Down under or Thai? Aussie mum trades Oz for Land of Smiles

[pontious]

We have just arrived in CM with me having a one year o visa and wife (thai)

I can imagine how annoying it is when a newbie arrives and asks the same questions that hundreds of other ( and maybe you) have asked before.

In my defence I have been been following TV for many months to have some idea of the rules and procedures to follow including reading the 'pinned' articles on the main and CM forums. I have just read the forum (again) that suggests 'lopburi' should be asked to write a DUMMIES BOOK on visas-to stop repeated questions any time a newbi arrived-- this was immediately discounted because evey office/officer seems to interpret the rules differently. i.e. I want to use the BHT 65000 route and in theory I dont have to show a bank book -on the CM forum here in CM you do??? -Other places you do not. So for probably the umpteenth time I am sure: In Chiang Mai to extend my o visa to a retirement visa will/can I :

1.Use the forms (english only) the Hull consulate gave me to use?

2.What documents do the CM office require and how many copies?

3.I will get the finance letter from the UK consul here in CM. 1700 baht ish I am told.

4.Will I need a medical .

5.Have I wasted my money getting a polce record check done in Uk that Thai consulate in Hull said I needed?

Any advice would be welcome

Regards

P

[mcgriffith]

pontious,

I am not lopburi3, who is the Thai immigration savant. However, I have read and follow his postings, am current on recent changes, and most importantly, did an extension from a non-imm O visa to a 1 year retirement visa, here in Chiang Mai. Just got my first full 1 yr extension (for reasons of retirement) last week. This was in addition to a 9 month extension I got last year on my 90 day single entry non-imm Cat O that I had last year. So I've done this 2 X, now.

First off, when does your current visa (issued in the UK, I assume) expire? If it's still good for a year, I can't see any benefit of converting to retirement, except for the provision to not have to leave every 90 days...

OK, as for the forms. Throw away what you brought. Go down to CM Imm, and ask for the forms they use here for a retirement extension. What you were given may be the same, but why take a chance (filling out the wrong form)?

Go to your consulate, get the letter that states your monthly income.

With your 1 yr non-imm O, if you don't already have a Thai bank account, now is a good time to open one. Why? Even though I know people who are on the 65K retirement plan, who use ATM cards, and who still get away with it, they are the "old crowd" They're "grandfathered", so to speak. For new applicants for retirement extensions, Thai Imm definitely likes to see a Thai Bank account in your name. And they want to see a history on that bank account, line item by line item.

No medical exam requirement; was deleted last Oct 2006. One of the few positives.

No police background check. This is something Thai embassies and consulates overseas ask for. In country, never requested.

In your case, for a 65K retirement plan extension, you need:

1) Your valid passport, not due to expire for at least a year

2) your filled out application

3) the UK consulate letter (monthly income notorised statement)

4) any and all pension/income statements from your home country

5) all home country bank statements, showing monies coming in from said pension/investments

6) your Thai bank account passbook (note my comments above), and a letter from you Thai bank stating your current deposit balance.

7) (2) 1.5" X 2" photos

8) 1900 baht fee for retirement extension

Bring all the originals, and I recommend 2 copies of each. For the application they only want 1 copy, but keep a separate file for yourself. Copy your passport face page, and the page that shows the most recent entry to Thiland, with the Departure card (TM7) as well.

As a side note, I personally went the 800K route- a lot simpler, and a lot less paperwork.

Hope this helps.

McG

[mcgriffith]

Postscript to my last posting.

ADD one more document (with copies):

Where do you live? Apartment/condo? Show the lease agreement, and get a letter from your landlord, with a copy of his/her National ID card, stating you reside at "such and such" address. Own your own home, or reside in a Thai-owned residence? You need a letter from the appropriate authority (sorry, I live in an apt, I forget the issuing authority's name for homes) stating you are resident at "such and such" address.

This is only required for your first extension; each additional time you apply for a retirement extension you simply state your current address.

