Retirement Extension Renewal Report Hua Hin (PKK) - Great Service

[Expat4life66]

Completed on a 31 May (Wednesday) - 30 days in advance of expiry (I have heard you can do 45 days early at this office)

Money in the bank method

Online appointment booked on Monday (print out and take with you)

Time from documents check downstairs to receive PP with stamps upstairs - less than 20 minutes

 

Monday went to bank and got certification letter and 12 months of statements THB 300 took 45 minutes (my wife rang HH Immigration local help desk said getting these on Monday was fine for Wednesday appointment and that I needed both).  

 

The statement also prevents an IO request for additional information (2nd trip to bank and Immigration) if you have consolidated / missing enries in your bank book. 

 

Documents provided with two 4x6 photos

Packet 1 - TM7 (Extension)

1) Completed TM7 front and back completed in blue ink - you must use their thin paper form and you can pick the form (and TM8) at Blueport (on the table in the front) or at the Immigration office along with the current list of required documents

2) PP copy data page, all previous extension pages, last entry stamp page

3) Bank Certification Letter + 12 month statement from bank

4) Copy of bank book pages since last extension updated at bank on day of Immigration visit (Wednesday) after a small transfer / transaction

5) Copy of last TM-30 (Address) and most recent TM47 (90-Day) receipts

6) Copy wife's Tambien Bahn (main and her page)

7) Copy wife's ID as house owner

???? Copy of my yellow book pages (if you don't have one 6&7 should be fine with a "lease"), I just included this with my documents and they weren't returned.

9) Hand drawn map to house (this is on the required document list for retirement extension, not sure if it was needed).  IO did remove and tear up a page at the back of my paperwork, maybe not impressed with my artwork? 

 

All copies signed / certified in blue ink by either me or my wife (depending on the document)

 

Packet 2 - TM8 (Reentry Permit)

1) Completed TM-8 form (again, their thin paper form, double sided completed in blue ink.  I left the top section of page 2 blank since it needs to be updated with reference to the new extension being issued same day).  IO updated this for me.

2) PP bio page, current extension, existing re-entry permit and last entry stamp

 

Arrived around 13:40 there was no queue and I was directed to one of two information desks downstairs to check documents.  I was asked for both TM7 and TM8 paperwork at the same time, TM-8 was surprising compared to BKK since I didn't have my new extension, yet.  

 

My documents were quickly checked, got the OK, and the nice IO "glue-sticked" the photos on both forms for me.  I had the photos in a small bag because I didn't want to have to repurpose / re-glue them if the forms were incorrect.  This entire process took less than 3 minutes and was directed upstairs to the main office.

 

Upstairs, only two people waiting for a service, no other's in queue and no queue number needed and went directly to desk 3 for online appointments to process the paperwork, showed the friendly IO the appointment / paperwork and sat down to begin review process.  

 

The IO reviewing paperwork was impressively efficient.  He only asked me to write my mobile on the TM7, made a copy of my bank book account # page (I forgot this)  and included it in the stack.  Less than 10 minutes later in front of me, stamps were in place, I was asked for the THB 5700 (1900 for extension +3800 for multi-reentry permit) and paperwork went to the back room for management approval.

 

Paperwork was approved almost immediately.  PP, bank book and change returned and I was good to go.  I gave the IO returning the items a thumbs up, a smile and a big thank you because I was very impressed how quickly this entire process took.  

 

Verified that extension granted to same day of the expiry of the previous one and wife and I were on our way!

 

Incidentally, they put a new / updated formal TM30 print out in my PP stapled to the back cover, the form was blank other than my address on file typed in the blank part at the bottom of the receipt.  

 

My last TM-30 was in July 2022 and I live at the same address.   However, since that TM-30 I did exit and re-enter Thailand and also stayed in a few domestic hotels.  My wife and I weren't asked to do a new TM-30; the team did it without asking when processing my extension and never mentioned it.  

 

TM-47 (90-day reporting) - The team also did a 90-day report for me, even though mine isn't due until early July.  This would work out well for those who don't leave Thailand and can keep a 4x year cycle in sync with extension renewals.  I hadn't read that this happens before at PKK (Hua Hin) Immigration.  Only CM and few others.    

 

Overall a great experience, I hope this report helps some others.  

