It's Time to Change the Annual Visa Extension Approval Process

[renaissanc]

I should have gone to the provincial Immigration Office today, but yet again, the extension of my Marriage Visa has not yet been approved by the given date, which is a month after the application. This delay has started to happen more often in recent years. I don't think that Immigration in Bangkok can manage to check and approve the piles of visa renewal documents of hundreds of thousands of foreigners that are sent to them by the provincial Immigration Offices every day. There are just too many foreigners living in Thailand now. It might take another generation or two before this happens, still, it is time for a daring Immigration employee to suggest to the Big Bosses that provincial Immigration Offices should be allowed to approve visa extensions on their own. If the employee is really daring, s/he should suggest to the Big Bosses that visa extensions could be done online, though it might take three to four generations for the Big Bosses to approve this devilishly novel and creative idea.

[Will B Good]

9 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

I should have gone to the provincial Immigration Office today, but yet again, the extension of my Marriage Visa has not yet been approved by the given date, which is a month after the application. This delay has started to happen more often in recent years. I don't think that Immigration in Bangkok can manage to check and approve the piles of visa renewal documents of hundreds of thousands of foreigners that are sent to them by the provincial Immigration Offices every day. There are just too many foreigners living in Thailand now. It might take another generation or two before this happens, still, it is time for a daring Immigration employee to suggest to the Big Bosses that provincial Immigration Offices should be allowed to approve visa extensions on their own. If the employee is really daring, s/he should suggest to the Big Bosses that visa extensions could be done online, though it might take three to four generations for the Big Bosses to approve this devilishly novel and creative idea.

 

Have you any idea what would happen if you were to leave Thailand for a trip abroad say, before the extension is approved???

[Briggsy]

If you are suggesting an end to annual extensions, that would require a change in the law. That is not down to civil servants but to Members of Parliament.

 

If you are suggesting that extensions due to marriage be brought back to approval at the local level, then you have corrupt goings-on in the Nong Bua Lamphu Immigration office and some others over 10 years ago to thank for that.

[Rob Browder]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

If you are suggesting that extensions due to marriage be brought back to approval at the local level, then you have corrupt goings-on in the Nong Bua Lamphu Immigration office and some others over 10 years ago to thank for that.

Versus the corruption of the ~10K Baht extra needed for the "sign off" guy at the district-office?  Though, that price seems to have gone up, per some reports of agent-assisted marriage-extensions.

 

The whole system top-to-bottom is based on corruption.  This is evidenced by every change made to "stop corruption" only resulting in an increase in the collection of corruption-money.

[UWEB]

2 hours ago, renaissanc said:

I should have gone to the provincial Immigration Office today, but yet again, the extension of my Marriage Visa has not yet been approved by the given date, which is a month after the application. This delay has started to happen more often in recent years. I don't think that Immigration in Bangkok can manage to check and approve the piles of visa renewal documents of hundreds of thousands of foreigners that are sent to them by the provincial Immigration Offices every day. There are just too many foreigners living in Thailand now. It might take another generation or two before this happens, still, it is time for a daring Immigration employee to suggest to the Big Bosses that provincial Immigration Offices should be allowed to approve visa extensions on their own. If the employee is really daring, s/he should suggest to the Big Bosses that visa extensions could be done online, though it might take three to four generations for the Big Bosses to approve this devilishly novel and creative idea.

I never had a problem to get my Extension back after a month, may be it is just your Immigration Office that sent out the Documents late? And why do you think there are "hundreds of thousands" foreigner in Thailand and on Marriage Extension? The most preferred one is the Retirement extension beside that I have read some days ago here in a block that there are around 60.000 people on Extension of Stay in Thailand.

[sqwakvfr]

This is something that would never happen in LOS. Let's say the 800,000 or 400,000 is deposited into a special type of account that is locked up and can only be touched with the approval of Immigration.  In essence if one gives up the  Non Imm O retirement or marriage  then the money is released.  In such a scenario because the money is locked  the annual extension could turn into a simple renewal process. For instance going to the local immigration office and pay the renewal fee (of course the fee would be much higher than 1900 Baht) and submit a form that indicates nothing has changed.  Of course thinking efficiently is not a common thing in LOS.   I can see the same type of extension process that currently exists staying for a long time.  Just a wishful thought. 

 

I ponder on this because the PI SRRV has a  smaller deposit requirement but a high application fee and high renewal fee. The SRRV application fee $1400 (over 47,000 Baht) and the simple renewal fee is $360(over 12,000 Baht).  When I say simple, I mean simple. Because it is "always about the money" this idea might fly if Thai culture was willing to consider ideas from other countries. Now back to reality. 