McG

[noise]

pontious,

I am not lopburi3, who is the Thai immigration savant. However, I have read and follow his postings, am current on recent changes, and most importantly, did an extension from a non-imm O visa to a 1 year retirement visa, here in Chiang Mai. Just got my first full 1 yr extension (for reasons of retirement) last week. This was in addition to a 9 month extension I got last year on my 90 day single entry non-imm Cat O that I had last year. So I've done this 2 X, now.

First off, when does your current visa (issued in the UK, I assume) expire? If it's still good for a year, I can't see any benefit of converting to retirement, except for the provision to not have to leave every 90 days...

OK, as for the forms. Throw away what you brought. Go down to CM Imm, and ask for the forms they use here for a retirement extension. What you were given may be the same, but why take a chance (filling out the wrong form)?

Go to your consulate, get the letter that states your monthly income.

With your 1 yr non-imm O, if you don't already have a Thai bank account, now is a good time to open one. Why? Even though I know people who are on the 65K retirement plan, who use ATM cards, and who still get away with it, they are the "old crowd" They're "grandfathered", so to speak. For new applicants for retirement extensions, Thai Imm definitely likes to see a Thai Bank account in your name. And they want to see a history on that bank account, line item by line item.

No medical exam requirement; was deleted last Oct 2006. One of the few positives.

No police background check. This is something Thai embassies and consulates overseas ask for. In country, never requested.

In your case, for a 65K retirement plan extension, you need:

1) Your valid passport, not due to expire for at least a year

2) your filled out application

3) the UK consulate letter (monthly income notorised statement)

4) any and all pension/income statements from your home country

5) all home country bank statements, showing monies coming in from said pension/investments

6) your Thai bank account passbook (note my comments above), and a letter from you Thai bank stating your current deposit balance.

7) (2) 1.5" X 2" photos

8) 1900 baht fee for retirement extension

Bring all the originals, and I recommend 2 copies of each. For the application they only want 1 copy, but keep a separate file for yourself. Copy your passport face page, and the page that shows the most recent entry to Thiland, with the Departure card (TM7) as well.

As a side note, I personally went the 800K route- a lot simpler, and a lot less paperwork.

Hope this helps.

McG

I did my first retirement visa at the beginning of the year and it was slightly different.

1. I came in on a 30 day tourist visa and wanted to extend for 90 days to then process the retirement visa. For the 90 days extension I originally submitted a bank book with 10 years of history behind it, but it was rejected because my wife's name was on it also. I opened my own account, threw lots of money into it, and used that. No history behind it; it was accepted with no comment for the extension. By the way, a letter from the bank stating the amount showing as current balance in the book is accurate as of that date is also required .
   
2. When I processed my retirement application 60 days later, I did have the notarized letter from the consulate stating I claimed some much retirement income/month. I did not include any U.S. bank statements to show how it was distributed. None were asked for.
   
3. I submitted the bank book again and a new, current letter; I did not ask and it was not volunteered whether or not it was needed with my above the minimum required pension income.
   
4. Because I had a police check from the U.S., I included it and it was taken. This, of course, does not mean it was required then or now. Just that I had it, I used it.
   

Hope this adds information that might be useful. I don't think it contradicts anything else, just reflects the peculiarties of my specific situation back in February.

[chownah]

I have found that at least in Mae Sai the immigration people are very good at telling me exactly what documents I need for my visa and extensions. I suggest going to the immigration office where you will apply for your extension and asking them exactly what you will need and where to get it. Take a paper and pen with you when you go and write down everything as they tell it to you. Before leaving read back the entire list to them and make sure that you have everything listed correctly.....this has always worked perfectly for me.

[sceadugenga]

I have found that at least in Mae Sai the immigration people are very good at telling me exactly what documents I need for my visa and extensions. I suggest going to the immigration office where you will apply for your extension and asking them exactly what you will need and where to get it. Take a paper and pen with you when you go and write down everything as they tell it to you. Before leaving read back the entire list to them and make sure that you have everything listed correctly.....this has always worked perfectly for me.

I'll second this, the Mae Sai Immigration have always been extremely helpful.