Retirement visa renewal at immigration without using an agent

[stargazer9999]

I've been disenchanted with my experience using an agent for the annual retirement visa renewal the last few years.  Too many "surprises" when I thought all my paperwork was in perfect order for both the monthly deposit and/or 800k deposit requirements.

 

I've decided to fly solo this year and see how it goes.  I'm curious about anyone else's experiences going to immigration for retirement renewals recently.  Booking the appointment was easy.  It says it's a 20 minutes appointment and to arrive 10 minutes early.  Are things running on time or can I expect delays?   Any other surprises that I should expect and perhaps be prepared for?

 

Any thoughts on any of this are greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[scottiejohn]

PM me if you want the contacts of a very reliable and totally legit agent that I have been using for many years in CM. 

 

I have never had a problem and the price I seem to remember has been constant the whole time I have used them! Never any "addons"!

I spend 5 mins per year at IO and about 10 mins at the Agent's office.  The Visa Company do everything (including 90day reports if required) for 7500Baht/year! 

 

They have all my paperwork on file and all I do is arrive with the bank letter & Pass Book (fixed Deposit) and sign their pre printed forms.

 

The time I save (not money) I enjoy in my local bar! The money, even as a Scotsman, is well spent on piece of mind and lack of hassle!

[Moonlover]

You're over thinking it. If you're confident that that your paperwork's in order, just get yourself in there and go with the flow. Nothing could be simpler than a retirement extension.

 

You'll probably coming skipping out in half an hour wondering why on earth you wasted all that money on agents all those years.

 

Good luck.

 

[scottiejohn]

Just now, Moonlover said:

just get yourself in there and go with the flow.

What flow at CM IO.

It is not a flow just a stagnant cesspit of people wasting hours of their lives in endless queues being sent round in circles by dumb "Officials"!

[worgeordie]

Just did my retirement extension at Chiang Mai Immigration  3 weeks ago , had a

appointment for 4.00 , I was worried maybe not enough time , so arrived a 3.00 ,

papers checked (they handed back copies of bank book , and statements  and only

kept the Bank letter )  I would still take them as in the past they seemed to be the only

thing they were interested in going through copies and bank book  over and over

looking for something... anything

 

So everything done and out of building just after 4.00 , so about a hour ,I have

never ever used an Agent , taking an hour ,once a year why would i need one.

 

regards worgeordie

 

 

[it is what it is]

 just do it, it's not difficult, the IOs are generally helpful. i don't understand why anyone with half a brain needs to use an agent.

[scottiejohn]

20 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

i don't understand why anyone with half a brain needs to use an agent.

Sorry but I think you have that wrong!

Those with a full brain use an agent and enjoy all the hassle free time elsewhere!

[CMBob]

32 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Sorry but I think you have that wrong!

Those with a full brain use an agent....

You're free (well, not really "free") to use an agent but it's rather perplexing to me why you suggest people who do it themselves are somehow not as smart as you???

 

To the contrary.  When you use your agent, you first go see your agent to pass over the documents you have obtained.  Then at another time/date, you either go to your agent's office where they haul you out to Immigration or you meet them there.  What's all that take, a couple of hours in total?  And what's it cost?

 

Handling an annual extension based on retirement is easy.  Schedule an appointment, gather the required documents, and you'll not on average spend an hour for that at Immigration once a year.  For my last annual extension 6 months ago, I had an appointment at 10AM and was out the door with the new extension at 10:25AM.  Many can easily handle that and don't need somebody to hold their hand to get it done; but, as they say, it's up to you (whatever floats your boat).

[Mike Teavee]

1 hour ago, CMBob said:

it's rather perplexing to me why you suggest people who do it themselves are somehow not as smart as you

He was responding to the comment… “ i don't understand why anyone with half a brain needs to use an agent.“

 

I use an agent for convenience & I drop my passport/bank book at the agents then go back 1-2 days later to pick it up complete with 1 year extension & multi re-entry permit… Cost me 12k all in so approx 35b per day which is well worth it (To Me)

 

Understand that some guys prefer to do it themselves but let’s be honest, if the agent charged 200b for the service then a lot of them would use an agent for the convenience so it’s not about “Brains” it’s about the cost… 

 

 

[liddelljohn]

When I use an agent  she does it all for me  I dont even go to immigration , only letter I need to obtain is from the bank

[PeachCH]

Why put any money into a bank account, when using an agent? 

