An extremely frustrating experience for me for the first hour and a quarter in particular. Upon our arrival at just before 9:30, we found the front area outside the office cordoned off for what looked like some military-style parade of officers, so had to gain access via a side entrance. Apparently, this parade was designed to impress some visiting dignitary from the Immigration Bureau, according to my wife.

 

Needless to say, while a battalion of officers was marching about here, there and everywhere in full uniform, this had a corresponding negative impact on the level of service provided during this period. In particular, only 1 of the 4 dedicated extension of stay windows was in operation and only 2 ticket numbers called. Since there were still 12 numbers to go before mine was due to be called, I started wondering whether I’d actually be seen before my then current permission to stay expired on 11 August!

 

Thankfully after the officers had concluded all their marching about, some semblance of normality returned, and the pace quickened up somewhat to such an extent that my ticket number was the last one to be called before the officers’ lunch break, and we were able to emerge with fresh extension stamped in my passport after 2.5 hours in total. However, the office was nowhere near as busy as I’d previously heard since it relocated last October, and there was plenty of seating available. As someone of limited mobility, I particularly appreciated the row of seating reserved for the disabled right in front of the extension of stay windows.

 

Turning to the details of what happened once my ticket number had been called, I submitted the following to the officer:

 

• Passport & existing TM30 notification slip dating back to 2016 + certified copies of each (although I had brought with me an updated TM30 notification prepared online, this was not asked for).

 

• Completed TM7 form with 4x6cm photo affixed.

 

• Completed STM2 (T&C’s) & STM9 (penalties) forms (perhaps not surprisingly, Rayong had revised their versions of these 2 forms I’d scanned last year, meaning that I had to complete fresh forms obtained from the Reception counter).

 

• Bank account/balance confirmation letter, 12-month statement and relevant passbook copies, including the extra line I’d generated through a token transfer in the small hours duly highlighted. No comment was made about the total not now matching that stated in the bank confirmation letter and 12-month statement (I use the ฿800k method for my retirement extensions).

 

• ฿1,900 in exact money.

 

For her part, the officer asked to see the original bank passbook, presumably so as to double-check the extra line generated in the small hours (which, incidentally, was dated correctly and not the date before, as @jas007 & @LosLobo had experienced, as reported elsewhere).

 

On the other hand, she rejected the STM11 (fact-checking and info verification) form I’d also prepared - from which it is safe to assume, I think, that this particular form is not required by Rayong for retirement extensions at least (can’t speak for marriage extensions, though).

 

Do you consciously choose not to use online reporting for your 90-day reports? 🤔

They take me about 45 seconds to submit from the comfort of wherever I happen to be at the time.

19 minutes ago, IsaanT said:

Do you consciously choose not to use online reporting for your 90-day reports? 🤔

They take me about 45 seconds to submit from the comfort of wherever I happen to be at the time.

I can not see any mention of 90 day reports in the opening post, just an off topic post

Apparently for some it’s a dramatic excursion to the annual IO visit, even a traumatic one for some.

44 minutes ago, IsaanT said:

Do you consciously choose not to use online reporting for your 90-day reports?

Certainly quite a few of Rayong's punters seem not to, based on my observations yesterday! There was a steady stream of ticket number calls for the 90-day reporting window throughout my 2.5 hours there. In stark contrast to the relative paucity of ticket number calls for the extension of stay windows.☹️

One thing I should also have mentioned, perhaps, is that there is no booking system in force at Rayong, unlike at Chaengwattana, for instance. So it's basically a matter of taking pot luck. But, as already stated, the office wasn't particularly crowded yesterday - certainly nowhere near as crowded as it was when I obtained a certificate of residency there last November.

56 minutes ago, novacova said:

Apparently for some it’s a dramatic excursion to the annual IO visit, even a traumatic one for some.

Very true in my case, even though yesterday was my 17th experience of the whole process! You can never be certain as to what curved balls are likely to be lobbed in your direction by an immigration officer with a smirky grin on their face.

18 hours ago, OJAS said:

Passport & existing TM30 notification slip dating back to 2016 + certified copies of each 

By "certified copies," do you mean signed photocopies?

16 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

By "certified copies," do you mean signed photocopies?

Yes

Upon re-reading my OP for the umpteenth time, I realise that I could have been clearer in stating that I obtained the bank account/balance confirmation letter and 12-month statement the day before my trip to IMM - rather than on the date of my visit, as I had previously been led to believe (incorrectly in the event), was their requirement.

I did not ask them for up to how long bank letters would be valid since it is my intention to apply for future retirement extensions the day after obtaining this letter. Howeve, according to @Walloper in the following thread, they are valid for up to 7 days at Rayong:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1386730-proof-of-funds-in-an-electronic-age/

I have some skin in this game too. I mistakenly gave you some incorrect information about Bangkok Bank. Hopefully, yesterday’s retirement extension report will clarify it. Coincidentally, my province is Ranong, not Rayong.

Two weeks ago, I went to Ranong Immigration to collect the checklist and forms in preparation for my Non-O Retirement Extension of Stay, due in six weeks.

