Just Extended Retirement Visa

[silverhawk_usa]

Just back from getting my one year extension on my O-A (retirement) visa. Chiang Mai Immigration has always been easy to get along with in my experience.

I presented a copy of my bank book and letter from my bank. I do not keep 800k in the bank so I had to show them my proof of income letter from the U.S. Consulate. They had always accepted copies before but this time they wanted my 4 year old original. This was basically the only NEW procedure. The immigration officer also told me that next year I will need another original. I asked about the requirement that it had to come from Bangkok and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and he said NO! A letter from the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai IS OK!. We joked about the U.S. Consulate being expensive and he agreed.

When the "boss" double checked everything, she again told me that next year I will need a new original. At least that is how it is as of today. (Oh yeah, no mention of maps or any kind of home visit either).

They also had me copy each of my previous visa extensions and put that with the file. That had not been asked before.

Everything else was the same as my previous 4 years and I was "in and out" in about 45 minutes time with no problems.

[retiredusn]

Just back from getting my one year extension on my O-A (retirement) visa. Chiang Mai Immigration has always been easy to get along with in my experience.

I presented a copy of my bank book and letter from my bank. I do not keep 800k in the bank so I had to show them my proof of income letter from the U.S. Consulate. They had always accepted copies before but this time they wanted my 4 year old original. This was basically the only NEW procedure. The immigration officer also told me that next year I will need another original. I asked about the requirement that it had to come from Bangkok and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and he said NO! A letter from the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai IS OK!. We joked about the U.S. Consulate being expensive and he agreed.

When the "boss" double checked everything, she again told me that next year I will need a new original. At least that is how it is as of today. (Oh yeah, no mention of maps or any kind of home visit either).

They also had me copy each of my previous visa extensions and put that with the file. That had not been asked before.

Everything else was the same as my previous 4 years and I was "in and out" in about 45 minutes time with no problems.

Great!!!!!!It is good to hear some positive news

[PeaceBlondie]

Thanks, Silverhawk; that's great news. It's only reasonable that they want a new letter from the consulate/embassy every 4 to 14 years. Your experience leads me to believe my one-year old pension letter will be good next month, and won't need to be certified by the MF-whatever.

[begsaresponse]

Just back from Pattaya Immigration. Our last 90 day visit before we renew our Retirement Visa. The only comment from the officer was reminding us that we need to come back to renew our visa. (due end of October)No comment about ANY changes!

Watch this space...will keep you posted when we go to renew.

Begsaresponse

[billwo0]

Just back from getting my one year extension on my O-A (retirement) visa. Chiang Mai Immigration has always been easy to get along with in my experience.

I presented a copy of my bank book and letter from my bank. I do not keep 800k in the bank so I had to show them my proof of income letter from the U.S. Consulate. They had always accepted copies before but this time they wanted my 4 year old original. This was basically the only NEW procedure. The immigration officer also told me that next year I will need another original. I asked about the requirement that it had to come from Bangkok and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and he said NO! A letter from the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai IS OK!. We joked about the U.S. Consulate being expensive and he agreed.

When the "boss" double checked everything, she again told me that next year I will need a new original. At least that is how it is as of today. (Oh yeah, no mention of maps or any kind of home visit either).

They also had me copy each of my previous visa extensions and put that with the file. That had not been asked before.

Everything else was the same as my previous 4 years and I was "in and out" in about 45 minutes time with no problems.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Silverhawk,

May I ask you for more detail about the letter you showed from the American Consulate as proof of income. I live in Chiang Mai, don't have the retirement visa yet. I have heard from a friend of someone who went to the Consulate and had a statement he had written notarized saying that he had so much income and so much in savings ... without showing any proof of same to the consulate ... and that that letter was accepted in lieu of bank deposit, but I have doubted that story, feeling like probably someone mis-interpreted it in telling it as it made its way around the farangs I know.

Did you have to the American Consulate proof of your income/and-or assets ?

thanks Bill

[lopburi3]

The Consulate can not confirm your income. They supply a form that you enter the amount and sign under oath to be true. Immigration has the right to request further income proof if they wish but it is normally not required.

[PeaceBlondie]

When I go to the office of the Immigration in Chiang Mai, I take my letter from the consulate, along with bank records showing the deposits into my American bank account, and withdrawals regularly in Thailand. The lower ranking officers who prepare the package for the boss's review have taken my bank account records.

[samtam]

Anyone had Bangkok (Suan Plu) experience today?

[silverhawk_usa]

Just back from getting my one year extension on my O-A (retirement) visa. Chiang Mai Immigration has always been easy to get along with in my experience.

I presented a copy of my bank book and letter from my bank. I do not keep 800k in the bank so I had to show them my proof of income letter from the U.S. Consulate. They had always accepted copies before but this time they wanted my 4 year old original. This was basically the only NEW procedure. The immigration officer also told me that next year I will need another original. I asked about the requirement that it had to come from Bangkok and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and he said NO! A letter from the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai IS OK!. We joked about the U.S. Consulate being expensive and he agreed.

When the "boss" double checked everything, she again told me that next year I will need a new original. At least that is how it is as of today. (Oh yeah, no mention of maps or any kind of home visit either).

They also had me copy each of my previous visa extensions and put that with the file. That had not been asked before.

Everything else was the same as my previous 4 years and I was "in and out" in about 45 minutes time with no problems.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Silverhawk,

May I ask you for more detail about the letter you showed from the American Consulate as proof of income. I live in Chiang Mai, don't have the retirement visa yet. I have heard from a friend of someone who went to the Consulate and had a statement he had written notarized saying that he had so much income and so much in savings ... without showing any proof of same to the consulate ... and that that letter was accepted in lieu of bank deposit, but I have doubted that story, feeling like probably someone mis-interpreted it in telling it as it made its way around the farangs I know.

Did you have to the American Consulate proof of your income/and-or assets ?

thanks Bill

I did mine 4 years ago and they did not ask for any proof. I have read other posters here who confirm this. They do not ask for proof. However, JUST IN CASE, I do take a copy of a letter drafted by my pension provider but so far it has not been asked for.

[wpcoe]

Just back from Pattaya Immigration. Our last 90 day visit before we renew our Retirement Visa. The only comment from the officer was reminding us that we need to come back to renew our visa. (due end of October)No comment about ANY changes!

Watch this space...will keep you posted when we go to renew.

I just renewed my retirement extension in Pattaya yesterday (with a slight diversion of a two-day overstay, but that's covered in another thread). There was NOTHING new. No need to draw a map, used same forms, etc. The Immigrations fellow at desk #8 did make the comment that I will need a new bank letter each year from now on.

Please do post your experience, even if it is only to say "no changes from last year," begsaresponse.

[edited to add:] Yesterday, a Tuesday, I arrived at Pattaya Immigrations at around 1400, and I was first in line for desk #8. Even with the processing of the overstay, I was in and out in less than an hour, including time needed to go outside to get one additional copy of passport pages for the overstay processing. No guarantee that will happen for you, but maybe that's a good day/time to appear? All the other desks seemed to be rather not-busy, as well. Very few people seated waiting their turn.

Edited September 5, 2007 by wpcoe