[ezzra]

We got to a stage where the fear, apprenhansion and the loathing renewing the retirement visa have become in the eye of many that many prefer to pay an agent to handel the task for them, why did it come to be that way and is it going to get better or worse?

[4MyEgo]

8 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

The time I save (not money) I enjoy in my local bar! The money, even as a Scotsman, is well spent on piece of mind and lack of hassle!

For a retirement extension, are you serious, water off a ducks back.

 

That 7,500 baht would go to my drinking fund.

[4MyEgo]

On 5/30/2023 at 6:02 AM, PeachCH said:

Why put any money into a bank account, when using an agent? 

Most on retirement extensions, don't have the money to put into the bank, that is why they use an agent, most are honest and admit they depend on their pensions, and don't have a dime, others boast, that's life.

 

If I had to live here on the pension and have no funds in the bank, that would be a sad existence, but it is what it is, we make our beds and we lay in them.

 

Regardless, 7,500, 12,000, or 20/25,000 baht, I would never use an agent because I am capable of organising and doing it all myself, after all, I am retired and have plenty of TIME on my hands as opposed to being lazy, but then again, each to their own.

 

I do the marriage extension, lots more work involved and hassle in that for some compared to the retirement extension.

 

 

[Red Forever]

7 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Sorry but I think you have that wrong!

Those with a full brain use an agent and enjoy all the hassle free time elsewhere!

Yeah right, I see so many smug farang sitting in bars congratulating themselves on a whole hour saved cos they paid an agent 10+k baht to...erm save them an hour.

[jerrymahoney]

While one should never say never -- as an American, I go along in spirit with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA 1977) against the bribing of non-US government officials.

[Skipalongcassidy]

35 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Most on retirement extensions, don't have the money to put into the bank, that is why they use an agent, most are honest and admit they depend on their pensions, and don't have a dime, others boast, that's life.

 

If I had to live here on the pension and have no funds in the bank, that would be a sad existence, but it is what it is, we make our beds and we lay in them.

 

Regardless, 7,500, 12,000, or 20/25,000 baht, I would never use an agent because I am capable of organising and doing it all myself, after all, I am retired and have plenty of TIME on my hands as opposed to being lazy, but then again, each to their own.

 

I do the marriage extension, lots more work involved and hassle in that for some compared to the retirement extension.

 

And I am sure that you carry your own bags into the hotel and up to your room because you can do it... some of us do not!

[Lamphen]

There seems to be different experiences in different areas of Thailand.

I must be one of the lucky ones, I do my extensions in Buriram and I have only good experiences.

Not more than 30 minutes ever spent in the immigration office.

Also, never booked an appointment, just drop-in.

 

 

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

And I am sure that you carry your own bags into the hotel and up to your room because you can do it... some of us do not!

No, my bags have rollers and static handles, therefore I can easily push them along to the lift, effortless really, that said, if there are bell boys, and depending on how many bags I have at the time, I will allow them to take them up for me and of course give them a 50 baht tip for their troubles.

[Celsius]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

For a retirement extension, are you serious, water off a ducks back.

 

That 7,500 baht would go to my drinking fund.

Maybe it should go to your CT scan

[4MyEgo]

11 minutes ago, Celsius said:

Maybe it should go to your CT scan

Another broke farang living in the LOS.

[Celsius]

5 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Another broke farang living in the LOS.

 

Broke people drink themselves to death and can't afford a CT scan.

[4MyEgo]

On 5/30/2023 at 8:59 AM, Celsius said:

 

Broke people drink themselves to death and can't afford a CT scan.

