Retirement extension seems to now include an under consideration stamp and a home visit..

[Andrew Dwyer]

Ayutthaya immigration 

Some background:

Had an OA visa and retirement extensions for around 5 years. Had a home visit for 1st extension.

Changed to O visa and had a home visit and under consideration stamp for 1st retirement extension Dec last year.

 

Now on applying for my 2nd retirement extension have been told i am under consideration until 5th Jan 2024 depending on result of a home visit.

 

My current extension ends on Dec 14th and i applied 8th Dec ( i accept i could have gone up to 45 days earlier but some unforeseen circumstances meant it got pushed to the back of my mind).

 

I don’t really expect any problems from this but am wondering is anyone else seeing this trend.

 

It has been mentioned before recently that home visits are becoming common for new visas and first extension, but every year ?

[The Cyclist]

21 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

 

I don’t really expect any problems from this but am wondering is anyone else seeing this trend.

 

Renewed 3 weeks ago with no mention of home visits or under consideration period.

 

Same Immigration Office for the last 8 years and never had a home visit.

 

( Retirement Extension )

[Andrew Dwyer]

12 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Renewed 3 weeks ago with no mention of home visits or under consideration period.

 

Same Immigration Office for the last 8 years and never had a home visit.

 

( Retirement Extension )

Okay then it is probably my immigration office choosing to do things their way.

 

Incidentally i had 5 years home visit free on retirement extensions but these last two ( or more precisely the last one as there was a first extension included ) they have decided their officers need some fresh air !

[a340bangla1]

2 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Okay then it is probably my immigration office choosing to do things their way.

 

Incidentally i had 5 years home visit free on retirement extensions but these last two ( or more precisely the last one as there was a first extension included ) they have decided their officers need some fresh air !

 

Had similar information recently from a friend who also renews there. No such information about other immi offices.

[NoDisplayName]

O-visa and first extension (retirement) at CW last October, no home visit.

 

Extension in Korat a couple months ago, no under consideration period, no home visit.

[CharlieH]

My Office gives an "under consideration" every year for extensions based on marriage. I have had ONE home visit in the last 10 years.

 

As I think many of us now Know, these things can not only vary by office and province, but even by who you see on the day. One thing consistent is the inconsistency. 

[lopburi3]

Retirement extension is a local office decision - so it seems that office wants to confirm physical location prior to approving and using the under consideration/home visit to do so.

 

Edit:  this may be an attempt to weed out agent supported applications for persons not actually living in that area.

Edited December 12, 2023 by lopburi3

[Andrew Dwyer]

16 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Retirement extension is a local office decision - so it seems that office wants to confirm physical location prior to approving and using the under consideration/home visit to do so.

 

Edit:  this may be an attempt to weed out agent supported applications for persons not actually living in that area.

Yes, a number of posters were surprised to see my “under consideration for retirement extension “ stamp when I posted it last year ……. now i’m surprised to see I’ve got another one.

 

The agents seem to get treated like royalty at my io but that could be fuelled by financial gain !

[BritManToo]

15 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

It has been mentioned before recently that home visits are becoming common for new visas and first extension, but every year ?

On my 4th marriage extension in CM, only had a home visit the 1st time.

Moved to multi-Os when queuing at CM became a problem.

Previous to that another 4-5 marriage extensions in CM, again only a home visit for the 1st.

[KannikaP]

15 hours ago, a340bangla1 said:

 

Had similar information recently from a friend who also renews there. No such information about other immi offices.

Nothing like that at Phitsanulok. In & out in less than an hour for Retirement Ext'n.

AND they accept the Combination of 400k in the bank and 35k per month = 820k total.

[Andrew Dwyer]

11 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Nothing like that at Phitsanulok. In & out in less than an hour for Retirement Ext'n.

AND they accept the Combination of 400k in the bank and 35k per month = 820k total.

yes, mine was quick also, under an hour …. if you don’t count the almost 1 month under consideration !!

