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Posted

My retirement visa extension expires next month and this is the first time I have had to re-apply. What is the process?

Do I have to do the 90 day thing first then apply for the extension, or just apply for another extension?

I have heard many stories of the letter of income from the embassy being used up to 5 years before having to produce a new one! Is this true?

Do I have to produce all the documents needed for the first extension i.e. letter and statement from my Thai bank, pension documents and wife's documents? I am applying based on income per month not bank balance!

Would really appreciate some help on this!

Cheers

Kev

Posted

You should do with about 2-3 week remaining - believe new Embassy letters are required each year now but they might accept your last one if you want to try it - I would get a new one myself. You will not need the wife or any documents of hers. Just the letter (65k or more), the TM.7 with 4x6cm photo (new one) and 1,900 baht. You will present those papers and fill out a short bio data type form (rather confusing but only top sections required). I would have bank passbook with me but it should not be required.

I am not sure what "90 day thing" you mean - you do not have to have a bank account of any amount for three months. You do have to continue doing 90 day address reports when they are due (they have nothing to do with extensions of stay after the first time).

Posted
You should do with about 2-3 week remaining - believe new Embassy letters are required each year now but they might accept your last one if you want to try it - I would get a new one myself. You will not need the wife or any documents of hers. Just the letter (65k or more), the TM.7 with 4x6cm photo (new one) and 1,900 baht. You will present those papers and fill out a short bio data type form (rather confusing but only top sections required). I would have bank passbook with me but it should not be required.

I am not sure what "90 day thing" you mean - you do not have to have a bank account of any amount for three months. You do have to continue doing 90 day address reports when they are due (they have nothing to do with extensions of stay after the first time).

Pattaya Immigration tell me that I can use my 3-year old Embassy letter one last time when I extend my 'retirement' visa in June. They will then keep the original, which I still have as they have kept copies on previous occasions. I shall need to get a new letter next year, 2009.

Can't speak for what other offices may require but it seems that I am OK to use the old letter this time. I'll allow plenty of time, just in case.

DM

Posted

Do the same thing you did the first time and yuo should be ok.

Offices differ in Ning Khai yuo have to present the letter from the embassy a copy of your bank book and a letter from your bank. Listing the monthly deposits with a statement saying they came for outside Thailand. Last I heard yuo could get two years out of embassy letter with Nong Khia. They a not requiring a medical certificate on renewals. New passport photos each year. all importan house papers where you live. Nong Khai yuo can't process any ooner then ten day before the expiration date. Every office has it's own in's and outsJust repeat what yuo did the first time and you should be OK.

I always do it a few days early so if something needs to be changed or I miss copies I'm not under the gun, Stressful enough as it is. Gold Luck.

One gentle hint don't ask questions until they stamp your passport, if they want to know something they will let you know.

Posted

In Pattaya your pension letter needs to be notorized by your embassy (consul) they also require copies of your Thai bankbook plus letter from your Thai bank showing current balance.

Posted

But what if your income is solely from outside of Thailand..

B65,000+ per month and you do not have a Thai bank account...

Is this permissible with just the letter from the embassy stating such?

Thx

John

Posted

As always with immigration there appears to many different stories on what they require. I will take all the information I have just in case.

The first time I applied was a nightmare, I was rejected 3 times before eventually going to immigration in Korat where they did not even read most of the documents I had been previously asked for.

The first time I visited immigration I asked for a list of documents needed and they gave it to me in writing. I supplied all the document in English and in Thai but they claimed it wasn't enough. I then had to fly to BKK and get the letter from the embassy.

The next time they claimed the letter from the bank was not current so I had to return to the bank and get another copy. I again returned to immigration to apply but they told me it was not close enough to expiry on my 90 day type O visa.

Now I always expect the worst when visiting immigration but come away relieved if things go smoothly.

Thanks

Kev

Posted

The only thing that seems to always be required is the Embassy letter of pension (when using 65k or more) and the TM.7 form/fee with current photo. Anything else appears to be a local or officer specific.

Posted

To the OP.

Renewing is pretty much identical to the issue of the original except that you will not be interviewed

by a senior officer like at the first issue (in my experince anyway).

Just remember that extending your visa for another year does not re-start the 90 day reporting clock.

You still need to do this as a seperate issue.

Naka.

Posted

Well no matter what advice we give here the ones who make the decesion and that is really who you to need to talk, if they will do that. There is one phrase in the law that leaves a lot open and that is the officers can ak for anything he wants to.

So as to the question about the bank letter you need to contact the immigration office your going to go to. It wouldn't fly in Nong Khai.