 

"Just keep an open mind"?  Never in the Land of Smiles. 

[DrJack54]

18 hours ago, renaissanc said:

This delay has started to happen more often in recent years.

Common under consideration period to be one month

Thread seems more like a rant.

You can have someone attend immigration for final stamp.

BTW not all applications are sent to Bangkok for approval. 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

In such a scenario because the money is locked  the annual extension could turn into a simple renewal process.

The sweet deal that extensions based on marriage has is using money in bank method the 400k can be used as soon as extension approved.

Your idea would go down like a lead balloon 

 

[terryq]

Thanks OP for a good Christmas laugh.

 

Most people get their final stamp at the end of the month.

 

If you go back many years things were not the same. In the mid 90 s delays of 3-5 months were common.

 

My worst was ... apply  beginning June received final approval stamp end December. Felt like a Xmas pressie from immigration.

 

(sorry if a bit off topic)

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

30 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The sweet deal that extensions based on marriage has is using money in bank method the 400k can be used as soon as extension approved.

Your idea would go down like a lead balloon 

 

Hence, I said "it would never happen in the Land of Smiles".  Literally if one were to leave LOS and come back 10 years later nothing about Immigration would have changed with the exception of increased fees and yes even more documents to submit.  Also, if one uses any or all of the 800K or 400K the risk of not meeting seasoning requirment exists. I knew someone who missed the timing and had to leave the country and start over again. 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Also, if one uses any or all of the 800K or 400K the risk of not meeting seasoning requirment exists

The 800k is required for 2 months prior and 3 after application.

Not below 400k other months.

Keep in mind income method 65k monthly retirement or 40k monthly marriage.

Both can use the funds straight away.

Not a high hurdle.

No need to tie up funds in a Thai bank there is option. 

[sqwakvfr]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

The 800k is required for 2 months prior and 3 after application.

Not below 400k other months.

Keep in mind income method 65k monthly retirement or 40k monthly marriage.

Both can use the funds straight away.

Not a high hurdle.

No need to tie up funds in a Thai bank there is option. 

Ah, my poiint is it is simple but some fail.  As an American the income method is not available to me.  

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Ah, my poiint is it is simple but some fail.  As an American the income method is not available to me.  

It is. 

You just need to run the two options for one year in parallel.

After one year of monthly deposits and also satisfying money in bank method you can switch.

I'm doing that now

[sqwakvfr]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

It is. 

You just need to run the two options for one year in parallel.

After one year of monthly deposits and also satisfying money in bank method you can switch.

I'm doing that now

Monthly transfers into a Thai Bank Account is not an income method.  To be accurate it is an International money transfer method. Income means one proves that he or she has income to meet the requiremnts of a visa or ext of stay.  The monthly transfers just has to come from outside of LOS. 

[KannikaP]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Keep in mind income method 65k monthly retirement or 40k monthly marriage.

Or, if your IO is friendly, the Combination. I have 420k in the bank, transfer 35k per month = 420k. The total is over 800k so accepted here in Phitsanulok, done it for years.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Monthly transfers into a Thai Bank Account is not an income method.  To be accurate it is an International money transfer method. Income means one proves that he or she has income to meet the requiremnts of a visa or ext of stay.  The monthly transfers just has to come from outside of LOS. 

Obviously I was referring to international transfers.

I like many others including USA guys use WISE.

In the event the transfer is shown/coded as Thai bank to Thai bank (happens often) then you obtain "credit advice" from bank 

Don't play semantics.

 

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Monthly transfers into a Thai Bank Account is not an income method.  To be accurate it is an International money transfer method. Income means one proves that he or she has income to meet the requiremnts of a visa or ext of stay.  The monthly transfers just has to come from outside of LOS. 

There is no INCOME METHOD. For retirement 800/400 in the bank or 65k per month (spendable) or Combination totalling over 800k

As far as I am concerned, Mr IO doesn't give a monkey's whether the money transferred is from say Rental, Pension, Sister's immoral earnings, selling your bum...as long as it is transferred from outside Thailand on roughly the same date and amount  each month.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Or, if your IO is friendly, the Combination. I have 420k in the bank, transfer 35k per month = 420k. The total is over 800k so accepted here in Phitsanulok, done it for years.

Good point.

Some offices offer "combination method" option.

Obviously anyone would run it past their immigration office.

 

As soon as the monthly transfers hit my account the funds get transferred into my Thai partners account. 

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Good point.