[Andrew Dwyer]

So it would appear I am victim of the immigration office making up their own rules.

Forgot to mention that i had a random home visit around 6 months ago !!, so that will make 3 in 13 months !!

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

this may be an attempt to weed out agent supported applications for persons not actually living in that area.

If he is doing it in person at the IO then he is obviously not using an agent!

[lopburi3]

Just now, scottiejohn said:

If he is doing it in person at the IO then he is obviously not using an agent!

But the rule would be general - all have to abide.  As normal those shorting the system cause issues for those playing by the rules.

[KhunLA]

23 yrs on, and probably 17 yrs of extension -0- visa, mostly marriage & retirement.  Until moved to PKK, from Udon Thani (2016/17), never had a house visit.  Not sure if they did the neighbor visit.  Since at PKK, had 2 house visits during 5 or 6 extensions.  No 30 day consideration for retirement extensions.

 

Used Nong Khai Imm, till UT got a local Imm office. Now PKK Imm.

 

Last ret ext I did, (Oct),  I went 1 week before expire date, and bank screwed up paperwork, and I didn't notice.   That day, had to apply to get correct paperwork, and won't be ready for 1 week 

 

1 week later, picked up in afternoon, on expiration date 

 

NOTE TO SELF:  apply for extension earlier, you idiot 

Edited December 12, 2023 by KhunLA

[foreverlomsak]

43 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Nothing like that at Phitsanulok. In & out in less than an hour for Retirement Ext'n.

AND they accept the Combination of 400k in the bank and 35k per month = 820k total.

Phitsanulok definitely appear to be one of the best locations to deal with, used them for years before my local office opened, who are extremely picky at times.

[tandor]

20 hours ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Renewed 3 weeks ago with no mention of home visits or under consideration period.

 

Same Immigration Office for the last 8 years and never had a home visit.

 

( Retirement Extension )

Random checks.

[Iamloki]

20 hours ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Renewed 3 weeks ago with no mention of home visits or under consideration period.

 

Same Immigration Office for the last 8 years and never had a home visit.

 

( Retirement Extension )

Same with me... same Immigration Office for 8 years, a few different addresses, never a home visit on my retirement extensions.

[jimn]

5 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

So it would appear I am victim of the immigration office making up their own rules.

Forgot to mention that i had a random home visit around 6 months ago !!, so that will make 3 in 13 months !!

Seems way over the top. I am at Jomtien and no under consideration or home visit for retirement extension here. In any case I go back to the UK with my Thai wife for 5 months every year. Waste of time trying to visit me.

[newbee2022]

21 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Okay then it is probably my immigration office choosing to do things their way.

 

Incidentally i had 5 years home visit free on retirement extensions but these last two ( or more precisely the last one as there was a first extension included ) they have decided their officers need some fresh air !

Do you have any issues? Convictions? Complaints? Any other notified problems? 😳

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Do you have any issues? Convictions? Complaints? Any other notified problems? 😳

Nope, been a model inmate 😊

[Colabamumbai]

On 12/11/2023 at 4:54 PM, Andrew Dwyer said:

Ayutthaya immigration 

Some background:

Had an OA visa and retirement extensions for around 5 years. Had a home visit for 1st extension.

Changed to O visa and had a home visit and under consideration stamp for 1st retirement extension Dec last year.

 

Now on applying for my 2nd retirement extension have been told i am under consideration until 5th Jan 2024 depending on result of a home visit.

 

My current extension ends on Dec 14th and i applied 8th Dec ( i accept i could have gone up to 45 days earlier but some unforeseen circumstances meant it got pushed to the back of my mind).

 

I don’t really expect any problems from this but am wondering is anyone else seeing this trend.

 

It has been mentioned before recently that home visits are becoming common for new visas and first extension, but every year ?

Never. 

[White Tiger]

If you "help them out" by giving them something to cover their travel expenses to your house for their visit, perhaps you are being overly generous, and they are interpreting your generosity as an invitation to visit you every year? Just a thought.