Fortunately for me, I am not broke and can afford a CT scan, enjoy your, whatever it is you do.

 

 

[kiaora1968]

I've done it solo several times already and the online booking system for appointment makes it now so easy and fast.

Be prepared in advance and all will go well. This is what you should prepare:

 

-TM7 application for extension of stay

-STM.2 acknowledgement of terms and conditions

-one pass photo (didn't really matter anymore if blue or white background)

-passport: copy of front (photo) page. Copy of last entry stamp (with TM6 if you got one when you last entered Thailand). Copy of first non O visa. Copy of last extension. 

-copy of last 90 days report (if applicable)

-copy of TM30

-copy of updated bank passbook showing one year of transactions (updated on the day you apply for the extension) and copy of the front page.

-original bank statement, done on the day you apply for the extension

-1900 baht

All copies must be signed.

 

I went to my bank in the morning of my 2pm appointment to get the bank statement and update my passbook. I received it immediately (100 baht, Bangkok Bank).

 

I was at immigration at 1:45pm and gave all the documents at the information window, by the entrance of the main building. They were checked and the immigration officer kept everything by his side until...2pm, time of my appointment. I saw him go to the "retirement" counter at exactly 2pm, with my passport and documents.  5 minutes later I was called for the photo.  Another 20 minutes wait and the extension was ready. 

Smooth like a breeze...

[Moonlover]

11 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

What flow at CM IO.

It is not a flow just a stagnant cesspit of people wasting hours of their lives in endless queues being sent round in circles by dumb "Officials"!

As it appears from your posts, you never go there, how do you know?

 

I'll go with the majority here that say, very much otherwise. They do go there so they're the ones best qualified to speak out.

[ConnectionNotGuaranteed]

11 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Just did my retirement extension at Chiang Mai Immigration  3 weeks ago , had a

appointment for 4.00 , I was worried maybe not enough time , so arrived a 3.00 ,

papers checked (they handed back copies of bank book , and statements  and only

kept the Bank letter )  I would still take them as in the past they seemed to be the only

thing they were interested in going through copies and bank book  over and over

looking for something... anything

 

So everything done and out of building just after 4.00 , so about a hour ,I have

never ever used an Agent , taking an hour ,once a year why would i need one.

 

regards worgeordie

 

 

Do you have a link for the online booking appointment please? I'm on marriage extension at the moment but changing to retirement. I'd like to get an early appointment so that if I have missed something out I have time to sort it on the day, rather than have to return next day

[Mickeymaus]

Most of the people I know who use an agent don't meet the financial or other requirements to get the extensions. I go to the immigration myself to be legally on the safe side and not to waste money for nothing. Perhaps for some it might be easier to use an agent because of the distance to the immigration or because of age.

[brianthainess]

10 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Sorry but I think you have that wrong!

Those with a full brain use an agent and enjoy all the hassle free time elsewhere!

And those with no brain and no money in the bank. It takes me half a day a year to get a marriage extension, retirement would take 2hrs max, I do have money in the bank. been here 15yrs+ and Never used an "Agent'' to bribe immigration.

[JWNZ]

Should be straight forward and the advantage you have is an appointment slot.

Before your appointment, take your paperwork including appointment confirmation straight to the booking counter inside, to the right of the information counter. No need to get any queue number from outside.
From there they will take your paperwork and ask you to be seated somewhere near counters 7 and 8.

You will then be called for a photo and anything else they may require.
Whilst you may not be in and out according to your 20-minute time slot, even if busy, you should be finished inside an hour.

As you are extending, a reminder your bank letter will need to be of a 12-month statement type.
I recently did mine with an appointment and have never seen so many people there, yet everything ran smoothly, the staff I spoke with were all helpful, I was in and out in 50 minutes, which is no big deal for something once a year.

[pjuk]

I've done my own here in Samui for many years now.

As long as your paperwork is in order it a doddle.

If you haven't got the necessary money in the bank, use an agent and keep your fingers crossed the new government doesn't clamp down on this practice.