Very fast and easy retirement ext at Korat today.

[grain]

My annual retirement ext expires 31st July. A week ago I dropped by Korat Imm to get the forms and check on all the current requirements. So over the past week I gathered all the required docs and filled in the forms at home. This morning at 8:25 I was standing outside my bank. Doors opened at 8:30 and I up the stairs to get my bank account statements. At 8:50 I had the necessary bank statements and then went straight to Imm. The girl at the outside counter check all my stuff. I did need to update my registered address doc, so went to that office, then at 9:30 I went straight into the office for visa renewals. Right on 9:45 I was out of there with a new ext up to July 31, 2024, a multi re-entry stamp, and they did my 90 days for me, so 3 months until I need to do anything again. So from the time I walked into the bank to get my statements to the time I walked out of the Korat Imm office with all my business finished = 1 hour 15 minutes. Cost 5700 + 200 for bank statements = 5900 Bt.

[NoDisplayName]

May I confirm bank documents for the retirement extension?

 

Bank guarantee letter showing balance in account.

2 months bank statement, provided by bank (not downloaded from website).

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, grain said:

I did need to update my registered address doc,

Are you living ongoing in Thailand.

Why did you need to do a TM30? 

 

Was your 90 day report due and you took opportunity to file TM47 while you were there? 

 

[FaltuMora]

While some people take great  satisfaction getting their retirement visa in two hours that can simply be stated in one line as "I got my retirement visa from xyz office in less than two hours", I get great satisfaction posting that I got the same by handing over my passport and 12,500 baht to an agent while my 800K earned more than 100K in the US as an additional investment and at the same time my 12,500 baht helped lots of people who were not fortunate to earn in dollars. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by FaltuMora

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, FaltuMora said:

While some people take great  satisfaction getting their retirement visa in two hours that can simply be stated in one line as "I got my retirement visa from xyz office in less than two hours", I get great satisfaction posting that I got the same by handing over my passport and 12,500 baht to an agent while my 800K earned more than 100K in the US as investment and at the same time my 12,500 baht helped lots of people who were not fortunate to earn in dollars. 

The OP was giving report.

I would think everyone living in Thailand on extensions from non O would be very aware of option of using an agent for extensions based on retirement.

The 12,500b you parrot is from agents in Pattaya. 

 

Your post is off topic and boring.

OP did not ask about agents. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by DrJack54

[FaltuMora]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP was giving report.

I would think everyone living in Thailand on extensions from non O would be very aware of option of using an agent for extensions based on retirement.

The 12,500b you parrot is from agents in Pattaya. 

 

Your post is off topic and boring.

OP did not ask about agents. 

I was not responding to OP's question, if he had any. I was simply reminding facts of life for two groups of people living in Thailand.

[grain]

10 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

May I confirm bank documents for the retirement extension?

 

Bank guarantee letter showing balance in account.

2 months bank statement, provided by bank (not downloaded from website).

Korat Imm gave me a very small slip of paper to give to the bank informing them what they required, it was in Thai, and I didn't pay any attention to it. I just handed it to the gal at the bank. They updated my bank book and prepared 2 letters. I didn't even look at them, just handed them over to Imm.

[grain]

9 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Are you living ongoing in Thailand.

Why did you need to do a TM30? 

 

Was your 90 day report due and you took opportunity to file TM47 while you were there? 

 

Yes, ongoing, been living in Thailand for decades.

I have no idea why I was told to update that registered address receipt that's stapled into my PP, it's never been requested before. I just do what they tell me. It might be because I left the country for a few days (had a short holiday in Laos 3 months ago) I don't know and don't question them.

The last 90-day I did was a month ago and they dated it to July 31, which is when my ret' ext would expire, so yesterday they did a new 90 day for me, to save me from coming back in 3 weeks. They are very nice and helpful at Korat Imm.