Some offices offer "combination method" option.

Obviously anyone would run it past their immigration office.

 

As soon as the monthly transfers hit my account the funds get transferred into my Thai partners account. 

Great way to do it. I have a dedicated account for 'In from wise' 'out to Current a/c. So it is so easy for IO to see what's going on. Deposit a/c bank book is updated every month, so just 12 entries in both accounts, even the female IO smiles!

[scottiejohn]

28 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The 800k is required for 2 months prior and 3 after application.

Not below 400k other months.

Keep in mind income method 65k monthly retirement or 40k monthly marriage.

Both can use the funds straight away.

Not a high hurdle.

No need to tie up funds in a Thai bank there is option. 

I thought it was difficult to transfer that available 400,000Bht out of the country? 

PS;  If you did either transfer or spend the money  the new incoming top-up 400,000 would appear to have tax implications under the "new tax rules would it not?

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

I thought it was difficult to transfer that available 400,000Bht out of the country and then bring it back in!

You have misunderstood my post.

For folk using 400k money in bank method after extension approval you do not send out of Thailand.

You live off that money.

Prior to next extension you make sure money  is back up to 400k 2 months prior to application.

Wash and repeat. 

[Rob Browder]

15 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

There is no INCOME METHOD. For retirement 800/400 in the bank or 65k per month (spendable) or Combination totalling over 800k

As far as I am concerned, Mr IO doesn't give a monkey's whether the money transferred is from say Rental, Pension, Sister's immoral earnings, selling your bum...as long as it is transferred from outside Thailand on roughly the same date and amount  each month.

It was based on "total income," before they stopped accepting our embassy letters (USA, UK, AUS) - now it is "the total must be xferred to Thailand" method.  So, if your total income is close to the required amount, you need to "send back" money to handle expenses in your passport-country.

 

Also, some offices will only allow this "transfers" method if you also show the "source" of the funds being from a "pension" with additional documentation.  This happened to the esteemed Ubon Joe, at one point, as he reported here - had to show his letter from Social Security (USA). 

I can confirm this, as I was told I could not use my overseas income for a marriage-extension, unless I could show it was a "pension" - though my xfers exceeded the minimum required.

[scottiejohn]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Prior to next extension you make sure money  is back up to 400k 2 months prior to application.

Where does that 400K come from if abroad without being taxed?

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Where does that 400K come from if abroad without being taxed?

Don't understand the question.

Personally (like many) have asset, bank accounts in home country.

The 400k would come from income savings rents etc.

 

 

[KannikaP]

13 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

It was based on "total income," before they stopped accepting our embassy letters (USA, UK, AUS) - now it is "the total must be xferred to Thailand" method.  So, if your total income is close to the required amount, you need to "send back" money to handle expenses in your passport-country.

 

Also, some offices will only allow this "transfers" method if you also show the "source" of the funds being from a "pension" with additional documentation.  This happened to the esteemed Ubon Joe, at one point, as he reported here - had to show his letter from Social Security (USA). 

I can confirm this, as I was told I could not use my overseas income for a marriage-extension, unless I could show it was a "pension" - though my xfers exceeded the minimum required.

You can get a Retirement extension at 55, but in UK, one does not get State Pension until 66. 

[MJCM]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Common under consideration period to be one month

 

+1 longest I had to wait was 45+ days.

OP change to retirement that is what I did.

Went to the bank at 10:30 and afterwards went to Immigration and got my year extension at 11:50.

No agent, just doing the leg work myself.

Costs approx 2000 THB (1900 for Immigration and 100 for the Bank letter)

 

[scottiejohn]

29 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't understand the question.

Personally (like many) have asset, bank accounts in home country.

The 400k would come from income savings rents etc.

 

 

My point is that if you bring in an extra 400K every year to top up your extension account you are going to incur extra tax penalties under the new tax laws!

[KhunBENQ]

16 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

You can get a Retirement extension at 55

?

In Thailand from 50.

 

For years I used 800k+ at Khon Kaen.

Then 2023 I used income statement from consulate (still available for me).

Last time (Oct 2024) I used the 12x transfer method with account statements.

Not a single question about source asked although I have pension notice at hand.

But the transfer method makes me independent from consulate and frees the 800k.

[KannikaP]

5 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

My point is that if you bring in an extra 400K every year to top up your extension account you are going to incur extra tax penalties under the new tax laws!

Only if your total income into Thailand exceeds the set limits. 

[scottiejohn]

Just now, KannikaP said:

Only if your total income into Thailand exceeds the set limits. 

And 400K is going to do that for many!