 

[worrab]

Glad you had a good experience there as it is one of the best in Thailand. You did the same as me by booking an appointment which is a godsend!! Very quick and efficient and I reckon there are a few other IOs who could learn a lesson or two from the Hua Hin friendly approach!!

[KhunLA]

Big plus using the HH IO, since living 100 kms away from it.  No surprises, fast & efficient, depending on Q.   May have to try the reserving thing one of these days, though usually less than 1 hr wait.

 

On the phone anyway, researching a munch for afterwards.   So time well spent.

[Agius Mark]

Thank you for your report. This year will be my fourth time to apply for extension of my O-A Visa, and each time has been a pleasant experience with no issues, reasonable waiting time, and nice IO staff to deal with.

Of course, I always go well prepared with the proper paperwork, and am very respectful of the staff

 

This year, based on your report, I would also like to make an appointment for my application. Is there a website that you used to do this, or did you you to their main office in person to make the appointment? Thanks

[Jack Batty]

I did mine two weeks ago at the PKK office. No appointment. In and out in 20 minutes, as always. I love their efficiency. 

[Expat4life66]

Link below takes you to the Division 3 part of the site, provincial IO links are listed down the page.  

 

System will send a confirmation e-mail after booking and the day before it will send a reminder

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=19951

[DrJack54]

20 hours ago, Expat4life66 said:

Overall a great experience, I hope this report helps some others.  

Excellent report. Ta.

[OJAS]

38 minutes ago, Expat4life66 said:

Link below takes you to the Division 3 part of the site, provincial IO links are listed down the page.  

 

System will send a confirmation e-mail after booking and the day before it will send a reminder

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=19951

Prior to reading your excellent report I had been labouring under the impression that the Immigration Bureau's appointment booking system was, in practice, only in use in Bangkok (Chaengwattana). The above link is therefore of particular interest to me since my office (Rayong) also comes under Division 3. Unfortunately, given that, unlike Hua Hin as stated in your report, they require supporting bank docs for retirement, etc extensions to be obtained on the same day as these are applied for, I'm not sure that this system is likely to be of much practical use in my case as the big unknown, of course, is how long it would take for me to obtain the necessary supporting docs depending on how busy the bank branch I dealt with was at the time.

 

On a very minor point, given the absence of any mention of the mandatory health insurance requirement in your report, would I be correct in inferring that your retirement extension is based on an original non-O visa?

 

[Expat4life66]

22 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Prior to reading your excellent report I had been labouring under the impression that the Immigration Bureau's appointment booking system was, in practice, only in use in Bangkok (Chaengwattana). The above link is therefore of particular interest to me since my office (Rayong) also comes under Division 3. Unfortunately, given that, unlike Hua Hin as stated in your report, they require supporting bank docs for retirement, etc extensions to be obtained on the same day as these are applied for, I'm not sure that this system is likely to be of much practical use in my case as the big unknown, of course, is how long it would take for me to obtain the necessary supporting docs depending on how busy the bank branch I dealt with was at the time.

 

On a very minor point, given the absence of any mention of the mandatory health insurance requirement in your report, would I be correct in inferring that your retirement extension is based on an original non-O visa?

 

You are correct, to clarify this is a Non-O Extension

[dastott]

On 5/31/2023 at 4:49 PM, Expat4life66 said:

Monday went to bank and got certification letter and 12 months of statements THB 300 took 45 minutes (my wife rang HH Immigration local help desk said getting these on Monday was fine for Wednesday appointment and that I needed both).  

I have recently turned 50 and am on first 3 month Non-O based on Reirement. Will be going to HH Immigration soon to apply for my first 12 month extension. Do I need to get this statement from the bank also? Or would passbook do? Thanks for any insight.

[Expat4life66]

2 hours ago, dastott said:

I have recently turned 50 and am on first 3 month Non-O based on Reirement. Will be going to HH Immigration soon to apply for my first 12 month extension. Do I need to get this statement from the bank also? Or would passbook do? Thanks for any insight.

Best to call the Immigration office directly and ask for your situation (first 1 year extension).  Like I mentioned in my original post, when my wife called before my appointment the woman told her both certificate, 12 month statement and copies of the bank book since last 12 month extension.  You are doing your first extension so you will need to show 60-90 days of activity prior to the date you apply for your extension.  The immigration office will tell you BB / statement / both. 