[grain]

9 hours ago, FaltuMora said:

While some people take great  satisfaction getting their retirement visa in two hours that can simply be stated in one line as "I got my retirement visa from xyz office in less than two hours", I get great satisfaction posting that I got the same by handing over my passport and 12,500 baht to an agent while my 800K earned more than 100K in the US as an additional investment and at the same time my 12,500 baht helped lots of people who were not fortunate to earn in dollars. 

Nothing to do with great satisfaction mate, I'm just giving a detailed account, hopefully passing on useful information, that's one of the main purposes of this forum.

 

BTW: I have used a few visa agents in the past. When I lived in Pattaya I used to pay Darren 12000 Bt and he'd take 2-3 days, I now do it myself for half the cost in just over 1 hour. And I have no problem with the 800K in a Thai bank. That money stays there year after year, it's to satisfy the Imm requirement, but it's also there in case of any sudden emergencies.

[Pumpuynarak]

I've been using Korat IO for years and i have to agree with the OP that they are very helpful in general. The only thing that really annoys me is they will give you forms to complete that are only available in Thai !!! so one of the helpful Thai girls that understands English is necessary to help you complete.

I do the 65k monthly income method.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Pumpuynarak

[jerrymahoney]

19 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

I do the 65k monthly income method.

Yes. I do the same.

 

And the rest of my money stays in the USofA just as with the agent-aficionados

Edited July 4, 2023 by jerrymahoney

[Pumpuynarak]

4 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Ye. I do the same.

 

And the rest of my money stays in the USofA just as with the agent-aficionados

There is no way in a million years that i'm going to put 800k in a Thai bank and not have total control and access to it, ITS MY MONEY. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Pumpuynarak

[grs90]

12 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

May I confirm bank documents for the retirement extension?

 

Bank guarantee letter showing balance in account.

2 months bank statement, provided by bank (not downloaded from website).

I renewed my extension last week and experience was similar to the OP.  

They wanted a 3 month statement this year though instead of the previously required 2 months.  The list of requirements they gave when I got the blank forms from them still states 2 months as the requirement but it was accompanied by a little slip of paper, written entirely in Thai, which stated 3 months was required.

 

so I just got a 3 month one from the bank and all was fine.

 

Just to add, the only problem this year was when I went to the bank, the green one in Terminal 21, it was no longer there!  It had been closed and they hadn’t seen fit to tell me.  Had to ring their call centre to find out where my account was now held.

Edited July 5, 2023 by grs90
Additional information

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, grain said:

They are very nice and helpful at Korat Imm.

They may be very nice however regards your TM30...

Presumably you would have had a reentry permit for your trip out of Thailand so a TM30 should not be required.

Also offices that try to "help" with doing a 90 day report are not really helping.

Those using online reporting best to keep 90 reports separate from extension.

 

[Pumpuynarak]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

They may be very nice however regards your TM30...

Presumably you would have had a reentry permit for your trip out of Thailand so a TM30 should not be required.

Also offices that try to "help" with doing a 90 day report are not really helping.

Those using online reporting best to keep 90 reports separate from extension.

 

and how would one do that ? Your 90 day report runs out on the same day as your extension as they won't allow your 90 day to exceed your extension date. Its no problem they just do your new 90 day along with your extension, i always complete the 90 day form along with my extension form. I then revert to online for future 90 day reports.

Edited July 5, 2023 by Pumpuynarak

[grain]

3 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

There is no way in a million years that i'm going to put 800k in a Thai bank and not have total control and access to it, ITS MY MONEY. 

Don't quite understand your logic on this. I've had money in this particular Thai bank account for about 20 years now. I have total control, it's my money, it earns interest, I have access - if needed I can withdraw the lot in minutes. 

[grain]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

They may be very nice however regards your TM30...

Presumably you would have had a reentry permit for your trip out of Thailand so a TM30 should not be required.

Also offices that try to "help" with doing a 90 day report are not really helping.

Those using online reporting best to keep 90 reports separate from extension.

 

I've been here a long time mate, I've learned to smile and be happy and polite and give them what they ask for, not to start splitting hairs and arguing the toss about immigration laws with them. You only get one chance with Thais, piss them off and you've had it, these people (like officials in every country) can make things very difficult if they want to. 

