I have been retired in Phrae for 13 years at the same address, and have done my annual non-o extension renewals with no problems. A friend recently did his renewal and encountered some changes that are puzzling me. In addition to the usual, he was asked for photos of himself and wife outside and inside their house. They also required a home visit from an officer from Bangkok in the presence of a neighbor and the village chief. I was astounded and thought there must be a mistake. I know all this is required for an extension based on marriage, but have never heard of it for an extension based on retirement. I am wondering if this is something new, or perhaps the officer mistakenly applied the marriage rules instead of retirement. 

 

Anybody have a similar experience? I hate surprises, especially at the immigration office.

Sounds like the officer was confusing his retirement extension with a marriage extension. I did my retirement extension here in Bangkok just yesterday, all done in 45 minutes and no new rules and no mention of any home visit (had only one home visit in 2019 when converting from tourist to retirement).

 

Makes no sense at all as having a wife or not has nothing to do with retirement.

3 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Sounds like the officer was confusing his retirement extension with a marriage extension.

Yep.

40 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Makes no sense at all as having a wife or not has nothing to do with retirement.

Quite agree with you, however

Since I moved here in 2005, I've had 3 Home visits to my knowledge.

First when I was definitely on a marriage extension, as I was still under 50.

Third was definitely while on a retirement extension.

The second was about the time I transferred from marriage to retirement (on Immigrations instructions), as they would not accept that I was married despite having at least 2 marriage extensions in my passport and having copies of KR2 and KR3 and a "note" from the head of the Amphoe/Ampher, stating that they had miss-filed the original of the "affirmation of freedom to marry", when they registered the marriage, and as such a copy could not be provided to Immigration.

So makes sense or not, it's Immigrations choice, and by the way all visits were made by the local police, some in uniform and some in plain clothes, not by Immigration Officers.

3 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Sounds like the officer was confusing his retirement extension with a marriage extension.

Yeah, they're good at not understanding their own regulations.

One year I was told that my retirement application (also my fathers submitted at the same time) was not acceptable as we didn't have an Embassy letter confirming our income (mine would have been zero income), when I pointed out that we each had 1,600,000 Baht in a Thai bank account which was well in excess of requirements we did not need an Embassy letter, he insisted that we go and get them.

With as much deference in my voice as I could muster I told him that I didn't think that was correct, as I couldn't see the requirement for both letter and money in bank in the on-line regulations and that the letters had never been asked for before, however, if he would be kind enough to show me the appropriate paragraphs I would obviously comply.

He suggested as it was near lunchtime we go get something to eat and come back in a couple of hours, he would raise the issue with his colleague (who was having a disagreement with somebody over the rules) and give us a definitive ruling, i.e. letter required or not.

We did not even get to the restaurant before the wife's phone rang and she was told to come back to get the stamps put in our passports, all is OK. 

12 years in Phrae , until late 2019 we had to go to NAN immigration and no home visits .

Now 3+ years Phrae immigration office with one home visit last year (or the year before , I forget).

Nice folks . 

No changes at my renewal in sept 22 .

Did he have to send the pictures to I.O. ? Or show them on his phone or camera ?

He was told he could use photos on his phone, but since he had none of himself posing in front of his house, he had to go home, take the pics. and come back again. ????

I  have been in Thailand for 15 years on a retirement visa.  Never had a home visit until last year.  Just renewed my extension for this year and immigraton says they will come again this year.  Any idea why the sudden visits after all this time?

3 minutes ago, Boatman37210 said:

I  have been in Thailand for 15 years on a retirement visa.  Never had a home visit until last year.  Just renewed my extension for this year and immigraton says they will come again this year.  Any idea why the sudden visits after all this time?

 

What do they check, that you are, ummm, retired? 

19 minutes ago, Boatman37210 said:

Any idea why the sudden visits after all this time?

You did not mention your immigration office

21 minutes ago, Packer said:

 

What do they check, that you are, ummm, retired? 

The extension is based on over 50yr of age. 

A condition of that is not working in Thailand. 

You do not need to be retired. 

The home visit is unusual and in the main is to verify address and that he is living there. 

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You did not mention your immigration office

Maeklong, Samut Songkhram

There have been a very few recent reports here of people, all/most outside of Bangkok, being told to expect/have experienced a home visit after a retirement extension.

 

Where does the OP's "friend" live?

 

Phrae doesn't make sense (for the friend) if the officer is from Bangkok.