 

It's not clear from your post if you are doing the money in the bank or monthly transfers.  If I remember correctly for money in the bank, for your first 12 month extension you have to show 800K+ in a Thai bank (international transfer(s)), account in your name only for at least 60 days prior to the date you go to immigration and apply for the extension (balance can't go below this). 

 

Hope this helps  

[Ombra]

This is of tremendous help. Thank you very much.

[dastott]

Thank you very much, I am using the 800k in the bank method. Hopefully the extra bank document is not necessary for 2 months of banking ‘history’

[Thailand J]

I did non-0 ext based on retirement last week at Jomtein. Quick and easy in and out. No appointment required.

 

I park 800k in a fixed deposit account, only a bank letter and bank book copy, no 12 month statement required.

 

Something new: the IO made a copy of my TM30 reporting receipt.

 

I used a black ink pen to fill in TM 7 to see if it was acceptable, it was.

 

A copy of yellow house book was accepted as prove of address without any additional documents such as  lease contract or property deed ( chanute ).

 

 

 

[Expat4life66]

5 hours ago, dastott said:

Thank you very much, I am using the 800k in the bank method. Hopefully the extra bank document is not necessary for 2 months of banking ‘history’

Make sure to do a small transaction into or out of that account the same day as your planned extension before going to bank to update the bank book with that dated entry.  IO will need to see a line entry with the same date as your extension with balance in your BB along with all other detail going back 60 days or longer depending on the date you moved the 800K. 

 

The small transaction day of can be done using the app or online banking, it doesn't have to be at the counter, but since you have to go to bank to use the print machine, some people I know make a small deposit or withdrawl at the bank, then let the bank teller update the BB.

 

Bank statement makes sense for 12 month (but not required at many offices) becuase if you have interest / tax entries or are using it as a primary account for spending every month and you don't regularily update the BB, you will eventually get a consolidated entry that doesn't include all actual detail in the BB.   In that case, a 12-month statement is the only way immigration can verify all details and that the balances remained above the guidelines.

 

With only 60/90 days you don't have the risk of a consolidated entry.

  

Good Luck!

 

[paddypower]

can i go offtopic, sort of? Our most recent 90 day filing deadline for our TM47 was  May 9. I sent in our 90 day reports, with attachments, by Thai Post EMS, on April 18. I included a SAE, pre-stamped for EMS post back to my PO Box. As of today, nothing received back. Called IO last week, they said no problem, they have both wife and I in the computer, with a new expiry day July 9.  They could not explain why we had not received back the new Receipt slips. This is the 3rd time this has happened, in 18 months. The most recent time this happened before, we never received the Receipt slips.  I had Thai Post do a tracer. They copied me the signature of the IO staff who signed for the forms. I had a Thai friend call IO with that name. I got nowhere. my question is: without a current 90 day Receipt and not knowing for sure when the next one is due, what do we do? IO is in NST town and is a 250km roundway trip and my wife is unable to travel.  tia.

[Expat4life66]

1 hour ago, paddypower said:

can i go offtopic, sort of? Our most recent 90 day filing deadline for our TM47 was  May 9. I sent in our 90 day reports, with attachments, by Thai Post EMS, on April 18. I included a SAE, pre-stamped for EMS post back to my PO Box. As of today, nothing received back. Called IO last week, they said no problem, they have both wife and I in the computer, with a new expiry day July 9.  They could not explain why we had not received back the new Receipt slips. This is the 3rd time this has happened, in 18 months. The most recent time this happened before, we never received the Receipt slips.  I had Thai Post do a tracer. They copied me the signature of the IO staff who signed for the forms. I had a Thai friend call IO with that name. I got nowhere. my question is: without a current 90 day Receipt and not knowing for sure when the next one is due, what do we do? IO is in NST town and is a 250km roundway trip and my wife is unable to travel.  tia.

Suggest you open a seperate topic and include your IO and TM47 Question in the header, but I can try to provide some guidance.

 

I assume you mean 9 Aug (not 9 July), which would be a couple days past 90 days from your last report.   If they told you 9 July, either the IO possibly got the month wrong in translation or you may have an issue, best to call IO again and double check.  I wouldn't think they would make something up just to close your inquiry, but who knows.  I have also had friends over the years that have showed the EMS receipts on renewal and not been fined.  

