Retirement visa or marriage visa extension at very old age

[DrJack54]

@ThaiVisaCentre do any agents assist with obtaining extensions where travel to immigration not possible due to age, mobility etc 

[Gandtee]

On 2/19/2025 at 10:14 PM, villageidiotY2K said:

Hello as the subject I’m wondering if ur in ur 80s and ur all frail and have difficulty walking without assistance, does one still needs to visit the immigration office, collect all the banking documents etc to apply for an extension even one have all these physical difficulties??

 

Anyone's experience at Jomtien would be enlightening unless I've missed it. At pushing ninety-two, I do tend to do this occasionally. 

[renaissanc]

On 2/20/2025 at 1:30 PM, Moonlover said:

My wife had an extensive discussion on this topic with our friendly and very helpful staff in Sakon Nakhon. I'm 79 now and although I am both physically and mentally in good shape, but one never knows does one. 

 

She asked what would happen if I was unable to attend the office or was unable to complete the required paperwork. They told her not to worry about it. They do have the power of discretion in such cases and will either visit the home or accept evidence of infirmity.

 

Regarding the money, (I use the income method) providing the monthly payments arrive in the bank and she can attest to that, again no problem.

 

The bottom line was 'don't worry about it. We won't come and haul your aging husband off to the IDC!'

I'm 68 now. It's a full hour to drive to the IO. I don't live in a city. I'm hoping that by the time I'm 85 onwards, Immigration will have discovered how to use the internet to enable annual visa extensions to be done online. Or, and this is even less likely to happen, I'm hoping that Immigration will decide to extend the marriage visa for more than one year at a time. I like to dream of impossible things.

[Dickp]

I'm 82 now and not in good health, bad back every hard to walk and me writing anything is not readable. Some years back my wife ( same age as me)  ask IM lady who we seen many times in the last 30+ years, what would happen if I was not physically able to go to CW, her reply don't come, know one is going to come looking for you and you would not be able to cause any trouble that the government would what to any way.

[Confuscious]

I can only answer this question in regard with KORAT immigration last year.

 

On my yearly extension last year, I was already using a walker and had difficulty walking longer trajects.
Nonetheless, the "students" who were doing a preliminary check of the documents had fun in sending me to the copy shop for additional copies (which were in fact not needed).
After 2 hours walking up-and-down and making the queue for photo copies, I was admitted to go the immigration officer at the preliminary check to get a queue number.
This immigration officer (a grumpy old lady) looked at me and asked me "why are you still alone after living so many years in Thailand" and refused my extension because my TM3 was not valid.
That was the point where I decided to use an agent to do the extension and start my exodus of Thailand.
 

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Confuscious said:

That was the point where I decided to use an agent to do the extension and start my exodus of Thailand.

Seems you were not prepared.

Above you mention TM3.

That would be TM30.

The requirements are very straightforward for extensions retirement.

Just be aware of what immigration office requires. 

[Confuscious]

36 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Seems you were not prepared.

Above you mention TM3.

That would be TM30.

The requirements are very straightforward for extensions retirement.

Just be aware of what immigration office requires. 

I went to immmigration for my extension fully prepared.
Just like the other 24 years.
But the new immigration officers were asking for all kind of copies which were not needed.
Many people living in Korat complained about the new immigration officers here and other forums.
Requirements are very straightforward, but the number 1 rule still reigns in Thailand:
"Every officer is allowed to ask for more documents outside the ones listed if he/she deems it necessary".
The TM30 was the same as the years before and had always been accepted by Immigration.

[DrJack54]

48 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

The TM30 was the same as the years before and had always been accepted by Immigration.

Not necessarily anymore as has been reported in many threads.

My own personal experience in Thailand dealing with CW was for first 10+ years I had NEVER done a TM30.

In last two years I provided a TM30 obtained just prior to attending for extension retirement. 

Keep up to date

[Confuscious]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Not necessarily anymore as has been reported in many threads.

My own personal experience in Thailand dealing with CW was for first 10+ years I had NEVER done a TM30.

In last two years I provided a TM30 obtained just prior to attending for extension retirement. 

Keep up to date

I lived in KORAT, not CW.
Different Immigration offices and different requirements.
I prepared every year te required documents for an extension according to the rules at that date.
Also, I prepared every year a new 1 year rental contract with a new TM30.
And this was always accepted and the extension was always granted without problems.
But in 2024, with new immigration officers, Korat immigration had become a nightmare for almost everyone.
I will stop this discussion here as it has nothing to do with the original post.

[DrJack54]

21 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

Also, I prepared every year a new 1 year rental contract with a new TM30.

You posted ....

"This immigration officer (a grumpy old lady) looked at me and asked me "why are you still alone after living so many years in Thailand" and refused my extension because my TM3 was not valid"

 

You mean TM30. Why was it not valid if you had a new TM30. 

So why was your extension refused if TM30 in order