My yearly “retirement visa“ expires in February. The lines at immigration are terrible then. I'm beginning to consider trying to work out a way to change it to a more reasonable date, like July or August. I could let it expire and restart the process with the tourist/NR-O/retirement path. Or maybe when I renew this time I could get them to make it expire in July.

 

Any ideas? 

Not an idea but a comment.

Last time the financial requirements for retirement extensions were increased, "grandfathering" was introduced. This meant that there was no increase for some.

The main condition was (if I recall correctly) you needed to have 4 or 5 consecutive, uninterrupted, extensions to qualify.

So, if you interrupt your series of extensions, and the financial requirements are increased in the next 4 or 5 years, you may need to keep a lot more than 800,000 in the bank, or 65,000 per month.

There has been no increase for 20-ish years, maybe one is due. 

15 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Not an idea but a comment.

Last time the financial requirements for retirement extensions were increased, "grandfathering" was introduced. This meant that there was no increase for some.

The main condition was (if I recall correctly) you needed to have 4 or 5 consecutive, uninterrupted, extensions to qualify.

So, if you interrupt your series of extensions, and the financial requirements are increased in the next 4 or 5 years, you may need to keep a lot more than 800,000 in the bank, or 65,000 per month.

There has been no increase for 20-ish years, maybe one is due. 

I'm not really concerned with a potential increase in the amount required to be kept in a local bank. As I age though, I like to keep stuff as simple as possible, and this could simplify the yearly venture to immigration.

 

I could use an agent. I will save that for when I can't do it myself. 

45 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Or maybe when I renew this time I could get them to make it expire in July.

Not possible.

 

Guys that are married to Thai national can obtain a "60 day extension to visit wife"

That changes their annual due date. 

No option for unmarried guys. 

 

If passport is due to expire in less than 12 months a person  could obtain an extension that will have expiry same date as pp expiry.

That of course changes your annual expiry. 

I too have a very inconvenient extension date, though for different reasons.

 

I doubt you will be able to get less than a full year extension.  So other option would be to let the extension expire and start the process anew.

Sure immigration would love to open the door to let people choose and change their expiration date at will.  Just what they need is another meaningless task on their desks.  February is bad so lets all change to June and July, then they will become terrible and we can change to March or even back to February which will have emptied out.

What happens if you leave the country without re-entry permit, on a retirement visa?  Does it immediately expire?  Might be a thought though I don't know if there are any repercussions.

11 minutes ago, QuantumQuandry said:

What happens if you leave the country without re-entry permit, on a retirement visa?  Does it immediately expire?  Might be a thought though I don't know if there are any repercussions.

Expires as you exit without reentry permit.

Mentioned earlier that this is a way to change date.

Could reenter visa exempt at a time that suits required new date.

Use TM87 to change to non O retirement and obtain subsequent 12 month extension.

 

The new date for annual extensions would be 12 months from date of application.

 

No negative repercussions. 

6 minutes ago, QuantumQuandry said:

What happens if you leave the country without re-entry permit, on a retirement visa?  Does it immediately expire?  Might be a thought though I don't know if there are any repercussions.

That's what I alluded to in the OP, and @Sheryl also mentioned. When you leave without a reentry permit, your visa is no longer valid. You have to get an NR-O on which you can then get a yearly extension based on retirement.

I may need a short vacation outside Thailand to accomplish this. 

 

I had the same situation last year. On paperwork ask for 180 day extension and write a short note that you want to extend for 180 days, not 365 days. Worked fine for me at Chang Wattana.

22 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Not an idea but a comment.

Last time the financial requirements for retirement extensions were increased, "grandfathering" was introduced. This meant that there was no increase for some.

The main condition was (if I recall correctly) you needed to have 4 or 5 consecutive, uninterrupted, extensions to qualify.

So, if you interrupt your series of extensions, and the financial requirements are increased in the next 4 or 5 years, you may need to keep a lot more than 800,000 in the bank, or 65,000 per month.

There has been no increase for 20-ish years, maybe one is due. 

 Grandfathering did not require any amount of previous extensions, all that mattered was your age and extension status on 21 October 1998 (both age and financials changed that day)

9 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

 Grandfathering did not require any amount of previous extensions, all that mattered was your age and extension status on 21 October 1998 (both age and financials changed that day)

I stand corrected, thank you.

39 minutes ago, setbkk said:

I had the same situation last year. On paperwork ask for 180 day extension and write a short note that you want to extend for 180 days, not 365 days. Worked fine for me at Chang Wattana.

Wonderful. I'll try this in jomtien in January and post the results here. Thanks. 

53 minutes ago, gargamon said:

The lines at immigration are terrible then.

 

Any ideas? 

 

Isn't this what agents are for🤔

 

Why make life more complicated?

Just now, VocalNeal said:

 

Isn't this what agents are for🤔

I'm not that senile (yet). I prefer to do this stuff myself, just to make sure I still can. This exercise is to make it easier for myself to do the extension when there are no lines. 

22 hours ago, QuantumQuandry said:

What happens if you leave the country without re-entry permit, on a retirement visa?  Does it immediately expire?  Might be a thought though I don't know if there are any repercussions.

Yes.

1 hour ago, bigt3116 said:

 Grandfathering did not require any amount of previous extensions, all that mattered was your age and extension status on 21 October 1998 (both age and financials changed that day)

36 minutes ago, gargamon said:

I'm not that senile (yet). I prefer to do this stuff myself, just to make sure I still can.

 

Kinda like sex🤔 You can do it yourself but sometimes it is better to hire a professional.

On 12/15/2023 at 11:08 AM, gargamon said:

My yearly “retirement visa“ expires in February. The lines at immigration are terrible then. I'm beginning to consider trying to work out a way to change it to a more reasonable date, like July or August. I could let it expire and restart the process with the tourist/NR-O/retirement path. Or maybe when I renew this time I could get them to make it expire in July.

 

Any ideas? 

Speak to your local IO they may have alternative suggestion, probably not but it's worth a try surely.