 

For 90-day report and since you have filed before, you should be able avoid the mail (or a trip to IO) altogether using the new on-line tool.  I have used this system for my last 3 reports and it works great compared to the old system.  Register at the link below and wait for the e-mail with your user ID and link to log-in (if you don't get this in 1-2 days. check your junk mail). 

 

https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/register/add

 

You can use this system to report 14 days before your due date (no earlier) up to the due date.   You will also have to create seperate accounts for you and your wife.  If you do use this system to file, you first get a confirmation e-mail on submission and 2-4 working days later (depending on volume since a person still manually works behind the scenes to enter in system) will get an e-mail with an e-version of your new receipt.   The system should either reply with a updated receipt or reject it if something is not correct.  You will have to wait until 14 days before your next report date to try it.

 

As I have read on other threads and confirmed, when you enter your info, only manually type:

PP Number

Nationality

 

DO NOT enter the other fields, rather click the magnifying glass below those two fields and to have the system autofill.  If the autofill works, then complete remaining blank fields (if any), then check the box at the bottom and submit.  If no autofill data appears, you can still enter your details, but they have to match pretty close to what is on file or it may get rejected.  Suggest to try exactly 14 days before your report date for your first time.  Worst case, if you don't get a reply, you can mail again as a back-up.

 

Regards,

[worrab]

On 6/2/2023 at 9:51 AM, dastott said:

I have recently turned 50 and am on first 3 month Non-O based on Reirement. Will be going to HH Immigration soon to apply for my first 12 month extension. Do I need to get this statement from the bank also? Or would passbook do? Thanks for any insight.

For Hua Hin you will need a 12 month statement which has to be requested at least a week before it is required. Then to get around the fact this will not show the last few weeks, you will need a 6 month statement which you can obtain from the bank the day before you go for your renewal. This is what I do with Bangkok Bank. Then you will still need to update your passbook and photocopy all pages. I have found that it is better to have a separate account which holds 810,000THB and this is not touched from year to year. Saves any aggro!! And have never needed to make a withdrawal on the day by this method. The extra money covers any bank charges etc and comes from interest accrued every year. And before any comments are made, luckily I can afford to do this and all the above is in personal experience. 

[dastott]

44 minutes ago, worrab said:

For Hua Hin you will need a 12 month statement which has to be requested at least a week before it is required.

Thank you for the insight. This is my first 12 month extension though, currently on the first step (3 month Non-O) as I only recently turned 50. HH Immigration said the funds needed to be the bank for 2 months by the time I apply for my first 12 month extension.

[SpaceKadet]

1 hour ago, worrab said:

For Hua Hin you will need a 12 month statement which has to be requested at least a week before it is required. Then to get around the fact this will not show the last few weeks, you will need a 6 month statement which you can obtain from the bank the day before you go for your renewal. This is what I do with Bangkok Bank. Then you will still need to update your passbook and photocopy all pages. I have found that it is better to have a separate account which holds 810,000THB and this is not touched from year to year. Saves any aggro!! And have never needed to make a withdrawal on the day by this method. The extra money covers any bank charges etc and comes from interest accrued every year. And before any comments are made, luckily I can afford to do this and all the above is in personal experience. 

I would suggest you open a Fixed Account. I did that when I changed from Family to Retirement. Put 1 mill in the account and just leaving it there, puny 0.5% interest, but have 200K THB for emergencies too. Imm seems to like that and you just need a normal statement letter from the bank. No need to deposit and withdraw on the day of application. Just update the passbook. Copy of bankbook still needed, but since there are no transactions only Bring Forward (B/F) if you update you book.

[JimHuaHin]

My report on Non Imm O-A Retirement 1-year extension this morning:

 

I arrived at Immigration at 8.15 am - 1 farang in front of me.   However, I was third to be processed after the office opened at 8.30 am.

 

Documents presented (here I am copying in part from the original post):

 

1) Completed TM7 front and back completed in blue ink

2) Passport copy data page, all previous extension pages, last entry stamp page

3) Bank Certification Letter + 12 month statement from bank

4) Copy of bank book pages since last extension updated at bank yesterday after a small transfer / transaction

5) Health Insurance coverage to Baht 3 million from local health insurance company..

 

Documents not presented (but which I had on hand) and not asked for - copy of house lease, map of house location, and copy of foreign pension income letter.

 

Happily exited Immigration just before 09.00 am with 1-year extension approved.

 

Once again great stress-free service.