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

[tomazbodner]

5 hours ago, renaissanc said:

There are just too many foreigners living in Thailand now.

To a Thai this could be a problem... Now how could that be fixed?

[KannikaP]

20 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

And 400K is going to do that for many!

OK, then pay your tax as required.

[scottiejohn]

35 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

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

Which for the average pensioner it will!

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

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

The term Retirement extension is misleading.

The requirement for Non O "retirement " has one main condition. That being age 50+.

 

One condition is not working in Thailand. 

[delboy]

In 1990 I applied for a one year extension for reason of marriage at Chiang Mai.  The IO had to phone Bangkok to find out what to do.  The application was sent for processing in Bangkok, and then I had to return every 2 weeks (not 1 month as now).  It took 5 months to process.  Then in 1991 I applied for a new extension, and that one took a whole year without a result, then they just told me to apply again, and I needed a new passport.  

[Scouse123]

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

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. 

 

 

The ones who seem to suffer an imbalance in the rules, with these different income streams, such as monthly income or marriage, are those unmarried guys with the 800K in the bank.

 

They keep 800K locked for five months, and then only 400K is available to them.

 

It is precisely why DTV looks more and more attractive.

[scorecard]

15 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.

 

"...hundreds of thousands of foreigners..." Really, any proof of that?

[DrJack54]

50 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

They keep 800K locked for five months, and then only 400K is available to them.

 

It is precisely why DTV looks more and more attractive.

Very much so.

However I would caution anyone currently on extensions retirement to jump ship onto DTV just now.

Perhaps look at that option down the track.

Especially if planning soft power route. 

If can qualify for digital nomad then seems good alternative. 

 

[Presnock]

12 hours 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. 

Drjack54 is totally correct.  I was on a Retirement O for 20+ years, never did the bank deposit, originally used Embassy letter but when that ceased, I did the 65K monthly until I then saw the benefits/cost of the LTR, switched and believe it to be the best for my money.

[harryviking]

It is actually time to start thinking about changing destination for retirements. Thailand act like a spoiled prat that needs to be changed. What if most retirees just left? Then they would cry!

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Thailand act like a spoiled prat that needs to be changed. What if most retirees just left? Then they would cry!

You are over stating the importance of retired expats in Thailand.

Most of who are very happy with living here.

The financial requirements, especially for married folk are not onerous.

Granted the paperwork across the board could/should be simplified.

 

[OJAS]

12 hours 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!

 

Depends on its source in your home country. If covered by its DTA with Thailand (e.g. UK Government occupational pensions) then no tax liabililty here in LOS. 

[MJCM]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

The financial requirements, especially for married folk are not onerous.

Granted the paperwork across the board could/should be simplified.

 

+1

But the trouble is, that the marriage route gets abused because of arranged fake marriages, that is why the increased scrutiny and the sending off of the documents to the regional HQ. Although the difference in paperwork retirement / marriage is not that much more,

a fresh copy of the KR 2,the KR3 *original*, and for some IO's pictures of the couple in the house

 

[renaissanc]

19 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

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

I asked about that once and you can actually leave if you have a Reentry Permit, I was told. But I wouldn't like to try. 

[renaissanc]

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

"...hundreds of thousands of foreigners..." Really, any proof of that?

Well, there are apparently around 3 to 4 million foreigners live in Thailand. Add to that 5,2 million migrants. The daily workload for Immigration officials must be huge. An officer at my provincial IO said that they had to take work home because they couldn't keep up. How bad must the situation be for officials at Head Office?

[Will B Good]

3 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

I asked about that once and you can actually leave if you have a Reentry Permit, I was told. But I wouldn't like to try. 

 

Mmmmm....just starting to panic a little. 

 

Planning to pick up my extension April 4 as I have done every year.....fly April 8.....but April 5/6 is the weekend......so if anything goes pear shaped i could be in trouble.

[MJCM]

3 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

Mmmmm....just starting to panic a little. 

 

Planning to pick up my extension April 4 as I have done every year.....fly April 8.....but April 5/6 is the weekend......so if anything goes pear shaped i could be in trouble.

Why are you leaving it that late, I did my extension 2 weeks ago and I was stamped with permitted to stay date the same as previously which is 11th Jan.

you will not loose days doing it early.