I recently saw a that a guy and his wife were questioned about thier sex lives. I thought Nong Khai had really went over the deep end, turns out it was not the only office asking the question. It finally hit me they were looking for fake marriages to get a visa.

Can they legally ask question like that, read above, the answer YEP! :o

At one point there was a move to make yuo go to your local office as Bangkok was getting was swamped seemed to be the most efficient available.

Just about any of us can give you information about what generally happens in the offices we use, but in the end if you have a serious question best to contact the office your going to apply at. Not having a Thai bank account is a definite serious question. From day one in my case that was a requirement, the very reason I didn't apply for my annual when I was in the states I didn't know at the time you could set up an account in the states. Turns out you can at least do it in New York and Los Angeles.

Posted

My permission to stay expires on 28th April so this week I set about renewing it for the third time, this is my report on what I did this week.

Monday met British Consul:

Two copies of pension letter plus original.

Copy of passport (main page)

They kept the copies and the on Tuesday I collected the copies which had been notorised they also provided a letter verifying my pension and there was nothing on their records to my detriment, they requested immigration to give me every assistance to remain in the country. Cost of this work was 2210 baht.

Tuesday went to Bangkok Bank for letter

Immigration – Jomtien- Wed 23rd April.

I arrived at 0825 to find a large queue forming outside (gloom) the doors opened promptly at 0830, one officer was issuing the tickets, I was pleased to find that I was number three for the retirement desk!

0900 Called forward to desk 8, I produced:

Completed application form (I have it on my PC)

Letter from Thai Bank dated 22nd April confirming my balance at 53000 baht (Bank Charged 100baht and prepared the letter while I waited{Bangkok Bank})

Copies of my bank book (all pages) the officer kept the last four pages plus the main page and returned the rest.

Two pictures one was returned

Embassy Letter which was retained

Pension Letter Plus notorised copies (the original was returned, copies retained)

Copies of my passport, including TM 6 (entry slip) 90 day reporting slip, visa page with last years extension etc, main page all of which he retained.

I was then asked to remove my glasses and he took my picture with his webcam.

He also fed my details into his PC and seemed happy with the response

Completed within 10 mins and passed to payment section (desk 4) where I paid the 1900 baht.

Passed to the Captains desk, she checked everything and because their computers went down this morning I was told to come back tomorrow and collect passport.

Interestingly she converted my pension using the current exchange rate of around 60 baht to the pound!

I exited the building at 0915, no problems, no queries although it was a bit unnerving when the female Captain kept addressing me by my first name!

I was not asked for any credit or atm card details, I was not asked for a medical certificate (not done that since my first extension)

I was not asked for my old passport which contains the original Non O visa! Although I did give them both last year when I renewed it and they transferred a lot of data across. As they retained the embassy letter I will have to get a new one next year.

All in all painless!

Posted

I did my first retirement extension at Jomtien at beginning of April - all pretty similar to JohnC except my wife is English and under 50 so we had to show a copy of our UK marriage cert notarised by the British Consul (no charge for this by Barry Kenyon) in order to get her extension.

I was also told to come back the day after to collect my passport this seems to be standard procedure - a bit annoying if you don't live locally but not the end of the world.

Don't really understand why I had to get a letter from my bank when I used the income route but I didn't want to go against the advice of the more experienced especially on my first go. Only had 2,800b in the bank but they didn't seem interested in the amount, just wanted to know that I had an account. They kept the original of my pension letter so I guess I have to get a new one next year.

Posted
was also told to come back the day after to collect my passport this seems to be standard procedure - a bit annoying if you don't live locally but not the end of the world.

You normally get your passport back the same day sometime between 1500 and 1600, however due to the computers being down I have to go back tomorrow but I only live 10 mins up the road so no problem.

Don't really understand why I had to get a letter from my bank when I used the income route but I didn't want to go against the advice of the more experienced especially on my first go. Only had 2,800b in the bank but they didn't seem interested in the amount, just wanted to know that I had an account.

It was explained to me on my first application that they want a letter from your bank as this confirms a live operating account, the amount appears immaterial, the copys of your bank book confirms you are transfering money in for living expenses. Interestingly thye do not check where the money comes from! hmmm

Posted

I went to Jomtien this afternoon for my first retirement extension.

Provided original Embassy letter for proof of income which I got last year for first retirement visa, and it was accepted.

Copies of relevant passport pages.

Letter from Bank and copies of first and updated last page of Bankbook.

Completed TM7 form with 1 photo.

Procedure same as JohnC, and no ATM or credit cards asked for. Also no health certificate required.

In and out within 10 minutes and a very pleasant experience. Pick up passport tomorrow afternoon.

I was dressed in a short sleeved dress shirt and long dress pants and dress shoes.

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