forum had advised to do so.... Anyway, as my package was being surveyed, a clerk came out to ask if I had the original TM30. Say what? Why would I bring the original, which is a 3 inch wide snipoff receipt from the original application. Fortunately, for some reason, I had another A4 copy of that rip off receipt, which I had printed in color. Thus, the official "red ball" showed up in all its colorful glory. And it was accepted.

 

Now, I began going black and white, not for any cost reason, but because the agent I had been using submits everything in black and white (with blue signatures). And last year I decided I didn't need an agent's hand holding, as I could make sure myself that all the paperwork submittals are kosher -- just immitate what I saw in previous years.

 

Well, if I'd been sent home for the original "colorful" TM30, and for another day's wasted transit time, I'd have been <deleted> big time.

 

Moral of the story? Christ, hire a hand holding agent to make sure all your t's are crossed; can take your picture in the background color of the year; knows the latest "gotcha" possibilities, and compensates accordingly; and at CM, can avoid that tent at the left and get you right to the front of the "special" renewal queue.

 

And before we get wrapped around the axle over who's an agent that passes the sniff test, and which agent doesn't (i.e., those that loan you 800k in the bank, for a day or two), let me say I pay, or at least I had 'til I skipped last year, 3000 baht as their fee for hand holding, and making sure I'm good to go on renewal day. Definitely plan to go back that route my next renewal, so as not to get kicked out for not having an official red circle on a certain document. 

 

Best Friends is the agent's name. Still located near HiWay 11, Big C. They were the original agents at Promenade, back in those bad old days for extension renewals.

well, my cost was 1900 baht, I feel that with the number of questions and answers on this

forum, one should not need anyone to hold their hand.  As for the TM 30 need, I keep that in my passport also so since this was the first time I needed it, it was available just like the TM47 receipt. Now they seem to be needing less and less...maybe soon it will all go away.

 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, Presnock said:

As for the TM 30 need, I keep that in my passport also so since this was the first time I needed it, it was available just like the TM47 receipt

As they say....all depends on your immigration office.

For past 10 years have dealt with CW for extensions based on retirement.

I have NEVER even done a TM30. Ever.

I have never provided 90 day report receipt for extension.

 

[OJAS]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

As they say....all depends on your immigration office.

For past 10 years have dealt with CW for extensions based on retirement.

I have NEVER even done a TM30. Ever.

I have never provided 90 day report receipt for extension.

 

Do CW ask you for some proof of address like a tenancy agreement at annual extension of stay time, though? Or are they happy to take your word for the address entered on the TM7 form?

 

As regards 90-day reports, I never print off notifications for stapling to my passport because of the risk of causing damage to it through an accumulation of staple holes over a period of time. I do, however, print off the latest notification preceding a retirement extension application for inclusion in a bundle of supporting documents which I might be asked for (but to date never have been).