The checklist I was given was:

• TM.7 Application for Extension of Stay

• 2 off 4 x 6 cm passport photos

• Bank statement for the first 3 months since the date of last extension approval

• Bank statement for the last 2 months

• Bank Manager's letter

• Original and copy of bank book

• All bank documents dated the day of application and showing the same balance

• Passport and copies of all pages

• STM.2

• STM.9

• STM.11

• Partner's Tabien Baan and ID card – originals and copies

• Partner's statement confirming my stay, with 3 witnesses signing

• Google Map with coordinates

• One photo standing by the front door showing the house number

• One photo standing in front of the full house showing the house number

• Two different photos standing inside the house, showing the room as much as the person.
  

I also called into Bangkok Bank to order a statement confirming the ฿800k balance for the first 3 months since the date of my last extension approval.

Yesterday the big day, I went to Bangkok Bank at 9:30am. There was no waiting and everything went smoothly, except the bank cannot provide a bank statement dated the current day until the close-of-business balance is available, i.e. the morning of the next day.

The teller affirmed Immigration is aware of and accepts this issue, even though the requirement says documents must have the current day's date.

I arrived at Ranong Immigration at 10:30am.

There were two other applicants there and effectively it took 45 minutes, as I had to go next door to get a photo printed one that I failed to include.

Take aways from Bangkok Bank:

• You cannot get a bank statement, with today’s date i.e. until the morning of the next day.
  

From Ranong Immigration:

• Last year I put all my transactions thru my BB A/C and I almost got into trouble so this year I had a dedicated account with 800k locked in.

• Having a bank book and statements with zero transactions, with over 800k static in bank for 12 months, is an issue. I need to show that I am spending money in Thailand.

• On a re-entry permit application, the IO checked my passport and saw all my past re-entry stamps with no travel and suggested I come back for one if and when I had a specific planned itinerary.
  

Edited August 5Aug 5 by LosLobo

5 hours ago, LosLobo said:

Having a bank book and statements with zero transactions, with over 800k static in bank for 12 months, is an issue. I need to show that I am spending money in Thailand.

The train of thought from an Io's point of view, is how are you covering living expenses, are you working illegally.

Since I was once faced with a similar question, now when obtaining the account verification letter, I have the bank state both the FTD account that I use purely for Immigration, and my Savings account details on the same letter. Cost is the same.

16 hours ago, LosLobo said:

I have some skin in this game too. I mistakenly gave you some incorrect information about Bangkok Bank. Hopefully, yesterday’s retirement extension report will clarify it. Coincidentally, my province is Ranong, not Rayong.

Two weeks ago, I went to Ranong Immigration to collect the checklist and forms in preparation for my Non-O Retirement Extension of Stay, due in six weeks.

The checklist I was given was:

• TM.7 Application for Extension of Stay

• 2 off 4 x 6 cm passport photos

• Bank statement for the first 3 months since the date of last extension approval

• Bank statement for the last 2 months

• Bank Manager's letter

• Original and copy of bank book

• All bank documents dated the day of application and showing the same balance

• Passport and copies of all pages

• STM.2

• STM.9

• STM.11

• Partner's Tabien Baan and ID card – originals and copies

• Partner's statement confirming my stay, with 3 witnesses signing

• Google Map with coordinates

• One photo standing by the front door showing the house number

• One photo standing in front of the full house showing the house number

• Two different photos standing inside the house, showing the room as much as the person.
  

I also called into Bangkok Bank to order a statement confirming the ฿800k balance for the first 3 months since the date of my last extension approval.

Yesterday the big day, I went to Bangkok Bank at 9:30am. There was no waiting and everything went smoothly, except the bank cannot provide a bank statement dated the current day until the close-of-business balance is available, i.e. the morning of the next day.

The teller affirmed Immigration is aware of and accepts this issue, even though the requirement says documents must have the current day's date.

I arrived at Ranong Immigration at 10:30am.

There were two other applicants there and effectively it took 45 minutes, as I had to go next door to get a photo printed one that I failed to include.

Take aways from Bangkok Bank:

• You cannot get a bank statement, with today’s date i.e. until the morning of the next day.
  

From Ranong Immigration:

• Last year I put all my transactions thru my BB A/C and I almost got into trouble so this year I had a dedicated account with 800k locked in.

• Having a bank book and statements with zero transactions, with over 800k static in bank for 12 months, is an issue. I need to show that I am spending money in Thailand.

• On a re-entry permit application, the IO checked my passport and saw all my past re-entry stamps with no travel and suggested I come back for one if and when I had a specific planned itinerary.
  

Certainly onerous requirements for retirement extension applications in comparison to Rayong's! The one positive I could see, though, was that it only took 45 minutes for you to obtain your latest retirement extension, compared to 2.5 hours in my case. Presumably Ranong are not a particularly busy office if there were only a couple of people ahead of you?

11 hours ago, Liquorice said:

The train of thought from an Io's point of view, is how are you covering living expenses, are you working illegally.

Since I was once faced with a similar question, now when obtaining the account verification letter, I have the bank state both the FTD account that I use purely for Immigration, and my Savings account details on the same letter. Cost is the same.

What I do to counter this situation arising in my case is to have the passbooks relating to my day-to-day accounts with BBL and Kbank on me (as suitably updated), in addition to the passbook relating to my dedicated 800k account with Krungsri. In the event, the IO I dealt with only wanted to see the Krungsri passbook (presumably to double-check the transaction I made on the application date).

Edited August 6Aug 6 by OJAS