 

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

10 minutes ago, White Tiger said:

If you "help them out" by giving them something to cover their travel expenses to your house for their visit, perhaps you are being overly generous, and they are interpreting your generosity as an invitation to visit you every year? Just a thought.

 

 

They get a glass of cold water and a blank expression, not enough to be inhospitable but just enough to let them know that I don’t like them visiting me and would be happier if they f***ed off as soon as possible.

[ukrules]

What exactly do they do on one of these visits?

 

Do they look around every room in the house or just sit there like idiots.

 

With tha marriage extension I can see some use to ensure you're married but that's a bit over the top, for you however - once you open the door and they see you have control of the house I can't really see what else they would need to see.

[Andrew Dwyer]

7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

What exactly do they do on one of these visits?

 

Do they look around every room in the house or just sit there like idiots.

 

With tha marriage extension I can see some use to ensure you're married but that's a bit over the top, for you however - once you open the door and they see you have control of the house I can't really see what else they would need to see.

Usual stuff, photos of me holding my passport and in front of the house number. The little lady signs something to say I live here and off they go.

Usually a couple of IO’s , last time was one IO and a trainee taking the photos.

Can’t really blame them, they are only doing what they’re ordered to do, it’s some idiot brass sat behind a desk trying to justify his existence to his boss who in turn is…….. etc etc.

 

[ukrules]

7 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Usual stuff, photos of me holding my passport and in front of the house number. The little lady signs something to say I live here and off they go.

Usually a couple of IO’s , last time was one IO and a trainee taking the photos.

Can’t really blame them, they are only doing what they’re ordered to do, it’s some idiot brass sat behind a desk trying to justify his existence to his boss who in turn is…….. etc etc.

 

 

Ok, doesn't sounds too bad, not a full inspection where they check your clothes storage, toiletries and sleeping  arrangements like they do with a marriage extension.

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 minute ago, ukrules said:

 

Ok, doesn't sounds too bad, not a full inspection where they check your clothes storage, toiletries and sleeping  arrangements like they do with a marriage extension.

 

Yeah, it’s just a formality, doesn’t prove anything really, annoying though because now just waiting for the phone call and another visit to the Immigration Office.

Luckily it is close, although I have heard they sometimes do the “ visit “ on a video call if its a long way.

[Andrew Dwyer]

So, just had the home visit, 3 IO’s ( none of which I recognised ) usual photos inside/outside the house holding the passport.

Only this time they required a witness, luckily the layabout next door doesn’t work and was at home, he had to sign a form to say he knew me.

 

This was the quickest home visit I must admit, around 10 minutes, but perhaps that was due to my icy stare and the lack of any refreshments ( I had told the wife not to even offer any water ).

 

F#%k ‘em !!

[oldcpu]

First time I obtained a 1 year extension (retirement) on my permission to stay on a Type-OA Visa, at Phuket immigration, the IO stated they would call at my condo unit for a visit.  Even thou this was a retirement extension, my Thai wife happened to be with me, and she also gave the IO her #.  

 

In the next couple of months we were called twice by immigration. Both times we were out of province. They never did visit in the end.

 

Then a couple of years later, when I switched to to a 1-year extension on my permission to stay (on that Type-OA) visa, but this time for reason of retirement.  Again, they stated they would do a house visit. And again when they called, I was out of province, and in the end they never did visit.

 

Later (by leaving the country) I switched to a Type-O visa (for reason of retirement), and on this occasion, they asked for my Thai phone # and setup a Line (social media) video appointment, a few days later - with instructions that I had to be in my condo during the call.  I then had to video chat with them with my phone set to a selfie mode, and they wanted to see me in my condo, see me by the entrance to my condo (where condo # visible) and also see me at the entrance to the condo complex (where # visible).  So I had to walk around a bit during the call.  And again, this was for a retirement permission to stay extension.

 

I highly suspect this is both Immigration office specific, and may be even specific to the IO on duty when when one does their application.   I am not convinced there is a hard fast consistent practice.