[Pumpuynarak]

Just now, grain said:

Don't quite understand your logic on this. I've had money in this particular Thai bank account for about 20 years now. I have total control, it's my money, it earns interest, I have access - if needed I can withdraw the lot in minutes. 

and once you withdraw the total amount or amounts of money outside of THEIR rules you are not complying with the extension requirements.

 

[grain]

3 hours ago, grs90 said:

I renewed my extension last week and experience was similar to the OP.  

They wanted a 3 month statement this year though instead of the previously required 2 months.  The list of requirements they gave when I got the blank forms from them still states 2 months as the requirement but it was accompanied by a little slip of paper, written entirely in Thai, which stated 3 months was required.

 

so I just got a 3 month one from the bank and all was fine.

 

Just to add, the only problem this year was when I went to the bank, the green one in Terminal 21, it was no longer there!  It had been closed and they hadn’t seen fit to tell me.  Had to ring their call centre to find out where my account was now held.

I've got no idea how long they want to see the money has been in the account for, I keep that 800K in that account year after year, solely for annual visa renewal. So 2 months, 3 months, 12 months, makes no difference to me. I just gave that little slip of paper to the girl at the counter, and accepted what they gave me. 

[grain]

3 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

and once you withdraw the total amount or amounts of money outside of THEIR rules you are not complying with the extension requirements.

 

I keep that money in that account for about 15 years now, all I take out is I scoop off the interest once a year, but the balance never drops below 800K. That money is solely for visa. I see on this forum people talking about scratching around every year trying to get the 400K or 800K together. That would drive me nuts year after year. I leave the amount in the bank. 

[Pumpuynarak]

12 minutes ago, grain said:

I keep that money in that account for about 15 years now, all I take out is I scoop off the interest once a year, but the balance never drops below 800K. That money is solely for visa. I see on this forum people talking about scratching around every year trying to get the 400K or 800K together. That would drive me nuts year after year. I leave the amount in the bank. 

and you still believe that YOU have control of YOUR money, not imo you don't. Tell ya what try taking the 800K out of the account without making alternative arrangements for your extension, i'll be interested in the outcome.

[dick turpin]

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Are you living ongoing in Thailand.

Why did you need to do a TM30? 

 

Was your 90 day report due and you took opportunity to file TM47 while you were there? 

 

Had a similar request to update my address at Korat,

simply because slip in my passport was an old version.

 

Also at Korat the IO dealing with the extension will

automatically reboot your 99 day report and issue

any re-entry permit....all at the same desk.

[TaoNow]

Pumpuynarak:  I think 'grain's' point is that, if you cannot afford to maintain the 800K baht balance in a Thai bank account for the periods required, then you cannot afford to do a retirement extension (using the money-in-the-bank method).

 

Grain is absolutely correct that the 800K+ is your money and can be withdrawn in full with a single visit to the bank, to do whatever you want to with it.

 

We all accept that 'burden' (who use that type of retirement extension).

[Dune Sea Jedi]

Hi just curious why was your cost 5700 baht? I just renewed my yearly O in Hua Hin via 800k in the bank. The total cost was 1900 baht.

[worgeordie]

On 7/5/2023 at 11:23 AM, Pumpuynarak said:

and you still believe that YOU have control of YOUR money, not imo you don't. Tell ya what try taking the 800K out of the account without making alternative arrangements for your extension, i'll be interested in the outcome.

Where do YOU have your money and have total control over it, ??

 

regards Worgeordie

[Pattaya57]

38 minutes ago, Dune Sea Jedi said:

Hi just curious why was your cost 5700 baht? I just renewed my yearly O in Hua Hin via 800k in the bank. The total cost was 1900 baht.

OP said he also got a multi re-entry stamp. That cost 3800 + 1900 for extension = 5700

[Dune Sea Jedi]

5 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

OP said he also got a multi re-entry stamp. That cost 3800 + 1900 for extension = 5700

Thank you