Ps: This is retirement, marriage would be the same, but you need to include the "under consideration" period

[renaissanc]

16 hours ago, terryq said:

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)

 

 

My local IO has told me not to apply more than 30 days from when the visa expires. Last year I applied 33 days in advance and the official had to be begged not to send us home to apply again on the following Monday. The drive to Immigration takes an hour and that's straight driving without any traffic jams.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, MJCM said:

Why are you leaving it that late, I did my extension 2 weeks ago and I was stamped with permitted to stay date the same as previously which is 11th Jan.

you will not loose days doing it early.

Ps: This is retirement, marriage would be the same, but you need to include the "under consideration" period

 

Sorry, my application will be made February 4, extension is valid till March 4......collect new extension April 4.....if that makes sense.

[Will B Good]

Just now, renaissanc said:

My local IO has told me not to apply more than 30 days from when the visa expires. Last year I applied 33 days in advance and the official had to be begged not to send us home to apply again on the following Monday. The drive to Immigration takes an hour and that's straight driving without any traffic jams.

 

I thought you could apply up to 45 days before????

[renaissanc]

4 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Why are you leaving it that late, I did my extension 2 weeks ago and I was stamped with permitted to stay date the same as previously which is 11th Jan.

you will not loose days doing it early.

Ps: This is retirement, marriage would be the same, but you need to include the "under consideration" period

The rule in my province is that you apply between about 26-30 days before the visa expires. More that 30 days in advance is not allowed. This year I applied exactly 30 days in advance.

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

The rule in my province is that you apply between about 26-30 days before the visa expires. More that 30 days in advance is not allowed. This year I applied exactly 30 days in advance.

 

Just read this.....

 

Application Period: While the general recommendation is to apply 30 to 45 days in advance, some immigration offices may have specific preferences. It’s prudent to check with your local immigration office for their exact guidelines.

[bigt3116]

16 hours 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

 

Can you switch from an extension based on work to one based on marriage (income), if you have had well over 12 months of payments going in from your home country?

[MJCM]

7 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

Sorry, my application will be made February 4, extension is valid till March 4......collect new extension April 4.....if that makes sense.

Yep it does.

You are on a marriage extension.

Ask your IO if you can do it earlier, our IO allows 45 days earlier, tell them about your travel plans.

[MJCM]

7 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

The rule in my province is that you apply between about 26-30 days before the visa expires. More that 30 days in advance is not allowed. This year I applied exactly 30 days in advance.

Ours allows 45 days in advance. So different IO different rules

[Will B Good]

Just now, MJCM said:

Yep it does.

You are on a marriage extension.

Ask your IO if you can do it earlier, our IO allows 45 days earlier, tell them about your travel plans.

 

Pure genius.....will do.

 

Oh wait...damn...."60 day money in the bank" takes me to Feb 4.....but I could still ask I guess.

 

Cheers

[MJCM]

Just now, Will B Good said:

 

Pure genius.....will do.

 

Oh wait...damn...."60 day money in the bank" takes me to Feb 4.....but I could still ask I guess.

 

Cheers

That complicates things. You are really balancing this 😉 

Good Luck

[bigt3116]

20 hours ago, renaissanc said:

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.

 

Reports say that there are about 400,000 from western and developed nations.

 

Let's say half of those are married = 200,000

 

Let's say immigration works 340 days a year, that equates to 588 applications a day.

 

That is a far cry from your hundreds of thousands per day.

[Will B Good]

Just now, MJCM said:

That complicates things. You are really balancing this 😉 

Good Luck

 

5555.....going to check with Emirates and see how much it costs to maybe rebook a later date.......😭

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

 

Can you switch from an extension based on work to one based on marriage (income), if you have had well over 12 months of payments going in from your home country?

ubonjoe cut/paste covers it.

And yes you could use income method with 12 month of transfers.

 

"To apply for a non-o visa based upon marriage you would have to go to a embassy or consulate. Immigration does not change non immigrant visa categories. You would have to have a tourist visa or visa exempt entry to apply for a non immigrant category O visa at immigration.

If you are on the 90 day entry from a non-b visa you could apply for an extension of stay based upon marriage at immigration.

If on a one year extension of stay issued upon working issued at immigration you could change the reason for it to one based upon marriage after your current extension is canceled"